Amelia had no choice but to hail a taxi to get home. Even though the Reynold Group building stood in the heart of the city, the streets were nearly empty at this late hour. It would have been better if she had found a nearby motel to stay for the night, but she couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her two little ones every day, and she knew they would be worried sick if she didn't return. She stood by the side of the road, hugging herself against the cold wind as she waited for a taxi. The night had already turned chilly, and the gusts of wind made her shiver. She waited for a long time, but no taxi showed up. At this point, she was frustrated and cursed Leo out loud for leaving her behind. She pulled out her phone and considered calling a ride-hailing service instead. Just then, she heard playful voices behind her. Turning around, she spotted a group of hooligans with variously colored hair approaching. Their expressions changed to one of surprise when they saw her. "
"Blood!" Amelia exclaimed. Leo glanced at the back of his hand and noticed a small wound. It must have been accidentally caught on a metal buckle from the clothing of one of the thugs he had just beaten up. He frowned and muttered, "It's just a small wound." Amelia shook her head. "Even if it's just a small wound, you can't be careless. If tetanus sets in, it could become serious." She pursed her lips and glanced at Leo's car parked nearby. "Can I borrow your car? I'll take you to the hospital to treat the wound." Leo raised an eyebrow. Amelia had just acted like she wanted to keep her distance from him in the office. Now she was so concerned about whether he'd get tetanus. The corners of Leo's mouth curled slightly. Amelia worried he might misunderstand, quickly explained, "After all, you were hurt because of me. If something happens, I'll feel guilty." Leo didn’t pay much attention to her explanation. He simply nodded in agreement and tossed her the car keys. Amelia
Amelia quickly prepared the noodles. After about fifteen minutes, two bowls of delicious and fragrant noodles were ready. Amelia reached for her bowl, but it was too hot. "Ouch!" she gasped, dropping it quickly. Seeing this, Leo walked over. “Let me handle it,” he said, picking up the bowls and heading toward the dining room. Amelia didn’t argue and followed him from behind. They sat across from each other. Amelia inhaled deeply and couldn’t help but say, “It smells amazing. My cooking skills are still top-notch.” Leo shot her a cold glance then scoffed, "Self-promotion doesn't really count.” Amelia paused, looking at him with bloodshot eyes. “You don’t think it’s good? Fine, don’t eat it—give it back to me.” She reached for his bowl. But Leo clutched it tightly, staring back. “What do you mean, give it back? You may have cooked it, but the ingredients are mine. So technically, the noodles are mine too. You should hand yours over to me instead.” Amelia sneered
He spoke softly, “If you want to go home and see Liam and Ella, you should clean yourself up first. You wouldn’t want them to think something happened to you last night, would you?” Amelia looked at herself and saw that she was a mess. Her hair was messy, and her clothes were wrinkled. If she returned like this, the kids might think something happened to her and question her. So, Amelia went back to the room to freshen up. When she returned downstairs, she found Leo had already made breakfast. Naturally, Leo’s breakfast wasn’t extravagant—just some toast and boiled eggs. Amelia couldn’t just leave without eating, so she sat down to have breakfast. After finishing, Leo suddenly said, “I’ll go with you.” Amelia was startled, and her eyes showed a hint of alertness. “You’ve already used up your visiting rights for this week.” Leo sneered, “Who said that?” “You did,” she replied as he approached her step by step. "Four times a month, half a day each time. But last time,
He looked over to Amelia. “Do you feel the same way?” Amelia trembled slightly. She certainly didn’t share that view. Leo was right; although the two little ones were quite smart, letting them live on their own was still dangerous, especially with her irregular work hours. It was manageable on ordinary days, but overtime was frequent when she was busy. She couldn’t always leave the two little ones at home alone. Amelia pressed her lips together. “Are you planning to secretly send someone to take the children away while I’m gone?” This was her greatest fear. If Leo truly intended to hide the children, she wouldn’t have the means to find them. Leo almost laughed in disbelief. “If I wanted to take them away while you weren’t around, don’t you think that would be much easier?” Amelia was momentarily taken aback, considering his words. They did seem to make sense. Was he genuinely just trying to arrange care for the children, with no hidden motives? Leo shook his head in disb
Upon seeing this, Amelia feared he might explode at any moment, so she quickly said, “Okay, thank you.” “You’re welcome,” the vendor replied. Amelia swiftly pulled Leo aside. Once they were alone, she handed him a tissue. “The women at the market can be quite enthusiastic. You might not be used to it, but they have no ill intentions. Besides, they won’t like you just because you have money. So in the future, don’t act like a nouveau riche.” Leo raised an eyebrow. “Nouveau riche?” The Reynold family had been prominent in the city for generations. With a lineage of over a hundred years, their family background was likely unmatched by any other wealthy family in the country. And she called him a nouveau riche? Amelia made a sound of agreement. “Anyway, just don’t do it again.” After she finished speaking, she ignored him and continued walking forward, holding the two small bags while the kids followed behind her, leaving Leo. Leo stood in place, carefully pondering her
After Amelia finished cooking, she served the food on the dining table, with Leo assisting her in dishing it out. The twins were delighted with their meal. As they ate, they kept complimenting her. “Mommy’s cooking has improved again.” “Mommy’s food is the most delicious in the whole world.” She served each of the two little ones some vegetables and said, “If it’s delicious, eat more.” Ella replied, “Okay, I’ll eat more and grow taller.” Liam chimed in, “I’ll eat more and grow up faster so I can help Mommy more.” Amelia smiled, feeling an incredible warmth inside. Leo watched from the side and felt a similar warmth. After dinner, he took the initiative to wash the dishes. Amelia didn’t argue with him. Instead, she took the two little ones aside to help them with their homework. Both children were very smart and didn’t need her tutoring at all, so all she did was to sit and watch them do it themselves. Liam often complained that the homework assigned by the teacher
Amelia's heart raced as she read the message, the message carried a sense of urgency that made her feel uneasy. Her mind flooded with lots of questions: "What could be so important that someone would go to these lengths? What was Sophia hiding?" She quickly turned her screen off and tried to steady her breathing. A thousand questions were swirling in her mind but she needed to stay composed to avoid raising any suspicion. Leo noticed the change in her expression. “Amelia, is everything okay?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. She forced a smile. “It's nothing, just work stuff,” she replied, tucking her phone into her pocket. But Liam wasn't convinced, he knew his mother too well and he tugged on her sleeve again. “Mom, are you sure? You look worried.” Amelia's gaze softened as she looked down at him. She reached out and ruffled his hair. “It's grown-up stuff, sweetie. Nothing to worry about.” Meanwhile, Eleven observed Amelia closely. Her training made her hyper-aware of
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