Chapter 6

Amelia

"We are going to her old apartment."

Lucian’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.

My heart hit my chest in a wild, deafening roar. I stood frozen by the window, clutching my handbag so hard my fingers cramped.

He knew. Or at least, he knew enough to tear my lie apart.

The pharmacy receipt. The kids' vitamins.

Lucian turned around, his suit sharp, his face cold and unreadable as he walked past Marcus toward the doors. "Amelia. We’re leaving."

"Lucian, wait!" I gasped, forcing my legs to move. I ran across the floor, stopping him right before he reached the doorway. "There's no reason to go there! My apartment is cleared out! My landlord is already cleaning it—"

Lucian stopped, towering over me. His dark eyes locked onto mine, taking in my pale, panicked face.

"If it’s empty, then a quick check won't take long," he said, his voice dropping into a smooth, sharp rumble. "And as your husband, I want to make sure you didn't leave anything behind."

"We signed a contract!" I whispered fiercely, stepping closer so Marcus couldn't hear. "A business deal! You don't need to play the devoted husband when it's just us."

"In business, Amelia," Lucian said, leaning down until the faint smell of sandalwood surrounded me, "a smart buyer checks every detail—especially when he knows something is being hidden from him."

He didn't wait for me to reply. He grabbed my elbow in a firm grip and walked me out of the office.

The elevator ride down to the garage was absolute torture.

Every floor we passed brought my life one step closer to exploding.

Maya and Theo are in that apartment right now.

If Lucian walked through that door, if he saw the small dinosaur slippers by the mat, the little backpack on the hook, or worst of all—if he looked into Theo's dark eyes—the entire truth was going to blow up in my face.

I pulled my phone out of my purse, hiding it behind my thigh as we got into the back of the Maybach. My fingers shook as I typed blind, sending a text to Maya.

[MAYA GET THEO OUT NOW. LUCIAN IS COMING. LEAVE EVERYTHING AND GO]

I hit send, praying she actually saw it.

The door shut, and the car pulled out into the traffic. Every red light was a relief; every green light felt like a nightmare. I kept my phone face down on my lap, waiting for a vibration.

Nothing.

Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen.

"You look nervous," Lucian said quietly beside me. He was reading financial reports on his tablet, but his focus hadn't left me for a second.

"I’m just tired," I lied, staring out the window as my old neighbourhood came into view.

"It’ll be over soon," he said softly.

The Maybach pulled up to the curb of my old apartment. My stomach dropped into a bottomless pit. I looked up at my second-floor window—the curtains were closed, but the living room lamp was clearly on.

They were still inside.

"After you," Lucian said, holding the door open.

My legs felt like lead as I walked into the dim lobby and up the stairs. My head raced through every possible distraction. Pull the fire alarm? Pretend to faint? Drop my keys?

Before I could pick one, we reached the second floor.

Lucian’s shoes made no sound as he followed me down the hall. We stopped right in front of Apartment 2B.

Sitting right next to the doormat was a tiny, bright blue plastic dinosaur.

My breath locked in my throat. I instantly stepped forward to cover it with my dress, but it was too late. Lucian’s dark eyes had already dropped to the floor.

From inside the apartment, a sound echoed through the door.

A child’s laugh.

"Mommy's home!" a small, bright voice shouted clearly from the living room.

Pure panic flooded my entire body.

Lucian turned his head slowly toward me, his jaw clenching hard. His dark eyes burned into mine.

"A nephew," Lucian whispered, his voice dropping as he stepped closer, his shadow completely covering me. "Who was only visiting for the summer."

He didn't wait for my answer. He reached past me, wrapped his long fingers around the brass handle, and turned it.