Chapter 9 — A New Beginning
1412 Words
Damian stared at the small tracking device in Alexander's hand.
“It was on me?”
Alexander nodded.
“Someone wanted to know exactly where you were going.”
Damian's expression hardened.
“Then whoever planted it knew I would come here.”
Amelia looked between them.
“So they followed Damian to me.”
“Yes,” Alexander said. “Which means this wasn't a random attack.”
Damian turned toward Amelia.
“We're leaving.”
She frowned.
“Where?”
“Somewhere safe.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“She can't go with you.”
Damian's eyes narrowed.
“And why not?”
“Because the tracker was on you.”
Damian clenched his jaw.
“You think I don't understand that?”
“I think you don't understand how deep this goes.”
Alexander placed the device on the table.
“Someone inside your family is helping them.”
The room fell silent.
Amelia looked at Damian.
“Your mother?”
“I don't know.”
“You said she knew about my family.”
“She did.”
“And she knew about my pregnancy?”
Damian shook his head.
“No. I swear she didn't.”
Amelia studied his face.
For the first time, she saw something different in his eyes.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
Damian stepped closer.
“Amelia, whatever happened between us, I won't let anyone hurt you or our child.”
She looked away.
“You said you never loved me.”
His expression changed.
“I was wrong.”
The words hung in the air.
Alexander looked away, giving them privacy.
Amelia swallowed.
“It's easy to say that now.”
“I know.”
“You hurt me.”
“I know.”
“You made me feel like I wasn't good enough.”
Damian's voice became quiet.
“You were always more than enough.”
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was an idiot.”
Despite herself, Amelia almost smiled.
Almost.
Then her expression became serious again.
“I don't know if I can trust you.”
Damian nodded.
“You don't have to trust me today.”
He held out his hand.
“Just let me keep you safe.”
Amelia stared at his hand.
After a long moment, she took it.
The Safe House
By midnight, Damian had moved Amelia to a private property several hours outside the city.
There were no signs bearing the Blackwood name.
No staff.
No security cameras visible from outside.
Just a quiet house surrounded by trees.
Amelia stepped through the front door.
“This is where you want me to stay?”
“For now.”
She looked at him.
“And you?”
“I'll stay too.”
Alexander entered behind them.
“I'll stay nearby.”
Damian gave him a cold look.
“I didn't invite you.”
Alexander smiled.
“That's never stopped me before.”
Amelia sighed.
“Can both of you stop fighting for five minutes?”
They looked at each other.
“No,” they answered together.
For the first time in days, Amelia laughed.
It was a small laugh.
But Damian noticed.
And it made his chest ache.
He hadn't heard that sound from her in years.
The Following Morning
Amelia woke early.
For the first time since leaving the mansion, she felt peaceful.
She walked downstairs and found a breakfast waiting for her.
Damian stood in the kitchen.
He was wearing a simple shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
No expensive suit.
No CEO expression.
Just Damian.
“You cooked?”
He looked slightly embarrassed.
“I tried.”
Amelia looked at the table.
“You tried?”
“I ordered most of it.”
She laughed.
“You're hopeless.”
“I know.”
Damian pulled out a chair for her.
“Sit.”
She did.
As she ate, Damian watched her carefully.
“You need to eat more.”
“I am eating.”
“You barely touched your toast.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Are you always this controlling?”
“Only when I'm worried.”
Amelia stopped eating.
Damian immediately looked away.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Then Amelia asked:
“What happens after this?”
“What do you mean?”
“When the danger is gone.”
Damian looked at her.
“I don't know.”
She nodded.
“I think I want a new life.”
“You deserve one.”
“Maybe somewhere far away.”
Damian's heart sank.
But he didn't argue.
“If that's what you want, I'll help you.”
Amelia looked surprised.
“You would?”
“Yes.”
“Even if that means I leave you?”
Damian took a slow breath.
“If leaving me makes you happy, then yes.”
Amelia stared at him.
She had expected him to fight.
Instead, he was letting her choose.
And somehow, that hurt more.
Meanwhile...
Across the city, Victoria Blackwood entered a private office.
A man was waiting for her.
She closed the door behind her.
“You said the tracker would lead us to Amelia.”
The man turned.
“It did.”
“Then why is she still alive?”
He smiled.
“Because Damian arrived first.”
Victoria's face tightened.
“You promised me there would be no bloodshed.”
“I promised nothing of the sort.”
“You're making a mistake.”
The man stepped closer.
“Your family has been hiding the Carter inheritance for twenty-five years.”
Victoria whispered:
“Leave Amelia alone.”
“Why?”
“She doesn't know anything.”
“That is exactly why she is dangerous.”
Victoria shook her head.
“She is innocent.”
The man's smile disappeared.
“Then perhaps you should have thought about that before you helped hide her identity.”
Victoria froze.
“You said no one would ever find out.”
“They already have.”
He placed a photograph on the desk.
Victoria picked it up.
It showed Amelia standing beside Damian.
Her face went pale.
“They're watching the safe house.”
Victoria looked up.
“Who?”
The man smiled.
“Everyone.”
Back at the safe house
Amelia stood by the window.
Something felt wrong.
She looked toward the trees.
Nothing.
Just silence.
Then she noticed something on the ground outside.
A small red flower.
She frowned.
She hadn't seen it there yesterday.
Damian walked up behind her.
“What is it?”
“I don't know.”
He looked outside.
His expression changed.
“Get away from the window.”
“Why?”
“Now.”
He pulled her back.
Alexander rushed into the room.
“What happened?”
Damian pointed toward the flower.
Alexander's face became serious.
“That's not a flower.”
He opened the door carefully and examined it from a distance.
“It’s a marker.”
“For what?” Amelia asked.
Alexander looked toward the forest.
“For someone watching this house.”
Suddenly, Damian's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
No one spoke.
Then a distorted voice whispered:
“You can't protect her forever.”
The call ended.
Damian immediately tried to trace it.
Nothing.
Amelia looked frightened.
“Damian…”
He turned toward her.
“I'll protect you.”
Alexander interrupted.
“No.”
Damian looked at him.
Alexander's eyes were fixed on the window.
“Protection isn't enough anymore.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
Alexander slowly turned around.
“We find out who is behind this before they make their next move.”
Damian nodded.
“For once, we agree.”
Amelia looked at both men.
“And how do we do that?”
Alexander reached into his jacket and pulled out a photograph.
He placed it on the table.
Amelia stared at it.
Her breath caught.
It showed Victoria Blackwood meeting the mysterious man from the photograph in her father's old files.
Amelia whispered:
“That's my father's business partner.”
Alexander nodded.
“And Damian's mother was meeting him last night.”
Damian's face went pale.
“My mother…”
Amelia looked at him.
“She knew.”
Damian shook his head.
“No.”
But deep down, he already knew.
Something had changed.
The enemy wasn't outside the Blackwood family anymore.
It was inside.
And Victoria Blackwood had just become their first suspect.
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