r of his tuxedo shirt. His shoes were waterlogged. He stood on the sidewalk outside

e them. Elena, Ju

y he almost dropped it. He dialed his private investigator,

a Sterling. The CEO of Aethelgard. I need to know everything about her. And I need to know abo

the rain, leaving his car p

-

e Blackwood Corp off

ty from lack of sleep. He was on the

ehead. "But I just need a thirty-day extension. If I can s

ethelgard has frozen your accounts. We cannot extend credit to a co

or a long moment, then threw it against the wall. T

When he walked through the front door, the smel

robe, a glass of champagne in her hand.

ing a field day. *Billionaire Heiress Elena Sterling's Secret Love Child.*" She snorted. "I alw

he champagne, the silk robe, the complete lack of co

t," Dam

ed up, blin

his voice dangerously quiet. "Get

mian, what are you talking about?

Vivian looked genuinely afraid. "You faked the pregnancy. You manipulated me. You ma

e look in Damian's eyes made her think better of it. She gra

t down on the empty sofa. He

. Blue walls, a wooden crib. *"I want a family with you,"* she had said.

ade him phys

ant, knocked on the study door. He

t this over, sir. And

nvelope. The DNA re

y of Paterni

ng him for the fifty-million-dollar debt. He had fort

d nothing left. No money, no comp

s and drove to the

-

security gates were closed. Damian parked and walked up to the in

stopped right in front of

He was wearing a casual sweater,

ce pleasant. "Elena said you might sh

n," Damian said. His

. Where were you when she was throwing up every morning, terrified and alone? Where we

the air leav

dropping. "I was the one who stayed up with him

bed a thick envelope. He tossed it out the wind

custody and terminating your parental rights. You have forty-eight ho

d up. The silver

up the envelope. He looked u

oor was Elena. She was holding Leo. The

mian. She just turned h

*

r 5: The 9

law firm, staring at his phone. It was 11

irm had turned him away. Julian had blacklisted him. The message

Aethelgard Estate, hoping to catch El

black SUV. She was wearing a simple white d

shouted, runni

ely stepped in front of

him, her face went blank.

p the DNA test. "It's a 99.9% match. Y

she looked tired. "Damian, I don't have t

th you," he said. "L

e a lawyer," s

d one to tel

her face. She looked at the bodyguards. "Let him

-

nd sterile. It smelled li

ng in the front row. He looked

ver hair, sat behind the bench. She lo

judge said. "You are

Honor," D

ith the stepparent adoption while the biological father

leaned over and whispered

may. Mr. Blackwood is a bankrupt, disgraced former CEO. He has no home, no income, a

old knot form i

want to be in Leo's life, you will work off that debt. You will become my personal assistant. You will live in the serva

silent. Even Julia

y mansion. He thought about the red wine on the f

it," Dami

expected him to fight

t," Damian said.

*