Chapter 11 - THE MAN WHO ERASED HER LIFE
Amelia Brooks stared at the man standing in the doorway.
Her body went completely still.
Her mind refused to accept what her eyes were seeing.
Ethan Blake.
The man she loved.
The man she planned to marry.
The man who disappeared the same night her life was destroyed.
“You…”
Her voice barely came out.
“You’re alive.”
Ethan smiled.
Not the warm smile she remembered.
Not the smile of the man who once promised to protect her.
This smile was different.
Cold.
Empty.
“You always were good at surviving, Amelia.”
Her stomach turned.
She pulled against the ropes around her wrists.
“What did you do to me?”
Ethan walked slowly into the room.
Rachel immediately stepped between them.
“Don’t come closer.”
Ethan looked at Rachel.
“You still protect her.”
Rachel’s eyes burned with anger.
“After everything you did?”
Amelia looked between them.
“What is happening?”
Nobody answered.
That scared her more than anything.
Because everyone seemed to know the truth except her.
Ethan stopped in front of the table.
“You really don’t remember, do you?”
Amelia shook her head.
“I remember enough.”
“No.”
Ethan leaned closer.
“You remember the pain.”
A pause.
“But not the reason.”
Amelia stared at him.
“You were there.”
Ethan smiled.
“Yes.”
The answer was too easy.
Too calm.
Her heart sank.
“You were at the accident.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Ethan looked away.
“Because I was trying to fix a mistake.”
Rachel laughed bitterly.
“A mistake?”
She stepped forward.
“You tried to kill us.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
For the first time, anger appeared.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No?”
Rachel pointed at him.
“You were the one who took the flash drive.”
Amelia froze.
The flash drive.
The same thing Michael gave her.
The same thing everyone wanted.
Ethan looked at Amelia.
“You had no idea what was on it.”
Amelia’s voice became quiet.
“But you did.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
And that silence was enough.
Amelia felt something inside her break.
“You were working with them.”
Ethan looked at her.
“I was trying to survive.”
“You destroyed my life to save yours.”
His face tightened.
“You don’t understand.”
“No.”
Amelia shook her head.
“I understand perfectly.”
She looked at Rachel.
“You were right.”
Rachel looked away.
Because she knew this moment would hurt.
Ethan walked closer.
“You want the truth?”
Amelia stared at him.
“Yes.”
“Then listen carefully.”
He pointed toward the door.
“Your accident wasn’t meant to kill you.”
Rachel’s face changed.
“What?”
Ethan continued.
“It was meant to scare Michael.”
Amelia frowned.
“What does Michael have to do with me?”
Ethan laughed quietly.
“Everything.”
He sat down.
“Michael discovered the truth about the Cross family.”
Amelia listened.
“He found out Evelyn Cross wasn’t just hiding money.”
A pause.
“She was controlling everything.”
Amelia felt cold.
“Evelyn…”
“Yes.”
Ethan nodded.
“Your accident happened because Michael trusted the wrong person.”
Rachel interrupted.
“Then why did you help her?”
Ethan looked at Rachel.
“Because I made a deal.”
Amelia’s heart sank.
“With who?”
Ethan looked at her.
“With Evelyn.”
The room became silent.
Amelia felt like the air disappeared.
“You made a deal with the woman who destroyed my life?”
Ethan lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His answer was immediate.
“Because she threatened my family.”
Amelia stared.
“What family?”
Ethan said nothing.
Rachel stepped closer.
“You still don’t know.”
Amelia looked at her.
“Know what?”
Rachel’s eyes filled with sadness.
“Ethan wasn’t protecting himself.”
She looked at Ethan.
“He was protecting your daughter.”
Amelia froze.
The room went completely silent.
“My…”
Her voice broke.
“My daughter?”
Ethan looked away.
Amelia felt dizzy.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“That’s impossible.”
Rachel whispered:
“You were pregnant before the accident.”
The memories came crashing back.
A doctor.
A test.
A small heartbeat.
A secret she wanted to share with Ethan.
Then the crash.
Then the hospital.
Then waking up alone.
Amelia touched her stomach.
“No…”
Ethan’s eyes filled with regret.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked at him.
“Where is she?”
Nobody answered.
That silence destroyed her.
“Where is my daughter?”
Rachel looked down.
Amelia’s voice became louder.
“WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?”
Ethan finally spoke.
“She was taken.”
“By who?”
He looked at her.
“Evelyn.”
Amelia’s tears fell.
“Why?”
“Because Evelyn knew the child was proof.”
“Proof of what?”
Ethan swallowed.
“That Michael wasn’t the only person who discovered the truth.”
Amelia looked confused.
Ethan continued.
“Your daughter had a birth record.”
A pause.
“And that record proved Evelyn’s biggest secret.”
“What secret?”
Ethan looked at her.
“The child’s father.”
Amelia froze.
“What?”
Rachel’s face changed.
She looked terrified.
Because she knew what Ethan was about to say.
Ethan whispered:
“Your daughter wasn’t just connected to you.”
A pause.
“She was connected to the Cross family.”
Amelia stared.
“No…”
Ethan looked directly at her.
“Your daughter is Daniel Cross’s daughter.”
The world stopped.
Every memory.
Every lie.
Every missing piece.
Suddenly connected.
Back at the Cross mansion, Daniel stood alone in his office.
The necklace from his mother sat on the desk.
His phone showed the mysterious message.
But then another message arrived.
A photo.
Daniel opened it.
And his blood ran cold.
The picture showed Amelia.
Alive.
Captured.
And standing beside her was Ethan Blake.
Daniel whispered:
“No…”
Because Ethan Blake was the one person Daniel believed had died before all of this began.
Then a final message appeared.
YOU WANT YOUR SON BACK? COME ALONE.
Daniel stared at the screen.
Then looked toward the door.
Because he knew.
May you like
The next move would decide who survived.
TO BE CONTINUED...
