Chapter 51

Alison

I shook my head, taking a step back as if physical distance could make Damien’s words less real.

“You’re lying,” I said in a shocking tone.

Damien’s gaze sharpened. “I’m not.”

“You expect me to believe that Aiden—my husband—has been lying to me all along?” My voice cracked at the last word. “That he’s the murderer and not you.”

“Yes.”

I crossed my arms, pressing my nails into my skin to keep myself steady. “Why should I trust you?” I spat. “You pointed a gun at my head, Damien. You were ready to pull the trigger.”

“But I didn’t,” he countered smoothly. “That should tell you something.”

I hate that he was right.

“I know you are not going to believe what I said, but I have a way to prove it to you.” He said.

Damien didn’t wait for me to process his words. Instead, he turned and walked toward the door, throwing one last glance over his shoulder.

“You coming or not?”

I stared at his retreating back, torn between the weight of my past and the uncertainty of my future. I also didn’t trust Damien but a part of me wanted to see if he was saying the truth.

With a deep breath, I followed him behind.

***

The air inside the car was suffocating.

Damien didn’t speak. His eyes were fixed on the road, as he drove. I was also very quiet.

I stole glances at him, trying to read his expression, but there was nothing. He kept his face stern and I felt he was trying to mask his emotions.

As I stared at him I wanted to ask him more questions. But the truth was, I was scared. Not of Damien.

I was scared of what I might learn.

My mind traveled to the way he had been acting toward me for a while now. I understood why he suddenly changed.

He had figured out the truth and he was hurt.

I tightened my grip on my lap, nails digging into my palm. “How long have you known?” I asked.

Damien’s eyes flickered to me for half a second before returning to the road. “A week.”

A week.

A whole damn week where he’s known everything and said nothing.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Would you have told me if you found out something so terrible about me?”

I had no answer for that.

“So you were just going to kill me?” I asked and he didn’t say anything.

The mansion appeared ahead, and my pulse spiked as the iron gates swung open.

Damien drove through, coming to a stop in front of the massive entrance. Before I could even unbuckle my seatbelt, the front doors burst open.

Hugh stormed toward us, and I noticed his face was covered in rage.

“What the hell, Damien? Why is she still alive?” Hugh’s voice was a snarl.

My stomach twisted as I watched his hand move towards his gun.

I tensed instinctively, ready to defend myself if I had to but Damien moved first.

“Aiden lied.”

Hugh halted mid-step, his brows pulling together. “What?”

Damien stepped out of the car, slamming the door shut. “She wasn’t betraying us on her own. She only followed Aiden’s orders because she thought I killed her father. She didn’t know he was the one feeding her lies.”

Hugh scoffed. “That doesn’t change the fact that she’s a spy. That she’s been working against us—”

“Cut her some slack,” Damien interrupted. “We have both been a victim of this same circumstance.”

Hugh’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he glared at me, his lips curling in distaste before stepping aside.

Damien turned to me. “Come with me.”

I hesitated. But only for a second before I picked up my steps.

The walls of the mansion felt like they were closing in as I followed Damien down the corridors. The whole Manson felt different and quite suffocating.

Damien’s men watched me with a stern gaze and I noticed their hands were resting on their weapons.

They didn’t trust me.

Hell, I didn’t trust me either.

Damien stopped in front of a heavy wooden door that belonged to the study.

He pushed it open without hesitation and stepped inside. I followed with my heart still hammering in my chest.

Damien gestured toward a chair. “Sit.”

I didn’t. Instead, I crossed my arms. “Where’s the proof?”

Damien lets out a humorless chuckle, rubbing a hand over his jaw. He leaned against the desk, his piercing eyes locked on me.

“There’s a lot I'm going to show you,” he began. “I hope you are going to be able to handle everything.”

I shifted my weight, and my arms were still crossed watching him closely as he

pushed himself off the desk, stepping closer. His presence was overwhelming, but I held my ground.

“There’s something else you need to know,” he said, and followed by his words was a pause.

“What’s that?”

“Aiden and I are stepbrothers.” He finally said.

The words crashed over me like a tidal wave. My knees almost buckle.

My breathing slowed and my mind scrambled during that moment. “That’s not—” I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It does,” Damien said. “It’s also very true.”

“How’s that even possible?” I asked. “You don’t even look alike and I have never seen you with him or in his family portrait or anywhere in his home.”

He took another step forward, his gaze burning into mine. “There are certain things they hid from you, Alison.”

I flinched as if I’d been slapped. “You’re lying.”

He didn’t blink. “I wish I was.”

My head was spinning. “No. No, Aiden would have told me—”

“Aiden wouldn’t…” my voice trailed off.

Damien scoffed. “Wouldn’t what? Lie to you? Manipulate you?” He shook his head. “You have no idea who he is, Alison. But I do.”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

I wanted to scream at Damien telling him that was wrong. But deep down, something told me he wasn’t. I opened my eyes, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

“Prove it.”

Damien smirked. “Gladly.”

The room felt colder now. I had this feeling the truth was going to hurt more than the lies ever did.