When Contracts Turn to Forbidden Kisses Chapter 174

Amelia

I sat on the edge of our bed, fighting to keep my eyes open as I stared at my phone screen. No messages from Ethan. I'd been waiting for hours, wondering what was happening at the police station with my father.

The clock on my nightstand showed it was past midnight. My eyelids grew heavier with each passing minute until I finally gave in, slumping against the headboard with my phone still clutched in my hand.

I was vaguely aware of the bedroom door opening, footsteps approaching, then strong arms sliding beneath me. The familiar scent of Ethan's cologne filled my senses as he lifted me.

"You finally came back," I mumbled, barely opening my eyes.

"I did," Ethan whispered, gently laying me down and pulling the covers over me. "Go back to sleep."

When I felt him releasing my hand to move away, I instinctively grabbed his wrist. "Don't go," I pleaded, my voice thick with exhaustion.

His lips brushed against my forehead. "I'm just going to take a shower, Amy. I'll be right back."

I wanted to stay awake until he returned, but exhaustion won. The next thing I knew, Ethan's arm was wrapped around my waist from behind, his body warm against mine. I let myself sink into his embrace, finally finding peace in sleep.

---

The jarring sound of my phone ringing jolted me awake. I groaned, burying my face deeper into the pillow.

"Answer it," Ethan muttered sleepily beside me.

I blindly reached for my phone, squinting at the bright screen. "Unknown number," I mumbled, declining the call and dropping the phone back onto the nightstand.

Just as I was settling back into Ethan's arms, the phone started ringing again. I groaned in frustration.

"Just answer it," Ethan said, his voice gruff with irritation.

I grabbed the phone again, recognizing the number this time. "It's Emily," I said, suddenly wide awake. "Probably still trying to get me to help Robert."

Without hesitation, I blocked the number and tossed the phone aside.

"They never give up, do they?" I sighed, turning to face Ethan in the darkness.

He pulled me closer, his hand gently stroking my hair. "Amy," he whispered, his voice suddenly serious. "I promise you, I'll handle everything. From now on, all you need to worry about is being happy."

Half-asleep and confused by his tone, I simply nodded against his chest. "Okay," I mumbled, not fully comprehending what he meant as sleep claimed me once more.

---

The next morning, I was brushing my teeth when I heard my phone ringing in the bedroom. I quickly rinsed my mouth and hurried back, grabbing it just before the call went to voicemail.

"Olivia," I answered, tucking the phone between my ear and shoulder as I searched for my scrubs.

"Amy!" Olivia's voice was unusually excited, even for her. "Have you heard the news?"

"What news?"

"Two things, actually," she continued. "First, Margaret died in prison last night. They're saying it was some kind of fight between inmates."

My hand froze midway through pulling out a drawer. "What? That's... unexpected." Margaret was too cunning, too calculating to end up dead in a prison fight. Something didn't add up.

"And second," Olivia continued, seemingly unaware of my shock, "Robert has been sentenced to life without parole. It just came through this morning."

"Life without parole? For drug trafficking?" I couldn't hide my surprise. The charge didn't match the sentence.

"I don't know the details," Olivia admitted. "But it's all over the news. Look, I've gotta run to a meeting, but I thought you should know. Call me later?"

"Yeah, of course," I replied absently, my mind racing.

After hanging up, I stood frozen in place, trying to process this information. Margaret dead in prison? Robert sentenced to life? What the hell was going on?

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice Ethan standing in the doorway until he spoke.

"Amy? You look pale. What happened?"

I turned to face him, studying his expression carefully. "Margaret is dead. Apparently killed in prison. And Robert got life without parole." I paused, watching his reaction. "Did you know about this?"

Ethan's face remained impassive, but his eyes gave him away. "Yes," he admitted without hesitation.

"You did this?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

He crossed the room to stand before me, his gaze unwavering. "Yes. Does that bother you? He's still your father, no matter what. If you couldn't do it, I had to."

I stared at him, momentarily speechless. "Why? What did you find out?"

Ethan took my hands in his, leading me to sit on the edge of the bed. His eyes were intense, filled with a mixture of determination and concern.

"Margaret manipulated everything," he began. "She created false evidence to make Robert believe your mother was having an affair. She even fabricated a DNA test to convince him you weren't his biological daughter."

My heart pounded in my chest. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying Margaret orchestrated your mother's death, Amy. I used DNA evidence to break down Robert’s defenses at the police station, then brought the same proof to Margaret. She knew she couldn’t keep it hidden anymore, so she finally confessed."

The room seemed to spin around me. All these years, I'd known my father and Margaret had something to do with my mother's death, but I'd assumed it was just their affair that drove her to depression. The reality was so much worse.

"Margaret had no connection to Victor's organization," Ethan continued. "Not involved in their money laundering, just a coincidental beneficiary. Victor's people helped her execute her plans, which is why she got away with so much."

I felt tears forming but refused to let them fall. A strange numbness spread through me as the pieces finally came together. My mother had discovered Victor's illegal activities, tried to gather evidence, and paid with her life. Margaret had been the architect of her destruction.

"Margaret and Robert killed my mother," I whispered, the words bitter on my tongue.

Ethan pulled me into his arms. "If you need to cry, my shoulder's right here."

I rested my head against his chest, taking deep breaths to steady myself. "The people who killed my mother have finally gotten what they deserved," I said quietly. "I should be happy, right?"

"You can feel however you need to feel, Amy."

I pulled back to look into his eyes. "Thank you for doing what I couldn't," I said sincerely. "For getting justice for my mother."

Standing up, I kissed his cheek softly. "I have to get ready for work now."

As I walked toward the bathroom, I felt lighter somehow. The truth, no matter how painful, had finally set me free.