Chapter 6

"Josiah," I breathed, his name a whisper on my lips. Seeing him there, so solid and real and concerned, was almost too much. The carefully constructed walls around my heart threatened to crumble.

"He just left you here?" Josiah asked, his voice tight with an anger he rarely showed. He had always been the epitome of control, a man who moved through the world with a quiet, unshakable confidence. But when it came to me, his composure often slipped.

Tears pricked my eyes. I was so tired of being strong, of holding it all in. In my past life, after the horror of the wedding, after the crash, it was his face I remembered. His grief was the only real emotion in a sea of betrayal. He had truly loved me.

Without thinking, I closed the distance between us and threw myself into his arms, burying my face in his chest. For a moment, he was perfectly still, shocked by my forwardness. Then, his arms came around me, holding me tight, his hand stroking my hair.

"It's okay, Amelia," he murmured into my hair. "I'm here. I've got you."

I clung to him, letting the warmth of his embrace seep into my bones. He was my rock. He had always been my rock, even when I hadn't realized it.

We had known each other for years, our families moving in the same elite circles. He was the reserved Texas oil scion, I was the poised Boston heiress. He had always watched me from a distance, his feelings a quiet, unspoken secret. He respected my relationship with Edward, never once crossing a line. He had planned to leave New York, to go back to Texas and forget me, but then he heard about my wedding. He couldn't stay away. He had to see me one last time.

That first phone call, the one he made after I was reborn, had been a desperate, last-ditch effort. He just wanted to hear my voice. He never expected me to ask him to marry me. It was a miracle, a dream he never thought would come true.

Finally, my tears subsided. I pulled back, wiping my eyes. "I'm sorry," I said.

"Don't be," he said, his thumb gently brushing away a stray tear from my cheek. "Get in the car. It's cold out here."

He opened the passenger door for me, and I slid into the warm leather seat. The interior of the car was comforting. On the center console, there was a bag of my favorite sour candies and a bottle of sparkling water. He remembered. Of course, he did.

As he drove, I told him a part of the story. I told him Edward was having an affair with Dara, and that they had left me at the club. I left out the part about the murder plot and my rebirth. It was too much, too insane. He wouldn't believe me. Not yet.

Josiah listened in silence, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. "That bastard," he growled. "I'm going to kill him."

"No," I said, putting a hand on his arm. "Don't. I have a plan."

I looked at him, my eyes clear and determined. "They're not just having an affair, Josiah. They're trying to take everything from me. My inheritance, my position, my family's company. They want to destroy me."

I paused, letting the weight of my words sink in. "The Stone family fortune belongs to me. It's my mother's legacy. It's in my blood. I will not let a spineless man who married into it and his illegitimate daughter steal it. I will get it all back."

Josiah looked at me, his dark eyes searching my face. He saw the pain, but he also saw the strength, the fire that had been rekindled from the ashes of my past life.

"I'll help you," he said, his voice firm. "Whatever you need. My resources, my connections... they're all yours."

I smiled, a real, genuine smile for the first time in what felt like an eternity. "Thank you, Josiah. I knew I could count on you."

The rest of the drive was filled with easy conversation. We talked about his family in Texas, my work, anything and everything except Edward and Dara. It was a brief, welcome respite from the darkness. By the time we pulled up to my penthouse, the sky was beginning to lighten in the east.

He walked me to the door. "I don't want to leave you here with him," he said, his hand lingering on my arm. "Come stay with me. I have plenty of room."

He realized how that sounded and quickly added, "In a guest room, of course. I just... I want to make sure you're safe."

His awkward sincerity was so endearing. I laughed, a light, happy sound. On impulse, I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek. "I can't, not yet. I can't risk tipping them off. I need to play my part until the wedding."

I looked up at him. "But soon. I promise."

"I trust you," he said, his voice full of a warmth that melted the last of the ice around my heart.

We said our goodbyes, and I watched him drive away before letting myself into the silent apartment. I didn't go to the master bedroom. I went to the guest room at the end of the hall, the one that used to be Dara's, and locked the door behind me.

As I lay in the unfamiliar bed, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Josiah.

They're at St. Mary's Hospital. Dara is being seen in the maternity ward.

Attached was a photo. A blurry shot of Dara, her hand resting protectively on her stomach, as she spoke to a nurse. She was pregnant.

Another message came through. The doctor's name is on her chart. I can get you a copy of her records by morning.

I stared at the photo, a cold, bitter fury rising in me. So that was their endgame. They would kill me, Edward would marry the grieving "sister," and she would produce an "heir" to solidify their claim on the Stone fortune. How naive I had been to believe her morning sickness was just a "stomach bug."

The phone buzzed again. That scheming snake. How dare he touch you? Don't worry, I'll make sure he pays. P.S. You look beautiful when you're planning revenge.

A small laugh escaped my lips. I typed back a quick reply. Get me those records. And you don't look so bad yourself, cowboy.

He replied almost instantly. Always. Then, after a long pause, a new message appeared. Goodnight, Amelia.

I smiled and turned off my phone. For the first time since my world had ended, I felt a sense of peace. I closed my eyes and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.