“Yes,” I shot back, my voice cracking under the pressure. “Do you really think you can keep something like this buried forever? Ethan deserves the truth. He has the right to know—he needs to—”
I didn’t get to finish.
His hand struck my face again.
The sound cracked through the room. My head snapped to the side, vision blurring instantly, pain blooming across my cheek like fire.
Before I could even steady myself, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him. His grip was brutal, digging into my skin. I could feel his breath near my face—too close, too hot, too angry.
“You really think I’ll let you do that?” he hissed. “Try exposing me and I swear, I’ll tell everyone who you really are. Your precious background? Fake. Your family? Paid actors. You’re nothing like the woman you pretend to be.”
“Damien—” I started, but my voice broke.
His words hurt worse than the slap.
And the worst part? He wasn’t bluffing. I could tell. He would destroy me without hesitation.
For a moment, I thought maybe I should just let it all fall apart. I was exhausted—of lying, of pretending, of carrying secrets that kept getting heavier every day. Maybe if everything came crashing down, I’d finally be free.
But then my grandmother came to mind.
Weak. Frail. Her heart already fragile.
If she ever found out what I did—if she learned I built my entire life on lies just to marry into this world—she wouldn’t survive it. I could almost picture her collapsing, the way she used to when she got too stressed. The thought froze me in place.
I couldn’t let that happen.
I was about to speak again, to push back despite everything, when the door suddenly opened.
“Enough.”
Regina’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.
She walked in slowly, composed as ever, her expression cold but controlled, eyes sharp with authority.
Damien immediately let go of me, jaw tightening as he stepped back.
Regina’s gaze moved between us before landing on him. “You wouldn’t dare,” she said quietly, each word heavy with warning. “Because if you destroy her, you destroy this family along with her—and I will make sure you don’t walk away from it either.”
She stepped further inside. “We kept that child hidden for a reason. For his safety. For this company. If our enemies ever discover Ethan is an illegitimate heir, they’ll tear him apart and use it to destroy everything you’ve built.”