Invisible to My First Love (Harper and Maddox) novel Chapter 145

**Blueprint 145**
**Chapter 145**

**Harper**

For a fleeting moment, she averted her gaze, as if grappling with the weight of the moment. The hand she had withdrawn from mine seemed to linger in the air, unsure of where to go.

Then, with a sudden shift, she adjusted her skirt, smoothing it down as if it had become an unexpected source of discomfort.

“No,” she replied with a lightness that felt forced. “And I’ve never heard that name before.” In a swift motion, she rose from the couch, a bit too hastily, as if the very act of sitting had become unbearable. “I’ll make us some tea.”

I observed her retreat towards the kitchen, a heavy sigh escaping my lips, echoing in the silence that enveloped us. There was more beneath the surface, and I wasn’t prepared to let it go. So, I followed her, driven by a mix of concern and curiosity.

Upon entering the kitchen, I found her at the sink, kettle in hand, her back turned to me. Her movements were delicate, almost as if she feared that any sudden jolt might spill not just the water but the secrets she was holding back.

“Aunt,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “You obviously know something. Please.” I inched closer, hoping my proximity would encourage her to open up.

Yet, she remained steadfast, her back still facing me.

“I need you to tell me,” I pressed, my voice wavering despite my attempts to maintain composure. “I’m begging you.”

With a resigned sigh, she walked to the other side of the kitchen, placing the kettle on the stove with a deliberate slowness.

Finally, she turned slightly, her eyes meeting mine, revealing a hint of the turmoil beneath her calm exterior.

“Yes, I do know someone named Landon Beauregard,” she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

My heart raced, eyebrows shooting up in surprise, prompting me to step even closer.

“Why did you deny it before?” I questioned, urgency creeping into my tone.

“That doesn’t matter right now. What’s crucial is this: where did you hear that name?”

“From Dean Beauregard. I’ve known him for a while. He told me that Landon is his father and that I might be his sister. He even showed me an old photograph of my mom with Landon.”

She inhaled sharply, her eyes fluttering shut for a brief moment as if bracing herself against the weight of the revelation.

“What did Dean tell you about Landon?” she asked, reopening her eyes, narrowing them as if assessing the truth of my words.

“He said that my mom and Landon were a couple, but his family disapproved. He was next in line to inherit the entire Beauregard business empire, and they made it abundantly clear that if he married someone of her status, he would lose everything. He chose the empire, and that was that. They never saw each other again.”

She scoffed, a mixture of disbelief and bitterness. “And?”

My brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“What else did Dean tell you? That can’t be all.”

“Well, I couldn’t take in more after that. It was too much to process, so I left.”

“There’s so much more to this story, dear. Come, sit with me.”

She gestured to a chair beside the counter, pulling it out for me.

As I settled next to her, she stared at the counter, as if it held the answers to the questions swirling in my mind.

“Landon fought for my sister,” she began, her voice steadying as she recalled the past. “He argued with his family countless times. They even envisioned a future together amidst all that chaos. She was already pregnant at that time, and he knew it. But when the final ultimatum hit, he chose the empire, believing that power was the only way to rise above his family and eventually control them.”

I sighed, the weight of her words settling heavily on my chest. “I’ve never met him, so I’m assuming that plan didn’t work out.”

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