The night had been long for Damian. After putting the children to bed and having that uncomfortable dinner, he had lain awake in his own apartment, his mind restless. His body was tired, but his thoughts refused to be still. Every time he closed his eyes, images of Amara flashed before him-the way she smiled politely at Nathaniel, the way she tried to explain herself, and the sharp pang in his chest when he saw Nathaniel hug her so casually at the door.
He sat up on his bed and rubbed his face with both hands. She's my wife. She may not remember, but she is mine. No matter how Nathaniel tries to twist the past, nothing can change that.
Damian's jaw clenched as he thought of his children, Leah and Leo. They were the only reason he could keep his composure at dinner. Their innocent faces reminded him of why he was fighting this battle in the first place. He wanted his family back together, wanted to repair the time that amnesia had stolen from them. But now, with Nathaniel in the picture, everything seemed to be moving further out of his control.
By dawn, Damian gave up on trying to sleep. Instead, he decided to channel his energy into being present for his children. He got up, showered quickly, and dressed in a crisp suit before driving back to Amara's house. He wasn't living with her, but he made it a point to spend as much time as he could with Leah and Leo.
When he arrived, the sun was barely up. The house was quiet except for the soft sounds of the children stirring in their rooms. Mai was already gone-she had left earlier for work, leaving Amara to handle the morning routine. Damian knocked gently before stepping inside, and Amara, still in her nightgown, looked up in surprise.
"You're early," she said softly, brushing her hair back.
"I promised the kids I'd take them to school today," he replied, his voice calm, though inside his emotions wrestled for dominance.
Soon, the house was filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter as Damian helped the children get ready. He tied Leo's shoelaces and carried Leah's backpack while Amara fussed over their breakfast. For a moment, it almost felt normal-like they were a family again, without the shadows of the past or the interference of outsiders.
As they drove to school, Damian sat behind the wheel while Amara sat in the passenger seat. The children chattered in the backseat, arguing playfully about who would run faster into class. Damian kept sneaking glances at Amara, noticing the way her face softened whenever she looked at the kids.
"Thank you for coming," she said quietly when the children ran off toward the school gates.
"They're my responsibility too," he answered. Then, almost instinctively, he added, "And so are you."
Amara shifted uncomfortably, her fingers twisting in her lap. "Damian... please, don't make this harder. I'm still trying to figure out who I am in all this."
He didn't press the matter, but her words echoed in his mind as he drove her back. When they reached her workplace, she gave him a small smile and said she'd see him later. He watched her walk inside, a mixture of pride and worry stirring within him.
But things didn't go as Amara expected.
Inside the office, her manager called her into the glass-walled conference room. His expression was polite but firm, and Amara immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Amara," he began, sliding a sealed envelope across the table, "the company appreciates your contributions, but under the circumstances, we think it's best if you take some time off."
Her eyebrows knitted. "Time off? But I-"
"You'll be fully paid," he added quickly. "In fact, your salary will continue for the next few months. But we need stability right now, and with your personal life in the news, it's... complicated."
Amara's heart sank. She had worked hard to prove herself, and now everything seemed to be slipping through her fingers-not just her memories, but her career too. She left the office quietly, clutching the envelope to her chest, feeling like the world was conspiring to push her into Damian's shadow.
While Amara struggled with her emotions, Nathaniel was busy pulling strings of his own. He had always been resourceful, and his connections made it easy for him to dig into Damian's background. He wanted proof-something he could use to shake Amara's trust in Damian once and for all.
Late in the afternoon, one of his men returned with a file. Nathaniel flipped it open eagerly, his eyes scanning every detail. Then he froze. His lips curved into a cold smile.
"They were never married," he muttered to himself. "No legal record of a marriage certificate between Damian Knight and Amara Rivera."
The revelation burned like fuel in his chest. For years, he had stayed by Amara's side, watched her struggle, cared for her children when Damian was absent. And now, he finally had the weapon he needed to cut Damian out of the picture.
Without wasting time, Nathaniel picked up his phone and dialed Amara.
"Amara," he said warmly when she answered, "can we meet? It's important."
There was hesitation in her voice, but eventually, she agreed. They decided to meet at her place later in the evening, after she had picked up the kids.
When Nathaniel arrived, Amara welcomed him inside, though her expression carried a mixture of confusion and weariness.
"What's so urgent?" she asked, pouring him a glass of water.
Nathaniel didn't waste time. He pulled the file from his bag and slid it across the table.
"Amara, I know you've been told things about your past. About Damian. But you need to see the truth with your own eyes."
Her hands trembled slightly as she opened the file and scanned the documents. Nathaniel leaned forward, his voice low and persuasive.
"There is no record of you and Damian ever being married. Nothing legal binds you to him. Whatever he's been telling you... it's not the full story."
Amara's chest tightened. "That can't be right. Everyone keeps saying-"
"Think, Amara," Nathaniel pressed gently. "If you were truly his wife, wouldn't there be proof? Why do you think he avoids answering your questions directly?"
She sat back, her mind swirling with doubt and fear. She wanted to believe Damian, wanted to trust the way her heart fluttered whenever he was near. But Nathaniel's words had planted seeds of uncertainty deep within her.
Before she could respond, there was a knock at the door. Amara rose, her pulse quickening, and opened it-only to find Damian standing there.
He looked calm, but there was a seriousness in his eyes. "We need to talk," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Nathaniel's expression hardened, but he forced a smile. "Perfect timing, Damian. We were just discussing you."
Damian's eyes flicked to the file on the table, then back to Amara. "What lies has he been feeding you now?" he asked sharply.
Amara raised her hand, her voice trembling. "Please, both of you... not here. Not in front of the kids."
The tension in the room was thick, electric, as the two men stared each other down. Nathaniel sat back smugly, knowing he had struck a nerve. Damian, on the other hand, clenched his fists at his side, silently vowing not to let Nathaniel destroy what he was trying to rebuild.
After a moment, Damian turned to Amara. His voice was low, almost pleading. "Don't let him confuse you. I'll explain everything-just give me the chance."
Amara nodded faintly, though her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil.
Later that night, after Damian left, Nathaniel lingered outside in his car. He pulled out his phone again and dialed the same number he had called earlier.
"Keep digging," he ordered. "I want every piece of dirt on Damian Knight. If he so much as lied about his middle name, I want to know."
"Yes, boss," the voice on the other end replied.
Nathaniel hung up, his expression darkening. He looked back at the house, where Amara's shadow moved across the curtains.
"You will be mine, Amara," he whispered to himself. "And no one-not even Damian Knight-will stand in my way."