The next morning, Amelia woke before sunrise.
She hadn't slept well.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the stranger in the garden.
His face.
His voice.
His words.
Ask Liam why his brother hates you.
She sat up slowly.
The room was quiet.
For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then everything returned.
Liam.
Damian.
The threats.
Seven years of lies.
She walked to the window.
The sky was beginning to brighten.
She wondered if Liam was awake.
Then she heard a knock.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Liam stood outside.
He looked exhausted.
"You should sleep."
"So should you."
"I've had worse nights."
Amelia crossed her arms.
"I want answers."
"I know."
"About Damian."
Liam nodded.
"Come downstairs."
They walked into the dining room.
Breakfast had already been prepared.
Neither of them touched the food.
Liam sat opposite her.
"Before I tell you about Damian, there's something you need to understand."
"What?"
"My family wasn't always like this."
Amelia listened.
"My father built the company from nothing. Damian was his favorite."
"Why?"
"Because Damian was more like him."
"And you?"
"I was different."
Liam gave a small smile.
"I wanted to leave the business. I wanted a normal life."
"With me?"
His eyes met hers.
"Yes."
She looked away.
"What changed?"
"My father found out about us."
"Why did he care?"
"Because he had plans for Damian."
"What kind of plans?"
"He wanted Damian to marry into another wealthy family."
Amelia frowned.
"And I was a problem."
"Yes."
She shook her head.
"This is unbelievable."
"It gets worse."
Liam leaned forward.
"My father told Damian that I was going to destroy everything he had built."
"Because of me?"
"Because I wanted to expose him."
Amelia was silent.
"Damian blamed you."
"Why?"
"Because he believed you were encouraging me to turn against our family."
She laughed bitterly.
"I barely knew what was happening."
"I know."
"And he still blamed me?"
"Yes."
Amelia looked at him.
"What happened on the night you left?"
Liam's face became tense.
"Damian came to my room."
"What did he want?"
"He told me he'd discovered that someone was planning to kill you."
Amelia froze.
"What?"
"He showed me photographs."
"Of me?"
"Yes."
"Then what?"
"He said if I told anyone, you would die."
"And you believed him?"
"I had no reason not to."
Liam looked down.
"Then he gave me one final choice."
"What choice?"
"Leave you forever, or watch you die."
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
"And you chose to leave."
"Yes."
She looked away.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"You should have trusted me."
"I was nineteen."
"So was I."
"I thought I was saving you."
"You were destroying me."
He closed his eyes.
"I know."
Silence filled the room.
Amelia wiped her tears.
"I hated you."
"I know."
"I thought I wasn't enough."
Liam's eyes lifted.
"You were always enough."
"Then why did you make me feel like I wasn't?"
"Because I was afraid."
She stared at him.
The powerful, confident man everyone feared was sitting in front of her admitting that he had been afraid.
For the first time, she saw the boy she used to love beneath the man he had become.
Then Liam reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small photograph.
"I found this last week."
Amelia took it.
Her breath stopped.
It was a picture of her and Liam.
But there was something written on the back.
The girl must never know what her father did.
Amelia looked at him.
"My father?"
Liam nodded.
"I found the photograph inside one of my father's old files."
She stared at the words.
"What did my father do?"
"I don't know."
"Then we need to find out."
"Amelia—"
"No."
She stood.
"You've spent seven years protecting me from the truth."
She looked directly at him.
"I'm done being protected."
Liam stared at her.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying we're going to find out what happened."
He stood too.
"You don't understand what you're asking."
"Then explain it."
"I can't promise you'll like what we find."
"I don't care."
She stepped closer.
"I've already lost seven years because of this."
Her voice softened.
"I don't want to lose another day."
Liam stared at her.
Then slowly nodded.
"Okay."
Amelia breathed out.
"Okay."
"We'll find the truth."
A strange feeling passed between them.
For the first time in seven years, they were standing on the same side.
Not as enemies.
Not as strangers.
But as the two people who had once loved each other more than anything.
Liam reached for her hand.
She hesitated.
Then allowed him to hold it.
His fingers were warm.
Familiar.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Liam looked into her eyes.
"Amelia."
"What?"
"I never stopped loving you."
She swallowed.
"Don't make this harder."
"I'm not trying to."
"Then don't say it."
"I need you to know."
She looked at their joined hands.
"I don't know if I can love you again."
"You don't have to."
His thumb gently brushed against her fingers.
"Just let me earn your trust."
Her heart softened despite everything.
Then a loud knock came from the front door.
They separated immediately.
Liam's expression changed.
He walked toward the entrance.
Amelia followed.
A security officer opened the door.
A man stood outside holding a large brown envelope.
"For Miss Amelia Rose."
Liam stepped forward.
"Who sent it?"
"I don't know, sir."
He handed it to Amelia.
She looked at the envelope.
Her name was written across it.
Nothing else.
She opened it slowly.
Inside was a single photograph.
Amelia stared at it.
It showed her father standing beside Liam's father.
Both men were shaking hands.
But that wasn't what frightened her.
Behind them stood Damian.
And beside Damian was the same mysterious man who had attacked Liam in the garden.
Amelia's breathing stopped.
There was a date printed beneath the photograph.
Seven years ago.
She looked at Liam.
"Who is that man?"
Liam took the photograph.
His face went pale.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
He stared at the picture.
"Because this man died seven years ago."
Amelia's blood ran cold.
Then her phone buzzed.
A new message appeared.
You have three days to discover the truth.
After that Amelia dies.