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 86: Secrets and Revelations
I was sipping my morning coffee in the study, the faint aroma of the roasted beans mingling with the crispness of the air. Damien sat across from me, absently flipping through pages of an old journal he'd recently rediscovered. It wasn't often I saw him this quiet, his expression distant, almost troubled.
"You've been staring at that page for ten minutes," I teased lightly, trying to draw him out of his thoughts.
He looked up, offering me a small, distracted smile. "Sorry. Just... thinking."
I set my cup down. "Thinking about what?"
For a moment, he hesitated, his fingers lingering on the edge of the journal's page. Then, as if making a decision, he closed the book and placed it on the table between us.
"About my family," he said finally. "And the things I haven't told you."