Chapter Thirty Eight
“What’s wrong?” Amanda asked, noticing how agitated Lucas seemed.
She had just told him about her grandmother’s offer, and how she had met Bolton Group’s lawyer that morning. He had given her some documents to review, and informed her that Helena wanted everything done by New Year’s. After New Year’s Day, she was supposed to have her inaugural meeting with the company’s board of directors.
She had thought Lucas would be happy to hear the news. Instead, he looked worried. He stood up from the couch and paced, shoving a hand through his dark hair.
Finally, he looked at her, his gaze earnest. “Don’t accept the company.”
Amanda frowned. “What?”
“It’ll put your life in danger.”
Amanda’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about?”
Lucas sat back down and took her hand in his. “If something happened to you right now, who would get what you have?”
“You mean if I died?” she asked, unsure at the turn the conversation was taking. When he nodded solemnly, she replied, “My father’s my next of kin…” she broke off in an awkward chuckle. “Lucas, why are you asking about that?”
His hand squeezed hers tightly. “If your grandmother transfers the food company to you, he’ll do anything to take it from you. I’m afraid… I’m afraid he would harm you to get you out of the way.”
“Are you talking about my father?”
Lucas nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “Amanda… You’re neither a Lemaiyan, nor a Bolton.”
Amanda stared at him, registering his words. She heard him just fine, but…
It didn’t make sense.
Why would he say something like that?
Why would he insinuate that her father would kill her so he could get the company?
“You’re not Adeline’s daughter,” Lucas continued, his grey eyes holding hers. “Charles has been using you to siphon capital out of the Boltons. And he’s now looking for a way to cut you off his family. Bolton’s food company is too big. If you take it, he’ll…”
“Stop!” Amanda ordered, snatching her hand out of his grip. She shot to her feet and wrapped her arms around her body. “What the hell are you talking about, Lucas?”
He stood too and faced her. “Remember when my mother walked in on us during my sister’s wedding?”
Amanda’s confused expression deepened. “Yes?”
“Ever since I came back, my mother has been pushing me to woo you. She was obsessed with the idea of joining our two families in marriage. But I told her no, and she had no idea we were together. So when she found us, she went off to tell Dad, and they approached Charles with the idea of marrying us. Charles told them they couldn’t let me marry you because you weren’t a Lemaiyan.”
“What?” The word slipped between her lips in a breathy whisper.
“He said that Adeline’s baby didn’t survive during the accident. But at the time, she was together with her housekeeper, who was also pregnant and almost due. The housekeeper and her baby both survived. You’re that baby.”
Amanda felt her knees go weak, and the world spun around her. She sat back down, pressing her hands to her temples.
What was this?
How could all this be true?
No, she had to be dreaming.
Lucas went down on one knee in front of her and clasped her hands, bringing them to her lap. “I know this is shocking,” he said, “but you needed to know. I wanted to tell you earlier, I just never found the right timing. But now… You need to know that you can’t trust Charles, Amanda. He personally told my parents that he was looking for a way to get rid of you.”
“Why… But why…” her voice croaked, the words refusing to get through.
“With Adeline and her baby gone, he wasn’t going to benefit from the Bolton’s wealth in any way. He needed a connection to the family. After your mother gave birth to you, he paid her off and took you. He brought you up like his daughter just so he could reap from whatever you inherited from the Boltons.”
“My mother...” her teary eyes rose to his. “My mother sold me to him?”
He nodded and squeezed her hand. “I’m so sorry, Amanda.”
“So all this time… Spoiling me… Acting like I was his favourite child, it was all so… All so…” she wiped her cheeks as the tears finally escaped. “Everything makes sense now. I couldn’t wrap my head around why he wouldn’t help me pay off the blackmailer. Now… Maybe he was hoping my reputation would be ruined, right? He kicked me out of my own company after what happened with Samuel. If that video got released, he would have… He would have found an excuse to exclude me from everything. Right?”
Lucas nodded. “It was a good opportunity for him. But now, you understand why I think your life will be in danger if you accept the food company, right?”
She smiled ruefully. “Don’t worry. It doesn’t belong to me, anyway. I’ll tell gran I can’t take it.”
Getting off his knee, Lucas sat back down beside her and hugged her. “I’m sorry I kept the truth from you for so long. You were just going through so much already and I was trying to protect you from more hurt.”
“It’s okay,” she sniffed, resting her face on his shoulder. “Thanks for telling me now.”
“I’ll always be here for you, Amanda. Okay? No matter what happens. I need you to understand that. Okay?” he told her, holding her close.
“I appreciate that,” she said, at the same time disengaging herself from his embrace. “But I need to be alone right now.”
He frowned, holding on to her hand. “Amanda, let me be here for you.”
She shook her head. “I need to take things in. Think about what to do next. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t feel okay leaving you alone like this,” he insisted.
“You can come to see me tomorrow,” she told him.
“Are you going to see Charles?” he asked, recalling how she went to face Tyra alone.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to see his face right now. I’ll confront him after I’ve arranged my thoughts.”
He nodded. Then he pulled her into one last embrace. “Don’t do anything stupid, okay? I’ll come to see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be here,” she said.