Aliya’s POV

“William?” I shook my head in disbelief. “That’s impossible. For all I know, you could be making this up just to get me to help you.”

“I may be a lot of things, but I would never make up something like this,” Nala said, her tone tinged with disappointment.

“Open your mind, Aliya. If no one else has told you this, then let me be the first. You’re too naive. I’m not insane enough to bring this up if I didn’t think I could gather real evidence.”

My eyes stung. Was I really naive just because I refused to believe the man I’d known as a second father—though...