Chapter 4: Regret Has a Name
1521 Words
Ethan Blackwell did not sleep that night.
After leaving the charity gala, he remained in his penthouse office long after midnight.
The city lights glittered outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Usually, work helped him clear his mind.
Tonight, it didn't.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Amelia.
Not the Amelia who used to wait for him at home.
Not the quiet wife who always smiled despite being ignored.
The Amelia from tonight.
Confident.
Elegant.
Untouchable.
The woman who looked at him as if he were a stranger.
A sharp irritation settled in his chest.
He hated it.
Most of all, he hated the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about her.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
Ryan entered carrying a thick file.
"You asked for everything we could find on Miss Hart."
Ethan's eyes immediately landed on the folder.
"Leave it."
Ryan hesitated.
"Sir..."
"What?"
The assistant looked uncomfortable.
"What you're about to read may surprise you."
Ethan frowned.
Then he opened the file.
The first page contained a photograph.
Amelia.
A much younger Amelia.
She stood beside Arthur Hart during a charity event years ago.
The second page contained another photo.
Then another.
And another.
The deeper Ethan looked, the darker his expression became.
Every document told the same story.
Amelia Hart.
Granddaughter of Arthur Hart.
Only heir of the Hart Empire.
Future chairwoman.
Estimated net worth exceeding one hundred billion dollars.
Ethan closed the file.
His fingers tightened around the pages.
For three years.
Three entire years.
And she had never told him.
Why?
The question echoed endlessly inside his mind.
Ryan cleared his throat.
"Sir?"
Ethan looked up.
"What else?"
The assistant hesitated.
"There is something strange."
"Speak."
Ryan took a deep breath.
"According to our investigation, Miss Hart secretly paid several company debts during Blackwell Group's financial crisis two years ago."
Silence.
Ethan froze.
"What?"
Ryan nodded.
"Without her intervention, the company would've suffered enormous losses."
Ethan stared at him.
"No."
"It's true."
Ryan slid another document across the desk.
The evidence was undeniable.
Several anonymous investments.
Private financial support.
Emergency funding.
All traced back to Amelia.
For several moments Ethan couldn't speak.
His mind replayed memories from two years ago.
The company had faced a severe crisis.
Yet somehow everything worked out.
He had assumed it was luck.
It wasn't.
Amelia had saved him.
And she never asked for credit.
Never mentioned it.
Never used it to gain his affection.
The realization hit harder than expected.
"What else?"
Ryan looked increasingly nervous.
"Miss Hart also paid for your grandfather's medical treatments."
Ethan's head snapped upward.
"My grandfather?"
"Yes."
The assistant lowered his gaze.
"The treatments were anonymous."
Another memory surfaced.
His grandfather's sudden recovery.
The mysterious benefactor who refused recognition.
Amelia.
It had been Amelia all along.
Ethan leaned back in his chair.
A strange feeling spread through him.
Guilt.
The emotion was unfamiliar.
Uncomfortable.
Heavy.
Because for the first time, he realized something.
Amelia had given him everything.
And he had given her almost nothing.
---
Across the city.
Amelia sat on a balcony overlooking the Hart Estate gardens.
The morning sun painted everything gold.
For the first time in years, she felt peaceful.
A cup of tea rested beside her.
A book sat open in her lap.
No meetings.
No business reports.
No drama.
Just silence.
She had almost forgotten how nice silence could be.
Unfortunately, it didn't last.
James appeared carrying a tablet.
Amelia groaned immediately.
"That expression means trouble."
James laughed.
"Not trouble."
"Then what?"
The old man handed her the tablet.
Several headlines filled the screen.
THE HART HEIRESS REJECTS ETHAN BLACKWELL AT GALA.
BUSINESS WORLD SHOCKED BY AMELIA HART'S COLD RESPONSE.
WHO IS LUCAS KINGSLEY TO AMELIA HART?
Amelia buried her face in her hands.
"This is ridiculous."
"The media disagrees."
"They need hobbies."
James nearly choked on his laughter.
A moment later another notification appeared.
Amelia frowned.
Then she froze.
The article contained a photo.
Ethan.
Standing alone after she walked away.
For some reason, he looked... disappointed.
Her heart skipped unexpectedly.
Immediately she locked the screen.
No.
She wasn't doing this again.
She had spent three years loving Ethan.
That chapter was over.
Finished.
Done.
Or at least she kept telling herself that.
---
Meanwhile.
Sophia Monroe was furious.
She paced around Ethan's penthouse apartment.
Every article.
Every interview.
Every headline.
All of them mentioned Amelia.
Nobody cared about Sophia.
Nobody cared about the engagement.
The entire business world was obsessed with Ethan's ex-wife.
And worst of all...
Ethan had become distant.
Very distant.
The front door opened.
Sophia immediately turned.
"Ethan."
He removed his suit jacket.
"You're here."
Sophia forced a smile.
"We need to talk."
His expression remained neutral.
"About what?"
She crossed her arms.
"About Amelia."
The room instantly became colder.
Ethan walked toward the bar.
"What about her?"
Sophia clenched her jaw.
"You're thinking about her."
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Sophia noticed.
And so did Ethan.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Sophia laughed bitterly.
"You're lying."
Ethan's expression darkened.
"Enough."
"No."
Her voice rose.
"You've barely looked at me since the gala."
"You're imagining things."
"Am I?"
She stepped closer.
"Then why did you spend all night investigating her?"
Silence.
Sophia's heart sank.
Because Ethan didn't deny it.
Not even once.
Fear began creeping into her chest.
A terrifying realization slowly formed.
The man she had worked so hard to reclaim...
Might be slipping away.
And Amelia was the reason.
---
Three days later.
Hart Group hosted an important investment conference.
Representatives from dozens of major corporations attended.
The event was expected to attract global attention.
Naturally, Amelia was the center of it all.
Inside the main conference hall, executives eagerly waited for her arrival.
The doors opened.
Amelia entered.
The room immediately stood.
Hundreds of people applauded.
Several cameras flashed.
Amelia smiled politely and took her place on stage.
She looked calm.
Professional.
Powerful.
No trace remained of the woman Ethan had divorced.
The presentation began.
For nearly an hour Amelia discussed future projects.
Expansion plans.
International partnerships.
Investment opportunities.
By the time she finished, the audience was captivated.
Even veteran executives appeared impressed.
Then the moderator announced a short break.
The crowd immediately surged forward.
Everyone wanted a moment of her attention.
Business cards appeared everywhere.
Marriage proposals almost appeared too.
Amelia escaped toward a quieter hallway.
Finally.
Peace.
Or so she thought.
A familiar voice spoke behind her.
"Amelia."
Her entire body stiffened.
Slowly she turned around.
Ethan stood several feet away.
Alone.
No Sophia.
No assistants.
Just him.
For a moment neither spoke.
The hallway felt strangely silent.
"What do you want?" Amelia asked.
Ethan studied her face.
She looked beautiful.
But there was something else.
Distance.
The warmth she once reserved for him was gone.
"I need to talk to you."
Her expression remained calm.
"We already talked."
"No."
His voice softened.
"We didn't."
Amelia folded her arms.
"I have a meeting soon."
A lie.
But Ethan knew she wanted an excuse to leave.
Unfortunately, he wasn't ready to let her go.
Not this time.
"I know the truth."
She frowned.
"What truth?"
His eyes locked onto hers.
"About everything."
Amelia immediately understood.
The investigation.
The Hart family.
The money.
The company.
All of it.
"So?"
Ethan took a slow breath.
The words felt difficult.
Far more difficult than they should have.
"You helped me."
She remained silent.
"You helped my company."
Silence.
"You helped my grandfather."
Still silence.
Ethan's chest tightened.
"Why?"
The answer came instantly.
Because I loved you.
The words reached Amelia's lips.
Then stopped.
No.
That woman no longer existed.
Instead she smiled politely.
"Because I wanted to."
The simple answer frustrated him.
"That's all?"
"Yes."
Ethan knew she was lying.
He just didn't know why hearing it hurt so much.
For several moments they stared at each other.
Then he noticed something.
A small scar near her wrist.
One he had never paid attention to before.
A memory suddenly surfaced.
Three winters ago.
A kitchen accident.
Amelia had burned herself while preparing dinner.
He remembered her hiding the injury.
And he remembered not asking about it.
Because he was too busy.
Too distracted.
Too indifferent.
The guilt returned stronger than ever.
How many things had he missed?
How many times had he failed her?
The answer terrified him.
Far more than any business crisis ever could.
Because he was beginning to understand a simple truth.
The greatest mistake of his life wasn't a failed investment.
It wasn't a lost contract.
It wasn't a bad decision.
It was Amelia Hart.
And by the time he realized her worth...
She was already walking away.
Again.
This time, Ethan didn't stop her.
He simply watched.
But as Amelia disappeared around the corner, a promise formed inside his heart.
No matter how long it took.
No matter how difficult it became.
He would find a way to get her back.
Even if the entire world stood in his way.
Unfortunately for him...
He had no idea that another man had already begun falling for her.
And that man had no intention of stepping aside.
- Writer
