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Chapter Eighty-Two: Hidden Truths

Author: Hallie Hart
last update Last Updated: 2025-07-19 17:50:27

Dominic’s POV

The first rays of dawn filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, casting a cold light on the sleek surfaces and polished steel that surrounded me. The city below was waking, but my mind was restless, consumed by the quiet storm that had settled inside me overnight. Amelia’s words from the night before echoed relentlessly—words filled with hope, but also fragility. Trust. No more walls. Could I really tear down the fortress I’d built around myself? Could I dare to let her see the parts of me I’d hidden away for so long?

I reached for the untouched glass of whiskey on my desk, but the sharp sting of the liquid was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. Years of pain, loss, and betrayal had sculpted the man I’d become—gritty, ruthless, and unyielding. Vulnerability wasn’t a luxury I could afford, especially not with her.

The truth was, Amelia didn’t know what she was stepping into. She saw the surface—the cold, demanding CEO, the hard edges. But beneath
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