The man’s face twisted with a sneer. “What am I talking about? This is all your fault! If not for you, Elise would still be alive right now! It was your idea to have her go out and clear everything up, and now she’s gone, dead because of that decision.” He continued, his voice rising with anger, “If you hadn’t come looking for her, she would never have left the house. None of this would’ve happened if not for you!” The sting of the accusation lingered in the air as the crowd around them started to murmur. Their glances toward Amelia felt heavy as if she were the murderer. Amelia felt herself unravel a little, caught off guard. She had never imagined the situation would turn out like this. The man’s outburst had been unexpected as well. After all, what had she done to become the villain in this narrative? She hadn’t done anything wrong. Still, Amelia recognized the depth of grief Elise’s family was experiencing. People often said things in the depth of mourning—things they didn’t
"I created this platform. I can't simply give it all away, especially when it's still in its formative stages. I've carefully crafted a long-term development plan, and I won't just stand by and watch someone else ruin it." Sophia’s grin widened. “But you know that if you want to stay involved, you’ll need to work under the Reynolds Group. We can't have someone from outside taking on such a key position. Are you truly ready to work under me?” Under the table, Amelia's fists tightened until her nails bit into her palms. Sophia really thought that she would give up her hard work that easily to her—what a joke. In the ruthless world of business, alliances meant little; only advantage mattered. She couldn’t trust anyone to handle her platform like she would, nor could she expect Sophia to give her full control. So she just had to play along for a while until she was able to rise back up. Swallowing her pride, Amelia murmured, “As long as you keep personal issues separate from busine
Leo looked at her coldly, his eyes spitting ice. The air in the restroom grew heavy, the space becoming colder as if his presence alone drained all warmth. "What are you doing here?" His voice was as frosty as his gaze. Amelia smirked. "And why shouldn't I be? Besides, what right do you have to ask me that question? Do you own this bar, Mr. Reynold?" Leo hesitated. An inexplicable anger rose inside him. He couldn't quite understand the source of his frustration. The sight of her laughing and talking with another man stirred something unpleasant within him, leaving him feeling suffocated. Amelia noticed his silence and pressed on, her tone laced with mockery. She pried his fingers from her wrist, one by one. "If you're done, Mr. Reynold, kindly leave. Some of us are trying to enjoy ourselves here." With that, she turned to walk away. But just as she did, he grabbed her wrist again, this time pressing her against the wall. The pain shot through her back as she str
The next day, Amelia stood at the entrance of Galleria Mall, the biggest Mall in the city, surrounded by a lively atmosphere. Laughter and chatter resonated through the expensive space as shoppers filled the hallways. Underneath her composed exterior, however, urgency brewed. She had two days left—just two—before Sophia would send over the acquisition documents for her signature. She needed to flip the situation before then, or all her efforts would be for nothing. Today was her only shot to change the narrative. There was a red carpet event scheduled for tomorrow evening, and her plan, though bold, felt like the only option. Cindy Moss, a renowned model with a huge fan base and adored by everyone, had the kind of influence that could turn things around for Amelia. Cindy was constantly sought after by major clothing brands, and whatever she wore immediately gained attention and popularity. If Amelia could convince Cindy to model her design, it would shift the public conversati
Cindy noticed Amelia's presence, leaned closer to her grandmother, and whispered, “Who is she?” “Oh… Cindy, this is the lady who helped me retrieve my bag from the thief and brought me here. Her name is Amelia.” The old woman turned her gaze to Amelia. “Amelia, this is my only granddaughter, Cindy.” Amelia’s heart raced as the pieces of her plan suddenly fell into place. “Wait, you’re Cindy Moss's grandmother?” she asked, hope igniting within her. The old woman smiled, her eyes sparkling with recognition. “Yes, dear, I am. Cindy is my pride and joy. She’s making quite a name for herself in the modeling world.” What a coincidence! Cindy took Amelia's hands in hers and said, “I'm grateful to you for helping my grandma and bringing her to the hospital. Thank you so much.” Amelia didn't know what to say at that moment; it was as if she had forgotten how to speak. It was indeed a small world. Who would have imagined that the old woman she saved happened to be related to Ci
Leo couldn’t get Amelia off his mind after seeing her at the bar, looking stunning. He had a banquet to attend and needed a date. He could easily ask anyone or even invite Sophia, but it was Amelia his heart and body desired. After hesitating for a while, he decided to call her, hoping for a chance, despite knowing how stubborn the new Amelia could be. To his surprise, she answered, but her cold tone sent a chill down his spine. Leo’s voice softened as he said, “There’s a banquet tonight. Will you come with me?” Amelia was taken aback. Was he serious? After what he did at the bar the other day and with his company trying to buy hers, he still had the nerve to ask her to be his date. Just as she was about to refuse and hang up, Leo added, “Mr. Cooper Barnes, the CEO of the largest e-commerce platform, will be there. They have advanced technology—you could learn a thing or two from him.” At the mention of Cooper Barnes, Amelia’s interest was piqued. Cooper Barnes was a giant in Ne
Upon hearing her words, Leo’s eyes widened in surprise. He immediately retorted, “When did I say I was leaving?” He paused, feeling a bit uneasy as he glanced toward Cooper. “What are you guys having for supper? I’m feeling a bit hungry too, so I’ll reluctantly join you.” Cooper struggled to hold back his laughter. He had never seen Leo act like this before—so childish, almost immature. However, Amelia furrowed her brows. Sophia’s words earlier had served as a good reminder for her. She shouldn't get too close to Leo again. She had once given him her heart, and it had cost her greatly, even leading to the loss of her brother’s life. Now, she couldn’t afford to lose herself again. With that in mind, Amelia coldly replied, “No thanks. Mr. Reynold’s status is far too noble; it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to have supper with people like us.” Leo was taken aback. He couldn’t understand why Amelia was acting this way. Ever since she had come out of the restroom, she had been
Approximately ten minutes later, the barbecue dishes began arriving one by one. The first plates were set in front of Amelia, and she seemed pleased with them. There were assorted seafood, cuts of beef, and mushrooms. Although Leo was unaccustomed to some of the flavors, he found them edible enough to try. Then a dish of something unusual was placed before him. His stoic demeanor faltered, and Amelia, grinning, urged, “Come on, eat up! Why are you hesitating?” Leo scoffed. If he chose to eat, he would. What was there to fear? Wasn’t it merely a plate of chili cheese fries with an extra kick? He resolved to try it. With that in mind, he took a forkful of the vibrant dish topped with an odd assortment of toppings and placed it in his mouth. Amelia watched with an amused expression. In an instant, Leo’s brow furrowed, and he rushed to the nearby trash can to spit it out. “What kind of fries are these? Why do they taste so strange?” He nearly voiced his concern, wondering if
Leo claimed her mouth in a kiss that was rough and filled with longing, devouring her like a hungry wolf that had been starved for days. Amelia matched his intensity, intertwining her fingers in his hair while moaning between the kisses. His hands moved up her body, exploring every inch as if he had been waiting for this moment forever and had finally gotten the opportunity. She gasped when his fingers brushed her nipple, which was already hard and longing to be licked and devoured by his mouth. She could feel the hardness of his desire pressing against her, only intensifying her own need. “You drive me crazy Amelia Smith,” he murmured against her lips. “I miss you and I don’t want to hold back tonight. I want every part of you baby girl.” “Then don’t hold back,” she quickly replied, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I’m all yours, claim me, Daddy.” Her words made his hormones rise even further. Without breaking the kiss, he hurriedly lifted her and carried her t
The next day, the news spread online that Sophia committed suicide by hanging herself in prison. It felt strange and heavy but for Amelia, it meant a bitter-sweet relief. She woke up with a slight headache, the sunlight streaming through the curtains. Last night memories flooded through her mind—Leo's warm embrace, his apology and reassurance, the soft kiss that stirred long-hidden feelings. Her cheeks warmed and the color turned a shade of pink. She reached out for Leo who was already awake, sitting against the headboard with a look of concern etched on his face. “Morning, beautiful,” he said softly, studying her face for any signs of distress. “Morning,” Amelia replied, blushing and rubbing her temples. “What happened last night? I remember bits and pieces.” That was a lie, she remembered every single detail but just wanted to play innocent. Leo smiled gently. “You had a little too much fun celebrating your aunt's recovery. But it was a good night for us.” Ame
A month later, Aunt Elsa’s condition had stabilized. The surgical wound had nearly healed, and all that was left was some aftercare. Once home, she could take her medication and recuperate slowly without needing further hospitalization. Early that morning, Amelia went to the hospital to handle Aunt Elsa’s discharge procedures. In the hospital room, Aunt Elsa was sitting on the bed, watching TV. Seeing Amelia come in, Aunt Elsa smiled and said, “You’re just in time. Come and see this.” She pointed to the TV. Curious, Amelia looked over and saw the news playing. A familiar face appeared on the screen, and the host’s flat, detached voice filled the room. “Recently, the sensational murder case has concluded. The primary culprit, Sophia Jones, has been found guilty of her crime." "Due to the severity and serial nature of the case, she has been sentenced to life imprisonment.” Amelia blinked rapidly, her thoughts swirling as she tried to process the news. Life imprisonm
That night, Aunt Elsa woke up. Blake checked on her and found her condition better than he had expected. Perhaps Amelia’s persistence had truly moved the heavens, as the cancer cells had cleared, and even the memory loss Blake had anticipated wasn’t present. It all seemed too good to be true. When Amelia heard the news, she was naturally overjoyed. Leo also heard about Elsa’s successful surgery. He didn’t say much, but that night, he quietly ordered the kitchen to prepare a few extra dishes, silently celebrating Elsa’s recovery. Amelia had agreed to marry Leo to secure Blake’s help for Aunt Elsa. Now that Aunt Elsa was nearly healed, Amelia realized her relationship with Leo was a temporary fix. She knew she had to find a way to completely cut ties with him. That night, Amelia decided to cook a few dishes herself. To prevent anyone from interrupting her plan, she sent the children out with Eleven for the night. Then, she dismissed the household staff Leo had hired for th
As Inspector Ralph led Sophia to the police station, her heart raced with a mix of fear and disbelief.Soon, they arrived, and one of the officers led her into the interrogation room and gestured towards a chair, "Miss Jones, please take a seat. Inspector Ralph will be here shortly."With that he left, leaving her all alone in the room. The cold, bare room did nothing to calm her racing heart it only made her heart beat faster with each passing second.The walls were painted a dull gray, and the only light was a flickering fluorescent bulb that buzzed overhead. The smell of cleaning products filled the air, making her even more anxious.She never imagined that one day she would end up in this kind of situation. She stood up to reduce the pacing of her heart and her trembling fingers.Soon, the door opened and Inspector Ralph walked in. Sophia sat down, trying to stay calm and composed. "What kind of nightmare is this?" She thought. "Can I wake up already?" She pinched herself and
She said in a calm voice, “You didn’t do anything wrong, and I don’t need your apology.” Once, those words had been what she wanted most, but now they meant nothing to her. The bitterness of the past clung to her like a heavy fog. She’d never considered forgiving him, so how could she accept it? After Amelia finished speaking, Leo felt a tightening in his chest. He ran a hand through his hair, frustration coursing through him as he processed the weight of her words. “Don’t say that. We were all kept in the dark before. Now that the truth is out, you know I didn’t do those things on purpose, right?” he said quickly, his voice rising slightly. Amelia sneered. “Yes, you didn’t do it on purpose, but can the pain I suffered over the years be forgotten? Leo, you didn’t personally send someone to kill us, but back then, you did divorce me because of Sophia, didn’t you?” “I can’t hate you, but I can never forgive you. We can’t pretend those years never happened. Neither you nor I c
The sentence made both Amelia and Leo furrow their brows. They exchanged curious glances, wondering what could prompt Black Cobra to say such a thing. Leo’s gaze hardened as he made a decision. “Pardon the living, punish the dead.” With those words, he signaled his agreement to Black Cobra’s condition. Black Cobra breathed a sigh of relief. At least he had a chance to keep living to protect his family. He knew his death would endanger their lives, and he couldn’t risk it. He then revealed the secret he’d been hiding. “The accident that led to your best friend Damien's death had nothing to do with Amelia. She wasn't the one responsible." The revelation left them both stunned. Relief washed over Amelia. Damien’s death had nothing to do with her; while surprising, Black Cobra’s words intrigued her even more. Still, she was curious to know who had caused the accident that led to Damien's death and why they’d framed her. With questions swirling in her mind, she looked at
After getting out of the car, James opened the door, and they walked into the building. As soon as they entered, Amelia’s first impression was the smell of blood. The lights turned on, revealing a man lying on the marble floor of the living room, covered in blood. His hair clung together with sweat and blood, and both of his hands hung limply, possibly broken. His legs twisted in an unnatural position, making him look grotesque. Amelia felt as if she had seen him from somewhere. Leo gestured to James, who stepped forward and brushed away the hair covering the man’s face, revealing the person who had kidnapped her before. “How did he end up here?” Amelia asked in disbelief. Leo glanced at her. “What do you think?” It suddenly dawned on Amelia that Leo’s promise of a show tonight referred to this. Her eyes turned cold. She wasn’t a saint and wouldn’t sympathize with someone who had tried to harm her. “Who sent you to kidnap me?” she asked, her voice icy. Black Cobra had
On the ground, lay a mobile phone from which Sophia's voice echoed. “Have you taken action? This is your last chance Cobra, I won’t allow any more mistakes,” Sophia said sharply. Black Cobra replied coldly, “Don’t worry. This time, either she dies or I perish.” After several failures, Black Cobra’s patience had worn completely thin. Combined with Sophia’s relentless pursuit and threats, he felt trapped with no way out. He knew that failure was not an option this time, the future of his family hung in the balance, and the pressure weighed heavily on him. After speaking, Black Cobra picked up the sniper rifle. He believed that as long as Amelia dared to come out, he could kill her. Even if he was caught afterward, he would not regret it. Sophia listened to the commotion on the other end and breathed a sigh of relief before hanging up the phone. Meanwhile, at Wilson’s Domestic Group, Amelia was about to leave the office when her assistant informed her of Leo’s presence in t