Chapter 2

Alice’s POV

Of course, I should have known. How else would my mother have gotten that much money? Her savings could never amount to such a large sum.

I felt a deep sense of disappointment, an ache settling in my chest. I never imagined my mother capable of theft. But then, a thought struck me. Why did she do it?

The answer was painfully clear.

She did it for me.

Everything my mother had ever done in her life was for my sake.

She endured years of abuse from my father—for me.

She left him, walking away from a toxic marriage—for me.

Every sacrifice she made, every tear she shed, every decision she took—it was all for me.

How could I sit here and judge her?

I took a deep breath, wiping my tears away. I had no time to wallow in shame or regret. My mother needed me. No matter what she had done, I had to get her back.

I grabbed my car keys from the table and rushed out of the house. My car—a battered old Toyota—was barely hanging on, but it would get me where I needed to be.

I had to see her. I had to make this right.

Andrew’s POV

I sat in my office, fingers tapping against the polished wood of my desk, waiting for the call from the police. They should have caught her by now. They had no excuse not to.

My son, Steve, sat on the couch across from me, quietly playing with his toy car. He had been upset when I told him we had to postpone our trip to the amusement park, but I couldn’t focus on that now. My mind was consumed by one thing—the stolen diamonds.

I regretted ever removing them from their rightful place.

They should have stayed locked inside the safe.

My mother’s voice echoed in my mind, taking me back to the day I lost her.

It had been a tragic accident—a plane crash that took both my parents away. My father had died on impact, but my mother had survived, if only for a few short hours. I had been in a business meeting when I received the call. I rushed to the hospital, my heart pounding in terror, only to find her frail and barely conscious.

She had pressed the velvet box into my hands, her weak fingers trembling.

"These diamonds, Andrew… they mean everything to me."

Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to speak.

"Promise me… you will keep them safe. Never lose them."

And then, right before my eyes, she took her last breath.

I had watched her die.

The pain of that moment never left me. I had blamed myself for her death for years, though I had no reason to. I carried that guilt everywhere, using it as fuel to build my empire.

I never loved anyone again—until my son came along.

The sound of my phone ringing jolted me back to the present.

I grabbed it instantly. "Hello?"

"Mr. Walker," the officer on the line said, "we’ve apprehended the suspect. She is in custody now."

A wave of relief washed over me, but it was short-lived.

"Did you recover my mother’s diamonds?" I asked, my grip tightening around the phone.

There was a pause.

"No, sir. She sold them to a diamond company."

My blood boiled.

"What?!" I barked. "Give me the name of that damn company!"

"We’re looking into it, sir—"

"I don’t care if you’re looking into it!" I snapped. "Send me the name. I’ll handle this myself. And I’m coming to the station right now!"

I ended the call before they could say another word.

Storming toward the door, I grabbed my car keys and turned to Steve.

"Come on, son. We’re going out."

He hopped off the couch, sensing the urgency in my voice. I picked him up and carried him to the car, fastening his seatbelt before speeding toward the station.

When we arrived, I barely acknowledged the officers greeting me. My focus was singular.

I walked up to the reception desk. "Watch my son," I instructed the officer there, motioning toward Steve. Without waiting for a response, I marched inside.

The moment I stepped into the interrogation room, I saw her—the woman who had betrayed me.

Claudia.

The sight of her made my blood boil. She was kneeling on the floor, tears streaming down her wrinkled face, her hands pressed together in a desperate plea.

"Please, sir!" she sobbed. "Don’t put me in jail! I’m sorry! I did it for my daughter’s college fees!"

Her words meant nothing to me.

My mother’s diamonds were gone, and I wanted revenge.

"You stole from me," I hissed, my fists clenched at my sides. "You stole from my mother. And now, you’ll pay."

She continued to plead, but I wasn’t listening.

Anger surged through me, uncontrollable, blinding. I raised my hand, ready to slap her across the face.

But before I could bring my hand down—

Someone grabbed my wrist.

I turned sharply, my rage momentarily interrupted. My eyes landed on a young woman standing beside me, her grip firm despite the trembling in her fingers.

Her eyes, red and swollen from crying, locked onto mine with fierce determination.

"Stop," she said, her voice cracking. "Please… don’t hurt my mother."

I narrowed my eyes, yanking my hand free. "And who the hell are you?"

"Alice," she whispered. "I’m her daughter."

I scoffed. "Then you should be ashamed."

She flinched, but she didn’t back down. "My mother made a mistake," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But she’s not a bad person."

I laughed bitterly. "She’s a thief."

Alice’s lips trembled, but she stood her ground. "She was desperate. She only wanted to help me. If you have any heart at all, you’ll drop the charges."

I stared at her, unmoved. "Not a chance."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Please… I’ll do anything. Just don’t let my mother go to prison."

I clenched my jaw. Anything?

A dark idea formed in my mind, one that would ensure I got my revenge and made her pay for what her mother did.

I leaned closer, lowering my voice so only she could hear.

"Fine," I said, a slow smirk forming on my lips. "You want to save your mother?"

Alice nodded frantically. "Yes, I do."

"Then marry me."

Her breath hitched. "What?"

"You heard me," I said coldly. "Marry me, and I’ll drop the charges."

She stared at me in shock, her face going pale.

This was her only chance to save her mother.