Emilia Harvey might have lost her memory, but she sure as hell hadn't lost her instincts. Joseph Cook ran Harvey Corporation, but he was just an in-law. His footing wasn't nearly as solid as Landen Owens's—Emilia's biological father, a man woven deep into the family's fabric. Landen had the upper hand: years of entrenched ties and a sprawling network. If Joseph wanted to untangle himself, he'd need a serious ally.

Who better than Emilia herself? Three years gone from her memory, completely out of sync with the London scene—she was the perfect pawn. Her amnesia made her easier to manipulate. Plus, Joseph had spent those three years playing the waiting game, raising the kids she'd supposedly abandoned, all while keeping the family business from sinking.

To the public, he was devotion personified—a true family man. Any other woman might've fallen for that kind of unwavering loyalty. But Emilia saw straight through it. Nobody does something for nothing. There's always a price.

Zahir treated her kindly because he wanted her affection. But Joseph? What was his endgame?

Their marriage had been a calculated move between families, empty of real love. Joseph, with his cold, almost monkish demeanor, wasn't exactly chasing romance. So what was left?

Money. The Harvey fortune.

Listening to Emilia's accusations, Joseph felt a dull ache in his chest—like being stabbed with a blunt blade. He stayed silent, his eyes locked on her moving red lips, unreadable and heavy. He clenched his fists, the sharp bite of his nails digging into his palms grounding him, keeping him from reaching out and taking what he wanted.

He closed his eyes, forcing a calm over his churning thoughts. The moment wasn't right—he couldn't rush.

When he opened them again, his voice came out steady, controlled, revealing nothing: "Emilia, whether you trust me or not, I would never hurt you."

Emilia stared into those eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses—truthful, sincere. He carried the faint scent of pinewood, reserved and introspective, just like the man himself.

Without confirming or denying anything, she released his tie. She stepped back, settling onto the garden's stone bench, her tone blunt:

"Explain."

Joseph took a deep breath, sat across from her, and poured coffee before speaking: "That woman you saw, Florence—she's your father's old flame. She moved into the Harvey mansion three years ago."

"And you have a half-sister, a few months older. Her name is Florence Owens."

Three years ago? A half-sister?

Emilia almost laughed. The man everyone praised as a model husband and father had moved his old flame and their secret daughter into the house while his legitimate daughter was presumed dead after a cliff fall!

Men are only decent when they're pinned to the wall.

"Go on," she said, drumming her fingers on the table—a telltale sign of agitation.

Joseph caught the gesture and continued. Three years ago, when Emilia vanished, her mother, Wanda Harvey, fell gravely ill from grief and worry. The Alps' cliffs were notoriously deadly; surviving a fall was nearly impossible. Despite extensive searches, months passed with no sign of Emilia.

Left with only one daughter, Wanda couldn't take the loss and took to her bed. During that time, Landen introduced his illegitimate daughter, Florence, claiming he'd had no idea she existed until then. He spun a sob story about his past breakup with Florence's mother, learning about the pregnancy too late to be part of her life, and her choice to raise Florence on her own.

"Florence is a good kid, had a tough childhood without a father. Now that she's back, can't we help her fit in—especially since we don't know what happened to Emilia?" Landen had pleaded.

His audacity made Wanda's condition worse. With Wanda sick and Emilia missing, opportunists inside Harvey Corporation seized the moment to stir up chaos. Board members and competitors started scheming for a takeover, with Landen using his status as Wanda's husband and Emilia's father to push for control.

Milana was pushed out during the turmoil.

Landen rallied a chunk of the board to his side, but Joseph shut him down. He produced a paternity certificate for the children and a notarized letter from Wanda giving him authority to manage the company while Emilia was gone. That document—sanctioned by Wanda as a major shareholder—was the game changer, putting Joseph in charge.

Joseph paused, signaling that he was done.

Emilia tapped her fingers on the table, letting the silence stretch, then asked, "Where's my mother now? Is she alive?"

Her voice was soft, empty.

Joseph shook his head with a sigh: "She's alive, but I don't know where she is."

"What do you mean?"

"While I gained control of the company, Landen moved your mother without my knowledge—transferred her to an overseas facility," Joseph explained, his tone heavy with guilt. "I've been searching for three years, and I only recently found out she's in a hidden care home abroad."

He paused, his sigh deep and genuine: "I'm sorry, Emilia."

Emilia didn't acknowledge the apology. She asked another question instead: "What did Landen get in exchange for keeping my mother hidden?"

Given Joseph's abilities, Emilia doubted he was naïve. Landen had failed to seize power, so why would Joseph tolerate him for three years? Unless Landen had used Wanda as leverage in some kind of deal.

Joseph was surprised by her sharpness, but he lowered his gaze. The reflection in his gold-rimmed glasses masked whatever was in his eyes.

"He wanted two core technologies from Harvey Corporation—ones that account for thirty percent of our profits."

Thirty percent? Landen had some nerve! Threatening the company's lifeline would make Joseph step carefully, too afraid to provoke him.

"You could've refused the deal," Emilia pointed out.

If Joseph had said no, Landen couldn't have blackmailed him, and Joseph would've had full control.

Joseph lifted his eyes, a rare warmth softening his usual cool demeanor: "Emilia, you don't need to test me. We're husband and wife, and your mother is under my protection."

His stare was so intense it made Emilia uncomfortable enough to look away: "We don't have any romantic ties."

"But we have children."

"Children?"

Of course! Emilia suddenly realized she hadn't even asked about the kids. As far as she knew, she and Joseph had never slept together!

Were the records wrong? Had they actually been together—and had children?

If so, she'd need to sort out whatever was going on with Zahir!

"Mommy~"

"Mommy! Is that you, Mommy?"