Claimed by My Ex's Enemy

Amelia Hart stood in front of the full-length mirror, her heart pounding so hard she could barely hear the string quartet playing downstairs.

Today was the day.

After three years of loving Lucas King, she was finally going to become his wife.

Her fingers traced the engagement ring on her hand. The diamond sparkled beneath the warm lights of the bridal suite.

"You look nervous," her best friend Lily teased, adjusting the veil resting on Amelia's shoulders.

Amelia forced a smile.

"Nervous? I'm terrified."

Lily laughed. "Every bride is."

But Amelia wasn't sure that was true.

A strange feeling had been twisting inside her stomach since she woke up this morning.

A feeling she couldn't explain.

Three years.

Three years of waiting for Lucas to choose her over work.

Three years of defending him whenever others called him cold.

Three years of believing that beneath his distant exterior was a man who loved her.

And today would prove she had been right.

At least, that's what she hoped.

A sudden knock interrupted her thoughts.

The wedding coordinator rushed inside.

"Miss Hart, everyone's seated."

Her smile was professional.

But tense.

Too tense.

Amelia frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

The woman hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then she forced another smile.

"No, everything's fine."

The uneasy feeling in Amelia's chest deepened.

Five minutes later, Amelia walked down the aisle.

The cathedral glittered with white roses and crystal lights.

Hundreds of guests turned to look at her.

Family.

Friends.

Business partners.

Even reporters.

Everyone watched as she stepped forward.

Everyone except the man waiting for her.

Because there was no man waiting.

The altar was empty.

Amelia's smile froze.

Her footsteps slowed.

Then stopped.

The priest shifted awkwardly.

The guests exchanged confused looks.

Lucas wasn't there.

A whisper moved through the crowd.

"Where is he?"

Amelia's pulse quickened.

Maybe traffic.

Maybe a last-minute phone call.

Lucas was always working.

Always.

She took a deep breath.

"He'll be here."

The words sounded weak even to her own ears.

Ten minutes passed.

Then twenty.

Then thirty.

The whispers grew louder.

Lily squeezed Amelia's hand.

"It's okay."

But it wasn't.

Because Lucas wasn't answering his phone.

Neither was his assistant.

A reporter in the second row discreetly lifted a camera.

Someone began recording.

Humiliation crept under Amelia's skin.

She felt exposed.

Like an animal trapped in a cage while everyone watched.

Then suddenly-

The cathedral doors opened.

Relief exploded inside her.

Lucas.

He was finally here.

But the relief lasted only a second.

Because Lucas wasn't alone.

A beautiful brunette entered beside him.

Her hand was firmly intertwined with his.

And walking between them was a little boy.

The entire cathedral fell silent.

Amelia's breath caught.

No.

No.

No.

This couldn't be happening.

Lucas walked toward the altar without looking away from the woman beside him.

The woman smiled softly at the child.

The child looked about five years old.

Amelia felt her knees weaken.

When Lucas finally stopped in front of her, his expression remained calm.

Cold.

Emotionless.

As though she was a stranger.

"Lucas..." she whispered.

"What is this?"

The silence stretched.

Then he spoke.

"The wedding is canceled."

The words hit harder than a slap.

Gasps echoed around the cathedral.

Amelia stared at him.

Certain she had heard wrong.

"What?"

Lucas glanced briefly at the woman beside him.

His face softened instantly.

A softness he had rarely shown Amelia.

"This is Sophia."

The woman lowered her eyes shyly.

Lucas placed a hand on the little boy's shoulder.

"And this is my son."

The world stopped.

Amelia couldn't breathe.

Couldn't think.

Couldn't move.

His son?

The little boy wrapped his arms around Lucas's leg.

"Daddy."

A single word.

One word destroyed everything.

The guests erupted into shocked whispers.

Phones appeared.

Cameras flashed.

Amelia felt every ounce of blood leave her body.

"You have a child?" she asked shakily.

Lucas nodded.

"Yes."

"How long?"

His silence gave her the answer.

Years.

He had hidden this for years.

Tears burned her eyes.

"You lied to me."

Lucas's jaw tightened.

"I never planned for you to find out this way."

Amelia laughed.

A broken laugh.

The kind that comes right before your heart shatters.

"You never planned for me to find out?"

"Amelia..."

"No."

Her voice trembled.

"No, don't say my name."

People stared.

Some with pity.

Others with fascination.

Like they were watching a television drama unfold.

Amelia wanted the floor to swallow her whole.

Three years.

Three years of love.

Three years of sacrifice.

Gone.

Reduced to public entertainment.

Then came the final blow.

Lucas looked directly into her eyes.

"I never stopped loving Sophia."

The cathedral turned silent again.

Sophia lowered her head dramatically.

Almost as if she felt guilty.

Amelia hated her instantly.

Not because Sophia had taken Lucas.

But because she looked victorious.

Because she had won.

And everyone knew it.

Lucas reached into his pocket.

Pulled out a document.

A check.

Amelia stared.

Disbelief turning into fury.

"What is that?"

"Compensation."

The entire cathedral gasped again.

Lucas held out the check.

"Take it."

For several seconds, Amelia simply stared.

Then something inside her snapped.

She grabbed the check.

Ripped it in half.

Then again.

And again.

The pieces fluttered to the marble floor like dead butterflies.

"I loved you!"

Her voice echoed throughout the cathedral.

A tear slid down her cheek.

"But apparently that was my biggest mistake."

Lucas's face hardened.

Amelia lifted the hem of her wedding dress.

Turned around.

And ran.

She ignored the reporters chasing after her.

Ignored the cameras.

Ignored the whispers.

Ignored everything.

The rain was pouring when she burst outside.

Cold droplets soaked her gown instantly.

But she kept running.

One block.

Two blocks.

Three.

Until exhaustion forced her to stop.

She stood alone beneath the storm.

Shivering.

Broken.

Ruined.

Nobody wanted a woman abandoned at the altar.

Nobody respected a woman who had been publicly humiliated.

Her life was over.

Or so she thought.

A pair of headlights suddenly cut through the rain.

A black luxury car pulled up beside her.

Its glossy exterior reflected the storm.

The rear window slowly rolled down.

Amelia frowned.

Then froze.

Because she recognized the man sitting inside.

Ethan Blackwood.

Lucas King's greatest enemy.

One of the richest and most powerful men in the country.

But that wasn't the shocking part.

The shocking part was the way he was looking at her.

Not with pity.

Not with amusement.

But with unmistakable interest.

His dark eyes locked onto hers.

Then he spoke.

"Get in."

Amelia's heart skipped.

"What?"

Rain dripped from her hair as she stared at him.

Ethan's gaze never wavered.

His next words sent ice through her veins.

"I've been waiting three years for Lucas to lose you."

The rain hammered against the roof of the black Rolls-Royce.

Amelia stood frozen on the sidewalk.

Water dripped from her soaked wedding dress.

Ethan Blackwood's words echoed in her mind.

I've been waiting three years for Lucas to lose you.

For a moment, she wondered if she'd heard him correctly.

"You know who I am?" she asked.

A corner of Ethan's mouth lifted.

"I know exactly who you are, Amelia Hart."

Something about the way he said her name sent a shiver through her.

Not because it was romantic.

Because it sounded dangerous.

The driver stepped out and opened an umbrella.

Ethan's expression never changed.

"Get in."

Amelia glanced down the empty street.

She had nowhere to go.

Her apartment belonged to Lucas.

Most of her friends were tied to Lucas's social circle.

By now, videos of her humiliation were probably spreading all over social media.

The entire city knew she had been abandoned.

Swallowing her pride, she climbed inside.

The door closed.

The warm leather interior immediately wrapped around her.

For the first time since the wedding, she felt safe.

And somehow, that frightened her more.

***

The car pulled away.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes.

Amelia stared through the rain-covered window.

Finally, she broke the silence.

"What do you want from me?"

Ethan looked up from his phone.

"Straight to the point."

"I'm not in the mood for games."

"Good."

His dark eyes studied her.

"Neither am I."

Something about him was unsettling.

Unlike Lucas, who hid behind charm and polished smiles, Ethan didn't pretend to be nice.

He was honest about being dangerous.

And somehow that made him easier to trust.

"You said you've been waiting for Lucas to lose me."

"Yes."

"Why?"

His gaze shifted toward the storm outside.

"Because Lucas never deserved you."

Amelia laughed bitterly.

"You don't even know me."

"I know enough."

The answer irritated her.

"What exactly do you know?"

Ethan remained silent.

Too silent.

As if he knew things she didn't.

Finally, he said quietly,

"I know your father didn't die of natural causes."

The words hit Amelia like a punch.

"What?"

Her chest tightened.

"What did you just say?"

Ethan's expression darkened.

The car suddenly felt much smaller.

"Your father."

He watched her carefully.

"He didn't die from a heart attack."

Amelia stopped breathing.

"No."

Her voice cracked.

"No, that's impossible."

Her father had died six years ago.

The doctors had called it a heart attack.

The case had been closed immediately.

Everyone had accepted it.

Even her.

Especially her.

Because the alternative was unbearable.

Ethan leaned back.

"That's what you've been told."

Amelia's pulse roared in her ears.

"Who told you this?"

"I have proof."

Her stomach dropped.

Proof?

The world felt unreal.

For years she had grieved her father.

Accepted his death.

Moved on.

Now Ethan was casually telling her everything she believed might be a lie.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Ethan held her gaze.

"Because you're connected to it."

The blood drained from Amelia's face.

"What do you mean?"

Before he could answer, Ethan's phone rang.

His expression instantly changed.

Cold.

Focused.

He answered.

"What happened?"

Silence.

Then his jaw tightened.

The temperature inside the car seemed to drop.

"Find her."

More silence.

"Immediately."

The call ended.

Amelia's heart was racing.

"What happened?"

Ethan looked directly at her.

For the first time, she saw genuine concern flash across his face.

"It's my sister."

"What about her?"

"She's missing."

The words hung between them.

Ethan's sister.

Missing.

Amelia remembered hearing rumors years ago.

The Blackwood family had a daughter who avoided the public eye.

No interviews.

No photographs.

Nothing.

People practically forgot she existed.

And now she had disappeared.

Ethan cursed under his breath.

The driver glanced nervously through the rearview mirror.

"What should we do, sir?"

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

Then they shifted back to Amelia.

A strange look appeared in them.

Like he had suddenly made a decision.

A terrible one.

"Change of plans."

Amelia frowned.

"What plans?"

Ethan reached into the briefcase beside him and pulled out a thick file.

Then he placed it in her lap.

She stared at it.

Confused.

"What's this?"

"An agreement."

"Agreement?"

His gaze locked onto hers.

Hard.

Unwavering.

"You need protection."

The words sounded absurd.

"From what?"

Ethan tapped the file.

"Open it."

Reluctantly, Amelia did.

The moment she read the first page, her eyes widened.

Marriage Contract.

She looked up so fast she nearly got whiplash.

"What the hell is this?"

Ethan remained calm.

As if proposing marriage to a complete stranger was perfectly normal.

"I want you to marry me."

Amelia almost laughed.

Almost.

But his expression told her he was serious.

Dead serious.

"You've lost your mind."

"Possibly."

"Ethan-"

"Lucas embarrassed you publicly today."

His voice cut through hers.

"Tomorrow the press will tear you apart."

Her throat tightened.

Because she knew he was right.

"The same people laughing at you now would bow the moment you become Mrs. Blackwood."

Amelia stared at him.

Speechless.

This was insane.

Completely insane.

And yet...

A tiny voice whispered inside her head.

Lucas would hate it.

The thought made her feel guilty.

Then another thought appeared.

What if Ethan was right about her father?

What if the answers she needed were connected to him?

As if reading her mind, Ethan leaned forward.

"There are things about your father's death you don't know."

Her fingers tightened around the file.

"And you'll tell me?"

"After we're married."

Amelia's eyes flashed.

"You expect me to marry you for information?"

"No."

His gaze darkened.

"I expect you to marry me because your life is about to get a lot worse."

The car suddenly slowed.

The driver cursed.

Several black SUVs had appeared behind them.

Ethan glanced through the rear window.

His expression hardened instantly.

"What is it?" Amelia asked.

Nobody answered.

Then she saw it.

One SUV accelerated.

Fast.

Far too fast.

Straight toward them.

The driver shouted.

"Ethan!"

The collision was only seconds away.

And the last thing Amelia saw before impact was Ethan reaching for her.

"Amelia!"

Ethan's arm slammed across her chest.

The world exploded.

Metal screamed.

Glass shattered.

The Rolls-Royce spun violently across the rain-soaked road.

Amelia's head snapped sideways.

Pain shot through her shoulder.

For several terrifying seconds, she couldn't tell which way was up.

Then everything stopped.

Silence.

A horrible, suffocating silence.

Her ears rang.

Rain pounded outside.

Somewhere nearby, a car alarm wailed.

Amelia blinked.

The front windshield was cracked.

The driver groaned.

Blood trickled down his forehead.

"Ethan..."

Her voice shook.

Ethan didn't answer.

Fear gripped her chest.

"Ethan!"

Finally, he moved.

Relief nearly made her cry.

He turned toward her, checking quickly for injuries.

"Are you hurt?"

His voice remained calm.

Too calm.

Like a man used to surviving disasters.

"No."

His jaw tightened.

"Stay inside."

Before Amelia could respond, he pushed open the door and stepped into the storm.

"What are you doing?" she shouted.

Ignoring her, Ethan scanned the street.

His eyes narrowed.

The SUV that had hit them was empty.

The driver had vanished.

Something wasn't right.

People didn't smash their vehicles into a billionaire's car and run unless they were hiding something.

Or someone.

Suddenly, Ethan froze.

Amelia followed his gaze.

The back door of the abandoned SUV hung open.

Empty.

A chill crawled up her spine.

"Where are they?" she whispered.

As if answering her question, a gunshot echoed through the night.

CRACK.

The bullet struck the pavement near Ethan.

Amelia screamed.

"Ethan!"

His bodyguards appeared from nowhere.

Black SUVs surrounded them.

Men in dark suits rushed forward.

"Sir!"

"Take cover!"

More gunshots exploded across the street.

Pedestrians ran.

Cars screeched away.

Chaos erupted.

One bodyguard grabbed Amelia.

"Miss Hart, move!"

She resisted.

"Ethan!"

Through the rain, she saw him.

Not running.

Not hiding.

Watching.

Like he was looking for someone.

Then she saw what had caught his attention.

A figure stood on the rooftop of a nearby building.

Watching them.

Watching her.

A woman.

Even from a distance, Amelia could make out long dark hair whipping in the storm.

The mysterious woman smiled.

Then disappeared.

Ethan's face went pale.

Actually pale.

For the first time since she'd met him, he looked shocked.

A bodyguard followed his gaze.

"That's impossible..."

"What is it?" Amelia demanded.

Nobody answered.

The bodyguard and Ethan exchanged a look.

One filled with fear.

The other with disbelief.

***

An hour later, Amelia sat inside Ethan's private penthouse.

Wrapped in a blanket.

A doctor had checked her twice.

She wasn't injured.

Physically.

Mentally was another story.

The entire day felt insane.

A canceled wedding.

A secret child.

An alleged murder.

A marriage proposal.

A car attack.

Now this.

The penthouse overlooked the entire city.

Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed thousands of glittering lights.

Yet Amelia couldn't enjoy any of it.

Because Ethan had disappeared into his office for nearly an hour.

When he finally returned, his face was unreadable.

"You should get some rest."

Amelia stood immediately.

"No."

His eyebrow lifted.

"No?"

"I want answers."

Silence.

Then a slow smile appeared.

Not amused.

Impressed.

"You don't give up easily."

"My life was destroyed today."

Her voice cracked.

"I think I've earned a few answers."

Ethan studied her.

For a long moment.

Then he crossed the room.

Opened a drawer.

Removed an old photograph.

Amelia accepted it.

The moment she saw it, her heart stopped.

There were three people in the picture.

A young Ethan.

A teenage girl.

And...

Her father.

"What is this?"

Her hands trembled.

Ethan's voice became dangerously quiet.

"Your father saved my life twenty years ago."

Amelia stared.

"What?"

"He worked for my family."

Nothing made sense anymore.

"My father never mentioned you."

"He wasn't allowed to."

"What does that mean?"

Ethan was about to answer when a loud crash shattered the silence.

Both of them spun around.

The penthouse window had exploded.

Glass sprayed across the floor.

Amelia screamed.

A black object rolled across the marble surface.

Stopping only a few feet from Ethan.

Everyone froze.

The room became deathly silent.

Amelia looked down.

Her stomach dropped.

It wasn't a bomb.

It was a small recording device.

A red light blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then a woman's voice filled the penthouse.

Cold.

Familiar.

Terrifying.

"Hello, Ethan."

The blood drained from his face.

Amelia immediately noticed.

He knew that voice.

The woman laughed softly.

"If you're hearing this, it means I'm finally ready to come home."

Ethan whispered a name.

A name Amelia had never heard before.

"Sienna..."

The voice continued.

"And bring Amelia Hart with you."

Amelia's breath caught.

The recording ended.

Silence swallowed the room.

Then Ethan looked at her.

His expression darker than she'd ever seen.

"What aren't you telling me?" Amelia whispered.

Ethan's answer made her blood run cold.

"I think the woman who attacked us tonight is my sister."

Amelia stared.

"But you said your sister was missing."

Ethan's eyes locked onto hers.

"She was."

A terrible pause followed.

Then he spoke the words that changed everything.

"For ten years, she's been presumed dead."