TheBlackFamilySecret
1544 Words
Amelia couldn't sleep.
She sat beside the bedroom window, staring at the city lights while Damon's words replayed in her mind.
Your father's car was found at my family's old property.
It shouldn't have been possible.
Her father had disappeared three years ago.
His car had supposedly been found near the harbor.
At least, that was what the police had told her family.
But now another car had been found.
The same car.
At the Black family's abandoned property.
Amelia reached for her phone.
She opened the message again.
Now you know where to look.
Then the second one.
But don't trust Damon.
She hated that the warning had affected her.
Because despite everything, she loved her husband.
Damon had been the man who held her when she cried after her father's disappearance.
The man who stayed awake beside her when nightmares became unbearable.
The man who had promised her that she would never have to face the world alone.
Could he really be connected to her father's disappearance?
Amelia refused to believe it.
But refusing to believe something didn't make it impossible.
She turned toward Damon.
He was asleep on the other side of the bed.
At least he appeared to be.
His breathing was slow.
His face was relaxed.
Amelia watched him for several seconds.
Then his eyes opened.
"You've been staring at me."
She quickly looked away.
"Sorry."
Damon shifted onto his side.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Your family."
His expression changed.
"Why?"
"Because my father's car was found on your family's property."
Damon sat up.
"I know."
"How?"
"Because I found it."
Amelia's heart skipped.
"You found it?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you tell me immediately?"
"I wanted to make sure it was real."
She looked at him.
"And now?"
"Now I'm certain."
Damon reached for his phone.
He opened a photograph.
Amelia took the phone from him.
There it was.
A dark sedan covered in dust.
The license plate was damaged, but she recognized it.
Her father's car.
Her fingers trembled.
"Where exactly was this?"
"Behind the old house."
"Why would my father be there?"
"I don't know."
"Did you search the car?"
"Yes."
"What did you find?"
Damon hesitated.
"Nothing."
Amelia looked up.
"You're lying."
His eyes narrowed.
"There was something."
"What?"
"A key."
"What kind of key?"
"I don't know."
"Where is it?"
Damon didn't answer.
Amelia's voice became quiet.
"Where is the key, Damon?"
He reached into the drawer beside the bed.
Then he took out a small silver key.
Amelia stared at it.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know what it opened."
She took it.
The key was old.
There was a tiny number engraved on the metal.
317.
Amelia stared at it.
Something clicked in her memory.
Her father used to have a safe deposit box.
Number 317.
She looked at Damon.
"I know where this goes."
The next morning, Amelia left before Damon woke.
She drove to the private bank her father had used.
Her heart pounded as she entered the building.
The manager looked at the key.
Then at her.
"Mrs. Black?"
"Yes."
"Are you certain you want to access this box?"
"Yes."
He hesitated.
"This account has been untouched for three years."
"I know."
He took her through a secured hallway.
They stopped in front of a metal door.
The number was printed above it.
317.
Amelia inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
She opened the box.
Inside was a single envelope.
Her name was written across it.
Amelia.
Her hands shook.
She opened it.
The first line nearly stopped her heart.
If you're reading this, something has happened to me.
Amelia covered her mouth.
Her father's handwriting.
She continued reading.
Don't trust anyone connected to the Black family.
Her eyes moved faster.
I discovered that someone has been moving money through Black Enterprises. Your mother and I were never supposed to find out. If they realize I know the truth, they will come after you.
Amelia's breathing became shallow.
There was another page.
There is one person inside the Black family I trusted.
She turned the page.
The name had been torn away.
Only the first letter remained.
D.
Amelia stared at it.
D.
Damon?
Daniel?
Another member of the family?
She couldn't tell.
Then she found a flash drive.
And beneath it, another note.
Give this only to someone you trust completely.
Amelia closed her eyes.
She knew exactly what was on it.
Evidence.
Evidence her father had died trying to protect.
She slipped everything into her handbag.
Then her phone rang.
Damon.
She stared at his name.
She answered.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?"
"Out."
"Where?"
She hesitated.
"Why?"
"Because I woke up and you were gone."
"I'm fine."
"Amelia."
His voice softened.
"Please tell me where you are."
She looked at the bank.
"I'll be home soon."
There was silence.
Then Damon said something that made her blood run cold.
"Don't go anywhere alone."
"Why?"
"Because someone followed you."
Amelia froze.
"What?"
"I had security check the cameras."
Her eyes immediately moved toward the bank entrance.
People walked in and out.
Cars passed outside.
Nothing seemed unusual.
"Someone has been following you since yesterday."
"Who?"
"We don't know."
Amelia tightened her grip on the phone.
"How long have you known?"
"Since this morning."
She closed her eyes.
"Damon..."
"I'll come get you."
"No."
"Amelia—"
"I'll come home."
She ended the call.
Then she looked toward the glass doors.
A man stood across the street.
Black coat.
Dark sunglasses.
Watching her.
The same man from yesterday.
Amelia's stomach dropped.
She quickly turned away.
When she looked again, he was gone.
By the time she returned home, Damon was waiting.
He stood near the window with his arms crossed.
"You lied to me."
Amelia placed her handbag on the table.
"About what?"
"Where you went."
"I went somewhere personal."
"Where?"
She looked at him.
"Why does it matter?"
"Because someone is following you."
"And you think I don't know that?"
Damon stepped closer.
"Then tell me what you're hiding."
She almost laughed.
The irony was almost unbearable.
He wanted her secrets while keeping his own.
"Maybe you should tell me what you're hiding first."
His expression hardened.
"I've told you everything."
"No."
"Amelia."
"I found something."
Damon stopped.
"What?"
"Something my father left behind."
His face changed.
She noticed.
"You know something."
"I don't."
"You do."
"I said I don't."
She stepped closer.
"My father wrote a letter."
Damon's eyes flickered.
"What did it say?"
"That someone in your family was involved in whatever happened to him."
Silence.
Damon looked away.
Amelia's heart sank.
"You knew."
"No."
"You knew."
"I suspected."
"How long?"
"Years."
Her eyes filled with anger.
"You knew my father might have been murdered and you never told me?"
"I didn't know if he was dead."
"But you suspected."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Damon looked at her.
"Because my father told me to stay away from the Rose family."
Amelia went still.
"Your father knew mine?"
"Yes."
"How well?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying again."
Damon's jaw tightened.
"My father and yours were partners once."
Amelia stared at him.
"What?"
"They built something together."
"Then why did they become enemies?"
"I don't know."
"You're his son."
"That doesn't mean he told me everything."
Amelia stepped backward.
Her world was beginning to fracture.
"My father trusted your family."
Damon said nothing.
"And then he disappeared."
"I know."
"Your father told you to stay away from mine."
"Yes."
"And now my father's car has been found on your family's property."
"Yes."
Amelia's voice broke.
"What am I supposed to think?"
Damon moved toward her.
"Think whatever you want."
He stopped inches away.
"But don't think I would ever hurt you."
She stared into his eyes.
"I don't know what to believe anymore."
Damon's expression softened.
"Then believe this."
He reached for her hand.
"I love you."
Amelia swallowed.
She wanted to believe him.
God, she wanted to.
But before she could answer, the lights went out.
The entire house fell into darkness.
Damon immediately pulled Amelia behind him.
"What happened?"
She heard him reach for his phone.
Then
CRASH.
A window shattered downstairs.
Amelia gasped.
Damon grabbed her hand.
"Stay behind me."
Footsteps echoed through the house.
Someone was inside.
Damon pulled open the bedroom drawer and removed a weapon.
Amelia stared at him.
"You have a gun?"
"Not now."
The footsteps stopped.
Silence.
Then a man's voice came from downstairs.
"Amelia!"
She froze.
She knew that voice.
It was the man who had been sending the messages.
Damon looked at her.
"You know him?"
Amelia shook her head.
"No."
The voice came again.
"Tell Damon the truth!"
Damon's eyes narrowed.
"What truth?"
Amelia's heart pounded.
The man laughed from downstairs.
"Ask your wife about Rose Holdings."
Damon slowly turned toward Amelia.
The room became painfully silent.
His eyes searched her face.
"Rose Holdings?"
Amelia couldn't breathe.
The stranger continued.
"Ask her who A.R. really is."
Damon stared at his wife.
Then something in his expression changed.
Shock.
Recognition.
And finally,
Betrayal.
"Amelia..."
She said nothing.
Damon took one step toward her.
"Who are you?"
And for the first time in three years, Amelia realized her carefully protected secret was no longer hers to keep.
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