THE QUEEN OF THE BLACK RAVENS

people had started screaming, and she was gone. Gone. Just like that. "Aria, look at me." Jaxon's hands were on my shoulders. I blinked. "What... what just happened?" Jaxon's jaw was

my life, Victor Hayes looked scared. Terrified. I sat down across from him. "Start talking." Silence. Then Dad rubbed his face tiredly. "Your mother was pregnant with twins." I already knew that. "What happened?" Dad remained quiet for several seconds. "The day you girls were born, someone tried to take you." My blood ran cold. "What?" "Your mother fought them." I frowned. "Who?" "We never found out." I stared at him. "You expect me to believe that?" "It's the truth." I wasn't convinced. Dad continued. "Your mother managed to escape with both of you. But a few months later, Amelia disappeared." I swallowed hard. "Kidnapped?" Dad nodded. "Your mother never recovered." My chest tightened painfully. Mom had lost a child. And she had carried that pain alone. "Why didn't anyone tell me?" Dad looked heartbroken. "Your mother made us promise." "Why?" "Because she didn't want you growing up feeling guilty." Tears filled my eyes. Guilty. My mother had been protecting me even after she was gone. I looked away. "I saw her, Dad." His expression softened. "I know." "No, you don't understand." I wiped my tears. "She looked exactly like me." Dad didn't say anything. Because there was nothing to say. A heavy silence settled between us. Finally, I whispered, "Do you think she really is my sister?" Dad looked exhausted. "I don't know." I laughed bitterly. "Nobody knows anything in this family." Before Dad could respond, the doorbell rang. Neither of us moved. Then it rang again. Dad frowned. "I'll get it." A strange feeling settled in my stomach. I followed him to the door. The moment Dad opened it, I froze. Standing outside were Ryder, Mason, Cole, and Ethan. Without Jaxon. For a second, nobody spoke. Then Ryder looked directly at me. "We need to tell you the truth." My heart dropped. Because after the last two days, I wasn't sure I could survive another secret. I stared at them in disbelief. Ryder. Mason. Cole. Ethan. The four boys who had been avoiding me since the night everything fell apart were now standing on my doorstep, looking like they hadn't slept in days. I should have closed the door. Honestly, I wanted to. But after learning about Amelia, I was de