Amelia burst through Lucy's door, her face a storm of anguish. "He's threatening me, Luce!" she cried, collapsing onto the sofa. "Austin... he says if I don't stop the wedding, he'll tell everyone about our secret. He's got proof."
Lucy, ever the steady anchor, wrapped an arm around her best friend. "Deep breaths, Amelia. Let's talk this through."
Amelia recounted Austin's demand, the venom in his voice, the cold precision of his threat. "My dad... he's already so fragile. This would destroy him. He's practically blackmailing me with his own emotional fragility."
"That bastard!" Lucy seethed, her eyes flashing. "How dare he ask you to stop your wedding? Actually, what does he want from you?"
“I f*****g don't know, Luce.” Amelia cried. “I didn't even know where he came from. He wants
