Chapter 9%
Something about her had never sat right with me. From the moment my grandfather–Richard Blackwood himself–took Claire in, I knew there was more to the story. He wasn’t a man who acted out of charity or kindness; every move he made was calculated, precise, and carried a purpose. And yet, he had brought this woman into his home as if she were some long–lost treasure he had been searching for all his life.
It didn’t make sense.
So, I did what I did best–I dug deeper. And what I found? Well, let’s just say it was damn interesting.
Standing in his study, hands casually tucked into my pockets, I watched Richard as he swirled his whiskey in that slow, deliberate way of his, completely unfazed despite sitting on a bombshell of a secret.
“She’s Amelia Caldwell’s daughter,” I said flatly, waiting for a reaction.
The movement of his hand stilled for only a second before he continued, his expression remaining unreadable. A slow exhale escaped his lips, and I caught the flicker of something in his sharp blue eyes–not surprise, but something deeper. Of course, he already knew.
“You’ve been investigating her, he finally said, setting his glass down.
I scoffed, shaking my head. “Obviously. The moment you took her in, I knew something was off. You’re not the type to suddenly grow a heart, so I did my own digging What I didn’t expect was to find out she’s our blood.”
Richard leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze locked onto mine before he let out a quiet sigh, as if Inevitable
if this conversation had been
“I knew the moment I saw her,” he admitted, his voice void of any hesitation.
I stiffened. “…What?”
He tapped his fingers against the desk in a rhythmic pattern, his face unreadable. The night I found her on the street, sitting there, lost and broken… Something in me just knew. Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was our blood recognizing its own, but I knew she was mine.”
I clenched my jaw, anger simmering beneath the surface. “And you didn’t say anything?”
“I needed confirmation,” he said simply. “So I conducted my own investigation. It only took a few days to get my answer–Claire is my granddaughter”
A heavy silence settled between us
Running a hand through my hair I let out a breath. “Jesus”
Richard exhaled, watching me carefully. 1 didn’t know you were looking into her too.”
“Of course, I was,” I snapped. “Did you really think I’d just sit back and watch you suddenly start playing the role of a doting old man?
I knew something was off, and now I know why “A humorless chuckle escaped my lips before I fixed him with a sharp glare. “So, what now? Do you regret it? Banning Amelia? Destroying her life?“%
His jaw tightened slightly, the first crack in his otherwise composed demeanor. “That was a different time.”
“Bullshit,” I hissed. “You ruined her, forced her out, and now, her daughter–your own granddaughter–is standing right in front of you, and you’re acting as if none of it ever happened?”
Richard stared at me for a long moment before he finally stood, his movements slow and deliberate.
“I can’t change the past, Lucas,” he said, his voice calm yet firm. “But I can fix this.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Fix what?”
He stepped around his desk, stopping just inches from me, his gaze sharp and calculating. “Claire doesn’t know who she really is. And until I say otherwise–she won’t.“)
Texhaled sharply, my patience wearing thin. “You can’t be serious.”}
“She deserves to know the truth.”
“And she will,” he said, his tone unwavering. “But not yet.”
My fingers curled into fists as I fought the urge to lash out. “Why? What the hell are you waiting for?”
A slow smirk tugged at the comer of his lips, the kind that sent a chill down my spine.!
“For the right moment
I stared at him, trying to decipher the mind of the most dangerous man I knew, but Richard Blackwood played the long game. And -right now, I was just another piece on his board.
(Claire’s POV)
I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for fate to hand my son back to me. No. If life had taught me anything, it was that nothing would ever be given freely–I had to take it with my own two hands.
The moment I had enough resources at my disposal, I made my move. Richard had given me a life of luxury, but I wasn’t naive enough to believe his kindness didn’t come with strings attached. That’s why I didn’t rely on his influence to find Liam. I handled it
12.28 PM n d
myself.
Sitting anonymously in a quiet café tucked away in a forgotten comer of the city, I drummed my fingers against the table as I waited. The place was dimly lit, discreet and perfect for a meeting that needed to remain a secret!
The door opened.
A man in his early fifties stepped inside, his face nondescript–one of those men who could disappear into a crowd without a second glance. Exactly the kind of person I needed.
His eyes scanned the room before landing on me. Without hesitation, he made his way over and slid into the seat across from me
“Ms. Clair?” he asked
I nodded. “Did you find him?:
Wordlessly, he placed a folder on the table.
My fingers trembled slightly as I reached for it, my breath catching in my throat. Taking a deep inhale, I flipped it open.
And there he was. Liam. My son.
My heart clenched painfully at the sight of him. He had grown so much–his chubby cheeks had thinned out, his b sharpening into something more mature. But his eyes… those were still my Liam’s eyes!!
babyish features
I turned the pages, my pulse pounding in my ears. His school, his daily routine, the house he lived in… a house where I was nothing more than a ghost an unwanted presence.
Then–S
My breath hitched as my gaze landed on a particular photograph.
Liam, clinging to Olivia’s hand, looking up at her with a smile, his small fingers curled around hers as if she was his entire world. A sharp wave of nausea hit me.”
“Mommy,” he had called her,
I swallowed hard, forcing back the bile rising in my throat. Not for long, Olivia. Not for long.S
Turning my attention back to the investigator, I steeled my expression. “How tight is the security?”
“Moderate,” he replied. “Nothing you can’t work around with the right plan. But I have to warn you–Ethan is paranoid when it comes to his family. His estate is monitored 24/7, and his men are highly trained If you make a wrong move, you won’t get another chance.“)
A slow smirk spread across my lips. “Then I won’t make a wrong move.”
He studied me for a moment before sighing. “You’re serious about this?”
‘Dead serious”
