With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard the frame rattled. I stood there, trembling, my heart racing like a rabbit in a snare.
“Don’t be scared,” Harrison murmured, his arms wrapping around me from behind. He pulled me tight against his bare chest, the warmth of his skin a stark contrast to the cold fury that had just filled the room. His voice was steady, a rock in the storm of emotions swirling inside me.
The newspaper lay forgotten on the floor, the headline screaming at us from its crumpled pages. It was more than just about Adrianne’s family cutting ties; it spoke of a web of deceit and betrayal that stretched far beyond the mansion walls. Rachel’s words echoed in my mind: “There’s more to this than you know.”
I bent down to pick up the newspaper, my legs shaking slightly. The room felt suddenly cold without Mr. Blackwood’s oppressive presence. As I straightened, the paper rustled, I read through it, the words swimming before my eyes. Adrianne’s family had indeed cut all ties, and their reason was clear.
No wedding, no ties,” I murmured, the words sinking in. We had stopped the wedding, but the repercussions were more severe than we could have imagined. Rachel was right; there was more to this than just Adrianne’s deceit. The company was in trouble, and it was all because of us.
Harrison took the newspaper from me, his jaw clenched. “We’ll figure this out,” he said, his voice a mix of anger and resolve. “We’re not going to let him win.”
But as I looked into his eyes, I could see the fear lurking beneath the surface. This wasn’t just about the company anymore; it was about our future, our baby, and the life we were trying to build together. I knew that Mr. Blackwood would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, and that meant tearing us apart.
I slipped out of his embrace, my heart racing as I searched for my clothes. “I have to go,” I said, my voice shaking. “I need to get Ethan.”
Harrison nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Rachel will take care of him,” he said, his voice firm. “You need to stay here. I’ll deal with this.”
But I was already dressed, my hand on the doorknob. “No,” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t stay here. Not with him. And not without my son.”
Harrison nodded, his jaw tightening. “I’ll come with you,” he said, his voice firm. “We’re in this together.”
We rushed out of the bedroom, my heart racing. The corridors of the mansion felt eerie, the silence a stark contrast to the passion and anger that had just filled the room. As we descended the grand staircase, I spotted Lily, one of Harrison’s other maids, her eyes widening as she took in my disheveled state. She quickly schooled her features into a professional smile, greeting us with a curt nod.
“Where is Ethan?” I asked, my voice a whisper. Rachel had been my confidant and protector through all of this, and I knew she would keep my son safe.
“In the nursery,” Lily replied, her eyes flicking to the newspaper in my hand. “Miss Rachel is with him.”
We practically sprinted to the nursery, my heart hammering in my chest. Rachel looked up as we burst in, her eyes widening in surprise. “Emma, what’s going on?”
N~ nothing Rachel, I just wanted to see Ethan,” I breathed out, my heart still racing from our encounter with Mr. Blackwood. Rachel looked at us, her eyes filled with understanding. She knew better than anyone the dangers that lurked within these walls.
Mr Harrison can you excuse me and Emma for some minutes.
“Of course,” she said, her voice calm and composed. “I’ll keep an eye on him. You two need to talk.”
Rachel pulled me aside, and asked did you show Harrison the USB, I said no, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Good,” she murmured, her eyes searching mine. “We can’t risk it falling into the wrong hands.”
Emma the thing is, that USB contains a lot that will break Harrison, Emma Mr blackwood isn’t Harrison’s dad but Harrison doesn’t know about it.
I nodded, my heart racing as I thought about the bombshell that was hidden on that small device. “But Rachel, he needs to know,” I said, my voice trembling. “He can’t go on thinking Mr. Blackwood is his father.”
Rachel’s gaze was intense, her voice urgent. “You don’t understand, Emma,” she whispered. “It’s not just about that. There’s so much more on there, things that could ruin everyone involved. We have to be careful.”
But Rachel how did you know all these things, Rachel took a deep breath and held my hand “Emma, I’ve been Mr. Blackwood’s personal maid for a very long time,” she began, her eyes searching my face for understanding. “I’ve seen and heard things that no one else knows. The USB contains evidence of his betrayals, his business deals, his… appetites.” And also I never told you this but Harrison took me, I’ve worked for Mr blackWood before working here. Mr blackwood was Harrison’s father’s friend, and Mr blackwood was the one who killed Harrison’s parents in a car accident and took him in. It was all a plot to take over the company.
The gravity of Rachel’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. I could see the pain and fear in her eyes, the weight of her secrets heavy on her shoulders. “What do we do?” I asked, my voice trembling. “We can’t just ignore this.”
Rachel squeezed my hand. “We’ll figure it out,” she said. “But for now, you need to stay safe. Take Ethan and go somewhere Mr. Blackwood can’t find you. I’ll hold onto the USB and keep it hidden.”
I nodded, my mind racing with the implications of her words. “But why do I have to leave again?” I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes. Rachel’s grip tightened, her gaze steely.
“Because you and Ethan are the key to everything,” she said, her voice urgent. “Mr. Blackwood wanted Adrianne’s family’s wealth and connections same way he killed Harrison’s parents just for their property. Now that the wedding is off, he’ll do anything to ensure Luca takes over. And with you out of the picture, he won’t have to worry about the truth coming out.”
The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. “But why tell me now?” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Why risk it?”
Rachel’s eyes searched mine, her expression a mix of regret and determination. “Because you also have a part in this, Emma,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re not just the maid anymore. You’re the mother of Harrison’s son, and that makes you a player in this twisted game.”