Ariana’s voice was steady. “Daniel, I’m one month pregnant. It’s yours.”Daniel burst out laughing, the chains on his wrists rattling. “You must be joking.”“I’m serious,” Ariana shot back. “I missed my period earlier this month. That’s the truth.”Daniel shook his head, smirking. “You know what? You’re a great joker. I’ll tell you why I don’t believe you no… you’re just looking for a way to tie me down. You don’t want me coming after you, so you pull this pregnancy trick. Classic, Ariana.”“Think whatever helps you sleep at night,” Ariana said firmly. “But I’m pregnant, Daniel. And that means you have a responsibility now. Forget revenge. Serve your sentence in peace. Maybe when you get out, you’ll meet your child by then he or she might already be ten years old.”Daniel leaned closer to the receiver, his voice dropping. “Responsibility? Don’t make me laugh. You betrayed me, Ariana. You threw me in prison. And now you expect me to believe you’re carrying my child?”“Yes,” she shot b
What we’re going to do is lie low for now,” Damien said, folding his hands on the table. “Let Father use his connections to try to get you out.”Daniel spat out a laugh that had no humor in it. “And you really think that’s a good idea? What if that old man just lets me rot in prison? What if he doesn’t care at all?”“Don’t feed that fear,” Damien replied, voice steady. “I know exactly what father will do and what he won’t. He hates losing face. He’ll move but he moves when it suits him. That’s why you need to be calm and patient. Act rashly and you ruin everything.”Daniel’s face twisted with anger. His hands shook behind the cuffs. “Calm? You want me calm? My hands are itching to tear Ariana apart. She used me. She stole my life. I didn’t kill Christina why did she make me take the fall? She should have gone after your wife, not me.”“Watch what you say,” Damien warned quietly. “I know how you feel. I feel it too. But if you lose your head, Amelia wins. We don’t want her to see us c
Damien pushed open the heavy door to the prison’s VIP waiting room. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant and stale coffee. His sharp suit looked almost out of place against the dull gray walls.“Hi, brother,” Damien said, forcing a calm smile as he walked in. “How have you been faring?”Daniel looked up from where he sat, his wrists chained together, the cuffs rattling slightly. “Could’ve been better. But tell me, why didn’t we just use the regular call booth like the others?”Damien gave a short laugh and pulled out the chair across from him. “Because you’re a Blackwood. You deserve better than sitting behind glass like some common thug. I asked the warden personally to let us use this VIP room. Preferential treatment, brother. Always.”Daniel’s eyes softened, just a little. He leaned forward, the cuffs clinking against the table as he reached to clasp Damien’s hand. “Thanks, brother. I mean it. You’ve done more for me in here than anyone else. I appreciate it.”He paused, eyes sha
Alexander’s eyebrows lifted, just for a moment, before his face went cold again. He leaned over the photos, studying them one by one, a faint smirk on his lips.“You’ve been busy,” he said casually, like it was nothing. “But my dealings with Amelia Stone are none of your business.”Damien’s jaw tightened. He didn’t blink. “It is my business,” he shot back. “So stop playing games and answer the damn question.”Alexander’s brow furrowed as his eyes dropped again to the photos spread across his desk. “Okay but what the hell is this supposed to mean?”Damien leaned forward, his voice sharp. “It means I’m not stupid. I’ve seen the way you look at Amelia. The favors. The quiet protection you give her. So, I’ll ask again what is your relationship with her?”Alexander scoffed, leaning back in his chair, trying to project control. “She’s a powerful businesswoman, Damien. A clever one. Nothing more. If you spent half as much time studying her moves as you do chasing after Katherina, you wouldn’
Damien walked her to the door and opened it gently. His voice softened.“Then go see her, Ma. Tomorrow. Take her the burrito and chicken wings she loves, sit with her, talk to her. She needs you right now more than ever. Sitting in that cell, alone, it’s going to crush her.”Mrs. Rodriguez paused in the doorway, clutching her purse tighter. Her eyes glistened.“And the baby shower?” she asked carefully. “Will it still happen on that date, Damien? Or should we… cancel it?”Damien let out a heavy breath, running a hand through his hair. “No. Don’t cancel it. We’ll keep it as planned. I’ll make sure of it.”Her eyebrows arched in doubt. “How can you promise that? My daughter is locked up, your board wants her gone, and the press is tearing her apart every day.”Damien’s jaw tightened. He stepped closer, his voice low but firm. “Because I’m not giving up on her. Not now. Not ever. My father has connections powerful ones. I’ll force him to use them. Katherina will be out before the baby sh
Damien gripped the steering wheel, Bluetooth still connected. His voice was sharp.“James, Amelia Stone what the hell are you saying right now? Are you sure?”James’s tone was calm but firm. “One hundred percent. I checked the footage myself. The day after the incident, your father was at the company. He personally signed the termination papers for the old secretary and replaced her with Ariana Flores.”Damien’s jaw locked. “So you’re saying my father was behind this?”“Yes,” James confirmed. “The timing doesn’t lie. I linked it all the conversation, the replacement, Amelia’s moves. It all fits.”Damien exhaled heavily, his grip on the wheel tightening until his knuckles turned white. “This is too much. But thanks, James. You’ve been useful.”He tapped the call off, silence filling the car. His mind raced as the city lights blurred past the windows. My father… Amelia… both working against me?Damien parked his car in the underground garage, breathing hard. He didn’t even remember half