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"I'll tell you everything," Josh said, his expression turning grim.
A strange protectiveness surged through me. I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach—then quickly moved it when I noticed Josh watching me.
I took a deep breath and made a silent promise to myself:
*I will do whatever it takes to keep my child safe.*
Then I met his gaze with cold clarity.
"I need the truth from you. Now."
Josh's eyes locked onto mine. For a brief second, I thought I saw something flicker—fear, maybe? But he masked it quickly and took a breath.
"I'm part of an organization," he began, voice low and steady. "One my father runs. That's who I've worked for all along."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What does that mean, Josh?" I asked, the words heavier than I expected. "Why have you been watching me?"
His jaw clenched slightly. "We weren't watching to hurt you. We were protecting you. There are people out there who want to use you. People who've been after you for a while."
My thoughts spiraled.
"Use me for what?"
Josh hesitated, as if searching for the right words.
"It's because of your… background. Your bloodline. There's something about your family, Stephanie. You come from a lineage most people would kill to control."
My breath caught.
"A lineage?" I echoed. "What are you talking about?"
Josh's eyes darkened.
"You're the descendant of a powerful family. Only the first-born son in each generation is told the full truth, but there are others—outsiders—who've discovered enough to want a piece of that power. You've been caught in the middle without even knowing it."
The room seemed to tilt.
A powerful family? Secret bloodlines? What did any of that have to do with me?
I took a shaky breath.
"Wait… So you only approached me because your organization sent you? Everything between us—it wasn't real?"
Josh's silence was louder than any answer.
I stared at him. "Josh. Answer me."
He swallowed, then said quietly, "At first, yes. I approached you because of the assignment. But things changed. I fell in love with you. That was never part of the plan."
I wanted to scream, cry, or run. I felt every part of me burning with questions, doubts, and something dangerously close to heartbreak.
I crossed my arms.
"Do you expect me to believe that? After everything?"
"I don't expect anything," he replied softly. "I just want you to know the truth. You deserved that much, even if I was late giving it."
I looked at him for a long moment.
All the pieces began to fall together—the odd moments, the looks, the timing of everything. The kidnapping. The threats. The men who said I was leverage. I had blamed Josh. And maybe he was guilty of many things—but maybe he was also the reason I was still standing.
Still, my life had been torn apart.
"You should've told me earlier," I whispered.
"I know."
"You shattered my trust, Josh. You just... left."
"I left to keep you safe. I thought distance was better than danger."
I shook my head slowly. "You don't get to make that decision for me."
Silence settled between us like a fog.
Josh stepped closer. "Let me protect you now. Please. Let me in again."
I stepped back.
"No, Josh. That door you walked out of? You can't walk back in like nothing happened."
"But I need the truth," I added. "Every piece of it."
He nodded solemnly.
"You'll get it."
I turned my back to him, feeling the weight of everything crash over me. My chest was tight, but my mind was sharper than ever.
This wasn't just about love anymore.
This was about survival.
And I would survive. With or without Josh.