The Billionaire Who Regretted Letting Me Go

Chapter 5: The Man Who Wouldn't Let Me Go

The moment I stepped out of the elevator, I knew something was wrong.

Lily was waiting for me at the entrance of the building, but she wasn't smiling.

She looked pale.

"What happened?" I asked.

She glanced behind me.

"Nothing."

"Lily."

She lowered her voice.

"There's a black SUV outside."

My stomach tightened.

"Adrian?"

"I don't know."

I walked toward the glass doors and looked outside.

The same black SUV was parked across the street.

Its windows were tinted.

My heartbeat accelerated.

"How long has it been there?"

"About twenty minutes."

I immediately grabbed Ethan's hand.

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"Anywhere."

We left through the side entrance.

I had barely taken ten steps when my phone rang.

Unknown number.

I ignored it.

It rang again.

I rejected the call.

Then a message appeared.

You should have told him the truth.

My blood ran cold.

I stopped walking.

Lily noticed.

"What is it?"

I quickly locked my phone.

"Nothing."

But it wasn't nothing.

Someone knew.

Someone had been watching me.

And now they were threatening me.

I looked at Ethan.

He was happily swinging our joined hands, completely unaware of the danger surrounding us.

I couldn't let anything happen to him.

Not my son.

Never.

I pulled him closer.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you holding me so tight?"

I forced a smile.

"Because I love you."

He smiled.

"I love you too."

Those four words nearly broke me.

I had spent five years protecting him.

I had sacrificed everything for him.

My dreams.

My relationship.

My happiness.

I would sacrifice my life if I had to.

But I couldn't let Adrian—or anyone else—take him from me.

---

Across town, Adrian sat behind his desk, staring at the file his assistant had placed in front of him.

"That's everything we found," Marcus said.

Adrian didn't answer.

He opened the file.

The first page contained Amelia's employment history.

The second contained her business records.

The third contained Ethan's birth certificate.

Adrian's eyes stopped.

His breathing changed.

**Mother: Amelia Carter.**

**Father: Unknown.**

Unknown.

His fingers tightened around the paper.

"There's no father's name?"

"No."

"Why?"

"We checked the hospital records. Amelia registered the child alone."

Adrian stared at the document.

"Five years ago..."

Marcus nodded.

"Exactly five years ago."

Silence filled the office.

Adrian leaned back.

His mind returned to the night Amelia disappeared.

The hotel.

Her tears.

The way she had held her stomach.

He had always thought she was simply sick from stress.

His eyes slowly widened.

"Get me the hospital records from that night."

Marcus hesitated.

"Sir?"

"The night she disappeared."

"Understood."

Adrian stood.

"And Marcus?"

"Yes?"

"Do not tell anyone."

"Anyone?"

"Especially my mother."

---

That evening, I returned home early.

I locked the door.

Then the windows.

Then checked the security cameras.

Nothing.

No one.

I exhaled.

Maybe I was imagining things.

Maybe the message had been a coincidence.

I walked toward the kitchen.

"Ethan?"

No answer.

My heart stopped.

"Ethan?"

I searched the living room.

Empty.

Bedroom.

Empty.

Bathroom.

Empty.

"Ethan!"

Panic exploded inside me.

I ran toward the balcony.

Nothing.

Then I heard laughter.

I turned.

Ethan was standing in the doorway holding a glass of water.

"Mommy?"

I almost collapsed.

I rushed toward him and pulled him into my arms.

"Where were you?"

"I was in the kitchen."

"Don't ever disappear like that again."

He looked confused.

"Okay."

I hugged him tighter.

He didn't understand.

He couldn't.

But I did.

Someone was watching us.

And I was terrified.

---

At 10:47 p.m., there was a knock on my door.

Three slow knocks.

My entire body froze.

Ethan was asleep.

I stood in the hallway, staring at the door.

Another knock.

I grabbed my phone.

"Who's there?"

No answer.

I looked through the peephole.

My blood turned cold.

Adrian.

I stepped backward.

He knocked again.

"Amelia, open the door."

I didn't move.

"Go away."

"I know you're inside."

"Please leave."

"No."

His voice was firm.

"We need to talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"Then open the door and tell me that to my face."

I remained silent.

"Amelia."

His voice softened.

"Please."

I closed my eyes.

Why did he still have that effect on me?

I hated him.

At least, I wanted to hate him.

But hearing him say my name like that brought back memories I had buried for years.

I opened the door.

Only halfway.

Adrian looked at me.

His eyes immediately searched my face.

"You look tired."

"I'm fine."

"You're lying."

I almost laughed.

"You're suddenly an expert at knowing when I lie?"

His jaw tightened.

"Can I come in?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you here."

His gaze moved past me.

"Is Ethan asleep?"

My heart jumped.

"Why do you care?"

"I met him today."

"That doesn't make him your business."

Adrian's eyes hardened.

"Maybe he is."

My stomach dropped.

"What did you say?"

He stepped closer.

"I said maybe he is my business."

I gripped the door.

"Go home, Adrian."

"Tell me the truth."

"I already did."

"No."

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"You told me a lie."

I swallowed.

"Believe whatever you want."

He stared at me.

Then suddenly, his expression changed.

"Did someone threaten you?"

My heart stopped.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because you keep looking over your shoulder."

I said nothing.

His eyes narrowed.

"Someone has contacted you."

I tried to close the door.

He stopped it with his hand.

"Amelia."

"Move."

"Who is threatening you?"

"No one."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not your problem anymore!"

The words came out louder than I intended.

Adrian went completely still.

I continued.

"You gave up that right five years ago."

His eyes darkened.

"Maybe I did."

He lowered his voice.

"But I never stopped loving you."

My heart betrayed me.

One painful beat.

Then another.

I looked away.

"Don't say that."

"Why?"

"Because I don't believe you."

"You should."

"I shouldn't."

He stepped closer.

"I searched for you."

"You stopped."

"I never stopped."

I looked at him.

"Then why didn't you find me?"

He had no answer.

For the first time, Adrian looked helpless.

"I didn't know where you were."

"Exactly."

I began closing the door again.

Then Adrian said something that made me freeze.

"I found the birth records."

My hand stopped.

He watched my reaction.

"I know Ethan was born five years ago."

My heart was pounding.

"And I know you disappeared five years ago."

I couldn't breathe.

He took another step.

"Amelia..."

"No."

"Look at me."

I refused.

"Look at me."

Slowly, I did.

His eyes were burning.

"Is Ethan my son?"

Silence.

I couldn't speak.

Adrian's voice cracked.

"Please."

That single word destroyed me.

I looked toward the hallway where Ethan was sleeping.

Then back at Adrian.

"Go."

His face fell.

"Amelia..."

"Go."

He stared at me for several seconds.

Then he stepped backward.

But before leaving, he said:

"If he's my son, I will find out."

The door closed.

I leaned against it.

Tears streamed down my face.

I had survived five years without Adrian.

But now I wasn't sure I could survive the truth coming out.

---

The next morning, Adrian received a call.

"Mr. Blackwood."

His assistant sounded nervous.

"We found something."

Adrian stood immediately.

"What?"

"The hospital record from five years ago."

"And?"

There was silence.

"Sir, Amelia wasn't alone that night."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Who was with her?"

"We're still confirming."

"Marcus."

"Yes?"

"Tell me."

His assistant swallowed.

"The person who signed her discharge papers..."

Adrian's face changed.

"Who?"

"Your mother."

Silence.

Adrian slowly lowered the phone.

His mother.

Margaret Blackwood.

The woman who had always hated Amelia.

The woman who had announced his engagement to Sophia.

The woman who had insisted Amelia was never good enough for him.

She had been with Amelia the night she disappeared.

Adrian's hands curled into fists.

For five years, he had believed Amelia had left him willingly.

Now he wasn't so sure.

He grabbed his jacket.

"Cancel everything."

"Where are you going?"

Adrian's eyes were cold.

"To see my mother."

Because if Margaret had anything to do with Amelia's disappearance...

Then the woman he had blamed for five years might not have been the one who betrayed him.

And somewhere in the city, Amelia was protecting a secret that could destroy the entire Blackwood family.