An Old Friend II

Micheal remained stunned for a good minute, unsure if he was actually staring at the sweet Amelia he used to know. He hadn't seen this part of her, and it had genuinely scared him.

"I..I'll drive you home." He managed to squeeze out after a minute of awkward silence between them.

"No, that's no fun at all. Show me around town, let me get to know your new life." Amelia suggested, a clever scheme to find out the lady who Michael had tried to replace her with. If Michael succumbed to her request, then chances were that she would meet this lady that Michael had fallen in love with.

Michael on the hand was quick to catch on to Amelia's plans, and immediately dismissed that idea. "You're exhausted, you should get some rest. We'll save the tour for another day—"

"I insist! It's my body, I know what's best for me." Amelia interjected sharply.

Michael clenched the steering wheel, unsure how to deal with Amelia's stubbornness. He knew what she was up to, and she wasn't doing much to cover her intentions either. He had no desire to entertain Amelia's sudden demands, but he knew her well enough to recognize that she wouldn't back down easily. A light smile escaped his lips and he forced a smile, hoping to deter her away from the rising frustration within him. She had just arrived, and had wasted no time in making life difficult for him.

"Alright, fine," he said, trying to sound casual. "But just for a little while."

Amelia's lips curled into a victorious smile as she buckled down her seatbelt. She gave Michael a look that sent a chill down his spine, one that made him wonder just how much she had changed. The Amelia he had known had always been sweet, but now there was something sharper, almost predatory, in her gaze. She seemed completely different, and he was unsure if he wanted to deal with this new version of her.

It took a while to drive from the airport to the company.They pulled into the parking lot of his workplace and he could see Amelia's eyes slowly widen in surprise. Jones and Stones was a growing empire, and was quite popular on the news these days, Michael wasn't surprised to see Amelia in shock. She probably didn't expect him to be an employee here, and he hadn't exactly bragged about it to anybody.

"This is where you work now?" she asked, her tone deceptively light.

"Yeah," Michael replied as he exited the car, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "It's a good place. I like it here."

Amelia smirked. "Seems... wonderful."

Michael knew that look—Amelia was judging, calculating, probably exploding inside with questions. She turned toward him, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Who's she?"

The question hung in the air, sharp and unexpected. Michael stiffened. He had anticipated this, but it still caught him off guard. "What do you mean?"

"The woman. The one who made you forget about me so easily." Amelia's voice was low, almost a whisper, but the intensity behind it was unmistakable. "Is she the CEO of this company? What was her name again, Olivia Jones?"

Michael hesitated, his mind racing. Amelia was smart, and while he could tell it was just a random guess, he still didn't answer. "You wanted a tour, right? Let's get to it." Michael brushed the question off before leading the way inside.

Amelia wasn't satisfied, but she didn't argue with Michael. She had seen his reaction to her question, and while she wasn't exactly sure if she had been correct about her guess, she was almost certain that his new 'lover' was also an employee here.

With a practiced smile, she followed after him, her eyes constantly glancing around and admiring the new heights that Michael had reached. Now she was even more desperate, there was no way he was leaving her for another lady, she wouldn't allow it.

Eyes turned towards the two of them the moment they entered the building. People greeted them, but the greetings were not louder than the whispers in the background as they walked by. Everyone in the company probably knew about Michael and Olivia, the chemistry they had was difficult to miss. So seeing him with another lady clung to his side was definitely surprising. They were curious, and it was clear on their faces, however nobody had the guts to walk up to Michael and ask him questions.

Michael did his best to ignore all the side talks, but Amelia wasn't exactly as composed as Michael was.

"They're whispering, is it because of us? What do you think they're talking about?" She inquired, a deceptive and light grin spread across her face.

"I wouldn't know, Amelia. There's a lot of things they could be talking about, don't be so focused on yourself, it's not healthy." Michael replied without restraints. His sarcasm was clear, as well as the message in his words.

Amelia was stunned for a moment, but she didn't argue back. She knew Michael had always been a direct and honest man, some men wouldn't even have said anything about their new lovers if they were in his shoes.

Michael took his guest around the building while making sure he avoided Olivia's floor and office as much as he could. He didn't want them to have a run in, and he didn't want to have to explain anything to her or Amelia, especially not in such a public space.

"That's it, we're done here, can we go home now?" Michael said as he led Amelia towards the last flight of stairs. Relief was written over his face, but that soon disappeared the moment a familiar voice called out to him.

"Michael, I've been searching everywhere for you—" Olivia paused momentarily when she saw the lady by Michael's side. "You brought a friend, care to introduce us?"

Amelia had recognized the lady the moment she laid eyes on her, and the sudden change in Michael's demeanor had confirmed her suspicion. Before Michael had the chance to say a word, Amelia stuck out her hand for a handshake, her lips already wording the sentences that Michael wanted to keep away from Olivia.

"Hi, I'm Amelia, Michael's fiance, it's nice to meet you."