All Chapters of What the Heart didn't Know: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Amelia's POV "I look like a liar."I whispered the words, my hands trembling as I adjusted Adrian’s tie in the courthouse reflection. This was it: the final court hearing. We had survived corporate espionage, murder plots, and a betrayal from within Adrian's own family. We had won the war, but we still had to win this final, quiet battle to reclaim Lucia."You look like a woman fighting for her family," Adrian corrected, his voice a low, steady rumble that always calmed my fear. He took my hands, stopping my frantic movements. "We're telling the truth today, Amelia. The whole, messy truth. We're a real marriage now. That's all the judge needs to see.""But the assault charges," I worried. "The police report the chaos. Grey Thompson's lawyer will use all of it to prove we're an unstable environment.""Let them try," Adrian challenged, his eyes burning with fierce resolve. "They're fighting a lie. We're fighting with the truth."We walked into the courtroom hand-in-hand, a solid, unite

Adrian's POV "We look like targets, not guests."I whispered the assessment to Amelia as we walked into the grand ballroom. The air was thick with the scent of lilies and old money. This wasn't a charity event; it was a cage full of predators. Amelia, radiant in a silk gown, looked every inch the billionaire she was, but her eyes held a brittle tension. We were here on a mission: to publicly demonstrate our "stable, loving marriage" to counter Lyra’s financial sabotage and the ongoing social sniping."We are targets, Adrian," Amelia murmured, her hand resting firmly on my arm. "The freeze on the company funds made us smell blood. Every smile here is a question mark.""Just remember the plan," I said. "We stick close. We talk about Lucia. We talk about the future. And we ignore the venom."Ignoring the venom became impossible ten minutes later. We were surrounded by a small cluster of socialites when Abigail Anderson swept into our orbit. Julius’s mother. She was regal, intimidating,

Adrian's POV "She fled the meeting, Adrian. She just walked out."The voice of the board's secretary, tight with panic, was the only thing I needed to hear. I disconnected the call immediately. The boardroom, the votes, the money, it was all noise. Amelia was broken.I found her exactly where I knew she'd be: the cold, marble landing of the executive stairwell. The woman who commanded billions was curled into herself, small and utterly defeated, her suit jacket rumpled, her face pale. She wasn't crying; she was simply empty, paralyzed by the weight of years of trauma Lyra had finally managed to exploit.I didn't speak. I didn't rush. The greatest mistake I could make was to try and fix the corporate problem or offer a tactical solution. Her exhaustion was emotional, spiritual. It was the moment the final wall came down.I knelt beside her on the cold stone. I gently wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against the solid warmth of my chest. I didn't ask questions. I didn't offer ad

The Prodigal Son Returns Adrian's POV "This isn't a business meeting, Dad. This is a choice."I stood in the marble foyer of my parents' city penthouse, the air heavy with the familiar scent of old wealth and expectation. I hadn't seen this place since I walked out seven years ago, determined to make my own name without the Cole Dynasty's shadow. Now, I was back, not for myself, but for Amelia.She stood beside me, quiet but radiating an unmistakable strength that even this intimidating room couldn't dim. My mother, graceful and reserved, offered Amelia a polite, cool handshake. My father, Marcus Cole, was direct, his eyes assessing my wife like she was a complex quarterly report."Sit down, Adrian," my father commanded, his voice deep and accustomed to obedience. "Julius briefed us. The situation is dire. Lyra Monroe's actions are attacking the stability of the entire market, and Abigail Anderson's loose tongue is a liability. Your marriage, however, is the central flaw.""The marr

(Adrian's POV) "They're trying to break us before we even speak."I muttered the warning to Amelia as we sat at the defense table. The final custody hearing had begun. The courtroom air was thick, suffocating. Julius was a calm presence beside me, but I could feel the tension radiating off Amelia. We'd won every battle outside this room, but here, under the judge's cold scrutiny, the smallest lie could cost us Lucia.The prosecution, led by a sharp, venomous lawyer who replaced Gray Thompson, began their attack immediately."Your Honor, the defense is relying on the image of a stable, nuclear family. We intend to prove that the marriage between Amelia and Adrian Cole is nothing more than a desperate, transactional arrangement, jeopardizing the child’s well-being."I squeezed Amelia's hand under the table. "Stay calm. They're just reading the old contract language.""The language isn't the problem, Adrian," Amelia whispered back. "It's the truth they'll twist."The Social Assassinatio