Chapter 28
"Dead?" Hayden asked in confusion. "What do you mean dead?"
Adeline took in a shaky breath. She let it out slowly and swallowed the lump in her throat. She could feel Clare's warm gaze on her, the heat radiated all over her body.
This was a secret she had thought she never needed to share. She had spent years trying to keep it buried for the sake of thousands of lives. But everything was crumbling around her and there was no way she could hold up all the walls anymore.
"Ada...." Clare called to her cousin. "What do you mean Ben is dead?"
"He.....he died after the first year of our marriage," Adeline's voice cracked and her eyes watered.
Kiara's heart began to shake as she looked on at the heartbroken woman. She reached back and took Killian's hand as he stepped up beside her.
"How is that possible?" Clare asked.
"My father would have known if Ben was dead," Kiara said. "He would have seen him in the underworld."
"No," Adeline shook her head. "No one goes to the underworld without a proper burial."
Kiara's heart froze, "Where.....where is he?"
"They killed him," Adeline weeped. She tried to keep her tears back and maintain her very elegant composure, but every part of her was cracking like hot wax. "When Ben pulled all the funding from the project, people were naturally very unhappy. They got to him when he was away on a business trip and.......and.......my Ben never came back."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Clare asked. "Why didn't you tell Eggs or Raws. We could have helped you."
"Tell them what?" Adeline snapped. "That the Ben they sent wasn't my husband. That everything about him was perfect but I couldn't explain the gut feeling I had?"
"How do you know Ben is dead?" Hayden asked.
"I felt it," Adeline bit down on her bottom lip. "After a year or so. I....I was at home and it felt like my soul was ripped out from my heart and gutted."
Clare's hands began to turn cold and her chest felt hollow. She could feel the rage, dread, and hopelessness inside of Adeline. It was maddening, an absolute chaos.
"I was losing my mind," Adeline continued. "I didn't know what to do or how to explain it. I was crying for my dead husband in my husband's arms."
The whole room held its breath. No one knew what to say or how to pacify the weeping woman.
"That's when....." Adeline took in a deep breath. "That's when Ben told me everything. The Ben you see is a product of Project Klonos. He is a replica, completely identical. He has Ben's memories but he wouldn't be able to share them with you in detail."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Clare asked once more. "You could have at least told us. Your family!"
"Tell people what?" Adeline's eyes shifted from sorrow to rage. "Tell the fragile Vampire kingdom their king is dead? Tell my family I lost my mate and the peace they had knowing I got a happy ending was all a lie? Tell them my mate was dead and I was bound to go crazy when they were all already heartbroken over Hayden's struggles or you and Ares?"
"Adeline," Clare's voice cracked. "I know our family is fucked up and we always have too much going on.....but that doesn't mean we couldn't help you."
"I didn't need help," Adeline held up her head high. "I handled it. My family had enough chaos going on, I didn't want to add more to that. My father raised me to lead and I stepped up to the challenge. Ben's kingdom is still standing and thriving because I promised my mate I would protect his crown and people with my life."
