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Five years ago, Elena Hart spent one reckless night with a stranger she never saw again and buried her daughter the same week her son was born. Now she needs a job more than she needs answers. She never expected to find both in the same man. Adrian Blackwood is the coldest CEO in London and the one man Elena swore destroyed her family. The moment her son runs into his legs in a marble lobby, Adrian sees a ghost he can't explain away: dark hair, familiar eyes, a face that shouldn't exist. A DNA test confirms what neither of them wants to be true. A contract marriage is supposed to fix it. But five years of secrets don't stay buried that easily - and someone has spent just as long making sure Elena never learned the truth about the daughter she thinks she lost. Adrian swore he'd never trust a Hart again. Elena swore she'd never need a Blackwood. Neither of them knew how much they'd already lost to the same lie.
Contents
The CEO's stolen heir Chapter 1 Five Years Later
Chapter 1
Rain hammered the glass. Her skin was still wet it cool droplets sliding down the curve of her shoulder, tasting of salt and rosemary when his mouth found them. His hand closed over hers; her fingers were slick, rain-warm, fitting like they'd always belonged there.
She laughed once, soft and low, and the sound cut every clear thought from his head.
He never saw her face. Only the wet line of her shoulder in the dark, the heat of her body against the storm still clinging to her.
By morning the sheets were damp and she was gone .walking away from that hotel room in the morning was going to cost him something he wouldn't understand the price of for years.
He never got her name.
Elena Hart had spent five years convincing herself that she could survive anything.
Bills.
Long nights.
A sick child.
The questions people asked when they noticed Noah had no father.
Even the grief she had buried so deeply that sometimes she wondered if she had imagined it.
She could handle all of that.
What she couldn't handle was the brown envelope the hospital administrator had just placed in her hands.
"Mrs. Hart?"
Elena stopped walking.
Noah's small hand was tucked inside hers, warm and slightly sticky from the biscuit he'd been eating in the waiting room. She looked back.
A doctor stood a few feet away, a file pressed against his chest.
"Is Noah okay?"
"He's stable," the doctor said. "His fever has come down."
Elena breathed out.
"Thank God."
"But there's something we need to discuss."
The relief disappeared from her face.
"What?"
The doctor glanced at Noah.
"Could we speak privately?"
"No."
The answer came so quickly that the doctor blinked.
Elena moved closer to her son.
"Whatever you have to say, you can say it here."
The doctor hesitated.
"There appears to be a discrepancy in Noah's original birth records."
Elena stared at him.
"What kind of discrepancy?"
"We're still investigating it."
"Then why tell me now?"
"Because the original file doesn't completely match the information in the current system."
Her fingers tightened around Noah's hand.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know yet."
The doctor handed her the envelope.
"Take this. There are some documents we need you to review. Someone from records will contact you when they've confirmed what happened."
Elena didn't take it immediately.
"What exactly is wrong?"
The doctor lowered his voice.
"One of the original entries appears to have been altered."
The hallway seemed to narrow around her.
"Altered?"
"We don't know by whom."
"Then find out."
"We are trying."
Elena finally took the envelope.
Her eyes dropped to Noah.
He was watching her with the solemn expression children wore when they knew adults were worried but didn't understand why.
"Mummy?"
She forced her face to soften.
"I'm fine."
"Can we go home now?"
Elena swallowed.
"Yes."
She slipped the envelope into her handbag.
She would deal with it later.
She had to.
Because today was also her first day at Blackwood Group.
And she couldn't afford to lose the job.
Three hours later, Elena stood outside the towering glass building that housed Blackwood Group.
London's gray sky reflected across the windows.
She checked the time.
Eight fifty-two.
Eight minutes.
Noah shifted beside her.
"Mummy, I'm hungry."
Elena looked down at him.
"Already?"
"I only ate one biscuit."
"You ate three."
He thought about that.
"Three small biscuits."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
Her hand touched the envelope inside her handbag.
The strange hospital record was still there.
She hadn't opened it.
She didn't have time.
Sarah came rushing across the pavement.
"You actually came."
Elena raised an eyebrow.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because you were at the hospital this morning."
"I was."
"And you're still coming to work?"
"I need the job."
Sarah studied her face.
"You don't have to prove anything to anyone."
"This isn't about proving anything."
Elena adjusted Noah's backpack.
"His hospital bills aren't going to pay themselves."
Sarah sighed.
"What are you going to do with him?"
"I'll figure it out."
"You always say that."
"Because I always do."
Sarah looked toward the building.
"You know who owns this place, right?"
"Adrian Blackwood."
"You've heard of him?"
"No."
Sarah stared.
"You're serious?"
"I've been busy raising a child, Sarah."
"Fair."
She lowered her voice.
"He's supposed to be ruthless."
Elena looked at the building.
"Good."
Sarah frowned.
"Good?"
"I've had enough of nice people."
Before Sarah could answer, Elena pushed through the glass doors.
The atmosphere changed the moment she entered.
Conversations lowered.
People straightened.
A receptionist stopped typing.
Elena noticed.
"What happened?"
Sarah didn't answer.
She was staring toward the private elevators.
Elena followed her gaze.
A man had just stepped out.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Dark suit.
No wasted movement.
He walked through the lobby like everyone in it belonged to him.
Elena had seen powerful men before.
This one was different.
There was nothing loud about him.
He didn't need it.
"That's him," Sarah whispered.
Elena barely had time to ask who before Noah pulled his hand free.
"Noah!"
He giggled and ran.
Straight toward the man.
Elena's heart jumped.
"Noah!"
Too late.
The boy collided with the man's legs.
The entire lobby went silent.
The man looked down.
Noah looked up.
For one strange second, neither moved.
Then the man crouched.
"What is your name?"
"Noah."
The man's expression changed.
Barely.
But Elena saw it.
His eyes moved over Noah's face.
His dark hair.
His eyes.
The shape of his mouth.
"Where's your mother?"
Noah pointed.
"Mummy!"
Elena rushed over.
"I'm sorry."
She grabbed Noah's hand.
"He ran away from me."
The man stood.
His gaze remained on Noah.
Then he looked at her.
"Your son?"
"Yes."
"How old is he?"
Elena frowned.
"Why?"
"I asked how old he is."
"And I heard you."
His expression hardened.
"Five?"
"Five."
Something shifted in his eyes.
Elena noticed.
"You're Adrian Blackwood."
It wasn't a question.
"Yes."
She glanced at Noah.
Then back at him.
"I'm Elena Hart. I'm supposed to report to HR."
His expression changed again.
"Hart?"
"Yes."
"Daniel Hart's daughter?"
Her shoulders stiffened.
"My father has nothing to do with my employment."
"I didn't ask about your employment."
"You didn't have to."
Adrian studied her.
"Bring your son to work?"
"I didn't plan to."
"Then why is he here?"
"Because childcare arrangements don't magically appear when a hospital calls."
A few employees suddenly found their phones fascinating.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"You're my new executive assistant."
"Yes."
"Then you'll need to solve that problem."
"I will."
"Quickly."
Elena stared at him.
"You're very welcoming."
"I don't pay you to feel welcome."
"And I don't expect you to."
For the first time, something almost resembling amusement touched his eyes.
It disappeared before she could be certain.
Noah tugged at her coat.
"Mummy."
"What?"
"I'm still hungry."
Adrian looked down at him.
Then at Elena.
"You have five minutes."
Elena blinked.
"Five minutes for what?"
"To get him settled."
"And then?"
"Then you report to the thirty-second floor."
"You're not firing me?"
"I haven't decided whether you're worth firing."
She stared at him.
He walked past her.
Then stopped.
Without turning around, he said,
"And Elena?"
"Yes?"
"Don't make me regret keeping you."
He continued toward the elevators.
Elena watched him disappear.
Sarah came up beside her.
"Welcome to Blackwood Group."
Elena looked down at Noah.
"Five minutes."
Noah smiled.
"Can I have another biscuit?"
Elena closed her eyes.
"Of course."
She didn't notice Adrian glance back from the elevator.
His eyes found Noah again.
Five years old.
Something about the boy bothered him.
Not because of his behavior.
Because of his face.
It felt familiar.
And Adrian hated things he couldn't explain.
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