บททั้งหมดของ Married by Fate, Broken by Love: บทที่ 171 - บทที่ 180

Aliya's POVFor several long seconds after reading the message on the photograph, neither Dylan nor I spoke. The silence wasn't caused by confusion this time. It was caused by the realization that everything had just become painfully real. Until now, Evelyn Calloway had existed only in documents, old photographs, and impossible theories. Now there was proof that someone claiming to be her had deliberately reached out. More importantly, she hadn't contacted the police, investigators, or lawyers. She had contacted Dylan directly. The personal nature of the message made my stomach twist with unease.The security supervisor waited patiently in the hallway while Dylan continued staring at the photograph. I could practically see the battle taking place behind his eyes. Hope and anger were colliding in ways that looked almost painful. If Evelyn truly was alive, then she might finally provide answers about Sophie, Margaret Sinclair, and Project Renewal. At the same time, every minute she had

Aliya's POVI stared at the message for a long time without moving.The location pin glowed on my screen while dozens of possibilities ran through my mind at once. Every lesson the past few weeks had taught me screamed that this was a trap. Lydia had manipulated situations before. Margaret Sinclair had spent years operating through deception. Whoever was behind Project Renewal seemed to specialize in controlling information and people. Logic told me to ignore the message completely. Unfortunately, logic wasn't the only thing influencing my decision anymore.The note had mentioned marriage.Not Dylan's company, not Project Renewal, not money, marriage.The future I wanted more than anything.That specific choice continued bothering me because it felt intentional. Whoever sent the note wasn't simply trying to lure me somewhere. They wanted me emotionally invested before I ever arrived. They wanted me questioning things I normally wouldn't question. The fact that they understood exactly

Dylan's POVI had imagined this moment a thousand different ways over the years.After my mother's funeral, there had been nights when grief convinced me that impossible things could happen. I used to imagine hearing her voice in crowded places or catching a glimpse of her in passing cars. Time eventually buried those fantasies beneath reality. People died. Families mourned. Life moved forward whether you were ready for it or not. That was what I believed for fifteen years. Now, standing outside a secured property while waiting to meet a woman who might be my mother, I no longer knew what reality looked like.The safe house sat on the outskirts of the city, hidden behind tall gates and surrounded by enough security to protect a government official. Detective Morris had chosen the location personally after verifying the woman's identity through preliminary checks. According to the reports, fingerprints were still being analyzed, DNA comparisons had been expedited, and investigators wer

Dylan's POVThe safe house felt smaller than it should have.Perhaps it was because of the weight of the moment, or perhaps because fifteen years of grief had suddenly been forced into a single room. Either way, the air seemed heavier as I stood near the doorway staring at the woman I had buried years ago. Morning sunlight filtered softly through the windows, casting pale gold across the floor, but even the warmth of dawn couldn't ease the storm building inside me. I had imagined this moment countless times in different ways over the years. Sometimes she returned. Sometimes she explained everything. Most times, I woke up before hearing her voice. Yet now reality had surpassed imagination in ways I wasn't sure I was ready for.My mother looked older than I remembered, but time had not erased her completely. The silver in her hair and the lines around her eyes told stories of years I knew nothing about. Even so, there were familiar details that struck me immediately. The way she folded

Aliya's POVThe line went silent before I could ask another question.I stared at my phone long after the call ended, as though looking at the screen long enough might somehow provide answers. Beside me, Mrs. Calloway's expression shifted from concern to alarm the moment she saw my face. I hadn't realized how pale I'd become until she reached for my hand. The last words spoken on the call continued echoing in my mind with unsettling clarity. Tell her she deserves to know the truth about her father. Of all the revelations I had expected over the past few weeks, that was not one of them."Aliya?" Mrs. Calloway asked softly.I blinked and looked up at her.For a moment, I struggled to find the right words because I wasn't entirely sure what I had just heard myself. The problem wasn't only the statement. It was the certainty behind it. Evelyn hadn't sounded manipulative or threatening. She had sounded sad. The kind of sadness that came from carrying a secret for too long and knowing the t