CHAPTER FIFTEEN
1536 Words
Amelia couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation with Victor.
For twelve years, Damian had believed her father destroyed his family.
Now he knew the truth.
Richard had been innocent.
Victor Hale had been the one stealing from Damian’s father’s company and framing Richard for it.
And Damian had finally stopped fighting a war that had never belonged to him.
But there was still one thing Amelia couldn’t forget.
The child.
A twelve-year-old girl whose identity had been hidden because of the shares placed in her name.
She had expected another complicated investigation.
Instead, Damian had made a decision.
They were going to end it.
No more chasing clues.
No more waiting.
They were going to find Evelyn and hear the truth directly from her.
The following morning, Damian walked into the living room with his phone in his hand.
“Evelyn agreed to meet us.”
Amelia looked up immediately.
“When?”
“Today.”
Daniel, who was sitting nearby, stood.
“Where?”
“Her house.”
Amelia stared at him.
“She lives alone?”
“Yes.”
“Does she know we’re coming?”
“She does.”
Daniel nodded.
“Then let’s go.”
Damian looked at Amelia.
“You don’t have to come.”
She gave him a look.
“You really need to stop saying that.”
He smiled.
“I was only trying to protect you.”
“I know.”
She stood.
“But I’m coming.”
The house was modest.
Nothing like the grand Blackwood mansion Damian and Daniel had grown up in.
It was quiet, surrounded by trees, with a small garden in front.
Amelia looked at the house.
“She’s been living here all these years?”
“Yes,” Damian said.
He walked to the door and knocked.
A few seconds later, it opened.
Evelyn stood there.
She looked older than she had in the photographs.
But Damian recognized her immediately.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“Damian.”
His jaw tightened.
“Evelyn.”
Daniel stepped forward.
She looked at him.
“Daniel.”
He nodded.
“You left.”
Evelyn looked down.
“I know.”
“You disappeared after Dad died.”
“I had no choice.”
“You could have contacted us.”
“I wanted to.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
Evelyn looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“Because I was afraid that if I came back, Victor would find you.”
Daniel fell silent.
Damian finally spoke.
“You knew Victor killed my father?”
Evelyn nodded.
“I knew he was responsible.”
“And Richard?”
“He was innocent.”
Amelia stepped forward.
“My father knew about the child.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“Because Richard promised your father he would protect my daughter.”
Amelia’s expression softened.
“He kept that promise.”
“Yes.”
They entered the house.
Evelyn led them into the sitting room.
She sat down slowly.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Damian asked the question that had followed him for years.
“Why did you leave us?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Because after your father died, Victor started looking for my daughter.”
“Why?”
“Your father had placed his controlling shares into a trust for her.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why would Dad do that?”
“Because he knew Victor wanted control of the company.”
Evelyn looked at Damian.
“He believed the only way to protect the business was to put it beyond Victor’s reach.”
“So he gave it to your daughter.”
“Yes.”
Damian understood.
“And that’s why Victor wanted her.”
“Yes.”
Amelia leaned forward.
“What happened after she was born?”
Evelyn’s eyes softened.
“She was born on June 15, 2014.”
Amelia nodded.
“Twelve years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she now?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“She is safe.”
Damian’s expression hardened.
“We’re not asking because we want the shares.”
“I know.”
“Then why won’t you tell us?”
“Because she’s twelve.”
The room became quiet.
Evelyn continued.
“She has spent her entire life believing she is an ordinary girl. She goes to school. She has friends. She has a family.”
Amelia nodded.
“She deserves that.”
Evelyn looked at her gratefully.
“That’s what Richard wanted.”
Amelia’s eyes filled with tears.
“My father really protected her.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to my father’s relationship with your family?”
Evelyn sighed.
“Richard and your father were friends.”
Damian looked down.
“So everything I believed…”
“Was false.”
He swallowed.
“I spent years hating the wrong man.”
Evelyn reached across the table.
“Your father never wanted you to hate Richard.”
“Then why didn’t he tell me?”
“Because he knew Victor would come after you too.”
Damian looked away.
For the first time, the anger he’d carried for twelve years felt pointless.
He had spent so much of his life trying to punish a man who had actually been helping his father.
Amelia reached for his hand.
He took it.
Evelyn noticed.
A small smile appeared on her face.
“You love her.”
Damian looked at Amelia.
“Yes.”
Amelia’s cheeks warmed.
Evelyn nodded.
“Then don’t let the mistakes of your parents destroy what you have.”
Damian squeezed Amelia’s hand.
“I won’t.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“What about Victor?”
“He knows the child is alive.”
“Does he know where she is?”
“No.”
Daniel relaxed slightly.
“Good.”
“But he knows she exists.”
Damian looked at him.
“That’s enough.”
He stood.
“Then we end this.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“How?”
“Victor wants the company.”
“Yes.”
“He won’t get it.”
Damian’s voice was calm.
“My father’s shares are protected.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Your father planned carefully.”
“And Richard’s evidence will help us prove what Victor did.”
Daniel stood beside him.
“We have enough records to expose him.”
Evelyn looked relieved.
“Then you can finally put this behind you.”
Damian nodded.
“That is exactly what I’m going to do.”
Amelia looked at him.
“You mean that?”
He turned toward her.
“Yes.”
“No revenge?”
“No revenge.”
“What about Victor?”
“We deal with him legally.”
She smiled.
“Good.”
Damian smiled back.
“I’ve had enough of revenge.”
When they left Evelyn’s house, the sun was beginning to set.
Amelia walked beside Damian toward the car.
“You okay?”
He nodded.
“Actually, I think I am.”
She looked at him.
“You’ve waited twelve years for that conversation.”
“I know.”
“And now?”
He looked at her.
“Now I want to stop living in the past.”
Amelia smiled.
“That’s good.”
He took her hand.
“I want to start living with you.”
She laughed softly.
“You really know how to say things.”
“I’m learning.”
They reached the car.
Damian opened the door for her.
Before she got inside, she turned around.
“Damian.”
“Yes?”
“I meant what I said before.”
“What?”
“I don’t hate you.”
He smiled.
“I know.”
She leaned closer.
“And I think I’m starting to fall in love with you.”
For once, Damian had no clever response.
He simply looked at her.
Then he gently kissed her forehead.
“I think I’m already there.”
Amelia smiled.
“Good.”
She got into the car.
Damian closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.
Daniel watched them from his car.
When Damian got in, Daniel called him.
“You two finally admitted it?”
Damian laughed.
“Mind your business.”
“I’ve been waiting for this.”
“Drive.”
Daniel laughed and ended the call.
Damian started the car.
Amelia rested her head against the seat.
For the first time since their wedding, she felt peaceful.
The truth was finally out.
Richard had been innocent.
Damian’s father had been betrayed.
Victor was going to be held accountable.
Evelyn was alive.
The child was safe.
And Damian was no longer her enemy.
He was her husband.
Maybe their marriage hadn’t started with love.
But perhaps that didn’t mean it couldn’t end with it.
Damian reached across the console and took her hand.
Amelia looked at him.
Neither said anything.
They didn’t need to.
For the first time, they were driving toward a future that belonged to them—not to their parents, their families, or the revenge that had brought them together.
And neither of them wanted to turn back.
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