Signed To Be His Wife - Chapter 49: Chapter 49

The atmosphere within Hart Enterprises had shifted. What once felt like a brewing storm had now become an all-out war, and Amara could feel it in every hallway, every glance exchanged between employees, and in the endless flurry of calls and encrypted emails flooding their inboxes. But despite the chaos, a calculated calm lingered between her and Dominic. After uncovering Crawford Bellamy's shadow games and baiting him into revealing his hand, they had momentum. Now, they needed execution.
Amara stood in the glass conference room overlooking the bustling business floor. Her eyes scanned the flurry of motion—lawyers in suits, digital analysts racing against firewalls, and Clara organizing files with military precision. This wasn’t just a company. It was a fortress preparing for battle.
Dominic entered, his presence still commanding even after sleepless nights and a week’s worth of beard shadowing his jawline. He carried a leather folder.
"Charles responded," he said, handing her the folder. "He’s coming to the emergency board meeting tonight. He confirmed Bellamy had tried to bribe him into pushing a hostile takeover from within."
Amara flipped the folder open. "And he refused. Again."
Dominic nodded. "He may have been my father's oldest friend, but even Charles has a line he won’t cross."
"This meeting could shift everything. If we expose Bellamy in front of the board, we can initiate legal expulsion and trigger asset reclamation. But it all hinges on one thing."
"The document Clara’s recovering," Dominic finished.
Amara nodded. "The one proving Bellamy authorized the shell payments through Jeremy."
Right on cue, Clara entered with her tablet.
"We’ve traced it," she announced breathlessly. "A digital memo from Bellamy’s private legal consultant—Carson Finch—authorizing the account movement to sabotage the EcoTherm deal."
Amara’s pulse quickened. "We have a copy?"
Clara handed over the drive. "Encrypted, time-stamped, and signed. He’s done."
Dominic grinned for the first time that day. "Let’s end this."
Evening – Emergency Board Meeting
The mahogany-paneled boardroom was a circle of tension. Seventeen members sat in rigid silence as Charles Grimley took his seat beside Dominic, nodding at Amara with quiet respect.
At the far end, Jeremy LeClair smirked in his tailored suit, seated beside none other than Crawford Bellamy—older, silver-haired, and cold-eyed.
Dominic stood first. "Tonight isn’t about theatrics. It’s about truth."
He gestured toward the monitor. Clara, seated at the tech station, tapped her screen. The projector displayed the memo—Carson Finch’s authorization letter, complete with Bellamy’s legal signature.
Gasps echoed through the room.
Charles stood next. "I can confirm Bellamy approached me to assist with an internal coup. I declined."
Amara took over, her voice like steel. "Jeremy LeClair and Crawford Bellamy used shell corporations, forged acquisition interests, and manipulated board votes to destabilize Hart Enterprises. Their actions are grounds for criminal charges, immediate removal, and asset freeze."
Bellamy chuckled lowly. "Do you know how many enemies your father made, Dominic? You’re walking his path. And it leads nowhere."
"Maybe," Dominic replied, stepping closer, "but I’m not doing it alone."
Amara stood beside him. "This ends now."
The board voted. Fifteen to two.
Bellamy and Jeremy were officially expelled, pending legal proceedings.
But as they stood to leave, Bellamy gave one final, chilling smile.
"You think this is over. But the real war? It’s only just begun."
Later That Night – Penthouse
Dominic sat on the couch, staring at the empty fireplace. The victory felt hollow. Too easy. Amara joined him, a mug of tea in hand.
"He’s not bluffing," she said softly.
"No," Dominic agreed. "Bellamy’s the type who sets fire to the ship even as he’s sinking."
Her phone buzzed. It was Carla.
"What is it?" Amara asked after answering.
Carla’s voice was clipped. "One of our digital analysts flagged an IP breach. Someone accessed your mother’s old records."
Amara blinked. "My mother’s? Why?"
"There’s more to this, Amara. I think Bellamy’s connection to your family runs deeper than we realized."
The world tilted.
"You need to come down to headquarters," Carla added. "Now."
Amara stood frozen.
"What is it?" Dominic asked.
She turned to him, eyes wide. "My mother. Bellamy may have known her."
Dominic stood immediately. "Then let’s go."
As they rushed out, Amara’s heart raced. Bellamy wasn’t just targeting the company.
He was targeting her.
The tension from the emergency board meeting hadn’t faded by the time Dominic and Amara returned to the penthouse. The echo of Crawford Bellamy’s indirect threats still lingered in the air like smoke from a fire that refused to die.
Dominic was quiet, his jaw tight, his hands shoved into his pockets as he paced across the living room. Amara stood by the window, arms folded as her eyes traced the headlights weaving through the streets far below. Clara sat at the kitchen island, typing rapidly on her laptop, trying to keep up with every development.
“I can’t believe it,” Clara finally said, breaking the silence. “He used one of the old shell corporations under the Harper acquisition as a front. He’s been sitting in the shadows for years, just waiting for the right time to strike.”
Dominic stopped pacing. “And now he’s decided that time is now.”
Amara turned toward them. “We need more than just trails and speculation. We need undeniable evidence. Something that forces the courts—and the public—to see the real mastermind.”
Clara tapped a few keys. “I might have something. While tracing Bellamy’s financial moves, I found a string of encrypted communications between his offshore accounts and a private intelligence firm based in Eastern Europe. It’s not just sabotage he’s funding. It’s surveillance. Counterintelligence.”
Dominic stepped closer. “You’re saying he’s been spying on us?”
“Not just spying,” Clara said grimly. “He’s been gathering blackmail. On you, your board, your rivals, even judges in the financial court. He’s building a chessboard and rigging the pieces.”
Amara’s eyes narrowed. “And he’s likely keeping the most important leverage for last.”
Dominic met her gaze. “You think he’s still holding something back?”
“I’m sure of it,” she said.
Just then, Clara’s phone buzzed. She picked it up, reading a message with widening eyes. “It’s from Carla. She says we need to meet—now. She’s uncovered something… and it involves your mother, Amara.”
Amara froze. Her mother had been the one constant in her life, even if their relationship had been strained lately. She hadn’t spoken to her in weeks—not since the media storm erupted.
“What does my mother have to do with this?” she asked, her voice soft but sharp.
“Let’s find out,” Dominic said, grabbing his coat.
At Carla’s Safehouse
Carla sat at her desk, a manila folder in her hand. Her expression was grave. “I didn’t want to believe it at first,” she began. “But I double-checked the records. It’s legitimate.”
Amara sat slowly. “What is it?”
Carla opened the folder and pulled out a birth certificate. “This was filed under a sealed identity registry connected to Bellamy’s offshore holdings. The child listed here… was born to your mother.”
Amara stared at the document. Her breath caught in her throat. “That’s not possible. I’m her only child.”
Carla hesitated. “Amara… there’s no easy way to say this. Your mother had another child. A son. The documents suggest he was adopted by an investor tied to Bellamy’s network.”
Dominic stepped forward, eyes narrowing. “Wait—you’re saying Amara has a half-brother? And he may be working for Bellamy?”
Carla nodded slowly. “It’s a possibility we can’t ignore.”
Amara’s voice shook. “Why wouldn’t she tell me? Why hide something like that?”
Carla looked her in the eyes. “Because the father was connected to the very man we’re trying to bring down.”
Amara’s stomach churned. Everything she thought she knew was unraveling. Her mother had always been private, but this? It was a betrayal by omission.
“I need to speak with her,” Amara said quietly.
Carla handed her a card. “She’s at a retreat house on the outskirts of the city. I pulled the location through a contact.”
“I’m coming with you,” Dominic said immediately.
“No,” Amara replied. “This is something I have to do alone.”
Later That Night — Retreat House
The gravel crunched under Amara’s shoes as she approached the old retreat house nestled in the woods. It was quiet—too quiet. Her mother, Dr. Olivia Cole, sat on a bench outside, wrapped in a shawl, staring at the stars.
“Mom?” Amara said softly.
Olivia turned slowly. Her face, once proud and polished, looked tired and weathered.
“Amara,” she said. “I knew you’d come.”
Amara sat beside her. “Is it true? Do I have a brother?”
Olivia nodded slowly. “Yes. His name was Adrian. I gave birth to him before I met your father. His father… was Bellamy’s cousin. A cruel man. Powerful. When Adrian was born, I was pressured to give him up. I was young, scared… and they promised he’d have a better life.”
“And he ended up in Bellamy’s hands.”
“I didn’t know,” Olivia whispered. “I never saw him again. I buried that part of my life, hoping it would never resurface.”
Tears burned Amara’s eyes. “He could be part of all this. Part of the destruction Bellamy is trying to bring into our lives.”
“I’m sorry,” Olivia said, placing a hand on her daughter’s. “I made choices I thought would protect you. But I see now they’ve only created more danger.”
Amara stood, her resolve returning. “I need to find him. I need to know who he is now… and where he stands.”
“I’ll help you,” Olivia said. “I still have old contacts. I may be able to find something.”
Amara nodded, grateful despite the storm inside her.
Back at the Penthouse
Dominic paced the hallway when Amara returned. One look at her face told him everything.
“You have a brother,” he said quietly.
She nodded. “And he might be working for Bellamy.”
Dominic pulled her into a hug. “Then we’ll find him. And we’ll stop whatever Bellamy is planning.”
Amara rested her head against his chest. “We have to. Because this isn’t just about us anymore. It’s about family. About truth.”
Dominic kissed her temple. “Then let’s finish it. Together.”
The air in the penthouse was dense with revelations, each one peeling back another layer of the secrets that had long haunted Amara’s family and shadowed her marriage. The echo of Olivia Cole’s confession still rang in Amara’s ears. A secret brother. Crawford Bellamy. Her father’s betrayal. The tangled web had finally begun to unravel, but at a devastating emotional cost.
Amara sat in silence on the living room sofa, her fingers knotted in her lap. Dominic stood beside her, a protective hand on her shoulder, while Clara quietly updated security protocols from her laptop on the kitchen counter.
Olivia, who had remained standing after her confession, finally lowered herself into a nearby armchair, her age showing more now than ever before.
"What was his name?" Amara asked softly.
Olivia blinked. "Alec. His name is Alec. Crawford’s son. But not just his… he was mine too."
Dominic’s hand froze on Amara’s shoulder.
"You… you had a child with Crawford Bellamy?" Amara’s voice was hollow.
Olivia nodded. "It was before I married your father. Alec was born in secret. Crawford wanted to raise him for business. But I refused to be a pawn in that world. I fled. Your father married me to hide the scandal and protect the family name."
Amara stared down at the floor, her mind spinning. "So Alec… he’s my half-brother."
"Yes. And I believe he’s the one helping Bellamy from the inside."
Dominic spoke then, his voice low and edged. "You think Alec is the shadow investor? The one fueling the injunctions and asset freezes?"
Olivia’s eyes welled with tears. "I don’t just think. I know. He swore revenge on the Coles for abandoning him. And now, with Crawford backing him, he has power."
Amara stood abruptly. "Then we need to find him. Now."
Clara looked up from her laptop. "I might already have. The encrypted data from the shell company linked to Bellamy was just traced back to a domestic IP. A registered alias—A. Rowe. It’s Alec. He’s operating out of a private estate in Vermont."
Dominic’s jaw tightened. "Then we go there. We confront him. We end this."
Amara turned to her mother. "You’re coming too. He might listen to you."
Olivia hesitated, then nodded. "I’ll do what I must."
Two Days Later — Vermont Estate
A thick fog blanketed the estate’s grounds, giving it the air of something between a palace and a prison. Security was heavy, but Clara had hacked the perimeter system, giving Dominic and Amara a fifteen-minute window to breach the property.
They moved swiftly across the gravel path, Dominic holding a small tracker gun, Amara carrying a flash drive filled with financial evidence, and Olivia walking behind them, her coat clutched tightly against the cold.
Inside the estate’s main house, Alec Rowe stood facing a wall of monitors. His back was straight, posture commanding. At the sound of the door opening, he turned slowly.
He was tall, sharp-featured, and looked just like a younger version of Crawford Bellamy. But his eyes… they were Olivia’s.
"So the prodigal daughter returns," Alec said with a thin smile. "And you brought friends."
Amara stepped forward. "We’re not here for games. We know what you’ve been doing. The injunctions. The shell accounts. The planted evidence. It ends now."
Alec’s smile widened. "And if I say no?"
Dominic stepped up beside her. "Then everything we have goes public. Every connection between you, Bellamy, Jeremy LeClair, and the offshore fraud. We have the files. We have the witnesses. You’re done."
Alec’s expression darkened. "You think power lies in exposure? Power lies in control. And I’ve already bought half the board members on Hart Enterprises. Your empire is rotting from within."
Amara held up the flash drive. "And this proves it. When this hits the courts, your empire falls too."
Olivia stepped forward. "Alec… please. I know I failed you. But hurting your sister won’t heal you."
He looked at her with cold eyes. "You were supposed to be my mother. But you chose the Coles. You chose their money. Their lies."
"I chose survival," Olivia whispered. "And I regret it every day. But don’t let your pain make you into the very monster you swore to destroy."
For a long moment, Alec said nothing. Then he turned back to the monitors. "If I walk away… what happens to Bellamy?"
Dominic’s voice was firm. "He faces justice. And so will you, unless you help us bring him down."
Alec stared at the screen. After a moment, he reached forward and shut down the security feed.
"There’s a folder in the third cabinet. Black file, red tab. It has everything. Bellamy’s accounts, his contractors, internal communications. That’s what you need."
Amara moved quickly, retrieving the folder. Her hands trembled as she opened it. The evidence was overwhelming.
Alec stepped back. "Take it and go. But if Bellamy finds out… he won’t stop."
Dominic nodded. "Then we won’t stop either."
Amara turned to Alec. "You can still do the right thing. Come with us. Testify. Help us finish this."
Alec shook his head. "No. I’ve done too much. But I’ll disappear. That’s the best I can give."
Olivia moved forward, tears in her eyes. "I’m sorry, Alec. Truly."
He didn’t reply.
As they left the estate, evidence in hand and the war still ahead, Amara clung to Dominic’s hand. The path to justice was clearer now. But so was the danger.
Later That Night — Back in New York
Dominic sat at the long oak table in his study, scanning the documents Alec had given them. Beside him, Amara paced, her nerves coiled.
Clara entered the room, holding a glass of whiskey. "You two should rest. This next part’s going to be brutal."
Amara shook her head. "We’re close. We can’t stop now."
Dominic looked up. "I’ll call Charles Grimley. We need to start the legal takedown tomorrow."
Clara nodded. "And I’ll coordinate with Carla’s team. We’ll move quickly. If Bellamy gets wind of this, he might try to flee the country."
Amara sat beside Dominic, exha
ustion catching up with her. He took her hand.
"Whatever happens next… you’ve already changed everything," he said softly.
She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Not alone. Together. Always."
And for the first time in a long time, despite the war they still had to fight, Amara felt hope blooming through the cracks.