Chapter Five — Damian
Liam stared at the message for several seconds.
He had spent seven years imagining this moment.
The day Damian would return.
The day the past would finally catch up with him.
But he had never imagined Amelia would be standing beside him when it happened.
He looked at her.
She was pale.
"Tell me everything," she whispered.
Liam didn't answer.
"Please."
He looked toward the security team.
"Everyone leave."
The room went quiet.
"Sir—"
"Leave."
The officers exchanged glances before walking out.
When the room was finally empty, Liam sat down.
Amelia remained standing.
"Seven years ago," he began, "I found documents hidden in my father's office."
"What documents?"
"Bank transfers. Fake companies. Accounts in different countries."
"And Damian?"
"His name appeared several times."
Amelia sat across from him.
"What happened after you found them?"
"I confronted my father."
"And?"
"He told me to stay out of it."
Liam's expression hardened.
"I refused."
"Then someone contacted you."
"Yes."
"Threatening me."
He nodded.
"They sent me photographs of you."
Amelia's face changed.
"They said if I went to the police, you'd die."
She swallowed.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because they proved they could reach you."
"How?"
"They followed you home."
Amelia stared at him.
"I remember."
"What?"
"One night, when I was nineteen, I noticed a black car outside my house."
Liam looked at her.
"You never told me."
"I thought I was imagining it."
"You weren't."
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
"So all those years…"
"I stayed away because I thought distance would protect you."
She looked down.
"And Damian?"
"He disappeared after the investigation began."
"Did you think he was responsible?"
"I suspected him."
"But you didn't know."
"No."
"Then why didn't you look for him?"
"I did."
"Where?"
"Everywhere."
Liam leaned back.
"I spent years trying to find him."
"Then why return now?"
"Because I found him."
Amelia looked up sharply.
"What?"
"Three months ago."
"Where?"
"London."
Her eyes widened.
"And you came back because of him?"
"I came back because I discovered he wasn't alone."
"Who is he working with?"
"I don't know."
Liam's voice became quieter.
"But whoever it is has been watching you."
Amelia looked frightened.
"Why me?"
"Because you're the one thing they know will make me react."
She looked at him.
"So I'm a weakness."
"No."
His eyes held hers.
"You're the person I couldn't stop loving."
Her heart skipped.
She quickly looked away.
"Don't say things like that."
"It's true."
"That doesn't make everything okay."
"I know."
She stood.
"I need air."
Liam rose.
"I'll come with you."
"No."
"Amelia—"
"I need five minutes without someone watching me."
He hesitated.
"Fine."
She walked toward the back garden.
The rain had stopped.
The garden was beautiful.
She sat on a bench beneath a large tree.
For the first time since returning to Liam's house, she could breathe.
But she couldn't stop thinking about him.
About what he had said.
About the possibility that he had actually left her to protect her.
Maybe she had hated him for seven years because she had never known the truth.
She wiped away a tear.
A sound came from behind her.
She turned.
"Liam?"
Nobody answered.
She stood.
"Hello?"
A branch moved.
Then a man stepped out from behind the trees.
Amelia froze.
He was tall.
Dark-haired.
His face was unfamiliar.
But there was something about his eyes.
Something strangely familiar.
He smiled.
"Hello, Amelia."
She stepped backward.
"Who are you?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he said, "You look exactly like you did seven years ago."
Fear rushed through her.
"How do you know me?"
He smiled again.
"I know much more than you think."
He took one step closer.
Amelia turned to run.
But he grabbed her wrist.
She screamed.
Before he could do anything else, Liam appeared.
He pulled the man away from her.
"Don't touch her!"
The stranger punched Liam.
Liam stumbled.
Amelia screamed again.
The man turned and ran.
Liam immediately chased him.
"Stay here!"
Amelia stood frozen.
Within seconds, both men disappeared behind the trees.
Then she heard a loud crash.
A few moments later, Liam returned alone.
His lip was bleeding.
"Are you okay?"
Amelia nodded.
"Who was he?"
"I don't know."
"But he knew me."
"I know."
"He said he knew me seven years ago."
Liam looked toward the direction the man had disappeared.
"Then he's connected to Damian."
Amelia's phone suddenly rang.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A man's voice whispered:
"Ask Liam why his brother hates you."
The call ended.
Amelia looked at Liam.
"What does that mean?"
He didn't answer.
"Why does Damian hate me?"
Liam's expression changed.
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"No."
"You know something."
He looked at her.
"There is one thing I've never told you."
"What?"
Liam took a deep breath.
"The night before I left you seven years ago, Damian came to see me."
Amelia's heart stopped.
"What did he say?"
Liam looked directly at her.
"He told me that you were the reason our family was falling apart."
Amelia stared at him.
"Why?"
Liam's voice dropped.
"Because Damian believed my father had chosen you over him."
She shook her head.
"That makes no sense."
"I know."
"Then what did he mean?"
Liam looked away.
"I never found out."
But Amelia knew one thing.
She needed to.
Because whatever had happened seven years ago wasn't only about Liam.
Somehow, she had been at the center of it.
And Damian had just returned to finish what he started.