The CEO's Rejected Wife And Secret Heir novel Chapter 73

Chapter 73: Chapter 73:

Aria pov

I watched him gather Noah’s things with surprising gentleness. This man who commanded boardrooms and destroyed competitors was carefully packing a toddler’s favorite toys.

"You’re good with him." The words slipped out. "Better than I expected."

"What did you expect?" He looked up. "That I’d ignore him like I ignored you?"

"Something like that."

"I was an idiot with you." He set down a toy truck. "Blind, stupid, cruel. But I won’t make that mistake with Noah. He’s innocent. He deserves better."

"So did I."

The words hung in the air between us.

"You’re right." Damien moved closer. "You deserved everything I never gave you. Respect, attention, love. And I’ll spend my life trying to give you all of it now, if you’ll let me."

"Damien"

"I know you’re not ready to hear this." He cupped my face. "But I need to say it anyway. I love you, Aria. I think I loved you years ago and was too fucked up to recognize it. And I love you now, even though you hate me. Even though you’ll probably never forgive me."

My heart hammered against my ribs. "You don’t love me. You love the idea of fixing what you broke."

"No." His thumb brushed my cheek. "I love the woman who built an empire from nothing. Who raised our son alone because I was too much of a coward to be there. Who came back to this city not for revenge but to secure her child’s future. I love your strength, your brilliance, your capacity to forgive people who don’t deserve it."

"I haven’t forgiven you."

"I know." He smiled sadly. "But you let me make you pancakes. You let me hold you when you’re scared, you let me be Noah’s father. That’s more than I deserve."

I should pull away. Should maintain my walls, my distance, my anger.

But I was so tired of being strong. So tired of carrying everything alone.

So I let myself lean into him, just for a moment. Let his arms come around me, solid and warm.

"This doesn’t mean anything," I whispered against his chest.

"I know." His lips pressed to my hair. "But I’ll take it anyway."

We stood there in Noah’s room, surrounded by toys and half-packed suitcases, holding each other like lifelines.

Then my phone rang.

I pulled away, checking the screen. Olivia.

"Hey." I answered. "What’s up?"

"Have you seen the news?" Her voice was tight with worry.

"No, why?"

"Marcus gave an interview. To every major outlet. Aria, he’s claiming Damien stole his inheritance, ruined his life, destroyed his family."

My stomach dropped. "What?"

"Turn on the TV. It’s everywhere."

I grabbed the remote from Noah’s dresser and turned on the small TV he used for cartoons. Flipped to a news channel.

And there he was. Marcus Blackwood, looking polished and sympathetic in an expensive suit, sitting across from a reporter with concern in her eyes.

"My brother took everything from me," Marcus was saying, his voice rough with manufactured emotion. "My family, my birthright, my future. And when I tried to reconnect, to build a relationship with my nephew, he turned violent."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify