Chapter 7 Secrets On The Edge

• Emma’s POV
• I barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, Maxwell’s words echoed in my head.
• > "You have two choices—join us or make an enemy of us."
• > "Think about your children."
• He had made it sound like an offer, but it was a threat. And the worst part? I didn’t know if I could afford to ignore it.
• The morning light barely seeped through the thick London clouds as I sat at the small kitchen table, staring into my untouched cup of coffee. My mind was a tangled mess of worries—Maxwell, Lucas, my babies. How was I supposed to protect them from a world I barely understood?
• Grace walked in, already dressed for the day, her sharp eyes scanning me. “You didn’t sleep.”
• I sighed. “How could I? My so-called uncle just gave me an ultimatum. Either I become his pawn or risk making an enemy of the Sinclairs.”
• Grace poured herself a cup of coffee, her movements slow and measured. “So what’s your move?”
• I ran a hand through my hair. “I don’t know. I need time to think.”
• “Emma, I don’t think you have time.”
• I frowned. “What do you mean?”
• She set down her cup. “Check your phone.”
• A nervous chill ran down my spine as I reached for my phone and turned it on.
• The first thing I saw was a flood of notifications. Missed calls, unread messages, and worst of all—headlines.
• I clicked on the first one.
• > Emma Sinclair: The Secret Heiress—And the Billionaire’s Mystery Lover?
• My blood ran cold.
• I scrolled through article after article, each one worse than the last. Some speculated about my connection to the Sinclair fortune, others twisted my past, making me out to be a gold-digger who had trapped Lucas with an unplanned pregnancy.
• And then, there were the photos.
• Paparazzi shots from the gala. Me and Lucas standing too close, the tension between us obvious. Another of me storming away, my face flushed with anger. And the worst—one of me from months ago, pregnant, taken from a distance.
• How had they found that?
• I gripped the phone, my breathing uneven. “Who did this?”
• Grace’s face was tense. “If I had to guess? Maxwell.”
• My stomach twisted. “He’s trying to pressure me.”
• “And it’s working,” Grace muttered.
• A knock on the door made us both jump.
• I exchanged a glance with Grace before standing up cautiously. “Who is it?”
• “It’s me.”
• Lucas.
• I hesitated before unlocking the door. He stood there, dressed in dark jeans and a fitted black coat, his expression unreadable.
• His eyes immediately flicked to my phone, where the headlines were still visible. His jaw tightened. “You’ve seen it.”
• I nodded. “Did you know this was going to happen?”
• His expression darkened. “No. But I had a feeling something was coming.”
• I let out a bitter laugh. “Of course you did. And you didn’t think to warn me?”
• Lucas stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. “Emma, I’m trying to protect you.”
• I folded my arms. “Oh really? Because from where I’m standing, all this happened the moment you showed up again.”
• His gaze softened, and he took a step closer. “I swear, I didn’t want this. But Maxwell—he plays dirty. He’s not going to stop until he gets what he wants.”
• I swallowed hard. “And what exactly does he want?”
• Lucas hesitated. “Control. Over you. Over the inheritance. Over everything.”
• A shiver ran down my spine.
• “Emma, listen to me.” Lucas’s voice was urgent. “Maxwell doesn’t just manipulate people. He destroys them. He’s done it before, and he won’t hesitate to do it again.”
• My breath hitched. “What are you saying?”
• Lucas hesitated, then sighed. “There’s something you need to know about your mother.”
• My heart stopped. “What?”
• Lucas ran a hand through his hair, looking torn. “Maxwell didn’t just cut her off from the family. He made sure she could never come back. He set her up—ruined her reputation, isolated her, made sure no one would believe her if she ever tried to claim her birthright.”
• I felt like the ground had just disappeared beneath me. “You’re saying… he destroyed her life on purpose?”
• Lucas nodded grimly. “And now he’s doing the same thing to you.”
• I took a shaky breath.
• First, my mother. Now me.
• My babies.
• I clenched my fists. “I won’t let him control me.”
• Lucas met my gaze. “Then we need to fight back.”
• I frowned. “How?”
• He hesitated. “I have an idea. But you might not like it.”
• I narrowed my eyes. “Spit it out, Lucas.”
• His jaw tightened. “We go public. Together.”
• My stomach flipped. “What?”
• “We control the narrative before Maxwell does. If we announce our relationship—our connection—it weakens his ability to use you as a pawn.”
• I stared at him. “You mean pretend to be together?”
• Lucas’s gaze didn’t waver. “Or we could make it real.”
• The air between us grew thick with tension. My heart pounded as I took a shaky step back. “Lucas, this isn’t just about us. It’s about my babies. My life.”
• He stepped closer. “And I want to be part of it.”
• I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything—
• BOOM.
• A loud crash shattered the moment.
• I gasped as the front window exploded inward, shards of glass flying everywhere. Grace screamed, covering her head.
• Lucas reacted instantly, grabbing me and pulling me behind him.
• A black SUV screeched to a halt outside. The back door flew open, and two men in dark suits stepped out.
• Lucas cursed. “They found you.”
• Panic shot through me. “Who?”
• He turned to me, his face grim
• “Maxwell’s men.”
• My blood ran cold.