Billionaire's Bride

That Awful Night

“The person we love the most will hurt us the most…”

Eric stared at Janette, his eyes filled with pity. She believed that what was rightfully hers was the source of all her misery. Clearing his throat, he gathered the attention of Erie, his wife, Asher, her husband, and Janette, his sister—his only surviving family member.

From the moment he first saw her, Eric knew Janette was his sister. They shared an indescribable bond. Anyone who looked at her could see she was a Stark, but not Robert Stark’s daughter—she was Roger Stark’s. Robert, the man who had murdered his own brother. Now, Eric realized it was time to finally tell her the truth about her identity. He glanced at Asher, who gave a subtle nod of approval.

"Janette, there’s something you need to know," Asher began, his voice gentle. At first, Janette seemed distracted, her attention on her nails. But at his words, her focus shifted entirely to her husband.

“That night, our parents—and Asher’s mother—were returning from the New Year’s gala. You were in the car with them. It was snowing heavily, and the brakes failed. The car collided with a truck.” Asher paused, his voice thick with emotion. “The truck belonged to Robert Stark. The driver fled the scene, and although the three adults died on impact, the police couldn’t find Rose’s body.”

Eric sighed, tears welling in his eyes. Erie rubbed his back, trying to comfort him, while Asher clenched his fists, struggling to contain his own grief. Janette sat in stunned silence, unable to process this revelation. She had never seen these two men, usually so strong, so broken. And now she had to face the reality that her parents had been killed.

Janette opened her mouth, but words failed her. Did this really mean she was Rose? She resembled the Starks, Roger and Katherine, but she had never known them—never felt the same pain Asher and Eric carried from that night. They had been five years old, but she had only been two and a half at the time.

“Then why isn’t Robert Stark in jail for killing his own brother and those innocent people?” she finally asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Asher sighed heavily. “We had no evidence to prove it,” he said, avoiding her gaze. Seeing the defeat in his eyes nearly broke her heart. “At first, I couldn’t believe my own uncle was responsible. He raised me like his own child. But when I decided to pursue interior design—what my father wanted me to do according to his will—Robert pushed me toward software design instead. He manipulated me into thinking I wasn’t cut out for anything else. That’s when I realized he was trying to control my life, and I vowed to build something even greater than Stark Corporation. I succeeded.” He smiled faintly, pride flickering through his pain.

Janette gave him a small, reassuring smile. “That proves you're my brother,” she whispered. Eric returned her smile, though it was a sad one.

“When they couldn’t find you, I never lost hope,” Eric said, his voice trembling. “I prayed every day that you were out there, safe, and that we’d be reunited someday.”

Tears welled in Janette’s eyes as she stood up and hugged her brother. Asher and Erie were wiping their own eyes, the weight of the past heavy in the room.

“The moment I saw you, I knew,” Eric whispered as she pulled away. “You look so much like Mom.”

Eric wasn’t usually this emotional, but the truth of what he’d endured hit her hard. Asher had lost his mother, but Eric had lost his entire family and had been raised by the man who killed them. It was true—those who love us the most have the power to hurt us the deepest, and in this case, it was Robert Stark.

“If you don’t accept Stark Corporation, our revenge will never be complete,” Asher said softly. Eric nodded in agreement, his eyes pleading with her.

“For that company, Robert Stark destroyed countless lives,” Janette argued, her frustration growing. “And you want me to take it, knowing it’ll only bring more danger to the people I love?”

“We’ve already lost so much,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “My whole life was a lie because of that company.”

“We’ll get through this together,” Erie finally spoke, her voice calm. “And I have some good news.” She smiled, her cheeks flushing slightly.

“What is it?” Janette asked, the tension in the room briefly lifting.

“I’m four weeks pregnant,” Erie announced, beaming. For the first time that night, Janette felt a burst of joy.

Eric’s face lit up with surprise and happiness. He rushed over, hugging his wife tightly and placing a hand on her stomach. Janette and Asher exchanged a look of shared happiness and relief.

“Congratulations to both of you!” they exclaimed together.

“You’re our lucky charm,” Erie said to Janette, her smile radiant. Despite the storm looming over them, this news brought a glimmer of hope.

Asher and Janette decided it was time to head home. As they left, Asher squeezed her hand gently. “I’m happy for them,” he said.

“Me too,” Janette agreed, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Asher turned serious. “Janette, what’s your decision?”

“I need more time,” she replied quietly. She looked up into his deep blue eyes—eyes that had become her home. He wrapped his arm around her, and together, they walked toward their future, unaware of what the next morning would bring.