The Truth I Never Expected

But as Korea rapidly modernized and the political landscape shifted, their traditional power began to slip away. The monarchy became obsolete."

I leaned forward, trying to digest her words. "So, what happened to them?"

She took a slow breath, her gaze never leaving me as she explained, "With the dawn of the 20th century, the royal families faced a difficult decision. If they wanted to preserve their legacy, they had to adapt to the modern world—but at a cost. They could no longer reign openly as kings and queens. Instead, they made a choice—one that might sound almost impossible to imagine. They chose to hide in plain sight."

I blinked, not understanding. "Hide in plain sight?"

"Yes," she said. "The nobles, those who had once served in the royal courts as trusted advisors, generals, and ministers, became the secret keepers of the true identity of these royal families. The royals themselves, the ones who carried the bloodlines of the ancient kings and queens, no longer held open power. They were now disguised as wealthy businessmen, leading powerful companies, influencing decisions from the shadows. To the outside world, they were simply business figures. But the nobles—their loyal servants—knew the truth. They could recognize the hidden signs of royalty, the marks that revealed who they truly were."

I was stunned, my mind struggling to process the enormity of her words. "So, you're saying that my mom… she was one of them?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes growing soft with understanding. "Yes, your mother was part of this world. She was one of them, and now, so are you."

The words sank in slowly, and the weight of the truth began to settle over me like a heavy fog. My heart raced as I realized the enormity of the world I had just been thrust into.

"But it doesn't make sense," I said, shaking my head in confusion. "I mean, since I was young, we've been in Seoul. I don't remember living in a place like this."

The woman's smile faded slightly, but her calm demeanor remained. She took a deep breath before speaking again.

"To tell you the truth," she said, her voice steady, "the woman who's in the hospital now is not actually your real mom. She's the personal maid of your real mother. And the man who died… he's not actually your dad. He was your mother's personal bodyguard. Your real mom is a noble, Hyorin."

I stared at her in disbelief. "No. No, I'm sorry, but you're lying. This… this can't be true!" My voice shook as I stood up, wiping my eyes in an attempt to stop the tears. This isn't real. It's just a dream. It has to be.

The woman remained silent for a moment, watching me carefully. She looked like she wanted to say more, but instead, she handed me something—an album full of old pictures. Her hands were steady, though I felt the tremor of the truth coming closer with every second.

I opened the album with trembling fingers, almost afraid of what I might see. The first picture was of a lady who looked strikingly like me—same eyes, same smile. She was holding a baby in her arms. I couldn't believe it at first, but I kept looking at the faces in the photo. The people beside her were the ones I had always thought were my parents. The very same faces, but something in my chest twisted as the realization hit me.

As the pictures continued, a flood of emotions crashed over me. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. The truth I had never known… all of it was right there, in front of me.

I wiped my face with the sleeve of my shirt, trying to process everything. "No... this doesn't make sense. Why would they hide this from me? Why would she... my real mother hide this?"

The woman placed a hand on my shoulder. "We wanted to keep everything from you, Hyorin. Your mom requested that we protect you from this world. But you've been in harm's way more than once now. And when your guardian was attacked... we had no choice but to tell you the truth. It's the only way we can protect you from what's coming."

I could barely comprehend what she was saying. The world that I thought I knew—my family, my life—had been a lie all along.

I wasn't who I thought I was. Everything I had believed in had been built on a false foundation.

"But... how?" I choked, still reeling from the shock. "Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't anyone?"

Her eyes softened with understanding, and she took a step closer to me.

"She was trying to give you a normal life, Hyorin. She didn't want you to live with the weight of this legacy, of this responsibility. But now, with the danger that's growing... you need to know who you truly are."

I could hardly breathe. My mind was reeling with everything she said, but deep down, I knew she wasn't lying. There was no way she could have made this up. The pictures, the connections, the truth—it was all starting to fall into place, piece by piece.

I swallowed hard. "What happens now?"

She took a deep breath, her eyes serious. "Now, you have to decide. You've been thrust into this world whether you're ready for it or not. Your real mother's legacy is yours to carry now. We will help you, guide you, but you have to make the choice. Will you accept your place, or will you run from it?"

I looked at the album in my hands, at the faces of the people who had once been so familiar, yet now seemed like strangers to me. I didn't know what the future held, but I knew I had to make a decision. There was no turning back now.

"Can you tell me more about my mother?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as if the weight of the question would make everything more real.

"Take your time, Hyorin. I know all of this is too hard for you to accept yet," she replied, her voice full of understanding. She paused, letting the silence settle between us before adding, "We've been carrying this secret for so long. I understand that it's overwhelming."

I nodded, still trying to make sense of everything. The truth was a heavy burden, but it was one that I had to carry now. After a long conversation, she called Mr. Jung to take me back to the hospital.

When I returned, Aunt Jihyun was the only one still inside. Mihun and Rina were nowhere to be found. It felt strange—like everything was shifting in my life, but I was still standing still in the same room.

I sat beside Aunt Jihyun, needing to hear the truth one more time, needing confirmation. Despite already knowing it deep down, I needed to hear it from someone I trusted. Someone who knew me since I was a child.

"Imo, is it all true?" I asked, my voice trembling. "What Her Highness told me... about everything?"

Aunt Jihyun looked at me with soft, sad eyes. She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, Hyorin. It's all true."

I felt the weight of her words settle heavily in my chest. "I'm also a noble, Hyorin. So is your uncle, Mihun, and Rina. Please, don't blame Rina. She only found out yesterday, just like you. I'm sorry… I'm sorry for keeping all of this from you for so long. We had no choice. Your mom… Lady Choi, she begged us to keep it from you—to protect you."

"Why, Imo?" I asked, my voice breaking. "Why didn't you tell me? Why keep it a secret? What's the point of keeping the truth from me? Her Highness said that to protect me, I have to know the truth. But does knowing the truth hurt me? Or does it keep me safe?"

Aunt Jihyun's expression softened, her face full of sorrow. "Lady Choi used to be a respected noble, Hyorin. She was admired by many—by the royals and the nobles alike. We, her and I, and her majesty, were all close. We went to Yeonghwa University together. That university is exclusive—only royals and nobles can attend. Back then, we were all so happy. Yes, there were rules—rules we had to follow as royals and nobles—but we didn't mind. We had everything we could have wanted. Until… until one day, Lady Choi was forced to marry Sir Donghae of the Jang family."

"Wait, what? Forced?" I said, trying to wrap my head around what she was saying.

"Yes," Aunt Jihyun confirmed with a sigh. "Every marriage is arranged from the moment babies are born. It's the tradition among nobles.

I was arranged to marry your uncle, and though we were both young, we liked each other, so it wasn't hard to accept. But it was different for Lady Choi. She wanted to marry someone else, someone outside the noble world. But nobles don't have that choice. The marriage to Sir Donghae was forced upon her, and that was when she decided to leave nobility behind—to live a life as a commoner, a life away from all the expectations."

"That's… that's insane," I said, struggling to understand. "So she chose to leave all that behind to be normal? To live as a commoner? How could she do that?"

Aunt Jihyun's face darkened as she looked down, remembering the pain of those years. "It was a hard decision for her, but she did it for love. And for freedom. In the end, she wanted to be with someone she truly loved, even if it meant giving up everything she had. But she didn't want you to be burdened by all of this. She thought it was best for you to live a normal life, to never know the truth. And we respected that."

"But she still got involved with all of this," I said softly, "She could never truly leave, could she?"

"No," Aunt Jihyun replied softly. "Once you're born into nobility, it's a part of you forever. But she tried to shield you from it. She wanted you to grow up with a normal life, away from all the dangers and expectations that came with being part of the royal family."

I felt the weight of her words, the truth pressing down on me like an unshakable force. My life, the life I had known, had been a lie. Everything I thought I understood had been shattered in an instant. And now I had to figure out who I really was, who my family truly was.

"I... I don't know if I'm ready for this," I whispered, feeling overwhelmed.

"You don't have to be," Aunt Jihyun reassured me. "You don't have to decide everything right away. Just take your time. But know that we're all here for you, Hyorin. We'll protect you, no matter what." then I hugged her.

I didn't decide on anything. Everything felt too overwhelming, too sudden.