CHAPTER 1
Amelia stood by the gravesite as the first shovelfuls of soil fell upon her grandmother’s casket. Each handful seemed to carry away a piece of her soul. The people around her remained hushed and solemn, their heads dipped in a communal silence — a silence filled with memories, love, and regret. But for Amelia Harper Cole, this moment seemed more dramatic, more permanent, more overwhelming. It felt as if the last thread tying her to this world was gone.
As the soil fell, marking the final resting place for the woman who raised her, Amelia pressed her lips together in a thin, firm line. Inside, her soul was breaking; outside, she remained composed, not letting a single person see just how much this was tearing her apart.
Her grandmother had been her guardian, her anchor, the one person who kept her anchored to hope when the rest of her world seemed to be spinning madly. With her gone, it seemed there was no more refuge — no place left for her to find peace or understanding.
The preacher finished his brief service and nodded quietly at the small group of mourners. Few people remained; their number seemed to reflect their true loyalty. The rich and powerful were absent, not willing to be seen in the countryside, honoring a woman who meant the world to only a few. The rest were villagers and neighbors — kind people who came to pay their last respects.
Amelia remained there, staring at the grave, ignoring the drops of rain that were beginning to illuminate her black dress. A few fell against her cheeks, blending effortlessly with her tears. The heavens seemed to weep alongside her — for a life gone, a family stranded, and a future made more uncertain.
As the last handful of earth fell upon the casket, a strong pat on her shoulder made her stiffen. She turned reluctantly and came face to face with a gentleman dressed in a black suit and dark sunglasses. His silhouette seemed taller, more threatening against the grey heavens.
“Ms. Harper, there is someone who wants to speak to you. If you’d please accompany me.” His voice was gravelly, firm — not threatening, yet not entirely friendly. There was a confidence in it, a confidence that made her pause.
Amelia looked past him and noticed a sleek black custom Rolls-Royce phantom sedan waiting by the entrance of the cemetery. The tinted windows were dark, reflecting back the dim, barren landscape. The man nodded toward the vehicle, adding without ceremony, “He’s waiting for you there.”
Her hands tightened into fists at her sides. The rage that had been quietly shouldering in her for days was suddenly threatening to boil over. She knew she was late on her monthly repayments to the loan shark who had lent her money for her grandmother’s hospital bills but still, how dare he come with his goons to collect during her greatest moment of weakness, when she was already battling the raw agony of losing her last family?
She crossed the gravel path in large strides, not pausing, not letting herself tremble. The moment she reached the car, she rapped her knuckles against the tinted window — hard — a small rebellion against the power it seemed to represent. “How dare you?” she said through the glass, ignoring the two men in suits who stood nearby, hands crossed in a protective pose.
Slowly, the window lowered with a rhythmic purring of its motor. Inside was a man — well-dressed, composed, piercing blue-eyed — sitting back against the rich leather seats. His face seemed a mask of calm, a dramatic contrast to her own raw, unconstrained fury.
“Who are you?” she demanded. There was a tremor in her voice, not of weakness but of rage barely kept in check.
“Get in first and I'll let you know who I am.” His tone was icy, firm — not threatening in a physical sense, but in a way that made her realize ignoring him might come at a price.
“Can't you let me bury my grandmother first?” she said, her knuckles white against the car's side.
The man remained silent for a moment, then sighed. “I'm sorry, but this can't wait.” His piercing blue eyes remained fixed on her. “I just learned that you are my daughter and I had to come get you. I'm sorry for my bad timing.”
For a moment, there was silence — heavy, oppressive — as his words fell into the space between them. Daughter. The word seemed to cut through her disbelief and shock.
Amelia pressed her lips together in a sarcastic, bitter smile. “My father?” she said quietly, tasting the words. “Whatever game you’re playing, I’m not in the mood. Please leave before I call the police.” She turned her back and started toward the graveside again, ignoring the rush of confusion battling within her.
“Wait.” His voice was firm now, less composed, more urgent. There was something in it — something raw — that made her pause.
The man opened his jacket pocket and removed a piece of paper. Leaning forward, he handed it through the window. “See for yourself.”
Reluctantly, Amelia turned back and unfolded the document. The paper was a forensic report from the National Forensic Service — a DNA test — that listed her name alongside another. The result was clear and unmistakable: a match. The probability of paternity was 99.9%. Her hands trembled, and for a moment her knees felt weak.
As the reality of what she was seeing sank in, the man who had come to fetch her pressed forward and handed her a sleek black business card. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Amelia.” His voice seemed softer now, less hard, more vulnerable.
She turned the card over in her hands. It read:
Vincent Cole
President and Chief Executive Officer
Cole Enterprises — The Country’s Leading Entertainment Company
Amelia looked back toward the car. The man — her supposed father — remained sitting there, his piercing blue eyes not faltering under her gaze.
For years, she’d lived without a father, without a clear past — a woman defined by tragedy and her ability to conquer it. But now, in this moment, everything seemed to be shifting beneath her feet. Her greatest revenge, her greatest triumph, her greatest challenge — it all seemed to lead back to him.
As she stood there, soaked by rain and disbelief, the man stretched his hand through the window toward her in a silent invitation — to come forward, to face the future — whatever it might bring.
Amelia Harper Cole looked at the card in her hands, then back at the face in the car — a face she barely recognized and yet belonged to–