The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 334

Everything Leander had once told her aligned with Julius' report. The burns marring his skin must have come from that blaze, and if he had indeed been in Doria three years prior, the likelihood that he was Rowan grew even stronger.

“And Lena?” Quinn asked, hope flickering behind the question. If Leander was truly her brother, she owed that woman a debt beyond words.

“She's in intensive care back in Doria,” Julius answered.

Quinn stared at him, stunned.

“I've just forwarded the dossier to your inbox,” Julius added, fingers flying across the keys as he spoke.

Phone in hand, Quinn opened her mail app and quickly located the file tagged with Lena's name.

Lena Durand, a girl from the slums of Doria, had known Leander before the fire. She had dragged him from the flames and later broken into the charity gala, pleading with Margaret, the matriarch of the Fane family, to save him. That was how it all happened.

Margaret headed to the hospital to visit Leander. After that visit, everything changed. Word spread that Leander was the family's illegitimate son. He took Lena with him to distant Doria.

One year later, doctors in Doria delivered a harsher sentence. Tests revealed Lena carried aggressive blood cancer, and no suitable bone-marrow match could be found. Her condition became worse.

“Right now, Lena's entire course of care is bankrolled by the Fane family. They have secured the world's leading protocols, experimental drugs, and an elite medical team. And they do it, Quinn, only because Leander is 'for the moment' still counted as one of them.”

Quinn understood at once.

So that's why Leander refused a DNA test with me, insisting it was unnecessary? If a test proved he is my brother and not a Fane, would the family cut Lena off? Yet if he truly is Rowan, coming home would guarantee state assistance for the girl. After all, she once saved his life. And I could help too—my savings, my patents, everything my parents left me, I'd pour it all into Lena's care.

“Anyway, in two days, we'll know for certain whether Leander is my brother.”

“If he is, will you blame me even more for leaving your brother to die back then?”

Quinn froze, caught off guard.

“Would you think that if I'd stepped in, he'd have avoided the border fire three years ago? That the burns, the agony, everything he endured—are they my fault?”

“Quinn, forgive me, please. I'll repay every hardship your brother suffered. From now on, I will neither lie nor hide anything. Every ounce of trust you need, I'll give.”

His hoarse plea plucked the rawest strings of her heart.

Because, as he'd said, part of her still hurt for him.

Even though I keep warning myself not to care, I don't want future me swallowed by distrust born of this love.

Yet, staring into the fog in his eyes, the word no stuck fast in her throat.

“Quinn, when you left, you took everything but this bracelet. On the card you wrote, 'May every year bring you peace.' Without you, do you honestly think I will?”

As his question faded, the mist became tears, falling onto the back of her hand.