Chapter 15 - The Richest Man Finally Told the TruthThe Marriage Was No Longer a SecretThree months later, the city still talked about the Williams scandal.
Edward Harrison was facing multiple criminal charges.
Several executives had been arrested.
The hidden accounts had been frozen.
Kevin had disappeared.
And Alexander Williams remained missing.
But Daniel no longer lived like a beggar.
At least, not publicly.
His identity had become impossible to hide.
News channels called him the youngest self-made billionaire.
Financial magazines called him a genius.
Business leaders called him ruthless.
Amara knew a different man.
The man who woke up before everyone else.
The man who cooked when stressed.
The man who hated loud parties.
The man who always checked the locks twice.
The man who secretly left coffee outside her bedroom every morning.
One evening, she found him in the kitchen.
He was making eggs.
She leaned against the doorway.
“You know you're a billionaire.”
Daniel looked over.
“Yes.”
“You own half the city.”
“Not half.”
“Most of it.”
“That's exaggerated.”
“You still cook like a servant.”
He smiled.
“I liked who I was when I cooked for you.”
Amara walked toward him.
“Do you regret the disguise?”
Daniel thought for a moment.
“No.”
“Even though it nearly destroyed our marriage?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed to know whether someone could see me before they saw the money.”
Amara took his hand.
“I saw you.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I know.”
She smiled.
“Then why are you still wearing that old jacket?”
He laughed.
“Because you like it.”
“I hate it.”
“You smiled when I wore it.”
“That was pity.”
“Liar.”
She rolled her eyes.
Then Daniel pulled a small box from his pocket.
Amara stared.
“What is that?”
“I have one question.”
She opened it.
Inside was a ring.
Simple.
Elegant.
Nothing like the enormous diamond everyone expected from a billionaire.
She looked at him.
“You already married me.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“This time I want to do it properly.”
He got down on one knee.
“Not because of a contract.”
He held her hand.
“Not because of our families.”
“Not because of money.”
His voice softened.
“Because I love you.”
Amara's eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel…”
“Will you marry me again?”
She laughed.
“You're asking after we've already survived kidnappers, billion-dollar scandals, corrupt fathers, fake deaths and secret vaults?”
Daniel smiled.
“I thought that made me qualified.”
She leaned down and kissed him.
“Yes.”
Daniel stood.
Then the mansion doors burst open.
His security chief ran in.
“Sir.”
Daniel turned.
“What happened?”
“We found Kevin.”
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“Where?”
“In Europe.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Alone?”
The security chief hesitated.
“No.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Who is with him?”
The man handed him a photograph.
Daniel looked at it.
A man stood beside Kevin.
Older.
Powerful.
Cold expression.
Alexander Williams.
But behind them stood someone else.
A woman.
Daniel's mother.
Amara stared.
“Your mother?”
Daniel nodded.
“But she's with us.”
His mother's voice came from behind them.
“That isn't me.”
Everyone turned.
She walked into the room.
She looked at the photograph.
Her face went pale.
“That woman is my sister.”
Daniel froze.
“My aunt?”
She nodded.
“I thought she died thirty years ago.”
Amara looked at the picture again.
The woman beside Kevin smiled directly at the camera.
As if she knew they were watching.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“Daniel.”
He went still.
“Who is this?”
The voice laughed softly.
“Your grandfather told you only half the truth.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“What do you want?”
“I want what your mother stole.”
“What?”
“The original empire.”
Daniel looked at Amara.
The voice continued.
“And I want the woman who inherited it.”
Amara's face went pale.
The call ended.
Daniel immediately ordered every security team on alert.
Amara stepped toward him.
“Who was that?”
Daniel looked at her.
“For the first time…”
He tightened his grip on her hand.
“…I don't know.”
Outside, black cars slowly began stopping around the mansion.
One.
Then two.
Then ten.
Their headlights illuminated the entire driveway.
A figure stepped out of the first car.
He looked up at the mansion.
Then slowly removed his sunglasses.
Kevin.
He smiled.
And behind him stood Alexander Williams.
The grandfather everyone believed had been dead for thirty years.
Daniel moved in front of Amara.
Kevin raised one hand.
“Don't worry, Daniel.”
He smiled toward the mansion.
“We didn't come to kill you.”
He paused.
“We came to collect what belongs to us.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“What belongs to you?”
Kevin smiled wider.
“Your wife.”
Amara's face went cold.
Daniel took her hand.
And for the first time since their impossible marriage began, the richest man in the world realized something terrifying.
May you like
Money could buy almost anything.
But it could not buy enough time to protect the woman he loved.
