The CEO's Rejected Wife And Secret Heir novel Chapter 113

Chapter 113: Chapter 113:The Confession

Damien pov

"After months." Aria’s laugh was bitter. "It took you months to question whether your wife was a lying manipulator."

"I hired investigators." I continued. "They found the audio engineer Vivian had paid to fake your voice, found the bank records showing payments to witnesses who claimed to have seen you with other men." I stopped. "Everything was a lie, it was manipulation."

"And you didn’t come after me?" Her voice rose. "You knew the truth and you just—what? Stayed in Ravenwood?"

"I tried to find you!" I stood. "Do you think I just accepted it? I hired every investigator I could. Traced your credit cards, your phone—but you’d gone completely off grid. It was like you’d disappeared into thin air."

"I had to." She hugged herself. "I thought—I thought you’d try to take the baby. Force me into an abortion or worse."

The words hit me "I would never" I started.

"You told me to get rid of it!" Tears streamed down her face. "You laughed at me! You said—" Her voice broke. "You said I was nothing. That the baby was nothing, how was I supposed to know you’d change your mind?"

"You weren’t." I moved closer slowly. "You had every reason to run. Every reason to hate me and Aria—" I cupped her face gently. "You still do, but I’m asking—begging—for a chance to prove I’m not that man anymore."

"People don’t change, Damien." But she didn’t pull away. "Not fundamentally."

"Then I’ll prove you wrong." I wiped her tears with my thumbs. "Every single day for the rest of my life if I have to. But Aria—I’m learning now, how to love, how to be present. How to be the man you and Noah deserve."

"Are you?" She moved to the window. "Or are you just saying what you think I want to hear?"

"I don’t know what you want to hear." I followed her. "But I know what I need to say. That I love you, that I’ve loved you since the day you walked into my office years ago with your ridiculous marriage contract terms."

"What terms?" She turned, confused.

"You wanted a clause that said we’d have dinner together at least twice a week." A smile tugged at my lips. "And another that said I had to remember your birthday. And one that said—" I paused. "That said if we had children, I had to be involved. Really involved. Not just financially."

"I didn’t think you’d read those." Her voice was soft.

"I read every word." I moved closer. "And I thought—this woman is either the smartest person I’ve ever met or the most naïve. Demanding emotional involvement from someone who’s never given it."

"I was naïve." She looked down. "I thought—if it was in writing, you’d have to care. Like I could force you to be human by making it a contract term."

"It worked." I tilted her chin up. "Maybe not right away. But Aria—you made me want to be human. I want to be better. Even when I was fighting it every step of the way."

Her eyes searched mine. "So when I confronted you about the baby. You were so cold, so cruel. Was any of that real? Or were you just"

"Terrified." I cut her off. "I was terrified of losing control. Of caring too much. Of" My voice cracked.

"So you decided never to love anyone." Understanding dawned in her eyes. "To stay in control."

"Yes." I cupped her face. "Until you. Until I couldn’t control it anymore. And that scared me more than anything Marcus could ever do."

"I’m scared too." She admitted. "Of trusting you, of believing this is real. Of letting Noah get attached only to have you"

"I won’t leave." My voice was absolute. "I won’t push you away. I won’t choose anything over you and Noah ever again. I swear it, Aria. On my life, on everything I have."

"You swore things before." But her hands came up to cover mine. "At our first wedding, you made vows."

"Vows I didn’t mean." I held her gaze. "Because I didn’t understand what they meant but now" I pulled her closer. "Now I know. Love isn’t control, it’s surrender. It’s choosing someone every day even when it’s hard. It’s showing up even when you’re terrified."

"Pretty words." Her voice was thick with tears. "But Damien—how do I know you mean them?"

"You don’t." I rested my forehead against hers. "Not yet but I’ll prove it. Every day, every choice. Every moment until you believe me."

She was quiet for a long moment. Then"Tell me about Sophia." Her voice was soft. "After I left, were you with her?"

I’d been waiting for this question. Dreading it. "Once." I admitted. "A few months after you disappeared."

She stiffened but didn’t pull away. "Tell me."

"I was drunk." I closed my eyes. "Drowning in guilt and whiskey and self-loathing, Sophia found me at a charity event. Offered—" I paused. "She offered to make me forget you."

"And did she?" Aria’s voice was carefully neutral.

"No." I opened my eyes. "We went back to my place. Started kissing. And I—" Shame flooded through me. "I couldn’t do it. I kept seeing your face. Hearing your voice I realized" My voice cracked. "I realized I didn’t want to forget you, I wanted to find you."

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