Chapter 5: The Secret Behind His Name

Damien Blackwood had faced hostile takeovers, betrayal from business partners, and threats from men who believed money could buy them the right to challenge him.

None of those things had ever made him look afraid.

Until now.

He stood beside the hospital bed, staring at the photograph in his hand. The woman beside Arabella's father was undeniably Victoria Blackwood. His aunt had the same sharp eyes, elegant features, and perfectly composed smile he remembered from childhood.

But the baby in her arms changed everything.

“Where did this come from?” he asked Mr. Bennett.

The lawyer looked exhausted. “I don't know. It was included with the message sent to me this morning.”

“You expect me to believe someone conveniently delivered a photograph that questions my parentage?”

“I'm telling you what I know.”

Damien's jaw tightened.

Arabella watched him carefully. She had never seen him so unsettled. His usual arrogance had disappeared, replaced by an expression that seemed almost vulnerable.

She hated that it made her want to comfort him.

This was the same man who had accused her father of destroying his family. The same man who had offered her a marriage contract because he wanted to use her for his own purposes.

She reminded herself that they weren't in love.

They were barely friends.

“Damien,” she said quietly, “maybe we should leave this to the police.”

He turned toward her.

“And let someone else decide whether my entire life has been a lie?”

“That's not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

Arabella exhaled sharply.

“I mean that someone is threatening us. Mr. Bennett has been attacked. Someone knows where we live. And whoever is doing this wants us to fight each other instead of finding out who's responsible.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

For once, he didn't argue.

Instead, he folded the photograph and slipped it into his pocket.

“Thomas will arrange additional security.”

“Damien—”

“That's not negotiable.”

She crossed her arms. “You know, being married to you is going to give me wrinkles.”

“Then try not to frown so much.”

Arabella stared at him.

“Did you seriously just insult my face?”

“You're welcome to consider it constructive advice.”

Despite everything, a startled laugh escaped her.

Damien looked at her for a moment. Something almost resembling a smile touched his mouth before disappearing.

Then he turned toward the door.

“Let's go home, Mrs. Blackwood.”

She followed him, wondering why the title sounded different this time.

---

The drive back to the mansion was silent.

Arabella sat beside Damien in the back of the limousine, watching the city pass beyond the tinted windows. Two security vehicles followed them, and Thomas had received instructions to report any suspicious activity immediately.

She should have felt safer.

Instead, she couldn't stop thinking about the photograph.

Who was the baby?

And why had someone chosen that particular moment to question Damien's parentage?

She glanced at him.

He was reading messages on his phone, his expression hardening with every passing second.

“Have you asked your aunt about the photograph?” Arabella finally said.

“She hasn't answered my calls.”

“Maybe she's busy.”

“Victoria doesn't ignore my calls.”

“Perhaps she doesn't want to speak to you.”

He looked up.

“Are you always this helpful?”

“Only when people are being unnecessarily dramatic.”

“I'm not being dramatic.”

“Of course not. You're just glaring at your phone like you're planning to have it executed.”

Damien stared at her.

Arabella pressed her lips together to hide a smile.

For a moment, the tension between them eased.

Then his phone rang.

The caller's name appeared on the screen.

VICTORIA BLACKWOOD.

Damien answered immediately.

“Aunt Victoria.”

A woman's smooth voice filled the car.

“Damien, darling. I heard you've been asking questions about your father.”

His expression changed.

“Where are you?”

“Why?”

“Because I need to speak with you.”

A soft laugh came through the phone.

“About the past?”

“About a photograph.”

The silence that followed was brief but unmistakable.

“What photograph?” Victoria asked.

“The one showing you with a baby.”

Another pause.

Then she sighed.

“Some things should remain buried, Damien.”

His grip tightened around the phone.

“What does that mean?”

“It means you're digging into matters that no longer concern you.”

“My father is dead. Everything concerning his death concerns me.”

Victoria's voice lost its warmth.

“Be careful, nephew. Your father wasn't the man you thought he was.”

The call ended.

Damien stared at the screen.

Arabella felt a chill travel down her spine.

“She knew about the photograph,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

“And she didn't deny anything.”

“No.”

He slipped the phone into his pocket.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Damien turned toward her.

“Whatever happens, don't contact my aunt.”

Arabella raised an eyebrow.

“You really need to stop giving me orders.”

“I'm serious.”

“So am I.”

“Arabella.”

She met his gaze.

“I won't contact her without a reason. But if she knows something about our families, I'm not going to pretend she doesn't exist just because you tell me to.”

His eyes darkened.

“You have no idea what you're dealing with.”

“Then stop treating me like a child and tell me the truth.”

He looked away.

That was answer enough.

Damien Blackwood could negotiate million-dollar deals without blinking, but when it came to his own family, he seemed determined to keep everyone outside the walls he had built around himself.

Arabella knew that feeling.

Her father had done exactly the same thing.

And she was beginning to suspect that their families had more in common than either of them wanted to admit.

---

When they arrived at the mansion, Thomas was waiting near the entrance.

“Sir, we have a problem.”

Damien stepped out of the car.

“What happened?”

“Someone entered the property while we were at the hospital.”

Arabella immediately looked toward the house.

“Was anything stolen?”

“We're still checking.”

Damien's expression became dangerous.

“Show me.”

Thomas led them upstairs to Damien's private study.

The room looked almost untouched. Books remained neatly arranged on the shelves, and the desk was immaculate.

But the safe behind a framed painting stood open.

Damien approached it slowly.

“Who has access to this room?”

“Only you, me, and the head of security,” Thomas replied.

“Then one of you has a serious problem.”

Thomas stiffened.

“Sir, I swear—”

“Find out how someone entered the property.”

Damien inspected the safe.

Several documents were missing, but the cash and jewelry stored inside remained untouched.

Whoever had entered wasn't interested in money.

They wanted information.

Arabella stepped closer.

“What was inside?”

“Old business records. Personal documents. Copies of contracts.”

“Anything related to your father?”

Damien glanced at her.

“Possibly.”

Thomas cleared his throat.

“There is something else, sir.”

He handed Damien a small white envelope.

“It was left on your desk.”

Damien opened it.

Inside was a single sheet of paper.

Arabella watched his face change as he read the message.

“What does it say?” she asked.

He didn't answer.

She reached for the paper, but he pulled it away.

“Damien.”

“It's nothing you need to worry about.”

She stared at him.

“Someone broke into your house, emptied your safe, and left a message. Don't insult me by calling that nothing.”

His jaw tightened.

Finally, he handed her the paper.

The message was short.

YOUR WIFE KNOWS MORE THAN SHE'S TELLING YOU.

Arabella's stomach dropped.

She looked up at Damien.

He was already watching her.

“Tell me about the letter your father left you.”

She hesitated.

“Damien—”

“Now.”

The sharpness in his voice made her flinch.

He noticed.

For a moment, regret flickered across his face.

Then he stepped back.

“Please,” he said, more quietly. “I need to know what it says.”

It was the first time she had heard him ask for something without making it sound like an order.

Arabella thought about the letter hidden in her bedroom. She remembered her father's warning, Mr. Bennett's fear, and the mysterious messages threatening her life.

She couldn't keep pretending that the document had nothing to do with Damien.

“There's a part of the letter that mentions your family,” she admitted.

His gaze sharpened.

“What part?”

“My father wrote that the betrayal came from within your own family.”

Damien went completely still.

“And you didn't think to tell me?”

“I was trying to understand it myself!”

“By keeping it from me?”

“You were accusing my father of murder before you even knew what the letter contained!”

He stared at her.

She continued, her voice shaking with anger.

“I don't know who betrayed your family. I don't know why my father kept secrets. And I don't know whether your aunt had anything to do with what happened. But I'm tired of being treated like the enemy when I'm just as confused as you are.”

Silence filled the room.

Damien looked down at the message in his hand.

Then he slowly exhaled.

“You're right.”

Arabella blinked.

“What?”

“I said you're right.”

She had expected another argument, not an apology.

He looked at her.

“I've spent ten years believing your father was responsible for mine. I thought marrying you would give me access to information I couldn't obtain elsewhere.”

Her heart sank.

“At least you're finally admitting it.”

“But I didn't expect someone to threaten your life.”

His voice had changed.

The words were quiet, almost reluctant.

Arabella didn't know what to say.

Damien moved closer, stopping just in front of her.

“Whatever happened ten years ago, someone is willing to kill to keep it hidden. Until we know who that person is, we need to stop working against each other.”

She studied his face.

“And what happens when we discover the truth?”

His gaze dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes.

“Then we decide what to do with it.”

“And our marriage?”

For a moment, something unreadable passed through his expression.

“Our marriage lasts six months.”

The reminder should have reassured her.

Instead, it left an uncomfortable ache in her chest.

Arabella stepped away.

“Fine. I'll show you the letter.”

Damien nodded.

“But there's one condition,” she added.

“What?”

“You stop treating me like a suspect.”

He held her gaze.

“I'll try.”

“That's the best you can do?”

“It's more than I usually offer.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Unbelievable.”

He almost smiled.

Then a sharp crash sounded from the hallway.

Both of them turned.

Thomas rushed toward the doorway.

“Sir!”

Damien immediately moved in front of Arabella.

“What happened?”

“Someone was seen near the east wing. Security is searching the grounds.”

Damien took Arabella's hand.

“Stay behind me.”

This time, she didn't argue.

They hurried into the hallway as the security team moved toward the staircase. A guard appeared at the far end, carrying something wrapped in a dark cloth.

“Sir, we found this outside the guest room.”

Damien took the object.

It was a small wooden box.

Arabella recognized it immediately.

Her father's old keepsake box.

The one she had left inside her apartment.

Her hands began to tremble.

“How did that get here?”

Damien opened the lid.

Inside lay a gold wedding ring, a faded photograph, and a folded note.

The photograph showed two newborn babies lying side by side in a hospital nursery.

On the back were two names.

DAMIEN BLACKWOOD.

ARABELLA SINCLAIR.

Arabella felt the floor disappear beneath her feet.

“No,” she whispered.

Damien stared at the photograph, his face drained of color.

Then he unfolded the note.

Three handwritten words stared back at him.

THEY WERE SWITCHED.

Arabella looked at Damien.

He looked at her.

And suddenly, the six-month marriage contract between them seemed like the smallest lie either of their families had ever told.