Chapter 12
1560 Words
Chapter 12 — What His Family Wants
Amara stared at the envelope for almost ten minutes before putting it into her bag.
She couldn't open it.
Not yet.
It belonged to her mother.
And whatever was inside had existed long before Amara ever knew Daniel.
She needed to hear the truth from her mother.
So she called her.
“Ma?”
“Amara? Is everything okay?”
“Yes.”
There was a pause.
“Are you sure?”
Amara looked at the envelope.
“No.”
Her mother's voice immediately changed.
“What happened?”
“I need to ask you something.”
“Ask.”
“Do you know the Williams family?”
Silence.
It was brief.
But Amara noticed it.
“Ma?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Please just answer.”
Another silence.
“Yes.”
Amara sat down.
“How?”
“It was a long time ago.”
“How long?”
“Before you were born.”
Amara's grip tightened around the phone.
“What happened?”
Her mother sighed.
“I worked for a company owned by the Williams family.”
“You never told me that.”
“There wasn't much to tell.”
“There is now.”
Her mother went quiet.
“Amara, what exactly did you find out?”
Amara looked at Daniel.
He was standing across the room, giving her privacy.
“I found a letter.”
Her mother's breathing changed.
“What letter?”
“It's from Daniel's grandfather.”
Silence.
“Ma?”
“Don't open it.”
Amara froze.
“Why?”
“Because some things are better left in the past.”
“But this is about me.”
Her mother didn't answer.
“Ma, please.”
“I'll tell you everything when you come home.”
The call ended.
Amara slowly lowered the phone.
Daniel looked at her.
“What did she say?”
“She knows.”
He nodded.
“I thought she might.”
“She told me not to open the letter.”
Daniel didn't respond.
Amara looked at him.
“Did you know she would say that?”
“No.”
She studied his face.
For once, she believed him.
---
The next morning, Amara went to the hospital.
Her mother was sitting up in bed when she entered.
She looked nervous.
That alone made Amara more worried.
“Ma.”
Grace reached for her hand.
“Come and sit.”
Amara sat beside her.
“You know why I'm here.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Daniel's grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“And you worked for his company?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Grace looked down.
“Because I wanted that part of my life to stay in the past.”
“What happened?”
Her mother took a deep breath.
“I worked for Williams Holdings when I was young. Your father and I were struggling at the time. The company gave me an opportunity, and I worked hard.”
“Did you know Daniel's father?”
“Yes.”
“His mother?”
“Victoria was already part of the company.”
“And his grandfather?”
Grace nodded.
“He was a difficult man.”
Amara almost laughed.
“That doesn't surprise me.”
Her mother smiled faintly.
“But he helped me once.”
“How?”
“When I was pregnant with you, I nearly lost my job because I had to take time off.”
Amara's expression softened.
“He helped you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed I was hardworking.”
Grace paused.
“He told me something I'll never forget.”
“What?”
“He said that one day, people would fight over the company he built. And when that happened, he hoped the right person would protect it.”
Amara thought about Daniel.
“So he trusted Daniel?”
“I'm not sure.”
Grace looked at her.
“Your husband's grandfather was complicated.”
Amara was quiet.
Then she remembered something.
“The letter.”
Her mother's face changed.
“Where is it?”
“With me.”
“Don't open it.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't know what he wrote.”
“Then we should find out.”
Grace shook her head.
“Amara—”
“I need to understand why I'm married to Daniel.”
Her mother looked at her for a long moment.
Then she sighed.
“Open it.”
---
That evening, Amara returned home with the envelope.
Daniel was in the living room.
She walked over and placed it on the table.
“I spoke to my mother.”
Daniel nodded.
“She knows your family.”
“I know.”
“She worked for your grandfather.”
“I know.”
Amara looked at him.
“You knew all of this.”
“Some of it.”
“And you still chose me.”
Daniel was quiet.
“Yes.”
She looked down at the envelope.
“I'm opening it.”
Daniel stepped back.
“You should.”
Amara carefully opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
She unfolded it.
Her eyes moved across the page.
The letter was addressed to Grace.
It wasn't long.
But one sentence made her stop.
If the Williams family ever comes looking for your daughter, make sure she knows that she owes us nothing.
Amara looked up.
Daniel's expression had changed.
“What does it say?”
She handed him the letter.
He read it.
His jaw tightened.
“Why would he write that?”
Amara shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Then she noticed another line.
She read it again.
There may come a time when my family tries to use the circumstances of your life to gain something from your daughter. Do not allow them to.
Amara's heart sank.
She looked at Daniel.
“Your grandfather knew.”
Daniel slowly lowered the letter.
“Knew what?”
“That your family might come after me.”
Neither of them spoke.
Then Daniel said quietly,
“My grandfather was suspicious of everyone.”
“But he specifically mentioned me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel had no answer.
Amara looked at the letter again.
Something wasn't right.
Her marriage hadn't happened by chance.
Her mother's illness hadn't caused Victoria to simply find her.
Someone had known about her long before the proposal.
---
The next day, Victoria asked Amara to meet her.
Not at the mansion.
At a quiet café near Williams Holdings.
Amara arrived alone.
Victoria was already seated.
“You came.”
“You asked me to.”
Victoria gestured toward the chair.
“Sit.”
Amara sat.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Amara placed a copy of the letter on the table.
Victoria's eyes immediately went to it.
“You've read it.”
“Yes.”
Victoria's expression remained calm.
“I wondered when you would find out.”
Amara's stomach tightened.
“Find out what?”
Victoria looked at her.
“Your marriage to Daniel was never supposed to be permanent.”
“I know.”
“You don't.”
Amara frowned.
Victoria continued.
“Daniel needs the marriage to satisfy the conditions of the will. Once those conditions are met, the arrangement was always supposed to end.”
Amara stared at her.
“I know about the one-year contract.”
“Then you also know that my family needs Daniel to remain in control of the company.”
“Yes.”
“And you know Richard is waiting for him to fail.”
“Yes.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“But there is something you don't know.”
Amara waited.
“Richard doesn't want Daniel to simply lose the company.”
“What does he want?”
“He wants Daniel removed from it completely.”
Amara's expression changed.
“Why?”
“Because Richard believes Daniel's father should have inherited everything. He believes the company belongs to his side of the family.”
“And Daniel?”
“Daniel is the obstacle.”
Amara understood.
The marriage wasn't just about Daniel having a wife.
It was part of a much bigger battle.
Victoria looked directly at her.
“My son has enemies.”
“I know.”
“And now that you're his wife, so do you.”
Amara's heart sank.
“I never asked for this.”
“I know.”
Victoria's voice softened.
“That is why I'm telling you something Daniel won't.”
“What?”
“Walk away while you still can.”
Amara stared at her.
“You want me to leave Daniel?”
“I want you to understand what staying will cost.”
Victoria stood.
“Because my son may be willing to risk everything for you.”
Amara's heart skipped.
“And that,” Victoria said, “is exactly what worries me.”
She walked away.
Amara remained seated.
For the first time, the contract didn't feel like the biggest problem anymore.
The biggest problem was that somewhere between the hospital visits, late-night conversations, small gifts, and quiet moments—
Daniel had started becoming someone she couldn't easily walk away from.
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