52

The Truth Untold

Michael and Rihanna did not move until a paramedic showed them out.

When they did, they ended up in Emilia's apartment in the palace, sitting together on the couch wordless and having no idea of anything. After catching Emilia up with what happened, she was just as confused as they were.

"So… did… Silvestre say that… mum had an affair, and you are her daughter?" Emilia asked.

Rihanna nodded. "I think that's what she meant at least…"

"How do you hide a pregnancy though?!"

"… When… when I was a little kid, like one year old, mum spent a year at the holiday estate… With Silvestre. A year. Do you think that's not a coincidence? The year between Emmy and me being born. A year. I know round about nothing with that but…"

"Still. How do you hide a pregnancy? Even like that, you'd need a doctor," Emilia added.

"Maybe her lover was one?" Rihanna suggested. "I mean, the circumstances of my existence were always fishy, but… mum wouldn't say that without a reason, would she?"

"Let's get her and ask her," Michael rose.

"Mike, dad… he… he's in hospital. With a heart attack." Emilia rose too, but not to leave. "The chance to survive that… TV does not represent it correctly. I've done research into it. For all we know, the notice of his… his… death… it might come in any minute. Operation Golden Gate Bridge might happen."

"Even better, then we should hurry and figure it out."

They didn't even need to storm Silvestre's office, because when Michael opened the door, she was already standing there.

"We need to talk," she said, and passed by the crown prince without another word. She sat down alone, knowing that the three probably wanted answers rather than apologies.

"Yeah, we definitely do," Rihanna almost laughed.

Silvestre confirmed what they just suspected. Charlotte had affairs through ought the years of the three's childhood. She had, once, loved Richard but that love had faded. Rihanna was the only child born from such affairs. Opposing abortion, Charlotte had decided to retreat into her country estate citing stress from the public exposure.

"That… Okay… What—" Rihanna shook her head. "Give me a break, I…"

The door opened, and the four recognised the official in the frame. "The King has died."

Although he continued talking, Michael glanced over to his sister. Their eyes met, and she nodded subtly. The plan they had made earlier would still happen. It wasn't going to be Michael who would become sovereign but Emilia Schreave.

* . * . *

Thousand things happened at once, but only one mattered to Michael. End this all, as soon as possible. With Rock by his side, he quietly listened to what he was meant to say. Silvestre was, visibly, worried and hectic, but Michael didn't have the heart to tell her to calm down.

As much as he knew, she'd soon drown in work.

In between learning of their father's passing and now, Emilia had left to see her father alongside Rihanna, but she knew that she'd need to come back soon. He had met Sam and filled him in. He needed him by his side now.

"Hey… Silvestre?" Michael only spoke up when they had the room for themselves. He placed Rock on the floor and rose on her eye level. "There's a change in that."

"Really? What?" Silvestre asked confused. "What's missing?"

"Not missing—it's… a big very wrong."

"What do you mean?"

How could he put it that it didn't sound like only he and his sister knew? "I will not be King. Emilia will. I'll abdicate."

"… No one ever tells me something on time."

He suppressed laughter. "Probably. Nothing's written down or anything—I doubt many even know, including Greene, but… why not announce that with father's dead too."

"It does make sense," Silvestre nodded. She fell for the lie. Good. "Then are you ready for the live recording?"

Michael shook his head. "There's one more thing. I want to add something at it. Live. Can you make sure, no matter what happens, it won't be cut off?"

"What?"

"Something. Personal."

Silvestre rose an eyebrow. "The Selection?"

Michael nodded. "Greene threatened the rights of succession. I'm abdicating them."

"Do you just want to end it or put down Greene's façade?"

"That, and something more."

Silvestre sighed. "Do… do me the favour and tell me what."

What he told her made Silvestre realise that she, indeed, would drown in work in the next weeks. "If you tell that the public, I want a raise."

Michael laughed. "Discuss that with Emmy. I'm sure Rihanna will be helpful though."

* . * . *

Press was present. People were working on the live reportage, and Michael leaned against the wall. Three people by his. Like always. Two people who were like siblings, and one that was more than just that. He leaned his head against the shoulder on his right, grabbing the hand that was trembling just as much as his own.

"We're ready," Silvestre told him.

The caring "You can do this" was the last thing Michael heard before stepping into the light of the camera flashes.

He waited for them to subside, before taking a final breath. First, mere formality. "Today, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, my father, King Richard II Schreave of Illéa, passed away as a result of a heart attack."

He paused, giving the press time to ask the questions he wouldn't answer.

"As for me, I forfeit my right to the throne. My sister, Princess Emilia Schreave of Illéa, will ascent the Illéa throne."

As they had discussed prior, with Silvestre eventually joining, Emilia joined him. Once again, the siblings, hand in hand, waited for the journalists to calm down.

"I know," Michael spoke, "that I am not fit to be King, and I never wanted to. I know that my sister," he looked to her, "will be much more adequate for that."

Emilia nodded in agreement. "And I will to my best to serve our beautiful country."

"As…" Was that all? Michael trembled. Didn't he forget something about that? His hand was sweaty. "As for the line of succession—I abdicate all rights, for me and any descents I might have."

That was all, wasn't it? It had to be. Time to touch the next topic. "As for the Selection, I need to be honest." He paused. "From the very first moment, it was nothing but a façade demanded by Prime Minister Greene who was threatening my rights to force me into it. While I was forbidden to tell the Selected, by now, many already know of that, and I am sorry for keeping up the act—I had no choice. I do have a relationship—I had before the Selection, and I never wanted to give it up. I do admit that neither my father, the prime minister nor anyone else knew of it, but that is no excuse in forcing me to do this, and lie to thirty-five young women who have better things to do with their time."

He glanced to Sam who was leaning at the wall, just within the view of the press—if they were intelligent enough to care.

"When I was sixteen years old, I was not in a good place. Having kept something secret that was vital to who I am—a core part of me—I felt like an outsider in my own life. Different. And I was told it wrong by so many people that I questioned myself more than once, wondering how I could fix it." He paused, biting on his lip. The memory of that time was not good. Sure, Sam had been in a worse place but… He felt Emilia's encouraging hand. "Do you remember the time I crashed tables at a club? Because of that. Because I needed somewhere to get rid of all the emotions I kept secret."

"You can do it," she seemed to say.

"When I was sixteen years old, I met Simon Stark. The nephew of Alexander Stark who was presumed dead after disappearing from his family. Until now, he has lived under a false name, Samuel Jones—derived from his childhood nickname Sam, to protect himself from his family that called him… names I will never say out loud. He was the one to tell me that loving men is not wrong." He paused. The journalists moved, probably wanting to speak up. "He has been with me ever since, and I couldn't be more glad to know him." He smiled to his boyfriend.

Emilia grabbed his hand stronger one more time. "You didn't mention him being a Stark," she whispered. Had he not? Oops.

"Sam… While I dealt with an environment in which I could still… keep it secret, when Sam told his family that he is bisexual, the condemned him. He could do and try all he could but now, it wasn't just his mother's country of origin but also that that made them see him less than a human. I've seen it with him, and I've seen it between Cecilia Stark and Katherine Rhodes." He left the conclusion up to the press. Silvestre stopped him from publically condemning the only two living Starks besides Sam.

"That would be all." He had, for a while, considered adding on Isadora's part of the story, but that was their part to tell. If she wanted to, she could—the Schreaves were willing to give her a platform if she needed to.

Questions, but Michael shook his head. "I will not be answering any questions."

He turned around, leaving the press as they had planned. He wasn't taking questions. For ll he knew, he never wanted to ever take questions again. Stopping besides Sam, he smiled a bit.

"It's over," Sam muttered.

"I'm done with it," Mike agreed with a chuckle.

* . * . *

A few hours ago

"So… if I understand it correctly," Emilia slowly spoke. "On Dominica, when you made me swear you that I'd do one thing for sure—that was marry Sam, who is Simon Stark which should help to convince dad and Greene, but now is of no issue, because dad is gone and you can abdicate."

Michael nodded. "Pretty much. I didn't realise it until before, but it makes sense. Sam's a Stark. Dad cannot oppose if you were to 'date' one. Even if he is half-Asian and all. Plus, we could always drop his backstory and the truth. I marry your girlfriend, you marry my boyfriend. We're both living here and hanging out together often either way—no one will notice until we figure out something better, but that doesn't matter now either way."

Emilia nodded. "Yes, because with dad being dead… you can abdicate, and then, no one can complain. What about me and Rihanna though?"

Michael shrugged. "I mean, we have uncles? If anyone is against you adopting a children or so, we have an uncle who'd edible, and has kids."

Sam leaned forward. "And that doesn't mean I need to tell people who I am."

"Pretty much, yeah."

"You could have been more descriptive than texting me "I might found a way to solve this all, but I need you to tell everyone who you are", Mike."

"… Details."

"Why wait though? I mean, you could have found another way for Sam to stay around," Rihanna remarked. "Why only act when you found one?"

"Because… Sam nearly disappeared from my life when… when the stuff in Clermont happened." Michael replied. "And maybe because I hoped that the other girls might turn out helpful. Maybe one of them had an idea or so… I… I was desperate for a definitive plan."

"Tilly was your choice if it wasn't for Rihanna, wasn't she?" Sam pointed out. "You'd have told her?"

Michael nodded. "She… she kept insisting to be fine with the pressure and all, and unlike anyone else… She just didn't feel like she was bound to her life. Although, she reminded me too much of mum." Rihanna huffed. "She would have broken down in the spotlight. She's too much a sweetheart."

"Well… now I have it," Emilia chuckled. "I'll be fine." She did, either way, grab Rihanna's hand. "I'll handle the handicap too."


Author's Note

Operation Golden Gate Bridge is taken from Operation London Bridge because I'm uncreative. Thanks to Pringel for giving me a bridge.

Next Chapter: After The Heartbreak