Chapter16
1309 Words
CHAPTER 16
The nylon bag he was holding fell off his hand. He was still speechless. Belle stood up.
“You're not denying it? I want to hear you deny it Adam. Come on, go ahead and say it's a lie.”
“I'm not having this conversation, let's go home.”
“Home? You and who?” She questioned.
“Belle the sooner you understand that you have no right to my personal life the better for you. Again, I'm not having this conversation with you.” He turned to leave but she dragged him back.
“I'm married to you so I have every right to your personal life!!” She shouted.
“IT'S A f*****g CONTRACT MARRIAGE WOMAN!” He shouted back.
“ONE THAT MY LIFE DEPENDS ON! This isn't some paperwork s**t where anything goes. My life and future is dependant on this contract and you will do well to respect it.” She fired back.
“f**k you and your respect.”
“Well f**k you too Adam. Why did you ever approach me? What's your agenda for this company? Who the f**k are you?” She asked while beating his chest repeatedly in frustration.
He stopped her. “Yes I have a son and so? How does that changes anything?”
“You think if I had known you have a son I would have given you 25% of my family's company?” She released herself from his grip.
“What does any of these have to do with my son?”
“Don't act like a novice Adam, you know the law.”
* * * * *
James sat with a glass of whiskey in hand, the corners of his lips curled in smug satisfaction. He was still savoring Belle’s reaction from earlier; how her composure cracked when he dropped the bomb.
He dialed Rachel.
“Guess what, sweetheart,” he said, voice dripping with glee. “Turns out our golden couple has a little skeleton hiding in their penthouse closet… Adam has a son.”
Rachel gasped on the other end. “What?! A child? Are you serious?”
Before he could elaborate, the office door burst open.
SLAM!
Xandros stormed in, eyes blazing.
“What the f**k did you do?” he barked.
James frowned. “What the hell is your problem?”
Xandros didn’t answer. Instead, he walked over and without warning, punched James hard in the face, sending his drink crashing to the floor.
“You told her?” Xandros growled. “You told Belle about the boy?”
James stumbled back, holding his jaw. “So what if I did? She deserves to know. Maybe she’ll finally see who she’s married to.”
Xandros grabbed him by the collar. “You i***t. That information wasn’t for her. It was for us – for strategy, for leverage.”
“She’s his wife! She’s the reason he’s even untouchable right now!” James snapped.
“And she’s also the daughter of the man you claim to be fighting for,” Xandros hissed. “Don’t forget, we need her out of the way emotionally, not broken. If she leaves him too early, we lose access. If she stays and starts to doubt, that’s where we win.”
James shoved him away. “I’m tired of waiting. That man ruined my plan, he deserves to rot. And if Belle has to suffer a little along the way, so be it.”
Xandros glared, nostrils flaring. “You play your little revenge games. But I play to win. And what you did today? That was sloppy, weak.”
James fell quiet.
Xandros added coldly, “Stick to the plan, or I walk.”
He turned to leave, then paused at the door.
“You want more dirt on the boy? Meet me tomorrow. There’s something in that file even you haven’t seen yet.”
With that, he walked out, leaving James fuming – and intrigued.
Belle sat on the floor, back against the wall, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. The video James showed her still playing in her head. How he interacted with the boy so casually, and how the boy called him ‘dad'.
He was the heir of Adam Hamilton who owned 25% of her company's shares.
That was what terrified her most.
“Belle?” Emma’s voice called softly from the hallway before entering. She carried a tablet in one hand and a frown on her face.
Belle looked up, eyes tired.
“I did some digging,” Emma said, crouching beside her.
Belle swallowed. “And?”
“The child exists. Male. About five or six years old. His name is Liam.”
Belle’s breath hitched.
Emma continued, tapping the screen. “There’s no record of the mother. Nothing digital, no social media footprint. But the kid is enrolled in a school in Spain. Under a pseudonym.”
“Adam’s hiding him.”
Emma nodded. “And he’s doing a damn good job of it.”
Belle stood abruptly and walked to the window. “Why didn’t he tell me? Why hide him?”
“Because,” Emma said gently, “he didn’t want you to ask the next question.”
Belle turned. “Which is?”
“What happened to the mother.”
—
Adam walked in from a late-night meeting, suit rumpled, eyes tired. He paused when he saw Belle sitting on the couch, waiting for him.
Again.
“You’re still up?” he asked.
Belle didn’t answer at first. Then: “Why didn’t you tell me you had a son?”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Not this again.”
“I’m not going to fight you, Adam. I just want the truth.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“I’m your wife.”
“You’re my business partner, Belle,” he snapped, his voice hardening. “This is a contract marriage, remember?”
Belle stood. “And the CEO of the company whose shares you hold has every right to know if there’s a potential heir – especially one being hidden across international borders.”
Adam’s eyes darkened. “This has nothing to do with the company.”
“It has everything to do with me!” she yelled. “You walk around with all your secrets, acting like no one else has the right to ask questions. I’m not your enemy, Adam. But you keep turning me into one.”
Silence.
Adam looked at her — really looked at her — and for a moment, his expression softened.
“I didn’t tell you,” he said slowly, “because I was trying to protect you. The less you know, the safer you are.”
“From what?” Belle asked.
Adam shook his head. “You don’t want to know.”
JAMES’ HOUSE – THE NEXT DAY
James sat with an ice pack to his jaw as Xandros walked in, tossing a thick file onto the table.
“Page 17,” he said.
James flipped through.
His eyes widened.
The photograph clipped to the page showed a woman — young, elegant, dark hair, fierce eyes.
“Her name was Celia Montenegro,” Xandros said. “Drug baron’s daughter. Adam’s old flame.”
James read quickly. “Wait… she’s dead?”
“Died in a warehouse fire six years ago. But some say she didn’t die alone.”
James looked up. “You mean…”
“She gave birth before the fire. Adam saved the child. Hid him away. And has been protecting him ever since.”
James closed the file slowly. “If the board finds out Adam fathered a child with the daughter of a cartel leader…”
“They won’t just strip his shares,” Xandros finished. “They’ll bury him.”
- Writer
