All Chapters of What the Heart didn't Know: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

82 Chapters

The Custody Trap

The Custody TrapAmelia’s POVMy hands clenched, not over the divorce papers but over the judge's devastating ruling.The sound of the gravel was still ringing in my ears, a definitive execution of my rights.“Your Honor, with all due respect, I am the only surviving family member,” I argued, my voice tight with desperate restraint. I forced myself to meet the judge's gaze. “My sister, Eva, was a victim of domestic abuse and her daughter, Lucia, deserves better than the life Gray Thompson will provide.”Gary was Eva’s emotionally and physically abusive husband. A gaunt, blading man whose expensive suit couldn't hide his wicked heart. His smile was the gesture of a vile display of triumph that made me want to cross the room and physically slap the smug look off his face. He wasn't even Lucia's actual father; he was just a crooked opportunist who used my niece to get the Hayes family money. “With all due respect, Ms Hayes,” the judge replied, tapping his pen on the bench, “Mr Thompson i

Last Updated : 2025-05-27

The High Price of Loyalty

POV: AdrianI walked out of the courthouse, the knowledge of the immense check Amelia had offered feeling like a lead weight. Enough to save Martha. The cold wind whipped against my face, but I barely noticed. I felt the chill deep in my bones—the chill of selling my name."Adrian."I ignored Amelia's voice. I needed space. I needed to breathe. I needed to verify the terms of this damn transaction, especially the one that mattered most.She caught up to me by the exit. "Stop. We need to finalize the paperwork. The lawyers are waiting.""The lawyers can wait," I snapped, turning to face her. My pride was a raw wound. "I need confirmation of the expense. Before I sign anything else, I need Dr. Chen to confirm the full cost of the procedure and the scheduling."Amelia's eyes narrowed. "You doubt my liquidity?""I doubt your word, Ms. Hayes. This is Martha's life. This is not a negotiation."She stared at me, the sharp-edged anger in her gaze softening slightly as she acknowledged the dept

Last Updated : 2025-05-27

The Wedding

POV: AmeliaThe clock was ticking down the three days until my wedding. Three days to turn a loyal employee into a believable husband. Adrian had moved into the penthouse that evening. The transition was jarring. One minute he was a discreet bodyguard; the next, he was my fiancé, standing in a walk-in closet the size of my old apartment. The distance between us, however, was still a mile wide.I found him in the dressing room. "The wedding is in three days," I informed him, my tone rigidly professional. "We will have a small ceremony, invite the judge, and keep it private. You will wear this." I indicated a tuxedo that cost more than his annual salary."Three days?" he asked, his voice flat. "That's fast.""The court isn't patient," I snapped. "We need to look convincing. Tonight, we rehearse the story."An hour later, I was in the formal living room, putting on a performance for a PR team that looked equal parts impressed and horrified. I was a master performer, weaving a fictional ta

Last Updated : 2025-05-27

Don't touch my wife

POV: AdrianThe chaos of the wedding was nothing compared to the silence in this suite. Gray Thompson had infiltrated our ceremony, spat venom at Amelia, and vanished. Now, the marriage of convenience was a target.I paced the massive hotel suite, the expensive carpet mocking the adrenaline in my veins. I was already on the phone, organizing discreet security for the service entrance."He was here to send a message," I said, disconnecting the call. "He wanted to know how fast we could move. He wanted to see if our marriage was real."Amelia stood by the window, rigid, clutching her extravagant bridal bouquet. "He wanted to ensure the judge saw his disruption. He wanted to plant doubt.""He succeeded," I replied, running a hand over my freshly bruised jaw. "Now we have to assume he has eyes on us everywhere. From this moment on, every single conversation, every gesture, is a performance.""I know the rules, Adrian," she snapped, her voice brittle. "We're married. Let's act like it. What

Last Updated : 2025-05-27

After the storm

POV: AmeliaThe rough wool of a blanket scratched my cheek, and the scent of old wood and metallic disinfectant stung my nose. I wasn't in the honeymoon suite. I was in the back of a beat-up, unmarked sedan that looked like it hadn't been washed in a decade, and the memory of the hotel room was a violent, shattering nightmare.I stumbled out, Adrian's grip on my arm a vice, no longer a comforting touch, but a necessary restraint, propelling me forward. My legs were weak, my mind still reeling from the sound of a bone breaking and Adrian's low, guttural promise: "Don't touch my wife." The frantic, controlled rhythm of his breathing was the only thing I could focus on."In. Now. No talking," Adrian hissed, his voice rough. He wasn't the calm, composed man I married; he was a coiled weapon. He shoved me through a chipped metal door, down a short, dark hallway, and into a small, sparse room. The room was soundproofed and untraceable, a deliberate fortress.He slammed the door shut, and th

Last Updated : 2025-06-17

The World Watches

POV: AdrianI stood by the dusty, single-pane window of the secluded apartment, the weak morning sun barely penetrating the glass. I hadn't slept, watching the quiet, unfamiliar street below. The grime of last night's fight, the blood, the sweat, the sick crunch of bone are still clung to my skin, a constant reminder of the danger. My focus was a razor-edge.Amelia’s voice, low and focused, came from the back room. She was on the phone, her corporate ruthlessness finally surfacing, arguing with Elias Thorne, the lawyer whose debt was now our only legal lifeline. Good. She was fighting.My phone rang, an unrecognizable number, not the secure line. I answered immediately, stepping toward the window. "Cole."It was Gray Thompson, his voice a distorted, vicious snarl, the connection crackling like static and malice. "You broke his arm, bodyguard. A very expensive arm. You know what you've done?""I know I defended my wife," I retorted, keeping my voice low and level, denying him the satisf

Last Updated : 2025-06-18

Lines Are Blurring

POV: AmeliaSince the night we exchanged vows, Adrian had transformed. Words had always escaped him, but now an added weight lingered in his silences. The air turned electric with unspoken tension every time he entered the room, charged with a watchful vigilance. He was always attuned to his surroundings, but now his gaze would linger on me, especially when he thought my attention lay elsewhere, as though he was anticipating something just beyond my reach or safeguarding a secret.I was acutely aware of these changes; I observed every detail.I was perched beside the expansive living room window of the estate, wearing a delicate silk blouse and relaxed trousers, my legs tucked beneath me. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting shimmering golden mosaics across the marble floor. Adrian slipped in quietly, cradling a steaming mug of tea with chamomile, my favorite. He set it down beside me with tender care, without uttering a sound. Startled, I glanced up.“Thanks,” I replied after

Last Updated : 2025-06-19

Beneath the Surface

Adrian's POVI had barely closed my eyes since the wedding. Each time I did, Amelia's ghostly visage haunted me, her quivering lips and the way her body had gone soft in my embrace, the sheer terror I had to shield her from. When I wasn't ensnared in that memory, Gray invaded my thoughts, his self-satisfied grin, and how he had dissipated into thin air. No, Gray's appearance had been no coincidence, and I couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that a sinister truth lurked beneath the surface of the entire situation. I had signed a contract to be a husband; now I was a sentinel.Morning dawned, yet the sun’s rays offered no warmth as I leaned against the balcony railing. Below, the garden thrummed softly with the songs of birds while silence reigned in the house except for the faint echoes of Nora’s laughter from the playroom. My jaw tightened. Amelia wore a mask of normalcy, rising early, attending meetings, and smiling for Nora’s benefit, but I could see the cracks behind her façade. S

Last Updated : 2025-06-20

A Ghost at the Door

Amelia's POVSunlight cascaded through the lofty glass panes of my office, enveloping the space in a warm, golden embrace. The gentle illumination danced across the polished wooden floors, making them shimmer like liquid gold, while the elegant furniture gleamed. Yet, I remained oblivious to this radiant spectacle.My gaze was riveted to the envelope lying ominously on my desk.It bore no return address, no branding, only my name, inscribed in bold black ink that churned my stomach.I studied it intently, paralyzed by trepidation. My fingers hovered uncertainly above the flap, my heartbeat echoing in my ears, drowning out the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. At last, after a deep, trembling breath, I unveiled the contents.Inside, a photograph awaited in an unguarded moment captured by Lucia and me.We were sauntering home from school, Nora's backpack slung haphazardly over one shoulder while I held her tiny hand. The smile plastered on my face was slight, wearied, yet genuine. T

Last Updated : 2025-06-21

The Unseen Tide

Amelia's POVI was exhibiting a new kind of difference; this was not my familiar frigid and distant demeanor, but rather an unsettling jumpiness, flinching at the slightest touch, and it was hard to overlook.Earlier that morning, a maid had accidentally dropped a plate, causing me to bolt upright, terror etched on my face."What was that?" I shouted, striding toward the source of the sound, my heart hammering against my ribs."I’m sorry, ma’am. It was an accident," the maid stammered, trembling and keeping her head down. Panic churned in the maid's mind, fearing this mistake would spell the end of her employment.She was all too aware of my reputation for being both icy and fiercely temperamental. When I wasn’t around, they often whispered a multitude of unflattering nicknames, one of which was "the Ice Queen.""Just be careful," I murmured unexpectedly, my voice quiet, leaving the maid momentarily stunned before she steadied herself, still wary of my lingering presence.“Do you have

Last Updated : 2025-06-22

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