Damian sat in his lodge, staring at the glass of untouched whiskey on the table before him. His mind refused to rest. Nathaniel's smug face kept flashing through his thoughts, the way he had tried to plant doubts in Amara's mind, the way he had twisted the truth into a weapon.
He thinks he can take everything from me. My wife, my children, my life...
Damian leaned back in his chair, jaw clenched tightly, fingers drumming against the armrest. The thought of Nathaniel near Amara again made his blood boil. Just then, his phone buzzed on the table. He snatched it up immediately.
"Hello, boss," came the voice of one of his men.
"Speak," Damian ordered, his voice sharp and low.
"We found where Nathaniel stays. I'll send you the address now."
"Good," Damian replied, his tone clipped. "Text it to me."
The call ended, and within seconds the address appeared on his phone screen. Without hesitation, Damian slipped into his suit jacket, grabbed his car keys, and stormed out of the lodge. His black car roared to life, tires screeching against the pavement as he sped off into the night.
---
It wasn't long before he pulled up outside Nathaniel's residence. The house was sleek, modern, and eerily quiet. Nathaniel himself was outside, leaning casually against the railing, a cigarette between his fingers. He exhaled a long puff of smoke, watching it curl into the cool evening air.
As Damian approached, two of Nathaniel's men shifted forward, ready to block his path. But before they could move, Nathaniel lifted a hand lazily, signaling them to step back.
"Well, well," Nathaniel drawled, flicking his cigarette onto the ground and crushing it under his shoe. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
Damian's eyes burned with restrained fury. "I'm here to warn you," he said in a voice that carried the weight of thunder. "Stay away from my family. If you don't, I will destroy everything that makes you a living man."
Nathaniel smirked, unimpressed, but Damian didn't wait for his reply. He turned on his heel and walked back to his car, his coat swaying sharply behind him. Moments later, the engine roared again as he sped toward the one place he longed to be-Amara's house.
---
When Damian arrived, the warm glow of the dining room light spilled through the windows. Inside, Amara and the children had just finished their meal. As soon as the door opened, Leah squealed with delight.
"Daddy!" she cried, running to him with her little arms wide open.
Damian bent down, scooping her into his arms. He pressed a kiss against her forehead, his expression softening instantly. "My princess, how are you today?"
"I'm fine, Daddy!" she giggled, hugging his neck tightly.
Leo came forward too, though his eyes carried curiosity. He hugged Damian's leg and looked up at him. "Why didn't you come pick us up today, Daddy?"
Damian sighed, stroking his son's hair. "Sorry, son. Daddy was busy today."
Leo's response was innocent, yet it pierced the air. "Was it because of Mr. Nathaniel?"
"Leo!" Amara quickly cut in, her voice sharper than she intended. "That's enough."
The tension lingered for a beat until Mia appeared at the foot of the stairs, her calm presence breaking the awkward silence. "Good evening, Mr. Knight," she greeted politely.
"Good evening," Damian replied, nodding at her.
Soon after, Amara led the children upstairs to prepare them for bed. Damian stayed behind in the living room, pacing slowly, his mind still replaying his confrontation with Nathaniel. When Amara returned, she sat beside Mia on the couch. The air grew heavy as Amara looked at Damian directly.
"Damian," she began, her voice hesitant. "Nathaniel came here today. You saw him too. And you saw what he showed me."
Her words made Damian's jaw tighten. "What did he show you?"
"Documents," Amara said quietly. "He showed me papers that said we are not legally married."
The words hung in the air like a blade. Mia leaned forward quickly. "Amara, don't let Nathaniel poison your mind. You know he wants nothing more than to destroy the bond you and Damian share."
Amara turned sharply toward Mia. "Please, don't tell me that. I saw the papers with my own eyes. If Damian and I were truly married, why would there be no records?"
Mia's voice trembled as she spoke again. "Because you've forgotten the truth. Damian is your husband. I was there. I witnessed it."
But Amara shook her head. "How can I trust that, Mia? Documents don't lie. What if I've been told something that isn't real?"
At that, Damian stepped forward, his frustration finally breaking through. "Do you want to know why it's like that, Amara?"
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with both fear and longing. "Tell me," she whispered.
Damian knelt before her, his gaze unwavering. "Because you were pregnant. The doctor told us that any stress, any shock, could cause you to lose our children. You don't remember, Amara, but we agreed to keep things simple to protect you. We collected our marriage certificate privately, and we had our photo shoot afterward. But we didn't register the details publicly at first. It was all to keep you safe."
Amara's lips parted, but no words came out. She stared at him, her mind battling between logic and the deep, unexplainable pull she felt toward this man who spoke with so much conviction.
For a long while, silence consumed the room. Then finally, she lowered her gaze and whispered, "Hmm... okay. I believe you both."
Relief washed over Mia's face, but Amara's next words kept the atmosphere heavy. "But Damian, you must wait until I recover my memories. I cannot promise more than that."
"Yes," Damian said immediately, his voice steady. "I will wait. But you must stay away from Nathaniel. You are my wife. You are the mother of our children. Whether you remember or not, we are bound. If you refuse to listen, I'll have to do things my way."
Amara frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
Damian's eyes narrowed. "I mean you must stay the hell away from him. Are you going to do that?"
Amara hesitated, her heart pounding as his gaze bore into her. She glanced at Mia, who was watching anxiously, then back at Damian.
"Yes," she whispered at last. "I'll stay away from him."
Their eyes locked for a long moment, the intensity between them almost unbearable. Then Amara broke the gaze, rising to her feet abruptly. "I have to go to my room," she muttered, rushing upstairs.
---
Inside her room, she pressed her back against the door, her breath shaky. Her heart thudded in her chest as though it were trying to break free.
"Why am I suddenly feeling this way?" she whispered to herself. "Why does it feel like I've known him for years?"
The memories still wouldn't come, but her heart seemed to remember what her mind could not. Tears welled in her eyes as confusion gnawed at her.
"Amara?" a soft voice said, and she looked up to see Mia enter the room quietly.
"Has Damian gone?" Amara asked, her voice breaking slightly.
"Yes," Mia replied gently. She stepped closer, concern etched into her face. "Are you okay?"
Amara shook her head, clutching her chest. "No... I feel like my heart is in pain. Like I'm torn in two."
Mia sat beside her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry. Just rest. Everything will be fine, you'll see. Trust your heart. It knows the truth, even if your mind doesn't."
Amara leaned against Mia, her tears finally falling. Within minutes, exhaustion overcame her, and she drifted into a restless sleep.
Mia remained by her side until her breathing steadied. She tucked the blanket over Amara carefully, whispered a quiet prayer for her, and slipped back into her own room, leaving the night heavy with unanswered questions.
Outside, the shadows deepened, and in the distance, the storm of Nathaniel's next move was already brewing.
---