The Unseen Heiress
As the illegitimate daughter in a household that scorns her, Emilia has learned to endure a life of cruel whispers and cold glares. But her fate takes an unexpected turn when her spoiled half-sister disappears on the eve of her arranged marriage. The family forces Emilia to wed the rumored crippled and disfigured groom in her sister's place—an ominous task they hope will rid them of her for good. Yet, when Emilia meets her new husband, Damien Blackwood, she is stunned. This mysterious man is neither crippled nor disfigured. Instead, he’s handsome, powerful, and hiding secrets as dark as her own. With the Blackwood family’s treacherous history looming over them, Emilia realizes she has entered a world far more dangerous than her own home—a world where alliances are built on lies and love can turn into a weapon. As she delves deeper, Emilia uncovers shocking secrets that link her family’s downfall to Damien’s ruthless kin. Now, torn between the man she’s come to trust and the whispers of betrayal around every corner, Emilia must decide: will she seek revenge on those who’ve wronged her or fight alongside Damien to claim her rightful legacy? In a game where love, power, and loyalty are tested, Emilia must face her past to shape her future… even if it means risking her life.
Chapter 25: A Twist in the Will
Emilia
I stood before the massive fireplace in the study, my mind racing as I tried to process everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Damien had finally shared the truth about his family's intentions toward me—how they had orchestrated my forced marriage to him, how they were willing to destroy me for their own gain.
But there was something I hadn't anticipated. Something that had just been revealed to me.
The will.
My mother's last will and testament. I had always believed it to be straightforward—she had left me a small portion of her wealth, as if to acknowledge me without fully including me. It had always felt like a final act of kindness before she disappeared from my life. But now, standing in the study with the paperwork strewn before me, I was learning just how much I had been kept in the dark.