Chapter 4: Cliffhanger
1331 Words
Amelia woke up to camera flashes.
Not in the room. Outside.
She pulled the curtain back 2 inches and froze.
There were at least 10 reporters and photographers on the street below Blackwood Tower. Microphones. News vans. A banner from Port Harcourt Daily: "BILLIONAIRE CEO SECRET WEDDING"
Her stomach dropped.
There was a knock. Soft.
“Amelia?” Damian’s voice.
She opened the door. He was already dressed. Navy suit. No tie. Dark circles under his eyes. Like he hadn’t slept either.
“They found out,” he said. “Victoria leaked the marriage certificate to the press last night.”
Amelia wrapped her arms around herself. “So soon?”
“She wants to control the narrative before we do.” Damian ran a hand through his hair. “Board meeting is in 2 hours. My mother is flying in from London. And PR says we need to do a press conference at noon.”
“A press conference?” Amelia’s voice cracked. “Me? Talking to them?”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Damian said quickly. “You just have to stand there. Look like my wife. Let me do the talking.”
Amelia nodded, but her hands were shaking. “Can I... call my dad first?”
“Of course.” Damian hesitated. “Amelia. I’m sorry this is happening. I knew it would be messy. I just didn’t think it would be today.”
He left her to get ready.
By 11:30AM, she was in the back of the SUV again. This time in a dress the housekeeper picked out. Soft gray. Elegant. Simple. Not flashy.
Her hair was down. Makeup minimal. She looked like herself. Not like a trophy.
The ring was still on her finger. It felt heavier with cameras watching.
They pulled into Blackwood Global headquarters. Another glass building. Bigger. The lobby was full of employees who all stopped to stare.
Mrs. Blackwood.
Whispers followed them to the elevator.
The 40th floor. Boardroom.
12 people sat around a long table. All men except one older woman with sharp eyes and pearl earrings. Damian’s mother.
“Damian,” she said the second they walked in. “Sit.”
He did. Amelia sat next to him.
“Mother,” Damian said. “This is Amelia. My wife.”
The woman — Eleanor Blackwood — studied Amelia for 10 seconds. No smile.
“So,” Eleanor said. “This is the girl.”
“Eleanor,” Damian warned.
“I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking,” Eleanor said. “Six months ago you were engaged to Victoria Ashford. Daughter of one of our biggest investors. And now you marry a waitress with no family name and a baby on the way? It looks desperate.”
Amelia felt her face burn. She kept her eyes on the table.
“It’s not about looks,” Damian said. “It’s about family. Dad wanted this.”
“Dad is dying and not thinking clearly,” Eleanor snapped. “The board is worried about stock. About reputation. About Victoria’s father pulling his shares.”
One of the board members cleared his throat. “We just need a statement. Something that calms investors. That this marriage is... stable.”
“I’ll handle the press,” Damian said. “At noon.”
The meeting ended 10 minutes later. No one spoke to Amelia directly except Eleanor.
As they left, Eleanor touched Amelia’s arm. Lightly.
“I don’t care where you came from, girl,” she said quietly. “But if you hurt my son, or embarrass this family, I will make sure you regret it. Do you understand?”
Amelia nodded. Her throat was too dry to speak.
11:58AM. Press room.
20 reporters. Cameras. Bright lights.
Damian stood at the podium. Amelia stood one step behind him, to the right. Just like PR told her.
“Good morning,” Damian said. His voice was calm. CEO voice. “I’ll keep this short. Yes, I am married. To Amelia Carter. We were married yesterday in a private ceremony.”
Murmurs.
“I understand there are questions. But this is a private matter. We ask for privacy as we start our life together.”
A reporter raised a hand. “Mr. Blackwood! Is it true the marriage is because of a pregnancy?”
Damian didn’t flinch. “My wife and I are expecting a child. Yes.”
Another reporter. “Is this a contract marriage, sir? Sources say you paid Ms. Carter 5 million dollars.”
Amelia’s blood went cold.
Damian’s jaw tightened. “My wife and I love each other. That is all you need to know.”
“Liar!” A voice from the back.
Victoria.
She walked in like she owned the place. Red dress. Perfect hair. Holding a folder.
“Victoria, this is a closed press event,” security said.
“I’m a stakeholder,” Victoria said, smiling. “And I think the public deserves the truth.”
She opened the folder. Held up a paper.
“This is a copy of a bank transfer. 5 million dollars. From Damian Blackwood’s personal account to Amelia Carter. Dated yesterday. 8:15AM.”
Gasps. Cameras clicked.
Victoria looked right at Amelia. “So tell me, Mrs. Blackwood. How much does love cost these days?”
The room erupted.
“Ms. Carter! Did you sign a contract?”
“Is the baby Damian’s?”
“How did you meet?”
Amelia couldn’t breathe. She looked at Damian. He looked furious.
“Enough,” Damian said, voice cutting through the noise. “This press conference is over.”
He grabbed Amelia’s hand and pulled her off the stage.
In the elevator, he was silent. Angry.
“I’m sorry,” Amelia whispered. “I didn’t know about the transfer. I didn’t—”
“Stop,” Damian said. “This isn’t your fault. This is mine. I should’ve expected her to do this.”
The elevator doors opened to his office. He shut the door and turned to her.
“Listen to me,” he said. “The board is panicking. Investors are calling. My mother is furious. But we can’t change anything now. We signed. We’re married.”
“What do we do?” Amelia asked.
Damian paced. “We lean into it. We act married. We go to dinner. We post photos. We make them believe it. For one year.”
Amelia sat down. Her legs felt weak. “I didn’t sign up to be in the news.”
“I know,” Damian said. He stopped pacing and crouched in front of her. “But you’re in it now. And I won’t let her destroy you. Or the baby.”
His eyes were serious. For the first time, it didn’t feel like a contract. It felt like a promise.
His phone buzzed. He looked at it and cursed.
“What?” Amelia asked.
“Victoria just posted on i********:. A photo of us from 6 months ago. At a gala. With the caption: ‘Some people move on fast. #ContractWife #5Million’”
It already had 20,000 likes.
Amelia put her head in her hands. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can,” Damian said. “Because you’re stronger than her. You’re stronger than all of them.”
He stood and offered her his hand. “Come on. We have dinner with my mother tonight. At the house. And if we’re going to survive this, we need to look like a real couple.”
Amelia took his hand. It was warm. Solid.
As they walked out, her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
[Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, waitress. This is just the beginning. - V]
Amelia deleted it.
She looked up at Damian. “Okay. Let’s go to dinner.”
For the first time since signing, she wasn’t just surviving.
She was fighting back.
”END of Chapter 4 -- Dinner with Eleanor Blackwood. And Victoria isn’t done.”
- Writer
