He Hid Me. His Rival Married Me.

The Secret He Buried

"I have something..."

"...that Adrian never told you."

The call ended.

Isabella remained frozen.

Edward Knight.

Adrian's grandfather.

Why would he want to see her now?

More importantly...

What secret had Adrian hidden from her?

"Is everything alright?"

Damien's voice brought her back to reality.

She looked at him.

"It was Chairman Knight."

His expression sharpened.

"What did he say?"

"He asked to meet me."

Damien was silent for a moment.

Then...

"Do you want to go?"

She hesitated.

"I don't know."

"I spent three years trying to be accepted by the Knight family."

"And now..."

"They suddenly want to see me."

Damien nodded.

"I'll go with you."

She immediately shook her head.

"No."

"This is something I have to face alone."

For a brief second...

Damien looked as though he wanted to argue.

Instead...

He simply said,

"If anything happens..."

"Call me."

She smiled faintly.

"I will."

...

Knight Manor.

The sprawling estate stood atop a quiet hill overlooking the city.

Three years.

Isabella had only visited twice.

Both times...

Through the servants' entrance.

Today...

The massive iron gates opened before her.

The butler bowed respectfully.

"Mrs..."

He stopped himself.

Then smiled warmly.

"Miss Isabella."

"The chairman is waiting."

She followed him inside.

The mansion was exactly as she remembered.

Elegant.

Silent.

Lonely.

Edward Knight was sitting in the library.

The moment he saw her...

He slowly stood.

"My child."

Those two words nearly brought tears to her eyes.

No one from the Knight family had ever welcomed her like this.

"I'm sorry."

The old man bowed his head.

"I failed you."

She hurried forward.

"Please don't."

"You've done nothing wrong."

He sighed.

"I should have stopped Adrian."

"I thought..."

"I thought he would come to his senses."

"I was wrong."

He gestured toward the sofa.

"Sit."

A maid placed tea before them before quietly leaving.

Edward opened a wooden drawer.

He removed a thick brown envelope.

He slid it across the table.

"Open it."

Isabella frowned.

"What is it?"

"The truth."

With trembling fingers...

She opened the envelope.

Inside were dozens of photographs.

She looked at the first one.

It showed Adrian standing beside Sophia.

Both were smiling.

At a charity gala.

She frowned.

"I've seen photos like these."

Edward nodded.

"Keep looking."

She turned to the next photograph.

Then another.

Then another.

Each one showed Adrian and Sophia together.

Business dinners.

Award ceremonies.

Private parties.

Vacations.

The dates caught her attention.

Her breathing slowed.

No...

That couldn't be right.

She checked another photograph.

The date matched.

Then another.

Again.

Every single picture...

Had been taken while Adrian was already married to her.

Her fingers began to tremble.

Edward's voice was heavy.

"Those weren't rumors."

"They really spent all that time together."

A sharp pain spread through Isabella's chest.

"So..."

"I really was alone."

Edward nodded sadly.

"Yes."

Tears blurred her vision.

For three years...

She had defended Adrian.

Believed every excuse.

Accepted every lonely night.

Only to discover...

He had been building another life while asking her to wait.

Edward reached for another file.

"This..."

"...is what he never wanted you to know."

She slowly opened it.

Inside...

Was a medical report.

Her name was printed across the top.

Patient: Isabella Hart.

She stared in confusion.

"This is..."

"My hospital report?"

Edward nodded.

"Read the last page."

Her eyes moved downward.

Then stopped.

Everything around her became silent.

She read the words again.

And again.

No...

Impossible.

Tears rolled freely down her face.

She whispered,

"He knew?"

Edward closed his eyes.

"Yes."

"He knew from the beginning."

Outside the library...

A shadow stood behind the half-open door.

Adrian.

He had arrived only moments earlier.

And he had heard everything.

His face turned pale.

"No..."

He whispered.

"Grandfather..."

"Don't tell her..."

But it was already too late.

Inside the library...

Isabella slowly looked up.

Her eyes were filled with heartbreak.

"If he knew..."

"Then why..."

Edward answered with visible pain.

"Because my foolish grandson believed one lie..."

"...and destroyed the only woman who ever truly loved him."