Chapter 25 - Ruth's True Identity
"You... you are Head Nurse Margaret’s daughter?" Rafe breathed, completely stunned.
Ruth bowed her head softly, a bittersweet smile touching her lips. "Yes, Mr. Rafe. My mother was Margaret—the woman who devotedly cared for Mrs. Olivia after her severe accident ten years ago. When Mrs. Olivia was admitted to give birth and discovered Camille's plot, she reached out to my mother. But my mother was gravely ill at the time, so she asked me to take her place in protecting Mrs. Olivia and the baby."
Ruth opened her heart, sharing the months she spent disguising her background, applying as a humble maid under an assumed identity, and enduring constant hardship. She had endured Camille’s cruelty, Rafe’s suspicions, and daily danger just to honor her vow to a dying mother and her friend.
"Why didn't you reveal this to me from the start?" Rafe asked, his voice thick with profound respect and sorrow.
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"Because Camille controlled the entire household back then. If I had revealed myself prematurely, both Maisie and I would have been eliminated before we could secure the proof," Ruth explained gently. "I needed time to gather undisputed evidence."
Rafe stood up, taking slow steps toward Ruth. He bowed his head low before her—an act of deep humility from a man of his stature. "My family owes you and your mother a debt of grace we can never truly repay."
