Chapter 10 — The Woman From His Past
641 Words
Elena pov
A woman slipped out of the shadows.
I knew who she was right away—Amelia.
Adrian’s old flame. The woman I'd seen in faded photographs, the one I tried for years to pretend didn’t haunt me.
Her eyes landed on Adrian, then drifted to me, and finally settled on my stomach.
“So it’s true,” she said.
Adrian stepped between us. “Stay away from her.”
Amelia smiled, a little too calm. “You’re still guarding her.”
“Leave,” Adrian said.
She tipped her head. “You haven’t changed at all.”
His face tightened. “You don’t know me anymore.”
“Oh, I know you,” she replied.
My heart started pounding. I looked from Amelia to Adrian, waiting for someone to explain.
“What is she talking about?”
Adrian didn’t answer.
Amelia let out a soft laugh. “Did he ever tell you?”
“Tell me what?” My voice came out sharper than I meant.
She glanced at him. “That he came to me right before he left you.”
Adrian’s jaw clenched. “That’s enough.”
I turned to him. “You saw her?”
“Elena—”
“When?”
His shoulders slumped. “Three years ago.”
My chest felt tight all of a sudden. “Why?”
Amelia moved in a little closer. “Because he needed something from me.”
Adrian cut her off. “Stop.”
But she kept going, her eyes steady on mine. “You deserve to hear it.”
I stared at Adrian. “Tell me what?”
Amelia locked her gaze on me. “Your pregnancy isn’t the only secret Adrian is carrying around.”
Adrian reached for my hand. “We’re leaving.”
I jerked away. “No.”
“Elena—”
“No. I want the truth.”
“You’re not ready for it.”
I almost laughed. “I’ve heard that before.”
Amelia’s grin faded. “Then maybe you should ask him why his father showed up the night your memories vanished.”
That hit me hard. I looked straight at Adrian. “What is she saying?”
He didn’t look at me.
My heart was sinking. “Adrian?”
Finally, he met my eyes.
“I didn’t know he would be there,” he said quietly.
“But your father was?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes.”
“And the dead man? Was he there, too?”
Adrian’s voice dropped even lower. “He was.”
“And you?” I swallowed. “You were there too?”
He nodded. “I was trying to get you out.”
“Then why did you leave me?”
His eyes filled with something I’d never seen before—regret.
“Because your father had already been taken.”
Blood roared in my ears. “My father?”
“Yes,” Adrian said, his voice barely audible. “He wasn’t dead.”
I almost couldn’t breathe. “You’re lying. He’s dead.”
He shook his head. “No.”
Amelia backed slowly away, watching all of us. “This is where things get interesting.”
Adrian turned on her. “What did you do?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t do anything.”
Suddenly, her phone rang. She picked it up.
Her smile vanished. “What?”
She listened, silent. Then turned her gaze to me.
“They found her.”
Adrian looked as if someone had punched him. “Who?”
Amelia lowered the phone, slow and steady. “The child’s father.”
The hallway felt frozen.
I stared at Amelia. “That’s impossible.”
She held my gaze. “He’s not dead.”
And then—from behind Adrian, a man’s voice whispered my name.
“Elena.”
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