Aiden gave his guards a reassuring nod. “I’ll be back shortly,” he said, walking away from the bustling crowd.Inside the restroom, he felt a strange dizziness take hold. Before he could gather his thoughts, Massimo appeared from the shadows. His eyes were wild with rage as he lunged at Aiden, punching him relentlessly. Aiden tried to fight back, but his strength was sapped by whatever was in his drink. Massimo left him bleeding on the floor, slipping out the back door unnoticed.When Aiden didn’t return after a considerable time, his chief guard grew concerned. Ignoring Zain’s earlier dismissal, he went to check on him. He found Aiden crumpled on the floor, barely conscious and covered in blood.“Get help!” he shouted, lifting Aiden gently. Aiden remembered flashes of light and the sound of urgent voices before everything went dark.He was rushed home, slipping into unconsciousness for days. During this time, Uncle Zain saw an opportunity to take control. He convened a meeting with t

The intel Jasper gathered was as clear as it was distressing: Zia had been moved out of the country. The urgency of the situation demanded swift action, so Aiden decided to utilize the family’s private jet for the operation. Silvana, who had been his steadfast companion through this ordeal, insisted on joining the rescue mission. “Aiden, I’m coming with you. You need all the support you can get,” Silvana said, her eyes blazing with determination. “No, Silvana,” he replied, trying to keep his voice firm despite the turmoil inside. “It’s too dangerous. If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to bear it.” She grabbed his arm, her grip surprisingly strong. “Aiden, I’m not a helpless damsel. I can help. I want to help.” He looked at her, the worry etched into her features, but he shook his head. “Please, Silvana. I need you safe. If something happens to me, you need to be here to look after Zia when we bring her back.” She reluctantly agreed, her eyes glistening with unshed te

At the Reyes family house, Amelia couldn’t shake the shock that struck her at the mall the other day. “Who could have imagined that someone so beggarly could come from such a great family of wealth,” she murmured to herself, still reeling. Regret gnawed at her. If only she had treated Aiden better when she had the chance, or at least been kinder to their daughter Zia. Perhaps Aiden might have considered letting her back into his life for Zia’s sake. But now, that opportunity was lost.A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. It was her Aunt Bella, her expression serious.“Amelia, your father has requested to see you. The whole family is gathered in the central living room for a meeting.”Grudgingly, Amelia dragged herself out of her room and made her way to the meeting. The central living room was filled with the Reyes family. Her father, Alex Reyes, stood at the head of the room, a look of concern on his face. Her mother, Ruby, sat beside him, looking worried. Her cousin, Liam,

Later that evening, Amelia returned home, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She found her father in his study, pouring over financial reports. He looked up as she entered.“Amelia, did you talk to Blaise?” Alex asked, hope flickering in his eyes.“Yes, I did,” Amelia replied, her voice strained. “His father is willing to invest, but there’s a condition. Blaise and I have to get married right away.”Alex’s eyes widened. “Married? But that’s wonderful news! This could save our company, besides, you two were already engaged before Aiden came along.”Amelia shook her head. “But Dad, I can’t believe Blaise would allow his father to impose such a condition. It feels wrong.”“Amelia, sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good,” Alex said gently. “If marrying Blaise can secure our family’s future, then maybe it’s worth considering.”Torn between her chemistry with Blaise, her desire for Aiden’s new wealth and the feeling of being manipulated, Amelia spent a sleepless night cont

The next day, Aiden arrived at the Reyes family house promptly at four o’clock. As he stepped out of his car, he noticed the unusual warmth of the reception. The staff greeted him with smiles and polite nods, an unexpected change from their previous coldness towards him. Aiden reminded himself of Lorenzo’s warning and remained on high alert.He was ushered to the living room where Amelia met him, her face a mask of concern. “Thank you for coming, Aiden.”Aiden nodded curtly. “Let’s get this over with. What do you need to tell me?”Amelia took a deep breath, visibly steeling herself. “I’m pregnant, Aiden. And... the baby is yours.”The words hit Aiden like a punch to the gut. “What? How can that be? As far as I know, we only had sex once and Zia was a result of that intimacy. You had since abhorred my presence, so how come I am the father?”Amelia’s eyes pleaded with him to believe her. “Remember one of those nights that you came into my room drunk, asking that we find a way to work th