My mind blurred as I rushed into the house and straight up to the room where I had unpacked my mother's journals.

I began to search through them one by one. Trying to find the one she was writing the same time I was born, hoping she would refute what Andrew Vincent had claimed.

I wouldn't allow myself to even consider what he had told me.

It took me nearly half an hour before I found the right one. Before that moment I had never been able to work up the courage to read through my mother's thoughts but this time I had to ignore the grief of what was lost to find the truth I needed so badly.

My eyes drifted through the book, one page after the other until I found it. His name. Andrew Vincent. Even with the proof of her written word I still couldn't believe it.

I set the book down back in the box and packed up the rest of the journals, unable to read any more of it.

Her words confirmed what he had said. He was my father.

I stood up and put my hand to my mouth as I went to stand by the window and looked over the grounds. There were so many questions fleeting through my mind, I felt dizzy.

I went to the bedroom I shared with Angel and lay down on the bed, on my side hugging the pillow. I felt like that lost little girl who had found her mother's lifeless body. Shaken, disbelieving and know that my life would never be the same.

A little while later the bedroom door opened. Footsteps drew closer to the bed.

"Maria says you haven't eaten anything today." Angle stood at the edge of the bed.

"I've got a headache," I murmured, not wanting to reveal what Mr. Vincent had asked me to keep secret or the internal struggle it had caused.

I was very aware of how my husband studied me for a little while before he left and I released a heavy breath.

What did I do now?

I sat up in the bed and shoved my hair out of my face. My mind was filled with questions and it was hard to concentrate so I began to jot down some questions on my phone. I needed to clear my head to be able to figure out what to do next.

The next logical step would be to talk to Mr. Vincent and find out what had happened between him and my mother. And I needed to know why my life was in danger.

Then my mind led me to Angel. I couldn't tell him. What would he think? I was the daughter of his enemy, it would create more of mess.

I worked up the courage to call Claire and set up another meeting with her the next day without going into details for fear the phone was bugged or for fear someone would over hear it.

That night I didn't sleep much. I tossed and turned. Even when Angel pulled me close into his body I still couldn't calm my mind long enough to fall asleep.

"What's going on?" Angel asked the next morning while he pulled on a shirt and began to button it up.

I sat in the bed feeling tired, listless and overwhelmed.

"Nothing. Why would you think something's going on?" I was on the defensive.

He stopped and frowned. "I know you Kira. There's something going on."

I frowned. "I had something to eat at Claire's and I haven't been feeling well." I shrugged.

He studied me for a while before he continued to get dressed while I sat silently in the bed hoping he wouldn't ask anymore questions.

Later Jack took me to Claire's again, but this time I entered I was nervous.

"Kira," Claire greeted and ushered me into the kitchen where Mr. Vincent waited for me in the same spot as the day before.

He stood when I entered. I felt nervous and unsettled as I took the seat across from him. Claire left us alone.

"You have questions?" he asked.

I nodded, trying to scan his features to find ones similar to mine.

"Why?" I asked before clearing my voice.

"Why, what?"

"Why didn't she leave my father for you? Why did she stay in a loveless marriage?"

His features softened. "Sometimes the choice we make aren't always clear to see from the outside. I loved you mother and I loved you. That's why I chose to break things off. To keep you both safe."

I gave a hollowed laugh. "Do you know what happened to her?" I stood and put some space between us as I shook my head, finding his words hard to believe.

He nodded solemnly. "I always kept an eye on her and you but I never knew how bad things had gotten. And then I found out she overdosed." He sighed and raked a hand through his greyed brown hair.

"There was no way to know..." I could hear the emotion in his voice but that didn't absolve him of the blame or guilt.

"And what about me? Your daughter," I asked.

"You were safe."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Safe?"

He nodded. "That's why I never claimed you as my daughter. I didn't want to put your life in danger. If everyone believed you were your mother's husband's daughter you were safe. It was that simple."

I shook my head. "No it isn't. Do you know how lonely I was? I had a father who wasn't there much and a mother who took an overdose because she was so broken. My brother ran off the first chance he got and I was alone."

The day of my mother's funeral returned in a memory and all I could remember was Angel standing beside me.

"But you were never alone. I was always there in some way or another," he murmured.

"What do you mean?" I asked, he wasn't making any sense.

"I've watched over you through the years, be it through a nanny or a close friend. I've always had someone in your life to watch over you."

He was unbelievable.

"And you think that's as good as being there?" I asked earnestly.

"No, but I did the best I could. You're only alive today because we kept you a secret. Your mom understood the danger."

"But she left me!" All the emotion of losing my mother rushed back like it was happening all over again. I trembled as I teared up. "She left me."

"I will never know why your mother chose to end her life but trust me I have always been here, waiting for the day to claim you as my own."

"No." I backed away. "No, you don't just get to come in and get to do that."

"You're upset, and I understand it's a lot to take in. But since my secret has been discovered I've had to do everything to keep you safe."

"Someone figured it out?" I asked, not sure I was ready to hear this part.

I was tired of being in danger, having people out to get me. I just wanted it all to be over. Marrying Angel had been my solution.

"Yes," he said, his voice heavy. "My brothers."

"I don't understand." Why would people I have never met want me dead?

"It was the same reason I kept you secret all these years. You are my weakness Kira, a weakness my enemies can exploit to hurt me."

I needed to sit down. I found the nearest chair and sank down on it.

"The eldest always inherit the family business. When my father died and I took over the business, my brothers who weren't happy with that decision began to plot and scheme."

I listened intently, feeling emotional all over again.

"Then they discovered you."

"How?" I asked.

"I don't know," he answered.

"Couldn't you just deny it?" Surely there was away out.

He shook his head. "They had DNA proof that you are my daughter."

I was floored.

"But I don't get it. Why am I a target?"

"I never married or had other children Kira. You are my only heir."

I stared at him while he continued to talk.

"As my heir you will inherit everything, including the family business."

I couldn't even comprehend what he was saying. "But why would that matter right now?"

"It matters now because I'm ill Kira. Terminally ill."

This could not be happening.

"How long?" I croaked, feeling like there was so much pressure on my lungs that I couldn't breathe properly.

"A few months. They can't be certain."

There was no outward sign there was anything wrong with him.

"Couldn't I just give everything up? Surely no one can be threatened by a girl who doesn't want to inherit any of this?" Wasn't that the best solution?

He shook his head. "It's not that simple Kira. The only way that would be a solution is if you were dead. Legal documents signing over everything matters little to them. This is a cutthroat world, you know that Kira. You can't just walk away from it. Besides. I need you."

"Why do you need me?" I crossed my arms.

"I need you to stop the murder and slaughter that will explode if you aren't there to keep things in line."

I shook my head. "Are you crazy? I can't run anything."

I didn't even want to. I didn't want any part of any of this.