“Tell me about him.”
I quickly tell her what Zarif reported to me: that it was Adil who was Hiba’s lover. Then I explain the misunderstandings between me and my brother over the years.
“I would never have imagined your counselor would be capable of betraying you. Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know yet, but I will find out. I’m waiting for my mother and sisters to come and be with you, then I’ll go straight to the prison.”
“At least something good came out of this: you and Zarif cleared things up.”
“And us?”
“I don’t know anything anymore, Kamal, and I can’t make a decision right now. Please don’t pressure me.”
“We’ll go away. Start over, do things as we should have from the beginning.”
“No. I gave up everything I could for you. Now, I’ll follow my heart. I want to see my family. Zoe is the only person I’m sure loves me unconditionally.”
I know I deserve to hear that, but even so, I’m not prepared for the pain that spreads through my chest. I don’t know how to deal with it or with the rejection from the woman who, now I’m sure, will be the only one I’ll love until my last breath on this planet. So I decide to do what I’ve been trained to do: be the ruthless leader.
Minutes later, my mother and sisters arrive, and I say goodbye to Madeline, promising to come back later. Then I go to confront the man who played with my fiancée’s and my child’s lives.
Adil tried to destroy my life. I’ll find out why, and then I’ll make him pay.
Chapter 51
“We’ll go in with you,” Irfan says once we’re inside the prison.
“No, I want to do this alone.”
“Brother, you are my Sheikh, and I respect you above all, but you are my blood too, and I won’t allow you to become a killer because of that son of a bitch.”
He well knows how my mind works. My rational side knows he’s right and I can’t let myself be carried away in the heat of the moment, but my human side—father and fiancé—craves blood right now.
I want to beat Adil for daring to plan to take my woman away from me. For scheming to make my pregnant bride so frightened that she had to flee the safety of my palace.
On the way over, I spoke with my brothers and told them everything: about Madeline’s mother’s phone call and the reason my future princess left the palace. So both of them know how I’m feeling right now.
“Irfan is right, Kamal. You can’t go in there as a man; you must go in there as the Sheikh of our people. We have laws inSintarah, and as members of the Royal Family, we must be the first to respect them. Besides, Odin has something to tell you.”
“I already sent him a message, thanking him for giving us Adil’s location.”
“It’s not about that. Odin doesn’t do what he does in exchange for gratitude but for the sake of justice. Call him.”
“Do you know what it’s about?”
“I don’t, and I don’t think it will change anything, but I’d listen to him anyway.”
I make the call. “Odin? Kamal speaking.”
“I was waiting for your call.”
“Yes, my brother told me. Is it about Adil?”
“Yes, it is. I traced the origin of all this hatred. You had an enemy by your side your whole life.”
“I know that now.”
“What you might not know is that Adil is your brother.”
