CHAPTER TWENTY

NATHAN

The conference room is a pressure cooker, tension simmering beneath the surface.

Dad drums his fingers against the armrest, impatience etched into every tap. Janet from HR shuffles papers, her gaze fixed on the stack in front of her, while Marcus, our company lawyer, studies his tablet with laser focus.

I glance at my watch for the third time in as many minutes. Brad’s tardiness is just another item on the ever-growing list of grievances. How did I not see through his act sooner?

The door swings open, and he strolls in, fifteen minutes late and still exuding that false confidence. His eyes widen at the sight of the group, but he recovers and plasters on that familiar, insincere grin.

He stops and surveys the room. “What’s the occasion? Are we plotting a hostile takeover?”

I slide a thick manila folder across the table. “We’re ending your employment. Effective immediately.”

His smile fades, revealing his true emotions. “You can’t be serious. On what grounds?”

Janet clears her throat and begins listing the complaints. Sexual harassment. Substance abuse on company property. Misuse of company resources. With each accusation, Brad’s complexion pales further, the mask slipping away.

“This is bullshit,” he snaps, cutting her off mid-sentence. “It’s because of that white trash whore, isn’t it?”

Heat rushes to my face, rage burning under my skin. My fists clench beneath the table, and I struggle to stay seated. “Don’t you dare speak about Amelia that way. This is about you and your actions.”

His mouth twists into a bitter smile. “Oh, please. You’ve always been such a goddamn sanctimonious ass. Did you ever think maybe I never wanted to be your friend?”

The venom in his voice is startling, the pretense of friendship long gone. “The only reason I stuck around was to keep Daddy’s money flowing. It was always Nathan this and Nathan that with him. The golden boy who could do no wrong.”

He lets out a harsh laugh, his eyes filled with malice. “You want the truth? I’ve hated your guts for years.”

The admission shouldn’t sting, not after everything, but it does. I think back to the drunken nights in college, him standing beside me at my grandfather’s funeral, weekends at the lake house. Was any of it real?

I lean forward and meet his gaze. “If you hate me so much, why sabotage my relationship? Why go after Amelia?”

“Because I could.” His sneer widens. “It was too easy. Your precious Amelia—so trusting, so na?ve. And you, so self-absorbed you never saw it coming.”

Dad’s hand grips my arm, and I force myself to breathe. “None of that matters now. Open the folder.”

His fingers twitch as he flips it open, the smirk slipping as he takes in the contents. Photographs spill across the table—Brad snorting lines off a nightclub bathroom sink, Brad with his hand up a woman’s skirt, Brad slipping an envelope to a known bookie.

“You’ve been under surveillance,” I say, keeping my tone level. “There’s more than enough here to ruin you.”

Marcus, the company lawyer, shifts in his chair. “The last page details the funds you’ve been siphoning from your department. I suggest you read it carefully.”

Brad’s hands shake as he flips to the last page. His face drains of color as he scans the breakdown of his embezzlement.

“This is a mistake. I can explain—”

“Save it.” I push a pen across the table. “Sign the termination agreement. Walk away now, and we won’t pursue legal action.”

For a moment, the only sound in the room is the soft whir of the air conditioning. Brad glares at me, then snatches the pen and scrawls his name across the bottom of the page.

“You can’t do this to me.” He shoves the paper back, his voice low and dangerous. “I’ll sue for wrongful termination. I’ll go to the press. I’ll—”

“You’ll do nothing.” My voice cuts through his threats. “You so much as breathe in my family’s direction, and I’ll bury you so deep your mother won’t be able to find you.”

Two security guards materialize in the doorway, and Brad’s face twists in rage as they approach and flank him.

“This isn’t over, Nathan.”

“Yes, it is.”

The guards escort him out, and the room falls silent. Dad rests a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, son. We all bought into his act.”

I nod, though words feel useless right now. The relief of having Brad out of our lives battles the ache of betrayal, leaving me feeling hollow.

“I need to get home.”

Home. To Amelia and Dylan. The family Brad had nearly destroyed. The thought of them is the only thing that soothes the sting, a balm to the wounds left by years of betrayal and deception.

When I walk into the penthouse, the sound of laughter fills the air. I find them in the kitchen—Amelia, her hair catching the sunlight, and Dylan hanging on a stool, grinning up at her.

Dylan spots me first, his face lighting up. “Daddy!”

He leaps off the stool, his legs pumping as he runs toward me. I catch him, pull him into my arms, and kiss his forehead.

“Hey, buddy. Been good for Mommy?”

He nods and launches into a detailed account of their day. I listen, but my attention is on Amelia as she approaches, concern etched into every line of her face. She knows how tough today has been for me.

Without a word, she wraps her arms around us, pulling us into a tight embrace. Her warmth melts away the lingering tension in my chest, and I press my lips to her temple.

“How did it go?” Her fingers slide through my hair, a gentle comfort.

I sigh and hold her close. “It’s done. He’s gone.”

She doesn’t ask for details; she doesn’t need to. Instead, she holds me tighter and grounds me in her presence.

“I love you,” I whisper against her skin, the words coming out raw and real. “Both of you. So much.”

She pulls back just far enough to meet my eyes, her gaze steady and full of that quiet strength I depend on. “We love you too.”

In that moment, the future stretches out before us, brighter than I ever imagined it could be. Brad’s betrayal, the heartache, the years we lost—they’re behind us now. What lies ahead is a life built on love, trust, and the everyday magic of being together. There will be challenges, yes. There will be wounds to heal and trust to rebuild. But as I hold Amelia and our son, I know—deep in my bones—that we can weather it all.

This is our forever, our happily ever after. And it’s only just beginning.