《Addicted To Love》


 Chapter 1 Dealing With Adultery

    "Today is a good day. We can get what we want. Our hearts open up and we love each other... "


    "Ding Dong, Ding Dong..."


    A happy song played on Amelia''s iPod that reflected her exact state of mind. Just then, the doorbell rang. Amelia Mo turned around towards the door with a complacent smile. She was so excited that her heart was beating against her chest. Amelia Mo thought it was her love on the other side of the door. Who else could it be? He had come here to celebrate her 25th birthday.


    It must be her boyfriend, Jasper Gu. Amelia''s heart welled up with joy as she thought that Jasper had come back home early to make her feel special on her birthday. Amelia Mo pulled the new shirt she was wearing to make it prim and proper before she rushed to answer the door. Her face broke into a hearty smile, her cheeks adorned by the two sweet dimples. She unlocked the door and swung it open. Her happy face turned into a disappointed expression to find the person who was standing outside the door. Her beautiful smile gave away to a disgruntled frown as she asked, "What makes you come here?"


    "I have come here to give you the wedding invitation in person," Yolanda Mo said in a cold tone. She looked at Amelia Mo through the corner of her skillfully made-up eyes and false eyelashes.


    "There was no need for it because I won''t come to the wedding," Amelia Mo reverted with equal indifference and coldness which matched that of Yolanda''s way. After saying that, Amelia was about to close the door on Yolanda''s face.


    Just as Amelia was about to close the door, Yolanda Mo leaned against the door and forcefully popped the red wedding invitation card inside the room through the crack of the door. Amelia was left aghast at this intruding gesture while Yolanda sported a triumphant smile and said, "Amelia, please be there. It''s time for you to face reality."


    "What''s wrong with you?" Amelia Mo remarked as she found Yolanda Mo turn around and rush out of her sight. If Yolanda Mo didn''t run as fast as she could, Amelia Mo would definitely have had a big fight with her.


    Amelia was least bothered about Yolanda''s marriage.


    "For a fickle-minded girl like Yolanda who changed her boyfriend faster than changing her clothes, the very idea of getting married sounded like a joke. How ridiculous!"


    Amelia casually threw the marriage invitation card away. Then her eyes fell upon the big bunch of lilies that were gracing the tabletop. Immediately, the sparkle in Amelia''s eyes returned and her face broke into a smile once again. Jasper''s words reverberated in her mind to make her smile again and again. He said Amelia was just as pure and beautiful as a lily, so he bought a big bunch of lily flowers for her birthday. Nothing could be more romantic than this for Amelia. She held the lilies closed to her bosom and caressed them fondly as she could feel Jasper''s touch in them.


    An hour passed, but Jasper still didn''t show up. With every passing moment, Amelia was growing more and more impatient. Then came a time when she couldn''t wait any longer. She picked up her phone and dialed the number she had memorized.


    The call got connected, but no one answered it. That was surprising for her. Amelia Mo felt like a century had passed. She waited with bated breath to hear Jasper''s voice from the other side.


    "What is he doing? Why doesn''t he answer my phone?" After a while and a few more attempts to contact Jasper, Amelia threw away her cell phone angrily. Accidentally, she caught a glimpse of the wedding invitation card on the table. Feeling bored, she looked through it.


    At first, Amelia just took a casual glance at it. Her eyes moved through the design and color of the card in a very nonchalant and unwilling manner. For sure, she had nothing to do with the details mentioned in the card.


    Amelia was least interested in the content or text part of it. However, one thing that caught her eyes was the photo of the bridegroom-to-be that was beautifully framed with that of the bride-to-be on the left side of the invitation card.


    Amelia stared at the card in disbelief. Gazing at the happy and smiling faces of the soon-to-be wedded couple, she could feel her heart sinking.


    Amelia held the wedding invitation card tightly in her hand, squeezed her eyes shut for one and opened it to see it clearly.


    Then she moved her eyes to read the invitation message to reconfirm the information. Yes, it was the same invitation card that Yolanda had given to Amelia this morning to invite her to Yolanda''s wedding. But what was unnerving for Amelia was that the groom''s name as it was mentioned in the card and also the photo was that of Amelia''s boyfriend, Jasper Gu''s.


    Amelia felt as if she was in a trance. It was her 25th birthday. She was just waiting for Jasper Gu to spend a beautiful day full of love.


    How could this be? Last night, Jasper Gu had promised to propose to her on her birthday. How is it possible that now he was getting married to Yolanda Mo? Amelia held the wedding invitation card as her eyes became blurred and her heart throbbed painfully. Suddenly, Amelia straightened her spine and took a deep breath. She needed an explanation for this. There must be some mistake somewhere! This could not be true!


    Amelia dialed Jasper''s number again, but he didn''t answer. Frustrated, she kept calling repeatedly until a sweet voice said, "Sorry, the number you are dialing is switched off."


    Amelia almost freaked out. She turned around and saw the bunch of beautiful lilies on the table. Her eyes were sore. She grabbed her handbag and rushed out.


    No matter what the truth was, she must see it with her own eyes.


    What could this wedding invitation mean? Yolanda always liked to make fun of her. Amelia tried to control herself as she paced ahead to the bus stop. The sharp nip in the air as the winter wind blew over, made Amelia shiver as she stepped out of her house.


    Amelia felt fatigued and covered her mouth with her cold hands and yawned. As soon as she got into the bus, her phone rang. She thought it must be Jasper. Without even looking at the screen, she called out cheerfully, "Dear". However, her enthusiastic voice was met with a laugh coming from the other side of the phone. "You don''t have to say that, Amelia. Oh! You are so obsessed with your love! But sadly, I''m not your boyfriend. I''m just calling to say happy birthday to you!"


    "Oh! It''s you, Courtney," Amelia could not help feeling disappointed as she said in a low voice. "Thank you!"


    "What''s wrong?" Courtney Lin asked concernedly as she could feel the pain in Amelia''s voice.


    "Courtney, I''m in a hurry. I need to reach somewhere urgently. Let''s talk later!" By the time Amelia finished saying this, she almost reached her destination. After hanging up the phone, she rushed out of the bus and headed straight to Jasper''s home.


    Jasper lived in a villa district in the west suburb of A City. Amelia often came here to clean up his house, so the bodyguard recognized her the moment he saw her. However, unlike earlier, he did not greet her with a smile. Rather, he had an awkward look on his face as he approached her and asked Amelia why she came here today. Amelia was not in the mood to notice anything at the moment. So she remained silent and entered Jasper''s villa.


    At that very moment, inside the high-end villa, a woman was lying over a man on a big and luxurious bed. The man lying under her was roaring. The extreme sex sounded ambiguous as both their voices got mixed.


    Amelia thought Jasper was not at home. Unexpectedly, when she stood at the door, she found the door was half-open. She took a deep breath and told herself to calm down. Amelia had to find out the truth so that she would not fall prey to Yolanda''s bully once again. Otherwise, she would be the biggest loser.


    Just as she reached out to push the door open, a coquettish voice came from inside the room. "Jasper, come on! My waist is sore!"


    ''Jasper? The waist is sore? What the hell is going on over here?''


    "Don''t you like this pose? Tired already? Or do you want me to come here? I promise you will love me forever!" Jasper rasped as he said in a suppressed voice, but with a strong sense of tease, which could be heard clearly. Amelia''s pink cheeks instantly turned red.


    "Shut up!" The woman let out a coquettish s


    mile, followed by a resounding gasp.


    Amelia froze to the spot she was standing. This voice, so soft and captivating was familiar to her. The man''s voice that came from inside the room was that of Jasper''s. It was none other than Jasper inside that room. Amelia stood there feeling indecisive about what to do next. In the meantime, a string of delicate gasps kept coming from inside the room that would make people blush and raise their heartbeat. By this time, Amelia started shaking with anger. She could not take it anymore. She clenched her fist tightly trying to contain the soaring rage in her heart. The very next moment she kicked open the half-open door with her foot.


    "Who is that ?" Jasper, who was having fun, screamed at the very first sight of Amelia entering the room, immediately followed by Yolanda''s scream.


    "Yolanda, it''s you!" Amelia exclaimed. On her way to Jasper''s villa, Amelia''s heart was full of doubts. She did not believe what she saw in the invitation card. All this while, she believed that it was yet another harsh trick played by Yolanda. Amelia had come here to prove it wrong. She wanted to ask Jasper about it. However, before she could ask anything to anyone, all her doubts were clear. The truth laid naked right in front of her eyes.


    Both Jasper and Yolanda who were experiencing ecstasy just a moment ago were now panicked. Without a speck of cloth on their bodies, they were caught red-handed and had no clue about where to hide their faces. Especially, for Jasper - he was so shocked that his eyeballs almost fell to the ground at the sight of Amelia. Because they had just been in a passionate act, their clothes were even scattered on the floor. Feeling embarrassed, Yolanda asked him to help her pick up the clothes from the carpet.


    Amelia''s eyes were fixed on Jasper as he got off the bed naked. She dared not to open her mouth, lest she regretted the words she uttered later on. Her eyes were filled with anger. Amelia endured the pain and refrained from yelling at him.


    After putting on his clothes, Jasper walked to Amelia with a frightened face. He asked in surprise, "Amelia, why have you come here?"


    Amelia thought he would be sorry for his adulterous behavior. Instead, he asked her in an unwelcome tone.


    Amelia was left aghast. Then she raised her head to look straight into his eyes and asked angrily, "Are you blaming me for ruining your game?"


    Jasper licked his lips and glanced at Yolanda who had curled up on the bed. With fear written all over his face, Jasper cleared his throat once, and said, "Amelia, now, since you''ve seen it, I''ll tell you the truth. I''ve been with her for a long time. I didn''t know how to tell you about this. After all, she is your sister... "


    Clap! A hard slap landed on Jasper''s face. Somehow, Amelia dared to slap him on the face with all her strength.


    How could she stand to accept his sympathy at this moment? "Jasper, I''ve been with you for so many years. You are such a jerk!"


    Jasper stood there silently without a single trace of remorse on his face. Surprisingly, from his attitude, it seemed that he had never been in love with Amelia. Not knowing why, the man in front of her was very strange, as if they had never been in love for five years.


    Amelia and Jasper had been in a committed relationship for the last five years. The man Amelia had cherished the most had betrayed her so easily.


    "Amelia, you are an uneducated illegitimate daughter!" Yolanda, who had been curling up on the bed, blurted out angrily.


    Yolanda''s words had burned up all Amelia''s reason. She could bear any insults, but the words ''illegitimate daughter'' pierced her heart and soul like a sharp knife.


    "Yolanda, how dare you lie about the fact!" Amelia''s mother, Iris Liu, was the wife of her father Vernon Mo. Everything went on well till Yolanda''s mother, Sophia Che came into their life. Thereafter, Iris was forced to commit suicide by consuming sleeping pills!


    "Oh?" Yolanda rolled out of the bed with her lace nightgown exposed. She glared at Amelia with disgust and said, "It''s my bad luck that your mother has a dumb daughter like you. Since you don''t know how to behave, let me tell you the truth."


    "Yolanda, today is Amelia''s birthday. Don''t tell her all this," Jasper intervened to stop Yolanda. A look of deep regret appeared on his face when he looked at Amelia.


    Jasper still remembered that it was Amelia''s birthday. But sadly, it seemed to be too late to take care of her mood now.


    "I don''t care whether it''s her birthday or not. Unless you still have feelings for her, you won''t care about what she''s feeling right now," Yolanda snorted at Jasper and then looked at his pale face discontentedly. She then turned towards Amelia and continued to mock her, "Amelia Mo, it''s high time you accept the reality. Had it not been for my mother''s generosity in the past few years, you couldn''t even be a servant in the Mo family. What''s more, father promised in person that I will be engaged to Jasper. You have been bossing Jasper around for so many years. He has already got sick of you!"


    "Yolanda, how could you say that? Please stop it." With an embarrassed look on his face, Jasper kept clenching Yolanda''s arm and begged her not to say anything unpleasant.


    Amelia felt light-headed. She struggled to keep calm on her face and snorted softly, "Well, I doubt about that. Only Jasper knew the truth. No matter how I behave, I won''t climb into a man''s bed so easily unlike someone who just used such a dirty trick to win over a man!"


    Although Amelia had no idea why Jasper chose to be with Yolanda, she was sure that Jasper was not the kind of man who would date two women at the same time unless he had some compelling reason. The man she loved deeply failed her in the end.


    Yolanda was so angry that her face turned pale. She raised her hand and was about to slap Amelia in the face. Just in time, Jasper held her hand and stopped her. He begged anxiously, "Yolanda, you are pregnant now. Don''t hurt the baby!"


    Indeed, she was pregnant!


    Amelia smiled coldly and looked at Jasper with sharp eyes. Although her eyes were red, she felt relieved soon.


    "Jasper, you''ve told me that even a thousand Amelia-s put together can''t take my baby''s place in your heart. So, what are you waiting for? Get her out of here!" Pointing a finger at Amelia''s face, Yolanda said furiously.


    "Amelia..." Jasper pleaded with his brows knitted tightly.


    Somehow, Amelia was not so sad all of a sudden. After what she saw in front of her was enough to disappoint her. Since she was not reconciled in the heart, she could easily put it down.


    "Don''t bother, Mr. Gu. My hands and feet are fine. But you, since Yolanda is pregnant, you should also know to control your desire. If you have impotence at such a young age, it will only be a disgrace for you," Amelia said seriously with a faint smile on her face.


    Jasper was horrified to hear that. He couldn''t believe it. In his mind, Amelia was a traditional woman. They had been together for five years and the two of them had never been intimate except for holding hands and kissing occasionally. As a result, under the influence of hormones, he ended up having sex with Yolanda. And after that she became pregnant. Now, it has become his obligation to marry her.


    Ignoring the surprised look on Jasper''s face, Amelia turned to angry Yolanda with a sweet smile. She pressed her lips and advised, "And you, pregnant, don''t do any hard work in bed. If you accidentally miscarried, even even a thousand Amelia-s could not afford it!"


    Yolanda was rendered speechless by her words. In the end, she yelled angrily, "I know you''re upset about being crossed in love, so I allow you to make fun of me. But Amelia, next Monday I am getting married to Jasper. As my bridesmaid, you must attend the wedding!"


    The invitation was nothing but an order. Yolanda had always been bossy with everyone, so the servants would do as she said. However, Amelia was no match for her half-sister Yolanda in the Mo family, although she was the biological daughter of Vernon Mo.


    "I must attend the wedding?" Amelia sneered and looked at Yolanda with her brows arched. Then she refused scornfully, "No. I can''t attend your wedding!"


    Thereafter, Amelia turned around and walked out of Jasper''s villa.

 Chapter 2 A Perfect Man!

    Amelia was welcomed with harsh winter winds biting into her skin as soon as she stepped out of Jasper''s villa. Suddenly, Amelia realized that she was wearing thin clothes. She clenched her hands, and her eyes were sore. Soon, a pearl of tear dropped from the corners of her eyes.


    Amelia didn''t feel sad for Jasper''s betrayal. Rather, she felt hurt as she thought about the cherished moments she spent with him in the past five years spent. What she had considered to be most precious turned out to be a mirage.


    After wandering aimlessly on the streets for a few hours, Amelia was about to go back to her rental house. But when she thought of the room full of memories of her and Jasper, her feet suddenly felt too heavy to move towards that direction. At that moment, she could only think of her friend, Courtney. Amelia then called her to share this bleak incident with her friend.


    "Oh my God! Who is this, calling me on this special day? Haven''t you gone out on a date with Jasper? How come you are free to call me?" As soon as the line was connected, Courtney began to taunt Amelia.


    "There was no date! This is the most miserable birthday I have ever had in my life!" Amelia said bluntly. There was no formality between Amelia and Courtney. They often spoke impolitely with each other. They never beat around the bush.


    "Really? Tell me. Did Jasper refuse to sleep with you?"


    "Courtney, since when do you have started speaking so rudely? And, leave everything behind and come over to have a nice drink with me tonight." Amelia came to the point directly. At this moment, she wanted to paralyze herself with alcohol so that she could forget everything.


    "What? It seems that your birthday has made you sad, and drinking is not a big deal!" Courtney didn''t stop her. Instead, she agreed with Amelia. "What about going to the Moon Bar? It is said that many handsome men are gathering in that bar. Maybe you can be hooked up with a man more perfect than Jasper!"


    ''Is Jasper a perfect man?'' Amelia squinted her eyes and pondered. In fact, she had not thought much about it before, but now she knew it.


    Very soon, night fell and the street lamps washed the city with a faint light. Slowly, all the high-rise buildings were lit up and so were the hoardings on the street. The entire city looked beautiful like the Paris garden.


    Amelia never came to the Moon Bar earlier. It was her first time here. Hence, it was obvious for her to get nervous. She just wanted to get drunk. So she rushed in and headed straight towards the bar counter without even asking for guidance from the waiter. Amelia looked at the bartender and ordered a peg of strong vodka.


    The bartender looked at Amelia''s face surprisingly when he heard her. He didn''t expect that a girl would order wine with such high alcohol concentration.


    Amelia made herself comfortable on the bar counter. She looked at the dazzling and colorful lights. There were so many men and women who were dancing on the high decibel music. They were swaying to the tune and hugging each other passionately.


    A faint smile appeared on Amelia''s face as they saw those happy couples. She sat there, drinking up a few glasses of wine. Suddenly, she felt her face burning and sharp pain in her stomach seemed to be pulling her down. It could be because she hadn''t eaten anything the whole day and drunk a lot. It was difficult for her to sit straight on the high chair at the bar counter.


    "Are you alright, Miss?" The bartender saw her falling from her seat and came over kindly.


    Amelia was a little dizzy. All of a sudden, she lost consciousness.


    "Go away! I just broke up with my boyfriend, but didn¡¯t lose my virginity yet!" Amelia blurted. She pushed the bartender away.


    At that time, a tall man walked past her. He stopped and took a few steps towards Amelia as he heard her words. A disdainful smile curled up the corners of his mouth.


    "In that case, don''t drink anymore," said the bartender as he tried to take the glass of wine away from Amelia¡¯s hand.


    Amelia shrugged his hand off and refused. "Don¡¯t drink. Why not? A drink can dispel sorrow! I''m so frustrated now. Just let me have a good drink!"


    Amelia said, pointing at her heart. And then she burst into tears.


    "What?" The bartender was at a loss as he heard Amelia.


    "Go ahead with your work. I''ll handle it here." A cold and soft voice came from behind.


    "Jasper Gu, you bastard! How dare you!" Amelia sobbed. In a drunken state, Amelia took that unknown man for Jasper. She broke into an uncontrollable sob as Amelia thought that Jasper was worried about her. She held the man''s hand excitedly and cried out bitterly.


    When the bartender saw this, he immediately let go of Amelia, who was drunk, to the man''s arm as if getting rid of big trouble. Then he said respectfully, "Sir, since you are a friend of this lady, could you please buy the drinks for her?"


    The man took out his card without uttering a word, paid the bill, and took Amelia out of the noisy bar.


    The night wind bit into her skin making her shiver. Amelia had been dizzy and seemed to be a little sober now. She looked at the man in front of her with blurred eyes and asked in a muffled voice, "Haven''t you fallen in love with Yolanda? Why did you come to me?"


    Amelia punched and kicked the air to vent her anger.


    "Be quiet!" There was a trace of impatience in the man''s cold voice as he pushed Amelia into his silver Porsche.


    Although Amelia was drunk, she could make out that this voice didn''t sound like Jasper''s. Opening her eyes, she found that the person in front of her was obscure. At the same time, she couldn''t bear the pain of having an empty stomach. Like a homeless kitten, she curled up on the front passenger seat and cried bitterly from her throat.


    "Hang in there for a while. We are almost there." Perhaps it was because of the pain on her face that the man''s voice softened down into a warmer tone.


    The silvery Porsche stopped in front of a luxurious villa called SJ Garden. As soon as the man turned off the engine, the butler


    immediately walked up to him and said respectfully, "Mr. Lucian, Mr. Nicholas heard that you have come back and asked you to go back to the Zhan mansion tonight!"


    The man was getting out of the car with Amelia in his arms. He frowned at the butler''s words and seemed a little displeased. But when his cold sight fell on the fair and quiet face of Amelia, the frown on his face disappeared.


    "Ouch, it hurts!" Amelia groaned in pain.


    "Darren, please bring Dr. Chen here for me!" Lucian Zhan anxiously asked Darren Fang looking worried.


    "But Mr. Nicholas is still waiting for us..." Darren Fang stammered awkwardly.


    Lucian''s face darkened as he blurted impatiently, "I''ll call him myself."


    Upon hearing Lucian''s reply, the nervous look on Darren Fang''s face gave way into a sigh of relief. He broke into a smile and said quickly, "I''ll go to call Dr. Chen right away!"


    The bright lights shone in the large villa, but it was cold because no one lived here.


    After experiencing sharp pain, Amelia became more and more unconscious. She vaguely felt that she was held tightly by a warm embrace. She wanted to know if that person was Jasper, but before she could utter the words, she was surrounded by something soft.


    "All men are bastards..." Lucian Zhan, who was tucking in Amelia on the bed, looked at her face as he heard what she said. He suddenly paused and then smiled playfully.


    "Mr. Lucian, Dr. Chen has come," the butler came and informed him.


    "Okay, let him in."


    Lucian Zhan moved aside and waited for the doctor to check up Amelia. After Dr. Chen was done, Lucian asked, "How is she now?"


    When the butler saw the worried look on Lucian Zhan''s face, he was left dumbfounded. As far as he could remember, Lucian had always been too aloof and arrogant. He had never brought any woman home. Even if there was news about him dating a woman, the dating place was only in a hotel, and never in his private house. What was more surprising was that the woman lying in bed at the moment was average looking and even drank a lot.


    "Mr. Lucian, please rest assured. This young lady drank too much wine in an empty stomach which has led to stomach ulcers. She will be fine after drinking some honey water."


    "Hurry up!" As soon as the doctor finished, Lucian Zhan gestured the butler to give the honey water to Amelia. "Well. Okay!" The butler answered quickly as he struggled to recover from his thoughts.


    After the doctor left, Lucian Zhan returned to his room and heard the noise of things being thrown from Amelia''s room.


    "What happened?" Lucian Zhan''s handsome eyebrows twisted tightly in an instant.


    Darren Fang looked frightened and his face turned pale. He immediately ran to Lucian Zhan and said, "Mr. Lucian, this lady didn''t cooperate with me. She knocked down the honey water I took for her..."


    Taking a look at Darren Fang''s petrified look, Lucian Zhan scoffed, "You can''t even handle such a trivial thing properly. Bring up another glass of honey water."


    "Uh..." Darren Fang couldn''t believe his ears and glanced at Amelia. Now he was surer that the woman lying on the bed had a close relationship with Lucian Zhan.


    Soon the butler returned a glass of honey water, annoyed that there was no servant in the SJ Garden."Give me the honey water," said Lucian in a low voice.


    "Mr. Lucian, these things should be done by the servants. But you like to have a quiet environment. Several days before you came back, I dismissed all the servants." With a serious look on his face, Darren Fang seemed to be in a dilemma. He didn''t know whether he should feed Amelia with honey water in person or give the honey water to Lucian.


    Lucian Zhan understood what was bothering him. He said to Darren Fang, "It''s getting late. You should go to bed. I''ll handle it."


    Darren Fang nodded his head. Something came into his mind when he turned round. Darren turn back, worried. "Mr. Lucian Zhan, Mr. Nicholas is not in good health. You''d better go back to his house as soon as you can..."


    "Okay, I know." Lucian Zhan stopped him impatiently and turned his eyes towards Amelia.


    The butler left the room immediately and suddenly there was pin-drop silence in the room.


    Taking off his designer suit, Lucian rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Then he brought the honey water to the bed. He took a deep breath before he picked up Amelia in his arms, as if trying to coax a little child and said softly, "Come on, open your mouth."


    Amelia flinched in pain. Her vision was still blurred. She raised her hand to grasp something when she heard the sound.


    Luckily, Lucian Zhan was quick enough to avoid the honey water splattering onto the floor again.


    However, her action annoyed Lucian Zhan. He put the glass on the tea table, grabbed the trembling Amelia with one hand, forced open her mouth and tried to pour the water into her mouth with the other.


    "Well..." It seemed that Amelia couldn''t get along with him on purpose. The glass was at the edge of her mouth, but she clenched her teeth.


    Lucian Zhan had no choice but to let go of Amelia. He was just about to leave. But as soon as he got out of the bed, Amelia grabbed his arm and cried, "Hey, it''s my birthday. Can you just stay here?"


    There was a trace of sadness in Amelia''s drunken voice that tugged at his heartstring. He hesitated whether to stay or leave.


    "Then drink the honey water." His cold voice became soft, which was completely different from his usual self.


    Lucian repented having fallen into such a big trouble.


    Lucian Zhan didn''t get what he wanted. Amelia still didn¡¯t drink the honey water. She moved to Lucian Zhan and mumbled, "Such a warm hug..."


    Looking at the girl in his arms, Lucian Zhan''s handsome face suddenly turned dark, and he felt his heart collapsing. He wanted to push away Amelia, but when he saw Amelia''s creased eyebrows, the deep sorrow on her face made him have a little pity on her.


    "Well, it''s my bad luck!" Lucian brought Amelia in his villa. And even if he regretted thousands of times, he had to finish everything.

 Chapter 3 Love At First Sight

    The next morning, the room was washed by the bright sunlight. The beautiful morning in the luxurious villa was awakened by a rush of footsteps.


    "Mr. Lucian, Mr. Lucian, wake up!" The butler tried to wake up Lucian who was still in a deep slumber. After staying up late last night, Lucian struggled to open his eyes in the morning. Yet, eyes half-open, he could spot the middle-aged man sitting in the wheelchair with a solemn face.


    "Lucian, what are you doing?" A sharp female voice broke the silence of this morning and woke up Amelia who was still suffering from hangover.


    "Oh my God! My head hurts." Amelia touched her head and sat upon the bed. Slowly she opened her eyes and was dumbfounded. Amelia looked around to explore the unfamiliar setting. She felt rather intimidated to be surrounded by a middle-aged man and woman. With much difficulties Amelia found her voice back and said, "Where am I? Why am I here?"


    Her words made all the heads in the room turn towards her. They looked more surprised than she was.


    "Lucian, who the hell is this woman here with you?" The middle-aged woman moved a little closer to the bed and pointed at Amelia with her finger adorned with green jewels. She continued angrily, "I warned you that you couldn''t marry any woman other than Shelly!"


    Amelia shuddered to see the woman enraged. She remembered that she had drunk too much last night, but she did not remember what happened later. When she looked up at the man next to her, she was caught off guard. Amelia could not take her eyes off Lucian. She was deeply attracted by his handsome face. His impeccably chiseled face needed no embellishment. The man was so cold and stone-faced that Amelia held her breath. Amelia marveled at how handsome he was!


    "Mom, please don''t make a mountain out of a molehill. I just..."


    "Then why didn''t you go home last night?" Just as Lucian started to explain the situation, he was interrupted by the middle-aged man in a wheelchair.


    Lucian frowned as he felt uncomfortable, but could not find a way out of the situation. He pulled the already surprised Amelia into his arms and said righteously, "My girlfriend got drunk last night. She would be panicked if I leave her alone."


    Amelia got pulled into a forceful embrace which left her mouth agape. Not knowing what to do next, she frowned unconsciously and fluttered her long eyelashes, wondering why this strange man called her girlfriend? Or she had drunk so much last night that she had lost her memory? So much so that after waking up, she had become some other man''s girlfriend!


    "No, I am not! HMM..." Amelia cleared her throat and was about to deny when her lips were blocked by something ice cold.


    For a moment, like lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, Amelia''s head went blank. The terror in her heart rose like a wave and then, formed a thousand waves.


    What the hell was going on? People always said that things would be messed up after drinking. Amelia had never anticipated the kind of mess she had landed in. Amelia bit his tongue, trying to escape his kiss.


    "Ah..." A painful voice came from Lucian¡¯s mouth. Anger filled his eyes.


    Amelia pushed Lucian away and roared angrily, "Bastard!" when she saw the pain on Lucian''s face. Then, Amelia wiped her lips disgustedly and cursed in her mind, ''What a shame! He''s so decadent!''


    "Honey, stop it. I have taken care of you for the whole night. I am so tired!" Regardless of the pain of his tongue, Lucian put his arm around Amelia''s shoulders. Then he said in a low voice, "I took a picture of you taking off clothes last night. If you dare to move, I''ll make you repent for it!"


    "You!" Amelia suddenly widened her eyes, grabbed Lucian''s arm and asked, "What on earth did I do last night? Tell me."


    As much as Amelia could remember, she was at the bar counter drinking her heart out. But what happened after


    that? She had no memory at all. Although she didn''t believe what the man said, she was still puzzled and panic-stricken for being in a strange man¡¯s bed.


    "What! This is outrageous!" The glowing woman trembled with fury. She turned to the man in the wheelchair and said, "Nicholas, you see? If it goes on like this, our family will be over!"


    "Lucian, I can let it go. But as you are aware that the Zhan family and the An family have made a deal that when you turn thirty, you must marry Shelly. Now that you''re back, we have to keep our promise!" The middle-aged man in the wheelchair put his hands on his knees and reminded Lucian seriously. After he finished his words, he cast a glance at Amelia.


    Amelia, who was still at a loss till now as she was not yet able to understand the situation, had an innocent look on her face. From the eyes of the middle-aged man, she could sense a warning.


    "I will decide about my marriage!" Lucian replied determinedly. He held the shoulders of Amelia tighter as if he had made up his mind.


    Amelia seemed to understand the situation now. A complacent smile appeared on her face. She whispered, "Will you delete those photos if I agree to help you?"


    With his eyebrows frowned, Lucian suddenly grasped the clue and nodded.


    Amelia felt that the only option left for her was to cooperate with Lucian. All because she had no idea about what happened the night before. She seldom got drunk like last night. She had to agree with Lucian''s request.


    "Sir, ma¡¯am, we love each other. Please don¡¯t force Lucian..." Amelia suddenly stepped forward, pleading with tearful eyes.


    Lucian glanced at Amelia in surprise. Then he looked at Nicholas and Fannie. A smile appeared on his face.


    "What! Why are you after my son?" The middle-aged woman was shaking with anger. She grabbed the hand of Nicholas who was in the wheelchair and said, "Tell you son I only want Shelly to be my daughter-in-law."


    "Mom, I''m afraid I''ll let you down." With his arm around Amelia''s shoulders, Lucian said in a calm and serious tone, "I have decided to marry her. Hence, it would be better if you stop making every possible effort to force me to marry the daughter of the An family!"


    Amelia glanced at Lucian¡¯s slender fingers on her shoulders and smiled awkwardly. Then she looked at the middle-aged man and woman in front of her, feeling guilty.


    She seldom lied. Although the woman standing in front of Amelia was mean to her, Amelia could understand her love for her son.


    "Lucian, how long have you known this woman? Do you really know her? Moreover, you have just come back. Shelly has grown up to be so beautiful now. You might fall in love with her at first sight." The middle-aged woman began to convince her son gently. Her angry eyes had mellowed down as she pleaded to Lucian. However, when she glanced at Amelia, her eyes were full of disgust.


    "You said ''maybe I will fall in love'' with Shelly at first sight, didn''t you?" Lucian said unhurriedly, with a slight smile shining in his deep eyes. "But Mom, I already fell in love with Amelia at first sight!"


    ''Oh my God, what kind of trouble is this?'' Amelia looked at Lucian''s face as he proclaimed his love and noticed that he sounded rather serious. Was he actually acting? Well, if he could act so genuinely, she believed that he could be the best actor.


    "Fannie, Lucian has grown up. He has all the right to make his own decision. We should not interfere too much in his choice. Let''s go back." The middle-aged man took a deep sigh. Then he turned to the man standing beside him in the formal suit and said in a rejected voice, "Take me back to the Zhan mansion."


    "Nicholas, you''d better not be so liberal with your son. Don''t let him do whatever he wants now. Otherwise, you''ll regret it later!" After finishing her words, the middle-aged woman followed him out of the room angrily.

 Chapter 4 A Fake Wife

    The bedroom was finally quiet, much to Amelia''s relief. Her heart had started beating a mile a minute when she saw the cold look on Lucian''s face. Her ivory-colored face flushed like a porcelain doll.


    Noticing that she clenched her fists tightly, Lucian figured she might have become way too nervous. So he put on a smile and said, "They''ve already left."


    "Uh..." Amelia answered softly. She opened her eyes wide and asked anxiously, "Where are the photos? Give them to me!"


    She reached out her tiny hand toward him, looking petite and small as if she was a doll. She had her eyebrows knitted together, which made her difficult to take seriously as she only looked like an angry child.


    "I am very helpful and this is just the start. Plus, if you agree to become my wife, I''ll keep these photos and I promise you that no one else is going to see them." Lucian looked at Amelia and flashed her a knowing smile.


    "What did you just say?" Amelia collapsed and shouted. "You bastard! Stop trying to fool me just because you''re attractive! You brought me back to your home against my will! Your family doesn''t know the truth. Who knows what they could be thinking of me? You made me look bad! What did I ever do to you?"


    With a straight face, Lucian said slowly, "I saved you last night and you were being ungrateful. Thank God I was smart enough to come up with this. I love these sexy photos of yours."


    All of a sudden, Amelia grew quiet. Her smile disappeared and she felt something twinge in her heart.


    She thought to herself, ''I must have been a terrible person in my past life. That''s the only explanation for all of this bad luck.''


    "You''re Lucian Zhan, right?" Amelia said, raising her head, tears still streaming down her face. She couldn''t believe a handsome man like him could treat her like this. He was practically threatening her. "Well, first, I''d like to thank you for the kindness you showed me last night. As for the photos, well, I don''t really care anymore..."


    she said, averting his gaze.


    As she thought back to Jasper and what he did to her, she felt herself weakening. But she didn''t have the strength to even care about it anymore.


    Suddenly, Lucian''s face darkened. He looked at Amelia in bewilderment and asked, "You broke up with your boyfriend. Right?"


    "How do you know?" Amelia raised her head suddenly and looked at him. She was both scared and embarrassed.


    "You said it. Look, you just forget everything you said or did when you were intoxicated." Lucian spread out his hands, looking helpless. "I wasn''t planning on anything, but you took my hand and you told me it was your birthday. You asked me to keep you company..."


    As he finished speaking, he scratched his nose awkwardly. He looked aggrieved.


    Amelia''s face turned red because it was indeed her birthday yesterday. Suddenly, she found herself believing Lucian.


    "I wasn''t in the right state of mind! You took photos of me without asking for my permission! That makes us even!" Amelia couldn''t believe her luck. She then added, "If you show anyone those photos, then I guess that''s just the way it is."


    Lucian frowned and asked in confusion, "You''d rather let other people see these photos than pretend to be my wife?"


    Amelia shook her head and asked in confusion, "You are handsome and rich. You can just marry a pretty woman who truly loves you. But why would you need a fake wife?"


    "Because then I can take


    control of my life," Lucian answered simply.


    ''Take control of my life.'' This thought echoed in Amelia''s mind.


    Since her mother passed away, her life had been a mess. If she hadn''t met Jasper, who knew what her stepmother could have done to her? However, things were different now. She lost Jasper and her heart was empty and broken.


    "You just have to pretend in front of my parents. I won''t bother you in your daily life and I''ll cover all your expenses," Lucian continued when she didn''t say anything.


    Amelia closed her eyes as if she had suddenly thought of something. If Jasper had replaced her with Yolanda, then she could also do the same thing. Being in a new relationship was definitely the best way to get over an old one.


    She raised her head and gazed at his beautiful face. She answered boldly, "All right. Let''s do it."


    When she spoke, she sounded sure of herself as if there was no room for doubt in her mind.


    Lucian seemed to be taken aback briefly, but he quickly smiled in relief.


    "I''m sorry for what I did. When our deal''s over, please return the photos to me," Amelia added.


    "Amelia Amelia..." Lucian said. He paused before continuing, "I''m Lucian Zhan. I''m thirty years old and I''m the CEO of the Zhan Group. I wish our cooperation a pleasant one."


    He was the CEO of the Zhan Group! Amelia covered her mouth in shock. The Zhan Group was a household name in this city. They were the richest and most powerful of all. Why would Lucian want to get a fake wife then?


    This was a fake marriage after all, so she figured she didn''t need to be concerned about that. She waved her hand and said, "My name''s Amelia Mo. I turned twenty-five yesterday and I work in an advertising company. I hope we get along."


    "Great! That''s great! Let me drive you home now." There was a slight smile on Lucian''s handsome face.


    "Take me home?" Amelia looked at him in disbelief.


    "Yes, even though it''s just a deal, I still need to fulfill my obligations as your husband." With a serious look on his face, Lucian picked up his expensive-looking coat and put it on. Then he continued in a low voice, "Go wash up. I''ll wait for you downstairs."


    As Amelia watched him leave, she couldn''t help but be entranced.


    She shook her head, went to the bathroom, and washed her face quickly. Then she went downstairs.


    Even though she had never been here before, she felt like the place was familiar¡ªlike she wasn''t a stranger here.


    "Have some mung bean soup." Lucian''s voice came from the dining room. When he spoke, his tone was soft but firm.


    She was a little hungry, so without saying anything, she grabbed the bowl and immediately started eating.


    "Good, good girl." After dinner, Lucian wiped his hands and smiled. He said, "You can do whatever you want when no one''s around but just don''t bother me."


    "All right. As we both know, this is just a fake marriage between us. So we aren''t going to bother each other. We just have to pretend in front of everyone else. But in private, we mind our own business." Amelia gestured with her hand as she spoke. "Please be a gentleman and don''t touch me."


    Lucian curled his lips and said, "Don''t worry. I''m not interested in you. If I was, then I would have taken way more photos last night."


    Upon the mention of this, she grew angry. But since they had already made an agreement, she had no choice but to suck it up. She merely glared at Lucian in response.

 Chapter 5 Becoming His Wife

    The car left the rich and noble villa district and drove off to Amelia''s rented apartment.


    Amelia didn''t really plan on going back to that place at all. Staying in that apartment, she would think of Jasper, which made her feel really sad. But she had no other choice. There was nowhere else for her to go.


    Upon pulling up in front of the apartment complex, Amelia acted completely snobbish towards Lucian. "Mr. Lucian, my home is just in front of you. You can drop me off here," she said.


    ''We''re only a couple by virtue of a contract. There''s no need for him to actually pretend to be my husband and escort me all the way inside, '' she thought.


    Lucian looked around and saw that there were no residential buildings around. "Our agreement says that I am your husband," he said to Amelia with a thoughtful smile on his face. "Perhaps, I should walk you to the door," he continued.


    Amelia shook her head. "It''s true that we made an agreement, but we really don''t have to keep up with this husband and wife facade in private. Mr. Lucian, could you please give me some personal space?" Amelia spoke out.


    Lucian glanced at Amelia and said, "You just broke up with your boyfriend. In case things get too hard, where should I find you then?"


    Even though the way Lucian said this was calm and innocent, Amelia felt the words stab her deeply.


    Arguing with Lucian made Amelia temporarily forget about her wounded heart. It was inevitable for her to feel uncomfortable. She suddenly raised her head and wanted to speak out, but instead her words were unable to come out of her mouth.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Lucian asked. He noticed that Amelia was looking out of the window with a blank gaze. Out of curiosity, he also looked at the direction at which Amelia was looking. Lucian found that Amelia was staring at a man and a woman hugging each other passionately.


    "What a small world!" Amelia almost squeezed those words out of her teeth.


    All of a sudden, Lucian felt that he figured out something about Amelia. He started the car, held the steering wheel, and made a turn.


    "What are you doing?" Amelia asked, feeling anxious.


    "Haven''t you heard the saying ''out of sight, out of mind''?" Lucian asked in a cold tone. "You are now my wife. So, the SJ Garden is your home now," he said to Amelia.


    For a while, Amelia was stunned. But when she stared at Lucian more, she felt warm in her heart.


    For the past five years, Amelia had no place to go except the apartment. While the Mo family accommodated her, Yolanda''s mother only saw her as a sand that couldn''t be squeezed out. Yolanda bullied Amelia frequently, and that made Amelia wish she could just simply disappear. Later, she met Jasper and he rented that apartment for her. Because of that, she naively thought the relationship between them would strengthen and last. However, her love ended in a tragedy.


    Remembering all of these made Lucian''s words felt warm to Amelia.


    "Amelia, I don''t care who you love, but you have to listen to me!" Lucian said indifferently. Amelia just stared at Lucian without a single word from her, making Lucian frown and sigh deeply.


    Then, she bit her lower lip and nodded at Lucian. "Can I stay in your home for a couple of days?" she asked, almost in a whisper.


    Now that she and Jasper were no longer lovers, Amelia found no reason for her to stay at their house. Besides, being there only made her lonely.


    "It''s your home. You can live there as long as you like," Lucian said. His face projected a gentle smile, which showed his elegant and enchanted nature. Seeing this, Amelia couldn''t stop but feel addicted to his charm.


    While she recognized that Lucian wasn''t like Jasper, and even though he looked cold and his tone didn''t sound friendly, Amelia felt secure with Lucian''s presence.


    "Why are you staring at me like that?" Lucian abruptly asked. Then he turned his face to the other side. With a teasing smile on his face, he asked Amelia, "Do you think that I''m so attractive that you couldn''t help but fall in love with me?"


    "Of course not!" Amelia denied quickly. While her face blushed red, the tone of her voice was filled with dissatisfaction. "The fact that you are good-looking could never change my perception of your bad character!" she said.


    "Bad character?" Lucian argued. Lucian raised his eyebrows and looked at Amelia with disbelief. As soon as he got what she meant, his smile widened. He deliberately made fun of her and said, "Although you are a little thin, you look extraordinarily charming when you''re drunk. When you stay in the SJ Garden, you will definitely be more feminine!"


    "Lucian! Have you no shame!" Amelia exclaimed. She frowned and then looked at Lucian warily. She was obviously filled with anger.


    With a warm smile on his face, Lucian suddenly became serious. "You''re the first woman I took home with me, and you''re also the one I''m going to marry. Even though the bond between us is only under a deal, this is definitely not a joke to me. In the future, I''ll take care of you. I will give you some space if you need. But still, think about it," Lucian sincerely said.


    After Lucian finished speaking, Amelia was left speechless for about five minutes. She digested what Lucian had just said as they arrived at the door of the Civil Affairs Bureau.


    "What are we doing here?" Amelia said, pointing at the door of the Civil Affairs Bureau. She was extremely confused and wondered what on earth Lucian wanted to do.


    "Please, calm down," Lucian softly said. Lucian held Amelia''s fingers, then took her hand before heading into the Civil Affairs Bureau. He calmly told Amelia, "I''ve asked my assistant to take the household register from Mo mansion." He stared into Amelia''s eyes and then said, "We''ll get married in five minutes!"


    "What did you just say?!" Amelia exclaimed. She stared at Lucian as she covered her mouth with one hand. Her eye opened wide in surprise. Amelia was about to have a nervous breakdown.


    "Even though this is just an act, we might as well make it believable," Lucian calmly said.


    "You bastard! You are taking advantage of me! Do you think that those photos can control my freedom in life?" Amelia said. "Well, I can do whatever..."


    "Sir, this is the household register you''ve asked me to get from the Mo mansion," a man in a formal suit said as he walked towards Amelia and Lucian. The man gave a salute to Lucian before handing over the residence booklet to him. Amelia''s anger hadn''t dissipated yet.


    She was completely baffled. She didn''t think that Lucian could easily get the household register.


    In the Mo family, even though Vernon loved Amelia very much, he had to conceal his love for her because of her stepmother, Sophia. He just let Sophia and Yolanda bully her as they pleased.


    "Eric, you did a good job this time!" Lucian said to his assistant. Then Lucian grinned from ear to ear before glancing at Amelia, who was still in a stupor. "I thought Mr. Vernon would be so angry that I marry his daughter. I didn''t expect that he would let this happen so quickly," he said.


    Amelia''s face was pale and her eyes were turning red with anger. Her fists were clenched.


    "Mr. Lucian, you are so generous. There is no reason for anyone to refuse a ten million check," Eric Chen said. He then smiled at Amelia and introduced himself, "Mrs. Amelia, my name is Eric Chen. I''m the assistant of Mr. Lucian. Nice to meet you."


    ''Ten million? I can''t believe that he would use money to force my father to agree!'' Amelia thought to herself.


    ''Since he''s so rich, why couldn''t he just pick someone to marry from the streets?''


    "Lucian, are you crazy?" she angrily said to Lucian. She couldn''t understand why a handsome man like Lucian would become crazy just to get married.


    Lucian looked at Amelia''s face and slowly said, "Since your father has agreed to our marriage, thanks to my generous gift, you don''t have to make a fuss about it. I''m not a patient man."


    In disbelief, all Amelia could do was let out a sarcastic laugh. "I really hate arrogant, rich men. Do you really think that I will follow your orders?" Amelia said. After her birth mother died, Amelia only hoped for a family that loved each other. Her father, who was the only one related to her, didn''t even pay much attention to her marriage. Because of this, she felt really disappointed.


    Suddenly, Eric Chen was whispering something to Lucian.


    "Amelia, I know you''re feeling hopeless now. But I''m telling you something. Your ex-boyfriend, Jasper, is going to take the money. When your father hesitated, he took the check and happily said that he would use the money to hold a grand wedding ceremony with Yolanda!" Lucian said to Amelia.


    "Jasper would take the money?" Amelia painfully asked. Her heart hurt so much that it felt like she was shot by a gun. Amelia couldn''t even cry because of the pain she was feeling inside of her.


    ''Jasper again! He destroyed me and even attempted to trade my happiness for his own wedding, '' Amelia thought to herself.


    Amelia shook her head in pain and said nothing.


    "Don''t you feel reconciled?" Lucian asked. His hands were on Amelia''s shoulders.


    She did feel reconciled.


    She could feel her anger welling up in her chest. She comforted herself with the idea that Vernon hadn''t agreed to be bribed, which meant that somehow his daughter was still important to him.


    "I promise I''ll marry you, but please take back the ten million." Amelia didn''t seem as angry anymore. She gazed back at Lucian.


    Lucian''s heart beat quickened when he heard her make the promise. However, the feeling was gone as soon as it came.


    He had to tell himself that this was just a deal and that he couldn''t fall in love with her.


    When they got out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Amelia seemed to be out of spirits.


    "I''ll keep the marriage certificate. You might lose it if you do. You''re too absent-minded." After he put away the marriage certificate, he asked, "Are you hungry? What do you want to eat?"


    She was hungry, but she wasn''t really in the mood to eat. So she just ignored him.


    "Amelia, you''re my wife now even in the eyes of the law. It''s my responsibility to take care of you, so please answer me." He sounded a little angry.


    Hearing this, Amelia looked up and answered, "I''m not really in the mood to eat right now. I''d like something to drink though."


    Lucian was so taken aback that he remained silent. Meanwhile, Amelia thought Lucian would get mad at her, so she was surprised when he said, "All right. We can celebrate our marriage while we''re at it. Let''s go!"


    "I don''t like western food!" Amelia said as she looked out of the car. He had pulled over in front of a western restaurant.


    "It''s a combination of Chinese food and Western food. I''m sure you''ll love it," Lucian said patiently.


    Amelia murmured something to herself in doubt, wondering why on earth Lucian had asked her to marry him.


    "Mr. Lucian, welcome!" A waiter came up to them as soon as they entered the restaurant. With much enthusiasm, he said, "Your table''s ready, sir. This way, please."


    The room was luxuriously decorated. Amelia couldn''t help but look around in admiration. While she was distracted, Lucian suddenly took her hand and said with a smile, "You said you wanted a drink, right? You can drink as much as you want today. Even if you get drunk, you don''t have to worry. I''ll take care of you."


    Amelia was planning on having a drink or two. But upon hearing what Lucian had said, she suddenly hesitated.


    Who knew what he would do to her if she ended up drunk?

 Chapter 6 Let Bygones Be Bygones

    As a lesson from her drunkenness, Amelia decided she wasn''t going to believe everything Lucian said which she thought was reasonable.


    "Why are you staring at me? Just order the food." He stared at Amelia who seemed mad.


    "Stop talking." Amelia sat down with her hand on her forehead. She was a mess right now as her head was still spinning from everything that happened this morning.


    "All right. After dinner, I''ll take you to the mall. If you don''t want to go shopping, just tell me your sizes and I''ll ask someone to buy some clothes for you." After the dishes were served on the table, Lucian took his chopsticks and began eating.


    ''My sizes?''


    Amelia hugged herself immediately and said warily, "I have my own clothes to wear. You don''t need to worry about me!"


    Lucian looked up and said in a mocking tone, "No one would steal your clothes even if you threw them out in the trash. Since you''re now my wife, you need to change your clothes. What you have right now is too shabby and people might talk."


    "No one''s going to laugh as long as you don''t tell on us!" While she really wasn''t in the mood to eat, she had no choice but to take her anger out on the food in front of her.


    When Lucian saw that Amelia was already gobbling up her food, he frowned. He then handed her a cup of tea and said, "Slow down. It''ll be embarrassing if you suddenly choke on your food."


    While one would think that what Lucian did was very sweet, what he said definitely wasn''t.


    Amelia took the cup, rolled her eyes at Lucian, and said crossly, "You''re always embarrassing me. How are we ever going to do this?"


    She then recalled the photos and started growing angry again.


    "Yes, why wouldn''t you just tell me your sizes now that you''ve already been feeling so embarrassed? Besides, it is your ex-boyfriend that embarrassed you. You wouldn''t ever go out of your way to do something for him, right?" Lucian said in a deceivingly gentle tone. Still, his words hit Amelia like a bus.


    But then she realized that she shouldn''t feel sad about Jasper cheating on her anymore. She shouldn''t punish herself by dwelling on the past.


    "That''s right!" She wasn''t as angry anymore and was taking time in eating her food now.


    After dinner, Lucian took Amelia to go shopping in the department store that was more expensive than most.


    Lucian had already planned ahead. He asked the shop assistant to choose the most popular styles according to her taste. Within half an hour, the shop assistant collected twenty-three sets of clothes for Amelia. Lucian then took Amelia to the jewelry store. This time, Lucian chose necklace, earrings, and the most beautiful diamond ring they had in the store for her in person.


    "Lucian, this is enough." When the shiny diamond ring was put on her ring finger, she was so shocked that she immediately tried to take it off.


    "Amelia, we''re a couple now. It''s perfectly normal for you to wear a ring. We''re married, right? Why are you taking it off?" Lucian''s tone was gentle which made Amelia stop trying to take off the ring. As she touched the ring, she could feel her heart beating very fast.


    When Amelia was leaving the mall, she accidentally bumped into Yolanda and Jasper¡ªthe last two people she wanted to see. Just as she was about to make a detour, Yolanda approached her and cried, "Amelia! It''s you!"


    Amelia''s eyes widened. She didn''t know what to feel. ''Was Yolanda crazy?'' she thought inwardly. Yolanda normally frowned whenever she saw Amelia. But she was acting the complete opposite now¡ªshe was actually being friendly to Amelia. Maybe she had already realized her mistakes.


    "I heard from Jasper that your husband is very rich. He offered the Mo family ten million to marry you!" Yolanda continued, "Lucky you didn''t end up with Jasper, right? Or you wouldn''t have ended up with such a rich husband!"


    Amelia''s face darkened and then she glanced at Jasper, who was standing behind Yolanda.


    "Yolanda, shut up." Jasper cowardly grabbed Yolanda''s top to pull her towards him, bowed to Amelia, and thanked her.


    ''Thank you? Is it for the money?'' Amelia pondered.


    "Just because you''re shameless doesn''t mean that I am too! My husband gave the money to my father without my knowledge, but my father didn''t ask for that money. I guess some people just like taking money, huh? They were even planning to hold a beautiful and expensive wedding ceremony. So let me ask you this. Who are you to spend my money? One of you cheated on me while the other one stole my ex-boyfriend? Hmm? What makes you different from all those trashy men and women on TV? So I won''t allow you to take that money!" Amelia snapped. She couldn''t hold her anger anymore. She let it all out in one breath. Jasper and Yolanda exchanged glances.


    Lucian had just gone to get his car and he had just come back. When he heard Amelia, he


    started clapping. "Honey, I''m back. Wow, that was amazing. I''m so lucky to have you as my wife!"


    Jasper and Yolanda raised their heads at the same time and looked up at him with admiration. Yolanda begged, "Please talk to her. Jasper and I are planning to get married soon. We just..."


    "I''m sorry, Miss Yolanda, the check was sent by my assistant. The person who has the check is Mr. Vernon and he just called me and said he was going to return the check. It''ll now serve as Amelia''s dowry for our marriage." With a faint smile on his lips, Lucian reached out and put his arm around Amelia who looked extra small next to him.


    "Is that true?" Amelia looked at Lucian incredulously, surprised and excited.


    With a doting smile on his face, Lucian nodded, "Yup."


    When Jasper and Yolanda heard this, their faces darkened. Yolanda was visibly furious, but she managed to keep her temper.


    The money was given to Vernon and he had the right to decide what to do with it. Yolanda was already looking forward to the grand wedding she was going to have with that money and now it was all ruined. She couldn''t let out all her anger, so she turned around and started hitting Jasper on the chest with her fists. She even cursed at him and called him useless.


    Amelia just merely stood by and watched everything. Jasper merely bowed his head while Yolanda hit him.


    "Honey, let''s go," Lucian said as he put an arm around Amelia''s waist.


    Amelia froze, but quickly recovered when she remembered that she was supposed to pretend. She smiled lovingly to spite Yolanda who was now glaring at her.


    Before leaving, Amelia glanced at Jasper and gave a sarcastic smile.


    That cold winter night, everything seemed to be covered in snow.


    She had gotten so lost in her own thoughts that she forgot to ask where Lucian was taking her. When she arrived at her senses, she saw that they had already arrived at Lucian''s villa.


    "Why did you take me here?" Amelia asked as she glanced at Lucian, with her hands folded in front of her chest.


    "This is your home now," Lucian answered emotionlessly.


    Amelia was rendered speechless.


    She was still trembling from all the events that unfolded this day. She didn''t realize that this was her reality now until she touched the huge diamond ring on her finger.


    "Lucian, we''re just pretending. Why did you have to get a marriage certificate? And this stupid ring?" Amelia furiously said as she took off the ring and threw it on the ground.


    "Wow, looks like you''re still in a bad mood from bumping into your ex today," Lucian said coldly as he looked up.


    Amelia ignored him and was getting ready to leave.


    "What are you doing?" Lucian asked as he walked over to Amelia and grabbed her arm. The look in his eyes sharpened when he warned Amelia, "Don''t push me!"


    Lucian was tense now. Batting her eye lids, Amelia said, "I only agreed to pretend to be your wife and that doesn''t mean that I have to sleep with you."


    Amelia was so angry that she didn''t know what she was saying anymore. After she had finished speaking, Lucian loosened his hand that was gripping on her arm.


    "Amelia, I thought you were just pretending to be innocent and pure. So are you just worried that you must sleep with me?" Lucian bent over to pick up the diamond ring that Amelia had just thrown to the ground. Then he grabbed her finger and roughly put the ring back on her finger. He sneered as he said, "If you ever take that ring off again, I assure you that I''m going to make you regret it."


    Amelia was in a daze as he led her upstairs. It wasn''t until he pushed her inside the bedroom that she shouted, "Lucian, I''m warning you!"


    Even though she was heartbroken, that didn''t mean that she didn''t have any self-respect left.


    Lucian glanced at her petite figure and sneered.


    He flashed her an evil smile which sent a shiver down her spine.


    "Lucian, we need to talk about this. Don''t do this," Amelia warned as she covered her chest with her hands.


    Putting his hands on the wall behind Amelia, Lucian closed in the distance between them. They were so close to each other now with him towering over her.


    She could hear Lucian''s breathing and his heart beating quickly.


    Amelia had to admit that Lucian was quite a handsome man. Most women would find it hard to resist him. But as she thought of what he had done to her, she just grew angry and irritated.


    "Amelia, listen to me carefully," Lucian said in a low voice. "I won''t do anything to you because we''re just pretending. Besides, what makes you think that I would even want to do anything to you? I''m not seduced by you at all."


    After that, the shadow hovering on Amelia''s face disappeared and he wasn''t breathing as heavily anymore.


    Amelia had visibly relaxed, but she was still tense on the inside.


    For some reason, his words had bothered her.

 Chapter 7 Became Famous

    Amelia thought that she wouldn''t be able to sleep well since it was her first time sleeping there. However, to her surprise, she had a pretty good sleep that night.


    It was a Monday so Amelia was just getting ready to go to work. When she headed downstairs, her phone started ringing¡ªit was a message from Courtney. She was worried because she didn''t see Amelia at the bar that night. Amelia quickly texted back. When she raised her head, she found Lucian standing in front of her and staring at her.


    Amelia was a little stunned and her face flushed out of embarrassment. Lucian was wearing a nice, crisp suit. His other hand was clutching an expensive-looking leather briefcase while the other was shoved in the pocket of his pants. He looked quite handsome.


    "I''ve made some arrangements. You don''t need to go back to your old job anymore. From now on, you''re going to be working at the Zhan Group with me," he said plainly. He then glanced at her from head to toe and added, "Your clothes are in the wardrobe. The ones that are appropriate for your new job, I mean."


    Amelia gazed back at him in disbelief, eyes widened. "Are you serious?"


    Last night, Lucian promised that he wouldn''t do anything and suddenly, he was controlling her life. He had taken her old job away without her permission.


    "You should see how much you''re going to make at the Zhan Group," Lucian said casually as he put on his tie.


    Amelia was not the type to be swayed by money. Even if her salary at her old job was quite low, that didn''t mean that she didn''t want to work there anymore.


    Amelia clenched his fists. She was so angry that she couldn''t even bring herself to say something. She was just trembling in anger.


    Glancing at her, Lucian then added rather harshly, "Your family''s probably busy now. Your father called this morning, asking for your help. But I declined on your behalf. That''s your ex-boyfriend''s wedding after all. I don''t want you get upset over that."


    "What do you mean?" ''Are they going to have the wedding tomorrow?'' she pondered.


    Even though she had already accepted this, it was still painful to think that the man she had spent five years with was going to get married to someone else.


    Lucian raised his eyebrows and gave a meaningful smile. Then he looked at Amelia and consoled her, "If you want to attend the wedding, I''ll happily come with you."


    When Amelia looked sideways, Lucian''s face came into view. She couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. Lucian was so painfully handsome and it was difficult to find a man like him especially with his family background. There was no need for her to do that, anyway. Jasper was gone and she had to accept that. Besides, it was not like Jasper was an angel. His cheating on her meant that he didn''t deserve her love anymore and Amelia deserved someone else better.


    "No, thanks," Amelia said coldly, her face darkening. She then glared at him and said, her tone sharp as knives, "We''re just a fake couple. Please don''t interfere with my work and my life ever again."


    Gazing back at her, Lucian smiled and said, "Well, since you don''t want to work in the Zhan Group, you can just find another job in the city."


    "Lucian, what''s wrong with you?" Amelia cursed at him.


    While the place she worked for was just a small company, the working environment was good and everyone got along with each other. She had gotten that job through Jasper. At the thought of this, Amelia felt a sharp pain in her heart. She frowned as her mind started racing.


    "Amelia, as far as I know, Jasper is a shareholder of that company. You''re given special treatment there because you were his girlfriend. But things are different now. Don''t be so stupid as to think that they''ll still treat you the same way," Lucian said honestly, a cold look on his face.


    Amelia stared at Lucian. She was a bit surprised that Lucian knew her so well especially that they just met a few days ago. What he said had made sense. At first, she was reluctant to leave her old job. But after hearing what Lucian said, she realized that he was right.


    "Lucian, I find it hard to believe that you''d be so kind," Amelia snorted at Lucian.


    "Actually, I''m not. I just don''t want this to come back and bite me in the ass in the future," Lucian said. "Now that this is resolved, let''s go. Time to play."


    After Lucian left, Amelia stood there in a daze for a while. She didn''t come to her senses until her phone started ringing in her pocket again.


    "Hello, Courtney!"


    "Finally! Marriage is a big deal, you know. Why didn''t you tell me? You told me I''d be your bridesmaid!"


    "No, no, how do you know?" Amelia hadn''t told Courtney yet, so she was extremely surprised to find that she already knew. ''Who told her? Jasper? Hmm. Maybe not. I doubt he''d tell her,'' she thought.


    "Don''t play dumb with me. Your name is everywhere. You''re the most famous person in the city right now! Literally everyone is talking about you. It''


    s like you''re a celebrity!" Courtney said, her tone a bit envious.


    ''Celebrity?'' Amelia was completely confused.


    "But I have to admit, you''ve chosen pretty well for yourself, so I forgive you." Courtney''s tone suddenly changed. When she spoke, she sounded more light-hearted this time. "Lucian is not only super handsome but he''s also a big shot here in the city. Plus the Zhan Group has over a 100 million assets, so everyone''s talking about you. They''re wondering how an ordinary girl like you could end up with someone like Lucian. Even I was surprised! If Lucian hadn''t announced the news himself, I wouldn''t have believed it!"


    He announced the news himself? Courtney sounded so happy. One would have thought that she had won the lottery.


    "It''s just... It''s a fake marriage. We''re not really together," Amelia explained. She figured Courtney would understand.


    "Amelia, the man you married is the prince charming of the city. Every girl would kill herself being you right now. I can''t believe how out of touch you are!" It seemed that Amelia had scored big this time.


    "Well, okay, I have to go now," Amelia hurriedly said. She hung up the phone as she was already upset.


    She looked out into the spacious living room in front of her. Everything was calm and quiet. Amelia took a deep breath before going out to work.


    It was a cold winter and the skies were cloudy, which mirrored Amelia''s mood.


    She crossed the streets and found herself standing in front of the fountain in the square. She was still thinking what kind of jobs she should apply for next.


    "Hey, look! Isn''t that the woman on the news?"


    "Hmm, could be. But I doubt that the wife of the CEO of the Zhan Group would dress like that."


    "But they look so alike..."


    Amelia froze immediately. She didn''t dare turn her head in fear that someone would recognize her.


    When she thought back to what Courtney had said, she immediately took out her phone and started searching for her name on the internet. As expected, her photo that was taken on her 24th birthday was all over the news. It was coupled with headlines of Lucian announcing that they were already married.


    ''Oh, my God! What is Lucian up to? Why is he bringing the press into this?'' she thought to herself.


    If her father hadn''t called her, she would find somewhere secret and roar to vent her anger.


    "Dad, what can I do for you?" Amelia''s stomach twisted and turned into knots.


    She hadn''t talked to Vernon in a while and she didn''t know what to feel.


    After coughing several times on the other end of the phone, Vernon said earnestly, "Amelia. Yolanda''s getting married tomorrow. You should be here. We''re family after all. Kaaahhkkk, kaaahhkkk, kaaahhkkk.... "


    Even though Vernon was calling to convince her to come home, she couldn''t help but notice his coughing. She pressed her lips together and then said, "Dad, it''s been getting cold. You should take care of yourself more."


    She thought that Vernon would just let the topic go. She was surprised when he insisted. "Amelia, I know what she did to you. But could you please do this for your father?"


    he pleaded. He had never asked anything from her before. Amelia didn''t know what to do. She knew she couldn''t say no, so she had to agree. "I''ll be there tomorrow morning," she said limply.


    "Oh, and bring Lucian with you," Vernon reminded before hanging up the phone.


    Amelia frowned and immediately refused, "Dad, I only agreed to come back for you. He doesn''t need to come with me..."


    "You''re married to him. You shouldn''t be as stubborn anymore. Besides, Lucian is my son-in-law. You should bring him out of courtesy and politeness. It''s rude for you to come home and not bring your husband with you for everyone to meet."


    The way Vernon addressed Lucian surprised her. She wondered why he seemed so familiar with Lucian.


    But Vernon was right. Everyone knew about their marriage now. If she came back home alone, who knew what Sophia would say to tease her?


    She didn''t want to be seen as some helpless girl who was cheated on and abandoned by her ex-boyfriend anymore.


    When she returned to the SJ Garden, Lucian had just come back too. Amelia stood at the gate, wondering how she was going to tell him.


    "Good. You know how to go home." Lucian placed his jacket on the sofa and took out a bottle of frozen Coke from the refrigerator. He briefly glanced at Amelia before chugging the drink down.


    Amelia''s eyes widened in shock when she saw this. She thought, ''Is he crazy? Why is he drinking that on such a cold day?''


    "I''m so tired," Lucian said as he leaned his head against the sofa.


    "Where have you been?" When he went out this morning, he looked fresh and crisp. But now, he seemed exhausted and even a bit dirty. There was a thin film of sweat on his forehead. If Amelia wasn''t aware that it was freezing cold, she would have thought that it was a hot summer day just based on how Lucian looked right now.

 Chapter 8 The Couple Returned Home

    "The Zhan Group is involved in the construction industry. Today, I went to the basic level unit and worked there. I learned a lot from that experience. I realized I should support those grass-root employees first and foremost," Lucian said as he leaned against the sofa.


    He looked especially handsome with his face being lit under the crystal lamp. Amelia gazed at his face, feeling a vague sense of comfort as the thick silence enveloped them.


    "Are you hungry? I''m going to cook." Amelia was surprised when she heard herself say this.


    Lucian, who had just closed his eyes, opened his eyes and asked in disbelief, "You can cook?"


    "A bit. Of course, rich people like you don''t really care for the home-cooked meals that I know how to make. That''s OK. I cook for myself," Amelia hurriedly explained.


    She was easy to be softhearted and couldn''t bear seeing someone exhausted in front of her. It was her instinct to take care of others.


    Lucian raised the corners of his mouth, not saying a word. He couldn''t stop himself from smiling.


    After Amelia familiarized herself with the kitchen, she finally grabbed all the ingredients she needed and started preparing.


    Lucian was still in the living room. When he smelled the food Amelia was cooking, he felt as if his exhaustion had disappeared. He stared at the clock, lost in thought. He felt like he was in a time loop¡ªlike it was five years ago and he would stand by the kitchen door, hands in his arms, watching someone else flit across the kitchen, cooking.


    Amelia could feel someone''s eyes on her back. Turning her head, she was surprised to find Lucian standing there. She flashed him an awkward smile and said, "You can go back to the living room and watch TV first. Dinner will be ready soon."


    Being stared at like that made her uneasy.


    "What? You don''t like me watching you cook? Do you get distracted by my handsomeness?" Lucian teased, letting out a chuckle.


    Amelia frowned. While she certainly didn''t like what he said, she kept her mouth shut. After all, she needed his help tomorrow.


    After Amelia served all the hot, steaming food she had cooked, Lucian was taken aback. He had no idea that Amelia knew how to cook! Even so, he still said to her, "Well, I wonder if this is edible."


    Amelia didn''t know what to say, so she just proceeded eating.


    In the end, Lucian was enticed and sat across Amelia.


    He popped a piece of chicken in his mouth and started chewing hesitantly. Soon, the wrinkles in his eyebrows had ironed out. ''She''s a good cook!'' he thought inwardly.


    "Lucian, if you don''t like it, you can ask your assistant to order some takeout for you," Amelia snorted without looking up.


    Lucian snorted as he looked at Amelia who seemed to be enjoying her food. He said bluntly, "Well, it''s not so bad. But since you''re my wife, I guess I''ll just have to make do with it."


    What a ridiculous excuse!


    Amelia looked up and glared at Lucian. She wanted to pack up all the food she had cooked since he didn''t like it anyway. But when she recalled that she had to ask him to come with her to the Mo mansion tomorrow, she restrained herself. She flashed him a grin and said, "I''m sorry, Lucian."


    Even though she was smiling, her tone implied otherwise.


    After dinner, Lucian seemed to read what was on Amelia''s mind. Smiling knowingly, he commented, "I thought you didn''t want to go back. Why did you change your mind?"


    Amelia''s hand was shaking while she was washing the dishes. If the sink wasn''t filled to the brim with water, she might have broken a plate or two.


    How could this man, who had known her for less than a week, figure out what she was thinking? It was either Amelia was just that easy to read or he was just smart.


    When everything was ready, Amelia came out of the kitchen. Lucian was wearing a casual outfit and it looked like he had just gotten out of the shower. His thick chest was visible under the thin, cotton clothing.


    "I just called and asked. The wedding will be held at ten o''clock in the morning. Your father told us to go earlier." Lucian looked charming and handsome even when he was just standing there, holding a cup of coffee. If only he didn''t look so indifferent, he would be a ray of sunshine.


    Amelia''s eyes were gleaming as she nodded in response.


    She was feeling annoyed at Lucian for being one step ahead of her and planning this visit more thoroughly than her. Still, there was a small part of her that was moved by this gesture.


    He was quick to notice the sadness in her eyes. "If you can''t hold it together, just think of the future. This is for the better."


    Amelia didn''t understand what he meant at first. But when she did, she smiled in relief.


    It seemed that he wasn''t always as cold and indifferent after all. He knew how to comfort people.


    The following morning, Amelia was woken up by a string of rapid knocks on her door. She hurriedly put on her clothes so she could open the door.


    She had assumed it was Lucian telling her to get up. However, when she opened the door, she was surprised to find a group of girls. After giving


    her a polite salute, they said, "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian asked us to help you dress up for today."


    Dress up? Amelia took a step back in embarrassment and immediately refused.


    The little girl in the front replied with embarrassment, "Mrs. Amelia, this is an order. We have to obey. Please do us a favor and just cooperate."


    Amelia had no choice but to agree reluctantly.


    She didn''t expect that Lucian could be so considerate. He had not only picked out a dress for her but had also hired people to do her make-up. As she sat in front of the mirror, gazing at her made-up face, she couldn''t help but think that she did look quite radiant.


    Half an hour later, her makeup was done.


    When Amelia finally stepped out of her room, she saw Lucian who was wearing a nice and sharp grey suit. He looked absolutely handsome, his eyes slight narrowed and his nose slightly turned up. His lips were curled in a way that showed he was in a good mood.


    Amelia knew that if she showed up at the wedding with Lucian, he would definitely attract all of the attention. He was that handsome.


    "30% on the appearance and 70% on the make-up. I think you''ll pass as my wife," Lucian said and smirked proudly.


    Amelia blushed. She lowered her head bashfully, which made Lucian''s heart pound.


    Ten minutes later, the car drove out of the SJ Garden. Amelia remained silent. The frustration on her face was obvious.


    "What? You''re still not over it?" He knew he had to mention it.


    Amelia was a little upset. She turned her head aside and ignored him deliberately.


    It was still early, so Lucian drove to the Mo mansion first.


    The Mo family lived in a small duplex apartment. The gated front yard was littered with all kinds of plants and flowers¡ªa hobby that Vernon had developed. This had brought some sense of peace to that otherwise restless family.


    There were a lot of people mingling by the door. A few bridesmaids were playing tricks with the groomsmen.


    Amelia and Lucian stood side by side and watched them in silence. She was startled when Lucian put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him in astonishment.


    "Let''s go. I''ll go with you." Lucian sounded casual, but every word seemed to weigh in Amelia''s mind.


    "Yo, Amelia. I thought you wouldn''t come back. Looks like you came to at least show some respect for Yolanda." The voice belonged to none other than Sophia, her stepmother. She had always been snide with Amelia and often took whatever chance she could to ridicule her.


    Amelia stopped in her tracks and raised her head. Sophia was wearing a bright cheongsam and had on delicate makeup. Her black curly hair made her look extra charming.


    Amelia was used to Sophia already, so she flew past her, ignoring her as she attempted to head upstairs.


    "This must be the young and promising man from the Zhan Group, right?" Sophia''s tone was different now¡ªshe sounded excited.


    Amelia stopped, turned back and held Lucian''s hand. "You said you wanted to see my father, didn''t you? I''ll take you upstairs."


    Lucian didn''t resist. When they were already upstairs, Amelia seemed exhilarated.


    "Are you that afraid of your stepmother?" Lucian asked in puzzlement when he noticed that there was a slight flush on her pale skin.


    How did Lucian know that Sophia was her stepmother?


    "Don''t be so surprised. As long as you have money, it''s easy to figure out some things," Lucian added upon seeing the look on Amelia''s face.


    Glancing at Lucian''s handsome face, Amelia curled her lips and knocked on the door.


    "Come in." A man''s deep voice came from the door, accompanied by a few coughs.


    "There''s a study next door. You can check it out if you want." She had no intentions of bringing Lucian in.


    It seemed that Lucian didn''t hear Amelia as he quickly opened the door and greeted, "Dad, we''re here to visit you."


    He was so good at this whole acting thing. Even though she was already improving, she couldn''t act as calmly and nonchalantly as he was.


    "Lucian, I''m not only happy but also honored to have you here!" Vernon said with a smile as he joyfully glanced at them. "Amelia, I''m so happy for you. This is your destiny. You''re so lucky to have met someone like Lucian. You have no idea how relieved I am. Now I know that you''ll be taken good care of."


    The corners of Amelia''s lips lifted slightly. The irony was not lost on her. She had a lot of bitterness in her heart from how her relationship with Jasper had turned out. She still didn''t know what to make of how things were turning out now.


    "Amelia, would you mind giving us some privacy? I have something I''d like to discuss with Lucian," Vernon said, his voice hoarse.


    Amelia hesitated for a moment and looked at Lucian. She didn''t know if she should go out since their marriage was just a fake one after all. She was worried that her father might make some unreasonable requests and she didn''t want to put Lucian in that uncomfortable situation.


    "Go on. You can leave," Lucian said softly, his voice full of tenderness.


    Amelia was a little confused, but she withdrew her gaze and just nodded.

 Chapter 9 The Incident At The Wedding

    The party was still going on at the Mo mansion. The crowd gathered and everyone enjoyed the beat of the drums. The wedding cars were decorated with bright red roses and dolls hugging each other on the front. Amelia felt quite uncomfortable at the sight of the red roses.


    Soon, the main wedding car arrived and it pulled over in front of the Mo mansion. Jasper got off the car. He looked absolutely refreshed and joyous in his beige suit. He was laughing merrily. The word "groom" was written across his chest. Amelia stood behind the crowd and watched the man she had once loved accept congratulations for his marriage.


    Amelia was quite a vision in her red coat, with her long curly hair, and made-up face. Needless to say, she stood out amongst the crowd.


    As his eyes swept through the crowd, Jasper found Amelia standing in the distance. The smile on his face disappeared at once. He bowed apologetically to the people surrounding him before walking towards Amelia.


    "Amelia, thank you for coming." Amelia was lost in her own thoughts, so she was frightened when she suddenly heard this voice.


    ''Ha ha. This is so funny. He''s acting as if he needed me here to get married,'' she thought snidely to herself.


    Amelia smiled faintly despite the mixed feelings that were stirring up in her heart. She said politely, "I wish you happiness. I hope you have a good marriage."


    A sheepish smile appeared on Jasper''s face.


    "Of course, Amelia, I''m going to have a good marriage with Jasper." Yolanda suddenly appeared in her white wedding dress.


    With an embarrassed look on his face, Jasper was worried that Yolanda would make things difficult for Amelia. He hurriedly approached Yolanda and said, "Yolanda, the ceremony''s at ten. I thought you wanted to fix your makeup. I''ll come with you now."


    Yolanda shook off Jasper''s hand and warned Amelia with a ferocious look on her face. "Just because you''re married to Lucian doesn''t mean you can do whatever you want. I''m telling you that I''ll come for you once I''ve found a place in the city with Jasper."


    It was no secret that Yolanda was a fierce woman. She wouldn''t hesitate to take what Amelia had especially if she knew that it was what Amelia had always wanted. At that time, Amelia thought this was all just a game for Yolanda. While she really didn''t care, she just didn''t expect Yolanda to fight this hard for her love.


    The crowd was buzzing as they pointed and stared at Amelia.


    "Yolanda, you''re the bride, right? Shouldn''t you be focusing on getting married?" Lucian suddenly said. Upon hearing his voice, people turned to look at Lucian instead.


    "Oh my God! Isn''t that the CEO of the Zhan Group? I didn''t expect him to be so young and handsome!"


    "They said he married the second daughter of the Mo family and they want to keep things in private. He admitted their relationship to the press, but they still want to be given their privacy. Can you imagine? What a lucky girl his wife is!"


    "If I ever married someone as handsome as that, I would just die!"


    The gossip continued.


    Even if Lucian didn''t really say anything, the crowd was going nuts over his mere presence. After this, Jasper''s face darkened and Yolanda was visibly furious.


    Yolanda had always been a jealous woman. She couldn''t stand the idea that on her own wedding day, someone else was getting the attention! They were also focusing on Amelia''s husband instead of Jasper!


    She couldn''t bear this anymore.


    "Shut up, all of you!" she turned around and shouted at her bridesmaids.


    Everything suddenly quieted down.


    Yolanda had always been short-tempered. She often shouted at her servants for being stupid.


    The four bridesmaids exchanged glances when Yolanda flared up. After looking at each in obvious discomfort, they said, "Yolanda, this is your wedding day. We want you to have a good time, but we just can''t do this¡ªnot if you''re like that. We just can''t be your bridesmaids anymore."


    With that, the four of them left hand in hand.


    The atmosphere was thick with tension. Yolanda had always been a proud person. She stiffened when her four bridesmaids walked out on her. She threw herself into Jasper''s arms and cried, "The wedding''s off!"


    "Yolanda, what''s happening?" Sophia had just walked in from the outside and she had no idea what was happening. However, upon seeing her daughter in tears, she turned her eyes toward Amelia, immediately assuming that it had something to do with her. ''Amelia must have said something to upset Yolanda. Why else would she be crying on her wedding day?''


    "Mom, you always told me that I''m so lucky to be marrying Jasper, but I don''t have bridesmaids anymore. What do I do?" Yolanda whimpered, her hands wrapped around Jasper''s waist.


    Amelia was unfazed.


    "Yolanda, don''t cry. It''s so annoying. Your father isn''t feeling well, so all these wedding matters are handled by me alone. Why are you getting angry? Be a good girl and don''t cry anymore," Sophia said impatiently. After a while, she turned her attention to Amelia and said with a smile, "Your bridesmaids just care about the money. Just let them go. Amelia is still here, right? Why don''t you ask


    her to be your bridesmaid?"


    "Mom, are you seriously telling me to ask Amelia to be my bridesmaid?" Yolanda seemed surprised. She reluctantly answered, her eyes filled with spite, "Even though she has married to Lucian, I know exactly how she feels about Jasper and I don''t want her to be my bridesmaid!"


    Even if Yolanda had asked Amelia, Amelia wouldn''t even agree.


    "Yolanda, I don''t think it''s appropriate for you to say that in front of me." Lucian pulled Amelia towards his body and spoke on her behalf. "I can forgive you for how you have treated her in the past but she''s my wife now. You better watch your mouth!"


    Yolanda''s face turned white as a sheet when she heard this. She pursed her lips and tightened her grip on Jasper''s arm, feeling aggrieved. She was too angry now and she couldn''t lose face.


    Amelia knew that Lucian only did that so they would look convincing as a couple to the crowd. But she was still nonetheless moved. She smiled faintly as she looked at Lucian, giving him a look of gratitude. In response, Lucian''s heartbeat quickened. He was quickly able to recover and returned to his usual indifferent self.


    Jasper noticed this and he felt a twinge pain shoot in his heart. If he was being honest with himself, he would have broken up with Yolanda a long time ago. Amelia was quiet and sensible while Yolanda was always making a scene and being unreasonable. They were the exact opposites. Regret soon filled his heart.


    However, in order to get the property of the Mo family, he had no choice but to marry Yolanda.


    "Lucian, Yolanda and Amelia have always fought ever since they were little, so don''t take them too seriously. It''s almost time for the ceremony. Just let Amelia be her bridesmaid." Sophia was good at gauging people. She also knew Lucian was a powerful man and with his background, one couldn''t afford to offend him. She tried to show him respect even if she felt that her daughter was wronged.


    "Mrs. Sophia, if you want Amelia to help, you have to ask her yourself. I''m not in the position to make decisions on her behalf." With a faint smile on his face, Lucian looked at Amelia, his eyes full of tenderness and affection.


    When Amelia met with Lucian''s eyes, she felt some comfort take over her restless heart.


    She just wanted to stay out of this whole thing, but she couldn''t. It was up to her to decide now. She glanced at the angry and indignant Yolanda, still uncertain what to do next. She looked at Lucian, hoping he would decide for her.


    Noticing the confusion in her eyes, he said, "As a member of the Mo family, she will agree to help even though she doesn''t want to."


    Lucian was right. Amelia really didn''t what to help, but she knew that she should. She was Yolanda''s sister after all. She needed to be there for Yolanda mostly to save herself from the snide comments their friends and relatives might say. Even though Yolanda wasn''t her biological sister, she knew she needed to do this.


    "Amelia, I know we''ve had a rocky relationship before, but from now on, I''ll treat you as if you were my own daughter. Thank you for helping Yolanda," Sophia said sweetly. Her red embroidered dress really made her stand out.


    The look on Amelia''s face darkened. She wasn''t pleased to hear these words coming from Sophia''s mouth because she knew that they were just lies.


    Sophia used to mock her just so her daughter would have the spotlight and be able to enjoy the privileges of being in the Mo family. She had even tried to sabotage Amelia''s relationship with Vernon. What still hurt Amelia to this very day was the death of her mother, Iris Liu.


    Iris had committed suicide by taking poison, but of course, Sophia was still very much involved in it.


    "Amelia, I know I was wrong to steal Jasper away from you. But you''re happy now with Lucian. So we can bury the hatchet already. I know you want to help me unless you''re still in love with Jasper!" Yolanda said disdainfully as she pulled away from Jasper.


    Naturally, Amelia was irritated. She knew her place. She was Amelia Mo, Vernon''s biological daughter. She would always have a place in the Mo family. No matter what, she would always have a special place in Vernon''s heart. Amelia couldn''t bear Yolanda who behaved so arrogantly while asking for help. So she decided to fight back.


    "Yolanda, would it kill you to say ''please'' and ''thank you'' even just for today? I thought your image and reputation were most important to you. Hmm, I wonder why your best friends left you. So are you going to ask me for help now?" Amelia fearlessly said, raising her chin and staring at Yolanda straight in the eyes.


    Yolanda froze in place. She had not expected Amelia to snap at her like this.


    Sophia was so embarrassed that she had to leave and go upstairs to talk to Vernon.


    "Amelia, I''m not begging you today. If you don''t want to be my bridesmaid, I won''t force you. I will have a grand wedding ceremony anyway!" Yolanda was seething. She turned her head and shouted at Jasper, who had stayed quiet all this time, "Jasper, let''s go!"


    Amelia felt a gust of wind sweep across her face as the crowd started buzzing around them again.

 Chapter 10 She Is The Bridesmaid

    "If you don''t want to stay here anymore, we can leave," Lucian suggested calmly as he walked ahead of Amelia.


    She didn''t mean to refuse to help but she just couldn''t stand Yolanda''s arrogance anymore.


    "Amelia?" Jasper walked in from the outside. Ignoring everyone''s staring, he grabbed Amelia''s hand and said, "May I have a word with you?"


    All of a sudden, Jasper had grabbed her and before she could even break free, he was already pulling her away.


    "Mr. Jasper, don''t you think we should be more careful about what we do and say in public?" Lucian said coolly as he maintained his grip on Amelia''s other hand.


    Jasper looked a little embarrassed. He released Amelia''s hand and bowed his head to apologize. "Sorry, Lucian. I forgot my manners. I was in a hurry."


    "If you''re here to ask my wife to be your fianc¨¦e''s bridesmaid, you''d better save your energy. I just don''t want my wife to be aggrieved anymore." Lucian was acting as if it was his responsibility to protect Amelia. But the irony was not lost on Amelia.


    How could their real feelings be so deep?


    As Jasper turned his attention back to Amelia, he begged, "Amelia, I know you hate me but the wedding''s happening right now, could you just please set aside your personal feelings and come help out your sister?"


    This was the first time that Jasper had ever begged her. It was ridiculous that he''s begging her for the sake of another woman.


    Amelia was obviously hurt by this but after giving it some thought, she finally decided to agree.


    When Amelia nodded her head, Jasper was visibly thrilled. He grabbed Amelia''s hands and said in a grateful tone, "Amelia, I knew you would say yes. You''ve always been so considerate."


    It was difficult to find him sincere in his words.


    Amelia looked toward Lucian who seemed indifferent and unbothered.


    "Amelia, you don''t have to look out for me. Plus, didn''t I say I''d help you?" Lucian suddenly whispered in Amelia''s ear.


    She pressed her lips together before going to change into her purple bridesmaid dress. After which, she went to the wedding with Lucian by her side.


    The weather outside was beautiful. The sun was up and shining but Amelia wasn''t feeling the same way. Instead, she felt nervous.


    "To be honest, you''re more graceful than your sister but she has the body." There was a moment of hesitation in Lucian''s voice before he continued, "I think that''s what she had over you."


    She knew what Lucian meant by saying that. He was trying to tell her that Yolanda was confident because she knew she had the body for it.


    "So is Yolanda more your type or what?" Amelia snapped, giving him a disdainful look.


    "Oh, well, she''s smarter than you," Lucian bit back.


    "Lucian, are you trying to get on my nerves? You''re going to have to do a lot more than that." She turned her face away and ignored Lucian.


    When they arrived at the wedding, the wedding host had just announced that the wedding was about to start.


    The event was luxuriously decorated and the guests were buzzing with excitement. It was a refreshing break from the cold atmosphere in the Mo mansion.


    As the wedding march played, the groom and bride started walking down the aisle hand in hand. Amelia carefully walked behind them. She cast a glance at Lucian who was sitting off the stage and she unconsciously blushed.


    The bridesmaid dress was strapless which exposed most of Amelia''s skin. She wasn''t used to wearing clothes like these. It reminded her of the night she was drunk and Lucian had seen her and taken photos of her.


    "Mr. Jasper, will you promise to love your wife in poverty and wealth, health and illness? Will you promise to love and respect her for the rest of your life?"


    After the priest had declared the solemn vows of marriage, everyone''s eyes were focused on the bride and groom. Only Lucian was looking toward Amelia. He didn''t know why but he felt so drawn to her at that moment that he couldn''t help but look at her.


    In the five years that Amelia had dated Jasper, she''d dreamed of her wedding with him countless of times. He''d promised her then that they''d live happily ever after. She didn''t expect that she would become a bridesmaid at his wedding with a different woman.


    While she thought that she would be happy for him, she found herself feeling upset and dismal.


    Soon, the wedding was over before Amelia even realized it. She didn''t realize how cold she was until she''d snapped back to her senses. She rubbed her bare arms roughly to warm herself up a bit as she walked toward the backstage to change into her evening dress. She suddenly felt two strong hands grasp hers. She turned and found Lucian standing in front of her. Trying to wriggle herself free, she said,


    "I thought you left already." She covered her chest wit


    h her other hand and lowered her head bashfully.


    Noticing that Amelia was cold, Lucian took off his coat and placed it around Amelia.


    She was startled by the sudden warmth that replaced the freezing cold.


    She''d watched this scene on TV so many times but she''d never experienced it herself until now and it certainly felt different.


    She raised her head and whispered thanks, her eyes averting his gaze.


    It wasn''t like her to wear makeup so that night, she looked absolutely stunning with her makeup on coupled with the elegant dress she was wearing. When she smiled, Lucian felt his heart skip a beat.


    For a while, he just kept his gaze on her, a small smile playing on his lips.


    "Oh, Lucian, Amelia. You''re here. I''ve been looking for you." Yolanda''s shrill voice broke the silence between them.


    In embarrassment, Lucian looked away. His gentle expression disappeared and was quickly replaced with his usual cold demeanor.


    Yolanda had changed into a red cheongsam. There was a peony pattern embroidered on the red cheongsam and a shawl was draped over her shoulder. She looked beautiful with her curly hair.


    "Yolanda, I thought mother asked you to put on more clothes, why didn''t you listen to her?" Jasper was just coming over with Yolanda''s coat in hand, frowning.


    Yolanda seemed pissed. She snapped, "Well, I have a shawl, don''t I? Everyone''s going to be looking at me today. I can''t possibly wear that!"


    Yolanda liked being beautiful no matter what. She never went out without any makeup on. During winter, she''d wear thin silk stockings. She would get her hair done on a weekly basis and would use that time to smoke a cigarette or two. Most of all, she loved going to the bar with her friends.


    She was pregnant now so she couldn''t do any of those anymore. It was hard to tell how well she was adjusting to this new lifestyle she was supposed to have.


    At the thought of this, Amelia pinched herself hard and scolded herself in her mind, ''Mind your own business.''


    "You''re pregnant now. You''re going to adjust," Jasper begged, his voice low and his eyebrows knitted together.


    His words enraged Yolanda. She glared at him as she spoke, her voice sharp as knives, "Did you only marry me because I''m pregnant?"


    With an aghast look, Jasper turned to look at Amelia and said in an apologetic tone, "Thank you so much for attending our service. I deeply apologize for the hiccups that we experienced. I sincerely hope we can make it up to you."


    "Jasper, why are you changing the topic? I''m asking you!" It seemed that Jasper mentioning Amelia''s name had triggered Yolanda causing her to shoot daggers with her eyes at Amelia. She pulled at his sleeve and said, "I want you to tell Amelia right now that you don''t love her anymore!"


    Amelia didn''t know what was happening. Why was Yolanda acting like that? Didn''t they just literally get married? Why was she still doubting him?


    If Jasper were being honest, he just felt like he had no history with Yolanda. He spent five years in another relationship whom he didn''t end up with.


    As far as she knew, there should always be respect in a love that''s supposedly mutual.


    It seemed that Jasper had already forgotten the true meaning of love. Being with Yolanda was an act of self-defeat to him.


    Since her mother passed away, Amelia felt as if she was practically treated as a servant in the Mo family. Sophia never liked being a stepmother. Yolanda always mistreated her. She only opened up her heart when she met Jasper. She trusted him without getting to know him first expecting him to love her as much as Vernon loved her. She didn''t expect that any of this would happen.


    "Yolanda, just stop it, okay?" Jasper begged, he seemed embarrassed. "Yolanda, you''re my wife now. Can''t you trust me just a little?"


    Yolanda merely sneered at him.


    "I trust you but I have to hear it from your mouth. I have to hear you say those words. I need proof that you don''t love her anymore." Yolanda had an evil grin on her face. She raised her chin and looked at Amelia arrogantly as if she was declaring war against her.


    "Honey, I love you."


    A deep and soft voice suddenly rang in Amelia''s ears.


    Amelia felt his hot breath in her ear. She felt a chill run from her neck down to her spine, her face flushed, and her heart was beating a mile a minute.


    To everyone else, their love was a bit of a fairytale. It wasn''t believable considering that they were from two different worlds.


    "Jasper, look!" Yolanda glared at Jasper who was still in a daze. Then she turned to Amelia and said in a threatening voice, "Since you and Lucian seem to be legitimately in love, I''ll let you go. But I''m warning you, the minute I find out that you still have feelings for Jasper, I''ll make sure you pay for it."

 Chapter 11 Display Of Affection

    As soon as the words left Yolanda''s mouth, she turned in an attempt to leave but was surprisingly blocked by Amelia.


    "What are you doing?" Yolanda struggled for a while but she was no match for Amelia. She angrily shouted, "Amelia, just because you married Lucian it doesn''t mean you can get away with things! Let me tell you right now: marrying into a rich family doesn''t solve your problems."


    Amelia sneered, staring her down. "You''re always going to want what I have and I''m sorry to tell you this but Lucian will never be interested in you."


    Amelia was being so confident that it was almost out of character.


    She didn''t know that for a fact about Lucian but for some reason, when she was saying it, she knew that it was true.


    Yolanda''s face turned white as a sheet. In an attempt to save face, she grabbed Jasper''s arm and said, "Did you hear what she said? She thinks you''re just one of her leftovers!"


    Jasper''s face turned gloomy and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes. However, when he looked at Amelia, he said softly, "Amelia, as long as you''re happy."


    "Of course!" Amelia''s eyes were gleaming and it was difficult to make out what she was really feeling.


    After the luncheon, most of the guests had already left. Amelia figured it was time for her to leave as well. However, Vernon suddenly approached her and took her hand.


    "Amelia, how about you? When are you and Lucian going to get married? When are you going to have the ceremony?" he asked. Vernon was still wearing his festive Tang costume and he seemed even happier than usual.


    Amelia was rendered speechless. She didn''t expect that her father would ask about her and Lucian''s marriage in such a straightforward manner. Plus, their marriage was just a fake. There was no point in holding a grand wedding ceremony for a fake marriage.


    After all, it was Lucian''s decision too to keep a low-key profile.


    After thinking for a while, she smiled and said, "Dad, Lucian and I are already married on paper. He''s too well-known. If we hold a wedding, media coverage will be crazy and I just can''t handle that. It would wear me out."


    Her resentment toward her father stemmed from when her mother passed away. After a while, it began to fade especially when he grew ill. When that happened, she just tried her best to support him and not cause him any stress.


    "I know that you''re always thinking of other people but I''m still your father and it''s still my dream to see you get married with a grand wedding. Besides, it''s not like you''ve known Lucian for so long. In the future, that might..."


    "Dad, it doesn''t matter that I just met Lucian. Things just work out that way sometimes. Lucian and I met at the right time. That''s why we got along so well. You don''t need to worry about us." Amelia tried to keep her tone as easygoing as possible so as to comfort her father.


    She knew that Vernon wasn''t the type to be tricked easily so he would definitely still have doubts.


    "Honey, if you ever feel like you''re unhappy or if ever you get mistreated, just tell me and don''t keep it to yourself," Vernon said, sighing.


    Amelia nodded with a smile. Her heart ached when he left.


    Iris had committed suicide when she was nearly 15 years old. Not a month had passed and Vernon already had Sophia and her daughter living in their house. While Iris had suffered from depression and that was what led to her suicide, Amelia knew that her depression was caused by Vernon''s infidelity. She''d never said this to anyone but she hadn''t been able to keep it off her mind for years.


    If Vernon hadn''t fallen ill, she might have just continued nursing her ill feelings towards him. After Vernon almost had a heart attack, she changed. She realized how short life was and there was no point in holding grudges against her own father.


    She was a real member of the Mo family but ever since Yolanda and Sophia started living with them, she felt as if she was demoted to a maid. They always grabbed the chance to bully her whenever they could. When she went to college, she was glad to finally leave home. Things were turning out great especially that she''d met Jasper, the man of her dreams. He rented a house for the two of them. She thought things were finally falling into place for her. At least for the next five years that''s what she thought. Until Jasper left her.


    "What are you doing here? I called you but you didn''t answer." A cold voice suddenly came from her side.


    In a moment of desperation, Amelia wiped her face with her hands to hide the fact that she was crying. She then shook her head in embarrassment and muttered, "Nothing."


    Frowning, Lucian eyed her. He closed in the distance between them so he could get a better look of her face. He then asked in a strange tone, "Why are you crying?"


    Even if she''d attempted to wipe away her tears, it left a stain on her face. Her eyes were red too. All signs pointed t


    o the obvious: she had indeed been crying.


    She couldn''t help but burst into tears as she recalled her past.


    However, to Lucian, it seemed as if she was mourning over losing Jasper.


    Lucian didn''t know why but he found himself growing upset at the thought of this.


    He frowned and said coldly, "The wedding''s over. We should leave."


    After which, he left without even waiting for Amelia to respond first.


    Amelia only recollected herself a few moments later. She then followed him.


    Her short legs gave her a disadvantage as she wasn''t able to catch up with Lucian who was already in the hallway. When she arrived at the car, she was out of breath. Lucian merely gave her a quick glance and reminded her to fasten her seatbelt. He then drove his Porsche in full speed.


    Neither of them said anything throughout the entire car ride which made the atmosphere a little awkward. Amelia couldn''t help but feel grateful toward him when she recalled how he''d saved her earlier.


    Before she could blurt out a thanks to him, Lucian said, "We need to go to the Zhan mansion tomorrow. My mom''s definitely going to give you a hard time but just don''t say anything and I''ll take care of the rest."


    Amelia turned her head and looked at Lucian silently. She still wasn''t feeling okay.


    "We need to go to the Zhan mansion tomorrow. My mom''s definitely going to give you a hard time but just don''t say anything and I''ll take care of the rest."


    Amelia turned her head and looked at Lucian silently. She still wasn''t feeling okay.


    They had a deal after all. He''d helped her today so now it was her turn to help him tomorrow.


    "Okay," she agreed softly.


    As soon as the car arrived at the door of the SJ Garden, Amelia hadn''t gotten off the car yet and she spotted Darren standing outside their door with a sweet-looking girl by his side.


    "Oh, Lucian, you''re finally back! My feet are killing me!"


    the girl complained as soon as they got off the car.


    When the girl spoke, her voice was clear. She looked delicate in her white woolen coat, pink skirt, and flesh-colored stockings. As Amelia eyed the stockings, she trembled. ''Isn''t it cold?'' she thought to herself.


    "Shelly? What are you doing here?" Lucian sounded surprised. Then he turned to Amelia and said, "This is Amelia, my wife."


    Amelia was thoroughly impressed by Lucian''s composure. Whenever she lied, her face and her ears always turned red. But he seemed like a natural. The words just rolled off his tongue. He was so good at acting that it was almost a waste that he wasn''t an actor.


    Amelia smiled stiffly and greeted her politely. She was very uncomfortable.


    If her instincts were right, Shelly seemed to be the type of girl that parents liked. It was like she was the perfect daughter-in-law.


    Amelia noticed that Shelly was glaring at her. Then she turned to Lucian and asked in disbelief, "Lucian? Are you serious? Married?"


    She sounded disappointed.


    "Yes," Lucian said coolly, nodding and casually putting an arm around Amelia. He smiled and said, "Shelly''s father and my father are best friends. We practically grew up together."


    Looks like they were childhood sweethearts.


    Amelia didn''t know what to say. She just smiled despite feeling a little guilty. Shelly was looking at Lucian with much affection in her eyes. The way she looked at him made Amelia feel a little uncomfortable.


    "Lucian, why? Did you forget about my family''s deal with yours?" As she spoke, tears streamed down her face from the corner of her eyes. Her face was instantly stained with tears. The softness in her voice tugged at Amelia''s heartstrings.


    "Miss Shelly, actually I..."


    "Amelia, Shelly and I haven''t seen each other for a long time. We''d like to have some time to catch up. You''re an amazing cook, right? Why don''t you cook dinner for us?" Lucian interrupted Amelia quickly. He grasped her slender wrist and looked at her square in the eye. "You don''t mind, dear, do you?"


    Amelia was a little taken aback. She then turned to look at Shelly who was still crying and said shyly, "Of course, not. I''d love to cook dinner."


    Lucian was slightly embarrassing her. It seemed that he had chosen his words carefully to make it not sound like he was threatening her when in fact, he actually was. If she didn''t agree to what he said, she was just going to look stupid. Besides, they needed to be believable as a couple so she had to play her part even if it meant a little discomfort for her.


    "Shelly, let''s go inside." Lucian''s usual cold demeanor was replaced by warmth and even his indifferent tone seemed to have emotion.


    Shelly seemed comforted by this. She held his arm and proudly said, "I knew you didn''t change!"


    As Amelia watched this entire scene unfold, she couldn''t help but be shocked. Shelly was literally just crying a second ago and now she was smiling as if nothing had happened. Her mood changed that quickly.

 Chapter 12 Let Me Hold You For A While

    Amelia lowered her head as they headed inside the villa. She followed behind Lucian and Shelly who were busy chatting away. When she finally arrived at the kitchen, she took a deep breath.


    Now that she was thinking about it, maybe it was better that she stay in the kitchen to cook. At least this way, she didn''t have to be around them and be uncomfortable.


    "Mrs. Amelia, what can I do for you?" Darren suddenly went into the kitchen and offered her help.


    Amelia was startled by Darren''s sudden appearance. When she had calmed down, she quickly waved her hands and said, "No, I''m good. Thank you."


    Darren furrowed his eyebrows and then he opened his mouth and closed it several times as if he had something to say.


    "Do you have something to say, Darren?" she asked upon noticing the complicated look on Darren''s face.


    Darren crossed his hands, lost in thought. After a while, he asked with a perplexed look on his face, "Mrs. Amelia, do you really love Lucian?"


    Amelia felt her throat constrict as soon as she heard this. She was unable to utter a word.


    She''d never thought of that before. She''d never even considered it because how could that be possible when they had no emotional foundation whatsoever?


    On paper, Lucian was a good man. He was handsome and he was kind-hearted. He was definitely way better than Jasper who had cheated on her.


    He was indeed a good man. It wasn''t surprising that countless women clawed after him.


    "I''m sorry, Mrs. Amelia. I didn''t mean to ask you that," he apologized at once.


    Since they were already married, she had to play her part. She smiled easily and answered, "You know, the love between two people isn''t only measured in how much they express it but in how harmonious they are together, in their everyday lives, and in the little things."


    Amelia may be technically lying but she said what was in her heart. To her, that was what made a good marriage.


    Darren nodded thoughtfully and said with a gentle smile, "Since there''s nothing I can help with here, I''ll go back to the mansion first."


    "Thank you, Darren. You''re free to join us for dinner before you leave." Even though she didn''t really know Darren that well yet, she didn''t feel as nervous around him as she thought she would. Perhaps it was because he was the same age as Vernon and she always respected the elder.


    After cooking dinner, Amelia headed to the living room to tell them that dinner was ready. However, before she could even say anything, she was stopped in her tracks in shock of what she had seen.


    "Lucian, come here and let me hug you. Since you have married someone else, I won''t ever have a chance with you." Shelly was snuggling up in Lucian''s arms, crying and clutching his arm. From her position, she had a clear view of Amelia who was stunned as she witnessed this. Shelly sneered and continued, "You''ve always protected me ever since I was a child. If anything happened to me and you weren''t there, I wouldn''t know what to do..."


    What she said made Amelia''s heart tighten. She couldn''t help but think of Jasper. Jasper who used to protect her and had now left her.


    She had nothing but sympathy for Shelly.


    "Shelly, you''re not a kid anymore." Lucian had already shaken her off when he noticed Amelia standing by. He flashed her a smile and asked, "Is dinner ready?"


    His voice was gentle and warm as he spoke.


    Amelia looked up and nodded.


    She looked at Shelly apologetically since she thought she had interrupted them.


    During the dinner, Shelly wouldn''t stop talking about her past with Lucian. She''d blabber on about how Lucian used to be, how much she adored him, how good he was to her. Safe to say that everything that came out of her mouth had something to do with Lucian.


    Amelia remained nonchalant all throughout. When Shelly stopped eating, she urged her to eat more.


    She meant to be polite but Shelly seemed to misunderstand her thinking that she was asserting her position as Lucian''s wife.


    After dinner, Shelly insisted on washing the dishes with Amelia. Amelia bashfully refused, waving her hand. She insisted that Shelly was a guest and that it was just a few bowls and chopsticks so she didn''t really need any help.


    "I''ll just stand here and learn from you watching you then," Shelly said sweetly while rolling her eyes.


    Learn? Amelia was confused at first but then she figured that Shel


    ly was probably as rich as Lucian and had probably never had to do a single chore in her entire life.


    Someone as wealthy as she was didn''t really need to get her hands dirty. She had assistants to do all those things for her. The Mo family had servants too but Sophia was very exclusive with them. They could only serve her and Vernon. Thus, Amelia still had to do housework. The Mo family wasn''t a big family either. Vernon only had a small company which only made enough to support the family leaving not much room for excess spending.


    Shelly leaned against the door, with her hands across her chest as if she was presiding over a meeting of some sort.


    "It doesn''t matter if Lucian married you because his parents are never going to accept you. You''re way too shallow. I bet you just seduced Lucian." Amelia dropped the dish she was washing in the sink. She hurriedly picked it up. While she was obviously shaken up, she was able to quickly gather herself and resume what she was doing.


    Gone was the sweet Shelly from earlier. She was glaring at Amelia obviously angry and jealous. Right now, she was nowhere near the girl she was when Lucian was around.


    While Amelia didn''t know what the story was behind Lucian and Shelly, she knew she had to say something to defend herself. After all, she was Lucian''s wife now.


    "Should I really care whether or not his parents accept me? I''m already married to him. As long as he accepts me and loves me, I''ll do whatever I can to receive his parents'' blessing." Amelia really didn''t know what was happening. For all she knew, Shelly could have been the one being wronged. If Shelly was, Amelia felt sorry for her but that still didn''t change the fact that she didn''t know what to say to her.


    Shelly''s chest heaved in anger. She raised her hand in an attempt to slap Amelia but Lucian stopped her in time. "Shelly, you can do whatever the hell you want. You''re practically my sister after all. But when it comes to Amelia, I''m drawing the line. This is my wife we''re talking about here."


    He sounded so strong and so sure in his words. Amelia couldn''t help but blush. This handsome man was fighting for her and defending her. Anyone would swoon over Lucian. He was like a knight in a shining armor.


    The expression on Shelly''s face darkened. She cast a furious glance at Amelia and said in a fluster, "Lucian, you''re going to regret this!"


    After this, Shelly left without even looking back.


    Amelia''s heart tightened. She turned to Lucian and said, "Hurry!"


    "What are you talking about? She''s not my wife," Lucian answered casually as he looked down at Amelia.


    Amelia frowned, unsure what he meant.


    "Then I''ll go." It was already late and they were far from downtown. If something happened to Shelly, she would feel guilty.


    "It''s none of your business, Amelia. I''ve asked my driver to send her home," Lucian said coldly, blocking Amelia''s path.


    Amelia was a bit surprised. ''When did he have the time to tell his driver to send Shelly home?'' she thought to herself in puzzlement.


    She rubbed the back of her head awkwardly, her eyes looking elsewhere. It took a while before she was finally able to choke out a thank you.


    "You must be exhausted. You should go rest." There was a touch of warmth in Lucian''s deep voice.


    Amelia felt her heart jump upon hearing this. She felt a certain warmth filling her chest.


    Lucian was actually showing emotions. He cared about other people too. Amelia felt heart tingling. She then raised her head and gave him a sweet smile.


    Her smile reminded him of fresh lilies that had the softest graze of a fragrance. He was entranced.


    Amelia looked even more beautiful when she smiled.


    These past two days, she had mostly been frowning and she rarely smiled. Now, she looked like a beauty that reminded him of the sun brightening up a rainy day.


    Lucian was quickly able to collect himself and put on his usual cold demeanor. She was a fresh breath of air. Unfortunately, Lucian just couldn''t entertain whatever he was feeling right now.


    He needed a fake marriage, not a real relationship. He didn''t even want to think about what had happened to him three years ago. The pain from what happened tortured him for so long. He''d never put himself in a position where he could possibly get hurt like that ever again. This fake marriage was all that he could handle right now.

 Chapter 13 The Meeting of the In-Laws

    The next morning, someone knocked on Amelia''s door. As she opened her heavy lids, she remembered what she had promised Lucian yesterday. Amelia sprang out of bed and rubbed away the sleep from her eyes. ''Ah, I''m meeting Lucian''s parents today!'' she thought, getting nervous and flustered.


    "I... I''m getting up! I''ll be ready in a minute!" She rushed into the bathroom and washed up, then quickly changed her clothes. After checking how she looked in the mirror one last time, she hurried downstairs.


    There, she saw that Lucian was having breakfast. The way he looked in his black suit handsomely suited his overall cold and stiff appearance. Seeing him like this made it seem as if the warm words he said from last night were only a dream.


    "Sorry, I overslept," Amelia said apologetically as she walked over to him.


    Most of the time, Amelia woke up early. It was just that she did not expect that she would go to bed so late last night.


    "It doesn''t matter." After taking a bite on a piece of bread, Lucian put it back on his plate and coldly glanced at Amelia. "There was only enough breakfast for one person. You can eat what I''ve left. If you''re still hungry, you can go to the Zhan mansion to get something to eat. That''s what you get for sleeping late."


    "What did you say?" Amelia couldn''t believe what she just heard. With an eyebrow raised, she eyed that bitten piece of bread Lucian was offering. "You want me to eat that?" she asked exasperatedly.


    "You were the one who was supposed to make breakfast," Lucian shrugged, "But you didn''t wake up early enough. I think you should be grateful that I even decided to share with you the breakfast that I prepared."


    "Lucian, do you really think I should thank you for your kindness?" Amelia was irritated by his words. ''Why is he like this all of a sudden? I don''t understand how he can make fun of me like this!''


    "You can choose not to eat since you only have five minutes left. By then, we have to leave and head up to the Zhan mansion. It''s really up to you," Lucian said in a low and cold voice.


    Amelia was stunned for a long time.


    This man was completely different from what he was yesterday! But then, Amelia suddenly realized something. ''Yesterday, we were in front of other people. But now it''s just the two of us. There''s no need for him to act so cordial around me right now.''


    "Fine. Let''s go," Amelia said with a bitter smile.


    "I hope you know how important this is," Lucian coldly reminded Amelia as he got into the car. "Show the best possible version of yourself. I hope you can cooperate with me no matter how unwilling you are."


    Was this still a negotiation? Why did that sound more of like an order?


    Although Amelia was a bit reluctant, she still nodded her head in compliance as she quietly sighed to herself.


    The Zhan mansion was located at a hillside, right where the land met with the sea. According to Chinese geomancy¡ªof which the Zhan family was quite fastidious about¡ªa house surrounded by both earth and water gathered energy and prosperity.


    As the car drove up the driveway, the gates automatically opened. There was a stone fountain right in front of the grand villa, and a flower nursery to the left. Amelia gazed at awe at the beautiful flowers, many of which she did not have a name for. On colder days, the flowers were all in full bloom. It was such a rare and delightful sight to see.


    Lucian stepped out of the car. The aura of nobility he had as he stood at the luxurious grounds of the villa made his seem like he was born to be a prince living in the castle.


    When Darren saw the car, he immediately welcomed Lucian with a big smile on his face, "Mr. Lucian is back. Her ladyship missed you quite so."


    They followed Darren into the villa. The floors were made out of marble, imported straight from Italy. There was an intricate crystal chandelier hanging in the hall, illuminating the grand staircase with a warm light. On each wall were big, arched windows. There were also paintings hung here and there, giving the whole place a quiet but elegant ambiance.


    A chorus of laughter sounded from the living room, creating an air of peacefulness and cheer.


    "We have a guest?" Lucian frowned.


    "It''s Miss Shelly An. She came here to visit Mrs. Fannie," Darren answered hesitantly as he glanced at Amelia.


    Hearing Shelly''s name, Amelia felt her heart skip a beat. At that moment, she could just imagine Shelly''s angry and ferocious face.


    "Let''s go, Amelia." Suddenly, Lucian stretched out his hand to her. The look on his cold face made it look as there was an urgent matter at hand, and that he was asking for her permission to hold hands.


    Amelia opened her mouth slightly. She was surprised and didn''t know if she should hold his hand. Thinking of the hateful look he gave her before they left SJ Garden, Amelia sighed lightly and turned her head away angrily.


    "Lucian!" Shelly was sitting on the sofa in the living room. When she saw Lucian, she screamed joyfully and jumped out of her seat.


    "Ah, you''re back!" Fannie said happily as she turned around.


    Lucian didn''t say anything. He pulled Amelia, who was hiding behind him, to his side.


    "Oh... Why did you bring her here?" The moment Fannie saw Amelia, the smile on her face froze. It was easy to tell that she was not happy seeing Amelia there.


    "Amelia''s my wife. Is it wrong for me to take her home?" Lucian held Amelia''s hand tighter, interlocking his cold fingers into hers. His voice was icy and domineering, as if he was just about to declare war.


    Amelia had been clenching her fist behind her since she entered the room. Now she didn''t know what to do, especially in front of all the people.


    "Lucian, you can do whatever you want outside. But you can''t just take some random woman back to the mansion!" Fannie said scornfully as she eyed Amelia up and down, "Especially not women who look like they''re after money!"


    Amelia looked up and tried to explain, but Lucian grasped her hand even tighter.


    She tilted her head, her eyes filled with grievance and helplessness.


    The disgust in Fannie''s eyes and the hurtful words were undoubtedly like sharp knives, deeply stabbing her self-esteem.


    "If you have anything bad to say, you can say it to my face. There''s no need to slander Amelia," Lucian spoke, his tone as low as ever, but his words reverberated powerfully.


    "What... Are you really going to argue with me?" said Fannie, her fingers trembling with anger.


    Seeing this, Shelly came over to comfort her. "Auntie, don''t be angry. I''m sure that Lucian would never mean to disrespect you. If anything, I think the best thing to do..."Shelly leaned in closer and whispered in Fannie''s ear.


    At that moment, Shelly looked deliberately at Amelia.


    The way her eyes twinkled didn''t look as if she was offering a reasonable solution ¡ª it was a look that was stirring up trouble.


    Then, Fannie nodded in agreement. "Since you have the nerve to come here to the mansion," Fannie said as she pointed a finger at Amelia, "you must promise me right here and now that you will not spend a single penny from the Zhan family!"


    The contempt in Amelia''s eyes reflected in Fannie''s.


    It wasn''t because she truly hated. She knew Fannie just wanted to protect her son. Even still, all this talk about money and the way they judged her made Amelia unhappy.


    "Auntie, look! She''s even glaring at you!" Shelly pointed out.


    "Get out," Fannie said through clenched teeth. "Get out before Lucian''s father sees you here."


    "I know your family is the richest in the city. But I just want to remind you that the one who wanted this marriage was your son, not me!" ''I know I told Lucian that I had to play my roll well. But that doesn''t mean that I would just let this woman verbally abuse me like this!'' Amelia sneered in her heart.


    "So you feel wronged to be my daughter-in-law?" It seemed that Fannie didn''t expect this and she lowered her voice. But the anger on her face didn''t fade away.


    "What Amelia said is right. I forced her to marry me. There''s no reason to bully my wife, and I most certainly won''t allow it." Lucian held Amelia''s hand firmly.


    Amelia cast a sidelong glance at the man beside her, hardly recognizing him at all.


    She slightly held onto Lucian''s hand as well. The warmth from his palm was reassuring, but she was still quite uneasy.


    It was a lie that she was not afraid of them. She had always respected elders. If Fannie wasn''t as sharp-tongue as she was, Amelia wouldn''t have fought back like that.


    "Auntie, didn''t you just say you liked me most? Since I''m here, you should be happy. Don''t let your good mood be affected by insignificant people!" Shelly said as she gently patted Fannie''s back.


    "Lucian, listen to me. Why don''t you marry such a good girl like Shelly? I just don''t understand how you could marry some unknown woman. Who knows where she''s been and what she''s really after! When you finally get fooled by that wife of yours, don''t say I didn''t tell you so!" Fannie exasperated. Shaking her head, she held Shelly''s hand. "Shelly, I''m so sorry. Your shot at a good marriage and a good husband has been ruined!"


    "No matter what happens, everything all of you say doesn''t matter. Amelia and I are married. I just came to inform you of this news, so your objection is invalid." Lucian''s eyes darkened, his face taunt and stern.


    After hearing what Lucian said, Amelia became more and more confused. She wondered why Lucian was in such a hurry to find a woman to get married to, but was unwilling to marry a woman to actually love. Then she remembered what he said, about how he wanted to make his own decisions in his life for a change.


    ''But...'' Amelia thought, ''the decision he made may never satisfy him.'' After all, there was no love between them.


    "We''re done here, Amelia. Let''s go head back," Lucian said softly to Amelia. Hearing his gentle voice made Amelia snap out of her daze. She blushed and looked at his mother awkwardly. When she found that Fannie was still extremely angry, she quickly withdrew her gaze and silently nodded.


    ''Good. I don''t think I''m willing to stay here for a second longer!'' she thought.


    "It''s not every day that you come back here, Lucian. Stay and have lunch with us before you leave," Shelly said with a point as she walked up to him. Without a second thought, she held onto his arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world and continued, "Don''t forget me after you get married. I''m still deeply in love with you. Nothing and no one can change that!"


    After that, Shelly sharply glanced at Amelia.


    ''Please don''t agree to stay for lunch...'' Amelia prayed, her hands clenched.

 Chapter 14 Keep Looking At Her

    Amelia didn''t care about the fact that Shelly was acting like a spoiled child in front of Lucian and declaring war against her. She just didn''t want to be here anymore. Not only did she not know what to do but she also had to still act for Lucian.


    Amelia had assumed that they really wouldn''t need to do anything. What she didn''t expect was for Lucian''s mother to mock them.


    "Shelly, it seems my mother is happy to see you. Why don''t you stay and have lunch with her? Amelia and I can leave." Lucian shook off Shelly''s hand that was gripping his arm and grabbed Amelia''s much to Shelly''s embarrassment.


    Amelia was appeased upon hearing Lucian''s answer.


    Fannie was seething. She grew even angrier at Amelia when Lucian said that he wasn''t staying for lunch. She shot Amelia a sharp glance. She hated that woman so much she could tear her into pieces.


    The minute they stepped out of the Zhan mansion, Amelia let out a big sigh of relief. Amelia was still trembling by the time they got into the car.


    "Were you scared?" Lucian asked, glancing at her.


    Since they were alone, Amelia figured she didn''t need to act anymore. She turned her head to look out the window, trying to calm herself down.


    Jasper came from a broken family. His parents had gotten a divorce when he was still young. He lived with his mother his whole life. When they''d been dating for two years, he took Amelia home to meet his mother. Naturally, Amelia was nervous at first. She knew that meeting her boyfriend''s parents was a big deal. This was her first time doing something like this so she was at a loss. A month before she was scheduled to meet Jasper''s mom, she already began freaking out. Jasper merely laughed at her and teased her. He said, "Even if you were ugly, I''d still take you to meet my mom."


    As she thought of this, tears welled up in her eyes.


    When she finally met Jasper''s mother, she realized that there was nothing to worry about after all. Jasper''s mother was easy to get along with. She loved Amelia like she was her own daughter.


    She couldn''t help but look back at those lovely memories especially after how Fannie had mistreated her.


    After a while, Amelia started to feel dizzy. She remembered that she hadn''t had breakfast yet and the moving car was making her head spin. She adjusted her body so that she was looking out the window. She let the cold wind blow on her face so she could take her mind off her dizziness.


    "What''s going on?" Lucian asked in concern when he noticed Amelia clutching her stomach. He immediately pulled over. "Are you uncomfortable?"


    Amelia gritted her teeth and said in a small voice, "I think I need some fresh air."


    "All right. We can step out for a bit." After that, Lucian got off the car and opened the door for Amelia. He looked around and found a restaurant nearby. "I''m sorry. I completely forgot that you haven''t had breakfast yet. We can go and have some porridge first. It might help with your stomachache."


    Amelia''s stomach was empty and the moving car had triggered her to feel sick. She felt like she was going to vomit but when she tried to retch, nothing came out. Her eyes were already wet from trying to vomit something out.


    As Lucian looked at Amelia''s pale face, he couldn''t help but scold himself. He felt guilty as he thought that this was all his fault.


    "Let me help you." Lucian seemed patient and the tone of his voice was warm.


    Amelia shook off his hand and said, "No, I can do it myself."


    She wiped the tears off the corners of her eyes to make herself feel better.


    She wasn''t able to refuse the food since she was starving. As soon as the steaming bowl of corn porridge arrived on their table, she began scarfing it down. It was a bit too hot but she felt her stomachache subsiding after.


    "So? Were you just carsick?" Lucian asked tentatively when she''d finished eating. He handed her a glass of warm water too.


    Her eyes were still wet and she looked delicate. For some reason, Lucian always assumed that Amelia was feeling lonely whenever she grew quiet.


    "Thank you," Amelia muttered as she averted her gaze.


    Lucian was only cold to her that mor


    ning because he was afraid that they were getting too close. He wanted to keep the distance between them. However, he suddenly found himself regretting that he''d treated her that way earlier.


    "Are you feeling better now? Do you want to go to the hospital?" Lucian frowned, a look of concern on his face.


    Amelia found herself in a daze. She felt like she was in a dream. Lucian was so cold to her just this morning and suddenly, he was acting concerned toward her.


    She wasn''t going to let herself be played hot and cold like that.


    While she knew that they were just pretending to be together and that she shouldn''t even care in the first place, she still had feelings and she didn''t like being played like that.


    "Mr. Lucian, I want to be alone for a while." Amelia didn''t even want to be in the same car as him right now.


    "I have a conference call this afternoon. Let me at least drive you home first." Lucian didn''t notice the strange look Amelia had on her face. Instead, he just focused on driving.


    Amelia turned toward him and said coolly, "No. I meant I want to get off so I can just walk home."


    Lucian pulled the car over, his face unreadable.


    "Amelia, you need to rest." His tone was cold and firm as if he wasn''t leaving it up to discussion.


    Amelia remained calm despite the tone in Lucian''s voice. She merely said, "I thought we weren''t going to interfere with each other''s lives as long as we put up the act in front of others."


    "But you''re sick. I''m still your husband on paper and that means I should still look after you," Lucian said plainly.


    Amelia suddenly felt weak.


    "Lucian, you can stop pretending now..." Amelia said with much difficulty as she looked at him.


    With that, Lucian started the car ignoring Amelia''s request. He drove the car back to the SJ Garden.


    The drive from Lucian''s parents'' house to the SJ Garden normally took about half an hour. However, since Amelia was experiencing some motion sickness, he slowed down his driving speed. It took them about an hour to get home.


    Lucian was relieved when he found that Amelia had fallen asleep on the car ride home.


    Lucian gently lifted Amelia out of the passenger seat. For a while, he just stood there, watching her sleep peacefully. He couldn''t help but recall the first time they met in the bar. She was so drunk then and heartbroken that she was howling in his arms. She was as light as a piece of paper now as she was back then.


    Amelia felt a warmth come over her face which was refreshing in contrast to the cold, biting weather. In response, she unconsciously muttered, "Mm, cozy."


    Amelia buried her face against Lucian''s chest. They were so close to each other. Lucian''s heart was beating so fast. They were so intimate right now.


    He couldn''t believe that he was this close to a woman and he wasn''t even disgusted.


    Lucian frowned. He wanted to wake her up but decided against it after giving it some thought. They did have quite a morning after all.


    Lucian then brought Amelia to their bedroom and gently placed her on the bed all the while ignoring the hurricane of emotions he was feeling in his heart. He placed a hand on Amelia''s forehead and was relieved to find that she wasn''t running a fever.


    However, he still couldn''t help but feel strange about the fact that he was worrying about her.


    Lucian stood by the bed and looked at Amelia quietly. She looked like a porcelain doll sleeping as if the slightest touch could break her. Her fair skin was irresistible. He wondered what it was like to caress her skin with his hands because it looked so soft.


    He''d never really seen her until now. Amelia had never been one to dress outlandishly. She didn''t like standing out instead she dressed to blend in the crowd. As Lucian gazed at Amelia, he realized that she had kind of a delicate beauty. She wasn''t the type to attract attention because her beauty was subtle.


    If his phone hadn''t started ringing, he didn''t know how long he would have stood there just staring at her.


    ''I''m probably just feeling guilty about this morning, that''s why I''m staring at her...'' Lucian thought to himself, smiling bitterly.

 Chapter 15 Flipped With Love

    By the time Amelia woke up, it was already afternoon.


    She didn''t know if it was just her long nap or if it was the porridge she had that noon but she felt so frail and weak. She looked around and quickly realized that she had been sleeping in Lucian''s room. She got out of bed right away and didn''t come out until she was sure that Lucian wasn''t there.


    "Are you awake, Mrs. Amelia?" a kind voice suddenly asked making the already sweating Amelia jump back.


    The girl was around 17 or 18 years old. Amelia didn''t like how she was referred to, still she just nodded politely.


    "Who are you?" She knew that Lucian lived here alone. Even Darren only dropped by every now and then.


    "My name is Lily Gu. I''m 18. Mr. Lucian asked me to take care of you," Lily said with a sweet smile. Then she added, "Wow, you''re so beautiful!"


    Really? She was pale and her hair was a mess so she really didn''t know how honest Lily was being.


    "I... Call me Amelia." She really didn''t like being called Mrs. Amelia.


    "Unfortunately, I can''t do that. We''re servants of the Zhan family and we have to follow the rules of the Zhan family. I have to call you Mrs. Amelia." With a serious look on her face, Lily said nervously, "Mrs. Amelia, before Mr. Lucian left which was just a while ago, he asked me to cook you some chicken soup. He said that I have to watch you eat to make sure that you finish it."


    Her voice trailed off in the end.


    Wow, Lucian was a really good actor. It seemed as if he was genuinely worried about her that he had to hire another person to specifically look after her.


    But she was indeed feeling a little hungry and Lily had already cooked chicken soup... So why not?


    When she''d finished eating, she was completely satisfied. She then glanced at her watch and wondered why Lucian wasn''t home yet. She stopped herself right away and she had to remind herself that she shouldn''t care anyway.


    Amelia rubbed her forehead to console herself. She could tell something was wrong with her because she just couldn''t stop thinking about Lucian!


    Lily meanwhile did a lot of other housework. Amelia had never had someone else take care of her so she didn''t really know what to do. She then recalled what Fannie said and reminded herself that she shouldn''t get used to this type of treatment.


    Amelia didn''t plan to take a penny of the Zhan family so she thought she shouldn''t be treated like this. She then decided to just wait for Lucian to come home so she could talk about it with him.


    Amelia spent her evening watching TV. Around ten, she saw that Lily had been standing next to her. She asked her to sit next to her but Lily declined. She didn''t know what to do since she couldn''t tell her to go to bed early because Lucian wasn''t home yet.


    "I need to talk to Lucian so you can go rest now. If he''s still hungry, I can cook something up for him," Amelia said.


    "Wow! Mrs. Amelia, that''s so generous of you!" There was a glimmer of joy in Lily''s eyes. She decided that she liked Amelia. "Before I came here, I thought you''d be mean. I didn''t expect you to be so nice! I''m so lucky!"


    Amelia never really knew how to take compliments. Unsure how to respond, she just flashed her an awkward smile.


    After Lily went to bed, she was left alone in the living room. Only the noise coming from the TV could be heard.


    "Slow down, Mr. Lucian." By the time it was midnight, Amelia had already dozed off. She was immediately awoken by the sound of the door jingling. She stood up only to find Eric, Lucian''s assistant, trying to hold Lucian up.


    Amelia hurried over and the first thing she noticed was the heavy smell of wine. She looked at Lucian. His eyes were closed and he was obviously drunk as he couldn''t even hold himself up.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian drank too much tonight so I took him home myself," Eric explained as they helped Lucian get to his bedroom.


    "Thank you," Amelia replied politely.


    "You''re welcome, Mrs. Amelia. Here''s my phone number. Feel free to call me if you need anything." Eric handed Amelia his business card and added, "Mr. Lucian seemed to have something on his mind tonight. He usually isn''t like this. This is the first time I''ve seen him drunk. Thank you for taking care of him, Mrs. Amelia."


    "Okay," Amelia muttered as she glanced at the drunk Lucian who was lying in the bed.


    After Eric left, the room fell into silence again.


    The stench of alcohol was lingering in the room. Amelia decided to get some honey water for Lucian. She had to nudge him carefully to wake him up. She said in a low voice, "Get up. Drink this honey water before you sleep."


    However, Lucian didn''t move.


    Amelia placed the glass on the nightstand. She got up to get a warm towel to wash his face with but just as she turned, she sudden


    ly heard a retching sound coupled with an awful smell.


    Amelia turned only to find Lucian on the edge of the bed with some vomit dripping around his lips.


    She frowned but still helped Lucian lie down properly on the bed. She then headed to the bathroom to fetch a basin of hot water to clean him up.


    When she''d cleaned everything up, she feared that Lucian would vomit again so she grabbed a small stool and sat by the bed to watch over him.


    Luckily, she had a big nap that afternoon or else she''d be asleep by now.


    The rest of the night was uneventful. Lucian didn''t vomit anymore and he slept through the night.


    Amelia''s head was aching. She stretched out her body and fell asleep on the edge of the bed.


    Suddenly, Lucian jolted awake. He slowly opened his eyes and was relieved to find that he was in his own room. He paused as he scanned the room. ''What is she doing here?'' he wondered to himself.


    He knew that he had drunk a lot and the alcohol he was drinking was pretty strong. However, he couldn''t remember anything after Eric had driven him back.


    ''Did Amelia sleep here? Was she looking after me as I slept?''


    Lucian suddenly felt his heart beating a mile a minute and it took a while before he was able to calm himself down.


    "Come on, let''s get you to the bed." Lucian got up and intended to pick up Amelia and place her on the bed.


    Amelia was in a daze. While she did hear a voice, she was too tired to realize what was happening. She just opened her eyes and stood up as asked and immediately fell on the bed without even looking to see who the person was.


    Lucian was leaning over Amelia in a rather intimate position.


    Amelia bit her lips hard and her skin was as white as milk.


    She was so fair... Her lips were red like strawberries. As Lucian gazed at it, he felt his heart skip a bit. He could feel a tingle run through his body as he leaned over Amelia. He snapped back to his senses when he heard a knock on the door.


    Lucian tucked Amelia in and went to open the door.


    It was Lily who had already prepared breakfast. She said in a respectful tone, "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia was waiting up for you last night. I cooked porridge for your breakfast."


    "How long did she wait for me?" Lucian asked as he looked at Amelia in surprise.


    "Quite a while. She''s so kind. She was worried about me asking if I was tired and offered to help me. She also asked me to go to bed early while she waited up for you. I went to bed early last night so she was alone in the living room as she waited for you," Lily said kindly, she was speaking so highly of Amelia which said a lot about Amelia''s character.


    "All right. I''ll take the breakfast." After he took the tray, he said, "Please cook some soup. I''ll call you when Amelia wakes up."


    "Okay." Lily then added, "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia seems like a great match for you. You''re young and hardworking and Mrs. Amelia is just so considerate. You guys are the perfect couple!"


    "You can go back to work now." Lucian''s face was unreadable but his heart was restless.


    While he knew that Lily only meant well with what she said, he didn''t know what to make of it.


    He put the breakfast on the table and walked to the bed, staring at Amelia thoughtfully.


    When Amelia woke up, Lucian was sitting on the sofa, sorting through some documents. He glanced at Amelia, who was looking at him in confusion, and a smile appeared on his face. However, it was gone as soon as it came as if he''d realized that he was smiling and he didn''t like that.


    Amelia looked out of the window and realized that she had slept in Lucian''s bed. She jumped up and ran toward him. Upon seeing Lucian, she retreated a few steps. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a panic.


    This wasn''t her bed so Amelia wondered why she had slept on his bed.


    Amelia looked down to check her clothes and skim the room. She was relieved to find that Lucian''s coat was still on the leather chair where she had placed it the previous night as well as the sweater that went along with it. Still, she felt nervous as she glanced at Lucian. She was always suspicious of Lucian especially that he was drunk last night. So why did she sleep on his bed?


    After a while, she heard Lucian''s faint voice. "Are you awake? You hungry? Lily made some chicken soup for you. Eat."


    She felt like the words just went her other ear. She remained silent for a while, staring at Lucian and seemingly in a daze. She managed to choke out, "I... I''m leaving now."


    Lucian noticed how frozen she was in her spot and how nervous she was probably by his cold demeanor. He shifted his tone to a softer one as he spoke, "Lily told me that you waited up for me last night."


    Amelia did wait up for him but it''s not like that meant anything significant.

 Chapter 16 How Narcissistic You Are

    Amelia neither confirmed nor denied it. As she thought of how much time she''d been spending in the SJ Garden, she realized how isolated she''s been. Even Courtney was complaining that she only ever spent time with Lucian nowadays. She also realized that she was just a fake wife so she deserved her own living space too. It''s not like they were actually married.


    "Mr. Lucian, can I ask you a favor?" Amelia asked seriously after some hesitation.


    Lucian raised his eyes, looked at Amelia calmly and asked, "What''s up?"


    His voice was cold and emotionless.


    As she gazed back at him, she took a deep breath before speaking. "I think we should set a deadline for our deal."


    If they continued to live like this, she wouldn''t have neither a future nor freedom.


    Hearing that, Lucian''s eyes turned dark all of a sudden. In a cold tone, he asked, "Miss Amelia, are you no longer heartbroken?"


    Heartbroken? Amelia was confused upon hearing this. She didn''t know what Lucian meant.


    At first, Amelia only agreed to Lucian to distract her from her heartbreak. But now, since Jasper had married Yolanda, Amelia was too upset and heartbroken to be distracted by anything.


    "Mr. Lucian, I don''t know why you asked me to pretend to be married to you in the first place. If you just wanted to get your parents off your back then we don''t need to pretend anymore. I''ve already met them and they didn''t like me but they did say that they weren''t going to interfere with your life anymore." Amelia didn''t know where she found the courage to say all of that but she was relieved that she was finally able to speak her mind. They had made so many mistake already and if they continued like this, who knew what''s going to happen?


    "Amelia, do you think you can go back on your word so easily?" Lucian dropped what he was doing and walked toward Amelia, casting her a cold glance. He said rather harshly, "While it''s true that our marriage is a fake, can''t you think about your dad who''s sick? Can you imagine what it would be like for him if he found out that we were only faking our marriage?"


    Amelia looked up, uncertain how to respond.


    The fact that this might affect her family never entered her mind. She thought she could just end it as soon as they could like he promised.


    "You''ve made your status in the Mo family very clear. If you strip yourself of the Zhan name, where would that leave you?" Lucian''s cold words hit Amelia like a truck.


    "Lucian, you really are strange, aren''t you? We don''t have an emotional connection. Why did you ask me to marry you in the first place? This is just going to hurt the both of us!" If he wanted a marriage so much, why didn''t he find someone he loved so that he didn''t need have to do something like this again?


    Lucian frowned and his eyes seemed to be gleaming in pain. He was able to recover and return to his usual cold demeanor though.


    "Your father had a heart attack and lucky for you, I found the best cardiologist to treat him. So you have no choice but to keep the Zhan name. Until then, you''re not allowed to talk about ending this deal unless I bring it up first," Lucian spoke in a way that left no room for argument. After he spoke, he turned and left leaving Amelia standing there alone.


    Vernon''s health had only been getting worse no matter how many medicines he took. She wanted the best treatment money could buy for her father so she had no choice but to oblige to Lucian''s wishes.


    Even though she once resented Vernon for how he treated her, she was still able to find it in her heart to forgive him especially after he got sick.


    If Lucian could help her father then Amelia would gladly keep up the act for their fake marriage.


    When Amelia went downstairs, Lucian was just about to leave. However, when he saw her coming down, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "Have you decided yet? Are you going to stop now?"


    He sounded spiteful as he spoke.


    "As long as you keep your word." Amelia was glaring at Lucian.


    Lucian couldn''t help but let out a chuckle as he looked at Amelia''s angry face. "You look like you just signed your death certificate," he teased.


    What''s the difference? Amelia was starting to think that Lucian''s only purpose in life was to annoy her. Still, this was her fault. If she hadn''t agreed in the first place then she wouldn''t be in this situation right now.


    Amelia just pretended to ignore the fact that Lucian was making fun of her. When she smelled the food, she suddenly realized how hungry she really was. Amelia looked at Lucien and said crossly, "I stayed up all night last night. I''m hungry now and I''m not really in the mood to fight with you anymore."


    "That''s right. You can get your energy back when you''re full so you can get mad at me again." Lucian silently nodded, smiling to himself.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I''ve cooked you some chicken soup as requested by Mr. Lucian. Please help yourself." Lily filled up a bowl of soup for her.


    Amelia blushed and insisted that she could serve herself then she looked up at Lucian and thought to herself, ''He''s so weird.''


    Sometimes he was sweet but sometimes he would ignore her. Amel


    ia didn''t know which was the real him.


    "It''s still pretty early. If you have nothing to do, you can go out with your friends and I can pick you up around dinner time," Lucian said while they were eating their lunch.


    Amelia was taken aback upon hearing this. She put down her chopsticks and asked, "Is there anything you need me to do for you?"


    Lucian sneered as he said coldly, "Stop assuming I''m up to something."


    "Mr. Lucian, you''re a businessman. Aren''t you wired that way?" Their marriage was a deal after all. They needed to discuss everything before they could agree on something.


    "You''re a clever woman, aren''t you?" Smiling knowingly, Lucian eyed Amelia and said, "Make sure you get up early tomorrow. You have a job at the Zhan Group. You''re going to be the assistant of the CEO."


    "What?!" Amelia stood up in disbelief. She looked at Lucian and said reluctantly, "I''m not going to spend any of your money but I don''t want to work in the Zhan Group either."


    Lily was startled at the sudden movement. She said in a small voice, "Mrs. Amelia, don''t get mad at Mr. Lucian. I bet he just wants the best for you."


    Lily''s voice was so small and gentle.


    Embarrassed, Amelia said to Lily, "Sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you."


    Amelia wasn''t able to control herself as it had slipped her mind that Lily was still standing next to her.


    "Lily, you''ve spoken your mind quite a bit this morning." Lucian stood up and straightened the bowl that Amelia knocked out. Then he whispered to Amelia, "Mrs. Amelia, there are other people here. Please behave yourself and act how you should act."


    "You!" Amelia was too angry to come up with a retort. She initially planned to fight back but when she saw that Lily was gazing back at her curiously, she had to restrain her anger. She put on a nice smile and said, "Can I really go out with my friends? I''m going to leave now!"


    Although she said it with a smile, there wasn''t much enthusiasm in her tone.


    Lucian went along with her skit. He answered thoughtfully, "I can ask Frank to drive you."


    "Who?" Amelia was surprised but she let it go and said boldly, "I can take a taxi. I don''t need someone to drive me."


    She really didn''t want to receive any more special treatment. The amount she was getting was already way too much for her.


    "Frank is my driver. I hired him to do that job. Do you want him to lose his job because there''s no use for his job anyway?" he said in a calm voice.


    Amelia didn''t want Frank to lose his job and the only way that wasn''t going to happen was if she agreed to let Frank drive her.


    She really didn''t want to be the cause of problems or stress to anyone else so she had no choice but to give in.


    "Lucian, can you stop showing off your wealth? You''re a CEO! Of course, you have a driver. But I''m not. People like me don''t need drivers. We don''t need it," she said matter-of-factly, glancing at Lucian.


    "All right. You can take a taxi but I''ll pick you up after," Lucian compromised.


    Amelia didn''t expect that it would work. She beamed in response.


    When Lucian saw her smile, he shook his head helplessly. He picked up his briefcase, ready to leave. Glancing at Amelia, he offered, "I''m leaving. I can drop you off at the taxi stand."


    Amelia nodded and followed Lucian as he went out.


    ''He''s so tall.'' Lucian was only about a step ahead of Amelia yet she had to jog a bit just to catch up with him.


    "Ah!" Amelia was walking with her head down so she accidentally bumped into something.


    "Give me your phone. I''ll save my number." It suddenly occurred to Lucian that he didn''t have her number. He turned to ask for her phone but saw that she had been walking with her head down.


    "If you tell anyone, they''re just going to make fun of me!" Amelia said in spit as she handed Lucian her phone.


    "Mrs. Lucian, are you saying that we should act more like husband and wife?" Suddenly, Lucian reached out his hand and put his arm around Amelia''s waist, his eyes gleaming. Amelia grew nervous with how intimate they were right now. She was scared of what was going to happen next.


    "What... Let go of me first... " Amelia couldn''t even speak clearly. She didn''t want to push Lucian away so she just buried her head in his arms.


    Lucian let her go and said playfully when he saw that she was blushing, "What? Am I too handsome for you?"


    "You''re so full of yourself!" Amelia rolled her eyes at him, walked past him and got in the car.


    "Whatever. Just take me to the taxi stand." She was worried that Lucian wouldn''t keep his promise. She didn''t want Courtney coming up with ideas if she saw her get off an expensive car. That would just probably make things worse. Courtney might think she''s showing off!


    "Here we are, Mrs. Amelia." Lucian kept his promise and dropped her off at the taxi stand. Before she got off the car, he took her by the wrist and reminded her, "Remember to call me before you go home later in the evening. If you don''t come home, you''ll be all over the news tomorrow morning."


    He was obviously threatening her.


    Amelia didn''t want to argue with him. She bit her lower lip and nodded meekly.

 Chapter 17 Friendship

    "Mrs. Amelia, have a good time!" A proud smile appeared on Lucian''s face. He turned the steering wheel and drove off.


    After Lucian left, Amelia heaved a sigh of relief. When she was waiting for the car, she heard people talking.


    "That woman''s such a weirdo. I don''t know what she''s doing just screaming out here in the streets!" a passerby commented snidely.


    "That man is trash! He had an affair while his wife was pregnant. Can you imagine..." another passerby said, shaking his head as he spoke.


    "The woman''s probably pregnant and the man doesn''t want to marry her," another chimed in.


    "You''re right. Men nowadays just want to have fun. But the minute the responsibilities come rolling in, they''re gone!" The other nodded in agreement.


    "..."


    While they were talking about shotgun marriages, Amelia couldn''t help but be reminded of Jasper and Yolanda. But how could Jasper have done that to Yolanda?


    It was like they were dealing with one problem after another. Jasper only betrayed Amelia because he knew how much she trusted him. Meanwhile, Yolanda wasn''t really the type of person to take anyone''s shit. She''d fight tooth and nail for what she wanted. Naturally, she''d be resentful toward any other women Jasper used to be involved with.


    "What''s even more unbelievable is that the man used to date that woman''s younger sister first then for some reason, they broke up and the man ended up with that crazy woman..."


    Amelia was only able to catch the last few things the woman had said as she was too absent-minded.


    She looked over in astonishment and wondered to herself, ''This is such a weird coincidence! Are they talking about Jasper and Yolanda?''


    "Yeah, that woman''s crazy. Did you see how scared the man was of her?"


    All signs were pointing to Yolanda. It seemed as if they were really talking about her.


    Amelia didn''t mean to overhear any of this. After all, it''s not like she still had anything to do with them.


    She just thought how unfortunate her luck was for her to have to know someone like Yolanda.


    Her heart sank as she thought of how Jasper had cheated on her again.


    She was 25 years old when she thought she''d finally had things figured out. Things were falling into place and she was happy for the first time in her life until Jasper destroyed everything.


    When she arrived at the place where Courtney worked, she took a deep breath to prepare herself for all the taunting.


    "Courtney, I''d like to order one mango milk tea please," Amelia called as soon as she came into the store.


    Upon hearing the voice of Amelia, Courtney turned around with delight. She however pursed her lips and said playfully, "Amelia, what''s up? Looks like my little store is going to be popular very soon! I''m going to be rich!"


    Amelia smiled to herself and said, "Oh I have no doubt! Do you think you can handle it though?"


    "Hmf!" Courtney murmured, rolling her eyes at Amelia.


    Amelia found a place to sit down and then said aggrievedly, "I don''t have to get the mango milk tea but I''d like a glass of water please."


    Courtney glared at her and proceeded to make her an order of mango milk tea.


    "You didn''t tell me you were coming. If you''d brought your rich husband, I would have been so embarrassed!" Courtney looked outside to check if a fancy car was parked outside. She was relieved to find it empty. Still, she had to tease Amelia.


    "We''re two different people you know. I''m still the same person you know. I''m not changing. If you don''t want to be my friend then fine!" Amelia said seriously before she began to drink her mango milk tea.


    "Amelia, when did you become so shameless?" Courtney said rudely. She stood up and grabbed a newspaper. She pointed at a photo on the paper and said angrily, "Look! Look how many rumored girlfriends Lucian has!"


    Amelia turned her attention to the newspaper that Courtney was holding. It was a photo of Lucian surrounded by beautiful and famous women. She''d never seen this photo before but she remained calm. She said simply, "Well, like you said, they''re just rumors."


    After all, her marriage with Lucian was just a deal. She didn''t need to be jealous.


    "Amelia, you''re being blinded by love again!" Amelia was acting so nonchalant and so unaffected. Courtney wasn''t letting it go. She pointed a finger at Lucian''s face on the paper and said rather passionately, "He dates a new woman every week! If that''s fine for you then go ahead but Amelia, Lucian isn''t Jasper. There are much bigger consequences to being cheated on by someone like Lucian."


    Courtney was just worried that if Lucian dumped Amelia, Amelia would never find another man to look at her.


    "Don''t worry about me, Courtney. I know what I''m doing it." While she was grateful that Courtney was concerned about her, it''s not like she could do something about it. She''d already agreed to be in a fake marriage with Lucian and until Lucian decided it was


    over, she was helpless. Besides being a little bossy, Lucian was good to her. He didn''t hurt her or anything like that. As she thought of this, she couldn''t help but smile and blurt out, "You know I only came to see you because he asked me to. He just didn''t want me to get bored at home."


    Amelia knew that there was a chance that what she said wouldn''t sit well with Courtney. However, she knew that she had to say something to defend Lucian to at least get Courtney off her back.


    "Oh, Mrs. Amelia, are you truly happy?" Courtney said disdainfully, pursing her lips.


    Amelia smiled and pouted as if she was a spoiled child. "All right, all right. I know you''re just worried about me since you''re my best friend but you don''t really have to, I''m fine," she said.


    "Well, if I wasn''t late that night then maybe..." Courtney said in a guilty tone, eyebrows knitted together.


    "It''s not your fault! This has nothing to do with you. Besides, Lucian is good to me. He didn''t hurt me..." Amelia said, her voice trailing off.


    "You mean... He didn''t take advantage of you?" Courtney said in disbelief.


    "Courtney, what were you thinking?" Amelia finally understood why Courtney was so hostile to Lucian. No wonder she was so concerned about Amelia.


    Courtney still seemed to be in disbelief. She asked, "Why did you agree to marry him if he didn''t do anything to you? Don''t tell it was love at first sight! Or did you marry him for his wealth and power?"


    Courtney''s words hit her hard. They''d known each other since middle school. That was more than ten years of friendship. If anyone knew her, it was Courtney.


    "I..." Amelia stuttered. She didn''t know how to answer.


    "Are you using Lucian to get over Jasper?" Courtney guessed hesitantly, gazing back at Amelia who was already flushing in embarrassment.


    Besides the photos that Lucian had of her, it was true that she agreed to the deal because she wanted to move on from Jasper and forget the hurt that he had caused her.


    Amelia had no choice but to nod her head in response to Courtney''s question.


    "Oh please!" Courtney was visibly irritated. She raised her voice, "Jasper''s a bastard! I can''t imagine how he stands Yolanda!"


    "Enough, Courtney. Yolanda''s already married to Jasper with a child on the way. We should just let them be. We know their marriage is going to be a loveless one. You should congratulate me for escaping that," Amelia said simply, flashing an easy smile.


    Courtney stared at Amelia for a while before asking carefully, "What about Lucian? Is Lucian your true love?"


    That was a sharp question.


    Amelia opened her mouth wide and answered, "Well, we''ll see."


    She thought this answer would finally shut Courtney up but to her surprise, Courtney gritted her teeth and said angrily, "When are you ever going to be more careful? After getting mistreated by your stepmother and being cheated on by Jasper, you should be smarter than this! Haven''t you learned anything? Don''t you come crying to me about Lucian!"


    It was reasonable for Courtney to worry about her. She had witnessed how Amelia was treated by the Mo family over the years and sometimes, she''d even defend her.


    But Amelia was tired of crying because she didn''t want to get hurt by anyone anymore. So when she found out about Yolanda and Jasper, she was definitely hurt but she was quickly able to get over it. Even to her, that was a surprise.


    "By the way, how are things going between you and Kent?" Kent was a classmate of theirs back in junior high. When they graduated, Kent began pursuing Courtney and they did get along quite well. Kent was a good match to Courtney''s tendency to go wayward.


    "What about it?" Courtney mumbled mindlessly. She really didn''t like talking about Kent.


    Looking at her face, Amelia asked in concern, "Don''t tell me you broke up with him."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Courtney said defensively then she continued to explain, "We''re fine but we''ve been fighting a lot lately. The night you asked me out to drink, I was in a bad mood. I was going to wait for you in the bar after hanging up the phone but I didn''t expect that Kent would show up..."


    "Did you two have a fight?" It wasn''t like them to fight like that. Courtney would start a fight and by the end of the day, Kent would apologize to Courtney. It had been almost a week since that night at the bar.


    Amelia trembled at the thought of this. She and Lucian had gotten married within a week of meeting each other.


    "If we could fight, that would be way better!" Courtney sighed as she continued, "It''s all my father''s fault. He doesn''t approve of my relationship with Kent. He says Kent doesn''t come from a rich family and if I end up with him, I''m just going to have a hard life. He also said that if I married Kent, he would ban me from ever coming home..."


    Tears began to well up in her eyes.


    Amelia sighed to herself upon hearing this.

 Chapter 18 A Strange Atmosphere

    Since they were in middle school, Amelia knew that Courtney was a good-looking girl who came from a rich family. When they were studying in university, Courtney had many suitors. Eventually, she ended up with Kent. Unfortunately, no matter how much she thought that Kent was the right one for her, her father did not approve. Because of this, Courtney and Kent had come a long way to fight for their love.


    "If you have to choose between your father and your boyfriend, who would it be?" Amelia sighed and continued, "As long as you and Kent love each other, there''s nothing anyone can do. What''s more, no one cares about family background now. If Kent gets a better job, he''ll be able to get to your level and I''m sure your father would approve of him by then."


    "Oh Amelia, that''s what I was thinking! Sometimes I think you''re really my long lost sister." Courtney nodded her head approvingly. Her sad face instantly brightened up.


    "Don''t put too much pressure on Kent. Try to understand him. Try to persuade your father calmly. After all, your father has done a lot of things for you." Amelia was at the same age with Courtney, their birthdays just a month apart. Generally speaking, Courtney was elder, but sometimes, when Courtney behaved willfully, she seemed more wayward than Amelia.


    But she knew that although Courtney was a little impetuous, she was very kind to her.


    "Well, speaking of the devil..." Courtney said as she pointed to someone behind Amelia. Then, she waved with big, bright smile that would put a blooming sunflower to shame.


    Amelia turned around and saw Kent in a suit walking towards them with a smile of his own. He seemed to have some good news to share.


    "Wow, Kent. I haven''t seen you for only a few days and you look like a completely different person!" Amelia exclaimed. Kent looked mature and sharp in his suit and leather shoes, like a shiny new penny.


    "That''s true, I guess. Whereas you have a completely new identity," Kent said jokingly with a wink.


    Amelia''s face suddenly flushed, but she just shrugged it off. She looked up and down at Kent as she rubbed her chin in thought. "So what''s with the suit? Are you going to propose to Courtney?" Amelia quipped.


    "I''ll propose when the time''s right. In the meantime, the top priority is to pacify our wavering hearts as soon as possible," Kent chuckled. Then, he walked over to Courtney, his eyes filled with love and sincerity. "Courtney, I know that you have suffered a lot because you''re with me. Today I went to the Zhan Group for an interview as their sales director. I thought it was a long shot, but... I actually passed! I got the job, Courtney!" Kent was beaming from ear to ear as he held Courtney''s hands in his, "From now on, our life will get better."


    ''The Zhan Group? Did I hear that right?


    Does he mean Lucian''s company?'' Amelia thought.


    Just then, Courtney asked the question in Amelia''s head, "You mean Lucian''s company?"


    "Yes," Kent said in an affirmative tone.


    Amelia was surprised. Although she was happy for Kent, she also felt panic inside.


    "I am now an employee of your company. Hope to get on well with you," Kent turned around and said to Amelia in a formal tone.


    Amelia smiled awkwardly.


    "From what I know, the Zhan Group''s standards are incredibly high! Those who work there are highly capable people. How exciting, my darling! I''ll treat you to a nice, big meal tonight!" Courtney was very excited as she held on tightly to Kent''s hands. It was as if she was just told that she was the one who had gotten the job at Zhan Group.


    They kissed passionately as if no one else was around.


    At the sight of this scene, Amelia couldn''t help blushing. She coughed lightly to conceal her embarrassment. Then they separated.


    "Amelia, I heard from Courtney that that bastard Jasper was a scumbag. But seeing that you are so happy now, Courtney and I are relieved. We are happy for you!" Kent sat down and said with smile.


    Happiness... What they saw was only the surface.


    But she didn''t feel sad really. Lucian and she were both on good terms when they were together. How could she not be happy?


    It was time for dinner, and Courtney suggested they go out and eat at a restaurant that just opened downtown. Just before Amelia could reply, her cell phone rang.


    ''What does he want now?'' Amelia thought irritably as she saw Lucian''s name flashing on the screen.


    "Who is it, Amelia?" Out of curiosity, Courtney ran to the Amelia. When she saw the words flickering on the screen, Courtney couldn''t help but tease her.


    Amelia''s face turned red. She wanted to ignore Lucian''s phone call, but then she remembered the words Lucian had said to her earlier. With a sigh, she pressed on the answer button.


    She didn''t want to become the headline of tomorrow''s newspapers just because of a call.


    Although she didn''t know Lucian that well yet, she was sure that he was a man of his word.


    "Did you have a good time, Mrs. Amelia?" Lucian said softly.


    There was a hint of banter in his low voice, which made Amelia frown unconsciously.


    "Yes, I was, in fact. But thanks to you, my good mood has been ruined!" Amelia complained.


    "Since you are in a bad mood, let''s go home." It was hard to tell whether Lucian was angry or not from his indifferent voice.


    "I... I was actually


    planning to have dinner with some friends," Amelia said nervously.


    "Okay. Since they are your friends, they are also mine. Wait for me!" "No, Lucian¡ª!"


    But before she could say anything else, he had already hung up the phone. With an annoyed grunt, Amelia threw her phone back into her bag.


    "Amelia? What''s wrong?" Courtney came over and saw the frustration on Amelia''s face.


    "What on earth does the guy want to happen? I just can''t understand what''s going on in his head!" Amelia said in a furious tone, gritting her teeth in annoyance.


    Before Kent could open his mouth, a mellow male voice came from the small milk tea shop. "Amelia..."


    Amelia stood up and stared stiffly at Lucian. ''Well that was quick...'' she thought remorsefully.


    "Oh my god... Is that Lucian? He''s so handsome! It looks like he walked out of a painting!" Courtney exclaimed quietly behind Amelia, "Kent... Pinch me! Am I really seeing this right?"


    Amelia was not surprised at all that Courtney would get all flustered seeing Lucian. When Amelia first saw Lucian, she also thought that the man was painstakingly good-looking, like he was carved by the hands of God ¡ª handsome with an arrogant air, emanating with unparalleled dignity.


    But ever since Lucian took photos of her while she was drunk, Amelia had never seen him the same. As a result, her good impression of his appearance was greatly reduced, and she thought that he was just a vulgar man with pretty face.


    "Courtney, don''t you think it''s a bit inappropriate for you to drool over another man while you''re in front of me?" Kent looked at Lucian with a little jealousy. When Kent thought that he had to work in this man''s company, he was overcome with an unease.


    "Don''t be so narrow-minded. He''s already Amelia''s husband. All I''m saying is that he looks so handsome! I won''t have any improper thoughts, especially since I have you," Courtney smiled lovingly at Kent¡£ "Thanks, I guess," Kent mumbled to Courtney with a half-smile.


    "Hello." Lucian naturally reached out his hand and greeted Kent, who was standing behind Amelia.


    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Lucian." Kent felt flattered and shook hands with Lucian.


    "Oh my God! You are so polite! And so easy-going!" Courtney exclaimed, not hesitating to reach out her hand and introduce herself, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Lucian. My name is Courtney. I''m the best friend of Amelia so you are like my brother-in-law. Of course, I will still treat you respectfully!"


    Just a while ago, Courtney was mad at Lucian when she saw the news report about him. But now she was all smiles, which made Amelia a little angry.


    ''And she''s even calling him brother-in-law! What''s up with that!'' Amelia thought.


    Then she remembered Courtney called Jasper this before.


    Thinking of this, Amelia couldn''t help rolling her eyes at Courtney.


    "Hello," Lucian said lightly, then turned to look at Amelia with a raised eyebrow. "Are you unhappy to see me?" he asked with a smile.


    Amelia could tell that Lucian was trying to imply something else.


    Courtney and Kent smiled at each other in tacit agreement, and then turned their curious eyes to Amelia.


    With all their eyes staring expectantly at her, Amelia''s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "W..why would I be unhappy?" she said with a forced laugh.


    "Mr. Lucian, my name is Kent Jiang. I just got a job at your company yesterday as the sales director. I hope to learn more from you in the future, sir," Kent said with an honorable smile.


    "Kent?" Lucian narrowed his eyes and thought for a while. Then he smiled and said, "Very well then. Welcome to the Zhan Group."


    "Brother, thank you for taking care of my dear boyfriend here!" Courtney said with a cheeky grin.


    Upon hearing this, Amelia frowned. ''I never expected that Courtney would say something like that for the sake of her boyfriend''s career,'' she thought bitterly.


    "The Zhan Group always value people of excellence and ability," Lucian said seriously with a cold face.


    The lively atmosphere suddenly became cold and awkward, and the smile on Courtney''s face also gradually faded away, as if she was shocked by Lucian''s strong spirit which could not be ignored.


    "We were just about to go out to get something to eat," Amelia said to Lucian with a slight smile.


    "Of course," Lucian shrugged and put his arm over Amelia''s shoulders. "Would you maybe prefer to have dinner with us tonight?" he asked Kent and Courtney.


    "It''s... There''s no need. I just suddenly remembered that Kent and I still have something else to do! You go on and have dinner without us," Courtney explained with a small laugh, seeing the sour expression on Amelia''s face.


    "That''s a pity. Maybe next time, perhaps? See you until then," replied Lucian. Then he turned to look at Amelia. "Let''s go," he gently said


    Lucian''s sudden appearance destroyed the light and cheerful mood.


    ''That''s weird. Lucian started acting all weird when Kent introduced himself...'' Amelia thought."Hey, let''s meet another day!" Amelia called out to Courtney before going out the door.


    "Alright! Bye, Amelia!" A dazzling smile appeared on Courtney''s face as she waved goodbye to Amelia, as if nothing had just happened.


    Maybe Courtney saw Lucian as someone who was perfect for Amelia ¡ª a guy who personally took her home and was ''easy-going''.

 Chapter 19 A Dinner Together

    "What would you like for dinner?" Lucian asked after Amelia got on the car.


    Amelia wanted to say something rude but after giving it a second thought, she decided against it. So she pointed her finger to a nearby hot pot restaurant and said, "Hot pot."


    Amelia had initially planned to have dinner with Courtney but obviously that didn''t happen because of Lucian. She chose hot pot for dinner so she could at least be happy even though she wasn''t having dinner with Courtney.


    Soon, Amelia was feeling better after psyching herself up.


    Lucian didn''t really like eating spicy food so when Amelia said that she wanted hot pot for dinner, a hint of disgust flashed across his eyes. Still, he agreed.


    Lucian asked the waiter to arrange a private room for them but Amelia protested by saying, "There''s a table by the window. We can sit there."


    "What? Isn''t it embarrassing to sit outside?" he said, mildly angered. Although they were a bit early for dinner, the restaurant was still crowded. He didn''t like a noisy environment when he ate.


    "If you''re embarrassed then you can eat elsewhere. Either way I''m staying here for my hotpot and I''m going to take that table by the window," Amelia said bravely. She then turned to the waiter and said, "We''ll take that table by the window."


    The restaurant was so crowded that it was practically a miracle that a table by the window would be free. Amelia couldn''t understand what Lucian was griping about.


    Amelia had assumed that Lucian would just turn around and leave. To her surprise, he merely took her hand and led her to the table by the window.


    Amelia was stunned at first then she smiled triumphantly.


    She couldn''t believe that she was able to have her way with the usually arrogant Lucian.


    "Do you know why I came here, Amelia?" Lucian asked as soon as Amelia sat down.


    "Because it would be more embarrassing if you left?" Amelia guessed, putting on an evil grin.


    "You!" Lucian was obviously offended. He found that she was speaking up more and more recently. But there were so many people around so he retorted in a low voice, "I just let you win this time since you''re coming to work for me starting tomorrow."


    As soon as Lucian finished speaking, the easygoing smile on Amelia''s face disappeared.


    The thought of going to work in the Zhan Group made her heart skip a beat.


    "Lucian, can you stop acting like this? Have you forgotten what your mother said to me last time?" If she worked in the Zhan Group, people were only going to talk about her. They were going to assume that she was just using the Zhan family for a job opportunity at the Zhan Group.


    "Amelia, why does any of that even matter? You''re coming to work at the Zhan Group. You''re not going to be treated like a goddess there or something. Don''t think so highly of yourself," Lucian said bluntly.


    "I''ll work anywhere but the Zhan Group," Amelia replied stubbornly.


    "I''m running out of patience. If you don''t agree, I''m just going to have to force you into working," Lucian said coldly, his sharp eyes gazing back at Amelia.


    "Lucian, I don''t want to fight with you on an empty stomach. Let''s just talk about this later." Soon, their orders were served. Lucian had made Amelia feel uncomfortable with what he had just said. It seemed as if the more she fought back, the more aggressive he became. She resorted to turning her attention to the food instead.


    "Please enjoy yourself, Mrs. Amelia." With that, Lucian turned his face to the window, obviously protesting by not having dinner.


    Amelia figured he was mad at her so she just didn''t say anything.


    They weren''t on good terms so there was no use negotiating with him.


    Amelia was so absorbed in the food that she was able to ignore Lucian.


    "I think that''s Mr. Lucian!"


    "What is he doing here? Shouldn''t he be eating in a fancier hot pot place? This is no place for a man like him to be having dinner!"


    "Yup, I agree. Look at the woman he''s with. She''s eating like a beast..."


    "I heard he got married. I was so heartbroken when I heard that."


    People were starting to gossip about them. Amelia stopped eating and looked at Lucian.


    Embarrassed, Amelia put down her chopsticks and asked indifferently, "Why aren''t you eating?"


    She assumed all men liked to eat meat so she ordered a lot of them thinking that Lucian would eat. However, he hadn''t even touched his chopsticks yet.


    "I''m already full just watching you eat," Lucian said emotionlessly.


    Amelia frowned. The irony in his tone wasn''t lost on her. She picked up her chopsticks again and continued scarfing the food down.


    Lucian didn''t like spicy food. He pouted in disapproval when he saw Amelia put more chili in her already spicy food.


    Half an hour later, Amelia put down her chopsticks with satisfaction.


    "Are you full?" His voice was cold and sharp like knives.


    Amelia nodded. She glanced at the food in front of Lucian and said, "You didn''t even touch your chopsticks. You don''t have to foot the bill for this one."


    "Here," Lucian ignored her as he handed his card to the waiter.


    "Hey, don''t take it. I... Hmf!" Before Amelia could finish, Lucian had covered her mouth with his


    hand. Her eyes were widened in shock and it seemed so innocent.


    "Amelia, we''re in a public place. Keep your voice down." Lucian stood up and said coldly, "People were literally talking about you just now. If you don''t want anyone to recognize you then it''s best if you keep your mouth shut."


    Amelia looked around and realized how many people were staring at them. In an attempt to avoid the attention, she hurried out of the restaurant right away.


    After getting in the car, Lucian said disapprovingly, "You smell like hot pot! That''s disgusting!"


    It was easy to tell that he was angry.


    Amelia turned her head and said in the same disapproving tone that Lucian had just used, "Then maybe I can just get off and take a taxi home."


    However, as soon as the words left her mouth, she quickly realized the error in what she had said.


    She was living in Lucian''s home. Why should she go back there? That wasn''t her home.


    Lucian didn''t say anything anymore. He merely started the engine and drove off.


    When they arrived home, just as Amelia was making her way upstairs to her bedroom, Lucian stopped her and said, "Lily didn''t come in tonight. Make something light for my dinner."


    Amelia was about to refuse his request when she saw Lucian take off his jacket and lay on the sofa. She heard him sigh as if out of exhaustion.


    ''He must have had a long and tiring day,'' she thought to herself.


    She then remembered that he hadn''t eaten anything yet. Her heart softened upon thinking of this which was what motivated her to go to the kitchen and cook something for him.


    Half an hour later, Amelia had finished cooking. When she walked into the living room, she found that Lucian had already fallen asleep.


    "Are you doing this on purpose?" She frowned. She''d cooked dinner for him and all that and here he was sleeping!


    "Even if I wanted to tease you, I wouldn''t do it on an empty stomach." The moment Amelia turned around, she heard a deep and cold voice from behind.


    With her back to him, Amelia rolled her eyes at Lucian. She was annoyed and just as she was coming up with a retort, Lucian had already stood up and sat on the table. He asked in amazement, "You cooked all these, Amelia?"


    His tone was laden in disbelief as he spoke.


    Was he really giving her a compliment?


    "Yes!" They didn''t have that much food in the refrigerator and since Lucian had asked for a light dinner, she cooked two dishes that she knew how to cook well but didn''t cook often.


    It didn''t help either that these two dishes always reminded her of so many things she really didn''t want to think about anymore.


    "It looks good. I wonder if it tastes as good as it looks!" Once he''d taken a bite, he pleasantly smiled and said, "The last time you cooked for me, I already thought that was good but these are even better!"


    Did she hear that wrong? Was Lucian actually complimenting her?


    "Well, this is the last time I''m cooking those for you!" She had to compromise a bit just to cook these dishes.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you get 80 points for cooking these. Now if only you''d change your attitude then maybe I can give you the remaining 20 points," Lucian said happily as he enjoyed the food.


    Lucian seemed happy now which was a nice change to his usual cold demeanor that Amelia never liked.


    "I''m not your servant. Why should I be polite to you?" Amelia glared at him scornfully. Still, she felt relieved when she saw that he''d finished everything she''d cooked.


    The dishes she had cooked for Lucian were hers and Iris''s favorite. She hasn''t eaten these ever since Iris died.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Lucian asked upon noticing that Amelia was frowning.


    Amelia was dazed for a while. When she gathered herself, she asked, "Are you done eating? If you are, I''m going to start cleaning up."


    Amelia was lost in her own thoughts. She remained unmoving even after Lucian had put down his chopsticks already.


    As Lucian gazed at Amelia, he too got lost in his own thoughts.


    His thoughts were interrupted by a certain girl''s laugh that had been ingrained in his memory.


    If the tragedy hadn''t happened, she would be the one standing in the kitchen with him right now.


    When Amelia came out of the kitchen, Lucian was no longer in the living room. She thought he was already asleep so she went upstairs. However, when she arrived at the bedroom, the door suddenly flew open.


    "Are you going to sleep now?" Lucian asked, standing by the door.


    He had changed his clothes which made him look a bit more approachable.


    Maybe it was Lucian''s handsome face but he always looked so cold and indifferent no matter what he wore.


    Amelia stared at him obsessively. If Lucian hadn''t said anything, she might have just continued staring at him for a long time.


    "Yes." Amelia averted her gaze, not wanting to look at his handsome face.


    "The clothes you''re going to wear to work tomorrow are at the right side of your closet. It''s up to you which you''re going to wear but don''t wear any of your clothes, okay?" Lucian said as he eyed Amelia emotionlessly. Then he bade her goodnight.


    Amelia shook her head in confusion. ''Lucian''s so strange,'' she thought to herself.

 Chapter 20 Work In The Zhan Group

    Although Amelia didn''t really want to work in the Zhan Group, she still got up early the following morning.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you''re up," Lily commented. She was standing by the stairway, wearing a floral apron as if she was waiting for Amelia.


    Amelia nodded awkwardly and went downstairs. When she looked around the living room, she didn''t see Lucian. ''Is he still sleeping? Does he think I''m going to be late?''


    "Tut, tut, nice. You''d look better in this dress." Amelia suddenly heard Lucian''s voice.


    She blushed and glanced at her dress uncomfortably and then glared at Lucian with dissatisfaction.


    Amelia did as she was told by Lucian last night. She wore the clothes that Lucian had deemed fit for work. The dress fit her well but it was tight which made her feel uncomfortable.


    The dress accentuated her figure which made her look quite feminine.


    Lucian admired Amelia as he eyed her from head to toe.


    "Don''t frown like that, Amelia. You''re working for the Zhan Group, not some dump!" After this, Lucian put on his suit which showed off his handsomeness quite well. Amelia found herself getting lost in Lucian''s voice. By the time she came back to her senses, Lucian was already seated at the table for breakfast. He turned to Lily and said in a low voice, "Please ask Mrs. Amelia to have breakfast with me."


    Lily walked toward Amelia and said in a small voice, "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian is requesting that you have breakfast with him."


    Amelia wanted to say that she really wasn''t in the mood but then she recalled that she was going to have to sit in the car with Lucian on the way to work so she reluctantly took a seat across from Lucian.


    "Most of the employees at the Zhan Group are probably going to recognize you but they''re not going to give you any special treatment just because you''re my wife," Lucian said blankly. They were already in the car and Lucian was driving.


    Amelia sneered to herself, ''Who would want that?'' She never really thought that she''d be working in the Zhan Group.


    "Last night, your father called and said that he was recovering pretty well. He asked if you could come visit him when you have the time," Lucian said flatly. However, there was something about his tone that seemed strange.


    Amelia was taken aback. She asked slowly, "Is my father going to get sick again?"


    "At least his condition is under control now. He can go to the company to deal with his business and he doesn''t need to stay at home all day long," Lucian explained then he added, "He wants to strike a deal with the Zhan Group but I told him that it''s going to depend on how you perform at your new job."


    Lucian''s face was emotionless.


    The anger was ignited in Amelia''s gentle eyes. She asked rather angrily, "Lucian, what do you think I am?"


    Vernon''s company was very small. There was no way a company as huge as Zhan Group would go into business with a company as small as Vernon''s. While Amelia had no idea what Vernon was up to, she was still mad at Lucian.


    They''d only agreed to the fake marriage and that was it! Nothing more and nothing less.


    "I''ll figure it out. You''re my wife now after all." With an evil smile playing in his lips, Lucian looked straight ahead, ignoring the angry Amelia.


    As soon as they arrived at the Zhan Group, Amelia was shocked by the grandiosity of the Zhan building.


    It towered into the sky!


    "It''s... Does the Zhan Group own the entirety of this?" There had to be at least 20 floors to the building. "Zhan Group" was written across the humongous facade of it. Amelia''s neck hurt just from trying to look up. Still, she grew curious as she''d never seen something like this before. It was amazing.


    Lucian nodded calmly and added, "This is the company''s headquarters. We have other branches in other cities."


    "There''re more..." Amelia opened her eyes wide and bit her lower lip. She was still in disbelief.


    She looked lovely as she gazed at the building, mouth agape.


    "Good morning, Mr. Lucian!" His assistant, Eric, walked quickly toward them and bowed to them. Then, he saw Amelia behind Lucian and greeted politely, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Amelia."


    "No... You''re welcome." She was going to tell Eric not to call her Mrs. Amelia but when she glanced at Lucian, she decided against it and just waved her hand awkwardly.


    "Eric, from now on, you can call her by her name especially during work. She''s just going to be a regular employee of the Zhan Group. She''s responsible for receiving clients and... Bringing me tea and water or maybe some snacks."


    "Bring you water and snacks?" Amelia repeated in surprise as she looked up at Lucian. She didn''t expect that to be part of her job description.


    "Yes," Lucian confirmed, a hint of teasing flashing across his eyes.


    "All right." Upon giving it more thought, Amelia decided it wasn''t a big deal. At least, she was going to be making her own money now. If Lucian


    had given her a higher position, she didn''t know if she could face Fannie especially after everything that she''d said to her last time.


    "I didn''t expect you to be able to adjust so quickly. Now I''m looking forward to seeing how you''re going to perform," Lucian sneered. His tone was provocative as if he didn''t believe that Amelia would deliver.


    Eric took Amelia to report to the human resources department then he toured her around the office and gave her some reminders about what to do and not to do.


    After gaining a better perspective on the Zhan Group, Amelia concluded that her work mostly involved Lucian.


    She had no clear scope of what her job was going to be besides the fact that it mostly involved Lucian. In addition to keeping up with Lucian''s daily activities and handling them, she needed to be at all of Lucian''s appointments meaning she would be spending more time with him.


    Amelia shuddered at the idea of spending so much time with Lucian especially whenever she thought of his cold demeanor and that icy glare he always seemed to have.


    Suddenly, the giant door flew open with a bang. Amelia''s face turned white as a sheet in fear. She then saw four men in black suits come in and position themselves by the door. They all looked serious.


    Then Lucian strode into the office. The atmosphere completely shifted.


    Isn''t this her office? What''s Lucian doing here?


    Amelia was so frightened that she placed her hands on her desk, her heart pounding.


    "Remember her face," Lucian ordered as he eyed Amelia with a strange look on his face.


    "Got it," the four men in black suits answered in unison.


    ''What is he doing? Why is Lucian asking them to remember my face?'' She touched her face in horror.


    "You may leave now." After the men left, Lucian shoved his hands in his pockets, an unreadable expression on his face. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "So what do you think so far? Is the office to your liking?"


    Amelia was still in a trance. When she heard Lucian, she replied impatiently, "Would it even matter what I say?"


    Lucian had the final say in everything that went on here at the Zhan Group. Amelia had a lot of complaints. For one, she didn''t like that she was going to be spending most of her day with Lucian.


    "Not really," Lucian snorted. Then he gestured to the desk and said, "You can work here for now but I''d also like you to know that I also take my naps here."


    "What did you just say?" Amelia widened her eyes. She couldn''t believe her ears. She pointed to the corner and asked, "Are you telling me that you take naps here?"


    Lucian shrugged and said, "What? Is that a problem?"


    The curiosity in Amelia''s eyes was replaced with a frown.


    Before seeing the actual office, she was already curious as to what it might look like. She didn''t expect that such a huge office area would belong to only Lucian. She couldn''t help but feel cheated.


    "Lucian, can I get another office perhaps?" she negotiated. She wasn''t comfortable with the idea that Lucian would be taking a nap at her office every day.


    Lucian squinted his eyes upon noticing the nervous look on Amelia''s face. He asked, "What are you so nervous about?"


    "I..." She blushed and hurriedly said, "I''m not nervous. I just... I just don''t want to see you that often."


    What she said was perfectly reasonable.


    With a faint smile, Lucian prompted, "Really? You don''t?"


    The peppermint scent that often emanated from Lucian filled Amelia''s nose. His deep eyes were fixated on her causing her chest to tighten.


    Amelia found it odd that she didn''t find the peppermint scent repulsive especially in this cold weather.


    Lucian had stretched out his hand and caressed her skin. His touch was gentle and careful as if he was afraid of hurting Amelia.


    Amelia''s face was flushed. She lowered her head in embarrassment.


    Lucian thought she just looked absolutely beautiful like a daffodil just blossoming.


    Amelia''s clothes suited her very well. It brought out her charm and sexiness at the same time. Her scent was overpowering to Lucian. He lifted her chin with his one hand and said in a soft voice, "I think I like you better when you don''t speak."


    "What?" Amelia suddenly raised her head and looked directly into Lucian''s eyes. They were so close to each other that if they moved just a bit, they would be touching each other already.


    Amelia could feel his hot breath on her face which made her turn away. She then started to gasp.


    "Amelia, you''re a coward!" Lucian sneered before moving away from her. He then said in a serious tone, "You can pretend that I''m not here but you still have to stay."


    Amelia''s face was still flushed. While her heartbeat had already calmed down, she still felt nervous.


    "Bang bang bang..." There was a knock on the door.


    "Come in," Lucian said coldly.


    "Sir, the meeting begins at ten this morning," Eric reported as he came in.

 Chapter 21 Got Slapped

    "Got it." "Get the files ready and if you have any questions, direct them to Eric."


    With that, Lucian left the office.


    ''Don''t be so cocky!'' Amelia frowned in disgust.


    "Mrs. Amelia... Er, Amelia. Here are the documents for the meeting later. Please arrange these and prepare the conference room while you''re at it. This is a major meeting of the shareholders. This is going to happen quite a lot so it''s better if you''re there today," Eric explained patiently.


    Amelia had already prepared everything. She was just about to sit back and relax when she saw Fannie and Nicholas coming towards her.


    ''Right. Eric said that the meeting''s for the shareholders. Of course, they''re going to be here,'' Amelia thought inwardly.


    Fannie had already heard that Amelia was working in the Zhan Group. Amelia just didn''t expect to see Fannie on her first day!


    Amelia stood in the middle of the corridor. She just stood there, anticipating the disaster that she knew was about to come.


    The floor was so shiny that it reflected her own shadow. When she saw another shadow nearing towards her, she balled her hands into fists out of nervousness, bracing herself for what Fannie was going to say to her.


    "What are you doing here?" Fannie said spitefully. She was wearing a rose-colored wool coat and expensive-looking jewelry. She looked absolutely divine. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about her personality.


    "Don''t talk to her like that, aunt. I''m not surprised she''s here. She''s Lucian''s wife, remember?" Shelly chimed in as she looped her arm around Fannie''s. She shot Amelia a glare, her tone obviously mocking her.


    "What? Has Lucian given her shares of the Zhan Group?" Fannie stared at Amelia in shock and disdain.


    "Well, don''t be so rude, Fannie. This is the Zhan Group. This isn''t the place for this. What a shame, huh?" Nicholas said. Amelia really didn''t care that they were mad at her.


    "Nicholas, you shouldn''t have indulged your son. Now look what you did! This is a mess!" Fannie wasn''t going to let Amelia go. She strode towards her, lifted her hand, and slapped her across the face. Then she said in a threatening tone, "If you don''t stay away from the Zhan Group, I''ll make sure you regret it!"


    Before Amelia could even realize what was happening, she heard a buzzing sound ring in her ears. Then her head went blank. The next thing she knew, her face was already burning and slightly swelling.


    "Fannie, why did you hit her?" Nicholas looked so angry that he shook his cane to show his frustration. He couldn''t stop Fannie since he was in a wheel chair and she was too fast for him.


    "I''m going to do whatever the hell I want. What are you going to do about it?" When she finished speaking, she raised her hand in an attempt to slap Amelia again.


    However, this time, she failed.


    "Ma''am, I know you love your son very much so I''m going to let go of the fact that you slapped me but I''m not going to let you do it again for the second time around," Amelia said calmly as she gripped Fannie''s wrist.


    Fannie shook off her hand and said angrily, "Shelly, get Lucian here!"


    "No need," Lucian piped in, his voice cold.


    "Lucian!" Shelly shouted in surprise as she excitedly ran towards him.


    "Lucian, you came just in time. This woman was so disrespectful. She hurt my hand! How could she call herself a Zhan when she hurts her own family?" Fannie immediately complained.


    "I don''t know if she does call herself a Zhan but one thing''s for sure, she''s my wife!" Lucian said as he walked over to Amelia''s side and slipped an arm around her. He then said to her in a low voice, "Why aren''t you standing up for yourself?"


    Did he really want her to fight back against his own mother?


    Fannie grew speechless after Lucian defended Amelia. She glared at Amelia and her face was white as a sheet. Shelly too was glaring at Amelia rather resentfully.


    "Mr. Lucian, the shareholders have arrived," Eric reminded him in a low voice.


    The only way one could get to the conference room was the hallway where they were all standing. Fannie was standing behind Nicholas now.


    "Take Mrs. Amelia to the infirmary and have her examined," Lucian ordered as he glanced at Amelia''s swollen face.


    "No, thanks. I''m fine. I can handle it," Amelia said as she rushed to the bathroom. She just wanted to be alone right now.


    A sad look seemed to appear on Lucian''s face as he watched Amelia rush off.


    "How rude! Her husband''s parents are here and she''s just taking off like that?" Shelly commented harshly as soon as Amelia had left.


    "Shelly, this is the general shareholder''s meeting which means you''re not allowed to enter," Lucian said as soon as they reached the door of the conference room. He turned to block Shelly from enteri


    ng who was following behind him.


    Shelly frowned and said, "Lucian, just let me stay! I can be your personal assistant. I promise I won''t make any trouble."


    "I don''t like it when people are unreasonable," Lucian said coldly. He wasn''t going to let her in no matter what.


    Shelly pouted. Although she wanted to stay in the meeting room, she knew that Lucian wouldn''t change his mind so she had no choice but to agree, "Okay, fine. I''m going out."


    In the bathroom.


    Amelia stared at herself in the mirror for a long time, covering her face with one hand. She didn''t move until she heard a sarcastic voice from behind. She didn''t look bothered though. Instead, she looked calm.


    "Boo-hoo! How sad!"


    Shelly sneered. She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled triumphantly.


    She was still mad from how Lucian had treated her so she was taking her anger out on Amelia.


    Amelia turned the faucet on to drown out Shelly''s voice.


    "Don''t act like you''re some pure and innocent girl, Amelia. I know exactly what you''re capable of and I''m perfectly capable of doing the same. Don''t underestimate me," Shelly said as she reached over to turn off the faucet. She was wearing sky-high heels and a tight dress that showed off her sexy figure. Her eyes were full of contempt as she glared at Amelia.


    However, dressing as such in the winter wasn''t exactly logical which was why she looked more like a prostitute than someone who came from a rich family.


    "Go ahead. Give it your best show." With that, Amelia turned to leave.


    She and Lucian were just acting. She didn''t care about Shelly and she really didn''t want to waste any more time talking to her.


    However, Shelly didn''t seem to want to let her go. She didn''t really want to believe that Amelia was just going to leave her like that so she blocked Amelia''s path and said, "You know, if you''re worried about money, I can pay you double as long as you leave Lucian." Her tone was spiteful as she spoke.


    Amelia extremely despised people like Shelly¡ªthey think that just because they were rich and powerful, they could do whatever they wanted. So she said, "It''s not like I''m running after Lucian, you know. He''s the one who won''t let me go."


    She was only saying the truth but Shelly seemed to be provoked.


    "Wow. Are you telling me that Lucian''s just that crazy over you?" Shelly said maliciously, her eyes filled with envy.


    "Miss Shelly, I suggest you talk to Lucian about this, not me. You''re just wasting your time arguing with me." Amelia had seen her nonsense before. It would only get more and more chaotic if she continued the talk. In addition to that, her face was already swollen so she really wasn''t in the mood to talk.


    "What do you mean?" Shelly thought that Amelia was bragging about her relationship with Lucian to her. She said, her tone sharp as knives, "Amelia, I don''t think you can stand being Lucian''s wife for so long. It''s going to get harder and harder, you know."


    Amelia smiled. "I hope so."


    Amelia wanted to get out of her deal with Lucian as soon as possible so Shelly''s words didn''t really bother her or hurt her at all.


    Seeing Amelia remained unfazed no matter what she said, Shelly groaned and turned to leave.


    Amelia stood there in a daze for a long time. She didn''t come to her senses until she heard a cold voice from behind.


    "What are you thinking about?" After lingering for a while, Lucian concluded that Amelia was in a trance since she wasn''t moving. He walked toward her and saw that half of her face was swollen. He frowned and asked, "Why didn''t you go to the infirmary?"


    She covered her face with her hands as if to try and stop him from looking.


    The slap hurt but it was nothing compared to how harsh Fannie had spoken to her.


    "Lucian, I don''t know what I did in my previous life but I probably owed you big time there." As she gazed back at Lucian who was frowning, she didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    Her words hit Lucian like a truck.


    He couldn''t shake off the feeling that he''d heard this line before. It was her. She''d said the same thing to him before, crying as the words left her mouth. However, unlike her, Amelia didn''t say anything else. Like she didn''t blame him. Still, he felt guilty.


    The sudden change in Lucian''s demeanor wasn''t lost on Amelia. She figured she may have gone too far so she changed the topic and asked, "Aren''t you supposed to be in the shareholder''s meeting? What are you doing here?" Needless to say, they were both at the ladies'' room.


    ''Yeah, what am I doing here? Why couldn''t I focus on the meeting? Was it because I was worrying about Amelia?''


    These questions filled Lucian''s mind.


    He thought he was going crazy because he couldn''t stop thinking about Amelia during the meeting.

 Chapter 22 Is It A Banter

    "Come with me!" Lucian grabbed Amelia by the wrist and pulled her back to her office.


    When Lucian slammed the door shut, she behaved in fear that if she got on Lucian''s nerves, he''d threaten her again.


    "Lucian, we''re at work. Could you please... Could you please be a little more professional?" Amelia''s voice trailed off.


    Still, Lucian was as cold as ever. His actions touched Amelia though. As soon as she looked away, he put a cup of ice cubes in front of her.


    "Why''d you put ice cubes here?" Amelia asked in surprise. She didn''t see it coming so she was taken aback.


    "This is the Zhan Group. You can find whatever you want here." Lucian was busy packing the ice cubes so he could press it against Amelia''s swollen face.


    In fact, before his meeting, he had already asked Eric to bring some ice cubes to the office. He thought that Amelia would be back from the lady''s room then but she wasn''t. Amelia was even grumbling.


    However, upon giving it more thought, he realized that maybe Amelia had the right to be angry because it was his fault for any of this happened anyway.


    "I can do it myself..." When he put the ice on her face, she took it uneasily and then lowered her eyes in embarrassment.


    She was supposed to be the wronged one but for some reason, she felt as if it was she who had done something wrong.


    "Apply some ointment on your face. You can''t have a swollen face. It''s going to affect the image of the Zhan Group." He purposely ridiculed Amelia because he still needed to go back to the meeting. He could only do that if he got on Amelia''s nerves.


    "The image of the Zhan Group has nothing to do with me!" She couldn''t believe that he was concerned about that right now!


    Lucian chuckled. He handed her a glass of water when he noticed that she was sulking. He said politely, "You went through a lot today. I''ll be back in half an hour. Wait for me. I just have to wrap up the meeting."


    Amelia grew nervous any time Lucian spoke to her like this¡ªsoft and gentle. She felt her face flushing.


    This feeling... Could it be...


    Amelia lowered her head quickly in embarrassment.


    When Lucian left, she couldn''t calm herself down. He was acting like the perfect gentleman and she didn''t know what to make of it.


    Amelia put the ice on her swollen face and smiled as she got lost in her thoughts.


    Lucian was indeed back in half an hour. When he went back, he said, "Let me see."


    Lucian leaned over to her, closing in the distance between them, and his peppermint scent filling her nose.


    Amelia blushed at once. She lowered her head shyly and said, "Thank you for your concern. I''m much better now."


    "What happened?" Lucian asked curiously when he saw the strange look on her face.


    Amelia blinked several times as she tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. She looked embarrassed as she spoke in a nervous tone, "Nothing. Is it lunch time now?"


    Her eyes were averting his gaze.


    "Looks like you''re hungry. Let''s go out for lunch." With a smile on his face, Lucian gave the ice cubes to Amelia and reminded her, "Apply it to your face while we''re walking so it won''t swell tomorrow."


    Amelia wasn''t even hungry. She just said she wanted to eat because she couldn''t stand being stared at by Lucian like that. Initially, she assumed that Lucian was only joking with her but he seemed serious so she said,


    "I think I should just stay here. I mean, look at my face..."


    "Amelia, do you really think that you can affect the image of the Zhan Group?" Lucian joked.


    Amelia bit her lip and shook her head.


    "Well, I don''t have anything else to do this afternoon. Let me drive you home." Seeing her swollen face, Lucian felt a little sorry.


    ''Has he really changed today? Why is he being so nice?''


    Amelia was in deep thought when she heard Lucian speak, "Don''t be so touched. I just didn''t want to feel guilty. Besides, it was my mother who hit you. You''ll still get your salary for the entire day and I''m also going to cover the medical fees. Do you think that''s enough?"


    "Okay!" Amelia agreed. She felt much better now that he put it this way.


    After leaving the office, Amelia was first taken to the hospital for outpatient care. She was prescribed some painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Before leaving, Lucian asked the doctor whether Amelia needed to be hospitalized. Upon hearing this, Amelia glared at him. To her, Lucian was just making a fuss out of nothing.


    "Have you ever been sick? If I get hospitalized for such a trivial thing, can you imagine how many hospitals the


    y''re going to have to build around the country?" Amelia said as soon as they got in the car.


    "Amelia, I was only concerned about you. Just don''t be so defiant next time," Lucian warned as he glanced at Amelia.


    Oh my God! This man!


    Shaking her head in disapproval, Amelia turned to the other side to ignore him.


    "Your phone''s ringing," Lucian suddenly said, his tone icy as ever.


    Amelia turned to find her phone only to realize that she''d left it at the office earlier. Lucky for her, Lucian was considerate enough to bring it with him.


    "Thank you," Amelia said in a low voice. When she checked her phone, she found that it was her father calling. She hesitated for a moment before answering, "Hello, dad."


    "Amelia, can you go back to the Mo mansion now?" Vernon''s voice was husky and he sounded stressed.


    "Dad, what happened?" she asked nervously, noticing the difference in his voice.


    Looking over at Amelia, Lucian pulled over the car to wait for her to finish the call.


    "Hello, dad?" Vernon had hung up the call. Amelia grasped Lucian''s arm and said anxiously, "Can you please bring me to the Mo mansion?"


    Lucian didn''t press for more. He merely made a U-turn and drove towards the Mo mansion.


    ''I thought he''s recovered? Why did he sound so weak over the phone? And why did he hang up?''


    She looked very anxious. Letting Lucian drive as quickly as he could, she clenched her hands into fists, not knowing what to do.


    "Don''t worry. He''ll be fine," Lucian comforted her.


    "Thank you," she responded sincerely.


    When they arrived at the Mo mansion, Amelia rushed in. Standing by the door, she saw Vernon sitting in the center of the living room, gasping for breath with one hand on his heart.


    "Dad, what''s wrong?" She knelt in front of him, at a loss.


    "Don''t worry. Your father''s probably having a heart attack. Go get his medicine," Lucian said as he hurriedly helped Vernon up.


    "Okay." Amelia was shaking all over. She handed the medicine to Lucian and said nervously, "I''ll get some water."


    As soon as Lucian put the pill into Vernon''s mouth, Amelia let out a groan. Even though the sound was small, Lucian heard it.


    "Here you are!" The back of Amelia''s hand was still sore but she still handed the glass of water to Lucian.


    After taking the pills, Vernon looked much better. He said in a hoarse voice, "I''m sorry for making you worried."


    Lucian shook his head and said to Amelia, "Wash your hands with cold water."


    He didn''t sound exactly sweet but his concern made her feel warm in her heart.


    "Dad, why are you home alone? Where''s Sophia?" Amelia checked all the other rooms in the house but she didn''t see neither Sophia nor the only maid in the house.


    Vernon coughed several times before saying, his voice hoarse, "Yolanda''s pregnant. Your mother and Susan are taking care of her."


    "She''s not my mother!" Amelia protested vehemently.


    In response, Lucian looked at Amelia in surprise.


    Not once in the past ten years did she call Sophia her mom. She wouldn''t even call her aunt! So she absolutely resented it when Vernon referred to her as that.


    Why would she suddenly forgive Sophia after everything she''d done to her?


    Iris had always been even-tempered. Even after she found out about Vernon''s affair with Sophia, she didn''t cry or scream. Instead, they had a good talk about it like adults thinking that they would still be able to fix their marriage. However, when Vernon didn''t come one night, they all knew that he was with Sophia then. That''s when Iris knew that her marriage was failing...


    Looking back, that was probably what triggered Iris to commit suicide because she was depressed and confused. And that was why she gave up on herself and even Amelia easily.


    At the thought of this, tears rolled down her cheeks.


    "Amelia, I know you feel wronged and you feel resentful. I regret everything even though ten years have passed. We just have to let it go and move on. There''s no point in hurting yourself over the past." Vernon''s words were followed by a series of coughs.


    "I can understand Sophia wanting to take care of Yolanda but Susan should be here to look after you! You have a heart condition and she knows that. Why would she leave you here all alone?" Amelia said as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.


    "It''s because I''ve been feeling better. I''ve been recovering. It was just the stress over the business that stressed me out. I''m getting pretty old too." Vernon shifted the topic to work, successfully avoiding answering her question directly.

 Chapter 23 Vernon Got Sick

    "Since you want to protect her and her daughter, I have nothing else to say. Take care of yourself." All of a sudden, Amelia became cold and distant.


    Just when she was about to turn to leave, Lucian grabbed onto her hand. Looking up, she met Lucian''s deep eyes, making her cheeks flush a slight pink.


    "I''ve called the doctor. He''ll be here soon. Go wash up and get some rest. I''ll be here." Lucian''s voice had a calming effect to it, which put a little ease on Amelia''s restless heart.


    This man had played an important role just now in such a critical moment.


    Amelia was full of gratitude.


    After Amelia left, Lucian looked at Vernon, who was lying on the bed. "Why are you doing this?"


    Vernon was frightened and guilty. Lucian saw through his intentions so he had no other choice but to speak out the truth. "Amelia was introverted and sensitive. But it didn''t use to be like that. She used to be extroverted and lively. Ever since her mother passed away, Amelia changed. She didn''t talk to me. She was indifferent to this family. After several years of being sick, her attitude towards me became better..."


    "So all you''re saying is that you''re just trying to get her attention?" Lucian snorted and shook his head.


    "Lucian, I''m relieved to see that you''re treating my daughter so well," Vernon let out a contented sigh.


    "Amelia still does not know about your real purpose just yet, but she will soon because she''s no longer a child. You will never win her trust by pretending like this. What''s more, it''s really inappropriate for you to joke around with your own health," Lucian said flatly. He stood up and looked down on Vernon, "I''ve called your attending doctor. You can take a rest and I''ll go talk to Amelia."


    "Lucian, I know it''s my fault. But can you promise me one thing? Please take good care of Amelia." There was shame in Vernon''s eyes as he pleaded.


    Hearing this, Lucian secretly felt surprised. He thought that Vernon was going to take advantage of his relationship with Amelia for business reasons ¡ª it turned out that he wanted Lucian to take care of his daughter.


    When he heard these words, Lucian''s heart trembled, and then the waves of guilt surged through him.


    He couldn''t help but realize how little he had cared about Amelia, and how coldly he even acted towards her.


    "She is my wife. Don''t worry." With or without the contract, Amelia was still really his wife. No matter what the circumstance, it was his obligation to take care of her.


    Meanwhile, Amelia was cooking a small pot of porridge in the kitchen. Lucian came in, leaning against the door frame as he quietly watched Amelia for a few moments.


    "Is that for your father?" Lucian asked. Walking over, he looked at the food Amelia was cooking over her shoulder.


    Amelia nodded and then turned to ask, "Do you want some?"


    It seemed as if Amelia was in a better mood right now.


    Lucian was a little surprised. "That smells really good. You should cook more often in the future," he said with a smile.


    With these words, Lucian turned around and left.


    What did he mean? Amelia shook her head reluctantly. ''He doesn''t really mean that,'' she thought in her heart. ''He just wanted to have something to say.''


    After the check-up, the doctor said that it was nothing serious, and was only probably caused by stress and emotional imbalances.


    Hearing this, Amelia let out a breath of relief.


    However, Amelia still couldn''t help but feel uneasy. "Lucian," she said to him in a low voice, "I''m worried to leave him all by himself at night."Before she could continue, Yolanda''s sharp voice suddenly came in. "Dad, whose luxury car is parked up front?"


    Rolling her eyes, Amelia flashed a mocking smile at Lucian.


    "I know how you feel, Amelia..." Vernon said in a whispered voice. A cough erupted from his chest. There was a reason why Vernon was worried that something bad might happen when Amelia saw Yolanda.


    "I''ve endured that woman for over ten years. I think I can handle seeing her right now. Please just focus on getting better." Every time Amelia and Yolanda quarreled, Vernon always told Amelia to just leave her be, even if Yolanda was the one who always caused trouble.


    There were clear and deep wrinkles on Vernon''s forehead as his eyebrows tightly knitted together.


    "What? Where''s dad?" Yolanda asked from downstairs. "Jasper!" she called out, "Can you go check upstairs if my father is home or not? I don''t want to climb the stairs."


    The house as made out of wood, making it easy to hear everything that was going on inside. It was built by Vernon''s own two hands. At that time, Amelia was only seven years old. While Vernon was responsible for building the house, Amelia''s mother, Iris, was the one who decorated and made everything beautiful. But, over the years, the house had been a bit neglected and just looked old.


    The house was still where it was, but it had changed, as well as the people who were inside.


    Thinking about this, Amelia was filled with sadness and desolation.


    That was why she seldom went back to the Mo mansion. She would rather live in the rental house to eat boxed lunches than stay at home to see Vernon.


    On the other hand, she was able to see Jasper once in a while. Then again, she could no longer feel any warmth in the Mo family.


    However, Sophia always denigrated her in front of Vernon,


    blaming her for not keeping her chastity and living with other men at such a young age. Vernon always listened to Sophia and was extremely dissatisfied with what Amelia did.


    There was the sound of footsteps going up the stairs. A tight frown appeared on Amelia''s face. She knew that it was Jasper.


    It was inevitable that this man from her past would keep showing up in her life.


    There was still a bitterness in her heart that someone she loved had just walked out from her life like that. Memories of the good times she had with Jasper would occasionally flash in her mind.


    Knock--- knock! "Dad, are you home?" he called out from the other side of the door.


    Amelia stood up and opened the door without even raising her head. With her hand on the knob, she turned around and said to Lucian, "Since they''re back now, we should head out."


    Amelia didn''t want to spend one second in the same room with Jasper, nor did she want to hear Yolanda''s ear-piercing voice.


    "Okay." With a smile, Lucian stood up and faced Vernon. "Take care of yourself. Just know that you can call me if you need anything."


    Warmth surged through Amelia''s heart when she heard Lucian say this to her father.


    Amelia was not a vain woman. However, when she saw Jasper''s surprised face, she threw her head up proudly and grabbed on to Lucian''s arm. A smile beamed brightly on her face.


    "Amelia," Jasper exclaimed. He looked around the room. "And Lucian. I just got here with Yolanda. Are you two leaving?" Jasper felt a little embarrassed. He looked at Amelia for a while and hesitantly looked back at Lucian, like a terrified subordinate reporting to his boss.


    "Yes," Lucian said matter-of-factly.


    Before leaving the room, Amelia turned around to look at her father one last time. "Dad, I made you some porridge. If you''re alone at home tomorrow, please call me and I''ll come over to make dinner for you."


    Although she didn''t really want to say this, she couldn''t help herself because Vernon was still her father after all. As the saying goes, ''Blood runs thicker than water.''


    "Don''t worry about me. I''ll be fine," Vernon replied with a faint smile.


    Jasper couldn''t tell what was going on. He walked over to Vernon''s bedside, "Dad, I''ll just see Amelia and Lucian out. I''ll get back to you shortly."


    After walking out of the room, Amelia wanted to let go of Lucian''s hand, but found that Yolanda was looking at her unhappily. Seeing this, Amelia held on tighter.


    Lucian noticed this and cast a sidelong glance at her. Looking up, he saw that Yolanda was at the foot of the steps. "Let''s just leave quickly," he whispered.


    With Jasper walking closely behind them, Lucian didn''t say anything more.


    "Oh, it''s you, Mrs. Amelia! Look at the car outside. It''s really cool!" As expected, before Amelia went downstairs, Yolanda started her annoying babble.


    Amelia had gotten used to it and was ready to go out directly regardless of Yolanda''s presence.


    Seeing how Amelia completely ignored her, however, Yolanda''s face turned into a bitter frown. "Not so fast, Amelia," she called out. "In case you don''t know yet, I''ve taken your bedroom. I''m planning on turning it to a baby room actually. Just thought you should know."


    "What did you say?" Amelia looked back, surprised and indignant.


    "Although Jasper and I have found a place to stay after our wedding, we would still like to come back here in the future. You''re now some rich guy''s wife, aren''t you? I don''t think you''d mind giving up your shabby room." With her arms crossed over her chest, Yolanda looked so as if she was so disgusted at the thought of Amelia''s old room.


    Amelia held back her anger and said calmly, "You can get anything you want. I don''t care. But there''s no way you can have my room."


    Amelia continued to walk towards the front door.


    "Amelia, I''m still talking to you! Don''t think I''m afraid of you just because you have Lucian by your side!" Yolanda''s face changed. She suddenly became angry in a mocking tone. She stroked her belly with one hand, and pointed at Amelia''s face with the other. In a domineering tone, she said, "You''ve married to Lucian. Anything in the Mo family is at my disposal!"


    Looking at her cocky head, Amelia sneered, "Do you really think that you can become a member of this family just because bear its name?"


    Ten years ago, Sophia brought Yolanda into the Mo family. At that time, Yolanda was still a member of the Che family. It was obvious that Yolanda couldn''t wait to be recognized as a Mo and call Vernon her father. Since Amelia had seen and experienced the sour side to Yolanda''s character, she found it difficult to accept Yolanda as a part of her family.


    The first few months that Sophia was here, she was really as sweet as an angel. But afterwards, she started to get as lazy as a cat, and did nothing but play mahjong. Most of the time, Sophia was not at home, and so Amelia had to do most of the housework. Even when they hired Susan as their help, there were still so many other things Amelia had to do.


    That was why Yolanda, who acted as a host, often laughed at her, saying that Amelia was even inferior to the servants in the Mo family.


    It was apparent on the look on Yolanda''s face that Amelia''s words had hit her hard.


    She gritted her teeth, not expecting that Amelia would have the guts to snap back at her like that.

 Chapter 24 Fight Back

    Normally, no matter how harsh her words were, Amelia wouldn''t fight back but this time...


    Briefly astonished, Yolanda snorted, "Amelia, I know what you cherish the most. It''s the photo of your mother, right? I put it in the storage room so you won''t have to worry about losing it anymore."


    "Did you put my mother''s portrait in the storage room?" Amelia was seething by now, eyes widened in anger.


    "Yeah, it''s the perfect place to store it in because no one ever goes there and it''s quiet there. That''s what dead people like, right? They like places that are quiet," Yolanda continued indifferently, failing to notice the anger rising in Amelia.


    "Clap!" The sound echoed throughout the building.


    "How dare you slap me, Amelia?" Yolanda was still in a daze as she covered her face with her hand.


    "Did you really think I wouldn''t fight back? That''s my mother you''re talking about! You''re getting on my nerves and I won''t tolerate that," Amelia said calmly as she made her way to the storage room.


    It didn''t matter to Amelia how badly she got treated or how other people often wronged her but when it came to her mother, she had very little tolerance.


    Iris committed suicide because she couldn''t handle all the problems she was carrying on her back. She deserved to be respected in her death. Only horrible people spoke ill of the dead and only Yolanda and Sophia were capable of doing such a despicable thing.


    The storage room was dark and it was filled with a lot of junk that the Mo family had accumulated throughout the years. When Amelia opened the lights, she sighed as the amount of boxes that had been stuffed in this room was unbelievable. It would take her forever to get through all of these. Holding back her tears, she tried her best to look through the boxes to find her mother''s portrait.


    "Let me help you," Lucian suddenly spoke. His gentle voice made her feel a little bit better.


    "Thank you." Amelia didn''t refuse and she continued to look through the boxes.


    About half an hour had passed yet they still couldn''t find Iris''s portrait. By this time, she was already sweating buckets. There was no air circulating in their basement so she was having difficulty breathing. Putting a hand on one of the boxes for some support, she started to do deep breathes.


    "Why don''t you go out for some fresh air? I''ll stay here and continue looking," Lucian said gently to Amelia when he realized she was having difficulty breathing.


    Lucian insisted since he knew she was never going to admit that she was tired.


    She wiped the sweat off her forehead. Her eyes were swollen and red despite not crying.


    Every time she thought of her mother, she had to control herself and stop herself from crying even though she could feel the sadness filling her heart. Some people say that when it comes to the dead, it''s better to smile at them and relieve them of whatever worries they might have about you.


    ''Mom, don''t worry. I won''t put up with anything like that anymore. I don''t want you to worry about the future,'' Amelia thought inwardly.


    "Yes, found it!" Finally, Amelia found Iris''s portrait in a box. Clutching it close to her chest, tears finally streamed down her face, letting go of all the emotions she''d been repressing.


    "There, there. It''s okay." Lucian walked over and touched Amelia''s head as a way to comfort her.


    When Amelia walked out of the storage room, she didn''t see Yolanda. Instead, she saw Jasper who was standing in the living room, looking guilty. The minute he saw her, he walked towards her and said in an apologetic tone, "Amelia, Yolanda went way too far. I''d like to apologize to you on her behalf."


    Amelia wasn''t even mad anymore until he mentioned this. Now she was triggered.


    She sneered in disdain, "Jasper, you have no right to apologize to me!"


    Jasper was visibly embarrassed. After a while, he said, "To be honest, I didn''t mean to take over your room like that but... I mean, you know how Yolanda loves to compete with you so no matter what I say is useless because she doesn''t ever listen to me..."


    ''What? Is he really going to play the aggrieved husband act to me?'' Amelia thought to herself.


    "Yes, she took away my stuff. The only thing I''m thankful for is that she took this jerk away from me and saved me from future suffering." For the first time in a long time, Amelia was finally able to speak her mind. It seemed as if having Iris''s portrait with her gave her the courage.


    Jasper froze. ''Wow, she''s changed. I don''t even know her anymore,'' he thought to himself.


    "Amelia, why don''t you take mom''s portrait back to our place? That way she can be in a quiet and peaceful environment," Lucian said gently, pulling Amelia into his arms.


    The SJ Garden was situated at the foot of a mountain, beside a river. It was definitely way quieter than the Mo mansion where chaos always seemed to be present.


    The problem was that her marriage with Lucian wasn''t real. It was fake. Would it even be appropriate for her to bring Iris''s portrait there?


    "I only want you to be with your mom. It''s fine," Lucian added upon noticing her hesitation.


    Amelia raised her head a little. She couldn''t help but notice the stubble on Lucian''s wheat-colored skin. While he seemed careless on the surface, he always made her feel secure whenever she needed it.


    Her frown was replaced with a bright smile.


    This made Jasper''s heart twist in pain.


    Amelia used to look at him this way before¡ªeyes full of gratitude and love. Now, she was looking at another man in the same way.


    When Amelia and Lucian returned to the SJ Garden, Amelia intended to head to her bedroom where she could put Iris''s portrait. However, Lucian suddenly said, "Come with me."


    Despite her confusion, she still followed


    him.


    "What is this empty room for?" The room was beautifully decorated and it was almost bare save for a few pieces of furniture that were strategically placed around the room. It seemed that the room was designed to be classic in style based on the ink paintings on the wall.


    "You can put your mom''s portrait here. I can get you an altar where you can put it," Lucian suggested thoughtfully as he pointed at the center of the wall.


    Amelia thought this was unnecessary as she really didn''t mind keeping Iris''s portrait by her bed stand.


    "Thank you but you don''t really need to do this. I can put it in my room. It''s big enough anyway." Tightening the portrait in her hands, she suddenly grew bashful.


    "Look outside the window. It has an excellent view with bamboos and grass just right outside. It''s beautiful here all year round. You''ll thank me when winter and summer comes. Just put the picture here and I''ll get you an altar," Lucian insisted, his tone determined.


    Rendered speechless, she couldn''t help but notice how much quieter it was here than it was in the Mo mansion.


    ''I''m so grateful for him. He''s been nothing but supportive. It''s so generous of him to offer this room,'' she thought to herself. While she knew that rich people were particular about a lot of things, she was thankful that Lucian wasn''t like that.


    After placing Iris''s photo on the table, Lucian bowed to the picture sincerely. After walking out of the room, he said, "Iris seemed like a beautiful lady."


    Amelia smiled and said proudly, "My father told me that my mother used to be the campus crush and so many people tried to pursue her."


    Looking at the happiness on Amelia''s face, a slight smile crept over the corners of his mouth. "Well, looks like you made your mother proud."


    Amelia had a delicate face. Her bright smile made people feel warm. Her innocence and purity made Lucian feel tingly on the inside. She gave him a sense of comfort too.


    As much as he wanted to treat her the way he did to other women, he found that she wasn''t like that at all. She was very comfortable with herself and had no problems expressing her emotions¡ªa quality he found to be refreshing.


    Did he just compliment her? Amelia looked at him in surprise. She blushed and touched her face unconsciously.


    Luckily, her face wasn''t swollen anymore.


    "Lily, would you please cook some green bean soup for Mrs. Amelia''s dinner?" Lucian told Lily after making a call. He added, "I have a dinner party tonight so I won''t be home until late. Please make sure Mrs. Amelia goes to bed early."


    "Okay." Lily nodded. Then she asked cautiously, "Mr. Lucian, is Mrs. Amelia pregnant?"


    Pregnant! With a frown on his face, Lucian asked in confusion, "Why do you think so?"


    How could she get pregnant when they slept in separate rooms?


    "Then why would you sleep in separate rooms? You should be watching over Mrs. Amelia if she''s pregnant so she should be sleeping in the master bedroom!" Confusion was written all over Lily''s face.


    All of a sudden, Lucian''s face darkened and said solemnly, "Just focus on doing your job. Don''t ask questions when it''s none of your business."


    If Lily hadn''t mentioned this, he wouldn''t have realized that their setup would be a problem. It was completely acceptable for Lily to be curious. They were supposed to be a newlywed couple after all.


    When Amelia went downstairs, she couldn''t find Lucian. At that time, Lily came out of the kitchen and said with embarrassment, "Mrs. Lucian, Mr. Lucian asked me to cook green bean soup for you. He also told me that he has a dinner with a client tonight and you don''t have to wait for him. He asked you to go to bed early."


    Hearing Lily''s words, Lucian seemed like the perfect husband.


    Amelia nodded with a smile and then sat at the table, inviting Lily to have dinner with her. Lily waved her hand bashfully and said, "Mrs. Amelia, please enjoy your meal. I can eat later."


    Seeing the panic on Lily''s face, Amelia stood up and walked up to her. She asked in a soft voice, "Would you please join me? It''s so boring to eat alone."


    Living alone in such a big house made her feel lonely and sad.


    "Okay," Lily agreed seeing as she couldn''t refuse after her master had asked so nicely. She added happily, "Mrs. Amelia, I''m so lucky to have you as my master. You''re so nice and patient."


    For some reason, this made Amelia sad.


    "Lily, from now on, I don''t want you to see me as your master and I won''t treat you like my servant. If you''re scared of Lucian scolding you, you can just call me by my name when it''s just the two of us. We can have dinner together whenever he''s not around. What do you think about that?" Amelia knew what it was like to be treated like a servant and she didn''t want to do that to Lily. To her, Lily was like a little sister. She couldn''t find it in herself to treat Lily any other way.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you... You''re too kind. I just graduated from high school. This isn''t my first job. I''ve already served other rich people but they were all crazy. They would get mad at me over the littlest things. You''re the only one who''s ever been this nice to me." Gratitude was written all over Lily''s face¡ªher eyes were gleaming and tears seemed to be welling up under them.


    After dinner, Amelia walked around the villa. Then she went back to the living room and watched some TV with Lily. When the clock struck ten, Lily said, "Mrs. Amelia, you can go to bed now if you''re feeling sleepy already."


    Amelia went back to the bedroom when she remembered that she didn''t need to wait up for Lucian anymore. It''s not like she was planning to stay up late either. She took a quick shower and went to bed. However, she had trouble sleeping as she couldn''t stop thinking about Lucian.

 Chapter 25 A Man And A Woman Alone

    Amelia couldn''t believe she was losing sleep over Lucian!


    She knew very well that she and Lucian were just a fake couple but she still couldn''t stop herself from worrying about him, thinking that he would get drunk at his dinner party.


    Amelia buried herself in her pillow to try to get some sleep.


    The next morning, 8 a.m. After Amelia got up, she thought that Lucian had come back. When she was finished preparing, she headed downstairs to which she was met by Lily''s question, "Mrs. Amelia, have you talked to Mr. Lucian? He didn''t come home last night."


    It seemed that Lucian hadn''t come home yet.


    Amelia had to go to work now but no one was going to drive her and it would take her a while before she could hail a taxi. In this case, she was probably going to be late to work.


    Suddenly, her phone started ringing. She assumed it would be Lucian but it wasn''t. Instead, she heard an unfamiliar man''s voice, "Mrs. Amelia, boss asked me to pick you up for work."


    "Okay, I''ll be right there." Amelia calmed herself down. She looked at the breakfast on the table and said to Lily apologetically, "Lily, the driver''s already waiting outside. I don''t have time for breakfast."


    "It''s okay. I''ll pack your breakfast for you." Passing a glass of milk and toast to Amelia, Lily said with a sweet smile, "Bye, Mrs. Amelia. Have a good day at work."


    The moment Amelia walked out the gate, she saw a brand new Lamborghini parked right in front.


    "Mrs. Amelia, please." The man seemed to be in his 30s. He spoke and behaved respectfully as he gestured for Amelia to enter the car.


    Amelia bowed and expressed her thanks.


    "You''re welcome, Mrs. Amelia. I''m Frank Chen, Mr. Lucian''s driver. Starting today, I''ll be driving you to and from work," Frank explained as he started the car.


    ''Frank?'' She did recall Lucian mentioning him before.


    Just the other day, Lucian had mentioned him when he was insisting that he ask his driver to send her.


    "Did Lucian ask you to pick me up?" She still couldn''t help but be worried since Lucian didn''t come home last night.


    As a way to comfort herself, she told herself that she was only worried because anyone would be. She was just being polite.


    Refusing to believe that it was a sign that she was starting to have feelings for him, she shoved the thought at the back of her mind.


    "Yes, Mr. Lucian called me early in the morning and asked me to pick you up at the SJ Garden," Frank answered simply.


    While Amelia still didn''t know why, she just let it be and didn''t ask anything anymore.


    When they arrived at the Zhan Group building, Amelia got out of the car. The minute she did, she felt as if someone was looking at her. She turned in horror to find a good number of people gaping at her as if she was a zoo monkey.


    They seemed to be staring at the luxury car which made her feel annoyed. Just as she was starting to feel grateful for having a driver, she realized that it might actually be more of a problem than anything.


    When she walked into the elevator, she heard several girls whispering to each other. "I thought Cinderella stories only existed in books. Who would''ve thought that someone would be so lucky? It''s like she''s living in a fairy tale!"


    "Right?! Well, I guess that''s how the world works. Women love rich men after all."


    "Our CEO is so rich and handsome. He''s so dreamy! If I ever marry someone like him, I''d gladly be a widow in my next life."


    "You wish! Here we are."


    The women tried to whisper but it seemed as if the more they talked, the more excited they became. They didn''t stop talking until Amelia was left alone in the elevator.


    When Amelia got on her floor, she stepped out and made her way to her office. However, Eric blocked her and said, "Mrs. Amelia, kindly wait for a moment please. The CEO is still inside for business."


    "Yes?" Amelia frowned in confusion but as soon as she realized what Eric was talking about, she apologized, "I''m sorry. I wasn''t thinking straight. Sure, I''ll wait."


    Initially, she thought that she was free to come and go in her office as she pleased. However, she quickly realized that she was sharing her office with Lucian so she had to consider him too. Since there was a lounge in the office, she figured Lucian was probably inside freshening up. He didn''t come last night after all.


    Ten minutes had passed and Lucian still hadn''t come out. Amelia was starting to feel hungry as she held her milk and toast in her hands. She asked Eric, who was just standing next to her, "Do you want to eat?"


    Glancing at the food Amelia was holding, Eric hastily waved his hand and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Amelia but I''ve already eaten."


    She unpacked her food and started eating.


    Worried that Lucian would catch her eating, she hurriedly scarfed down her food.


    As soon as she finished eating, the door of the office flew open.


    Amelia was utterly shocked by what she saw.


    "Lucian, I''ll see you tonight." The sexy woman planted a big fat kiss with her red lips on Lucian''s face before leaving. She then whispered something into his ear, eyes sparkling. Her tight skirt accentua


    ted her hour-glass figure, her slim waist, and her long legs that went on for days. Needless to say, she was practically every man''s dream come true.


    Amelia''s brain went blank at the sight of this scene. The air around her seemed to close in on her and she suddenly felt as if her legs were turning into jelly. She felt as if she was going to fall any moment.


    It was so strange. Why was Amelia feeling this way?


    The woman wore her hair long and curly coupled with a strong perfume. As she passed by Amelia, she put on a cold smile.


    Then she looked at Lucian who was dressed in a crisp suit that only made him even more handsome.


    He didn''t come home last night. Did he spend the night with this woman?


    The question lingered in her head.


    "Mrs. Amelia, let''s go inside," Eric reminded her in a low voice.


    She nodded and tried to calm herself down. She tried to comfort herself by telling herself that their marriage was only a deal and thus it was fake.


    She wasn''t supposed to care who Lucian spent the night with. It was none of her business.


    Plus, before they even met, Lucian always had a new girl every week.


    She knew she needed to get used to seeing him with different women every week.


    "I hope I''m not disturbing you." Amelia sat down and flashed him a smile before beginning to peruse the documents that were on her table.


    Lucian stared at Amelia for a long time without saying anything.


    Suddenly, he said, "She''s my junior schoolmate, Sasha. She just came back from studying abroad."


    ''So what? I already know what happened. You guys had a dinner, a few drinks here and there, next thing you know, you''re both drunk. These things happen.''


    Her mind started coming up with different scenarios.


    ''What''s wrong with me? Why can''t I stop thinking about that kiss that he just had with that other woman?''


    She dropped the documents on her table and started scratching her head, her mind a mess.


    Lucian was confused by her response. He walked over to her and asked, "What''s the matter with you?"


    "I''m fine..." Amelia didn''t think she could have done anything anyway. Lucian was the boss after all.


    "Raise your head." Lucian leaned over to her by hoisting himself up on her desk. He was tall so he could do it effortlessly. They were so close to each now that when Lucian reached out his hand, Amelia''s heart beat started pulsing in her ears, her face reddened. She didn''t know what Lucian was going to do but she raised her head as he said.


    "Do I have something on my face?" He had gently swept his fingers around her mouth, as if he was brushing something away.


    "Bread crumbs," Lucian said faintly.


    Amelia lowered her head and said thank you in a small voice.


    She was so focused on finishing her food that she had forgotten to wipe her mouth.


    Lucian looked at her blushing face. Then as if on a whim, he rested his fingers on her face and leaned over to her so that they were looking at each other, eye to eye.


    ''Oh my God, what is he doing?''


    She could feel Lucian''s light breath on her face as his mint perfume wafted over her nose.


    Lucia was a very handsome man. As much as she wanted to remain calm, she couldn''t. She just couldn''t remain indifferent.


    Amelia was so nervous that her whole body was shaking. She was afraid that if Lucian approached her again, she wouldn''t know what to do.


    Lucian''s eyes mesmerized her. She felt frozen in place as his eyes penetrated into hers.


    "Amelia, are you..." Lucian squinted at her, flashing a small smile.


    "I didn''t... Ah!" She wanted to explain herself but when she looked up, she was taken aback by how close Lucian''s face was to hers.


    Though it was just for a brief second, their lips had touched and Amelia could feel an electric current run through her body. She was stunned, unable to move for a while.


    The kiss was just an accident. To Lucian, it wasn''t a big deal. He merely gazed back at her, observing her reactions.


    "Ahem, it''s time for work," Amelia whispered in a low voice, still flushing.


    Lucian couldn''t stop himself from grinning at Amelia''s attempt to act natural. He went to the leather sofa and proceeded to peruse through his documents. In reality, he couldn''t concentrate on what he was reading because he couldn''t stop thinking about the kiss.


    Amelia''s lips felt so soft and she smelled of jasmine which just captivated him.


    At that moment, Amelia felt her face burning even more than yesterday when Fannie had slapped her. All she wanted to do was work but she couldn''t concentrate because she couldn''t stop thinking about the accidental kiss that she had just shared with Lucian.


    Amelia spent the whole day in a daze. Fortunately, Lucian left her alone for the entire day so she was able to calm herself down.


    "Let''s go." Lucian looked at Amelia and gestured to the all the files that were scattered on her desk. He said, "Clean those up first."


    "Okay." Amelia was so scared that she tried to move as quickly as possible. When she finished, she realized that Lucian was still there. Her voice a faint whisper, she said, "You... What are you still doing here?"

 Chapter 26 An Unexpected Kiss

    As Lucian''s eyes dimmed in indifference, he said coldly, "What would you do if I left?"


    If he had said that in a different way, it would be touching instead it sounded more like he was growing impatient.


    Lucian was acting so strangely. Didn''t the woman say that she was going to see Lucian that night? It was only natural for Amelia to assume that he wasn''t coming home with her.


    "I''m going straight home after work. I can take a taxi. Don''t you have a date tonight? Won''t she get mad if you''re late?" Amelia said sarcastically, averting her gaze.


    "Do I sense some jealousy?" Lucian said coolly.


    Amelia could tell that he was just being sarcastic.


    "So childish!" With that, she picked up her bag and turned to leave.


    Lucian sat on the sofa and smiled happily to himself.


    In the elevator, Amelia stared blankly into nowhere, her back sweating profusely.


    The silence in the elevator induced Amelia to think about the kiss again. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn''t realized that Lucian was already standing behind her.


    The last time Lucian kissed her was in front of Fannie and Nicholas. At that time, she wasn''t very pleased with him. While he was handsome, she found that kiss to be completely unnecessary. However, today, she felt different. Her heart was beating faster and she felt restless. It was as if she couldn''t hold herself together in front of him.


    "Here we are," Lucian said plainly.


    Amelia was trembling, still feeling a bit embarrassed.


    She couldn''t sit still because she couldn''t shake off the feeling that the entire city was making fun of her.


    The moment they walked out of the building, Amelia noticed a woman in red waving excitedly at Lucian, grinning from ear to ear.


    Amelia attempted to put some distance between her and Lucian to avoid the awkwardness, not wanting to cause any trouble.


    Most people were getting off work around this time. While Amelia stood in front of the building idly, people stared at her just like they did that morning. However, this time, she wasn''t getting off a luxurious car which caused her some anxiety. She wondered what other people say about her.


    "Lucian, I''ve been waiting for you for half an hour." The moment Lucian approached the woman, the woman warmly embraced him and passionately kissed him. What a sweet scene.


    Amelia pursed her lips and looked away. ''Lucian may be handsome but he could never make up his mind. I sure don''t want to date someone like that,'' she thought to herself.


    "What? Why is Sasha kissing Mr. Lucian in front of Mrs. Amelia? How dare she?" a woman commented as she passed by Amelia.


    "Keep your voice down. Mr. Lucian might hear you and he could fire you," her colleague responded, tugging at her sleeve. Then she whispered, "Sasha comes from a very wealthy family too. She''s known Mr. Lucian since forever. If it weren''t for his mother, they probably would''ve gotten married already!"


    The female employee deliberately said mysteriously, but her words were clearly heard by Amelia.


    Her heart skipped a beat and she was inexplicably sad.


    She suddenly felt all her justifications and excuses collapse.


    Even though they were just acting, she still cared, didn''t she?


    No wonder Lucian didn''t come back last night. They were getting along. Could Lucian be ending their deal already?


    She had been looking forward to this moment for a long time already but now that it was here, she really didn''t know what to do.


    "What are you thinking about?" Noticing that Amelia hadn''t followed him, Lucian walked over to her and grabbed her by the arm. He led her toward Sasha and introduced them, "Sasha, this is my assistant, Amelia."


    "Hello." Sasha greeted Amelia with a big smile on her face. Amelia couldn''t help but think, ''Is she a model? She''s sexy and she has that gorgeous smile. She looks like a queen!''


    It was no wonder that Lucian liked her. Who wouldn''t be charmed by such a beautiful lady like Sasha?


    "Hello," Amelia said in a low voice as she reached out her hand timidly. On the inside, she was already panicking.


    "Lucian, your assistant is very beautiful," Sasha commented, still smiling.


    It seemed that Sasha didn''t know about her deal with Lucian. If she knew, she probably wouldn''t be as kind to her.


    "Thank you." Amelia was a little embarrassed. Since Lucian introduced her as his assistant, this meant that she had no reason to stay there and be the third wheel. Lucian obviously wasn''t going to tell Sasha that he was married. She took advantage of the brief pause and said, "Mr. Lucian, Ms. Sasha, I need to leave. Enjoy yourselves tonight."


    She smiled very sincerely. Before Lucian could speak, she had already turned to leave.


    When she''d crossed the street, she heaved a sigh of relief followed immediately by a wave of sadness.


    She sat on the platform, feeling distressed.


    It turned out that Lucian was already in love with someone else. No wonder he was so anxious about their deal. He only wanted to get his mother to shut up so he could wait for his true love to return home. It seems that his fake marriage to Amelia was his way of buying time before Sasha came home


    .


    She couldn''t help but feel used by Lucian. However, when she recalled her original intention in agreeing to this deal, she realized that she too had used Lucian in her own way.


    If she truly helped in getting Sasha and Lucian back together then she wanted the credit for it.


    Amelia decided to think of this whole situation in this perspective to give herself some relief. It was still pretty early so she called up Courtney and invited her to have dinner at the hot pot restaurant. Then she sent a message to Lily telling her that she wasn''t coming home for dinner.


    When evening fell, the streetlights shone the streets that were jam-packed with cars and people. Amelia and Courtney sat on the street, each holding their own cocktail and a stick of barbecue. They chatted as they ate and drank.


    "Amelia, can you imagine what would happen if you showed up on the front page of newspapers looking like this?" Courtney guffawed at the sight of Amelia¡ªsitting on the streets, mouth covered in oil and chili paste.


    "That''s right. A lady of the Zhan family is out on the streets!" Amelia joked.


    "Don''t worry. They definitely already have a photo of you and it''s going to be all over the news tomorrow. At least, the barbecue shop''s going to get some exposure! It''ll be a big hit!" Courtney responded, letting her imagination run wild.


    They originally planned to have hot pot for dinner but the restaurant was so crowded that they had to resort to eating barbecue in the streets.


    "By the way, is Kent working in the Zhan Group now?" Amelia stayed in her office pretty much the entire day. The building was so huge that there was almost no chance of her meeting him.


    "He reported to the HR department yesterday. I heard he did pretty well." Courtney lifted her glass of cocktail and said with a smile, "Let''s drink to that! To happy lives in the future!"


    Happy life... To Amelia, that phrase was practically meaningless.


    She was already jaded from her mother''s death and Jasper cheating on her didn''t really help with that either.


    She never really actively searched for happiness or maybe she just hadn''t met someone who would make her happy.


    "Cheers!" She raised her glass to her mouth and started downing her drink.


    Courtney however seemed shocked. She asked, "Are you not happy, Amelia?"


    "Why would I be unhappy?" She wiped the wine stain on her lips with the back of her hand, looking very calm.


    "Then why did you just chug your drink? Isn''t Lucian going to get mad at you if he sees you this drunk?" Courtney had assumed that while Amelia had the freedom to drink, getting drunk was an entirely different thing.


    After all, the Zhan family had a lot of rules. She was just worried about what would happen to Amelia if she broke any of them.


    "We''ve known each other for years. I know you don''t like being controlled by other people and I don''t really know how well the Zhan family is treating you. I guess all I''m trying to say is that if you''re not happy, please tell me. While I won''t be able to do anything about it, I can at least offer you my home. You''re free to stay with me if you want," Courtney said sincerely, looking at Amelia who was already drunk¡ªthe flushing of her cheeks gave her away.


    "Thanks," Amelia choked out, feeling a lump in her throat. She suddenly realized that Courtney was all grown up now. Courtney wasn''t the same girl she was ten years ago.


    Amelia knew she had to face whatever was going on in her life head on. This was the only way she was going to grow.


    Amelia was sober enough to hail a taxi. Courtney was still concerned about her. She walked toward her and tried to support her. "Where''s your phone? I''ll call Lucian and ask him to pick you up."


    "Please don''t!" Amelia stopped her immediately. She paused and said, "He has an important appointment tonight. I can take a taxi home."


    She dug her nails into her palm as a way of waking herself up.


    "You took several bottles of wine when I wasn''t looking. I''m sorry but I just can''t let you go home by yourself." Courtney wasn''t comfortable with Amelia taking a taxi by herself so she offered, "Why don''t you stay at my house tonight?"


    "I have to go to work tomorrow," Amelia explained, shaking her head.


    Although the SJ Garden wasn''t exactly her real home, she just wanted to go there right now. She wanted to go to the place where Iris''s portrait rested.


    "Well, you''re married now after all. You''re not my responsibility anymore. I''m just your friend," Courtney finally conceded. When they had successfully hailed a taxi, she gave the taxi driver a few reminders before sending Amelia off.


    Amelia was indeed drunk but not drunk enough to not know what happened when she arrived at the door of the villa in SJ Garden. She felt her stomach churning as she leaned against the door for support, getting ready to vomit. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist. Frightened, she raised her head and tried to level herself to prevent herself from vomiting. The bile got stuck in her throat making it harder for her to breathe.


    The tears in her eyes reflected the moon, making it seem like dazzling stars emitting a faint but pure light.

 Chapter 27 She Is Lucians Girlfriend

    "Lucian... Aren''t you... I thought you were out with your girlfriend?" Amelia asked drunkenly as she looked at the man in front of her.


    Then she finally vomited.


    Lucian kept quiet as he rubbed Amelia''s back. He helped her stand up when she was finished throwing up.


    Amelia felt as if she was floating before she fell into Lucian''s arms.


    Suddenly, all she could feel was softness.


    "Prepare some honey water for Mrs. Amelia." She was already lying on the bed when a cold voice came from behind her.


    Despite her drunkenness, she still had a pretty good idea what was going on.


    Having assumed that Lucian wouldn''t come home that night, the last thing she expected to find when she arrived home was, well, Lucian.


    She recalled how when she first met him, she was drunk too. However, compared to their encounter then, this was nothing at all.


    "Take off her clothes and put her in pajamas." He was standing in the living room, seemingly about to head out.


    "No... I''m not taking my clothes off." While Amelia heard the voice, she didn''t open her eyes. She thought it was Lucian who was going to help her change out of her clothes thus her refusal to cooperate.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you got some vomit on your clothes. You''ll sleep better if you change out of your dirty clothes," Lily said gently. She wanted to hear Amelia''s approval first before doing anything.


    "Lily..." Amelia nodded her head.


    "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia has changed her clothes."


    "Okay." Lucian nodded, his eyes cold as ever as he looked toward Amelia who was lying in bed.


    When she vomited, she got rid of all the alcohol she had drunk that night. As she lay in bed, she kept tossing and turning, throwing off her quilt as she felt quite hot.


    As Lucian watched her, he trotted over, brows furrowed, looking grim.


    "Don''t throw the quilt off." Lucian covered her with the quilt again as he sat on the edge of the bed. It wasn''t until she had stopped tossing and turning did he finally leave.


    When Amelia woke up, it was already the noon of the next day. She squinted her eyes and rubbed her forehead, feeling a bit dizzy. Suddenly, something dawned on her, she immediately sat up and looked out of the window. "Shit! I''m late for work!" she cursed to herself.


    "Are you awake, Mrs. Amelia?" Lily walked into the bedroom with food in her hands. When she noticed that Amelia seemed to be panicking, she said, "Mrs. Amelia, I''ve already washed your clothes."


    "Washed?" She was shocked and she hadn''t realized that she had slept in Lucian''s room that night.


    "Yes, it seems you were drunk last night so Mr. Lucian carried you to the room," Lily explained, nodding.


    Amelia tried to rack her brain for any recollection of this.


    Everything was a haze but she seemed to remember someone holding her and talking... She looked at her pajamas and cried, "Then... What about my clothes?"


    Did Lucian help her change into her pajamas?


    "You vomited all over yourself last night. Mr. Lucian asked me to change your clothes for you." Lily was a bit confused. Why would she panic at the thought of her own husband changing her clothes? Lily couldn''t help but laugh at her. "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian is a good man. Any woman would kill to be in your spot right now but it seems you''re constantly afraid that he''ll take advantage of you."


    Amelia was a little embarrassed. It was completely acceptable for a husband to help his wife change out of her dirty clothes so it was definitely strange that she was acting this way.


    In order to appease Lily''s confusion, Amelia added as an explanation, "Lucian''s such a neat freak. I was just worried about the smell."


    "Oh, I see. You''re so considerate, Mrs. Amelia. No wonder Mr. Lucian likes you." Lily immediately understood what she meant. She then looked at Amelia in admiration.


    Uh... She only said that so Lily wouldn''t be suspicious. She didn''t mean for it come out that way.


    "Where''s Lucian?" While she knew that Lucian was probably at work, she still had to ask.


    "Mr. Lucian left a note for you. Maybe you should read it first." Lily took out a piece of paper from her apron. Lucian had handed it to her and asked to give it to Amelia before he left for work.


    Lucian left a note for her?


    Amelia was a bit taken aback by this. Receiving a message that wasn''t electronic wasn''t really popular nowadays.


    Needless to say, the note piqued her curiosity.


    As Amelia unfolded the piece of paper, the color drained from her face when she was met with his strong and forceful handwriting. The curiosity in her was replaced with shock and confusion.


    There was no way that Lucian was in his right mind. The note said that he was going to let her ruminate about her mistakes in front of Iris''s portrait for the rest of the day.


    "Mrs. Amelia, what''s wrong?" Lily asked out of concern when she noticed the strange look on Amelia''s face.


    "Uh... It''s nothing." She forced a smile as she glanced at the note again. Once she was sure that she''d read everything right the first time, she went to the room where Iris''s portrait was.


    From behind her, she could hear Lily asking her to


    eat something first but she ignored her.


    She wasn''t upset because of the note. It was just that she was slowly realizing that she shouldn''t have drunk that much last night. This way, she could talk to Iris and sort her emotions out.


    Initially, she was angry upon reading the note but after giving it more thought, she knew she shouldn''t be.


    Meanwhile, in the Zhan Group building.


    "Lucian, why didn''t you stay with me last night?" Sasha took a sip from the glass of wine she was holding. Then she put it down and strode towards Lucian. "I read a lot of news about you when I was out of the country. Don''t worry though. I''m not mad. I understand that men have their needs."


    Lucian raised his head to look at Sasha. He couldn''t ignore the wave of disappointment that he suddenly felt.


    Sasha seemed to have changed from living out of the country for so long.


    He preferred women who kept to themselves as opposed to lavishly showing off their men on the streets.


    At the dinner party the other day, Sasha didn''t shy away from showing her affection to several men. At first, he assumed that she may have just been excited from not seeing them for a long time. However, after a while, he figured he was wrong.


    He''d been out of the country himself but he was never like that. He realized that he just really liked introverted girls more.


    At the thought of this, Amelia''s image suddenly appeared in his mind.


    Amelia always kept to herself and often jumped at the slightest movement. Whenever she was around him, she was shy and bashful. After their first kiss, Amelia looked so shaken and taken back. It looked like she wanted to scold him for it!


    The smile that appeared on Lucian''s lips was not lost on Sasha. She took that as a good sign so she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and said flirtatiously, "Lucian, I don''t want to see you on the news with some other girl again. I should be enough for you."


    She sounded sure of herself despite the three years that had passed. Even then, Lucian still agreed to meet up with her which meant that he probably still had feelings for her.


    "You read the paper?" He refused to believe that such news wouldn''t make it on the paper.


    "Are you talking about your marriage?" Of course, Sasha had read that. That was what made her fly back in the first place.


    "Yes and you met my wife yesterday," he said coolly. He untangled Sasha''s hands that were wrapped around his neck and stood up, effectively pushing Sasha off him. In a serious tone, he said, "I have a wife now, Miss Sasha, so it''s best that you behave yourself."


    Sasha''s body went stiff. She stood there in a daze. She couldn''t believe what Lucian had just said.


    Three years ago, Fannie talked down to her as if she was nothing but a piece of trash. It hurt her so much that she left the country. Before she left, Lucian promised her that he would do something about it to make it up to her.


    Marrying Lucian and becoming a member of the Zhan family had always been a dream of hers.


    "Miss Sasha? Lucian, you''ve never called me by my name before... " Looking at the cold look on Lucian''s face, Sasha''s heart ached. She felt like her heart was ripped out of her body.


    If she lost Lucian, her dream of marrying into a wealthy family would be shattered.


    Then who was going to make up for all the humiliation and pain she had suffered in the past three years?


    "I admit that my original intention in marrying Amelia was to avoid an arranged marriage set up by my parents but it wasn''t entirely for you." As much as Lucian felt sorry for her, he still had to prioritize himself.


    "Lucian, don''t tell me you like her!" Anger was written all over Sasha''s face.


    Lucian frowned. He kept silent for a long time which made Sasha''s imagination run wild.


    "Oh great. I wonder what kind of power this woman has. She''s won you over and she''s married to you!" Sasha sneered. A bitter smile crept up on her face.


    "Sasha, I hope we can end this amicably. This has nothing to do with anyone else. Please leave Amelia alone." Lucian frowned. Although he felt bad for Sasha, he was afraid that she would take her anger out on Amelia.


    "Lucian, aren''t you always surrounded by women and flirting with them all the time? And here you are defending this Amelia girl! Can''t you see how offensive that is to me?" Sasha froze when she saw how nervous Lucian looked.


    "I still feel guilty whenever I remember what my mother did to you but that doesn''t mean that I love you." It was true that he had promised her to make it up to her three years ago. But that wasn''t a promise made out of love, it was a promise made out of guilt.


    "Well, it seems that I was just delusional this entire time." All the color had drained out of Sasha''s face. Besides the overwhelming disappointment she was feeling, she was also indescribably hurt.


    "Please let me know if you need anything, Sasha. I''ll try my best to help you. Just let me know if I could be of any assistance to you."


    Lucian was practically saying that he was willing to give her anything except the two things that she wanted: love and marriage.

 Chapter 28 I Only Want You

    A wry smile appeared on Sasha''s face then she said sadly, "Lucian, I don''t want anything else except for you."


    With that, she stormed out of the room.


    When Lucian arrived home, he found out that Amelia immediately went to the room where her mother''s portrait was after reading the note he left her. Lily had said that she tried knocking on the door but Amelia wouldn''t come out.


    Lucian''s heart sank and thought, ''When did this stupid woman become so obedient?''


    He just wanted to remind her to not get so drunk again next time and she did exactly as he had asked.


    Lucian walked straight to the door. Fortunately, he had a key with him. When he opened the door, he saw a thin figure with her back to him, staring at the portrait on the wall, murmuring.


    "Mom, I''m sorry. I got so drunk last night. As my punishment, Lucian asked me to come here and atone for my sins. I think he just wanted to make fun of me but I don''t mind coming here and talking to you."


    He didn''t mean to punish her. He just didn''t want her to drink so much.


    "Mom, you''ve probably seen Lucian before. He''s handsome and kind. Sometimes, he can be sweet to me too. But what touched me the most was when he asked me to come here so you don''t feel lonely..."


    While she sounded casual, Lucian could tell that she was just pretending.


    When he thought she was done speaking, he quickly made his way over to where she was. However, before he could even open his mouth, she continued, "I don''t know what''s wrong with me. I was so upset when his girlfriend came back. I know our relationship''s just a fake but I was still so sad then. And it wasn''t because I wasn''t happy with the luxurious life he was giving me, it was just that I felt so uncomfortable..."


    Amelia''s voice sounded soft and youthful. Lucian couldn''t help but find her adorable.


    Soon, a grin slowly crept unto his face, an indescribably joy filling his heart.


    "Really?" A cold voice suddenly came from behind Amelia.


    It was Lucian''s voice. What was he doing here?


    She quickly turned around to check if it really was Lucian standing behind her. When she saw him, she slumped to the ground, a look of horror on her face. Did he just hear everything that she had said to Iris?


    ''Damn it! I was so caught up in my emotions that I didn''t even notice that someone had opened the door and come in!''


    "Lucian, do you have manners?" she cried anxiously.


    He looked up at the black and white portrait hoisted up on the wall and whispered, "It''s rude to yell in front of your mother, you know."


    Amelia was speechless. She felt so ashamed that her face turned red, refusing to get up.


    "Why? Are you embarrassed to see me here?" He bent over and pulled Amelia up.


    "I am not!" Amelia denied. However, as she thought back to everything that she''d said, shame quickly overcame here. She lowered her head as she tried to wriggle herself free from him but he tightened his grip on her.


    "I''m very strong. You can''t take me down," Lucian whispered in Amelia''s ear. His warm voice was smooth like butter.


    She could feel her heart beat pulsing in her ears.


    It was no easy task for a woman to resist a man. As Lucian held Amelia in his arms, she grew stiff and remained unmoving. This left them in an intimate position.


    "Lily told me you didn''t eat breakfast or lunch. Are you on a hunger strike?" Lucian asked lightly as he let Amelia go.


    In that moment, she felt as if nothing was real. She couldn''t tell if she was just dreaming or not.


    Lucian, who was often distant, seemed concerned about her. If anything, he was even patient and sympathetic.


    Upon hearing this, Amelia came to her senses all of a sudden. Taking a few steps back, she said awkwardly, "I''m not hungry."


    She was obviously lying.


    Since they were the only two people in the room, the sound of her stomach grumbling was pretty loud and undeniable.


    Safe to say that Amelia was pretty embarrassed.


    Frowning, Lucian pulled Amelia over and said, "Come on, let''s eat dinner."


    He sounded very serious.


    Amelia didn''t refuse him. Even though she really didn''t want to eat dinner with him, she was starving so she had no choice.


    "Mm, chili chicken, pickled fish..." Amelia beamed as Lily placed all the dishes on the table. She picked up her chopsticks and said, "Thank you so much, Lily. These are all my favorites!"


    "Mrs. Amelia, you don''t have to thank me. Thank Mr. Lucian. He''s the one who told me that you liked spicy food. He asked me not to add too much chili though so I cooked two dishes. Please enjoy them," Lily said with an easy tone.


    ''Lucian?'' She frowned and looked up¡ªLucian had moved his chair so he was sitting across her.


    ''Is he going to watch me eat?'' she thought in a panic.


    "Lily, could you bring me some utensils and a bowl of my own? I''d like to have dinner with Mrs. Amelia." A low voice came from the other end of the table.


    Did she hear that wrong? Did he say that he wanted to have dinner with her?


    "Okay." Lily turned around and headed to the kitchen. When sh


    e returned, she was holding a bowl and a set of chopsticks which she placed in front of Lucian. She then said, "Mrs. Amelia, I remember you told me that you don''t like eating alone because it bores you. I mentioned it to Mr. Lucian once and he remembered! That''s so sweet! He''s so in love with you!"


    ''It looks like... Lily told Lucian what I said. I think I trusted her too much,'' she thought inwardly.


    However, Lily was hired by Lucian so it was no surprise that she would tell him stuff about Amelia.


    Amelia only said that because she wanted Lily to have dinner with her and not because she was complaining that Lucian wasn''t keeping her company for dinner.


    Not knowing what to say, she lowered her head and helped herself to the food. She hadn''t realized how hungry she was until she began eating.


    "Eat slowly or you''ll choke." A glass of water was suddenly placed right in front of her.


    Amelia looked up and met Lucian''s eyes.


    His eyes seemed different as if the all coldness was gone and replaced with gentleness and sincerity.


    "Thank you," she mumbled awkwardly.


    Lucian let out a chuckle upon noticing the shy look she had on her face. "We''re married. Why are you being so polite to me?"


    "What?" Amelia was taken aback. That was the last thing she expected for him to say.


    Oh my God! Why is he acting so strangely today? He was acting and talking like a completely different person especially when he mentioned their marriage.


    Was he just being nice to her because they were about to part ways already?


    "Lucian, you don''t have to do this. I''m used to goodbyes. This isn''t a big deal at all," she said in a pretentiously calm way. In reality, her insides were in turmoil.


    She was just afraid of the separation and having to adjust to a whole new life again.


    "What are you talking about? I don''t seem to understand." Lucian had a puzzled look on his face.


    Lucian was acting like he didn''t know anything so she just went straight to the point.


    "Lucian, didn''t I hear Sasha right yesterday? She''s your girlfriend, right?" Amelia asked seriously as she put her chopsticks down.


    Raising his eyebrows, Lucian responded with another question, "Are you jealous?"


    She was trying to have a serious conversation with him but he was dodging!


    Since she couldn''t understand what he was trying to get at, she decided to let it go. It didn''t matter anyway. What was important was that they ended their fake marriage already.


    "Lucian, since she''s back, then maybe it''s time for us to end this already," she said, unfazed, trying her best to not sound sad or upset.


    Lucian''s face darkened. He ignored what Amelia just said and said coldly, "If you''re done eating, you can go upstairs and write down a self-criticism review. And also, don''t you ever get drunk again without my permission!"


    His tone suddenly changed¡ªthe gentleness was gone and replaced with anger. After he spoke, he turned around and stomped off.


    Left alone in the dining table, Amelia felt her heart aching.


    Lucian didn''t love her anyway so why was he trying to control her?


    She decided to just do as he said. Maybe that was the only way she could be free. There was no point in living like this anymore anyway.


    To Amelia, Lucian''s words were like the law. Whatever he told her to do, she obediently followed.


    After writing the self-criticism review, she knocked on Lucian''s study. With his permission, she placed the report on the table and said emotionlessly, "It''s the self-criticism review you asked for."


    Lucian was flipping through some documents when he suddenly stopped. He looked up at the spiritless Amelia and asked coldly, "I''m betting you felt terrible as you wrote that. With that in mind, why didn''t you think of your liver when you got drunk like that?"


    "No one thinks that way!" Amelia replied impatiently. As soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted it.


    Why did she talk to him like that? Was she trying to sabotage herself?


    "This is great! You wrote sincerely and I appreciate that. I''ll let it go this time but just this once," Lucian warned after reading the report that Amelia had just submitted.


    He felt as if he was a teacher scolding his disobedient student.


    Amelia didn''t say anything. She turned around to leave when Lucian suddenly stopped her. He said, "It''s Saturday tomorrow. You''re free to go out and do what you want."


    Amelia was initially upset but upon hearing what Lucian had said, she grew excited. She made sure to not show it though in fear that Lucian would change his mind. In the most nonchalant tone she could muster up, she said, "Okay."


    Lucian narrowed his eyes as if he was suspicious of how calm Amelia was.


    Needless to say, Lucian was good at bringing people down but he also knew how to make them happy.


    Either way, what was important was that she had a whole day to herself! She could go out and get some fresh air. What she was most excited about was that she didn''t have to be under his watch for the first time in a long time.

 Chapter 29 Call Me Honey

    The following morning in the SJ Garden.


    Amelia got up early and immediately changed into her athletic clothes. She wore her hair up in a pony tail and headed downstairs. The first thing she saw was Lucian sitting on the sofa, having a cup of coffee.


    Amelia immediately turned sour¡ªher good mood completely ruined. She walked towards Lucian and said, "Good morning, Mr. Lucian."


    Lucian looked up at Amelia and pointed to the kitchen. "Lily''s making breakfast inside. Oh and please call me honey."


    "Bah!" Amelia blurted out without any hesitation. Then she realized that she had overreacted, so she said in a low voice, "Lucian, I know you''re just doing this because you feel guilty but I really don''t want to be part of it."


    Whomever she was going to call honey was going to be her real husband not her fake one!


    Lucian ground his teeth. Obviously irked, he took Amelia by the hand and gripped her by the arms, threatening, "It''s okay if you don''t want to call me that. I can hang your photos in my bedroom later and if Lily asks, I can tell her that I just like to admire my wife''s sexy figure every now and then."


    "Lucian, shame on you!" Amelia was too angry to say anything else.


    "I''m your legitimate husband so now, I''m not breaking any laws. You shouldn''t be putting shame on me for something legal." It seemed that Lucian was ready to risk everything. Amelia could feel his hot breath in her ears. The warm stream sent a shiver down her spine and causing her heart to beat a mile a minute.


    ''Oh my God! He thinks he can do anything he wants to me just because he''s handsome!''


    However, much to her surprise, her heart did not protest at all.


    Noticing that Amelia suddenly stopped moving, Lucian felt himself weakening.


    "I''m giving you three seconds to decide. Do you want to do it or not?" Lucian threatened. As he buried his face, he felt Amelia''s soft and smooth skin, her scent filling his nose.


    There was just something special about Amelia.


    Upon realizing she had no choice, she said weakly, "Ho... ney..."


    Saying those two syllables made her want to bite off her own tongue.


    "What? I''m sorry but your voice is so low that I couldn''t hear you. Speak louder," Lucian pleaded, acting like a spoiled child.


    Amelia frowned, anger flashing across her eyes.


    She didn''t even want to say it in the first place and now he was making her repeat herself!


    "Forget it. You don''t want to do it anyway," he said in an irritated tone.


    "Honey!" she angrily shouted, her voice louder this time.


    This time, not only did Lucian hear her but also Lily who was in the kitchen at that time.


    "That''s better. I like it." Lucian was grinning as he joked, "Well, if you call me that all the time, I..."


    "Lucian, shame on you!" Amelia said indignantly, breaking away from Lucian''s embrace.


    For a moment, Lucian''s hand was frozen midair. It didn''t take long for him to regain his composure and continue drinking his coffee leisurely.


    Amelia was putting on her shoes when she saw Lucian walk past her. She ignored him and just headed outside.


    When Amelia reached the gate, she intended to walk to a spot where she could hail a taxi however Lu


    cian had beeped his horn from his Lamborghini.


    Amelia ignored him as she continued to walk.


    But he didn''t stop. He still kept beeping his horn.


    In annoyance, she stopped her tracks and looked toward the car. "Lucian, what do you want?"


    Wasn''t it him who had said that she could go out today? What is he up to again?


    "Well, I''d like to take my wife out today." Lucian didn''t have his usual indifferent look. Instead, today, he looked handsome and youthful, playful even.


    Amelia ground her teeth. To her, Lucian just sounded stupid every time he insisted on calling her his wife.


    This was just a fake marriage! Why was he trying so hard to keep up pretenses when no one was even around?


    "Thanks for the offer but I can take a taxi," she blatantly refused.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I don''t know if you just have poor comprehension skills or if I just wasn''t clear enough. What I meant was that we should go out today. Just the two of us. Instead of you going out by yourself," Lucian said nonchalantly, raising his eyebrows and grinning.


    "Lucian, this is already too much!" When they first made this deal, they said that they wouldn''t meddle with each other''s lives as long as they weren''t in public. Now this is exactly what he was doing!


    This made her blood boil. She just wanted to smack him across the face!


    Despite Amelia being visibly annoyed, Lucian grinned and said in a nicer voice, "Just get in the car. I promise you that you''re going to have a good time today."


    "I don''t want to go out with you!" There was no assurance that she was going to enjoy her day if she spent it with him after all.


    Amelia refused without hesitation.


    "Really? Well, since you don''t want to go out with me, why don''t you just stay here and wait for me? I''m going to meet Sasha. She told me she would cook me a delicious lunch and she asked me to go to her place at noon." Continuing in a much more regretful tone this time, he continued, "I don''t think my wife would mind if I went out with other women."


    Sasha... The woman whom she saw kiss Lucian right in front of her.


    Amelia couldn''t deny the nervousness she felt.


    But after going back to the reason why Lucian initially married her, she put on a cold smile and said simply, "Of course not."


    Lucian''s face immediately darkened. Glancing at Amelia who was smiling triumphantly now, he cursed inwardly, ''What a double-faced woman!''


    Last night, when she was talking to her mother, she was telling her how she couldn''t leave him and suddenly, she''s acting as if she didn''t care about him! What the hell did she want?


    "Great then." Lucian bit his lower lip and put on an uneasy smile.


    The smile on Amelia''s face disappeared as she watched the car speed off and disappear. Her heart started to sink, feeling her stomach tie into knots. She couldn''t deny that she was hurt.


    Lucian only said that to make Amelia mad. Just as he was about to turn the car back around, his phone suddenly started ringing. Upon picking it up, he saw that it was Sasha calling. He frowned, not wanting to answer it. However, when he thought of all the terrible things his mother did and said to her, he decided to answer the call.

 Chapter 30 Ex-girlfriend And Wife, Which One Do You Choose

    "Lucian? Can you come here? I... I have acute gastroenteritis. It''s so painful that I can''t even walk..." Sasha''s voice sounded very weak on the phone.


    "Okay," Lucian agreed, eyebrows knitted together.


    He put the car in reverse and saw Amelia''s figure from the rearview mirror. Slamming his foot on the brakes, he said urgently, "Get in the car. I need to deal with something."


    This confused Amelia thoroughly. If he had something to do then why would she need to get in the car?


    Did it have something to do with her father?


    "How''s my father?" Amelia blurted out as soon as she got in the car.


    With his eyebrows furrowed, Lucian said indifferently, "Your father''s fine. It''s Sasha."


    Amelia was relieved to hear this. However, if anything, she was even more confused now. What did Amelia have anything to do with this?


    "Why don''t you just go there? Why do you have to take me with you?" she pressed.


    "Can you just be quiet?" There was a hint of coldness in Lucian''s voice. It seemed that he wasn''t in the mood to talk.


    Amelia closed her mouth and kept it shut for the rest of the car ride.


    She snorted to herself, ''Why does he have to take me with him? Wouldn''t his girlfriend be jealous if she saw me with him?''


    Amelia intended to get off the car when they arrived at the downtown area however Lucian just kept driving the car until they reached a quiet residential area.


    The area seemed like a nice place to live as it had trees everywhere and even the air here seemed fresher.


    Getting off the car first, Lucian turned around and said to Amelia, "Go up with me."


    "Okay," Amelia didn''t know what was going on but Lucian seemed a little worried so she just followed behind him.


    On the sixth floor of building B.


    Lucian stood in front of the door and knocked. After a while, the door was opened.


    "Lucian, you''re finally here..." Sasha pulled him in for a hug and a kiss.


    ''Oh my God! Did Lucian ask me to come here so I could watch him make out with his girlfriend?''


    Even though it was Sasha who had pulled him in for a hug and a kiss, he still didn''t refuse and that said something.


    After which, Sasha buried her head in his chest.


    "Are you all right?" Lucian''s voice was cold and emotionless.


    It was so strange to see him treat his girlfriend like this.


    "Lucian, it hurts..." Sasha whined. She grabbed Lucian''s hand and intimately led it to her stomach.


    They seem to have forgotten that Amelia was there.


    Amelia felt a little embarrassed. Just as she was about to turn to leave, Lucian suddenly said, "Amelia, Dr. Chen''s number is on my phone. Could you kindly give him a call for me?"


    Uh... She couldn''t believe that Lucian spoke to her. Wouldn''t his girlfriend be jealous?


    "Okay," Amelia replied awkwardly.


    Meanwhile, Sasha''s face turned white as a sheet.


    "Lucian, don''t bother. I have medicine here. It hurt so bad a while ago that I couldn''t stand up but I''m feeling much better now," Sasha stammered. It was quite obvious that Sasha was just faking it. She beamed at Amelia and said, "Thank you, Amelia."


    Amelia waved her hand and answered, "You''re welcome."


    She was pleasantly surprised to find that not only was Sasha beautiful but she was also nice too.


    "Come in, come in, don''t stand outside." Sasha stretched out her hands and led her inside.


    At this moment, Amelia felt like she was a puppet being used by Lucian. She snuck a glance at Lucian and noticed that he didn''t seem quite too happy.


    "Amelia, my medicine''s in the drawer. Could you please grab it for me?" Sasha pleaded as she caressed her stomach.


    "Okay." Amelia had experienced indigestion before too so she knew how uncomfortable it could get. She handed Sasha the pills and said, "Miss Sasha, would you like me to cook some porridge for you?"


    Sasha was


    surprised. She looked at Lucian, not knowing what to say.


    Amelia saw that Sasha had turned to Lucian so she added, "Oh, don''t worry. Lucian''s very concerned about you actually. He''s probably scared to death right now. I''m going to cook you some porridge. It''ll be good for your stomach."


    Then she went to the kitchen.


    As Sasha watched this entire scene unfold, she let out a chuckle. She couldn''t help but think how easy it was to get along with Amelia.


    "Have a seat, Lucian." Sasha walked over and pulled Lucian''s arm.


    "Why did you pretend to be sick?" Lucian said coldly, his face emotionless.


    Sasha was taken aback. Feigning innocence, she said, "What are you talking about? I''m hurting right now..."


    All of a sudden, she threw herself into Lucian''s arms. Then acting weakly, she put Lucian''s hand on her chest and said pitifully, "Lucian, I lived in another country for three years. Every time I got sick, I had to suck it up and lie in bed all day. Now that I''m back, I know I have you with me if I get sick. I just want to see you all the time. When I see you, I feel like the pain goes away..."


    Amelia was about to ask if she could put some mushrooms in the porridge however upon seeing Lucian and Sasha in such an intimate position, she held her tongue and let them be.


    She then decided on her own to just put mushrooms in the porridge since it was good for gastroenteritis.


    Sasha couldn''t help but be proud as she watched Amelia in the kitchen.


    Lucian then said,


    "Well, since you''re not feeling well, why don''t you go lie down first?" Sasha''s brief mention of living abroad made Lucian feel guilty all over again.


    The moment Sasha pounced on him, he didn''t push her away.


    After he took her to the bedroom, Lucian intended to go to the kitchen to see how Amelia was doing. However, Sasha grasped his wrist and refused to let him go.


    "Sasha, please don''t!" At this moment, he just wanted to check on Amelia.


    Lucian had assumed that Sasha would freak out if she saw that Amelia was with him but that wasn''t what happened. It seemed that Sasha didn''t even mind that Amelia was there much to his annoyance.


    "Lucian, I know you''re married but you should at least give me time to process all of this." Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "Can we still be friends? Even if we can''t be together, you can''t leave me. You''re the only family I have."


    Lucian didn''t feel bad for her at all. He said, "Just rest well. I''ll go and check on Amelia."


    This didn''t sit well with Sasha. Grabbing the hem of Lucian''s clothes, she begged, "Lucian, please. Just stay with me for a while."


    Frowning, Lucian merely stood still letting Sasha pull him towards her.


    Sasha thought that Lucian would at least sit down and accompany her for a while. She didn''t expect him to leave right away. Her heart sank at the thought of this but she refused to give up.


    "Lucian, I love you so much. I never regretted anything. I don''t care that your mother did and said all those things to me. I don''t blame you for that. I don''t think that you''re a heartless person. You wouldn''t leave me," Sasha sobbed. She truly looked pitiful with tears streaming down her face. She moved to close in the distance between her and Lucian.


    Burying her head in his arms, she breathed in his scent and his warmth.


    Bravely, she blurted out, "Lucian, I love you. I love you so much!"


    Her voice was raised a few octaves higher as if she was excited.


    Meanwhile, Amelia had just finished cooking the porridge and was just about to knock on their door. However, when she heard them, she stopped in her tracks. Trembling, she recalled the last time she caught Yolanda and Jasper together.


    But it was different this time. This time, her heart ached so bad that she felt as if everything was spinning.

 Chapter 31 Does he Fall In Love With Someone Else

    Amelia bit her lower lip and quietly retreated her steps, not wanting to disturb the seemingly loving couple.


    When she left, she couldn''t ignore the overwhelming sadness that she was feeling. It didn''t help that tears were falling down her face too.


    It was a nice day outside. As she walked, she felt the cold wind blowing in her face. Trembling in her thin coat, she didn''t expect for today to be a chilly one. She thought that by now she would be sweating buckets.


    She stood at the corner of the street and looked at the busy city. Suddenly, she wondered where she should go.


    She pulled up Courtney''s number on her phone, hesitating for a while. They had just seen each other the other night after all. That night, Courtney expressed her worries about how Amelia was acting. Who knows what Courtney would do if she saw Amelia like this? She might even confront Lucian!


    With that, she decided that she wasn''t going to tell Courtney about her deal with Lucian. She just thought it was better that less people knew about it and she also just didn''t want Courtney to worry about her.


    Suddenly, her phone buzzed startling her that she almost dropped her phone. It was Lucian calling.


    A bitter smile emerged on her lips. ''Why is he thinking of me while he''s with his girlfriend?''


    For some reason, she felt sad. Even though she knew that her marriage wi


    e she recognized the man, she said hurriedly, "Amelia, your husband is here!"


    Husband? It took for a while for Amelia to understand what was happening. At first, she thought Courtney was just trying to distract her so she gritted her teeth. "Don''t try to distract me! He''s somewhere else right now! "


    Lucian was spending time with Sasha. Why would he come here? That was impossible.


    She loosened her grip on Courtney. Gone was her energy and it was replaced with loneliness and sadness. Absentmindedly, she commented, "How come women can be so faithful while men run around with so many different women?"


    As Lucian was making some gesture that Courtney couldn''t quite understand, she turned her attention to Amelia and asked, "Why? Is Lucian in love with someone else?"


    As soon as the question came out, Courtney''s face turned pale with fear.


    She had to ask since Amelia wouldn''t just mention something like that out of nowhere if it had no basis.


    Courtney''s words hit Amelia like a truck. But it wasn''t as if Lucian had fallen in love with another woman, it was that Lucian never had feelings for Amelia in the first place. He was merely getting back together with the woman he truly loved and that was Sasha.


    This left Amelia unable to answer Courtney''s question.


    "Get up." Amelia then let go of Courtney and reached out a hand to help her up.

 Chapter 32 Not A Confession

    "Amelia, this is getting odd. Every time I ask you something, you don''t answer it and you just change the topic!" Courtney seemed disappointed as she spoke.


    "Well, then just don''t..." Amelia''s voice trailed off. She turned only to find in horror that Lucian was standing by the door. In utter shock, she raised her hand and covered her mouth.


    Wasn''t he supposed to be with Sasha taking care of her? What was he doing here?


    "Amelia, I was supposed to tell you but we were playing around and I was out of breath and..." Courtney explained bashfully upon seeing the look on Amelia''s face.


    Amelia pursed her lips and immediately flushed when she remembered what she had been doing just now. ''Did Lucian see all of that? Was he turned off?'' she thought to herself in a panic.


    "Why didn''t you answer your phone?" Lucian said in a cold voice. He sounded displeased with her.


    Rendered speechless, Amelia wondered why he would even bring her to a date with his girlfriend in the first place. However, since Courtney was still standing by her side, she answered calmly, "I put my phone on silent mode so I didn''t know that you were calling."


    ''She says she put her phone on silent mode but she was able to reject the calls?'' he thought to himself.


    Lucian was inexplicably angry. He pulled her towards him and said expressionlessly, "Let''s go. We''re going home."


    Startled by this, it didn


    .''


    It was a pity that a handsome man like Lucian would be a womanizer.


    Just earlier that day, he was being intimate with Sasha and now here he was with Amelia doing the exact same thing. He was flirting with her and she couldn''t for the life of her understand why.


    "Amelia, just admit it. Deep inside, you know you like me." With that, Lucian started the car engine and drove off.


    Amelia opened her mouth and looked at him in disbelief. After a while, she quipped, "Don''t be so full of yourself. I''d never like a playboy like you..."


    ''That wasn''t even convincing at all,'' she immediately thought afterward.


    She indistinctly saw Lucian''s lips curve into a smile as if he knew something she didn''t.


    The rest of their car ride was uneventful as neither of them spoke again. However, even when they arrived at the SJ Garden, Amelia was still uneasy.


    "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia, you''re back!" Lily took the bag Lucian was holding and then said to him carefully, "Mr. Lucian, your father called. He said to tell you to visit the Zhan mansion tonight along with Mrs. Amelia. Or else..."


    Amelia had just slipped out of her shoes when she heard this. Narrowing her eyes, Fannie''s face instantly appeared in her mind.


    "Or else, they''re coming here themselves," Lucian finished for Lily.


    Lily nodded silently. She was still a bit traumatized from how angry Fannie was over the phone.

 Chapter 33 I Heard You Were Sleeping In Separate Rooms

    "And... Mrs. Fannie went here today too..." Lily was so nervous that her whole body was shaking.


    "I see. You may leave now." Lucian looked no different than usual. He turned and nonchalantly asked Amelia, "Do you want to go to the Zhan mansion with me?"


    She couldn''t turn him down since he had asked.


    "Yes." She nodded.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure what happened last time won''t happen again," Lucian added.


    Lucian''s words drew Amelia''s attention. A hint of astonishment flashed in her eyes. Suddenly, the image of Fannie slapping her across the face flashed in her mind.


    Knowing what he meant, Amelia smiled, "Don''t worry. I''ll try my best not to piss your mother off."


    While Amelia seemed perfectly agreeable, her tone sounded distant as if she was trying to prove a point to Lucian.


    They arrived at the Zhan mansion when evening came. All the lights were turned on but there was nothing but silence.


    It was Darren who came out to welcome Lucian and Amelia as the rest of the other servants were busy inside the mansion. Nicholas was sitting on the sofa, having a cup of tea. Upon seeing the two arrive, he said simply, "You''re here."


    This was Amelia''s third time meeting Nicholas. While they didn''t talk much, she felt as if he was much easier to get along with than Fannie. He hadn''t fully accepted her yet but at the very least, he didn''t sneer at her or glare at her the way Fannie did.


    In response, Amelia gave


    ing what seemed to be an item covered in black cloth. He said urgently, "Mr. Lucian, Mr. Nicholas asked me to give this to you."


    Lucian immediately took it and uncovered it only to find in relief that it was Iris''s portrait.


    "Amelia, look!" Lucian handed her the photo with a bright smile on his face.


    Amelia gazed at the photo, tears streaming down her face again.


    "Mom, I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I almost lost you." Holding Iris''s portrait in her arms, she clutched it tightly as if she was afraid she was going to lose it again.


    "Mr. Lucian and Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Nicholas is waiting for you in his study." Darren didn''t have the heart to interrupt Amelia who seemed to be having a moment with her mother. In a small voice, he said, "It was Mr. Nicholas who found the portrait. He asked to talk to you two inside."


    Putting on an icy cold look, Lucian said rather harshly, "Kindly thank my father for me but this doesn''t mean that I forgive my mother."


    Lucian always stood by what he thought was wrong and right. In this situation, his mother was wrong and she hadn''t even apologized yet which meant there was no way he was going to forgive her for doing such an atrocious thing.


    "Mrs. Amelia, please don''t be upset. Mr. Nicholas has no problems with you. He didn''t mean to offend you. He just wants to talk to you," Darren added upon realizing that he couldn''t persuade Lucian. He figured maybe Amelia was easier to convince.

 Chapter 34 You Should Call Him Dad

    "I''ll come with you, Darren," Amelia calmly said, putting on a kind smile.


    "Amelia?" Lucian said in surprise as he gripped her arm, shaking his head. It seemed that he didn''t want her to go inside and talk to Nicholas.


    Amelia knew what was on Lucian''s mind so she smiled and held up the portrait in front of him. "No matter what, your parents are still elders. I don''t need to be angry anymore because I got my mother''s portrait back. It wouldn''t be polite of me to suddenly leave especially that your father asked to talk to us," she explained.


    Her face wasn''t stained with tears anymore and she was beaming now. It was as if she hadn''t cried at all.


    "I don''t want you to pretend. Let''s just go home." Lucian couldn''t help but notice the cracks in Amelia''s smile. She wasn''t as fine as she was making it out to be. He grabbed her hand in an attempt to leave already.


    Amelia loosened her hand free and handed him the portrait, still smiling. "Hold this for me. I''ll be back in a jiffy."


    Flattered by the trust she had given him, Lucian''s wrinkled eyebrows smoothened. Then he said gently, "I''ll come with you."


    In the time that they spent together, Lucian had gotten to know Amelia a little bit more despite their constant bickering. They were always fighting but she was still very respectful to Fannie. With that, Lucian decided to accompany her inside.


    In the study, Nicholas sat at his desk, reading the paper. Upon seeing Lucian and Amelia come in, he put the paper down and asked gently, "Amelia?"


    His voice was low as he spoke but there was a hin


    verything seemed so strange and foreign which made her feel a bit nervous.


    The waiter handed the menu to her. She took the menu, hands trembling, and glanced at it, quickly realizing that everything was so expensive.


    "You order." She slid over the menu to Lucian.


    It seemed that Lucian noticed the embarrassment on her face. He slightly curved his lips and took the menu. He then ordered a ton of dishes. It was obvious that he was a regular at this restaurant. Then he asked, "What kind of drinks do you like?"


    While all the dishes that Lucian ordered were completely new to her, she tried her best to remember them all.


    He kept asking her what food she wanted. He asked her what kind of soup, main course, side dish, dessert, and fruit she liked. And now he was asking what she wanted to drink. Could they really finish all the food they were ordering? It seems like they were ordering for an entire army!


    She suddenly asked, "Aren''t we going to order soup? Let''s just order soup."


    Lucian seemed briefly astonished before resuming to his nonchalant self. Smiling, he said nicely to the waiter, "That''s all for now."


    The rich sure did have a lot of rituals when eating dinner. They had a towel to wash their hands with and they also had a napkin to wipe their hands with.


    Amelia pursed her lips as she listened to Lucian. At that moment, all Lucian could think was how adorable she looked.


    "What''s wrong?" Lucian noticed that Amelia was pouting, seemingly in dissatisfaction.


    Amelia looked around, her eyes bright, and said casually, "Nothing..."

 Chapter 35 Married A Good Wife

    Why can''t it just be easy to eat Western food? She complained on the inside but on the outside, she kept a straight face.


    The dishes were placed on the table and they all looked marvelous which made Amelia''s mouth water.


    "Eat up," Lucian said in a low voice. He cut the beef with knife and fork rather skillfully, his cream-colored fingers blending in with the Chinaware.


    Meanwhile, Amelia looked confused as she held her knife and fork. She didn''t know which hand to use.


    She liked to eat spicy food so whenever she went out with Jasper, they always ate Chinese food or hotpot. She''d never been to such a fancy restaurant before.


    She''d seen actors eat like this on TV before but that didn''t really help with her confusion.


    Noticing the look on her face, Lucian put his utensils down and reached out to reposition how Amelia was holding her knife and fork. "Okay, that''s good," he quipped.


    Amelia blushed in embarrassment as she still didn''t know what to do. The silence weighed in on her as Lucian continued to eat his meal.


    She took a deep breath. She was at a loss because she still didn''t know what to do.


    She needed to have her knife in her right hand and her fork in her left hand. Amelia muttered to herself, trying to bear all of this in mind as she tried to eat.


    Lucian seemed to read her mind. He said, "There are no rules. You don


    . If Sasha only knew how much you loved her, I''m sure she would be happy."


    For some reason, she felt empty after saying those words. She felt as if she was disconnected from herself.


    Lucian turned off the car engine along with the lights. It was completely dark as the trees that surrounded them were blocking the street lights. They could see the road from where they were but it was a bit too hazy.


    Amelia didn''t know why Lucian stopped the car all of a sudden. Just as she was about to turn to him and ask, he suddenly leaned over to her and put an arm around her shoulder. There wasn''t much distance left between them as they faced each other, lips almost touching.


    Everything was quiet and Amelia felt as if she was floating. Overwhelmed by her nervousness, she tried to steady herself. Luckily, Lucian was holding her shoulders with his hands and soon, he closed the distance between them by touching his lips with hers.


    The kiss turned from soft and gentle to passionate really quickly. She stiffened as she inhaled his scent. His warm lips covering hers... It was intoxicating.


    Everything happened so quickly and it was almost dream-like.


    As much as she wanted to push him away, she couldn''t. She couldn''t bring herself to because she wanted this to happen.


    She relished the taste of his soft lips and the warmth of his breath on her face.

 Chapter 36 A Passionate Kiss

    "Amelia, you''re the one I love..." He stopped and said in a low and deep voice. His voice seeped with emotion.


    Amelia trembled and looked at Lucian in disbelief. She shook her head and said, "No, we won''t. We just..."


    Lucian covered her mouth with his again but only briefly. He released her and said seriously, "We''re not in a fake marriage anymore. We''re in a real relationship. We''re husband and wife."


    "But.. But what about Sasha?" As much as she didn''t want to meddle into their relationship, she had to. She too had feelings for Lucian and his confession both terrified her and made her happy.


    Why did Lucian say he loved her? Everything felt so dream-like.


    "Sasha and I are just friends. I can''t explain to you why and how we got here but I was afraid you were too oblivious to figure out what''s going on with us. I knew it was a risk but I had to tell you." This was his first time confessing his love to a woman and much to his disappointment, it wasn''t received well.


    Women crawled after him and this was the first time that he actually reciprocated the feelings and affection. He actually cared about her.


    Only Amelia and the girl from his childhood had made him feel this way.


    At this moment, all he wanted was to forget about their deal and just be in a real relationship with Amelia.


    "Lucian, you had a lot of wine tonight. Why..." Amelia couldn''t believe h


    for that.


    Even though she was technically his wife, she just couldn''t accept gifts from him without any reason.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian personally selected this car for you. He knew that you weren''t the type to show off so he chose this car for you. It''s charming and it suits you. Wouldn''t it be a waste if you refuse this act of kindness from Mr. Lucian?" Frank chimed in upon noticing the hesitance in Amelia.


    Amelia was soft-hearted so most of the time, it didn''t take much to persuade her. When Frank spoke, she couldn''t help but feel embarrassed.


    Even then, she just couldn''t accept a grand gift like this just because she was soft-hearted.


    "You''re Lucian''s driver, right? I can come with him whenever you pick him up for work. And when it''s not for work, the bus stop is just 20 minutes away. I really don''t need a car." Taking deep breaths, she raised her head and said in a grateful tone, "Thank you so much for this thoughtful gesture but I really don''t need you to be this nice to me."


    Despite having a driver, Lucian often drove himself whenever he went out. It was completely unnecessary for him to buy her a car.


    She knew that the Zhan family was wealthy enough to squander money but she just wasn''t raised like that.


    Frank didn''t expect for Amelia to refuse the car so adamantly. Not knowing what to say, he turned to Lucian with a worried look on his face.

 Chapter 37 She Doesnt Appreciate His Kindness

    "Since you don''t appreciate my kindness, I won''t force you." After staring at Amelia for a long time, Lucian finally conceded. "But Amelia, you''re my wife. Why can''t I do these kinds of things for you?"


    Lucian''s eyes had darkened. When he turned to look at Amelia, there was a hint of sadness in it.


    Not knowing what to say, Amelia lowered her head, too nervous to answer.


    "Frank, put the car in the garage. Just leave it there since Amelia doesn''t want it." Lucian directed his order to Frank, his voice emotionless.


    ''What? He''s just going to leave it at the garage?''


    "Can''t I return it?" she asked bashfully, frowning.


    "Of course not!" Frank answered.


    "Why not?" The car was not used or damaged. Why couldn''t it be returned?


    Lucian wanted to laugh as he watched Amelia but he held back his laughter and sighed instead, saying, "Well, of course, the owner would take care of the car, right? But if the seller won''t think that. Even if you''ve just been using it for a day, it''s already lost its value. Returning it will just cost us. We''ll just lose even more money."


    "Lose more money?" That was what Amelia was worried about.


    Since the car couldn''t be returned and she wasn''t going to drive, Lucian technically wasted his money on buying the car. It was just going to be put to waste.


    "Can we rent the car to a lease company? That way, we can make up for the loss," Amelia proudly suggested, her bright eyes gleaming.


    ded to wait for him to finish eating. As she waited, she fidgeted with her hands.


    Lucian glanced at her from time to time. When he had finished eating, he wiped his mouth, and asked in a deep voice, "Do you have something to say?"


    She immediately raised her head and nodded. Seemingly embarrassed, she said, "I''m sorry for what I did just now. I shouldn''t have brought your breakfast into your study."


    "Get to the point." Lucian then stood up, towering over Amelia. This made her nervous, her chest tightened, and she had difficulty breathing. His strong aura was really overpowering.


    The point was... The point was that she was going to accept the car and thank him.


    After hesitating for a while, she realized she just couldn''t say it.


    Lucian looked grim which thoroughly scared Amelia. Trembling, she tried to say something but nothing came out of her mouth.


    "Amelia, if you don''t have anything else to say, I''m going." Lucian picked up his coat and prepared to leave.


    "Yes!" Amelia stopped him in a hurry. She caught up with him and said nervously, "Thank you for the car. I''ll use the car and I won''t just let it sit in the garage."


    Despite feeling the opposite, she knew this was what she had to do.


    She had no choice but to concede.


    "That''s it?" Lucian narrowed his eyes and gazed at her eyes.


    "That''s it." She nodded her head and looked nervously at Lucian''s handsome face that never failed to mesmerize her.

 Chapter 38 You Are Not Jealous

    When he took off his business suit, he revealed an ensemble of a bright orange sweater and crisp light gray jeans. This outfit made him look tall coupled with a pair of black boots that added to his cool vibe. Draped on his arm was a long coat that he carried elegantly.


    It was no surprise Amelia fell head over heels for him. She only came back to her senses when Lucian''s voice broke her reverie.


    "I... Where are you going?" She felt as if Lucian was watching her very closely to which she responded with guilt and inability to form coherent sentences.


    "Mr. Edmund An invited me to play bowling with him. You can come if you want," Lucian suggested as he gently looked at Amelia.


    "Mr. Edmund... He''s related to Shelly?" She was immediately able to put together that they shared a last name.


    "Yes." In reality, Lucian wasn''t too keen on going¡ªhe only agreed to the invitation out of respect and politeness.


    "I''m fine. I can hang out with Courtney." Shelly was in love with Lucian and it didn''t need to be mentioned that both their families wanted the two of them to end up together. Amelia figured she''d just be a nuisance if she tagged along as they went bowling.


    It also didn''t help that Shelly was shooting her death glares.


    Frowning, Lucian seemed visibly disappointed. He had figured that Amelia would want to leave because of Shelly.


    "Okay, I''ll drive you there." Even though he didn''t want her to leave, he still spoke to her softly.


    "Really?" Amelia asked curiously with her eyes wide open.


    "Yes." He nodded. What he really mean


    her cheeks turned a hue of pink.


    She couldn''t get him off her mind. If she hadn''t busied herself that afternoon, she''d probably be just daydreaming about him.


    "Have a seat. I''ll just clean up and I''ll be back," Amelia said.


    Lucian nodded, a faint smile appearing on his lips. He then took a seat and waited quietly for Amelia.


    As soon as Lucian entered the shop, everyone turned to stare at him in admiration¡ªsome even murmured to each other how handsome he was.


    "Amelia, you can leave. Kent''s going to be here soon. Go on! Go with Lucian!" Seeing that Amelia was still working, Courtney went over to her and grabbed the tableware that she was holding.


    "Fine, fine!" She didn''t insist anymore since they were headed to Shelly''s birthday dinner that night and she didn''t want to make Lucian wait any longer either.


    "You did a good job there," Lucian nonchalantly commented as he drove, his slender hands gripped on the wheel.


    "Well, it''s easy." She smiled lightly and averted her gaze. Then in a low voice, she asked, "Are your parents coming?"


    "Yes." Lucian nodded and looked straight ahead. Then he added, "Shelly''s father and my father are not just business partners, they''re also old friends. They''re probably going to catch up tonight."


    "Okay," Amelia replied nervously.


    Fannie didn''t like her at all. To her, Amelia was a gold-digger who only married Lucian for his money. In addition to that, Amelia also ruined Lucian and Shelly''s chances of getting married¡ªsomething the Zhan and An family had been planning for the longest time.

 Chapter 39 To Torture Single Men

    Going to visit the An family was like walking straight into a lion''s den.


    "Don''t be afraid. I''ll just be by your side the entire time." Noticing that Amelia had fallen silent, Lucian put his hand on the back of her hand and comforted her in a soft voice.


    Amelia looked up at Lucian, feeling a bit more at ease. But her heart was still fluttering with nervousness.


    Taking a deep breath, she focused her attention on warmth Lucian''s hand offered. It was very comforting, and gave her a strong sense of security.


    A few moments later, Lucian pulled over at a clothing store. "Why did you stop here?" Amelia asked."Just needed to pick something up. Let''s go," Lucian said as he got down the car.


    "Okay." Amelia nodded and followed Lucian.


    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Lucian." As soon as they entered the store, the shop owner came over to Amelia and eyed her with a bright smile. "The evening dress you ordered is ready. Is it for this lovely lady?"


    "Yes." Lucian nodded and turned around to Amelia. "Go and try it on."


    "What?" Before Amelia could figure out what was going on, the shop owner grabbed onto her hand and ushered her into a spacious dressing room. It was filled with elegant dresses ¡ª evening gowns made out of silk, cocktail dresses with intricate laces, and a lot more others that left Amelia speechless.


    The shop owner took a dress off the rack and presented it to Amelia. "Miss Amelia, please put this on a see if it fits you well," she said, holding up a pastel, strapless dress.


    "Me?" Amelia was surprised. It was then she finally realized what was happening and what the dress was for.


    Lucian wanted her to wear something special for Shelly''s birthday party. Although she thought it would be best to just go


    "Well, although she has stolen the man I''ve been yearning for, she''s indeed much more beautiful than his first love girlfriend..."


    What? First girlfriend? Were they talking about Sasha?


    Amelia continued to walk forward, surrounded by endless whispers. But when she heard about Lucian''s first girlfriend, she was suddenly lost in thought. With one careless step, Amelia lost her footing and sprained her ankle!


    Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain coming from the soles of her feet that shot up all the way to her leg.


    She held back her pain and didn''t want to lose face in front of Lucian and everyone else. She kept smiling to show her elegance and grace.


    At the moment she sprained her ankle, Lucian''s heart trembled. "Amelia, are you okay?" he whispered low beside her ear.


    She looked up at him and nodded her head with a smile.


    The bright light shone on her delicate face. She was beautiful, like a delicate orchid in an empty valley, stunning and rare.


    After they finally walked out of the long red carpet and sat down, Amelia felt relieved. Although her feet still ached, she did not frown. She pinched on her arm to divert the pain she was feeling from her ankle.


    Lucian had noticed Amelia''s subtle movements.


    "Did you sprain your ankle?" he asked worriedly, intertwining his hand with hers so that she would stop pinching herself.


    Amelia''s face suddenly turned red. She blinked her eyes with a guilty conscience, shook her head and denied, "No. I''m just a little nervous."


    "You don''t need to be tough in front of me." His eyes were full of concern, and he held her hand even tighter.


    Looking at his affectionate eyes, Amelia nodded slowly. "It''s just a minor sprain. It doesn''t hurt that much," she lied softly.

 Chapter 40 Shellys Birthday Party

    "You silly, little girl..." With a tender look in his eyes, Lucian patted the top of Amelia''s head. Then he bent down, took off her shoes, and rubbed her ankle gently for her as if no one else was around.


    "Hey, people are watching us!" Amelia protested. But Lucian ignored her and proceeded to massage her. She looked around and saw that there were a lot of people looking curiously at them. Blushing heavily, Amelia felt so shy that she just wanted to run away and hide.


    Meanwhile, Lucian didn''t seem to be paying attention to the eyes that were on them. "How do you feel? Does it still hurt?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.


    It seemed as if Lucian was intent on making Amelia feel better no matter what. As Amelia watched the way Lucian was so worried about her, her heart couldn''t help but tremble. Feeling deeply moved, tears started to form in her crystal clear eyes. "I''m happy right now. It doesn''t hurt anymore," she replied in a soft voice.


    Upon hearing Amelia''s response, Lucian paused and looked up at her delicate face with his deep eyes. It was as if a wave had swept over his heart, making it hard for him to maintain his composure.


    Amelia''s words were like a subtle way of accepting Lucian into her life.


    A faint smile played on the corners of Lucian''s lips as he savored this moment he was having with Amelia. The two of them looked at each other as if they were in their own little bubble. There was so much love in their eyes that there was no need to voice it out.


    "Lucian!" an angry voice suddenly called out, breaking the moment they were having together.


    Turning around, Amelia saw that it was Shelly.


    Shelly was very beautiful today. Her hair was put up in an elegant, side-swept bun, exposing her slender and s


    face as he thanked the guests and the arrival of the Zhan family.


    From the corner of her eye, Amelia saw Nicholas and Fannie. Amelia was a bit surprised as she didn''t see them when she had entered the hall with Lucian just a while back.


    Fannie was wearing her nicest jewelry as she stood behind Nicholas. It was so obvious that she was happy to see Lucian and Shelly together.


    The woman standing next to Edmund wore plain clothes. Even though her look was fairly simple, she was quite elegant and classy.


    It was probably because she also had such a nice smile on her face.


    "Does he really have to single out the Zhan family like that in his little speech? Lucian''s married, isn''t he? Why does the An family have to be such social climbers?"


    The girl sitting behind Amelia began to murmur again.


    "Keep your voice down. Mrs. Amelia is sitting in front of us. Aren''t you afraid..." the other girl interrupted in a hushed voice.


    "Look at Shelly though... She''s holding onto Mr. Lucian so tightly! I''m sure those who don''t know her well would think she''s Mr. Lucian''s wife!" the girl complained angrily.


    "Oh, come on! Mrs. Amelia has been smiling the entire time! She''s obviously not worried about Shelly and neither should you."


    "¡­¡­"


    Amelia''s mind went blank after she heard the two girls gossiping. She tried to focus her attention on the stage, but her sight was getting blurry from the tears lingering in her eyes. With a deep breath, she lowered her head and busied herself with her phone.


    In the next second, she heard another announcement being made on the stage...


    "The Zhan family and the An family have reached an agreement ten years ago that when my daughter Shelly has reached twenty years old, she is to be wed with Lucian!"

 Chapter 41 Long Time No See

    "Oh my God! What is he doing?" the girl behind asked anxiously. Her screaming only affirmed Amelia''s suspicions.


    The atmosphere was thick with tension. Edmund had dropped a bomb. Needless to say, Amelia was utterly shocked out of her wits. As she directed her gaze to the stage, her mind went to what had just happened earlier...


    On the stage, Nicholas and Lucian were visibly shocked. They looked at Edmund in surprise.


    "Nicholas, Lucian, I decided this without consulting either of you. No need to blame me. This had to happen sooner or later." Edmund gave an apologetic look to Lucian and then said to all the guests, "Have a good night!"


    After a warm round of applause from the audience, the waiter asked Amelia to head to the dining room upstairs.


    After hesitating for a while, Amelia smiled bashfully as she let herself be led by the waiter upstairs.


    The waiter began serving food much to Amelia''s disinterest as Edmund''s words were still ringing in her head.


    When she first met with Lucian''s parents, she had found out that Lucian and Shelly were engaged. At that time, she didn''t think much of it.


    She felt as if she had destroyed an engagement when she found out about this.


    "Hello, are you Miss Amelia?" All of a sudden, a man in a black suit stood in front of her and asked her politely.


    Quickly gathering herself, she nodded and said,


    ''s go. I''ll help you look for him." Jonny stood up and put his coat over Amelia''s shoulder. He said thoughtfully, "It must suck for you girls to attend parties like this. It gets cold so just wear it."


    "Jonny, I thought you didn''t want him to know about you? If you come with me, he''ll definitely ask about you," Amelia said.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll protect you and make sure that Lucian doesn''t misunderstand anything," Jonny replied, grinning.


    In reality, she didn''t really mean it that way. She just figured she could go downstairs by herself to look for Lucian.


    When they left the private room, Jonny led Amelia to another private room which was more crowded than the one they had just been in.


    Inside the room, Nicholas was giving a toast to Edmund while Fannie chatted with Shelly. Shelly''s mother was sitting by the side looking rather uncomfortable.


    More importantly, Lucian was nowhere to be found.


    "Oh, I thought it''s someone else," Fannie snorted as she cast an evil glance toward Amelia upon the latter entering the room.


    Amelia was used to it. With an awkward smile on her face, she bowed to everyone and apologized, "Sorry to interrupt you. I''m leaving now."


    The moment Amelia came in, Shelly was immediately seething.


    It seemed that she didn''t want to say anything bad in front of Edmund and Nicholas so she just merely glared at Amelia.

 Chapter 42 Stay With Me

    With a wine glass in his hand, Edmund looked at Amelia and Jonny in surprise. As far as he was concerned, they were uninvited guests. He would never call them inside.


    Nicholas smiled pleasantly and said, "It''s Amelia. Come and sit here."


    "Father..." Amelia greeted Nicholas with an awkward smile and pointed at the door. "I thought Lucian was here. I''ll leave now."


    When she saw everyone''s unpleasant expressions, she lowered her head. She had no intention of annoying the rest of them.


    "What did you call him?" Fannie stared at Amelia in disgust and said, "You seduced Lucian, and now you''re eyeing his father too? How can you be so shameless? You don''t belong to our family. Did you even consider your status before calling him father?"


    "Stop talking, Fannie!" Nicholas interrupted Fannie and glared at her. Her words were too mean! He turned to Amelia, who was standing at the door and said, "Amelia, Lucian was looking for you a while ago. You might find him downstairs. Go and take a look."


    "Okay." Amelia nodded, keeping her face straight.


    She was good at hiding her emotions. Even if someone wronged her, she would not show it on her face, but hid bitterness in her heart.


    Amelia was brought out of her thoughts by an angry voice. "Jonny, why are you standing there? Come and propose a toast to your uncle!" Edmund scolded Jonny and gazed at him with a stern face.


    Jonny ignored his father and turned to greet Nicholas with a


    you will meet your Mr. Right." With a warm smile, Lucian squeezed Amelia''s hand and walked out of the private room.


    When Amelia stepped out of the house, she shivered because of the cold wind that blew on her face.


    She hastily rushed inside the car, where warmth spread across her limbs, but her heart was still being pierced bit-by-bit after thinking of Shelly.


    "Whose coat is it?" Lucian frowned when his eyes swept on an unknown coat Amelia was wearing.


    Amelia absentmindedly stared at the window before she heard Lucian, and her eyes darted at the coat. How could she forget to give it back to Jonny?


    Noticing that Lucian was staring at the coat with an aggressive look on his face, Amelia¡¯s face turned red in embarrassment. How could she tell him the truth? But if she wouldn¡¯t say anything, he might get it all wrong. "A passer-by gave it to me out of kindness."


    Jonny especially requested her not to tell Lucian about their relationship. She had to bit her tongue to stop herself from speaking the name "Jonny" in front of Lucian.


    "A kind-hearted passer-by?" He stared at the priceless coat in disbelief and said, "Why don''t you give me his phone number to thank him for his generosity?"


    Amelia¡¯s heartbeat sped after hearing his tone. She took repeated breaths to calm her heart. "I didn''t even ask his name. How would I know his number?"


    Seeing that she did not wish to answer truthfully, Lucian had to suppress his doubts.

 Chapter 43 We Must Sleep In The Same Room Tonight

    As soon as the car arrived at the SJ Garden, Lucian took off his coat and the coat Amelia had put on her own shoulder. He said possessively, "My woman can only wear my clothes."


    Looking at his childish yet serious face, Amelia said nothing but felt happy.


    Girls like to be cared and loved by boys. They enjoy a sweet caress and a warm embrace. Being loved and capable of reciprocating love is, to them, one of the most pleasant things in the world. Amelia was entranced by that very feeling right now. As though her heart was filled with vast oceans of ecstasy.


    But the coat wasn''t hers. It was Jonny''s and she couldn''t lose it, so she took it from Lucian and held it in her arms.


    Lucian felt jealous at the sight of Amelia''s reaction but he didn''t want to show it. He had to bury the impulse to get to the bottom of the matter.


    "I''ll go upstairs first." She planned to wash Jonny''s coat in the washing machine and return it to him.


    Seeing she was holding the well-designed suit made of plain but soft fabric, Lucian couldn''t help but ask, "Do you want to take that upstairs?"


    "Oh... Yes." Amelia froze. Every inch of her body quickly stiffened with panic. She looked at him and explained, "It''s from a kind man! I don''t think it''s appropriate to throw it away."


    "So it is." He smiled enough to conceal the jealousy. "I''ll wait for you in the bedroom," he reminded her.


    "Bedroom?" With widened eyes, Amelia was at a loss for what Lucian meant.


    Noticing how confused she looked, Lucian appeased her. "I wanted to ask for your opinion. But since you seem anxious to know right away, I will tell you directly."


    "Lucian, what are you doing? What''s going on?" By


    s.


    "It''s getting late. We have to get to bed early." Amelia changed the topic. She knew the redness of her cheeks was showing. She was rendered incapable of speaking, yet again. She didn''t know how to answer, let alone, what to answer.


    With his eyebrows raised, Lucian smiled slightly, nodded and said, "Well, you have to go to work tomorrow. Go to bed early."


    "Yes." Amelia nodded her head and turned away.


    "You can sleep in the master bedroom tonight," said Lucian. He took Amelia''s hand and gave her a hint with his twinkling eyes.


    "No way!" Amelia got rid of his hand immediately. She frowned and said unhappily, "It seems that what I said just now has all become a giant blob of nonsense!"


    Lucian realized that she thought too much. He laughed and said, "Don''t take me the bad guy here, Amelia. What were you thinking before I could even finish my words?"


    The more he pried, the worse the result would be.


    Amelia already had a crush on him. He was not eager to win her affection, but he wanted to get a chance to know more about her in the days to come. This, to Lucian, was key to having a more solid relationship with her.


    "I''ll sleep here. Where are you going to sleep?" she asked, her face still red with blush.


    "Of course I..." Lucian drew his face closer to her and smelt the scent of her. "...sleep next to you," he teased.


    Amelia glared at Lucian, slapped him on the arm and said, "Shame on you to say you''re not a lascivious man. I know about your history so I''d better be on guard around you."


    She didn''t forget Lucian took photos of her while she was intoxicated. At the thought of this, her affections for him dwindled, and she felt weak.

 Chapter 44 He Was Worried About Her

    Looking at her angry face, Lucian couldn''t help let out a chuckle, his eyes full of tenderness. "Don''t worry, Amelia. I won''t force you. I''m just going to have to wait."


    He then sat down on the sofa, looking as elegant as ever.


    "Since you aren''t sleepy yet, I''m going to bed." Amelia was just about to move her things that Lucian had brought into the room when he stopped her.


    "That wasn''t a very nice thing to say, was it?" ''Why is she so stubborn?'' he thought to himself glumly. Still, in his most patient voice, he offered, "You sleep on the bed and I''ll sleep on the sofa, okay?"


    "What?" Amelia widened her eyes in disbelief.


    It was already weird enough that they were sleeping in the same room so if he slept on the sofa, it would just make things weirder than it already was. She''d never agree to that arrangement.


    "Don''t forget that we''re married. If we continue sleeping in separate rooms, sooner or later, Lily''s going to get suspicious. Do you want my mother to come over?" This rendered Amelia speechless.


    Was he going to hold that over her head forever?


    "Lucian, stop threatening me with these things. I''m not scared!" Amelia spat.


    Eyes dimming, Lucian pretended he was angry too. Grabbing the pillow on the bed, he said coldly, "Okay. I''m more concerned about you moving out of the SJ Garden than having to sleep in separate rooms."


    While his concern for her was genuine, he didn''t want to th


    then realized that they were already late for work. Feeling guilty, she built up the courage to apologize, "Sorry for making you late for work."


    As the CEO of the Zhan Group, Lucian was always punctual. He rarely arrived late and he rarely left early too.


    ''He''s right. I have such a handsome boss and he sets such a good example for his employees. I should work hard.''


    Without saying anything, Lucian pulled over the car and said, "You don''t have to work today. I''ll take you to eat something then I''ll drive you home so you can rest."


    "No, I''m fine now." Amelia thought Lucian was exaggerating this.


    Lucian knitted his eyebrows together, ignoring Amelia. He took her to a famous porridge place in the city and ordered a bowl of porridge for her.


    She was starving. She spat out her breakfast earlier because she didn''t want to get car sick.


    "Are you sure? We''re going home already?" Amelia asked anxiously.


    "Just stay at home and wait for me," Lucian said simply as he glanced at Amelia.


    With that, Lucian immediately returned to his usual cold self. Amelia wanted to say more but was intimidated by how solemn he looked.


    Even when Lucian was angry and upset, he still looked handsome.


    She stared at Lucian obsessively which didn''t go unnoticed by Lucian.


    Amelia was delighted.


    "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia, why are you back so soon?" Lily asked in surprise as she hurried over to Amelia to help her.

 Chapter 45 Lucian Was Jealous

    "Mrs. Amelia is having some stomach problems. Please take good care of her," Lucian told Lily after he''d taken Amelia to the bedroom.


    "Okay." Lily nodded in agreement before leaving the room.


    When Amelia and Lucian were left alone in the room, the atmosphere suddenly grew thick with tension.


    "Be good and please rest well." Lucian sounded concerned as he walked over to the bed.


    Heart beating fast, Amelia gazed back at him with her face flushed.


    He looked quite indifferent. If he didn''t sound so concerned, one would think that he was mad.


    "Yes." She nodded obediently. She looked up at Lucian and smiled. "Thank you."


    With a gentle smile on his face, Lucian felt the joy in his heart which quickly spread all over his body.


    "If you want, you can take a walk in the backyard of the villa but you can''t run, okay?" After he spoke, he turned and left the room.


    As Amelia watched his figure retreat, she couldn''t help but suddenly feel sad.


    Shortly after Lucian left, Amelia fell asleep. It was already two in the afternoon when she woke up.


    When she got up, she ate quickly and intended to head outside for a quick walk as Lucian had just suggested. However, her phone suddenly began ringing.


    "Hello?"


    "Amelia?" A man''s voice came from the other end of the line. His voice was laced with uncertainty.


    Surprised, Amelia asked tentatively, "Is this Jonny?" She thought she''d heard Jonny''s voice.


    "Thank God, I called the right number." On the other end of th


    call, she took a deep breath.


    "Where are you?" Lucian was straightforward much to Amelia''s anxiousness.


    Suddenly, she recalled how Jonny had asked her to keep their relationship a secret from Lucian. She had no choice but to lie.


    "I... Courtney''s milk tea shop was swamped so I dropped by to help her." She couldn''t find a better excuse than this.


    After a long silence, Lucian asked, "Are you feeling better?" Despite sounding a bit angry, his tone still sounded more concerned than anything.


    Amelia nervously answered, "I''m fine!"


    "That''s good. I''ll pick you up later." His tone was still cold.


    "No, thanks." Amelia had no idea when Jonny''s speech was going to start or end so she had to lie some more. "A classmate of mine is having a birthday celebration. I''m planning to attend so I might be late..."


    "When is it?" Lucian''s voice was deep and emotionless.


    Amelia clenched her fists in nervousness. "Before ten, is that okay?"


    This softened Lucian''s heart so he agreed, "Okay, I happen to have an event tonight. When it''s over, you can call me and I''ll pick you up."


    "Okay." She didn''t have the courage to refuse him. Otherwise, Lucian might figure out she was lying.


    After hanging up the phone, Amelia was relieved. She didn''t feel as guilty anymore because Lucian was going to be out tonight anyway. At least, he didn''t have to stay at home alone.


    As soon as she thought of this, she found it strange that she was even worrying about Lucian being home alone.

 Chapter 46 Why Lie

    Jonny was presenting in the school hall. School leaders deemed this conference of great importance made even more pronounced by the president who came to witness the event. Outside the conference room, students waited in line for the conference to commence.


    "Amelia, take a seat at the front table. I''m afraid that I might be unable to find you if you sit too far." A few minutes before the opening, Jonny found Amelia and pointed at the table in the first row.


    Amelia quickly waved her hand. "Jonny, I''ll take the back seat." It was too eye-catching to sit in the first row. Amelia wasn''t much of the type to grab attention.


    Jonny knew that Amelia would refuse him. He smiled and said, "If you sit too far, you wouldn''t be cheering me on. You''ll just make me even more anxious in front of this crowd. Not to mention, the president himself."


    The speech was about to start and the students all took their seats. If she hesitated, it would take Jonny some time. Therefore, she had to agree reluctantly, "Okay, Jonny. Go for it!"


    She sat in the first row which gave Jonny the confidence boost he needed.


    Amelia was well aware the guests were school leaders and special guests. She felt a little awkward sitting there among the distinguished people.


    Realizing that no one was looking at her, she was relieved. ''Perhaps sitting here was better than I thought,'' she said to herself.


    The host gave a speech after the opening of the event. It was a good time to go back to middle school.


    At the same time, Lucian sat in the VIP seat led by others.


    all wrong, she couldn''t explain it clearly. But she thought it was better to not say anything at all. She was afraid that if she explained it, Lucian would misunderstand her relationship with Jonny even more.


    In the absence of a reply, Lucian saw it as confirmation of his assumptions. His eyes were now as dark as clouds, Amelia was fearful a storm was brewing soon.


    "But you are still my wife, Amelia. No matter who you love. You and I are bound together," he said coldly, looking straight into her.


    Then the car drove into the darkness.


    "You are still my wife..." These sweet words Lucian had said to her had been imprinted on her mind at the very beginning. But thinking of them only made her feel bitter?


    When they returned to the SJ Garden, Lucian remained silent. He threw his coat on the sofa, took out an ice beer from the fridge and chugged.


    Amelia wanted to stop him. She stopped herself when she saw the cold expression on his face.


    This man was sometimes as gentle as a baby, while sometimes as cold as a blizzard. She couldn''t fathom how this was possible.


    "Mrs. Amelia, what happened to Mr. Lucian?" Lily asked in a low voice as she ran to Amelia.


    Amelia bit her lip and felt she was the one who should take the blame. He wouldn''t have been so angry if she hadn''t lied to him in the first place.


    She bowed her head and felt terrible.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you better go and stop Mr. Lucian. The beer''s too cold. How can his stomach handle that?" Lily frowned. She shook Amelia''s arm for help as a gesture of how anxious she felt.

 Chapter 47 The Brave Confession Of Amelia

    Amelia frowned when Lucian emptied the fifth bottle of beer. On the table, she could see two more dozens of German beer that were enough to make Lucian drunk.


    She glared at him in anger and said, "Lucian, you don''t have to take it out on yourself. Just vent your anger on me."


    Lucian narrowed his cold eyes at her. "Do you feel bad when I treat myself like this?"


    Smiling bitterly, he didn¡¯t even try to hide the self-deception in the question.


    Countless women were chasing him, but he had eyes only for Amelia. The fact that she not only refused his kindness but also lied, hurt him deeply.


    He had hated people who lied to him because of what happened twenty years ago.


    Even though Amelia was stunned and silent on the surface, her heart was in turmoil. She felt sorry and distressed.


    She squatted with tears in her eyes. "Can you just stop drinking?" Amelia wanted to admit her mistake, but she was afraid of infuriating him.


    She knew that even though she would explain with her soft and trembling voice, his steeled heart wouldn¡¯t feel a thing.


    Lucian could forgive a person for any sin except for lies.


    "Don''t you have to explain yourself?" Lucian squinted his red eyes.


    Amelia¡¯s heart ached when her legitimate husband used such an interrogating tone to address her.


    "Will you believe me?" She looked up at him, seeing through Lucian''s mind.


    His blood boiled after hearing her voice. "You''re free to do anything,


    let go of her chin, chuckling coldly.


    Amelia saw through the bitterness in Lucian¡¯s heart and lowered her head. She knew he was depressed, and Amelia didn¡¯t mean to make things difficult for him. Quietly, she walked out of the room.


    Lucian¡¯s smile faded, and he punched the wall with all his power. He regretted his indifferent attitude toward her. He wanted to take hold of her, but at the same time, he hesitated. These complicated emotions made him go crazy.


    His anger had forced Amelia to open her heart to him. Lucian thought there wasn¡¯t a difference between him and a robber.


    Back then, he got married in the hope of taking charge of his own life ahead. If Lucian could win her heart in such a dominating way, he would be able to take charge of her life.


    He was so fierce with her because he wanted Amelia to think clearly.


    After returning to her room, Amelia dropped herself on the soft bed as if she ran a marathon and was devoid of energy. She stared at the ceiling for a long time. Lucian¡¯s cold words still swirled in her mind.


    Nominally... These words extinguished all the flames in her heart.


    She had to gather a lot of courage to express her feelings, but he rejected her due to anger.


    Amelia didn''t know why Lucian was so angry. Now when she finally said it, she didn¡¯t feel so uncomfortable anymore.


    She could only comfort herself by thinking that he was drunk and moody. Amelia should be considerate enough.

 Chapter 48 The Fate Of Bullying My Woman

    There possibly couldn''t be a person in the world who wanted to be deceived. In this case, it was really difficult for Lucian to give a proper response.


    The only thing Amelia could do was to hope that Lucian would feel better tomorrow.


    The next morning, Amelia got up a lot later than usual. Perhaps it was because of the soft patter of the rain outside. She got out of bed and hurriedly got dressed before running downstairs, thinking that Lucian had already left. Upon reaching the kitchen, she saw that Lucian was still there, leisurely having his coffee. He cast her a cold glance before drawing his attention back to the newspaper in his hand.


    ''Huh... He seems to be relaxed even though I woke up late,'' Amelia thought.


    "Mrs. Amelia, come here to have breakfast," Lily greeted when she saw Amelia come down the stairs.


    Slowly, Amelia went to the table and sat down. ''I thought that Lucian would say something about how I woke up late,'' she thought since she was twenty minutes late. But she puzzled as she looked at Lucian who still hadn''t said a single thing to her.


    After carefully looking at Lucian, Amelia looked at the food on the table. Her stomach rumbled, and soon could no longer resist the temptation of the delicious food in front of her. One bite after the other, Amelia barely chewed on the food she swallowed.


    She thought that it was likely that Lucian would tell her to hurry up as soon as she started to eat.


    Not to mention that she would still have to put on her shoes. Amelia took a gulp of water to help push down the food in her throat.


    Just when she was about to finish her meal, she saw Lucian walk over slowly and help himself to some food.


    Furrowing her brows, Amelia looked at the clock and saw


    ss you, why don''t you? Not only will I forgive you ¡ª I''ll also help you clean out the scratch on your car. What do you think?" The fat man saw that Amelia wasn''t willing to cooperate with him. He grabbed her hair and pulled her into his arms, pretending to kiss her.


    Although he was not tall, he was a man of strength. No matter how hard Amelia struggled, she couldn''t get out of his grasp.


    "Let me go!" Amelia gritted her teeth and glared at the fat man.


    He touched her body with his dirty hand and smiled at her evilly.


    She bit her lower lip and stepped on the shoes of the fat man, thinking that he would let her go because of the pain. But unexpectedly, the fat man groaned softly and pressed her body against the car with more vigor, intending to kiss her forcefully.


    There were a lot of cars on the road and yet no one came to save her. Amelia wanted to shout, but the fat man covered her mouth with his hand.


    Amelia was unable to move. The man''s face came in closer and closer, just mere inches away from hers. There was nothing Amelia could do now but close her eyes and pray that all of this would end. All of a sudden, the man was pulled away. There was a loud thud, and the man groaned in pain.


    Amelia was still in shock and did not dare to open her eyes. Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her trembling body. She flinched, thinking that it was the fat man. "You little fool," a familiar voice called out. Amelia opened her eyes in surprise.


    Lucian had made it just in time. Even though he was already here, Amelia still felt immensely terrified. Slowly, she put her arms around his waist and buried her face in Lucian''s chest. As she smelled his familiar and comforting scent, Amelia finally allowed herself to cry.

 Chapter 49 An Embarrassing Triangle

    "Mr. Lucian, please take Mrs. Amelia home first. I''ll handle the rest," Eric, Lucian''s assistant, offered. He had just arrived and kindly offered to help.


    Lucian opened his thin lips and said coldly, "Teach him a lesson!"


    With that, Lucian left with Amelia.


    When they got on the car, Amelia felt less nervous. Since Lucian wasn''t saying anything, she decided to do the same.


    "You should ask Frank to drive you," Lucian said after a long pause.


    She scratched the car the first time she drove it. While she wanted to refuse him, she knew she had no choice but to reluctantly agree.


    "Sorry, I broke your car..." she said guiltily.


    Your car... She always made sure to distinguish what was his and hers.


    Lucian was inexplicably angry. He asked coldly, "You think just saying sorry is enough?" He was at a very important meeting when he found out that she was late. Worried, he called her to ask her what was going on. As expected, she was very uneasy.


    He intended to pound on her a little more but he didn''t expect that she''d be so bad at driving that she couldn''t even run up a slope.


    "I''ll just pay for the repair fees, okay?" Sadly, her bank account was practically empty. That was all she could offer.


    Lucian noticed how aggrieved Amelia was already. He didn''t have the heart to continue making things difficult for her. "It''s fine. You don''t have to do that. Just make dinner tonight."


    Upon giving it more thought, he concl


    old friends.


    Amelia flushed in response to this sudden friendliness.


    "Sasha, we need to work," Lucian said seriously.


    Sasha was surprised. Realizing that she was holding Amelia''s hand, she let go of it immediately and held Lucian''s arm. She said happily, "Lucian, I heard that the Zhan Group is recruiting new staff so I came here to visit."


    Seeing them standing together intimately, Amelia had mixed feelings. She tried to look away so that she would feel better.


    "You should go to the personnel department then for an interview." With that, he removed Sasha''s grip in his arm and glanced at Amelia.


    A cloud of embarrassment crept over Sasha''s face. Smiling bashfully, she said, "I just heard that Amelia worked here. I came here to thank her for cooking porridge for me last time."


    Sasha knew what kind of person Lucian was. She wouldn''t dare piss him off so she changed the subject to Amelia.


    Amelia was smart. She knew very well that Sasha came here for Lucian and not her. Otherwise, why else would she ask where Lucian was?


    However, Amelia had no plans of bringing this up. She smiled shyly and said, "You''re welcome."


    "Well, you''ve already thanked her. You can leave now. We have work to do," Lucian said coldly. He grew upset upon glimpsing the tea set.


    Sasha grabbed the opportunity to ask Lucian out. She put on a charming smile and said, "Hey, Lucian. It''s almost lunch time. Would you like to have lunch with me?"

 Chapter 50 To Do His Wifes Duty

    "I will rather have lunch with my wife." Lucian put his arms around Amelia''s shoulder.


    Amelia''s wide-opened eyes stared at Lucian in disbelief.


    Sasha''s face went pale, and she felt someone had deliberately twisted her heart until it was bleeding. She forced a smile and said in a weak voice, "We can hang out later."


    A flush of guilt washed over Amelia''s face when she glanced at Sasha.


    "Who allowed you to touch my tea set?" Lucian''s cold eyes squinted at Amelia.


    That was when Amelia spotted the tea set on the table. She stood up without giving Lucian a second glance to clean up the mess.


    Lucian frowned when he saw the flustered look on her face, and he realized that his tone was harsh. Just as he was about to help her, a loud sound entered his ears.


    He looked around to see what happened, staring at the scene with wide eyes.


    The teacup had fallen on the ground like a sack of potatoes. She reached to pick the broken pieces from the ground and grazed her fingers.


    The blood was gushing out of her finger, but still, she was cleaning up the mess.


    Lucian stared at her with a horrified expression and rushed over. "Why are you so careless?"


    Amelia''s heart jumped when she heard his voice filled with worry, eyes brimming with tears.


    She had been silent for a long time. Lucian took hold of her injured hand and looked at her moistened eyes, frowning at her expressions. Did he hurt her again with his words? "Let''s go to the infirmary."


    His voice was gentle, having


    ut there was another reason why Amelia never wore any make-up. She was too lazy to wear the make-up on her face.


    "Lucian, we should eat at home." It was then Amelia realized that she had all the ingredients at home because of Lily. Why did she have to use her tiny brain to purchase it from the local market? They could have avoided the incident easily.


    Lucian presented her with a pensive look. "Weren''t you thinking that you did a great job by rushing at the market? In the end, it was all for nothing."


    "I''m sorry for your injury." A trace of guilt washed over her face, making her pout.


    Seeing her sincerity, Lucian couldn''t bring himself to tease her. "You know something?"


    "What?" She looked at him with a confused gaze.


    "Love isn''t just about words, but living together with peace." Lucian stopped the car at the signal and turned his warm gaze toward Amelia.


    Why did his words sound so familiar?


    Her eyes sparkled as she recollected something from the past. "Did Darren tell you this?"


    Darren had once asked her if she loved Lucian. Even though Amelia''s reply came from her heart, Darren didn''t seem to take it seriously.


    Amelia''s heart was beating fast because of his words. What he had said was the same thing that had been in her mind.


    Lucian shook his head and flashed a charming smile at her. He approached her, placing his hand on her cheek. "I want to listen to my heart and live a peaceful life in marriage."


    Did the two of them have similar views on marriage?

 Chapter 51 We Are Meant To Be Together

    Amelia almost lost control of herself. She covered her mouth with her hands and looked at Lucian, eyes full of affection.


    Oftentimes, she found it difficult to see right through him but there were also instances where she felt as if she understood him¡ªclear as day.


    She always felt that they were from two different worlds. He was out of her league¡ªhe was much higher and they didn''t have anything in common.


    "What are you doing?" Lucian asked in confusion.


    "Nothing... Nothing!" Amelia answered, flustered.


    "What did Darren say to you?" Lucian asked curiously.


    "Nothing... Nothing." She looked like a stuttering fool.


    Lucian decided to let it go and just focus on his driving.


    After returning to the SJ Garden, Lucian took off his coat. Amelia walked up to him with a bottle of disinfectant in her hand. She shook the bottle, smiled, and said, "My handsome Lucian, would you give me the honor of disinfecting your wound for you?"


    Lucian rejected her without thinking. He frowned in disgust as he cast a cold glance at Amelia.


    Amelia already knew that Lucian would refuse her. So she then said angrily, "Forget it. It''s not my hand anyway. It makes no difference to me if your hand hurts or not. If it''s infected then let it be infected. I have no choice but to take the responsibility because I''m your wife!"


    With that, she got up and turned with the intention of leaving.


    Lucian wasn''t entirely clueless. Smiling, he pulled her into his arms. Her f


    up with excuses. Even if Lily had her doubts, she couldn''t say anything.


    After dinner, Lucian sat on the sofa with his laptop on his lap. He was typing vigorously.


    She fetched him a glass of water, walked over, and asked cautiously, "You still have work?"


    Whenever he worked, he looked so serious which made him look even more handsome.


    He gave off a vibe that made Amelia want to get closer to him even more.


    She couldn''t quite make out how she felt. As she gazed at Lucian, she watched him carefully¡ªhis slender fingers tapped on the keyboard like beautiful notes that tugged at her heartstrings.


    Lucian stopped what he was doing, looked up at her and asked, "What''s up?"


    "Well... I''m fine. Don''t worry about me. " Amelia walked off and pretended to watch TV on the other end of the sofa.


    ''That''s strange. Lucian always worked in his study. Why is he suddenly working here in the living room? He''s been doing that for a few days now. Wouldn''t he find the noise coming from the TV distracting?''


    "What is it? Just blurt it out. I only sent out a few e-mails." With that, Lucian closed his laptop and turned to look at Amelia, waiting for her to speak.


    She had no choice but to say it now that he had insisted.


    "Well... Are you free tomorrow? If you are, can we go to the Mo mansion? If you''re busy, it''s fine, I can just call my father and explain," she said in one breath, looking timidly at Lucian.


    She wasn''t sure how Lucian was going to respond.

 Chapter 52 Having Fun On The New Years Eve

    "Are you really showing consideration for your husband?" Lucian couldn''t help but smile at how she hastily explained everything before he''d even asked.


    He had been so busy these past few days that the holiday had slipped his mind.


    "That''s not it!" she denied.


    She really wasn''t in the mood to go to the Mo mansion because she didn''t want to see Yolanda and Jasper.


    Upon noticing the frown on her face, Lucian already knew what was going on.


    He put the computer aside and walked over to her side, whispering, "I''ll go with you tomorrow."


    "Okay." Amelia raised her head and smiled.


    He walked over to the window so he could call Eric and give him a few reminders. Then he walked back to where Amelia was and said, "Do you want to spend the New Year''s Eve with me tonight?"


    Amelia was watching the New Year''s Gala with great interest. When she heard Lucian, she looked at him and asked curiously, "How?"


    Lucian didn''t know what to respond.


    He pulled Amelia up and ordered, "Put on your shoes and let''s go out."


    Amelia couldn''t resist. She followed Lucian''s orders as he was going to accompany her to the Mo mansion tomorrow after all and she had to return the favor.


    "Why don''t you wear the clothes I bought for you?" Lucian asked, frowning, upon noticing how plainly Amelia was dressed.


    Amelia was tall and slender and she preferred to dress as ordinarily as she could.


    "The clothes you bought are too expensive..." she said slowly.


    "Well, now I know what it means to be so bizarre."


    orner by themselves, they approached the two and said excitedly, "It''s new year''s eve! Come on, let''s have fun and dance the night away!"


    They were already being a bit pushy as they tried to pull Amelia up. Lucian wasn''t able to restrain himself. He quickly landed a punch across their face when they tried to touch her.


    One of the men was knocked over. His companions rushed over to him and cursed at Lucian.


    "Stop it!" Amelia cried.


    This incident scared the couples away that they immediately left the yacht.


    It was four against one and Lucian didn''t stand a chance. Soon, he had been knocked over. Amelia was so scared that she felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her chest.


    She screamed and cried for help but nobody responded. The sound of firecrackers was too overpowering for anyone to hear them while the others just didn''t want to be involved.


    Despite being knocked over, Lucian still got up and kicked one of the men in the crotch. The man screamed in pain. Lucian looked like a martial artist with his swift and smooth movements. At that point, he looked more handsome than ever.


    Amelia immediately walked over to Lucian and said, frightened, "Let''s get out of here!"


    "You want to leave? No way!" However, they were approached by the group of men once again. They stopped Amelia first then Lucian. One of them said angrily, "What a shame. We thought you were a decent man. Turns out you''re not! We just wanted to invite you guys to dance. Why would you suddenly start a fight?"

 Chapter 53 The Affection In A Kiss

    The man wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and glared at Lucian.


    Lucian remained calm. Even if these men were about to attack him, he kept a cool composure. Instead, he spat in disgust, "If you ever touch her again, I''ll make sure you pay for it."


    If they hadn''t touched Amelia, he wouldn''t have hit them. Amelia was his trigger. If anyone hurt her, he wouldn''t stop at anything. He would make sure that there were consequences.


    "Wow, you look pretty decent. You''re probably rich. Why don''t you come over here and show us what you got then?" The man smiled with disdain as he gestured for the three other men to start attacking Lucian.


    Meanwhile, he had pinned Amelia down. Smiling evilly, he said, "Your man may be a good fighter but he can''t fight three people on his own unless he has three heads and six arms!"


    They punched Lucian simultaneously. Since there were three of them, he wasn''t able to dodge. Amelia had seen this entire scene unfold¡ªtwo fists brutally landing a punch on Lucian''s shoulders.


    "Please! Stop fighting!" Amelia begged, tears streaming down her face.


    The man was right. Even if Lucian was a good fighter, he was no match for the three. In a panic, she grabbed the man''s sleeve and pleaded, "Can you stop them? Please? I''ll apologize to you


    t her tenderly.


    Everything was so emotionally charged. Amelia''s heart fluttered.


    She admired Lucian''s courage and determination to protect her.


    "I... I''m sorry I lied to you before. I didn''t mean to do that. I just didn''t want you to misunderstand anything." She lowered her head and as she spoke, her voice was very weak.


    Lucian tightened his grip on Amelia. "Now that you can think about our relationship outside of external factors. What''s your answer?"


    Of course, Amelia knew what the answer was. Last time, when she told Lucian the truth, he''d been too angry to accept it.


    Her eyes were as clear as crystal. All she had for Lucian was love and care. At that moment, she looked lovelier than ever.


    "Then listen carefully." Her voice was light and sincere. She slowly spoke, emphasizing each word, "Lucian, I really like you. What should I do?"


    Amelia had never been this honest before.


    Lucian was much taller than her so he could see her quite well. Amelia didn''t look up even after she finished speaking. Lucian kept his gaze on her as she blushed. Her heart was still pounding. She had no idea what he was going to do when he suddenly kissed her.


    This time, she didn''t push him away. She wasn''t scared anymore. Instead, she welcomed the kiss with open arms.

 Chapter 54 Only For You

    Love filled their hearts with the sparks of passionate love, similar to how fireworks brightened up the sky.


    Romance embraced the couple.


    Lucian reluctantly pulled away, afraid that Amelia would be out of breath.


    His hot breath tickled her tender skin, making her lower lip quiver.


    Before Amelia could react, Lucian took two steps back and knelt on one knee, taking out the ring he had prepared in advance. His eyes carried a trace of affection when he gazed at her. "Amelia, will you marry me?"


    Amelia''s breath was stuck in her throat after seeing him. After looking at the sincere emotion on Lucian''s face, a flush of warmth flooded her heart.


    "I know I had forced you to wear the wedding ring back then, but this one is a token of my love for you." Seeing that she did not respond for a long time, Lucian added.


    "Get up." Amelia was so moved that her voice sounded breathless.


    Seeing her respond like that, his shoulders tensed. Lucian held up the dazzling diamond ring, expectation glinting in his eyes.


    "What a waste of money!" Amelia frowned and glared at him.


    Lucian relaxed after hearing her tone. He put the ring on Amelia''s finger and kissed her again.


    Amelia snuggled in his arms. The feeling of bliss overflowed her heart.


    Although she had seen such an event on TV, she hadn''t expected to go through with it for real. Her heart flooded with the waves of e


    , you look great."


    "You can thank Lucian. He hired a maid for us and asked the doctor to check on me every day. He also arranged some nutritionists for me. Getting rid of my health issues was a piece of cake," Vernon said happily.


    Amelia turned to look at Lucian in surprise. She didn''t know what to say.


    Her husband had done so much for her behind her back.


    "Why are you still standing like a fool? Come in!" Vernon had a warm smile on his face.


    Just as Lucian and Amelia sat in the living room, they heard someone''s footsteps. Amelia looked up to see Sophia walking at them with an elegant smile. Her hips swayed right and left as she walked.


    Amelia looked at her in disgust. She averted her eyes and focused on Lucian.


    "Look, who''s here? If I knew Lucian was going to come, I wouldn''t have planned to hang out with my friends," said Sophia. Her surprised eyes gazed at Lucian for a long time, before shifting her focus at Amelia. Sophia squinted her eyes at the girl sitting on the couch. "Amelia, this is all your fault. You should''ve informed us in advance before coming to the Mo mansion."


    Amelia didn''t understand the dark meaning behind Sophia''s playful words. Instead of reciprocating, Amelia said in a cold voice, "Lucian and I are not rare guests. Besides, I came back to see my father."


    She hated Sophia to death. If it weren''t for Vernon, Amelia would banish her.

 Chapter 55 Bragging And Mocking

    The expression on Sophia''s face shifted however she knew she couldn''t get mad at Amelia because Lucian was there. In a sour tone, she said, "Yes, Vernon''s your father and I''m just your stepmother. It doesn''t matter if I''m here or not."


    Amelia was just about to tell her that what she said was true when she suddenly heard Yolanda''s voice. "Mom, why did you ask us to come back? Jasper and I seldom have enough time to sleep. How annoying!"


    Amelia was surprised upon hearing this.


    She realized what Sophia just said was indeed an excuse. Sophia talked to them as if they weren''t expected guests. Yolanda chiming in like that only embarrassed her.


    "This is the first day of the new year. You shouldn''t be developing bad habits such as sleeping in. Besides, you''re pregnant. You should be walking out and keeping yourself healthy." Embarrassed, Sophia walked up to Yolanda and held her arms, her face gleaming. She said in joy, "My friends are so envious of me. They''re jealous that I have a grandson whom I can take care of!"


    "Hi, Yolanda. Where is Jasper? Didn''t you come with him?" Vernon asked as he stood up.


    As soon as Yolanda entered the living room, she caught a glimpse of the gifts on the table. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with excitement. Pointing at the gifts, she asked, "Lucian, did you buy them for me?"


    Amelia couldn''t help but look away. She just picked up her cup of tea and pretende


    " Lucian asked in a low voice, sounding upset.


    "Yes, both middle school and high school," Amelia answered simply.


    Lucian didn''t say anything. He looked up at the building not far away, seemingly deep in thought.


    "The school was rebuilt later on and we didn''t have anything left from its original foundation," Amelia said wistfully as she gazed at the building.


    "You must have a lot of happy memories here. Why else would you want to constantly go back here?" Lucian said lightly as he turned to look at the face of Amelia.


    Her face suddenly turned pale and for a moment, she didn''t know how to answer this question.


    Happy memories? How? That wasn''t exactly true.


    "It''s all in the past now." She smiled as she stood under a tree, quiet and beautiful.


    Lucian nodded in agreement and smoothed her hair that was a bit messy around her forehead. In concern, he asked, "Are you cold?"


    Amelia couldn''t help but be moved. She shook her head with a smile.


    They stood under the tree, enjoying each other''s quiet presence.


    Amelia then looked up and saw Jonny walking towards them.


    She was so shocked that her mouth fell open, her eyes filled with surprise.


    Upon noticing this sudden shift on Amelia, Lucian turned his head and spotted Jonny approaching them.


    "Lucian, Amelia, what a coincidence!" Jonny was dressed casually. He looked cold but he still had an easy smile on his face.

 Chapter 56 Keeping A Proper Distance

    "What a coincidence indeed!" Lucian greeted with a smile. "Amelia wanted to visit her alma mater," he continued as he held Amelia''s hand, "I decided to come with her."


    Amelia beamed at Jonny as well as she nodded approvingly.


    Seeing the way Amelia and Lucian got together so well, Jonny couldn''t help but be stunned. "Well, since we''ve bumped into each other like this, let''s take a walk together," Jonny said with a smile of his own.


    Not knowing what to say, Amelia looked up at Lucian to see if he wanted to go with Jonny or not.


    Much to her surprise, Lucian nodded at Jonny''s invitation.


    Amelia tightened her hand around Lucian''s, making her feel more at ease.


    This made Lucian feel at ease as well, and instantly put him in a much better mood.


    Meanwhile, Jonny quietly looked at the two. Although there was still a smile on his face, there was a pained and sad look in his eyes.


    He had planned to invite Amelia to visit Imperial Middle School when he called her. But when he found out that she was out with Lucian, he felt very disappointed.


    Jonny didn''t think that they would actually run into each other today.


    "You seem to still remember the ins and outs of this place, Jonny." They had reached the crystal clear lake just behind the main campus building. It was the place where Amelia and Jonny had a talk from before.


    "We''ve studied here for a while after all," Jonny defended. "This place is bound to leave some sort of impression on us, don''t you think?" "Well, I don''t remember anything,"


    Lucian said in a low voice, his face darkening.


    There was an indecipherable smile on Jonny''s face as he looked at Lucian. Finally he sighed and shook his head, "Never mind then."


    Amelia furrow


    ut I think I know you well enough to guess what you like."


    Amelia thought about what Jonny said. ''Maybe he thought that I wouldn''t be so keen to order anything expensive...


    Besides, since he had ordered so many dishes, there''s no need to order anything else.'' "It''s okay. I''m not fussy about food. This is enough," she said with a polite smile.


    The table was full of delicious looking food.


    ''Jeez. Are all rich people the same? Lucian also orders too much food when we eat outside...'' Amelia thought to herself. She felt a bit sad when she suddenly thought about Lucian.


    "If you say so. We''ll talk when you''re done eating," Jonny said. He picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and put it on her plate.


    Amelia was a little embarrassed. "I can do it myself. Thanks," she said, her cheeks blushing.


    Although she was schoolmates with Jonny, she was already a married woman. It was a bit too intimate for him to serve her food like that.


    "Okay. Please just help yourself to whatever you want," Jonny smiled considerately.


    The restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere to it, and the dishes Jonny ordered suited Amelia''s taste well.


    "Let''s go to the coffee shop upstairs," Jonny proposed when Amelia had finished eating.


    "All right," Amelia agreed.


    This restaurant was especially famous in the city for its relaxing ambiance and modern look. It also had a unique layout ¡ª on the first floor, where Jonny and Amelia currently were, they served world-class Chinese food. After people ate there, they had the option to go to the second floor to enjoy a cup of coffee.


    It seemed that Jonny had already booked a table. As soon as they got there, the waiter guided them to a small room next to the window.

 Chapter 57 Feeling Jealous

    "Well, we can just sit in the hall," Amelia murmured.


    "The lobby''s already full and we shouldn''t be hanging out there anyway." Jonny looked around the hall and found that it was completely occupied. Then he looked at Amelia and asked, "What do you think?"


    Amelia didn''t know what to say.


    "I just think it''s too expensive." She smiled awkwardly as she explained herself.


    "You''re such a cheapskate! How is Lucian going to spend his money then?" Jonny teased, his eyes gleaming in amusement.


    Embarrassed, Amelia lowered her head shyly.


    Since they just had lunch, Jonny ordered some orange juice for Amelia and tea for himself.


    "You seem to be distracted. Is there anything you want to tell me?" Jonny asked as he took a sip from his tea.


    "What about you? Over the phone, you said it was something important. What is it?" Amelia couldn''t restrain herself. She needed to know what was so important that Jonny had to invite her for lunch.


    "Weren''t you going to ask if Lucian and I are on good terms?" Jonny suddenly said. Then he added, "We used to get along but we grew apart. We''re just civil with each other now."


    Amelia blinked, still confused. She recalled that they were being teased as if they were brothers at Shelly''s birthday party. She didn''t know what went wrong


    at to do or say.


    He didn''t believe her. He thought she was lying.


    To add to this, Jonny had asked her to keep their friendship a secret which entrapped her even more.


    She thought if she tried to explain herself to Lucian, he might just think she''s lying.


    She was suddenly at a loss. She didn''t know what to say. She looked at Lucian, with tears in her eyes.


    "Stay away from Jonny. Consider this a warning." With that, Lucian released her and promptly left the room.


    Amelia''s jaw still hurt from Lucian''s grip. She rubbed it gently with her hand as tears streamed down her face.


    However, what hurt her the most was Lucian''s words.


    Things were going great between them. Now, it''s like they were back to where they started. If anything, Amelia felt farther from Lucian¡ªmore than ever.


    When dinner time came, Amelia took a deep breath to calm herself down. She then prepared to head downstairs intending to make dinner for Lucian. Lily lived far away from the city so Amelia asked her to take an additional two days off. She didn''t want to starve Lucian just because she wasn''t in the mood even though he was still mad at her.


    When she went downstairs, she didn''t find Lucian. She searched everywhere¡ªthe living room, dining room, his study¡ªbut he was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 58 Ended Up With Acute Gastroenteritis

    Just as she was left wondering, her phone suddenly buzzed. It was a message from an unknown number. It read, "Amelia, don''t worry. Lucian''s with me."


    ''Amelia...'' For some reason, it sounded like Sasha.


    At that moment, Amelia felt as if she''d been punched right in the gut. Her heart twisted in pain as she felt her entire body go numb.


    Her hand was trembling as she held her phone. Standing alone in the room, she was at a loss.


    Suddenly, her stomach started grumbling¡ªshe was hungry already. Since Lucian wasn''t around, she wasn''t really in the mood to cook so she dragged herself upstairs to take a nap. She figured that was the only way to make herself feel better.


    She slept through the entire night.


    Initially, she thought she''d have a hard time falling asleep or she''d wake up around midnight. However, that wasn''t what happened¡ªshe ended up sleeping until dawn.


    Since the holidays were over, she had to go to work again. When she woke up, she washed her face and rinsed her mouth. Grabbing a bottle of milk and a piece of toast, she headed out.


    Although there was still some time before work, Amelia decided she didn''t want to drive the flashy car Lucian had given her. She then intended to walk to the bus stop and just take a bus going to work.


    It rained the entire last night and that morning, the sky was grey and foggy. It was a cold winter morning so the roads were slippery.


    I


    pon hearing this, Lucian seemed visibly dejected. It was as if Amelia thanking her meant an entirely different thing to him.


    If she didn''t have acute gastroenteritis, would he have still treated her the same?


    Amelia didn''t think much about it. She stood up and said with a smile, "I''m fine. I can go to work now." It was still work hours and she didn''t want to delay her work or Lucian''s work.


    "No, I''ll bring you home." He held her hands and looked at her warmly.


    Under his intense gaze, Amelia flushed. She lowered her head and shook her head. "I feel much better now since I already took the meds."


    He then stood up and proceeded to carry her in his arms.


    "I..." Just as Amelia was about to protest, Lucian shot her a look that made her shut up.


    When they returned to his office, Lucian continued to carry Amelia into his lounge.


    Amelia''s face turned white with fear. She sat up from the bed, still protesting and insisting that she was feeling much better.


    Without answering her, he pressed her back on the bed and covered her with the quilt. Then he said in a calm voice, "If you want to help me, just behave."


    With that, Amelia remained quiet.


    There was also a part of her that was a bit scared of Lucian so she just followed what he said.


    As Amelia watched him walk off, she felt as if her heart was empty. She was feeling so many things and she couldn''t voice any of them out.

 Chapter 59 Having Everything You Want

    In the whole morning, Amelia was in deep sleep. Due to stomach ache, she curled up in bed like a poor kitten hoping it would lessen her pain.


    During this period, Lucian worriedly came in and checked her twice. When he was assured that she was asleep, he regained his composure and went on with his work.


    When she woke up, the sun was already setting down. Slowly, she sat up from the bed and laid her eyes out of the misty window. No wonder why she could rest soundly. This kind of weather made people feel sleepy.


    Carefully, she got up from bed and stood behind the door, pricking up her ears to hear the sound outside. After confirming that there was no sound, she pulled the door handle cautiously. She wanted to leave a gap to see if Lucian was in the office.


    "Knock knock..." The moment she opened the door, suddenly there was a knock on the door of the CEO¡¯s office. Startled by the knock, she closed the door immediately.


    Then Eric, Lucian''s assistant, came in and went out after he briefed the work.


    She was so nervous, her heart was pounding heavily.


    At that moment, she was hesitating whether she should go out and face her husband. Suddenly, she heard the door knob turned. In that instant, she anxiously climbed to the bed pretending that she was still asleep.


    As Lucian entered, he moved quietly while Amelia¡¯s eyes were closed tightly. She held her breath, interested to know what he was doing.


    All of a sudden, a faint fragrance of mint surrounded her nose, she felt a warm breath in front of her.


    In an instant, her heart was irregularly beating. After holding breath for a long time, she could not handle it anymore and took a big breath.


    "Stop pretending. Wake up." His voice was like a bas


    e. With these ingredients, she planned to make some simple home cooking and then cook a soup. In this way, there would be enough dishes for the both of them.


    Ever since she graduated from college, she had been living alone. Every day after work, she cooked by herself so there was no doubt that she was skilled at cooking. Even the simple home cooking tasted like they were from fancy restaurants that made the mouth watery.


    Shortly after she left, he couldn''t contain himself. Purposely, he didn''t drive home until he was ensured that Frank already sent her home.


    Actually, he was a little mad with her. For this reason, he lost his temper deliberately in front of her just because he treasured her so much.


    The memory was still very clear in his mind, he could still remember what happened. Ten years ago, Jonny and him were close friends, but they had a fight over one thing. Although it had been so many years, it had always been an interference in their hearts.


    Therefore, the moment he saw her in the same picture with Jonny, he lost his head and blamed her.


    When he calmed down, he felt sincerely sorry for his misconduct, especially when he saw her pale face.


    "I know you''re used to eating big meat, but I only made a slice of meat for you tonight. I hope that it''s fine with you. Have it a try." She sat down and explained to him.


    Looking at the three simple dishes on the table, he finally showed a pleasant smile. "I have no doubt about your cooking. Let''s enjoy the meal that my wife has prepared."


    She was astonished. Looking at the man with confusion and happiness radiated in her eyes.


    That was a compliment for her excellent cooking! She was like eating a candy, her heart filled with sweetness.

 Chapter 60 Sleeping On The Same Bed

    Lucian volunteered to wash the dishes after dinner. Amelia stared at Lucian with unblinking eyes as she wondered if her ears were playing tricks on her. She squinted slightly as she asked Lucian, "What did you say just now?" Her words came out slow and soft as if she herself was unsure if she should confirm what she thought she heard.


    Her curious eyes were as clear as a child''s as she stared straight at Lucian who slowly turned towards her with a playful smile.


    Lucian then stared steadily into her eyes and said clearly and softly, "The food you cooked were absolutely delicious. As a reward and thanks, please allow me to wash the dishes for you."


    Amelia was unfamiliar to the sudden courtesy that Lucian expressed. But she knew him very well. So she decided to say nothing and silently walked out of the kitchen but stood at the doorway as a mute observer.


    Lucian felt uneasy as Amelia''s stare burned a hole at his back while he prepared to wash the dishes. So he turned to her and said, "If you''re thinking of what to do while I wash the dishes, you can clean the living room or make a pot of tea for me."


    His voice was gentle, but had an unmistakable commanding tone to it.


    Amelia nodded and immediately went to the living room. She intended to clean it as he suggested. But as soon as she touched a newspaper on the center table, she was startled by a loud crashing sound that came from the kitchen. A bowl broke into a thousand tiny pieces as it fell to the floor.


    Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Lucian never had to wash the dishes.


    She hurried to the kitchen and saw him squatting down as he picked up the broken pieces of the unfortunate bowl on the floor.


    Lucian raised his head and turned towards the doorway of the kitchen and saw her approaching. He was about to stop her, but Amelia was immediately down with her hand on the porcelain shards scattered all around the kitchen floor and was about to start picking them up.


    "What?" Their awkward movements caused them to bump into each other by accident that caused Amelia to cut her finger on the sharp edge of one of the porcelain pieces that she reached for when she went down to help.


    The wound on her finger bled immediately. Lucian instantly pulled her hand towards him and quickly placed her wounded finger into hi


    oked good no matter what clothes he wore. His expression and voice had always captivated her and his choice of words whenever he spoke invoked images in her mind that made her wonder how she was able to stop herself from being attracted by her husband.


    "Yes, I am a huge fan of my husband. And I think that it will be a great honor to take him out sometime." It was clear to her that he was thinking of other plans for her. His squinting eyes and impish grin were proof of it. She then started to wonder what would happen if she simply told him everything that was on her mind and made him happy.


    Lucian rolled his eyes at Amelia with a boyish smile when he heard her response. He wanted to show that he was not buying Amelia''s response. "I already know that everybody agrees that I am handsome," he replied back at Amelia confidently.


    ''Tsk, tsk, since when did he become so self-infatuated and shameless?''


    Amelia cursed in her heart as she grinned from ear to ear. She felt powerless to refute and felt that it would be better to just let it pass. It was true, though, that Lucian was so handsome.


    The good vibe during their breakfast extended to the Zhan Group''s offices. Lucian told Amelia that there would be a meeting that would take up their entire day as they walked side by side from the lobby and into one of the empty elevators that waited for them. He wanted her to help him with the documents during the meeting. She smiled back at him but said nothing, indicating that she was happy to accompany him during the meeting.


    ''It''s an internal meeting. It would be pointless for an assistant to attend,'' Amelia thought to herself.


    As if he read her mind, Lucian explained to her calmly, "As the wife of the CEO of the Zhan Group, you should learn more about the company and what makes it tick. This way, you can help me with business in the future."


    Lucian''s words surprised Amelia even more than the idea that he might''ve read her mind. She glanced towards Lucian and basked in the mature radiance that he emanated in his well-tailored suit as they went out of the elevator.


    When they reached his office, he immediately went through several documents on his desk as Amelia watched briefly. His aura was charming and extremely irresistible as his slender fingers flipped through the documents.

 Chapter 61 Sasha Got Injured

    How could she, an ordinary girl, meet such a handsome and exquisite man?


    At 9 o''clock in the morning, Amelia entered the meeting room, following Lucian. When they entered, the representatives of all departments had already sat down. Everyone curiously looked at Amelia. Maybe it was because that they couldn''t discuss anything without being too obvious about it. Even if they were confused, everyone tried to calm down and waited for the meeting to start.


    The large meeting room was full of Lucian''s colleagues, which made Amelia so nervous that her eyebrows twitched.


    She bowed her head and followed Lucian. She kept her head down until Lucian took his seat.


    She was too nervous to hear that Lucian had gently asked her to sit down.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian asked you to take a seat," reminded Eric, Lucian''s assistant.


    "Uh..." Amelia replied, her face hot from blushing.


    Everyone''s focus was on her, and her slow reaction was apparent to everyone in the room. They must have thought that the CEO of the Zhan Group married a dull woman.


    Before the meeting began, Lucian comforted her and told her not to be nervous. She managed to calm her nerves and adjusted herself.


    The atmosphere was quiet and even though Lucian had spoken in a low voice, his voice echoed in the room and everyone clearly heard him.


    Amelia nodded sluggishly, her face still burning as if she were a student attending her first of school and was unaccustomed to a new environment.


    "Give me the file," Lucian spoke to her, his voice low.


    Amelia was alert this time


    serious tone, "Be careful. Don''t take Sasha''s words to heart."


    Amelia immediately straightened her posture and nodded approvingly, and with a little hesitation, she said, "But I feel terrible after hearing those words."


    What Sasha said had something to do with Lucian. It''s hard for her to not take them to heart.


    "What did she say?" Lucian looked at her pursed lips and asked patiently.


    Uh... Should she tell him? If she told the truth, Lucian would definitely be angry with Sasha. So after thinking for a while, Amelia chose not to tell the truth. She deliberately avoided the subject and asked whether he would go see Sasha.


    "I was supposed to care about her, but she deserved it. Don''t worry. Besides, Eric will come and tell me about her situation later." Lucian caressed Amelia''s long black hair like it was no one''s business.


    Amelia was rendered speechless. She planned to visit Sasha during the lunch break. After all, it had something to do with her, and it was necessary to at least see if she was okay.


    "I''m sorry. It is my fault that the meeting had to end so abruptly." She always felt guilty. No matter if what she did was right or wrong, she would take everything to heart as long as she was involved.


    "Well, Amelia, your kindness doesn''t mean that you can''t tell right from wrong. If you still have a soft heart, this kind of situation will happen again." Lucian frowned as if he felt that she was too fond of taking responsibility for everything.


    "Alright." Amelia nodded reluctantly. She did not know what more she could say.

 Chapter 62 Getting Along Well

    For their lunch break that day, Amelia was planning to meet with Sasha. She was already on her way to Sasha when she stumbled upon something quite surprising.


    A female colleague called out Kent''s name and when Amelia turned to look at the person, the guy was the Kent that she knew.


    "Kent, why didn''t you clear it up with your girlfriend?" the female furiously asked.


    ''Isn''t Courtney Kent''s girlfriend?'' Amelia thought to herself silently. Amelia believed that their conversation had something to do with Courtney, so she decided not to make herself known and secretly listen.


    "Melissa, it''s not that easy to convince my girlfriend with just a few words. What''s more, my girlfriend and I have been together for so long. If I suddenly told her about it, she won''t be able to handle it." Kent tried to calm Melissa down by grabbing her arms and speaking to her in a self-pitying tone.


    "I don''t care about that. You and I both know what happened that night better than anyone else. If you don''t want to lose your reputation in the Zhan Group, you know what you should do!" Finishing those words, Melissa pushed Kent away and walked away with heavy steps. The sound of her heels could be heard even after she had been gone for a few minutes.


    Amelia was stunned. Although she wasn''t sure if what she just heard was as she guessed, she could definitely feel that there was something wrong with Kent and Courtney''s relationship.


    ''Should I go and ask Kent to be sure? I guess right now is not a good time,'' Amelia thought to herself.


    While she was still hesitating, Kent went on his way downstairs. It seemed like he finally decided to chase after Melissa.


    For a while, Amelia stood at the stairs in a daze. She then remembered her plan to meet Sasha so she quickly headed for the elevator. She decided then that she would visit Courtney after work.


    . But if he were being honest, he would like it if she called him like that on a daily basis.


    "Amelia, I have goose bumps all over my body now," Lucian awkwardly said. Lucian gently pinched Amelia''s cheek while his eyes were full of adoration towards her.


    Amelia subconsciously pursed her lips. She remembered that she had to visit Courtney after work and had wanted to ask Lucian for permission. She was waiting for the right time when he would be in a good mood so she immediately tried to flatter him. Looking at him from below her lashes, she softly said, "Have I told you how handsome you are, today? Oh, what a lucky girl am I!"


    Lucian narrowed his eyes in suspicion and felt that something was wrong. He carefully looked at Amelia and said, "Tell me, what''s the matter?"


    Hearing those words, Amelia was stunned. She figured that perhaps, her expression gave it away.


    She thought that Lucian had already figured her out so there was no reason to beat around the bush anymore. She pouted and pleaded, "Mr. Lucian, can I go visit Courtney after work?" Courtney and Amelia had been best friends for so long. If something happened between Courtney and Kent''s relationship, Amelia felt the need to help her as soon as possible. Otherwise, she would have failed as a friend.


    "You don''t have to ask for my permission if you''re just going to visit your best friend," Lucian candidly spoke. He tried to hide the fact that he was actually uneasy with allowing Amelia to go to Courtney.


    After the previous lies, he seemed to have a tinge of distrust towards Amelia''s words.


    Although what happened between Lucian and Jonny wasn''t a big deal, the incident that happened ten years ago had caused some trauma to Lucian''s heart. Even though Lucian''s relationship with Jonny was not that deep, it ultimately ceased every bit of regard that he had for the man.

 Chapter 63 Get Drunk With Courtney

    When she heard that Lucian had misunderstood her, she got anxious and said, "Lucian, we are a couple. We should trust each other. I respect your opinion, that''s the reason I told you. I didn''t expect that you would think of me like this!"


    After saying her piece in a state of fury, she drank the black tea that Lucian made.


    When Lucian saw her angry face, he could not help but smile. He felt that he was in the wrong, so he smiled and said, "This is just a kind reminder."


    "So, did you agree?" asked she with wide eyes. She was eager to confirm it.


    "Yes." Lucian looked at her, his eyes locked on hers. He took her cup and filled it with tea.


    His consideration made Amelia happy. Looking at his tall figure, she sighed. She was too happy.


    It was almost time to go home. Lucian told her that there would be a dinner party that evening. He would be passing Courtney''s milk tea shop, so he could drive her there.


    Amelia thought, ''Since we are going the same way, it will not be bother if I go with him.'' Without any hesitation, she agreed to go with him.


    The Zhan Group wasn''t far from Courtney''s milk tea shop. It was only a few minute-drive. Before getting off the car, Amelia told Lucian to take care and to not drink too much at the party. She also told him that if he did drink, he should call her so she could pick him up.


    Lucian nodded incessantly, then complained, "Mrs. Amelia, you''re nagging me."


    The jest in his voice was more flattering than mocking.


    "I''ll be going then." Blushing, she pointed to the mi


    , rolling on the bed in pain. Remembering this, Courtney snatched the bottle in front of Amelia and said, "For your stomach''s sake, I won''t let you drink!"


    When Courtney said that, Amelia felt a quick jolt of pain in her heart.


    Both she and Courtney were compassionate people. They could be cruel to themselves, but never to others. They always put the blame on themselves. Even after Jasper cheated on her, Amelia didn''t cry. Instead, she gave them her blessing.


    Maybe, it was God who made her break up with Jasper in order for her to meet Lucian.


    "I''ll join you!" Amelia grabbed the bottle and started drinking.


    She would rather see Courtney happy, even if that meant having gastritis. It was useless comforting Courtney. Amelia could only let her do whatever she wanted to do. Anything was good as long as she was happy.


    After half an hour, their table was already filled with empty bottles. Courtney, like a bewitched girl, ran into the toilet frequently.


    Amelia''s face was already flushed and her back cold with sweat. She was already full with the beer, and barely ate any food.


    Even though she was already dizzy, she could still think clearly. She checked her phone several times, but Kent didn''t reply.


    "Hey, beauty. Do you want to drink with us?" One fat man came beside Amelia and grabbed her arm.


    Disgusted, Amelia frowned and freed her hand. She asked, her voice filled with disgust, "Who are you?"


    "My boss told me to ask you to drink with us. Do you want to come?" The man continued to harass Amelia.

 Chapter 64 Courtney Was Missing

    Amelia was a little dazed and overwhelmed by what she heard. But she was clear with what she wants and doesn''t want so she replied aggressively, "Of course I don''t want that!" She straightened herself up to show what kind of girl she was. Inside her head she was screaming, "Who in this damn world would want that!"


    Shocked by Amelia''s answer, the fat man shouted angrily, "Shit! Our boss is a renowned person in the city. How dare you refuse him!" He couldn''t believe Amelia''s answer but he had no choice but to do his boss'' order. The fat man seemed to have lost his patience and his tone became more violent. Anger obviously showed up to his face as he pulled up his sleeves. He was ready to force Amelia and do anything to bring her to his boss, even if it required violence.


    Amelia saw the anger in the fat man''s face, she squinted at him and asked, "Is your boss a big shot in the city?"


    Hearing the sound of Amelia''s voice, the fat man realized that she was afraid so he answered proudly, "Of course, everyone in the city is afraid of him!"


    "He is a tough guy! He wouldn''t let anyone say no to him," the fat man tried to scared Amelia. Amelia nodded, though she knew that the fat man was just trying to scared the hell out of her. With a scornful smile, she said, "Everybody in the city must have some reputation. I don''t think he''s that well-known. I don''t even know him."


    The fat man seemed to feel that Amelia didn''t take him seriously. He frowned, put his one hand on his waist and pointed at Amelia''s face. "I''m asking you for the last time. Do you want to drink with our boss?"


    Amelia smirked, pulled her hair up, looked down at the angry fat man and said firmly, "Of course not! Now if you don''t mind, can you please go back to your boss and back off!"


    She wasn''t afraid of him no matter how influential he thought he was. And she didn''t believe that this fat ugly man would dare to force her in public. The people inside the store looked at them fiercely so she tilted her head up proudly.


    The fat man saw the people looking at them. It made him more mad and upset. He got very annoyed, pointed again at Amelia and yelled, "You are brave! Just wait and see!"


    The fat man walked away furiously. He stamped his feet hard to the ground like a child having his


    to keep awake and alert. She looked up and said lightly, "If you don''t want to help, please let me go!"


    Amelia was worried about Courtney. If she continued to stay here, it would only be a waste of time and Courtney would be more dangerous.


    "I''ll go with you." The man let her go, put on his suit, and walked out of the office with Amelia.


    After taking two steps, Amelia felt her body burning and weak and her eyeballs starting to swell. Her head ached so much that she couldn''t bear it anymore. Everything around her became blurred. She tried to take steps again but then she lost her consciousness instantly.


    The strange man approached her with full attention and tried to hold her. But Amelia didn''t want any help from him. She brushed off his hand and walked leaning against the wall.


    At this moment the image of Lucian filled her mind. ''He could help me,'' she said to herself.


    She shook her head hard to get rid of the desire in her heart, the most important thing now was Courtney. Then she picked up her cell phone from her pocket and dialed Lucian''s number despite feeling so dizzy and weak.


    After the second ring, Lucian answered the phone.


    "Hello?" His deep and magnetic voice was so moving that Amelia felt uncomfortable right after hearing his voice.


    Why did his voice feel like home? Why did his voice touch her heart? She just wanted run to him, hold him tightly and never let him go.


    "Lucian, I... I miss you. Please come quickly... " She sounded attractive.


    After a short silence, Lucian sighed heavily and asked, "Did you drink again?" Just hearing Amelia''s voice, Lucian knew right there and then that she drank again.


    "I drank a little, and then... Courtney was missing." Then she began to cry so hard.


    "Tell me the place. I''ll be there soon." The man on the other end of the line became anxious.


    After the address was finished, Amelia hung up the phone and the man in front of her was staring at her.


    "Miss Amelia, did you just call Mr. Lucian?" the strange man said, puzzled. The man didn''t get any answer from Amelia so he just reached out his hand and helped her stand up.


    Although Amelia was weak and feeble totally, she knew what she was doing and would not do anything shameful again. She always kept a distance with the man.

 Chapter 65 An Accident

    "Courtney went missing inside your restaurant. If you can''t find her, you shall be hold responsible for this..." Amelia couldn''t finish her words as she suddenly felt her strength cut loose and her body collapsed on the ground. She couldn''t push herself up as she was already too weak to even voice out another word.


    In front of her, the man was unperturbed hearing her lash out against him. He walked closer and crouched just an arm''s length away from where she laid, the expression in his eyes showed a complicated gaze. He stretched his hand touching the tips of her hair and gently flipped it behind her shoulders. He then spoke, "Don''t worry Miss Amelia. I will take care of it and will take the responsibility."


    "What are you doing?" Amelia shouted as she was caught in surprise by the man''s actions. She felt angry and furiously shook off his hand sending back a glare.


    She was currently feeling an immense pain in her body, and it certainly pressured her remaining strength to fight back as she was instantly driven by annoyance. She would never allow anyone to touch her even in such a dire situation.


    "Mr. Chen, we have found the lady." The tense atmosphere was then immediately interrupted by a voice. From the corner, a tall and thin figure of a young man in work attire came over and reported respectfully.


    Hearing those words, Amelia whipped her head to the person who spoke and eagerly asked for confirmation, "Is that true? You said you have found her?"


    "Miss Amelia, it''s not a big deal. Don''t be so anxious. Here, let me help you out," the strange man spoke up instead and answered her. He was still close to her and gestured to help her with a stretched hand once again. A big smile was plastered on his face.


    Hearing the confirmation that Courtney was already safe, she finally felt relieved. She looked back at the strange man and hesitated to accept his help. She still acted stubborn and tried to get up, but fell in deep trouble. She found that she couldn''t move an inch. She kept her stubbornness as she didn''t want to be supported by the man but she knew that this was not the time to keep up with such attitude as she still needed to get down the stairs.


    She had no other choice but to accept the man''s help as she was supported to stand up and was led through the way.


    With


    d something vaguely.


    "Yes, I do," she replied in a low voice. She knew she made a mistake. As soon as she realized that she had made a mistake, she hurriedly apologized, "I''m sorry. Because there was something wrong between Courtney and Kent, I accompanied her..."


    "I didn''t sleep until five o''clock in the morning. I''m exhausted now. You''d better stay in my arms, or you''ll pay for it," Lucian cut her off and warned her coldly.


    He spoke each word in a firm tone, appearing as if he was really angry.


    "You didn''t sleep until five o''clock this morning?" Amelia was shocked and asked once more. She lifted her head and tried to get a good look at him. However, Lucian held her tightly that she couldn''t move a little.


    "Because of you," Lucian continued to speak in a cold voice, already on the verge of losing his patience. He then threatened, "Amelia, you''d better not say any words, or I will..."


    Naturally, Amelia understood what Lucian meant by his words. She wasn''t that stubborn enough to continue and provoke him. She shut her mouth and buried her head into his arms, as if a soldier was dodging the attack from a bomb.


    Burying her head in Lucian''s chest, Amelia was feeling guilty that she wouldn''t dare take a deep breath. But in time, she felt suffocated and couldn''t breathe well. She unconsciously took a deep breath and unfortunately, waked Lucian up.


    Luckily, Lucian didn''t say anything. He just moved to hug her closer and then continued to sleep. His breathing was slowed down once more as he was back to sleep.


    Amelia on the other hand, also wanted to stay in his arms obediently, but she was not used to this gesture. She tried to relaxed herself but the point was that she couldn''t breathe smoothly...


    She had no idea that her small actions were like a restless kitten in Lucian''s arms, rubbing herself against him.


    On the other side, Lucian was now fully awake. Her little actions kept on pricking his senses to be completely awake once again. He opened his eyes and looked at her coldly. He then ordered, "Amelia, write a two-thousand-word self-criticism and give it to me before the dinner."


    Right after the last word, Lucian turned over to the other side and went back to sleep. Amelia was once more stupefied, eyes wide opened as she couldn''t believe what just happened!

 Chapter 66 A Five-thousand-word Self-criticism

    Two-thousand-word self-criticism! Nervousness wrecked Amelia as she sat upright immediately and whispered in a shaky voice, "Two-thousand-words? That''s too much!" She reasoned, "Besides, it is all about the writer''s sincerity which is being expressed in a self-criticism text. It shouldn''t matter on the word count."


    After listening to Amelia''s reasoning, Lucian got up and glanced at her. Then he spoke curtly, "No Amelia, two-thousand-words is too little. If you''re talking about writer''s sincerity, then it can only be showed through a five-thousand-word self-criticism text."


    Soon after saying so, Lucian got off the bed. His face was devoid of any expression.


    Amelia eyed Lucian''s perfectly sculpted figure. Even with his pajama, he looked absolutely gorgeous. Although the warmth of his love made her feel at home every time he came closer, his daunting words hurt her heart deeply.


    However she couldn''t dare disregard his command. She had no nerve to displease him.


    While overthinking the unwanted situation, a dreading thought crossed her mind. If she didn''t accept the 5000 words now, there was a high risk that it''d end up in a 10000 words and that would probably wreck her completely.


    She followed after him and got off of the bed. Which was when she reminded of Courtney. Her eyes went wide in concernment. She asked Lucian worriedly, "Lucian, where is Courtney?" Amelia felt absolutely irresponsible of her immature behavior. Instead of worrying about the most important thing, she was here squabbling with Lucian.


    Lucian fixed his annoyed stare on her. Amelia felt the warmth creeping up her cheeks. He must have been thinking of her carelessness. Lucian retorted, "I''m glad that you aren''t a mother yet. Else, you might have lost her due to your naivety."


    Amelia''s brows rose and mouth gaped at the remark. Though she tried to mask her stupidity with an awkward smile.


    "She must have been up by now. She drank too much last night." Lucian cocked a brow squarely at Amelia, seizing her top to bottom, then threw a warning gaze at her. "If someone is really fond of drinking, I can ask Darren to bring the best wine that has been collected and reserved by our family."


    Obvious


    e first place to convince herself to write the self-criticism text, but it was even more difficult to write so many words.


    The entire evening slipped away in writing and eventually the dinner time was almost there. When she heard the doorbell, the tremors in her palpitating heart returned with full force. Lucian! Amelia bolted up immediately, with the pen still in her hand. A dreadful expression crossed her face.


    ''I could only show my good attitude, otherwise my unfinished self-criticism would definitely screw me up!'' she thought to herself.


    She only hoped that Lucian would be generous toward her.


    "Where is the self-criticism?" When Lucian entered the bedroom, his very first question was about the self-criticism.


    Amelia quietly extended the self-criticism to Lucian while apologizing with hesitation, "I''m sorry... I... I couldn''t write enough words..."


    It was true that she found that writing it was more difficult than writing her graduation thesis. Now she was really scared of Lucian''s next action. If he got enraged now, she would be terribly punished.


    In the past two months, from what she had seen and understood about him, she could tell what kind of person he was. She better not expect anything generous from him. All she did was waiting for him to say something.


    Her handwriting was although neat but few of the words were covered in ink drops. However, it was evident how carefully she had written them.


    Lucian although looked cold and expressionless, he accepted the self-criticism. After a short moment he threw his unrelenting stare at her and enunciated, "You haven''t even achieved half of the required words. What were you thinking while showing it to me?"


    It was hard to tell whether he was angry or not from his tone, but his cold stare made her heart beat fast. His husky voice alone was enough to frighten her.


    Amelia nervously fidgeted with her fingers. And after a silent moment, she cast her eyes down and asked almost in a whisper, "Do you want me to cook for a month as a punishment?"


    Lucian''s unwavering gaze cruised Amelia''s figure from top to bottom as he drawled, "Isn''t it normal for a wife to cook for her husband? How is that a punishment?"

 Chapter 67 Im Not Quite Familiar With You

    ''Yes, it was. But I''m not your personal cook,'' Amelia complained to herself.


    "Amelia, you really are a cunning woman!" Lucian was amused by the cute look on her face. In the past, Amelia always followed the orders given to her. Now, she was becoming resourceful. She learned to look beyond instructions and find alternative ways to get things done. This way of getting along really added a little fun to her boring life.


    "If I did have a bad idea, I would have asked Lily to help me write the self-criticism," she answered without hesitation.


    "Although you didn''t ask Lily for help, you managed to think of something like that. Do you still want to deny that it''s not a bad idea?" With his eyes closed a little, Lucian looked at her and said.


    She had thought about this when she really didn''t know what to write after finishing a whopping 1,000 words.


    In fact, Lucian just blurted it out to remind Amelia. After all, it was very dangerous last night. Why couldn''t she understand?


    "Don''t you know you were drugged last night?" Having said this, Lucian couldn''t help but frown.


    "What do you mean drugged?" Hearing this, she could not help but tremble. Her mind instantly sped back to the things that transpired the night before. Last night, she had a fever all over and her heart tingled very much. It turned out that she was drugged!


    Even the manager of the hot pot restaurant took advantage of that moment and also touched her.


    Fortunately, her will was strong enough to protect herself, otherwise she would have been tricked by the bad man.


    , he will be happy."


    Although Lily was only twenty years old, she was good at dealing with conflicts between lovers.


    Amelia left the table, holding her phone in her hands and dialed Lucian''s number. Her heart tightened while she waited for him to answer.


    When he finally picked up, Lucian asked in a mellow voice, "What''s up?"


    He said coldly and she knew he was really angry.


    Amelia wanted to give Lucian a piece of her mind. She thought, ''Lucian, as a man, do you have to be so sensitive?''


    But on second thought, she was here to apologize, so she suppressed her anger.


    "Do you have any plans tonight? If not and if it''s okay with you, I want you come home early. And I''ll wait for you at home." She repeated what she just said in her head and thought of it as disgusting.


    She felt as though she was talking to herself.


    The person on the other end of the line was silent. The silence was deafening. Just when Amelia thought Lucian wouldn''t answer her, he said calmly, "I''ll be home soon."


    Getting his positive response, Amelia didn''t frown any longer. She smiled with joy and said lightly, "Okay then. Drive safe."


    Just a few moments ago, she was full of resentment. Now she felt sweet, as if she had eaten honey.


    "Mrs. Amelia, is Mr. Lucian coming back?" Lily knew the answer to her question as she saw the smile on Amelia''s face.


    Amelia nodded satisfactorily and pouted at once. "But I''m so nervous."


    Was she hinting at Lucian by saying that?


    By thinking of it over and over again, she felt like she was flirting with him.

 Chapter 68 Get Closer

    "Nervous?" Lily walked over to Amelia, noticing the awkwardness that hovered around her. "You and Mr. Lucian are a couple. What are you nervous about?" she asked, her tone belying her confusion despite her friendly smile.


    Amelia felt her cheeks warm with her words. Did Lily know? "Lily, you¡­" she stated nervously. "Even you know it?"


    "You care about him. That much is clear to me. If I may be so bold to say this, I think that a little more honesty from the both of you would carry your feelings across to the other," Lily expressed her thoughts earnestly.


    Amelia felt her shoulders relax. Lily was right, but it was one thing to know, and another to actually express it through actions. It would take her a lot of courage to take a step forward.


    At this point, she remembered Jasper and the time they spent together. Five years was a long time. One would think that in this period, they would have already familiar to each other as breathing, like the way old couples finish each other''s sentences. It should have been that way, but even with that length of time, it was as if there was hesitation in her that she could not place. The two of them had shared kisses, but it never seemed to go any further than that. Looking back now, she was not entirely sure she wanted that with him.


    Half an hour later, Lucian came back home. Amelia thoughtfully took his bag and asked him if he had already eaten. If he hadn''t yet, she would go straight to making dinner for him.


    For a moment, Lucian was taken aback. Then, he replied, "There was a sudden meeting. It had been a hell of a day. I haven¡¯t even realized that I haven''t eaten yet until you asked. Dinner sounds nice, thank you."


    Then, he went to the living room and sat down.


    ''So he was having a meeting...'' Amelia thought. ''Thank god, he was not angry because of me


    Why are you in such a hurry?"


    Was he laughing at her because she didn''t usually doll herself up?


    "Oh, I''m sorry, Mr. Lucian. I didn''t know you liked cosmetics. If you want them so much, I can give you a few large of boxes of them. Knock yourself out, but leave me out of it," she retorted.


    Lucian was grinning now. He opened his eyes and kissed her on the forehead. "Mrs. Amelia, you''re a natural beauty. You look beautiful even with no make-up at all."


    "I didn''t know you had such a way with words too," Amelia answered jokingly to cover up her embarrassment at his compliment.


    "Do you want me to let you go?" Lucian hugged her tighter. Amelia could feel his faint breath.


    "You''re always on time. But now you are going to be late if you keep this up," she said.


    The next moment, Lucian was leaning over and said shamelessly, "Kiss me, and I''ll let you go."


    "Why you!" Amelia protested.


    "You wouldn''t want me to lose face, would you? Now hurry it up. The seconds are running," Lucian smiled devilishly at her very offended expression.


    Seeing that she had been cornered with no way out, Amelia gave Lucian a quick kiss on the face.


    The next moment, she felt his hand at the back of her head as he deepened and prolonged the kiss.


    "Don''t worry. We can be a little late today." It was some time before Lucian raised his head.


    "Why?" Amelia asked. She immediately got out of bed and looked for clothes in the wardrobe.


    "I''m going to an opening ceremony today. You''ll be going with me," Lucian replied as he got up to get dressed.


    Amelia turned around but was met with Lucian''s naked body. A scream came from her before she could stop it and she turned back around at once.


    Seeing her reaction, Lucian raised his eyebrows. He finished dressing and said, "I''m your husband. Why are you so surprised?"

 Chapter 69 Husband Singing, Wife Accompanying

    Amelia''s face turned red, gripping the clothes in her hand. She raised her head to see an empty space in front of her, and her shoulders relaxed. It seemed Lucian had finally decided to leave her alone. She changed her clothes without hesitation.


    Even though Lucian was her husband, she wouldn''t aspire to see him naked. She lowered her head in embarrassment, remembering his toned body.


    Lucian was chewing a morsel of his food when he heard someone''s footsteps. He raised his eyes to see Amelia walking downstairs and pushed her plate toward her seat. "Eat this, or else you''ll feel dizzy."


    Amelia frowned at that. "Is it going to be a long journey?" Lucian nodded. It was far from downtown.


    "Nearly an hour." He paused for a moment before casting a serious glance at her. "It''s better if you stay at home because of your car sickness."


    Although he wanted to be with her, he wouldn''t let her feel any distress. Amelia just smiled at him and continued to eat, silently answering that she wouldn''t stay at home.


    Lucian took the car keys and walked out of the front door with Amelia tailing behind him. She had to run to catch up to him.


    Her breathing was heavy by the time they reached the car. "Can you stop for a moment? I''m exhausted."


    Lucian rolled his eyes at her. "I never forced you to run after me." He opened the door, gesturing for her to enter.


    Amelia''s tired body fell on the passenger seat like a sack of wh


    the shovels in the construction site. She had to use a lot of energy to pull it once, making her exhausted.


    "Young lady, please take this and wipe your sweat," a lady said in a worried tone. Amelia could see a towel in the woman''s hand. She thanked the woman and presented her with a gentle smile.


    Just as Amelia was about to use the towel, she paused and gazed at it for a moment. A scene from her childhood flashed in her mind when her mother, Iris, had given her a towel for wiping the sweat.


    "Young lady, you cook so well! Who taught you?" A voice snapped Amelia out of her thoughts, and she looked at the curious woman.


    Others whispered similar words, making Amelia the center of attention.


    Amelia stretched her lips to form an awkward smile. "It was my mother."


    Her face went gloomy when she thought of her mother. A month before she passed away, Amelia was forced to cook and wash clothes. Back then, Amelia had hated such an arrangement. She hadn''t thought of focusing on anything other than studying. Iris had done everything in her power to ignite enthusiasm in Amelia''s heart.


    She only realized the intention behind Iris''s actions a month later. At that time, Iris left the world forever, making Amelia independent.


    Several whispers came from some women when a handsome man entered the kitchen. It snapped Amelia out of her thoughts. She turned around to stare at the man. It was Lucian wearing a black suit.

 Chapter 70 The Urge To Have A Baby

    "Let''s welcome the CEO and his wife with a warm round of applause!" The middle-aged man in front led the applause by getting up enthusiastically and clapping his hands to which the rest followed suit¡ªa round of applause bursting in the room.


    The crowd started buzzing amongst themselves. Mostly, they talked about who the mysterious young lady of the Zhan Group was¡ªshe was dressed so simply and mostly kept to herself.


    "We''re so sorry for the short-sightedness that we didn''t recognize you. Please accept our apology." A woman came up and bowed to Amelia guiltily.


    Amelia immediately pulled her up, frowning. She said sincerely, "I don''t mind! It''s fine. Don''t think about it. It''s not a big deal."


    Amelia had never wanted to be treated as the superior Mrs. Amelia and she didn''t want to be judged for it.


    "She is kind and nice. You don''t have to be so restrained," after a while, Lucian finally spoke. He dragged her to his side and looked at her affectionately.


    "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia did all the cooking. She even helped us to pick the ingredients and cut the vegetables. You''d be hard-pressed to find such a good wife like her." Perhaps it was Lucian''s words that made the women feel a bit more comfortable. They spoke highly of Amelia and seemed sincere in their words.


    The rest of women followed suit in complimenting Amelia. They all collectively thought that she was a good and capable wom


    ght away in fear that she would refuse to eat if she found out how expensive everything was.


    "Just look at it this way: it''s your reward for all your hard work today," Lucian said matter-of-factly as he cast a glance at her.


    Amelia knew that Lucian was just trying to coax her. Left with no choice, she merely nodded in response.


    When Amelia finally nodded in agreement, Lucian couldn''t help but tease, "Mrs. Amelia, you''re so frugal. For whom should I work so hard then?"


    "If Mr. Lucian can''t find a way to spend all his money, he can donate it to charity," she answered quickly.


    As a matter of fact, since he took over the Zhan Group, he had been active in his philanthropy work.


    "You''re right. Or we can start planning for a baby," he quipped.


    "What did you just say?" Amelia almost choked. She thought she''d misheard him. "A baby?" she repeated incredulously.


    How ridiculous!


    "Mrs. Amelia is so frugal. We need to have children so I''ll be motivated to work so we can provide for them," Lucian answered simply.


    Upon noticing the serious look on Lucian''s face, Amelia couldn''t help but agree¡ªhe was right. Bashfully, she asked, "Does this have anything to do with your mother?"


    With that, Fannie''s face flashed across Amelia''s mind which made her shiver in fear.


    Upon the mention of Fannie, the look on Lucian''s face shifted. In a low voice, he said, "I was just kidding. Let''s eat."

 Chapter 71 Misplaced Jealousy

    This was not the way Amelia wanted things to turn out. The seeds of guilt were quickly taking root inside her, creeping up her insides with thorny vines. She reached out to Lucian hesitantly and held on to his arm. "Was that really your mother''s idea?" she asked in a small voice.


    ''Fannie doesn''t like me? Why was she urging them to have a child?'' she was wondering.


    Lucian took notice of the trembling hand in his arm. "Amelia, I was just kidding," he said carefully, wanting the shadows in her eyes to disappear.


    "Right. Of course. Whatever you say," Amelia answered. Lucian''s expression had turned more grave as the seconds passed, and Amelia''s apprehension grew with her uncertainty.


    Sumptuous dishes appeared on the table one after another. Dinner went on with neither of them breaching the topic once more. Amelia focused on the food, but it even that felt lukewarm in her mouth.


    Lucian was a regular in this restaurant, and so he was well-known among the waiters. On top of that, the Zhan Group owned shares in the business.


    It was a quiet place, and Amelia was almost able to put off her worries with the warm and relaxing ambiance until a woman''s voice broke through the momentarily found peace.


    "Lucian, why did you take her with you?"


    Amelia looked up from her plate and met her eyes.


    The woman was vaguely familiar. Amelia had a faint sense that she had met this woman before, but where and when, she couldn''t place. The stranger exuded the air of someone well-known¡ª dressed in luxury brand clothes, with a tall figure and an undeniably beautiful face highlighted by her perfect make-up.


    She moved closer to Lucian without hesitation, as if it was something she had done thousands of times before and threw a sharp glance at Amelia. "I don''t think it was a good idea to bring her. At the v


    wer. After changing into clean clothes, she stood in front of the mirror and inspected herself for a long time. Suddenly, a voice echoed inside her, magnifying her doubt, ''Are you a woman, Amelia? No makeup, plain clothes, no...''


    "Ah! I don¡¯t care," she muttered to herself, drying her hair harshly with a towel. Who cares? Was she really worried about Lucian not liking it? Did she want to please him that badly?


    Lucian found her in that state, staring at herself in the mirror. Quietly, he walked over and stood behind her. "Someone''s narcissistic," he laughed behind her.


    His reflection from behind her caught Amelia by surprise. She whirled around and gave him a stern look, not saying a word, and looked back at the mirror.


    "You must have been tired today," Lucian hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear in a gentle voice.


    "Yes, but I''m really happy too," she answered, forgetting all her anger at the sound of his voice. Today had been good. She felt like she did something meaningful.


    "You did great, Amelia," Lucian praised. Then, he let go of her and said wearily, "I have to take a shower. You should sleep."


    Amelia watched Lucian disappear into the bedroom and went back to stare at the dressing mirror.


    The two of them really got along well. It was as if they had been married for a long time.


    They had already moved forward as well, having slept together in the same bed. It was difficult that first night, but now that they had cleared that hurdle, Amelia felt even more comfortable with him. She didn''t mind sleeping beside him at night. In fact, part of her was looking forward to it. She got into bed and held the mobile phone at hand, pretending to play with it.


    After Lucian walked out of the bathroom, Amelia kept her eyes glued on the screen, willing herself to calm down.

 Chapter 72 Making Fun Of Each Other

    Lucian lifted the quilt, thinking Amelia had fallen asleep and saw a fluorescent light reflecting from a screen. He frowned and took her phone away without hesitation. "Gazing at the screen just before you sleep isn''t good for your eyesight."


    Amelia stared at her empty hands in a daze and glared at her husband.


    "Lucian, how can you be so bossy?" Amelia had been reading the gossip about someone she knew.


    She had just calmed her heart when she stumbled upon a rumor about Lucian. Her mind was sold right there.


    "Yes, I indeed am a bully if it means taking care of you." Lucian pulled her closer, putting her head on his shoulders.


    Amelia struggled to move back but gave up. Lucian was way too strong for her.


    She turned her head, sneaking a glance at Lucian. Light turned his already attractive face into something more perfect. Even though he was cold, his face attracted a lot of attention.


    A smile formed on her lips, and she snuggled back in his arms, feeling secure.


    Amelia sniffed his fresh mint-like fragrance and closed her eyes.


    Lucian looked at her sleeping face, smiling gently. Her skin was fair and soft as a newborn child. Amelia''s reddish lips lifted in her sleep as she moved closer to him. Seeing this, Lucian''s thin lips could not help but draw a happy arc.


    "Sleep tight, my sweetheart." He pulled her closer. His lips kept on smacking her tender neck. He only stopped after hearing a soft whimper from Amelia.


    Amelia woke up to find her bed empty. She got up and walked over to the bathroom to see Lucian standing in front of the mirror.


    She saw his wide smile before he squeezed the to


    in a daze. "Lucian!"


    Lucian turned around and raised his eyebrows, gazing down at her. Perhaps her tube light mind finally matured, and she found out the source of those red marks. Expectations glinted in his eyes as he stared at her.


    She pursed her lips and touched his cheek, tilting his head to the right side. Her soft fingers traced his neck, but she couldn''t find a mosquito mark. She pouted and said, "Why didn''t mosquitoes bite you?"


    The two of them were standing close in the middle of the street. Many people gave the couple a weird glance. Some even averted their eyes and said, "Get a room!"


    Amelia didn''t seem to notice any of that. She tilted his face to the other side and moved closer. Her warm breath tickled the surface of his neck, making his breathing heavy.


    "Because the mosquito slept very well last night." Lucian squinted his eyes at her small figure in his arms.


    "Bullshit!" Amelia let go of his head and stepped back. "We should buy cream on our way back. It''s a waste of money to use the foundation every day."


    Lucian looked at this naive woman for a long time as if she outgrew two horns on her head. He controlled the urge to strangle his wife in the middle of the street. If they were at home, he would''ve taught her just how she got those marks.


    The woman had such a pure mind. She even thought that it was caused by mosquitoes.


    It was already late when they arrived at the Zhan Group. They took a special elevator available for the CEO. The couple entered the office from the backdoor, and no one even noticed them.


    Just as Amelia sat on her seat, she heard a knock on the door.

 Chapter 73 Kent And Melissa Were Fired

    Amelia stood up to get the door after hearing the knock. It was Sasha who was waiting to be let in. She wore dark makeup with matching red lips, which only made her look more intimidating. Sasha''s face immediately changed when she saw that it was Amelia who opened the door. Amelia was about to greet Sasha, but the latter walked past her and went directly to Lucian''s desk. She spoke almost seductively, "This is the sales report for this quarter, Lucian. I worked overtime last night to sort out the data. Please have a look."


    "We''re at the office, Sasha," Lucian replied without raising his head to acknowledge her. He reached out to take the papers from her hands and began flipping through the pages.


    "Well... Mr. Lucian." Seeing that her seductive talk wasn''t making an effect on Lucian, Sasha dropped the act and spoke formally.


    Amelia sneaked back to her desk, careful not to make a noise lest she interrupt their conversation. Once seated, she tried to take a peek at what was happening over at Lucian''s desk.


    Sasha was wearing a form-fitting blazer paired with a very short skirt, which revealed her shapely figure. The black stockings and red high heels complemented her feminine charms.


    "I got this. Thanks," Lucian said curtly, still scanning the document in his hands. He was completely ignoring Sasha.


    "Are you free after work, Lucian?" Sasha asked softly. But since there were only three of them in the room, it was impossible for Amelia to not hear everything.


    She braced herself while waiting for Lucian''s reply. Amelia was afraid that Lucian would say yes, but she tried her best to look engrossed in her work to care.


    Lucian raised his head to l


    did remind Amelia to not let her emotions get the best of her.


    As soon as Amelia stepped out of the office, Lucian called his assistant Eric and asked him to follow Amelia. "If anything happens, let me know," he ordered.


    Melissa and Kent were about to enter the elevator when Amelia caught up with them. "Kent, wait!" she called out.


    The two turned around at the same time to see Amelia trying to catch her breath. Kent looked surprised while Melissa looked displeased to see her.


    "What do you want, Mrs. Amelia?" Melissa said, flipping her long hair. She didn''t bother to hide the rudeness in her tone.


    Smiling faintly at Kent, Amelia asked, "Can we talk for a bit?"


    "You can say whatever it is you have to say right in front of me. I''m not leaving without Kent," Melissa interjected. Amelia''s face was getting red out of annoyance. Kent didn''t seem to want to make a reply.


    Melissa clearly had a dominating personality. Amelia couldn''t understand how Kent could''ve fallen for her.


    Courtney would get capricious every now and then, but for most of the time, she had always been rather innocent. She listened to Kent and followed him, going so far as to argue with her family in order to defend their relationship. Amelia didn''t expect that Kent''s preferences in women would change.


    "What do you say, Kent?" Amelia continued addressing her friend, not wanting to throw another glance at Melissa.


    Embarrassed, Kent hesitated but eventually turned to Melissa. She was standing in front of the elevator door, tapping her foot impatiently. "Amelia''s my friend. I want to talk to her alone."


    Hearing this, Amelia wondered if he was still the same Kent she knew.

 Chapter 74 Courtneys Love

    "I''m telling you now, Kent. If you so much as dare make a decision without my knowledge, you''ll face consequences!" Melissa''s words were still ringing in Kent''s ears when she hurried to the elevator.


    And although the words were not addressed to her, it was Amelia who felt the sting of those words as soon as the elevator doors closed.


    "It''s almost five," Amelia said. "I need to talk to you. Do you have time after work?" Amelia never thought of the office as the proper place to be asking colleagues about personal affairs, so she thought it best to talk to Kent elsewhere.


    "I know that you and Courtney are good friends," Kent began, facing Amelia. "Before you reached out, I was actually thinking of talking to you." Amelia could see that Kent was struggling to turn his frown into a relaxed smile.


    "You didn''t change your number, did you? I''ll call you after work." Deep down, Amelia knew that she was angry, but one look at Kent''s worried expression seemed to vanish her feelings of hate.


    "I''ll call you later," Kent repeated before he himself entered the elevator.


    Amelia realized that she''d been out for too long. She quickly turned back to head to her desk, her face contorted into an expression of confusion, anger, and hurt. She forced a smile when she saw Lucian looking at her. "Sorry," she meekly said, "I left my post without permission."


    "I''ll ask Frank to drive you home." Lucian''s reply was cool but quick. He got up, adjusted his coat, and grabbed his suitcase, reaching for the door.


    "So, are you doing anything tonight?" Amelia hesitantly asked. She knew the answer to her question. She had already heard the conversation between Sasha and him, but she couldn''t keep herself from asking.


    "Yes," Lucian replied curtly before looking at Amelia with the gentlest of eyes. "I''ll head out soon. I just have a few more things to attend to."


    He didn''t say much and Amelia didn''t want to press.


    "Okay," she said. "I''m sorry, it''s nothing. Go, finish up." Turning her head back to her desk, she realized that


    force Courtney to do something she didn''t want, so she agreed, "All right. I''ll drive you home."


    "You don''t have to. I have a driver waiting for me." Courtney gestured to the luxury car parked a few steps back.


    Amelia walked Courtney to the car and helped her in. She watched the car drive off before walking away, relieved that she no longer had to watch her friend deal with the pain of a broken heart.


    But she couldn''t take her mind off of what happened. Her thoughts were still with Courtney, so much so that she couldn''t feel hunger even though it had been hours since she last ate anything.


    Walking aimlessly, she turned a corner and stopped in front of a small flower shop. She didn''t even realize but her gaze was transfixed on a white lily.


    She had never been one to buy flowers, but she found herself walking away with a bouquet.


    The faint fragrance of the lily made her heart swell. Feeling a little better, she prayed to God for Courtney to feel better soon.


    Amelia made her way back to SJ Garden in a taxi. She was recollecting herself when she realized that Lucian wouldn''t be at home. She remembered the conversation between him and Sasha. She replayed the conversation over and over in her head and the more her thoughts dwelled on them, the more upset she grew. She kept on thinking about their meeting and imagining the things they were talking about.


    When she finally arrived at SJ Garden, Lily smiled at her and motioned for her to come to the dining room. "Mrs. Amelia, I had just finished setting the table for dinner. Come and have some food."


    Amelia realized that it was already past seven, which was an hour later than when Lily would usually serve dinner. But although it was a little different from what she''d used to, she didn''t bother asking about it. It was probably nothing.


    Amelia smiled back at Lily as she deposited the flowers she just bought into a vase and filled it with water. The sorrow that she felt moments earlier was lifted. She was inexplicably happy; she was smiling ear to ear.

 Chapter 75 Lucian Didnt Come Back Overnight

    "Mrs. Amelia, you like lilies too!" Lily said excitedly as she walked over and immediately caught a whiff of the scent of the lilies. "Back in our hometown, we have a valley that was filled with lilies. I used to play there all the time and I''d always pick a bunch of lilies to take home with me."


    "Really? If it''s possible, I''d like to visit your hometown one of these days," Amelia replied happily.


    The ever observant Lily couldn''t help but notice that there were exactly 11 lilies. She couldn''t help but ask in curiosity, "Eleven flowers symbolize your one true love for the rest of your life. Is this for Mr. Lucian?"


    At the mention of Lucian, Amelia''s hand froze as she was organizing the flowers. That wasn''t her intention at all. She just happened to randomly pick 11 lilies.


    "What can we cook for dinner? I''m so hungry." Amelia decided to change the subject.


    Lily didn''t press anymore. Instead, she merrily said, "Mr. Lucian cares about you so much, Mrs. Amelia. He called to tell me to cook dinner for you since you were on your way home already. I actually thought you were coming home together."


    Lily then started serving Amelia some rice.


    "So Lucian had already called you before I came home?" Amelia asked in surprise.


    Thinking of Lucian going on a date with Sasha put Amelia in a foul mood.


    "I didn''t think you''d come home for dinner, Mrs. Amelia. I only started cooking after Mr. Lucian called me," Lily replied frankly.


    During dinner, Amelia was lost in her thoughts. She wondered how Lucian knew where she was. Could


    e grabbed a paper towel to clean up the small mess she made. When she threw the paper down on the waste basket, she kept her face hidden in an attempt to hide the panic that was written all over it.


    "Eric, please go to the canteen and get breakfast for two people," Lucian said plainly. He wore a beige suit which fit him well. He then walked over to Amelia and asked in concern, "Didn''t you sleep well last night?"


    Amelia couldn''t help but be moved¡ªstill, that didn''t change the fact that he didn''t come home.


    ''I didn''t sleep well because of you,'' she thought to herself. But how could she say that out loud?


    "I fell asleep around eight but I woke up in the middle of the night and I wasn''t able to fall back asleep." She tried to explain for herself in a way that showed she didn''t really care about him.


    Lucian gazed at her, a strange look on his face. The corners of his lips curved into a sort of smirk.


    Amelia ignored this look on his face as she offered, "Would you like some coffee?" She knew he always had coffee in the morning.


    "Yes," he said coldly as he took off his coat. He then unbuttoned the two top buttons of his shirt before sitting behind his desk.


    The heater was on which made the office warm¡ªa nice change to the cold weather outside.


    Lucian looked especially handsome in his suit. He looked aristocratic and elegant¡ªmore than he usually did.


    After Amelia finished preparing his coffee, Eric knocked on the door and entered. He said simply, "Mr. Lucian, breakfast is ready. Please move to the next room for it."

 Chapter 76 In The Throes of Impassioned Fury

    "Please, take this with you." Amelia handed the coffee to Lucian then returned to her desk. Her shoulders slumped as she seated her tired form on her chair.


    Lucian looked at the cup in his hand, and then turned his confused gaze to her. "Didn''t you hear what Eric had just said? Come on, let''s go to the next room and have breakfast."


    "He meant me too?" Amelia asked, her surprise evident in her voice. Did she hear him right?


    When Lucian mentioned the two-people breakfast, she had thought that was for him and another person. She didn''t expect that his invitation meant her.


    To anyone else, the offer would have been tempting. Amelia hadn''t had her breakfast yet, and last night, sleep had evaded her. The lack of sleep was evidently showing¡ª she was listless and she had lost her appetite, as if her anxiety had taken up all the space inside her body.


    "Let''s go and have breakfast together." Lucian reached out to her, coaxing her with his gentle voice.


    Amelia was hesitant. She was not used to such gestures and gave him an awkward smile. "I had already eaten at home."


    Lucian frowned in displeasure at her answer. "I asked Lily. She told me that you left home today without having even a bite to eat." His voice dropped lower as he continued, "I hate when you lie."


    "I, uhm..." Amelia was unable to conjure up an excuse for her lie. She hung her head silently as she felt shame wash over her. No matter how hard she tried to conjure up an excuse, she couldn''t seem to find words to dilute the blow. She had been dishonest, and she would only be more shameless if she tried to cover it up with another deceit.


    Sighing, Lucian walked closer to her and led her by the arm to the office next door. A feast had been laden on the table, with all sorts of dishes lined up one after another. Amelia raised a hand to her empty stomach and sat down, settling with a bowl of millet porridge.


    Lucian frowned at her choice for a meal. "Is that all? You didn''t have breakfast today. Aren''t you feeling hungry by now?"


    He was becoming more and more upset with each passing minute. Lucian had already had breakfast himself, but knowing that Amelia hadn''t yet, he had especially asked Eric to prepa


    lasping the marble table with his hands and trapping her with his body. He had completely blocked her, leaving no chance of escape. A sharp, burning gaze met Amelia''s eyes as Lucian forced her chin upward with one hand. "Now you''re calling me cruel all because of that man?" he asked, his voice glacial with coldness.


    The man in front of her was no better than a stranger. Amelia''s chest beat wildly as she felt the anger from his fingertips.


    She struggled as his body barricaded hers, but Lucian''s hold only grew tighter.


    "Isn''t that the truth?" she challenged him.


    She seemed calm on the outside, but her entire body was screaming for escape against the callous grasp that held her in place.


    Amelia understood perfectly that Lucian''s temper had reached dangerous height, but was not going to back down. If she submitted to him this time, then she would really have no respect left.


    "Alright, then. Since you seem to have made up your mind, I''ll be exactly as you think of me!" The next moments flew by almost like a blur. Lucian released Amelia''s face as his hands tore at her clothes. His movement was screaming of fury.


    Amelia could only watch for a shocked, uncomprehending minute as the fabric of her clothes was ripped. The next moment, she was desperately pushing Lucian away and shouting at him, "Lucian, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind!"


    She was at odds. This man, looking at her with such fury that she trembled from the force of it, was he truly her husband? She looked at him, hopelessly searching to reconcile the disparate memory of gentle hands that touched her with nothing but warmth, or the eyes that looked towards her direction with tenderness. As he heaved long, enraged breaths, she recoiled in horror. She could see nothing but a monster.


    At the sound of the fear in her voice, Lucian broke through the throes of impassioned anger. Amelia was pale and wide-eyed with alarm, her shaking hands clutching at her ripped clothes as she crouched away from him. He felt as if he had been doused in ice. What had he done? Even then, as he was being eaten from the insides with guilt, he was unable to bring himself to apologize. "Stay away from Jonny!" he snarled.

 Chapter 77 Drunk In A Bar

    Only when Amelia was left alone in the spacious office did she collapse on the ground weakly. At that moment, she remembered the last thing Lucian told her.


    ¡®Because of Jonny, he...¡¯ The more Amelia thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Her tears slowly rolled down her cheeks into the hard floor as her heart ached.


    That day, Amelia couldn¡¯t concentrate. She had a lot of things to attend to, but she couldn''t bring herself to do them. Because of that, she resigned to spending the whole day inside her office. When lunch time came around and Eric came to her office to ask her out, she quickly came up with an excuse not to go. "I¡¯ve already ordered mine online," she lied. Having not slept last night, she decided to get some rest. By the time she woke up, it was already dark outside.


    She silently fumbled for the phone beside her table. ¡®Seven o¡¯clock in the evening,¡¯ she thought, surprised by how her day just came and went. It also surprised her that she missed two calls from Lily.


    Slowly, she got up and proceeded to turn on all the lights in the office. As she was looking around the room, a thought suddenly occurred in her head. ¡®Should I go back to the SJ Garden?¡¯ she thought gloomily. ¡®Because if I don¡¯t go back... where will I go?¡¯


    Courtney, when she broke up with Kent, decided to stay at her parents¡¯ mansion for days, refusing to see anyone. Her case was a tad bit different from that, however. If she went back to her parents¡® house, she would definitely be laughed at by Sophia.


    As Amelia left the Zhan Group¡¯s building, she felt the quietness all around her. She walked along the dark road not knowing where to go. Her only companions were the distant neon lights, but they did not give her any comfort. She felt more alone than ever before, an indescribable feeling of sadness raging inside her.


    ¡®Did Lucian really get angry this time? Is that why he didn''t call me?¡¯ When she caught herself having these thoughts, she sneered. "Hey, Amelia," she said with a firm voice. "You were right. You do not have any reason to be upset, so stop it."


    Her phone rang not long after she left. Seeing that it was a stranger''s number, she hung up.


    When the chilly wind blew, she shivered. It made her r


    n as they could be. Amelia knew him to be like that, and so seeing him act like this was surprising to her.


    Lucian ignored Amelia¡¯s questions. Instead, he just pointed at the remaining stone steps and said, "There are too many steps left. Wanna let me lead you?"


    At this point, she started becoming confused as to why Lucian brought her to this place. She was incredibly tired, but considering that she was already halfway through, she didn''t want to give up. ¡®And besides, I¡¯m kind of having so much fun with Lucian today,¡¯ she thought, smiling.


    She didn¡¯t want to admit that, but she couldn¡¯t deny it.


    Staring at Lucian''s fair and obviously strong hands, she could not say no. With a sigh, she reached out and held his hand.


    The moment her hand touched his, a surge of electricity went down her spine. It was something she could not explain, but she welcomed it with all of her heart.


    They trekked the slope together, and after some tiring minutes, they reached the peak of the mountain. Amelia looked around the green scenery and it took her breath away. "This is... incredible!" she breathlessly said. The view was stunning and the air was fresh. She was ecstatic.


    "Come here," Lucian invited affectionately. Amelia walked closer to him, and together, they walked towards a tombstone.


    There were no words on the tombstone, except for a black and white photo. In the photo was a woman who was smiling gently. Upon closer look, she realized that she looked a lot like Lucian.


    "Mom, this is my wife," Lucian gently said. "I mentioned her to you yesterday. I promised that I would bring her to you, and now, here she is." The smile that was on Lucian¡¯s face was something that Amelia had never seen on him.


    Aside from that, she was caught off guard by what she had heard. If the woman on the gravestone was Lucian''s mother, who was Fannie?


    Despite her mind being a mess at that moment, she was not absent-minded. With respect, she bowed to the beautiful woman on the tombstone and whispered, "Mom."


    "Mom, don''t worry. Amelia and I will live happily for the rest of our whole lives." Lucian¡¯s eyes were sparkling as he promised to the beautiful woman on the tombstone that he and Amelia would live happily forever.

 Chapter 78 Still Unable To Be Admitted

    Those honest words were more touching than the announcement made in the church.


    Lucian had told Amelia of his whereabouts after work two days ago when they went down the mountain.


    Back then, he had prepared everything before going. But who knew Sasha would propose to participate in the worship with him? She knew it was Fiona''s death anniversary. He had reluctantly agreed because he didn''t want her to stay in the office. Although he refused to go with Sasha after work.


    Sasha had said those words to ignite jealousy in Amelia''s heart. Who could have thought that Sasha wanted Amelia and Lucian to fight?


    The couple got in the car. Lucian turned toward Amelia and gazed at her affectionately. "Amelia, use your brain from now on." His voice carried a hint of love.


    Amelia nodded. "I won''t be fooled the next time." Now that Amelia had been fooled twice, she was too scared to believe in Sasha''s words.


    Lucian turned to focus on the road with a smile on his face. "I wouldn''t have known how much my wife cared about me if it weren''t for Sasha." He was pleased. The distressing event that happened yesterday was forgotten.


    "Lucian, can you promise me something?" She decided to reveal her heart to him when he was in a good mood.


    "Last night, you picked me from the bar already. You don''t have to ask me like this." Lucian acted like he knew what Amelia was going to say.


    She hesitated before opening her mouth. She knew that the name "Jonny" was a taboo for Lucian. Still, she had to make it clear to avoid future quarrels because of that name.


    "Jonny and I are just friend


    ucian cast an approving look at Amelia.


    Amelia''s cheeks turned red, and she looked down in embarrassment. "I can cook only a few dishes."


    She rushed to the kitchen, while Lucian and Nicholas went upstairs. Amelia didn''t see Fannie, and Nicholas didn''t mention her. Even Lucian didn''t bother talking about Fannie. Amelia shrugged off Fannie''s thoughts and went into the kitchen, asking the servants to help her. In a few hours, her dishes were ready. Just as Amelia placed a bowl on the table, she heard a familiar voice. "Wow, we have so much food today!"


    Fannie threw her bag toward a servant. Her smiling face turned dark when she saw Amelia. She snorted coldly, took off her cape, and walked upstairs, ignoring everyone in the room.


    Her hate was so apparent that even Amelia became immune to it.


    A few minutes later, Lucian and his father came downstairs. Seeing the dishes on the table, Nicholas looked up. "Lunch is ready, Fannie."


    Fannie walked downstairs at a slow pace, staring coldly at Amelia. "How disappointing it must be to have me among your family members!"


    "Don''t talk nonsense in front of the kids!" Nicholas scolded Fannie angrily.


    Fannie ignored Nicholas and looked at Lucian. "Lucian, why did you let an outsider enter the kitchen?"


    Her voice carried a hint of anger, deliberately glaring at Amelia.


    Lucian looked at Fannie calmly and said, "Amelia is your daughter-in-law, not an outsider."


    Fannie burst out laughing at that. "How funny! Last time you didn''t care if we had accepted her or not. But now, you are calling her my legal daughter-in-law!"

 Chapter 79 Soap Opera Acting

    Not wanting to see them fight, Amelia interrupted. "Mom! Dad! Lunch''s ready,"


    she blurted. The couple looked at Amelia who quickly averted her eyes by looking down.


    "Who are you calling Mom?" The more Amelia spoke, the more Fannie grew furious.


    "Ignore her, Amelia. Just because she doesn''t want to eat doesn''t mean we should starve ourselves," said Nicholas, who was only too happy to be wheeling himself into the dining room.


    Across the hall stood Lucian with a frown on his face. He watched everything in silence.


    It hadn''t occurred to Amelia that things could turn this sour. She stood there, refusing to believe what just happened.


    Lucian approached Amelia and tried to comfort her. "You don''t have to push yourself to do anything."


    Amelia was right, he thought. She didn''t have to do what Fannie wanted.


    Seeing as no one wanted her there, Fannie marched upstairs, fuming still. But before she could go, she turned back to scream at Lucian, "Sure! Go ahead and ignore me! But I''m doing this for your own good!"


    In the dining room, Nicholas praised Amelia''s cooking. Fannie''s absence made the atmosphere rather delightful. Everyone was able to ease up and enjoy the food.


    Lucian expressed the desire to head back after lunch. Not wishing to anger Fannie more, Nicholas didn''t press them to stay.


    "Guess what Dad told me earlier." Lucian broke the silence as they drove home. A smile was playing on his lips.


    Amelia shook her head.


    Lucian was playing coy to tease Amelia, but with the gentlest of smiles, he eventually confessed, "He said we should consider having a child."


    Amelia''s face turned a bright red. She quickly averted her eyes and pretended to look at something outside the car window.


    It was a good thing Lucian didn''t say anything else, or she would have turned a deeper scarlet out of embarrassment. The rest of the ride home was nothing but quiet.


    Monday came as it always did and Amelia had to return to Zhan Group with


    ther people could say that could help her move on.


    Only two things could happen once a person''s heart gets broken: The person could break down and lose it, or that person could move on and forget. But even moving on was easier said than done. The whole process always dealt pain.


    "I''ve been thinking a lot in my family these days, Amelia." Courtney had a slight smile on her face, but it didn''t do anything to hide her pain. She was still looking out the window, avoiding Amelia''s probing eyes.


    "Remember when Jasper and I broke up and you told me that the pain I felt meant that I was growing up? Looking back now, those five years with him feel like a dream. It''s like I''m not even sure they happened." Amelia knew the feeling all too well. Only, she considered herself fortunate to have met Lucian. Had she never met him, she wondered if she would''ve gotten over her last relationship as quickly.


    "I know that what Kent did was wrong, but the truth is, I don''t blame him. I don''t think he could''ve helped it." Courtney tried to stop herself from crying by forcing herself into another smile. But the tears rolled down her face as quickly as she tried to hide them. Courtney told Amelia everything Kent told her about the night he betrayed her.


    It was a busy time for the sales department of Kent''s company. There were dinners with clients every night and Kent was required to attend them all. In one of these parties, Melissa got herself drunk. Kent only wanted to help Melissa get back to her hotel room, but he was equally intoxicated. One thing led to another, and it was too late before Kent realized his mistake.


    After that, Melissa had been trying to go after Kent, threatening that she''d tell Courtney what happened and break them up. Kent felt tormented because he didn''t want to lose Courtney. Moreover, he didn''t have the guts to confess what happened. He just didn''t say anything, even after Courtney became suspicious and began asking a lot of questions.

 Chapter 80 The Spring Festival

    The main reason why Kent broke up with Courtney via text, was that because Melissa was with child.


    "Don''t you think our fates are so miserable? We''ve been played out by the same old trick!" Courtney sipped her coffee and laughed at Amelia. "It''s so sweet!"


    Amelia bit her ruby red lips while she was thinking about what to say to her.


    "Don''t try to comfort me. I have to thank that baby a little bit! I haven''t had let them go too easily if it weren''t for the baby''s sake!" Courtney said irritably.


    Amelia knew that Courtney was just being stubborn but deep inside, she had a soft heart, so she didn''t try to comfort her. Instead, she casually proposed, "Do you want to go on a trip?"


    "You''ll go with me?" Courtney''s eyes lit up with excitement. It seemed that she was really serious about this trip.


    Amelia almost choked on her coffee.


    Amelia couldn''t say ''yes'' immediately, she wanted to ask for Lucian''s opinion first before making a decision. Instead, she said, "Let''s put this aside up until we can decide which city we want to go to."


    "Amelia, when my parents heard the news that I broke up with Kent, they didn''t show any sympathy towards me. Instead, they said that the son of one of my father''s friends just came back from his studies, and that we might have time to meet up for a proper introduction." Courtney rolled her eyes as if she couldn''t stand her family''s suggestion. But all of a sudden, her sadness washed out from her face.


    Amelia added, "You might want to go see and meet him. He could just be your type." Amelia knew that it wasn''t the right thing to say, but the mere thought of Courtney and Kent not getting back together made her wish th


    ''s not that expensive, it looks pretty. I believe your mother will look so good in it."


    Seeing the serious look on her face, Lucian told her, "The year-end bonus you got, you spent it on this dress. This is a very sincere and thoughtful gift. As for whether she likes it or not, it doesn''t matter anymore. It''s the thought that counts."


    Perhaps it was during the Spring Festival that one could easily see the smiling faces of the pedestrians running all around the road. Amelia gazed on the colorful trees along the road, its branches and leaves moving in the breeze.


    When she was just a child, she looked forward to the Spring Festival the most. Besides the new clothes and shoes, there was also a lot of lucky money that she received. Reminiscing this, Amelia felt her eyes tear up before a smile appeared on her face.


    Time quickly flew by.


    The moment they reached the Zhan mansion, Amelia suddenly felt immense joy of the Spring Festival. Red lanterns hung beneath the leaves, and red chiffon couplets decorated the entrance of the house. Darren stood in front of the gate, took Lucian''s stuff with a bright smile and said in a cheerful voice, "Mr. Nicholas was so excited to know that they will be visited by you and Mrs. Amelia. He ordered the servants to prepare you something delectable."


    During dinner, Nicholas told Amelia several times when she was eating that she was too thin and that she needed to eat more.


    Amelia nervously lowered her head. Sitting opposite Fannie, Amelia''s eyes always inadvertently met hers. During the meal, she was scared out of her wits.


    Fortunately, Lucian kept adding food to her bowl, so she wouldn''t need to be overly paranoid.

 Chapter 81 The Happy Candlelight Dinner

    Just as Lucian handed over the framed painting to Nicholas, Nicholas''s smile widened to form a pleasant grin.


    No matter who had made this painting, Nicholas was moved by Lucian''s intention.


    Lucian had always been aloof ever since Fiona passed away. He seldom returned to the Zhan mansion for the Spring Festival. Nicholas found it both surprising and pleasant to have dinner with his son.


    Fannie stayed silent and just stood in one corner, glaring at Amelia at the same time.


    "Mom, this is what Amelia chose for you." Lucian took the clothes from the bag and handed them to Fannie.


    Fannie''s expressions changed at that. Her face turned from slightly surprised to indifferent in a few seconds. She looked coldly at Amelia and said, "I have many clothes. I don''t need these."


    Amelia''s heart trembled when Fannie rejected her gift bluntly. After recovering from her shock, she forced a smile.


    Before she could open her mouth, Lucian interrupted, "All right." Lucian''s expression was cold and icy when he stuffed the clothes back in the bag.


    "It''s the New Year''s Eve, Fannie. Why can''t you at least pretend to be happy?" Nicholas couldn''t stand still after seeing Fannie''s behavior. Seriousness floated in his eyes when he gazed at her.


    Fannie clutched her fist tightly and glared at Nicholas. She took multiple breaths to suppress her anger. "Do I have to grin all the time just to make you happy?"


    Nicholas was speechless and sighed deeply.


    Fannie ruined the serene atmosphere between Lucian and his father.


    Lucian ignored Fannie and walked toward Amelia. He held her hand gently and whispered soothingly, "It''s okay."


    Amelia''s lips stretched to form a faint smile. Her heart didn''t have a trace of anger or distress anymore. She had expected Fannie to behave like that anyway.


    After eating, both Nicholas and Lucian went to the study while Amelia waited in the living room.


    F


    a held her head, feeling a bit dizzy. When she remembered how she had initiated their kiss last night, her head lowered down in embarrassment. "I was too drunk last night."


    A smile formed on his lips as he remembered the scene. "Don''t worry. You were drunk at home anyway. And besides, it''s fine to fall prey to a similar situation twice."


    "Huh? Twice?" Amelia looked at Lucian in surprise.


    A frown made its way to his forehead when he realized how confused Amelia was. Didn''t she remember anything from last night? He thought for a while as a smile adorned his lips, kissing her head gently. "I''ll always be good to you."


    When a pair of strong hands lifted her up, she turned around to see the bed sheets. She narrowed her eyes and remembered the color of the sheet. Hadn''t she placed a cream-colored sheet yesterday morning? It seemed Lucian changed it to white while she was asleep.


    No matter how naive she was, she could understand why Lucian had to change the sheets so suddenly.


    "Last night¡­" Her voice trailed off, realizing that it was a reality, not a dream.


    Amelia''s body went stiff at the thought. She couldn''t even dare to look at Lucian in the eyes.


    "Amelia. We are a couple." He cupped her face and forced her to look at him.


    She understood what he meant, but embarrassment took over her rational mind. Her face turned red, and she averted her eyes. "I... I''ll be in the bathroom."


    Just as she took two steps, she felt a throbbing pain in her legs. She was trembling all over. Lucian took hold of her before she could fall, carrying her back to bed. He poured hot water for her in a cup and said, "You should rest. If you need anything, I''ll be outside."


    Amelia''s face was as red as a tomato. She couldn''t speak a word.


    Ever since they started sleeping on the same bed, she knew this day would come. Still, she felt embarrassed when that moment finally crossed her path.

 Chapter 82 Enjoying Ourselves As A Couple

    Amelia stepped out of the bathroom and wrapped herself in a black robe. She scanned the room for Lucian and only changed into her clothes once she saw that he wasn''t there.


    "Today''s the first day of the Lunar New Year. You must wear something red. It complements your fair skin." Amelia''s cheeks flushed when she heard Lucian''s voice. She was particularly conscious because she was only wearing a thin camisole. She turned to look at where his voice was coming from and found him casually watching her, his arms crossed over his chest.


    Amelia immediately pulled a shirt over her head. Taking Lucian''s advice, she wore a red coat and matched it with a plaid skirt. Her long hair fell over her shoulders. She looked simple yet warm.


    "You look good," Lucian said as he nodded in approval. "Since it''s the New Year''s Day, we must go to your family to celebrate," he added.


    His words caught Amelia by surprise. Lucian was being incredibly considerate. She had never considered that he would bring up that suggestion.


    Little by little, Amelia was seeing all virtues of Lucian.


    Outside, the weather was bright and sunny. Colorful street lanterns rendered the atmosphere festive and people were smiling while lugging around gifts of all shapes and sizes. A few meters away, a family was laughing boisterously.


    The scene warmed Amelia''s heart. She stood in the square and watched them, not even realizing that she was smiling herself.


    "I''ve got everything we need. Get in the car," Lucian called to Amelia and snapped her out of her daze. Following him to the vehicle, she took the front seat and strapped the seat belt across her chest.


    "You didn''t have to get so many gifts," Amelia complained after seeing the huge bags of presents Lu


    ing room. He looked agitated.


    "Dad, I didn''t exactly receive the best education. Lucian graduated from a prestigious foreign university. Even if I do read his files, I won''t exactly understand them," Amelia chuckled. She wondered if her father wanted help to get in at Zhan Group. Thinking about this made her deeply uncomfortable.


    "Then you should work harder to be of help to your husband," Vernon said while patting Amelia on the head.


    "Oh, I will, Dad," Amelia said. She immediately felt better when Vernon dropped the subject.


    Amelia''s relationship with Vernon had always been complicated. There were times when she felt closest to him, but there were also times when she felt as if he didn''t care about her. But now that she had married and moved out of the house, it warmed her heart to find that Vernon still regarded her as a daughter.


    Amelia went back to the living room and found Lucian with head bowed, his hands composing a message on his phone. Seeing Amelia, he reached for an orange and began peeling it. "This one''s very sweet."


    Amelia blushed when she heard Lucian tease.


    They were happily eating fruits when Jasper came to join them. He announced himself with a cough and took a seat opposite the couple. He was fidgeting when he addressed them, "Lucian, Amelia, surely you know that Yolanda has a certain way with words. I hope you forgive her for having offended you."


    Amelia pretended to not hear anything. She picked up another orange and started peeling. She wanted to keep silent, not wishing to be the target of another verbal attack.


    Lucian regarded Jasper with a cold smile. "It''s nothing. We don''t care about anything she has to say. As far as we''re concerned, Amelia and I are very happy together."

 Chapter 83 Everyone Has An Ex

    Filled with embarrassment and left with nothing to say, Jasper covered his face with his fingers and gave a glance at Amelia. Then he asked her in a frigid voice, "Amelia, should we rent the house we rented before?"


    Amelia suddenly stopped peeling the orange that she was about to eat. She looked at Jasper with a puzzled look and thought to herself, ''Why would he bring up the past right now? And why did he include me in his plans?''


    This made Amelia subconsciously look at Lucian and saw that he was still drinking his tea as usual. Lucian noticed Amelia glaring at him. He then smiled at her and said, "I''ll go to your bedroom to rest, also so that you two can talk clearly."


    "What?" Amelia asked. She didn''t expect that Lucian would just stand up and leave her alone with Jasper. This made her wonder if he was angry at her.


    "Has the landlord returned the 2000 dollars he owed you?" Jasper timidly asked right after Lucian left. His eyes looked around anxiously.


    Amelia felt amused but still chose to show a straight face. She didn''t expect Jasper to ask about the money. But at the same time, it was a good thing that she didn''t have to owe him anything anymore.


    "How about give me your Alipay account? I''ll give it to you when I come home later," Amelia bluntly replied.


    Upon hearing this, Jasper''s face frowned. He pleaded with Amelia. "I''m tight on money right now, can you please lend me some?"


    She remembered Jasper as a man who was always full of excitement and vigor. But now, as a man who borrowed money without any hesitation.


    Amelia''s straight face turned into a dismissive one then she replied, "I''m sorry, Mr. Jasper. I can''t be of any help to you." She didn''t mind if people thought of her as an overly prudent woman nor as a person that didn


    dy to start a new relationship.


    "He''s a year younger than me, but he acts very maturely. He behaves like a gentleman and I think he has a good impression of me," Courtney explained while blushing and trying to hide her embarrassment.


    "So you mean there''s a chance?" Amelia asked. Amelia''s excitement surpassed her best friends. She held Courtney''s hands and said, "If you think there''s a chance, try to date him for a while. He may be your Mr. Right!"


    Courtney thought of her friend''s encouraging words and nodded. She couldn''t hide her happiness and said, "You''re right! If I don''t explore the world, how can I encounter the wonderful things it has to offer."


    Amelia''s happiness for her friend left her speechless. She held just Courtney''s hands.


    At noon, Amelia went to the kitchen and prepared lunch for them. When she had finished, she called Courtney to the table. While Courtney was eating on the side, Amelia went upstairs to tell Lucian that lunch was ready.


    The door of the study was half open. Amelia politely knocked on the door. But she couldn''t help herself to look through the slight gap of the door. She saw Lucian even from a faraway hastily trying to collect envelopes.


    This kind of situation had already happened three times.


    She pretended not to see it and said, "Lucian, it''s time for lunch."


    Lucian stood up and walked towards Amelia. He hugged her tightly and softly uttered the words, "Thank you for your hard work."


    Amelia shook her head in embarrassment. Though she wanted to stay in his embrace longer, it was not nice to leave Courtney alone downstairs. So she told Lucian, "Let''s go. The food is ready."


    "Wow, you''re such a good cook, Amelia!" Courtney praised Amelia and then told Lucian, "You''re so lucky you married Amelia!"

 Chapter 84 Questions About The Couple Life

    ¡®What an exaggeration!¡¯ Amelia thought to herself. Amelia was so embarrassed that she just wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it. In an attempt to conceal her embarrassment, she put food into Courtney''s bowl and urged her to eat quickly.


    "You''re right," Lucian agreed with Courtney, smiling.


    This wasn''t to say that Amelia refused to accept the compliments. She just couldn''t handle it in front of Lucian. She always blushed which was embarrassing. On the inside though, her heart was jumping in joy.


    "By the way, Lucian, I have a question for you and it''s pretty straightforward." Courtney suddenly became serious, raising her red wine glass.


    Amelia couldn''t help but feel scared at what Courtney was going to say.


    "Go ahead. I''ll tell you what I know." Lucian also raised his glass.


    "Good. Cheers!" Courtney drank all the wine in her glass in one gulp. Then she flashed Amelia a mysterious smile before saying, "I heard from Amelia that you two... That you two don''t have a close relationship yet."


    Courtney thought that she''d get some courage if she downed all her wine but it didn''t work as well as she thought it would.


    Amelia immediately knew what Courtney meant. Her face flushing, she hurriedly chimed in, "What are you talking about? I bet it''s just the wine talking."


    Courtney wasn''t as hesitant now. She stared at Amelia and added, "You really are an idiot. If I don''t step in to help you, you wouldn''t do anything!"


    Amelia was so


    her best to coax him into giving her the photos.


    Unexpectedly, Lucian shamelessly said, "Don''t worry. I''ll collect all of them and enjoy them myself."


    Amelia gritted her teeth as she stomped on Lucian''s foot.


    Lucian wasn''t able to dodge so he grimaced in pain.


    Amelia then grabbed the chance to escape from Lucian''s grip. She moved to the side and gloated as she watched Lucian wince in pain.


    Upon seeing her gloat, Lucian seemed to have come up with an idea. Frowning, he pretended to cry. "You can just tell me you know. You don''t need to be so violent. My feet are probably so swollen now."


    Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would have to act like a weak, little girl for whatever reason.


    Upon seeing Lucian so upset, Amelia anxiously rushed towards him. She got on her knees and said in guilt, "Sorry, I... I didn''t mean to..."


    Lucian felt warm in his heart when he saw how concerned Amelia was. He continued, "It doesn''t matter. It doesn''t hurt anyway." With that, he bit his lower lip as if he was trying to look like he was tolerating the pain.


    "How can you say it doesn''t hurt? Take off your shoes. I''ll go and see if there are any medicines you can take." Amelia then tried to help Lucian take off his shoes. She still looked anxious as she did.


    Not wanting her to cry, Lucian flashed her a grin. "Don''t worry. I was just bluffing you."


    He stood up, jumped a few times in front of Amelia to prove that his feet were fine.

 Chapter 85 I Miss You So Much After We Separate From Each Other

    Suddenly Amelia realized she was actually getting teased by her husband. She stopped moving and glared at Lucian furiously.


    Watching his wife sulking cutely, Lucian smirked. He enjoyed teasing his sweet wife, but couldn''t see her irked for a longer period. Clearly she was annoyed right now. Thus he coaxed, "I apologize sweetheart. It''s just I enjoy it a little too much when you care for me like this. This won''t happen again. I promise." To emphasize his words, he touched his right hand to his heart as a promising gesture.


    Amelia rolled her eyes at his drama. He sometimes behaved like a child. But this new found goofiness in him was although absurd, she had started to like this side of him. She stared into his eyes and all her vexation melted away. She slapped his hand away as a playful gesture and huffed, "So, you didn''t mean I treated you poorly? Because, it definitely sounded so."


    "Oh! Did it?" Lucian teased her once more. Then smiled watching her pout again, "Oh! My sweet wife. Of course, I didn''t mean that." He continued after a small pause, "You know what? You are the most beautiful and courteous wife in the whole world." He took the opportunity of her speechlessness and pulled her flush against him. Amelia blushed in his arms and giggled, "Having a sweet talk. Are we?" Although she said that verbally, but she was beaming like crazy. His love made her heart swell.


    "However, Mrs. Amelia," Lucian started in a complaining tone, "You''ve committed an offense just now. Your harsh strike upon my delicate feet has hurt me something serious." Lucian murmured in her ears flirtatiously as he pulled her even closer.


    Amelia almost believed him at first. She frowned at first then when she realized his intention, she played along. "Really? Then we should visit a doctor immediately. Is there a doctor''s clinic nearby?"


    "Oh! No need for that. Besides, it''s just early morning. No doctor is available now except..." Lucian breathed, "If you wish, you can cure me pretty quickly." Soon after saying so, without giving her any time to respond, he pressed his lips on hers and concealed every worry she might be having in her heart.


    Throughout the week after the New Year, they would visit shopping malls, movies and other places during the day and at night, after returning home, Lucian would treat her extra special. Amelia really thought they were living a cute couple life literally.


    However the good time passed by quickly and it was time for Lucian to leave for his work. Even so, Amelia wasn''t really upset, because she k


    e door itself opened. She noticed the impatient girl opening the door and entering the office without asking for her permission.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I didn''t dare to bother you to open the door for me. So I have to push the door open and come inside. I hope you don''t mind." It was Sasha, who spoke with a mischievous smile on her face. Amelia observed her appearance carefully. She was actually looking professional wearing a high waist pencil skirt with a white blouse.


    Amelia didn''t like that smile on her face, but she returned her with a polite smile. She poured a glass of tea then gave it to Sasha. "What can I do for you, Miss Sasha?"


    Sasha took the cup and took a small sip from it. Then with a scornful smile, she intoned, "Mrs. Amelia, you''re not at all experienced in making tea, are you? I don''t think you have the nerve to bribe your employees."


    Amelia was flabbergasted. Sasha''s words stung as she stood there immobile, stunned completely. With a tight lipped smile on her face, she said, "Listen Sasha, I don''t think I''m doing this to bribe my employees. Besides, I don''t need to show off my skills, to anyone for that matter."


    "Then why are you doing all this? To kill your time?" Sasha had deliberately provoked Amelia. And it was certainly intentional. But Amelia didn''t want to spoil both her reputation and mood for her. So, she warned, "Miss Sasha, if you don''t have anything else to talk to me, please excuse me and leave." She had to serve tea and coffee to the staff of two departments.


    "I know that Lucian loves you very much. But do you ever felt, that you''re no match for him? You don''t even have any idea about how to help him with his work? Do you?" Aware that Amelia was trying to avoid her mocking, Sasha pressed on. She said straightforwardly, "The stock market has fallen recently. And the Zhan Group is affected. So, Lucian has gone on a business trip because he has something urgent to deal with. So, I''d suggest, you stop making trouble for him and leave the office."


    "What did you say?" Amelia anchored her full attention on Sasha and asked. She had no idea about that. It made her worried in an instant.


    "You wouldn''t understand even if I tell you in details. I just came here to kindly remind you not to cause any trouble to Lucian." By saying so, Sasha reached for the door. Before leaving she glanced back at her one more time and gibed, "You should have known the difference between Lucian and you before falling in love with him. Serving him tea and drinking with him can''t solve the problem for him."

 Chapter 86 Dont You Love Him Very Much

    After Sasha left, Amelia kept repeating the words she had said to her. She felt frustrated that she could do nothing.


    She felt uneasy. When she returned to the SJ Garden, Amelia wondered if she should make a call to Lucian. On the other hand, she was afraid of interrupting him. In order not to disappoint her, Lily cooked the dinner. She ate a little.


    When she went back to the bedroom, she was even more nervous when she saw that Lucian still didn''t call her. She wanted to know why he did not call her today?


    She kept thinking about what Sasha had said to her today, feeling restless.


    Just as she was immersed in her thoughts, her cell phone rang. She thought it was Lucian calling, and she answered it immediately, "Lucian."


    "It''s me, Amelia." A soft, calm voice resounded from the other end of the line.


    "Jonny?" Amelia was so excited that her heart sank when she noticed the caller ID on the screen.


    She sounded disappointed, so the person on the other end of the line asked, "Are you waiting for Lucian''s call?"


    "No... I''m not." She denied with embarrassment.


    "He should be very busy these days." Said Jonny on the other end of the phone.


    "Jonny, I... Do you know what has happened in the Zhan Group recently?" She didn''t know much about it and she thought Jonny should know it.


    "Do you have time now? Shall I pick you up? "


    "But it''s too late now." Amelia was a little hesitant. On the one hand, she wanted to know the situation. On the other ha


    r mind, like a curse that she would never be able to get rid of.


    She took out her phone and tried calling Lucian, but his phone was still powered off.


    She looked up at the gray sky, feeling confused.


    Beep The continuous horn pulled back the consciousness of Amelia. She followed the voice and saw Shelly in a sweet suit walking out of the red Ferrari.


    "It''s really you! I was about to go to the SJ Garden garden to look for you!" After walking up to the side of Amelia to confirm, Shelly turned her head and hinted her to get in the car.


    Thinking of what Fannie had said, she knew what Shelly wanted to say.


    In an extremely elegant coffee shop, Shelly and Amelia sat on the opposite side. Both of them seemed to be brewing a kind of emotion, and finally Shelly spoke first.


    "You must have heard about the current situation of the Zhan Group, haven''t you?" Shelly took a sip of her coffee and said with a faint smile, "Have you made up your mind?"


    Amelia didn''t expect that Shelly would ask her directly. She was totally in a mess and didn''t know what to do.


    "If Lucian agrees to the request of An Group, the Zhan Group will definitely get through the hardship?" Amelia found her voice trembling.


    "Of course!" After Shelly gave an affirmative answer, Shelly smirked and said, "The alliance between the Zhan Group and the An Group is very powerful in the business field. With this guarantee, the present situation of the Zhan Group can hardly happen again!"

 Chapter 87 Sign The Divorce Agreement

    Amelia couldn''t muster the will to say anything. Pain was swelling in her heart as she stared at her coffee.


    "I''ll sign the divorce papers," she finally said. She knew how terrible the whole situation was and it only made her decision more firm.


    Shelly''s lips contorted to a big smirk. She beamed as if she was just declared champion of a competition. "You know I''ve never thought much of you. But today, I''m actually impressed you made this decision."


    Amelia tried to keep her face expressionless despite her growing discomfort. She wished Shelly would stop talking. She was only rubbing salt on Amelia''s gaping wounds.


    It hadn''t been long since Amelia and Lucian found love in each other, and yet it seemed as if their relationship had already run its course. It surprised Amelia to realize that it was she who had to end it.


    "But you know Lucian better than I do. Things like divorce papers won''t instantly bend his will. It''s better to do something that would make him actually hate you," Shelly reminded Amelia. With that she collected her bag and left Amelia to stew in her own feelings.


    Amelia stayed in the coffee shop for hours. She couldn''t muster the courage to walk out and find her way home. She merely sat there, the warm light of the shop illuminating her face, and yet Amelia only felt cold.


    Nothing could ease her pain, not even the gentle music playing in the background. She was so lost in her thoughts that only the coffee aroma in the shop kept her grounded. She wished with all of her heart that Lucian would walk in, take the seat opposite hers, and give her a comforting smile.


    It was already midnight when Amelia got back to SJ Garden. Lily had apparently been waiting for her but fell asleep


    Only the divorce papers were waiting for him in the study.


    "Mr. Lucian, I''ve always respected you. You were not just a boss to me; I''ve always thought of you as a friend. These are difficult times, but I will stay by your side," Eric said, trying to pacify Lucian. He had no idea about the conditions An Group set before it would help Zhan Group. He only thought that An Group was willing to extend efforts out of kindness and concern given their long business relationship. He couldn''t understand why Lucian was angry.


    "Thank you, Eric. Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing," Lucian replied, looking much calmer.


    "Leave the search for Mrs. Amelia to us. Please go home and rest. You may be the CEO of this company, but you''re still just a man, Mr. Lucian," Eric reminded as he stepped out of the office.


    The room fell silent when Eric had gone. Lucian merely stared at his desk, reeling from the sharp pain in his heart. He fumbled in his pocket for a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and leaned back to his chair, his thoughts with Amelia.


    Amelia had been out shopping. Once back, she was heading up to her room when her landlady called her attention and invited her to dinner. Embarrassed, Amelia was about to refuse when the old woman asked, "Is this you in the newspaper?"


    Amelia froze where she stood. Recovering, she went to where the landlady was sitting and asked to borrow the paper. One of the headlines read: Wife of Zhan Group CEO, Missing.


    The news even asked for anyone who had seen her to come forward in return for a huge reward.


    Amelia never thought that her leaving would cause this huge of an uproar. She certainly didn''t expect that Lucian would search for her given the issues the company was facing.

 Chapter 88 Searching For Amelia

    "They are looking for me, but I don''t want to be found." Although Amelia hadn''t spent much time with the landlady, the woman was kind and considered Amelia her granddaughter. The landlady wouldn''t tell anyone of Amelia''s whereabouts, or at least that''s what Amelia believed.


    The landlady stayed silent for a moment. "Amelia, don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone, but at least let me help you, all right?" She put the newspaper down, glancing at Amelia with affection.


    "Thank you." Amelia was grateful to her.


    The landlady chuckled and shook her head. "Silly girl, I have lived alone in this courtyard for years, and you brought it back to life. It should be me thanking you instead."


    The landlady''s last name was Chen. A few years ago, his husband died because of a cerebral hemorrhage. She never cared about having children when she was young because of her career, and when she was ready, her body failed to support her. That was why she had been living alone after her husband''s death.


    After dinner, Amelia borrowed Mrs. Chen''s computer and browsed the latest city news about Zhan Group. All she came across was the news about the withdrawal of shareholders and the crisis of the capital turnover.


    Then she searched her name and came across an article. She read through it and scrolled down with shaking hands. It was the news about what Lucian thought of Amelia after she disappeared. At the end of the report, the author wrote exact words that Lucian directed to her: "If you still remember what I said at my mother''s grave, come back to me. You promised that you would be with me for the rest of your life. How can you break your promise?"


    Amelia read those words


    guess what? He did fail her by marrying Fannie later." Edmund thought it wasn''t a big deal.


    Lucian felt as if a nail had pierced through his heart. His blood boiled, and he darted his icy cold eyes at Edmund. "Don''t you ever say something like that in front of me! Understand?"


    "Lucian, you''ve to see that this business world belongs to men. You can have any woman, but there''s going to be only one Zhan Group." Edmund didn''t give Lucian a chance to refute and left the office.


    Lucian clenched his fists and looked at the door with an expressionless face. His eyes showed a different story by a severe coldness that could make anyone tremble with a glance. No matter what he did, he couldn''t get rid of Edmund''s words. He stared at the door and punched the table.


    Lucian would have killed the man if he could. At the same time, Amelia had just started to chop the vegetables when the knife slipped and fell on the ground. She stared at the knife for a long time with horrified eyes. Her stomach churned, making her feel uncomfortable.


    "Amelia, are you okay?" After hearing Mrs. Chen''s worried voice, Amelia snapped out of her daze. The landlady started checking Amelia''s hands carefully.


    "My hands were stained with oil, and that''s why it slipped. You don''t have to worry, Mrs. Chen." Amelia managed to smile at the old woman.


    "Rest for a bit, okay? I''ll handle everything." Mrs. Chen picked up the knife on the ground.


    Amelia shook her head. "Mrs. Chen, I want to make lunch today. Why don''t you go and watch TV?" It had been over a week, and Mrs. Chen had cooked several dishes for her. Amelia wanted to reciprocate despite the uneasiness she felt in her heart.

 Chapter 89 Lucian Belongs To Me

    After Mrs. Chen left the kitchen, Amelia took a deep breath, regained her composure and focused on cooking.


    "Amelia, I have to admit that I was surprised that you could cook so well at such a young age." Mrs. Chen complimented Amelia¡¯s cooking when she smelled the flavorful aroma of the dishes.


    In that moment, Amelia got an excessive amount of praise for her cooking. However, in the back of her mind she couldn¡¯t help thinking about Lucian.


    Her heart wondered if he had eaten or not...


    "Mr. Lucian, you haven¡¯t eaten your breakfast. Smoking would have a negative effect on your health." Pushing the lunch box forward, Eric whispered in Lucian¡¯s ear, "Miss Sasha prepared this soup for you. Would you like to have some first?"


    Showing no interest, Lucian did not even raised his head to look at the lunch box. He continued dealing with the documents then words escaped his mouth, "Just express my gratitude to Miss. Sasha. I would drink some when I¡¯m free."


    Eric knew that Lucian said that without interest, but he was afraid that his words might enraged him. So he simply nodded and agreed.


    "Eric, how did it go? Did Lucian taste my soup?" The moment Eric walked out of the office, Sasha had been waiting at the door. She quickly walked up to him and asked anxiously about the result.


    Then he sighed and shook his head. "Mr. Lucian asked me to express his gratitude to you on his behalf." He let out a deep breath, as Lucian didn''t have enough sleep or even eat properly every day due to the course of his busy work.


    "So, Lucian did not bother to have a taste?" Sasha opened her eyes wide. She was shocked for some time, and afterward angrily stated, "Everything was Amelia''s fault! She was really an attention seeker from the start. She humiliated Lucian!"


    "Miss Sasha, this has nothing to do with


    But on the second thought, she remembered that she was not welcomed as her daughter-in-law. So her mother-in-law should have been happy that about the divorce.


    "I wouldn''t have shown up if it weren''t for what happened this morning," Amelia replied. The moment she heard the news, Amelia couldn''t help but ran towards them.


    "I am pretty sure you would come." After flashing a gloating smile, she then cast a cold glance at Amelia and said, "Lucian is your weakness, and you are his. If you can make him hate you, then the Zhan Group will have a slim chance of survival."


    Never in her wildest dreams did Amelia imagined that the Zhan Group''s existence would have anything to do with her.


    Seeing Amelia went downstairs, Lucian said to Nicholas, "Dad, we''re leaving now."


    As a sign of respect, Amelia did a small curtsy to him as well. The moment she turned around, Nicholas called out her attention, "Amelia, you are a very good girl."


    The words he said touched the softest part of her heart. Her eyes were full of tears. After a few moment she smiled and said, "Dad, always take care of yourself."


    Perhaps, this would be the last time she called him dad. This moment might be considered as their farewell to each other.


    After coming out of the Zhan mansion, Lucian got hold her hand then he forcibly dragged her into his arms. Before senses could hit her, Lucian''s lips covered hers fiercely...


    All her sadness suddenly vanished because of his actions toward her. Tears started to roll down her cheeks and eventually covered her whole face.


    Tears flowed on their lips, Lucian stopped kissing her. He held her beautiful face then he felt as if knives were piercing through his heart.


    "Why did you leave without a saying a word?" The originally angry questioning turned to a gentle one filled with love.

 Chapter 90 Please Come Back To Me

    There was a lump in Amelia''s throat and she felt tears welling in her eyes.


    But the thought of what would happen to Zhan Group kept Amelia from breaking down. She sniffed and held herself from crying. Despite wanting nothing more than to hug Lucian, Amelia said indifferently, "I can''t live without money."


    She looked away, avoiding Lucian''s eyes.


    "Our lives would still be rich and happy, even without Zhan Group," Lucian said as he reached to take Amelia''s hands in his.


    Amelia didn''t expect Lucian to say those words. She wondered if he really believed what she just said.


    She felt an indescribable sadness swell in her heart. Amelia had never been interested in Lucian''s money. But if Lucian believed her, she thought that she could be more ruthless.


    Amelia pulled her hands away from Lucian and exclaimed, "Oh, who cares? Our relationship is a farce. At the time, I was just too timid to say no to you. I was afraid that you''d expose my photos and manipulate me, so I thought I would just play along. Now that Zhan Group is in crisis, this is the best time for me to be rid of you."


    Amelia''s voice was loud and her voice was as cold as steel.


    Lucian''s face lost all expression. His air was dark and serious, only his eyes betrayed tenderness and affection.


    Seeing this, Amelia felt a tinge of pain in her heart. She clenched her fists tightly and reminded herself that she must appear strong.


    "Is that what you really think?" Lucian didn''t believe her. As if he was reading her mind, he continued, "Or are you just saying that to make me accept An Group''s offer? You''re j


    pon hearing the man mention Zhan Group, Amelia stopped resisting.


    The man was tall and dark. Despite the night being particularly chilly, he only wore a black vest and a pair of camouflage trousers.


    "This isn''t the best place to talk. Come with me!" the man said roughly, putting a heavy hand on her shoulder.


    It was already past ten in the evening. Dinner dragged on because Courtney was in the mood for drinking. Walking with the man by her side made Amelia extremely nervous. Scenes from horror and suspense movies played in her head. She looked around and thought of ways to escape.


    Sensing her intention, the man turned to her, "Miss Mo, please cooperate. My boss won''t hurt you." The man held her by the shoulders, effectively reducing Amelia''s chances of running away.


    "Your boss? Lucian?"


    Amelia asked. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest.


    "Get in the car." An imposing black car appeared out of nowhere and the strange man pushed her in without saying any more.


    Amelia couldn''t see who was driving the car. After a moment of silence, she couldn''t help but ask, "Are you working for Lucian?"


    "You better rest, Miss Mo. It looks like you had a drink," the man curtly replied. He turned to look outside, making it apparent to Amelia that he didn''t want to say more.


    The car drove on until it stopped in front of an abandoned building about thirty minutes later. The darkness only made Amelia more frightened for her safety.


    Was she kidnapped, she wondered. Did the two men know that she was Lucian''s wife? Did they lure her there for information or ransom?

 Chapter 91 The Mysterious Mans Idea

    "What you''re doing is illegal, sir!" Amelia protested. She scanned the place where the strange men took her but wouldn''t go forward for fear of what she''d find in the dark. She stubbornly sat down on the ground, signaling to the men that she was going to stay put.


    This didn''t do much as the men easily lifted her and pushed her inside the abandoned house.


    "Ah!" Amelia screamed when the door clicked and swung open. The whole place was dead silent.


    Amelia knelt on the floor. She didn''t dare move, fearing what would happen next.


    "Are you Amelia?" A voice came out of the darkness. It was loud and reverberated in the room, making it sound weird and frightful for Amelia.


    Despite her nerves, Amelia answered, "Yes. Who are you?"


    She helplessly tried to make out figures in the darkness, searching for the man whose voice she was hearing. Amelia''s heart was thumping loudly, but she tried her best to appear calm.


    "It doesn''t matter who I am. All you need to know is that I''m here to help you." Amelia could tell that the voice was coming from a man, but that was all she could tell about the person she was talking to. His voice sounded mysterious and cold.


    "Help me?" Amelia asked, looking around in confusion. But whoever abducted her seemed like he had no intention of revealing himself. Only a stretch of darkness laid in front of her. "Stop playing mysterious and show yourself!" Amelia snapped.


    A million possibilities of what might happen ran in her head. The threat to her safety had never felt more real. She could feel herself sweating bullets.


    "Don''t be afraid. I promise that we


    or and was shocked. It was Jonny. "How did you know I was here?" she asked.


    Jonny was wearing a pinstripe suit. He answered with a gentle smile, "This hotel belongs to An Group. I''ve been asking for information on you, so as soon as you checked in, I knew that you were here."


    "Oh..." Amelia smiled, happy to see Jonny. "I''m just going to clean myself up a bit."


    "Okay. I''ll wait for you at the hotel restaurant," Jonny replied.


    Not wanting to make the situation any more awkward, Amelia nodded in agreement.


    It took Amelia about ten minutes to freshen up. When she went downstairs, she found Jonny sitting at the bar, enjoying his cup of coffee. Seeing Amelia, he stood up and waved at her.


    "You have to try their shrimp porridge. It''s delicious! It''s especially good for your stomach," Jonny said, pushing a bowl of hot porridge in front of her as soon as she sat down.


    Amelia could only smile and accept.


    "Amelia, I know that your life is your business, and I''d never want to intrude. But I''ve been your schoolmate for years and I''ve always thought of you as a little sister. I hope you know I''m here for you, especially in times of difficulty," Jonny said with a gentle smile. His eyes were full of concern.


    Amelia took a spoonful of porridge. As she ate, she couldn''t help but remember the mysterious man''s advice to her last night. Seeing Jonny''s charming smile, Amelia blushed and lowered her head.


    She didn''t want to make matters more complicated than they already were. Amelia was tired of thinking. For the first time in a long while, her mind was clear and she felt ashamed for it.

 Chapter 92 Made A Difficult Decision

    "I''ve already divorced Lucian, Jonny." Her face was expressionless but she could feel her heart beat pulsing in her ears. She felt as if everything inside her was aching.


    "I heard. That''s why I was so worried about you." Jonny''s face darkened, a shadow of regret visible. "I don''t believe you''re anything like what they say you are. You probably have a lot of unspoken feelings."


    "Jonny, I hope Lucian chooses to accept the help from the An Group." Jonny had always been there for Amelia and she was willing to open up to him and tell him the truth. However, this was different. Only Lucian could take away her pain.


    "Amelia, I feel ashamed but my father and I haven''t been on good terms for years. He refuses to take my advice and insists on doing things his own way. He favors Shelly now and Shelly wants to marry Lucian. That''s why he offered to help Zhan Group in the first place. So he could get Lucian to marry Shelly." Jonny looked deeply regretful. "But as far as I know, Lucian won''t be threatened by my father."


    It seemed that they were all saying the same thing¡ªthat Lucian wasn''t going to be threatened by anyone. However, this didn''t really help with Amelia''s unease. She said, "Jonny, last night, I met this stranger¨Ca man. He offered me help but..."


    Amelia couldn''t bring herself to finish her sentence.


    "A stranger?" Jonny repeated. He then asked in concern, "Did you get hurt?"


    Amelia shook her head and replied hone


    were finally on their own, with no cameras and reporters. She looked up at Jonny and said, "I''m so sorry for all this, Jonny."


    Jonny shook his head and said, "Don''t be so formal with me. It''s all my fault that I have no say when it comes to my father. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have taken so much work."


    Amelia definitely felt the tension between Jonny and his father at the dinner party last time.


    "Jonny An!" Just then, a cold voice came from not far away.


    Both Amelia and Jonny turned their heads. They were surprised to find Lucian who was walking towards them. He then grabbed Jonny by the collar and bellowed, "You fucking bastard!"


    Lucian then raised his fist and landed a punch across Jonny''s face.


    "Lucian!" Amelia cried in fright when she saw that Lucian was about to raise his fist again.


    Amelia didn''t want any fights anymore. So she raised her hand in an attempt to stop Lucian but he didn''t seem to realize that Amelia''s hands were raised so he accidentally hit her.


    It hurt Amelia so bad that tears streamed down from her face. Still, she made sure she didn''t cry out in pain and remained silent.


    "Amelia, are you okay?" Jonny was scared. He hurriedly stood up and grabbed Amelia''s hands, checking them anxiously.


    Amelia kept her gaze at Lucian, tears welling up in her eyes. Lucian was stunned and looking back at her in utter disbelief. It seemed that he hadn''t realized what had happened until it was all over.

 Chapter 93 An Escape From Disaster

    "I''m fine," Amelia quietly responded as she withdrew her hands.


    While her eyes were dry, her voice indicated that she was on the verge of tears. Notwithstanding what she was feeling, she decided to force a smile in order not to make Lucian feel guilty. "If that will make you feel better," she started, evidently avoiding Lucian''s gaze, "I guess I have nothing else to say."


    Lucian felt a painful pang in his chest. What Amelia said and what happened during the press conference were things that he never anticipated would happen.


    He admitted that while he had been curious about the nature of Amelia and Jonny''s relationship, he had never doubted her love for him.


    ''But now... what is happening? What is going wrong?'' he asked inwardly, confused and frustrated.


    "Amelia..." he finally said. His voice was quiet and his tone was grave. "Tell me the truth. What are we? Were you just... playing with my feelings?" An expression of hurt, exasperation, and disbelief contorted Lucian''s beautiful face. No matter how much he tried to stay strong and composed, his emotions were overwhelming every bit of his spirit.


    Upon hearing Lucian''s question, Amelia''s head shot up. Her eyes met his, and she immediately saw how cold his gaze was. However, behind his menacing glare, she noticed that his eyes were bloodshot, and that he had unkempt stubble on his chin. She also realized how thinner and more stressed out he looked as compared to the last time she saw him.


    Because of that, Amelia couldn''t help but tear up.


    "Lucian! Don''t talk to Amelia in such a rude tone!" Jonny warned, moving in front of Amelia as if to protect her.


    With Jonny''s sudden intervention, Lucian became fired up with rage. He turned his gaze to Jonny and asked, in a tone so cold one would shake, "Why are you so hell-bent on taking everything I have?"


    Jonny straightened his stance in defiance of the visibly angry Lucian. "Just accept the reality, buddy," he said with a dismissive tone. He then wrapped his arm around Amelia and whisked her away from Lucian.


    Claps from someone watching the even


    ucian and Shelly were a sensitive topic for her, and so he approached it with much caution.


    Unfortunately, Amelia could never be ready for such a question. Her hand began trembling and she blinked more times than usual because of uneasiness. With a helpless look on her face, she asked Jonny, "I''m sorry, but do you think it would be a good idea if I attend that?"


    That moment, Jonny understood that her answer was no.


    He didn''t see any issues with it, but Amelia was not him. She still had feelings for Lucian.


    "Well, listen to your heart," Jonny responded. He had no plans on forcing anything on her.


    After a few minutes of silence, Amelia finally spoke, "Sure. Let''s go."


    She and Jonny had to maintain their relationship for a certain period of time, at the very least. Otherwise, if anything wrong happened between them, Lucian and Shelly would be suspicious. Despite all her efforts of controlling herself and her emotions, everything seemed to be going out of control no matter what.


    "Amelia," Jonny started, concern on his face. "You know that you don''t have to care for anyone''s feelings except your own, right?" He knew that things had been hard for her, and he wanted to help her.


    Amelia smiled. "I know that. This is me caring about what I feel. I want to wish them well."


    Compared with what Jasper did to her, this time, she felt no regrets, no unwillingness or anger. Instead, she felt sorry for Lucian. After she said so many things that disappointed him, she knew he hated her.


    Because only two families were invited to attend the Lucian and Shelly''s banquet, Amelia dressed very casually. She wore a thin coat, a pair of jeans, and the white sneakers that she usually wore. Her hair was simply tied up in a tight bun on top of her head. Despite not dressing up, she looked beautiful and pure.


    What was more was that despite not putting on any kind of make-up, she looked as good as those women who had their whole face done. Her skin was as delicate as a baby''s, and her big eyes were as alive and expressive as the flowers blooming in the spring.

 Chapter 94 Two Hearts In Love

    It was a lovely night as Amelia and Jonny made their way to the banquet. Amelia was a little nervous, considering that the banquet would be held at the most luxurious hotel in the city. As soon as they stepped inside the building, they saw Edmund and his wife waiting for them at the lobby. Amelia, not wanting to make another scene, greeted them politely.


    Jonny''s mother, Emma Chen, gave a warm smile back and warmly welcomed them, "Jonny, Amelia. Welcome."


    "Mom," Jonny muttered curtly and didn''t greet Edmund. He turned his head aside as if the man did not exist.


    "How rude of you not to greet me!" Edmund said to Amelia in a manner that could even freeze summer.


    With an embarrassed look on her face, Emma pulled Edmund''s sleeve. "Amelia is not familiar with us. Don''t be rude to her or she''ll be scared." She then turned to Amelia and apologized for Edmund''s behavior.


    "Can you stop being such a bummer?" Jonny couldn''t help but retort. He furrowed his eyebrows deeply. When his eyes landed on Edmund, Jonny was already eyeing him in disgust.


    "Fannie wasn''t satisfied with her before. I quite agree with her." After giving a cold glance at Amelia, Edmund decided to enter.


    Amelia''s heart was trembling. She was not afraid, but the scene already felt familiar to her. It was the first time she came to the Zhan mansion and faced the sarcastic remarks of Fannie. That woman could not seem to hold her tongue. And today, Edmund welcomed her in the same tone.


    "Amelia, Jonny''s father is not in a good mood. Don''t worry, I''m satisfied with y


    ell on her face because of the nausea of vomiting. And now because of the voice of Lucian, she became sadder.


    She tried to control her emotions and said vaguely that she was fine.


    At the same time, Jonny came over and asked with concern, "Are you all right, Amelia?"


    When she heard Jonny''s voice, she immediately stopped crying. She looked at Jonny with pleading eyes and said, "I want to go back and have a rest."


    She just left the table because of her nausea, which had already affected the mood of everyone present. If she went in again, perhaps everyone''s face would be unhappy.


    "Okay," Jonny agreed.


    Amelia looked at Lucian and said apologetically, "I''m sorry. I hope it won''t affect your mood."


    She was sincerely apologizing to Lucian, but her behavior made him feel that she was deliberately alienating him.


    "After you get rid of this meal, I hope you can be happy." These were the words that Lucian said to Amelia before he came in.


    Amelia stared at Lucian''s back and finally burst into tears.


    It made her want to cry for no reason. At first, she thought that Lucian would never care about her. But she didn''t expect that he could still understand her feelings because she didn''t like to be restrained. The dinner was a burden to her.


    But what he didn''t know was that with what he said, she would be reluctant to let go of him. She would not forget him.


    "Amelia, do you need me to take you to the hospital?" After a while, Amelia still kept staring at the door. But Jonny interrupted her. He was worried about her health.

 Chapter 95 The Surprise From The Heaven

    She came to her senses and smiled carelessly. "Don''t worry. I have a weak stomach. Maybe it''s because I have stomachache for several times a month."


    She remembered eating chili food a month ago, but that was just once. Ever since Lucian stopped her from eating spicy food back in SJ Garden, she rarely tried it. That was why her stomach hadn''t been troubling her until recently.


    "Then we should go to the hospital," Jonny insisted.


    Amelia refused and said stubbornly, "If people go to the hospital, they will be diagnosed as sick even though they are not sick. I''d better not go there."


    "Is that your excuse for neglecting the medical treatment? Let''s go." Jonny opened the door of the car and gestured Amelia to get on the passenger seat.


    It was true that she didn''t want to trouble anyone for some trivial issues. Although her stomach did create problems for her recently, even after having a perfect diet. The symptoms she had included nausea and vomiting. Usually, these issues used to occur due to gastritis, but this time was different. Amelia curiously looked at her stomach. If it wasn''t the inflammation in her stomach, then what else could it be?


    Her eyes opened wide when a thought crossed her mind. She had never taken precautions every time she made love with Lucian. Was she pregnant?


    Her heart thudded against her chest.


    "Fine, I won''t force you, but at least let me bring you some medicines, okay?" When Jonny failed to get a response from Amelia, he assumed that she didn''t want to go with him.


    Amelia stood in a daze for a long time. She wanted to see Courtney and tell her e


    thing unforgivable to Lucian back then, and their relationship was filled with cracks. Telling him about the child would only mean that Amelia was trying her best to snatch Lucian from Shelly.


    "Then, what should we do? Don''t tell me you really want to be a single mom?" Courtney looked at her in disbelief.


    Amelia didn''t think it was a problem. She smiled and said, "This child will be my only motivation to survive in this world. How could I abandon it?"


    "Amelia, are you crazy?" Courtney''s eyes were wide open in shock. She had thought of every possible way to help Amelia, but none of them involved becoming a single mother.


    Amelia shook her head. "I''ll try my best to keep my child safe and happy without its father." Amelia was resolute in her decision. Even if she was inexperienced, she believed that as long as she paid attention to her child, everything would be fine.


    "Amelia, please just think it over. You can still abort your child in the early stages."


    "I know you better than that. You''d never talk about killing an innocent child unless you''re afraid that we would suffer. Your attempts to persuade me are useless." Amelia knew Courtney too well. She would never think of abortion.


    Courtney''s lips formed a faint smile, and excitement glinted in her eyes. "Fine! If you want this child, let me help you. Although my business isn''t huge, I''m earning just fine. I can still get milk powder and clothes for my little nephew or niece!" Her smile stretched to form a big grin. She reached out to touch Amelia''s flat belly, and said in surprise, "Is it a boy or a girl? What do you think?"

 Chapter 96 Still Loving Him

    Amelia gently patted Courtney''s hand. Smiling, she said, "It''s hard to say."


    Courtney looked at Amelia and with all seriousness said, "I''ll take you to the hospital tomorrow for your blood test. We''ll have a doctor confirm the result. We also need to know about the precautions you have to take. Oh, look at you. You''re so thin! If you don''t take care of your health, I worry you might miscarry."


    Amelia appreciated Courtney''s thoughtfulness and nodded in agreement. But just then, she remembered the message Jonny sent her. With a frown on her face, Amelia said, "I have to go to the An''s tonight. Johnny''s parents want to see me. I don''t know what to expect."


    Hearing Jonny''s name, a thought occurred to Courtney. "Are you planning on telling Jonny about it?"


    "If I''m to keep a relationship with him, he''s bound to notice." Things were beginning to look even more complicated for Amelia.


    "I can''t say I know Jonny well, but he''s been helping you all this time. It would be nice if he could act as the father of your baby." Courtney looked hopeful. Smiling, she held a hand to touch Amelia''s cheek. "If Jonny doesn''t mind that Lucian is the father, you can be a happy family. Your lives will be secured."


    "Courtney, Jonny will definitely want to raise his own son. And he''s been so good to me, I don''t want to cheat him on anything." Amelia didn''t want to take things lightly, especially considering that there were reputations on the line. She also didn''t wish to get too involved with the An family as Lucian was going to be their son-in-law soon enou


    e leaving now. You''ll find us at the villa south of the city if you need us."


    "Jonny..." Emma could barely convince them to stay before Jonny dragged Amelia away and left.


    Jonny was trying to control his temper, but his rage showed in how quickly he walked. Amelia had to sprint to keep up.


    The estate was so vast that Amelia was out of breath by the time they reached the gates.


    "I''m sorry, Amelia. I acted too rashly just now," Jonny apologized when he saw Amelia panting.


    Amelia waved a hand, dismissing his apology. "You didn''t tell me we were leaving so soon. I didn''t get the chance to properly thank your mother."


    "Don''t worry. She won''t mind," Jonny smiled reassuringly. He opened the car door for Amelia and saw her in before taking his place at the driver''s seat. Before starting the car, Jonny threw a lingering look at the mansion. Coldly, he said, "I won''t be coming back here again."


    "What?" Amelia exclaimed. She didn''t understand how Jonny could say those words. She wondered if it had anything to do with his conflict with Edmund.


    "You saw what happened just now. Someone clearly doesn''t want me here," Jonny snorted.


    Amelia understood. Reaching out a hand to Jonny''s shoulder, she said, "Shelly was just in a bad mood. She has nothing against you."


    "No. She''s always hated me. She deliberately attacked you to make me angry," Jonny pointed out.


    "Oh, stop it. She''s your sister. Anyway, An mansion is so huge and yet I didn''t see a single maid. Why is that?" Amelia tried desperately to change the topic as they drove off.

 Chapter 97 Keep It Together, Amelia!

    "My mother is the only one who lives here. She doesn''t want to hire any servants because she''s such a frugal woman," Jonny answered, his voice a bit sad as he felt sorry for his mother.


    Hearing this, Amelia got even more confused. But she did not want to pry any further in regards to Jonny''s family affairs. "Your mother seems nice," Amelia said, "She''s gentle and approachable. Plus, she looks like she''s able to keep the place nice and tidy even if she does the cleaning all by herself."


    "Aren''t you sweet... My mother would definitely give you a lot of New Year''s money when she hears that," Jonny teased, a smile finally appearing on his face.


    "Well, our relationship will come to an end someday anyway..." Although not a lot of people knew about her pregnancy, Amelia knew the news was going to come out sooner or later. She did not want to give Jonny any trouble nor did she want to continue living like this. Right now, it was important for her to find a job so that she could support herself and her unborn child.


    When Jonny heard this, he abruptly slammed hard on the brakes, causing Amelia to lurch forward. Luckily, she had her seat belt on. If she didn''t, she would have definitely gone through the windshield.


    "Am I really not worthy of your trust, Amelia?" The smile on Jonny''s face had disappeared. Angry veins surfaced on his hands as he tightly gripped on the steering wheel.


    "Jonny, don''t get me wrong. I just... I just want to live on my own. And you know why I divorced Lucian at that time, so I..." Amelia stammered before biting nervously on her lips. She felt that the more she explained, the more likely she would be misunderstood.


    "I know you love Lucian. But everything can''t go back, right?" Jonny said, gritting


    received them as soon as they arrived.


    "Now I really don''t care about it at all but the Lin family is rich," Courtney shrugged, "We get top priority because of it. Let''s just be thankful that we don''t have to wait in line for a long time."


    As it turned out, it seemed as if Courtney''s parents had helped them.


    "Courtney, have you told your parents about this?" Amelia was a little uneasy. As much as possible, she wanted a few people as possible to know about her pregnancy.


    "Don''t worry. My mom made an appointment for me. Besides, the doctor is not only for gynecology. So, don''t worry."


    "What if your mother asks about the result?" Amelia asked, crossing her arms over her chest.


    "Just relax, Amelia! No one else will know that you''re pregnant. I swear on my grave," Courtney swore, marking a cross on her chest with her finger.


    "Shhh! Don''t say that word out loud!" Amelia hushed, covering Courtney''s mouth. With a sigh, Amelia stepped back and shook her head. "You know I trust you. I just don''t want to tell anyone about it just yet. I don''t think I can handle all the stress. It won''t be good for... you know."


    With a nod, Courtney patted Amelia''s shoulder in understanding. "Don''t be afraid, okay? I''m here with you. I''ll help you. You don''t have to do this alone."


    "Okay. Thanks, Courtney." Taking a deep breath, Amelia went into one of the examination rooms.


    The results came out quickly. A middle-aged woman doctor came to examine her. She took off her glasses, examined her carefully, and gently asked, "Excuse me ma''am, but are you married?"


    "Why does it matter whether I''m married or not?" Amelia asked, frowning deeply. "Yeah," Courtney chimed in, "Nowadays, there are a lot of unmarried women who get pregnant!"

 Chapter 98 Taking Me As The Father

    "Uhh, yes but..." Amelia answered. She told the truth but the fact that she was recently divorced made it hard for her to speak.


    The doctor noticed that Amelia was having a hard time answering her question and said, "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to offend you. It was just an honest question." The middle-aged female doctor wore her reading glasses and looked at the results shown in the report. She then excitedly said, "Congratulations! You''re pregnant."


    Upon hearing those words, Amelia was overwhelmed with so much emotion. She felt uneasy not having Lucian around but at the same time, she felt happy to have his child inside her.


    The doctor informed her of some common knowledge about pregnancy, so Amelia listened carefully.


    "Actually, we already know her pregnancy, we just wanted to confirm it with a professional," Courtney said. Courtney then whispered to Amelia, "The doctors in this private hospital like to gossip about their patients. Now that we know the diagnosis, we should go."


    Realizing how embarrassing it would be for her if news about pregnancy were to spread, she nodded towards Courtney and stood up.


    "I can''t give you any more advice that would be useful at the moment. I need to review what I know about pregnancy. I need to be careful using the words miscarriage and abortion since there is clearly a difference between the two. Damn it!'' Courtney regretfully exclaimed. She then continued in a more solemn tone, "How could I say that you should give up your child yesterday? Your child should be our motivation for the future! We have to love him or her with all our hearts."


    Hearing Courtney''s passionate words towards her unborn child made Amelia smile. They continued on to Courtney''s milk tea shop and when they arrived and sat down, Amelia continued thinking about what to do to ease the troubles that filled her heart.


    Court


    e if she was the only one who knew about her pregnancy.


    Jonny suddenly answered Amelia''s question. "Let me be the father of the baby. I will give him all my love." Jonny uttered those words with utmost seriousness.


    Amelia covered her mouth because she was so surprised. It seemed that she didn''t expect that Jonny would know.


    "Jonny... You... How long have you known?" The book couldn''t possibly be enough to figure it out.


    "Amelia, you''re good at hiding your feelings, but I can clearly see through them with a single glance." As Jonny said those words, he gave her a smile full of love and eagerness to devote himself to her.


    Amelia did her habit of biting her lower lip. After a few minutes of silence in deep thought, she looked at Jonny and earnestly said, "Jonny, I am pregnant."


    Jonny wasn''t surprised at all by what Amelia said. He responded with conviction, "That''s great! I think being a mother would suit you very well. I believe the baby will give you the utmost joy in life."


    Amelia asked curiously, "Are you okay with me giving birth to this child?"


    "Why not?" Jonny asked her with a smile. He then expressed his own opinion on the matter. "This child is the fruit of your love with Lucian. Consider it a blessing. You should accept it."


    Hearing Jonny''s words put Amelia''s heart at ease. She was elated that they had the same outlook towards the child. Without all of the complications, she truly wanted to give birth to her baby.


    "Thank you, Jonny." With Jonny''s support, she finally had that sense of security that she was looking for.


    "Amelia, it seems that you didn''t hear me or ignored my words intentionally." Jonny stood up and poured a glass of water for Amelia. He looked at her with the utmost sincerity and repeated his earlier declarations. "Let me be the father of your child. I''ll love him as if he or she was my own."

 Chapter 99 A New Job

    Amelia''s face went red with panic.


    "Johnny, I actually, um, I want to move out of here if that''s okay," Amelia stuttered.


    "You can''t move out just yet. Now is not a good time," Jonny quickly replied.


    "When I give birth, it will only bring us more trouble," Amelia argued. She didn''t want to put Jonny in the middle of a scandal. Moreover, she didn''t want anyone to say anything spiteful about her child.


    Jonny seemed to have read her mind. "You''re worried there might be a scandal, so you want to end this relationship now," he confirmed.


    Amelia acknowledged that it was one of the reasons. She pursed her lips and tried to avoid Jonny''s knowing look. But she eventually turned to him and added firmly, "Please let me move out."


    Jonny''s face fell. After a moment of silence, he replied to Amelia, "I didn''t realize you were so eager to be rid of me." A bitter smile played on Jonny''s lips. It made Amelia feel a tinge of guilt.


    "Jonny, I didn''t know I was pregnant. I was as clueless as you. Now, I just want to live a peaceful life alone and find work to support myself and my baby." It was because she trusted Jonny that she felt comfortable to confess her honest thoughts.


    "Amelia, do you really think that I''m less capable than Lucian of helping you? Did you think that those words won''t make me worry about you and your future?" Jonny looked at her with hurt in his eyes. He kept his voice low and yet Amelia heard the concern in his tone.


    Amelia fell speechless.


    Perhaps it was because Jonny didn''t want her to feel even more anxious


    ause it was not far from the house she rented.


    That night, Amelia shared the happy news with Courtney. She initially thought that Courtney would be happy for her, but Courtney scolded her from the other end of the line, "Amelia, are you insane? You''re pregnant! What''s the matter with you?"


    Amelia was so surprised, she almost threw her phone. After Courtney finished scolding, Amelia replied calmly, "Who says pregnant women can''t work?"


    Amelia knew that it was good for pregnant women to go about and keep active. She also didn''t want to stay cooped up in the house all day.


    "At least, find a different job. You don''t want to work in a supermarket! People can be mean towards clerks. And you''re soft, Amelia! I don''t think you can handle it," Courtney said sourly, as if she had often witnessed clerks getting treated poorly.


    "It''s not as bad as you say it is, Courtney. Besides, I need this job to support myself. It''s going to be fine," Amelia refuted.


    "Alright, alright! I know how stubborn you can get. It''s useless for me to say anything if you''ve really made up your mind. Just take care of yourself, okay?" Courtney accepted that there was nothing she could say to change Amelia''s mind, but she was terribly worried for her friend. "I''m just concerned about you, you know? You live alone and have no one to take care of you."


    "Mrs. Chen has been nothing but nice to me. Besides, I''m not a kid anymore, Courtney. I can take care of myself." Amelia understood that Courtney was only looking out for her and she greatly appreciated her for it.

 Chapter 100 Jonny Hasnt Been Treating You Well

    "Wouldn''t Lucian think it unusual that you and Jonny are living apart like this?" Courtney asked the question that Amelia feared the most.


    She had already made a decision regarding this. She didn''t think that it was a good idea to continue staying at Jonny''s villa so she moved out. She only had thoughts about working hard for her and her baby''s future.


    "We may not be living together but we''re still a couple," Amelia confessed.


    "Sometimes, I really don''t get what goes on in your head, Amelia. To be honest, it would''ve been better for you to have stayed with Jonny than live alone like this. You always surprise me by doing things first and only telling me afterwards when the deed is done." Courtney sighed at the end of the line. She added, "It''s not wrong to choose to be independent. Look at Kent! He once promised me a bright future together, and look at what happened? He''s a father now, just like that!"


    Courtney hadn''t mentioned Kent in a while and Amelia thought that she had already gotten over him. Hearing her talk about him again made Amelia realize that Courtney had only been pretending to be strong, when in fact, her heart had clearly not forgotten him.


    "Just try to look ahead, Courtney. Better things will come," said Amelia, sounding optimistic. But she did believe in her heart that better things were in store for her friend.


    Just like Courtney and Kent, she and Lucian could never go back to the way they were. Shelly dropped by that day to make Amelia cut off all contact


    d she only started work this morning.


    "Is it so wrong for me to be working?" She wanted him to stop asking questions about her life. She didn''t wish to involve him in her decisions anymore.


    "Amelia, we used to be a couple so I couldn''t help but care. Even if I don''t want to, I still worry about you!" His tone was indifferent but his words betrayed his honest feelings.


    Amelia was caught off guard by his passionate declaration. Her pretend calmness was beginning to fade, leaving her thoughts in turmoil. She was losing control over her emotions.


    "Mr. Lucian, I don''t want to see you again. If you value our relationship before, please stay out of my life," she pleaded.


    Gloom fell over Lucian''s face. He only looked at her in silence. He didn''t withdraw his gaze until he saw that Amelia was starting to look anxious and fearful.


    "Even smart people make stupid decisions, Amelia, especially when they insist on doing things by themselves," Lucian said flatly.


    Amelia trembled in fear. She looked at him and asked in disbelief, "What do you know?"


    Did he know why she moved out of Jonny''s place?


    "Are you scared?" Lucian bent down and stared her in the eyes. His look was electric and Amelia couldn''t muster the courage to look away. She was being drawn in, lost in his gaze.


    Amelia''s heart was beating louder and faster. She was sweating out of nervousness. But she reminded herself that she couldn''t tell him the truth. Even if Lucian knew about the baby, she had to deny everything.

 Chapter 101 You Are Mine, Amelia

    Amelia was serious. "Tell me you''re joking, Mr. Lucian," she started, her face devoid of any emotion as she stared into Lucian''s eyes. "Haven''t you heard? I am now Jonny''s girlfriend. Why would I be afraid?" At that point, as wrong as it seemed, she was willing to use Jonny as an excuse to escape the man in front of him.


    Without missing a beat, a sly smile appeared on Lucian''s lips. It transformed his face from beautiful and angelic to downright intimidating.


    "Jonny''s girlfriend, huh? Seems like you''re still not Mrs. Amelia," he said in a mocking tone.


    Amelia was quick to understand that Lucian was only getting a rise out of her, and so she decided to turn her head away from him to avoid his gaze. "Mr. Lucian, I don''t think that is necessary for me to report any of those things to you."


    "Not... necessary?" Lucian asked in a low, threatening voice. Slowly, he began to walk towards Amelia, who was still avoiding his eyes. As his slender figure strode gracefully towards her, he exuded a cold, bitter, and dangerous aura.


    Amelia saw this development in the corner of her eye and so she quickly turned her head back to Lucian. Upon doing so, however, she realized that the man was already right in front of her, and that he was as intimidating as ever. Panic began to set in inside her and soon enough, her heart started to beat rapidly. She wanted to do something about it, but before she could do anything, she found herself in tight embrace with Lucian. When she tried to free herself from it, Lucian just tightened his arms around her. "Listen," he said, his voice as cold as ice. "If you continue to move, I can''t promise you that I will be able to control myself any longer..."


    "Shut up!" Amelia shouted. As she continued to try to free herself from Lucian''s arms, anger and a


    e, but her eyes were the same dead, unfamiliar as those he saw a while ago.


    The woman who had cared for him and had loved him was so ruthless to him now.


    He knew that these words were not hers, but he was still upset that she chose to tell them to him.


    He let Amelia go. After a moment of silence, he said coldly, "I hope Jonny can make you happy."


    Hearing that, Amelia''s heart broke into a million pieces. She wanted to take everything she said back, but she knew she couldn''t.


    Soon, Lucian started to walk away from her. She wanted to turn around to at least see him for the last time, but she was afraid that it would hurt more if she saw him slowly fading away. Because of that, she stood where she was, still as a statue, trying to stop her tears from falling.


    Before getting in his car, Lucian turned back, thinking that Amelia would turn around. He waited for a long time, but she didn''t. A strong feeling of bitterness slowly flooded his heart. Hurt, he went inside his car and drove away as fast as he could.


    When she heard Lucian''s luxury car drive off, Amelia finally turned around.


    She felt at a loss, and at that moment, she let her tears freely roll down her cheeks. Her heart ached so badly, but she knew that what had happened was for the best.


    Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, an anxious voice called out to her. "Amelia! Why are the fruits and vegetables on the ground?"


    It was Mrs. Chen. Amelia quickly wiped her tears away and squatted down to pick up everything she had dropped.


    With her hand shaking, she found it hard to get everything. It took her a few minutes to pick everything up, and when she did, she stayed squatted on the ground, her back turned to Mrs. Chen.


    "The bag broke, Mrs. Chen," she whispered, once again crying silently into her lap.

 Chapter 102 A Pregnant Woman Shouldnt Work Hard

    "Why are you crying?" Mrs. Chen''s voice was filled with concern after noticing tear stains on Amelia''s cheeks.


    "What?" Amelia wiped the tears on her face and smiled. "Maybe I''m sweating."


    When she said it out loud, her excuse didn''t look convincing enough. That was why she ended up exposing her real intention to Lucian.


    "My silly girl, it''s fine if you cry." Mrs. Chen patted Amelia''s head gently. "You are pregnant now. Mood swings aren''t good for your health."


    Amelia was so shocked that she couldn''t find words to say for a long time. She squeezed out a few words in a low voice, "How did you find out?" She never showed any signs of morning sickness in front of the landlady. How did Mrs. Chen figure it out?


    "Well, a handsome young man just told me about it and brought a lot of food for you. He asked me to make sure you''re okay." Mrs. Chen had a smile on her face.


    Young man? Amelia''s eyes widened when she realized it was Lucian. She rushed to the room and gasped at what she saw. Foodstuffs were piled up in the middle. She felt a twisted pain in her heart at that.


    It was so easy for Lucian to find out this news. She had lied on his face about it. What would Lucian think about her stupid and naive lie?


    It would only increase the distance between the two of them.


    She thought that Lucian would never contact her again after severing their relationship. But to her surprise, the supermarket manager called her the next day to say that pregnant women shouldn''t work too much. He even terminated h


    o naive to think I have a free will. I''m more or less stuck as Lucian."


    "Jonny, why do you keep mentioning him?" She didn''t mind talking about Lucian, but she could feel that Jonny had another motive.


    "Amelia, happiness or sadness comes and goes like a season. So don''t worry, just take care of yourself." Jonny''s voice rang in Amelia''s ears just as she had opened the door of the car.


    Amelia gave him a confused glance and bid farewell to Jonny with a smile.


    A few days later, Amelia went out to look for a job. She had just given her ID card when they refused to take her interview. That was not the main point that irritated her. The reason they gave was ridiculous: her pregnancy.


    She stood in the square and frowned. Did she have a label "pregnant woman" on her forehead? It had been four weeks into the pregnancy, so her stomach was flat. Even sharp eyes wouldn''t tell that she was pregnant. How did they know?


    A realization dawned on her, making her frown deeper. It was Lucian again!


    She was so angry that she wanted to hit someone. In the end, she ended up calling Courtney. Before Amelia could even open her mouth, Courtney''s happy tone entered her ears. Courtney gossiped about the man she had mentioned before, and that she was in love with him.


    Amelia had to take long breaths to suppress her anger for Courtney''s sake. Now that Amelia was calm, she felt warmth in her heart after listening to Courtney''s words. Amelia ended up promising Courtney that they would meet after dealing with everything.

 Chapter 103 For The Babys Sake

    Amelia''s heart brimmed with joy when she heard the news about Courtney falling in love. It was a very delightful thing that it felt as though her heart shone in a shroud of mist.


    She believed that relationships give someone an opportunity to start anew. A good woman like Courtney deserved a new beginning. Amelia hoped that Courtney''s fortunate meeting with the man would no longer endanger her from the painful throes of heartbreak. She wished that this man would make Courtney feel safe and secured.


    Now it reminded her of her own situation. Amelia frowned. With the anguish in her heart, she couldn''t muster the will to give Lucian a call for the second time and ask him questions. The conflict between them would have made their relationship stronger if they gave it a chance.


    After a series of failures in her attempt to land on a job, Amelia thought of throwing in the towel with the job interviews left. She entertained the idea of possibly working in a flower shop or a bakeshop. It was honestly not so bad if one thought about it. After all, she wouldn''t have to work so much.


    No matter how much Lucian interfered with these business enterprises, he wouldn''t be able to pay much attention to them all. As a result, Amelia soon found a job.


    She got herself a position in a small milk tea shop. The interior was visually pleasing with all the potted succulents and wooden floor and furniture.


    As the shop clerk, she had responsibilities to deal with such as keeping the shop tidy and preparing desserts and milk tea for the customers.


    Her boss was a 40-year-old woman. If she didn''t mention her age, Amelia would have thought that she was in her early 30s. The way her boss dressed brought out the youth in her features.


    Her taste in clothing was cozy yet fashionably modern, like those in boutiques. She sported a neatly kept braid, and wore a lovely pleated floral skirt. Her smile brought out the glow of her beauty.


    Her name was Carlotta Xiong. Amelia thought her beautiful name suited to a woman as elegant as her.


    Throughout the day, Amelia spent most of the time learnin


    at Lucian''s face again. She missed him so much, and it crippled her with an empty void in her very being. A huge tide of yearning gushed into her heart. Her tears pooled delicately on her glossy eyes. They beaded at the corners of her lashes, threatening to fall off her blushing cheeks.


    Lucian was perceptive enough to read Amelia''s heartbroken expression. He knew Amelia for a good amount of time. He witnessed Amelia at her happiest and at her weakest. It was then Lucian suddenly felt sorry that she got caught into his mess.


    Before Amelia could say anything, Lucian strode toward her and pulled her into his arms. Then he planted a deep kiss on her soft delicate lips.


    The kiss made him feel steady and anchored. It felt like home. He truly, agonizingly missed her.


    Lucian slammed the door shut and pressed Amelia against it. While kissing her, he tenderly reached out to her slim waist to keep her in place. The entire situation was disconcerting. But if both hearts were beating, reaffirming their quiet longing for each other, then it didn''t matter. Nothing else mattered.


    Lucian''s loving kisses lingered and they swept Amelia off her feet. She draped her arms around Lucian''s broad shoulders and moaned deeply into the kiss. Then at last, they broke off, and Amelia gasped for breath. Her lips glistened with a tender blush. Lucian loosened his grip on her and made a quick look at Amelia''s enticingly disheveled state. He smirked suspiciously at her.


    Before Amelia could lose to her senses, she pushed Lucian away. "Lucian, we divorced," she said in a firm tone as she glared daggers at him.


    She thought that reminding the man would knock him back to his senses.


    But she wasn''t aware that those words rattled Lucian''s broken heart. Those words re-ignited his urge to have her under his control. Despite everything, he wasn''t letting her go. He wasn''t taking "no" for an answer. He wanted Amelia to remember that she only belonged to him. If locking her up would put her in place, then he would do it.


    "So what? You are my woman!" he retorted strongly, sounding like a scoundrel.

 Chapter 104 She Gave Up Her Love

    Amelia was stunned for some time. When she finally snapped back to reality, she shook her head and glared at Lucian. "That was before. Not now, and definitely not in the future," she told him.


    Nothing would change the fact that the An Group saved the Zhan Group. Because of this, it went without question that Lucian would marry Shelly. There was no way that Amelia could bear to mess up their relationship. If she did, how different would she be from a home wrecker?


    Lucian looked deeply in Amelia''s eyes as he pretended to keep calm. "Do you really want your child be born without a father?" he finally asked.


    His question had definitely provoked the anger in Amelia''s heart. The last thing she wanted was for the baby to be brought up.


    Although she didn''t deny that Lucian was the baby''s father, she never thought about asking him for some support.


    Taking a deep breath, Amelia tried to calm her nerves. "He''s mine," she said through gritted teeth, "He has nothing to do with you."


    There was so much strength in Amelia''s voice that it was quite obvious she was not going to change her mind any time soon.


    Meanwhile, Lucian understood the underlying meaning in Amelia''s words -- she was making a cold remark that was based on their relationship.


    "But the child is also mine! You can''t just cut me off like that just because you say so," Lucian glowered coldly.


    For a while, the two just stared each other down, pain and anger in their eyes.


    Finally, Amelia spoke up. "If you really insist on being associated with this child," she said in a low voice, "You''ll leave me no other choice but to get an abortion."


    Maybe it was because of the amount of rage she felt or because it was wh


    English words, the man beamed at her. "I''ll have a glass of lemon black tea. Thank you," he said in fluent Chinese.


    "Y-yes, sir! Please wait for a moment..." Amelia''s eyes were wide open out of amazement. She did not expect that he would be able to speak Chinese so well.


    It was highly probable that Amelia''s English-speaking skills were even inferior to that of a junior high school student''s. During her English classes back in the days, she was always absent-minded and often didn''t know the answers to her exams.


    Amelia was definitely caught off guard when her first customer today was a foreigner. But after she heard the man speak Chinese, she couldn''t help but quietly breathe a sigh of relief.


    As she made the man''s order, she made sure that she was especially careful and precise. She followed the steps as diligently as she could. After a few minutes, she was able to make some lemon black tea without any trouble whatsoever.


    She took it over to the man and was about to speak to him in English, but the words seemed to get stuck on her tongue. "Please enjoy," she said to him in Chinese, flushing deeply and quickly walking away.


    The foreigner smiled at her, and took a sip of the drink that she had just made.


    Amelia was back at the counter. She was hurriedly looking for a next song to play that the man might be familiar with. ''Maybe he''ll have a better time here if he hears a song from where he''s from,'' she thought to herself.


    When the music began, the man looked out the window and put his glass back down on the table. It was hard to tell what was on his mind, but judging from the look on his face, Amelia could only guess that he wasn''t averse to the song she had played.

 Chapter 105 Marry Him As Soon As Possible

    This was Amelia''s first day of work. Needless to say, she was both nervous and excited when her first customer came in.


    She was told that she could give pastries to customers if she wasn''t busy so she decided to make a tiramisu. When she served it to her customer who seemed like a foreigner, the foreigner seemed surprised. The foreigner then smiled and gave her a thumbs up.


    "This is my first day of work here and you''re my first ever customer. I hope I served you well today!" Amelia said shyly.


    "Your tiramisu is very delicious. I''ll be sure to remember you." The foreigner kept complimenting the tiramisu Amelia made.


    "Thank you so much for your patronage. We hope you come back soon," Amelia said politely.


    She wasn''t as nervous anymore now that she was able to serve a customer well. When evening rolled in, several couples came in. Thankfully, their orders were her specialties so she didn''t panic and didn''t keep the customers waiting.


    It was a weekday so she had about less than ten customers that day.


    Around ten, Amelia had just finished cleaning and was getting ready to leave. The minute she locked the door, her phone buzzed.


    It was a message from an unsaved number. The message however did introduce Shelly as the sender. Shelly was asking if she was free the following day and if she could meet up with Amelia.


    Amelia wanted to come home first before she replied. However, just as she was crossing the road, her phone started ringing.


    nd looked up at the dark sky. For a moment, she had forgotten about that horrible phone call with Shelly.


    After getting ready for bed, Amelia checked her phone then she checked the calendar and noticed the date¡ªit was Vernon''s 50th birthday tomorrow.


    Ever since the divorce from Lucian, Amelia hadn''t been able to talk to Vernon much. Once, she thought of calling him to ask him how he was but eventually, she decided against it.


    The next morning, Amelia went to the pastry room and ordered a birthday cake. Despite her hesitance, she knew that it was still her responsibility as a daughter to visit her father on his birthday.


    If she took a taxi, it would be quite expensive so she decided to take a bus instead. It was going to take her 40 minutes but she felt uneasy as she had so many things on her mind.


    When she got off at the bus stop, she hailed a taxi to the Mo mansion.


    Amelia wanted to go back to work before 2 pm so she made sure to hurry¡ªshe arrived at the Mo mansion at 9:30 in the morning.


    Lucian had hired a servant for the Mo family. When Amelia arrived, the servant was busy cleaning the house. As soon as she caught sight of Amelia, she rushed towards her and said in a cheerful voice, "Miss Amelia, it''s been a while since we last saw you! Come in, come in!"


    Amelia smiled in response. When she walked past the garden, she couldn''t help but notice how beautiful the flowers had blossomed into¡ªthey danced gracefully along with the wind.

 Chapter 106 A Father-and-Daughter Relationship

    Amelia couldn''t explain her feelings as she entered the Mo mansion. She hadn''t been back in that house since she started renting a room at Mrs. Chen''s. The place felt very familiar as it was where she spent her childhood, and yet it had also felt strange since she lost Iris.


    Amelia took Iris'' photo with her when she left SJ Garden.


    Coming back, she thought that Mo mansion had changed so much and only the memories of the past felt the same.


    The servant greeted her and told her that Vernon was in his study. Sophia had been living with Yolanda. She would come back every other day and would always leave in a hurry. Vernon would tend to the garden or read books in the study when he had free time.


    Amelia felt at ease knowing that Sophia and Yolanda weren''t there. She was glad to have found reprieve from their sarcastic and scathing remarks.


    She set the cake down on the table and went upstairs to the study. She heard Vernon''s voice respond to her knock. Opening the door, she found him sitting by his desk with a cigarette in his hand. When Amelia entered the room, Vernon quickly stood up and snuffed the cigarette on a nearby ashtray. He had a wry smile on, but his tone sounded concerned as he greeted his daughter, "I haven''t seen you in a while. How are you, Amelia?"


    He felt a bit strange to Amelia but warm.


    Amelia only nodded to acknowledge Vernon''s welcome. She didn''t think to say anything.


    Vernon''s face fell as he looked at Amelia. Worried,


    ts. She didn''t want her resentment to hurt any hope of having a better relationship with her father. Regardless of the past, she wanted nothing more than to be in good and peaceful terms with Vernon.


    Amelia had entered the kitchen when she heard Yolanda''s voice coming from the living room. When their eyes met, she was surprised to see the heavily pregnant Yolanda, but she merely walked up to her with a smile. "I heard you''ll give birth in two months."


    Yolanda''s face instantly went sour as soon as she saw Amelia. She glared at her with sharp eyes. "Why are you here? Is Mrs. Amelia no longer allowed at the Zhan mansion? Did she come crawling back to the Mo family?"


    Amelia had anticipated Yolanda''s hurtful words. Still maintaining her smile, she replied, "I''m a member of the Mo family, Yolanda. This is my home."


    Amelia had no intention of arguing with Yolanda, but the latter took her response as provocation. Her face darkened before answering, "I''ve always thought of you as a simple and unsophisticated woman, Amelia. I never thought that you''d abandon Lucian just as Zhan Group was falling down on hard times. And you actually went to Jonny! You truly are despicable. You deserve every hardship that comes your way."


    Amelia pretended to yawn. She no longer cared about Yolanda''s hurtful words. Calmly, she told her, "Today''s my father''s birthday. I don''t want any trouble so please step out of the way. If you do, I just might still think of us as family."

 Chapter 107 A Victim In The Marriage

    "Don''t be so hypocritical, Amelia. It was only a coincidence that you ended up marrying Lucian. You were so cocky, thinking that we were beneath you. Look at you now¨Cyou''re left with nothing. You think you can just come running back to us and start treating us again like your family as if nothing happened? Shame on you!" Yolanda had to restrain herself. Then she snorted and added sarcastically, "You thought you were so much better than everyone else just because you married into Zhan family. When in reality, you''re nothing but a mistress."


    The look on Amelia''s face shifted. She wanted to fight back as she didn''t expect that Yolanda would attack her like this. With a cold look on her face, she said snidely, "Aren''t you exactly the same way? Don''t you like eating other people''s leftovers?"


    Amelia knew that Yolanda would definitely grab this chance to talk back at her. She wasn''t going to let it happen anymore¡ªshe was carrying a child and this was just not healthy for her. She didn''t want her child growing up with all these kinds of negativity. So no matter what, she was going to fight back. She wasn''t going to let Yolanda step all over her anymore.


    Upon hearing this, Yolanda glowered at her. Snidely, she said, "Well, you and Jasper didn''t even sleep together and you really consider Jasper as your leftovers?"


    Amelia was taken aback at this. She didn''t expect that Yolanda would go thi


    that you''ve found a new job?" Lucian asked as he drove.


    When he spoke, his tone was indifferent. Amelia felt a twinge in her heart upon detecting the coldness in his voice.


    Even then, she knew he was only concerned about her. She fixed her gaze at him.


    "Looks like you have a reliable source of information," she replied with a little sarcasm. Then, sneering, she said, "Lucian, you know I don''t keep secrets from you."


    At that moment, Amelia''s words rung in the air.


    Upon hearing this, Lucian felt a sadness overcome his heart. He said, "I don''t understand why you want to hide anything from me in the first place."


    She didn''t ask him for any compensation in their divorce agreement and she still hadn''t told him that she was pregnant with his child.


    As much as Lucian wanted to talk about everything, they couldn''t because Amelia seemed unwilling to.


    He understood what she was worried about and he felt sorry for her but it''s not like he could do anything about it.


    "Why should I keep you updated? I don''t see what''s wrong with keeping a low profile." She turned her face towards the car window and decided to focus on the scenery outside, her eyes following the sunlight.


    Lucian''s lips twitched. After a while, he said, "Amelia, if your goal was to save the Zhan Group by sacrificing our marriage, you should know that I''m not going to thank you. If anything, I''ll even blame you."

 Chapter 108 I Wont Lay A Hand On A Woman

    Amelia sat dumbfounded at Lucian''s words. She had no words to retort against him.


    "It''s no secret that you are in love with me, so why do you insist on being indifferent?" The car came to a halt at the side of the road. Amelia''s shock doubled as she felt it stop. From his seat, Lucian turned sideways, reaching out to touch Amelia''s reddened cheek with his fingers.


    There was a tingling sensation where his gentle touch landed on her skin. Amelia held her breath, her body stiffening as she willed her wild heartbeat to calm itself.


    The next moment, cold lips covered her own. Amelia instinctively resisted from shock, but the car provided little space for her refusal. There was no room for her to escape. Lucian was holding her forcefully, and her senses drowned in the heat of his lips in the cramped space. Every caress tore at her defiance, and before she knew it, she had surrendered¡ª swept away in the tidal currents of his touch.


    The spell broke at the sound of a knock on the car window. Reluctantly, Lucian loosened his hold around Amelia. Her eyes were blown wide as she breathed in deep gulps of air. The persistent rapping had not stopped, and she whirled around to the source of the sound. Sophia was there, rapping at the window violently with her palm as she wore an angry expression on her face.


    "Stay here. I''ll go out to have a look," Lucian said, planting a soft kiss on Amelia''s forehead.


    He got out of the car before Amelia could say anything, closing the door behind him and walking towards Sophia.


    Amelia watched him as he made his way towards her. She didn''t


    moment of unspoken words that were even more painful with the silence.


    His name. She could only whisper it in the middle of the night, in the intimacy of memory or her dreams. Only in those few hours could she love him without guilt.


    All too quickly, they had arrived at the place where Amelia worked. She was surprised that he knew where she worked, but once again, she decided not to ask.


    He was Lucian. If he wanted to know something, he would.


    He had told her this before.


    Amelia stepped out of the car, away from the longing that enveloped it. "Thank you," she said politely, determined to once again face reality and establish their distance. He held her gaze, his eyes unreadable.


    She had thought that he would drive away once she got down, but to her surprise, he followed her out of the car with a grin on his face. She stood in confusion as he walked to the door of the store. "Since you''re so thankful for me driving you here, pay me back with a seat in your shop," he said.


    Amelia''s brows furrowed. Pointing at the door of the store, she lied, "I don''t have the key."


    Lucian raised his eyebrows and looked around. His eyes stopped at a restaurant behind Amelia and said in a relaxed tone, "It''s almost lunch time now. We haven''t eaten yet. How about we go out for lunch together?"


    Looking at him, Amelia knew she would have no choice but to accept his invitation. Either that, or he would keep pestering her the entire day.


    He was the lesser evil. "All right," she gave in and opened the door.


    Lucian watched her enter the store, a victorious smile on his lips.

 Chapter 109 The Relationship Between Ex-husband And Ex-wife

    Amelia didn''t want anything to do with Lucian anymore, but she couldn''t help herself but fall for his gentle demeanor. She felt like there was no escape in this senseless struggle.


    Lucian looked around with a blank expression on his face, but his eyes were clear. The anger that he felt earlier seemed to have disappeared.


    "We only have cakes and pastries to eat here. If you''re hungry, you can have lunch in the building opposite of here. They sell meals over there," Amelia stated out of nowhere. She thought he might be hungry. She couldn''t help herself to care for Lucian.


    Upon seeing her caring nature once again, Lucian joyfully smiled. He looked at the clock and said, "There''s still an hour left before you go back to work. We still have enough time to go out and eat lunch together."


    Not only did Lucian know where Amelia worked, but he also knew her daily schedule.


    "You can go ahead and eat. I still need to clean up here," Amelia replied.


    "Let me help you then," Lucian offered. Lucian suddenly snatched the rag from Amelia''s hand and immediately started to wipe the table.


    Amelia was shocked by what he did. She wondered why Lucian would do such a thing.


    "Aren''t you busy with your family business, Mr. Lucian?" Amelia woefully asked with a frown on her face.


    "You traded our marriage for the Zhan Group. Of course, I''m busy." Lucian blurted out those words, but quickly realized that he shouldn''t have.


    Lucian thought that saying those kinds of things would only make the burden that Amelia was carrying, much more heavier. He felt extremely regretful.


    Hearing Lucian''s words left Amelia speechless. It made her remember the inexplicable grievances that she tried so hard to for


    up with a hairpin. She looked simple but elegant.


    "Good afternoon, please take a seat," Amelia uttered. Carlotta looked at Lucian with a gentle smile on her face.


    "Uh..." Amelia didn''t know what to tell Carlotta.


    "Hello, I''m Amelia''s ex-husband. Your store looks wonderful and has quite a unique style. I''m sure a lot of customers usually love to spend their time here." Lucian calmly introduced himself.


    "Ex-husband?" Carlotta repeated in disbelief. Carlotta thought that Lucian seemed quite sly for immediately changing the topic after introducing himself as Amelia''s ex-husband.


    She raised her eyebrows and looked to Amelia to confirm if it was true.


    Full of embarrassment from what he said, Amelia glared at Lucian.


    "Well then, thank you for coming to One Meter Sunshine!" Carlotta joyfully said and reached out her hand.


    Lucian shook hands with Carlotta and thanked her for warmly welcoming him. He then turned to look at Amelia and asked softly, "Miss Carlotta, can I also shake hands with Miss Amelia?"


    Although it was quite a polite request, Amelia sensed that Lucian had other motives with that.


    She was worried about what Lucian might try to do. She was in no mood to be teased right now.


    In a moment''s hesitation, she immediately felt Lucian''s warm large hands grab her own. She then looked up and suddenly met Lucian''s loving gaze. Her heart was up in knots. Her nervousness made it hard for her to breath.


    "Ahem, if you two continue to be some love birds, I might have to go and visit the other branches first," Carlotta teasingly said. Carlotta then walked out of the shop and left on her bicycle.


    "Carlotta!" Amelia shouted, but Carlotta was already too far to hear her.

 Chapter 110 Seeking Justice

    Feeling embarrassed, Amelia let her eyes wander around, not daring to look back at Lucian.


    The soft music continued to play in the background. The two of them did not share another word with each other. Amelia was busy tending to her own business. Meanwhile, Lucian was just quietly sitting on his chair, finishing up the cake that was on his plate.


    A moment later, Lucian''s phone rang. After giving a quick glance at the screen, he stood up and smiled at Amelia. "Take care of yourself. I''ll come back tomorrow," he said.


    "Mr. Lucian, please cherish the people you have in your life," Amelia said without hesitation.


    With an even wider smile, Lucian walked up to Amelia and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Of course I will."


    "What? No... I''m sorry. I was talking about Miss Shelly. She really loves you," she hurriedly corrected, taking a step back from Lucian.


    Hearing this, Lucian''s face darkened, his eyes completely fixated on Amelia. "I can''t think about anyone else but you," he said in a clear voice, "I love you, and I know that you feel the same way. You can''t lead me to believe otherwise."


    When Amelia had spoken up, she was expecting that her relationship with Lucian would be less complicated. But it seemed as if they were just back to where they were before.


    Meanwhile, in the Zhan Group... Vernon had been waiting in the reception room for quite some time now. When he saw Lucian arrive, he stood up immediately and looked at his former son-in-law.


    "What can I do for you?" Lucian asked flatly, gesturing Vernon to sit down.


    There was an uneasy look in Vernon''s fa


    not an accident. He intended to slap Amelia, and actually didn''t regret doing so. It just so happened that he was now driven to a corner. At this moment, Jasper tried to sound as sincere as possible, even though he wasn''t speaking the truth.


    "A man should never hit a woman," Lucian said, gritting his teeth. Then, the corners of his lips curled up. "Eric, this man hit Amelia. I want you to give it back to him twice as much!"


    Jasper looked at Lucian in disbelief. Quickly, he turned to look at Vernon, as if to ask for some help or for him to intervene.


    But it seemed that Vernon looked just as helpless as he did. Vernon looked straight at Jasper''s eyes, as if he was pleading Jasper to just go through with it so that they could finally get what they wanted.


    Two men in black suit stepped towards Jasper, one on each side. In one quick movement, they raised their hands and hit Jasper''s face without a moment''s notice. Their hands fell hard on Jasper''s face. For a while, he was stunned into quiet. And then the pain quickly seared through his entire head.


    Groaning in pain, Jasper carefully touched his face, grimacing in pain. Both sides were completely swollen and the corner of his mouth was trickling with blood. Aside from the pain, Jasper felt immense anger towards Lucian. But since they still needed something from him, there was nothing he could do but swallow his emotions.


    "Mr. Lucian, Jasper has already paid the price. How about that deal we were talking about?" Regardless of the injury on Jasper''s face, Vernon was eager to know if Lucian would finally help them out.

 Chapter 111 A Married Man

    "Yes, Mr. Lucian. I already took the hit so you better fulfill your promise," Jasper said, his tone full of resentment and pain.


    Lucian''s calm look turned into a glare. Coldly he replied, "Is this how you respond when you''ve hurt others?"


    Jasper answered in a disapproving tone, "So what else would you have me do?"


    "Jasper, stop! Don''t say anything more," Vernon said in panic.


    Jasper tried his best to control his temper. Finally, he smirked and tried to flatter Lucian. "Well, you''re the big boss of the city. Whatever you wish will be done."


    "I asked them to slap you because of Amelia. You''ve done her something terrible and I wanted to even things out as her ex-husband. You have to apologize to her," Lucian said without any hint of expression.


    Jasper was having a hard time control his anger in front of Lucian. His face was beginning to turn red when he said, "You''ve already hit me. What else do you want? Why won''t you just let things go?"


    "Jasper, don''t..."


    "Dad! Why don''t you tell him the truth? The only reason I''ve been trying to put up with this guy is because of your stupid company!" Jasper shouted as he faced Vernon.


    Vernon''s face contorted into a mix of shame and fear. He slowly turned to Lucian and said, "Mr. Lucian, I hope you can help me for the sake of our family."


    Lu


    She struggled to break free from his embrace.


    She regretted not turning away once he saw him approaching. But she thought that it was better to stand there and wait for him than have him chase her.


    Lucian wouldn''t let her go despite her protests. The words out of his mouth went straight into her heart like bullets. Hearing him then dealt nothing but pain.


    She stopped resisting after realizing that it was useless to struggle. But when she spoke, her voice was like ice, "You make it impossible for me to live my own life. You''re pathetic and disgusting."


    Amelia was furious.


    Lucian''s face fell but he still wouldn''t let Amelia go. Stubbornly, he replied, "You can go ahead and live your life, but I''m not going anywhere. You can''t make me leave."


    Lucian did not mean to sound overbearing but Amelia thought his voice domineering.


    "I don''t want you in my life!" Amelia spoke through gritted teeth.


    Her words felt like barbed wire strangling Lucian''s heart.


    "You say that but you don''t mean it. I can''t do it, Amelia. My life is meaningless without you!" He almost shouted at her. The passion in his declaration made Amelia feel uneasy.


    She knew it was all her fault. Not once did he betray their love. So much guilt filled Amelia''s heart that she thought it best for Lucian to just give her up.

 Chapter 112 Dont Make A Fool Out Of Yourself

    Amelia didn''t know what to reply to Lucian. ''How do I get rid of this man!'' she thought, praying for divine intervention. After taking a deep breath, she decided that it was time to face him. Swiftly, she raised her head to look at him.


    The scene she saw scared her stiff and made her heart skip a beat. Right behind Lucian was Shelly, staring menacingly at her.


    "It''s late now. Let me send you back." Lucian told her, oblivious that Shelly was with them.


    After the initial shock had worn off, Amelia, who just came back to her senses, said in a very low voice, "Miss Shelly..." Her heart started beating incredibly fast and cold sweats began to appear on her forehead. It was as if her body was preparing her for the mess that was going to happen.


    Shelly stood hidden from the light. Despite that, Amelia could still clearly see the expression on her face¡ªcold, exasperated, dangerous. Even though Lucian was standing between them, she could still feel the sharpness of her glare.


    Lucian was able to quickly pick up the fear clouding Amelia''s eyes. Because of that, he turned his heads towards the place Amelia was staring at.


    "Lucian, you... How could you do this to me!" Shelly emerged from the darkness and into the light. Her eyes were already moist with tears as she pointed her fingers back and forth between Lucian and Amelia.


    "Miss Shelly, we are not..."


    "Shut up, Amelia!" Shelly shouted, her voice filled with anger and hurt. With her shaking hands she pointed at Lucian and Amelia''s interlocked hands, saying, "Did you really think that no one will notice that?"


    To appease the angry Shelly, Amelia quickly let go of Lucian''s hand. Unfortunately, that didn''t help the situation¡ªinstead, Shelly became more furious, it showed on her face.


    In contrast to an obviously panicking Amelia, Lucian looked very calm and collected. "Let me send you back first," he gently repeated, c


    your plan, Jasper. I know you only called me because you need me, nothing more, nothing less," she replied, annoyed. In the past, Jasper had easily influenced her, leading her to do anything he wanted. ''But in the end, I never got anything in return,'' she thought.


    ''Also, I think it''s best that we don''t have anything to do with each other now. I don''t have to pretend to find an excuse to reject him.''


    "But dad is sick! Come back quickly! Please!" Jasper said anxiously.


    This took Amelia by surprise. After a short silence, she asked quietly and seriously, "What? Father is sick? Where is he? Let me talk to him."


    Everything that had transpired between her and Jasper ruined her trust in him. She knew that he would do anything to make her do whatever he wanted.


    "Amelia," Vernon''s voice suddenly came through the phone. "Just... come here. I have something very important to tell you." Immediately after saying, he coughed incessantly.


    Amelia felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. Now, she had no choice but to go back.


    And since it wasn''t too late in the day, she decided to go back at that very moment to see what was going on.


    Every time she came back to the Mo mansion, she would be full of disappointed and go back home. But thinking of Vernon, she went back for safety.


    "Tell me your address, I''ll pick you up," Jasper said eagerly.


    "No, thanks. I''ll take a taxi instead." She didn''t want Jasper to know where she lived. It didn''t matter if he wouldn''t disturb her, he had no business knowing her address.


    After an hour, Amelia''s taxi arrived at the Mo family''s house. Jasper was already waiting for her at the mansion''s gates. He was wearing a colorful shirt, and upon seeing her get off the car, he immediately rushed to her. "Amelia!" he called out enthusiastically. "You''ve been sitting for a long time, haven''t you? You must be very tired. I''ll get your bags!"

 Chapter 113 A Family With Different Thoughts

    Amelia didn''t respond to Jasper. Instead, she merely glanced at what Jasper was wearing and wondered to herself, ''I thought he didn''t like wearing colorful clothes? What the hell is he wearing then?''


    This didn''t go unnoticed by Jasper. In response, he tugged at his shirt a bit, a look of disgust on his face as he said defensively, "This is expensive, you know and it''s very trendy right now. Yolanda personally chose this for me and I want to make her happy by wearing it."


    Amelia''s mouth twitched. She really didn''t care about Jasper''s fashion choices¡ªher concern was why he called her over in the first place.


    "When your wife picks out clothes for you, you should be grateful." Amelia smiled.


    The smile on Jasper''s face froze. He reminded Amelia in a low voice, "If Yolanda''s mom starts talking to you badly again, just ignore her."


    Jasper was being unusually kind to Amelia which made her confused. On the inside, she couldn''t help but snort to herself.


    As Amelia walked into the living room, the first person she saw was Sophia who was beaming at her enthusiastically. Sophia then greeted her warmly, "Amelia, I heard that you''d be coming so I cooked your favorite dishes today."


    At that moment, Amelia already figured that they needed something from her.


    This wasn''t how they normally treated her. On a regular day, they would glare at her and make snide comments. This sudden change made Amelia feel n


    "Dad, you''re not exactly in your best health. You shouldn''t be drinking too much." Her returning home was probably the happiest memory they all shared together. The more Amelia thought about it, the more upset she grew.


    "Amelia, let''s have a drink together." Sophia raised her glass of red wine, all the liquid swirling inside.


    Amelia smiled and raised her glass of milk.


    "I know I''ve said and done a lot of terrible things to you. I''m deeply sorry and I really hope you can forgive me. I hope we can be a real family from now on," Sophia said smoothly. After she spoke, she downed her red wine.


    Overwhelmed, Amelia bashfully took a sip from her milk. She couldn''t help but be moved at all of this¡ªSophia had never liked her and here she was apologizing to Amelia.


    "Amelia, I''d like to propose a toast to you too!" Jasper stood up immediately, holding his glass of red wine. In an apologetic tone, he spoke, "I, too, have wronged you in so many ways. I won''t even ask for your forgiveness because I know that''s a lot to ask of you. However, I genuinely wish you a happy life."


    Like Sophia, Jasper drank his wine after speaking. Amelia then took a sip of her milk too¡ªstill unable to shake off the nervousness she was feeling.


    She just didn''t know what to make of all these people who had never been kind to her suddenly ask for her forgiveness and want to start anew. Naturally, she felt curious and overwhelmed.

 Chapter 114 A Family Or Not

    Would they make peace with her before resorting to force?


    Amelia narrowed her eyes at her so-called family members. She was glad that she wasn''t drunk.


    "Amelia, even though I''m your elder sister, you''re more sensible than me. Let me give you a toast with a glass of milk. Please forgive me for whatever I did, and I hope we''ll call each other sister one day!" Yolanda raised her glass of milk and gulped it down.


    Amelia was stunned by Yolanda''s words. Her bewildered eyes gazed at the girl sitting in front of her for a long time.


    ''She tried to heal the grudge I had against her with just one sentence?'' Amelia thought, feeling indifferent to the scene, just like a stranger.


    "Don''t just sit there. Let''s eat." Vernon''s voice was stern when he snapped Amelia out of her daze. He asked the servant to help her in getting her bowl of food ready.


    Sophia ate the last bite of her meal and turned to Amelia. "Do you and Lucian plan to remarry?"


    Amelia''s fingers holding the chopsticks trembled. The dish fell onto the table. Her restless eyes closed, and she started taking deep breaths to calm her heart.


    "I don''t know." Her tone was cold, but she regretted answering the question. She should''ve ignored it.


    Jasper coughed to get everyone''s attention. "Let''s not dwell on such topics. Come on, cheers!" He raised his glass and swallowed his drink.


    In the CEO''s office of the Zhan Group, Lucian stood in front of the window with a hot cup of c


    a hesitated and looked at the car. It was the same that Lucian had gifted back then. Although she only drove it twice, she still remembered the model.


    "Miss Amelia, Mr. Lucian wanted me to pick you up." Frank patiently waited for her reply.


    ''Lucian?'' How did he know her whereabouts?


    Her curiosity spiked, but she couldn''t say anything. She just shrugged it off and got in the car.


    "Mrs. Amelia... Uh... Miss Amelia, it has been a long time. How are you doing?" Frank pursed his lips in embarrassment. He called her "Mrs. Amelia" out of habit.


    Amelia''s lips twitched, but she calmly replied, "I''m all right. Thank you."


    "Mr. Lucian was worried about you. That''s why he asked me to drive you back." Frank glanced at Amelia from the rearview mirror and turned back on the road.


    Amelia was indeed touched. But her face dropped the next second when she thought of the time she bumped into Shelly. A trace of guilt washed over her heart.


    "Thank you for the lift." Amelia bowed to thank him after getting out of the car.


    Frank smiled and shook his head. He turned around the car and drove away.


    "Wow! A free ride?" Carlotta''s lips curved up to form a playful smile. Her hands were clutching the handles of her bike, but her mind was focused on what Amelia was doing.


    Amelia turned around and glanced at the nosy Carlotta. ''She doesn''t look like a 40-year-old woman at all,'' Amelia wondered. Carlotta behaved as if she was as young as Amelia.

 Chapter 115 He Is Loving Her Silently

    "A former friend of mine gave me a ride when we met on the road," Amelia explained as her cheeks turned red.


    "It¡¯s a huge advantage when a woman has a gorgeous face. If he¡¯s still single, you could consider it!" Carlotta teased her on purpose.


    Amelia opened the door of the shop widely and invited her in.


    Seeing Amelia¡¯s actions, Carlotta could not stop herself from laughing. "You¡¯re so naughty."


    Prior to one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Amelia arrived in the shop. The moment she was about to clean up the bar counter, Carlotta suddenly asked her, "Amelia, was that handsome young man your ex-husband?"


    After hearing those words, Amelia¡¯s hand trembled when she held the glass. If she had not held it tightly, the glass probably turned into scattered broken pieces on the ground.


    In front of Carlotta, Lucian referred himself as "ex-husband". If Amelia denied she would be lying to Carlotta, so she just moved her head and nodded.


    After that, Carlotta stopped her hands from caring for the potted plants. Then she visited the bar counter and curiously asked, "How did you do that? Why are willing to divorce such a handsome husband?"


    Shocked by Carlotta¡¯s words, Amelia remained frozen. She could not even utter a single word.


    How did her heart manage to let go an excellent husband?


    "I am sure he is living the time of his life. He deserves to be happy," she answered uneasily, it felt like a stab in her heart.


    "But I saw it in your eyes, you really love him." Carlotta laid her eyes on Amelia, as if she could read her mind.


    Trying to avoid the conversation, Amelia touched her face and forced a smile. "That¡¯s what you see? I don¡¯t think so. Maybe you need glasses."


    Emptiness radiated in her eyes. She mocked herself for putting the act she made.


    "I experienced


    have the same fate with her when Nancy shared happiness with her.


    "Nancy, cherish your own happiness. I wish you all the best," she said. Despite her worries, she still encouraged Nancy. After all, every love had a different twist and turns. There was never an identical love story, the level of happiness and sorrow varied. From the look of Nancy, she felt a strong sense of contentment.


    After saying farewell to Nancy, Amelia went back to the house. The instance she saw the lights on the yard were on, she was delighted.


    When Mrs. Chen knew that Amelia got off work late at night, she specially left a lamp in the courtyard for her. The moment she opened the door and saw the light, her heart was warmed.


    After hearing the door opened, Mrs. Chen walked out and kindly said, "Amelia, you''re home. I prepared some porridge for you. Please come and have some."


    "Mrs. Chen, it''s late. Why are you still awake? You should be resting now." Amelia followed Mrs. Chen and saw her holding a bowl of steaming porridge from the kitchen.


    Carefully, Amelia took the bowl over with both hands. Moved by the situation, she was unable to speak.


    "I hope you¡¯ll enjoy the food. You should pay more attention to your nutrition during your pregnancy. Always think about the baby in your belly," Mrs. Chen said seriously.


    At that moment, Amelia couldn''t help touching her belly. She nodded and finished her porridge.


    "You¡¯re going to be a good mom." Seeing that Amelia ate up all the porridge, Mrs. Chen smiled with ease.


    "I am beyond grateful to you, Mrs. Chen," Amelia said. Amelia always felt she was blessed to meet so many nice people.


    "My silly girl, stop being formal with me. After you move in my house, I find the life so interesting," Mrs. Chen replied then a curve formed on her lips.

 Chapter 116 Courtney Bought The Milk Tea Shop

    After a long chat with Mrs. Chen, Amelia returned to her room and washed up. Apparently, they had talked the whole night for it was already midnight.


    Amelia had meant to call Courtney to ask if she had some money to spare. However, realizing that it wasn''t a small amount she needed, she thought better of it.


    Nonetheless, she received a call from Courtney, who was inviting her out for a meal.


    "Aren''t the weekends a good time for making money? Why are you asking me out?" Courtney''s shop was full on weekends, and Amelia had no intention of taking her time or being in her way.


    "We haven''t seen each other for days, and I miss my godson!" Courtney said eagerly over the phone.


    "You can see only me, though," Amelia replied coldly.


    "Alright, alright. I don''t have time to argue with you. Open the door. I''m right outside!" Courtney urged impatiently on the other end of the line.


    "Really?" Amelia opened the door and found Courtney standing there, carrying bags of various sizes.


    Upon seeing Amelia, Courtney seemed like she had finally found someone who could free her from all her suffering. She took a deep breath and said, "Come on! Take me inside!"


    As Amelia took her bags from Courtney, she saw her turn around and stagger toward more luggage near the ancient tree.


    Confused, Amelia asked, "Are you moving?"


    Her friend not only had many bags in her hands and arms. She now pushed a large suitcase as well.


    "That''s right. I''ve brought my luggage here!" Courtney explained as she pushed the suitcase into the room.


    Amelia murmured something. She quick


    .


    "What good are you? You can''t even attract a man!" Edmund yelled as he pointed a finger at Shelly. In his fury, he threw a pile of documents onto the ground.


    Shelly was so frightened that she trembled all over. Sobbing bitterly, she said, "Dad knows that Lucian isn''t attracted to me. No matter how hard I try, he still loves Amelia!"


    Upon hearing that name, Edmund grew red with rage. He paced back and forth in the living room. He barked, "Imagine! That ordinary-looking woman won Lucian''s heart!"


    "Not only Lucian. My brother, too, is completely fascinated by her!" Shelly confessed. She wiped the tears off of her face and had stopped sobbing. "My brother has always been at odds with you. He said he didn''t care about An Group''s property, but now, because of that immoral woman, he might be determined to pursue the An Group!"


    Edmund, who was paranoid and insecure, had often been worried about his family. He had always been deeply affected by what people thought about An Group. Hearing what Shelly had just said, he was overcome with anxiety. Frowning, he said, "If Jonny wants to be an ungrateful bastard, then let him be. I''ll no longer care about our father-and-son relationship!"


    Shelly had seen Edmund lose his temper more than once in the previous years. She had seen it in the way he beat Emma. He was so horrible that she didn''t even dare to breathe now. Whenever she came face-to-face with him, she echoed almost every word he said. It was almost as if she wanted to share his anger and his thoughts so that she could finally have her place in the An family.

 Chapter 117 I Am Your Wife

    It was a quiet evening at SJ Garden. Shelly was wearing a beautiful, pink dress adorned with intricate lace. For the past half hour, she had been busy arranging a candlelight dinner for her and Lucian.


    "Lily, get me the roses I had delivered from France!" she shouted, not looking up from the table.


    Lily was standing close by.


    There was something going in her mind as she stared coldly at Shelly.


    Looking up, Shelly noticed that Lily had not moved an inch. "Hey! Are you deaf? Do I need to tell you twice? Bring me the roses that came in today!" Shelly shouted impatiently, glaringly angrily at Lily.


    "Ah.. Y-yes, I''ll be right back!" Lilt stammered, finally coming back to her senses. Sighing begrudgingly to herself, she went downstairs to get the roses.


    Ever since Shelly moved in at SJ Garden, Lily was shouted at nearly every day. At some point, she already wanted to quit her job. However, Lucian had told her that he was working on getting Amelia back soon. That was enough reason for Lily to endure Shelly for the meantime and keep working at SJ Garden.


    Lily was not a complainer. Even though Shelly constantly scolded her, she did not want to tell Lucian about it. After all, Lucian was already busy and preoccupied with work.


    Since Shelly arrived, she had been sleeping in the guest room. With all her might, she tried to get closer to him -- calling him honey and generally being a loving wife. But no matter what she did, Lucian never smiled at her, nor did he respond to her with the same amount of endearment.


    Although the villa had gotten much livelier, it was really far from pleasant. ''It''s as if Shelly


    She was frightened by Lucian''s angry look and stepped back. When she leaned against the table, she looked at him in desperation. "Lucian, don''t get mad. You''re starting to scare me..."


    Lucian stood up and took his gaze away from Shelly. "Don''t ever try to fool me," he warned coldly.


    "Okay," Shelly meekly replied. With that, Lucian started to head upstairs.


    Suddenly, she remembered of the candlelight dinner she had prepared. Hope was rekindled on Shelly''s heart. Pushing Lily aside, she quickly ran upstairs with Lucian.


    When Lucian opened the door to the bedroom, he was shocked to see all the things Shelly had prepared. After a short while, a wave of anger suddenly rushed through him.


    "Lucian, do you like it?" Shelly stepped forward and shook Lucian''s arm like a spoiled child. She didn''t notice the anger on Lucian''s face at all.


    "You have ten minutes to clean all of this up," Lucian said through his teeth.


    "What..." Shelly stammered, her face falling. "I spent the whole day on it," she said as she bit her lip, "If you don''t like it, it''s really fine by me. But how can you just ask me to throw it all away so easily?"


    In the past, she was naughty and self-willed and Lucian would tolerate her. But now, they were a couple and he should have been closer to her. However, he just looked down on her as if she was his enemy.


    "Fine. If you want to keep it that much, move it all to the guest room," Lucian frowned.


    The way he had been treating Shelly made her feel like a fool.


    "I''m your wife!" she yelled at him, "Don''t you feel a little bit of guilt whenever you asked me to go back to the guest room?"

 Chapter 118 Fight Against Edmund Together

    Today''s incident really had hurt her. She didn''t understand what wrong she did today. Every time she''d made an effort to win over his heart, he''d always let her down. And today it all went out of hand. He did not only not appreciate her efforts, but also got angry at her. It was really unbearable for her.


    "You should''ve been aware of the rejection you''d face when you wanted to marry me." Lucian''s cold voice cut through the silence.


    Her angry gaze shifted to Lucian as she yelled aloud, "Oh? Now it is my fault? If you''ve forgotten Lucian, it is you who have cheated on me for Amelia. You continued meeting her in secret even after gotten married to me." She gritted her teeth. "Now know this, Lucian. You can only be with her in secret for the rest of your life. Because even if I die, I would never ever give you divorce." Shelly bellowed before leaving the bedroom.


    After the door closed with a loud thud, Lucian''s anger subsided slightly. His restless eyes wandered around the room, observing everything that was arranged by Shelly. It even made him feel inexplicably irritable. How did he end up here! He sighed.


    Their families were in good terms with each other for many years, and to be honest, he had always treated Shelly like a little sister. Even if she was a little headstrong, he always behaved more tolerant of it. But now that they suddenly became a couple, it was beyond his acceptance. And as a result, his attitude towards her turned harsher.


    He summoned Lily and asked her to clean the bedroom.


    When Lily entered the room, she instantly realized what might have happened. She took a quick glance at Lucian and saw him smoking. He was half reclined on the sofa and staring blankly ahead of him. She didn''t interrupt him and immediately started cleaning the mess Shelly had made to create a romantic atmosphere.


    Lily seldom saw Lucian smoking. So, when she saw him smoking, she knew right away, he wasn''t in a good mood.


    After cleaning the room, she went dow


    hen the company is really making a decision!"


    "Mr. Jonny, if you are determined to take over the An Group, the An Group will reach the heights soon. And I''m sure about it. But if it''s still Edmund running the company, I''m afraid, tomorrow wouldn''t be any good. We can''t be sure."


    "Speaking of this, I have to apologize to Mr. Lucian. If my wife wasn''t greedy and didn''t demand a lot of fortune from me, I would have definitely helped the Zhan Group."


    "Yes, you''re right. We shouldn''t believe in what Edmund said. Since he seems to be gradually walking away from the shareholders, I''m sure he''ll understand soon how tough Mr. Lucian had been throughout."


    During the whole time, Lucian listened to all the statements the shareholders were making silently.


    Lucian was not that type of person who would go wild with excitement and lose his temper and reputation. He didn''t verbally show gratitude to these supported shareholders. He was sure that the An Group was not in a good condition now, even if the An Group was rich and powerful, once they lost connection from the shareholders, it would do no good to the development of the An Group.


    In addition to that, he had controlled a lot of Edmund''s crooked exchange records, including some dirty tricks he had applied to suppress the Zhan Group.


    "Come on, Lucian. Let''s have a drink." It was Jonny. Jonny, on the other hand, didn''t say anything the whole time. He had just listened to the rest. While the shareholders were toasting to each other, he raised his glass and smiled to Lucian meaningfully.


    After the meal was over, all the shareholders left. Only Lucian and Jonny were stayed behind in the deluxe room.


    Finally Jonny began talking to Lucian what he had intended to say for long. "Lucian, I absolutely know, the behaviors of those shareholders are disgusting, indeed. But as long as their target is Edmund, we have to greet them with a smile." Then Jonny took a sip of his wine while giving Lucian a cautious exchange.

 Chapter 119 But Your Friends Wife Is Off Limits

    Lucian had a faint smile on his face when he asked, "You''ve always been forthright. Tell me, why did you get yourself involved in this business conflict?"


    He was not one to place himself in complicated situations. If it weren''t for Nicholas'' poor health, Lucian wouldn''t have taken over Zhan Group. He found it difficult to understand how Jonny could do what he never wanted in the first place.


    "A desperate man will do anything," Jonny snorted before reaching for his drink. After quickly draining his glass of wine, he refilled it.


    Seeing his sad demeanor, Lucian took a few sips of wine and sighed. "If it weren''t for this, Amelia and I would probably still be together."


    "I can''t believe you''re still not over here. I haven''t seen her in a while. I guess that makes me a bad boyfriend." Jonny had never been good with alcohol but he kept on drinking. It wasn''t long until his cheeks went red and he felt himself a bit more drunk than he wanted to be.


    Lucian looked at him and smiled, "Let me drive you home."


    "Don''t be jealous, Lucian. I do like Amelia, but I respect you too much. I know that my friend''s wife is off limits." The alcohol felt like liquid courage to Jonny. He wouldn''t have said those words if he were sober. Even if he would end up on bad terms with Lucian, he would have still kept his pride.


    And if he couldn''t win Amelia''s heart, he could at least stand by her side as her boyfriend.


    Seeing Jonny struggling to stay on his chair, Lucian stood and propped him up. "You know you''re not a heavy drinker. Why did you drink so much?" he asked.


    That question took Lucian back to when he was in hi


    out business when Jonny saw Amelia''s name flashing on his phone screen. He threw Lucian a curious look before answering. Hearing Amelia''s worried voice in the other end of the line, he said, "Don''t worry, Amelia. Tell me where you are now."


    Lucian was stunned after hearing Jonny mention Amelia''s name. Restless, he stood up and asked, "What''s wrong with Amelia?"


    "She was crying and said that Carlotta was looking for Shelly..." Johnny didn''t fully comprehend what Amelia had said.


    "Can I borrow your car? I''m going to Amelia," Lucian grunted and hurriedly walked out of the room.


    Jonny was about to say more but Lucian had already left. Jonny could only shake his head, feeling lost.


    After sending Carlotta a message to not act impulsively, Amelia could do nothing but wait at the side of the road.


    Amelia had always thought of Carlotta as graceful and collected. But seeing her fuming made Amelia scared of what she could do to Shelly.


    "Get in the car, Amelia!" Lucian shouted once he''d stopped the car in front of her.


    Amelia was shocked to see Lucian. She was about to ask why he was there, but after remembering that the matter had something to do with Shelly, she immediately followed his words.


    "Mr. Lucian, I''m sorry..."


    "There''s nothing to apologize for. Let''s talk about this once we get to SJ Garden," Lucian calmly replied. He had already called Carlotta while driving to Amelia so he knew about what had happened. But seeing Amelia, he thought it best to pretend like he didn''t know anything.


    Amelia was busy trying to hide the wound in her hand that she didn''t see the concern in Lucian''s eyes.

 Chapter 120 Speak For Amelia

    Were they going back to the SJ Garden? Amelia was fidgeting her fingers nervously.


    She sat in Lucian''s car and kept glancing at him from the corner of her eyes. Her thoughts returned to the old days when both of them would go to work together.


    "Why are you so nervous? You can lean back and relax." Lucian cast her worried glance. It couldn''t be that Amelia was feeling uncomfortable because of her pregnancy, could it?


    "Okay," Amelia replied in a low voice and leaned against the seat. Her heart was beating fast because of nervousness.


    Lucian parked the car at the SJ Garden and got out without saying a word. Just as he opened the passenger door and took her hand, he noticed a reddish patch on the back of her hand. The injury seemed to be swollen.


    His face twisted in anger after seeing that.


    "Did you remove the entrance guard?" Amelia glanced at Lucian curiously when they passed the door without any hindrance.


    "Yes." Lucian nodded but didn''t say anything.


    Lucian had removed the guard ever since Shelly started living in the villa. It was not for her. Instead, he didn''t want the entrance guard to bother him every two or three days.


    Lucian and Amelia entered the villa one after the other. They heard a quarrel before they arrived in the living room.


    "You are wicked at such a young age. No wonder Lucian doesn''t give a damn about you!"


    "You bastard! If you were not Lucian''s friend, I wouldn''t have


    so self-absorbed that she forgot to ask Lucian to take her to the workplace. But the sad memories didn''t let a word come out of her mouth.


    "Your hand is injured. You should take leave from your work for some days." Lucian''s voice was oozing out of concern and affection. His eyes were locked at Amelia.


    Amelia felt her heart melted by his words.


    "Lucian''s right. If you want I can assist you in your work," Carlotta said to Amelia with a sympathetic look.


    How could Amelia ask for her help with her work? She looked at her hand, covered with ointment. A thought popped up her mind that the customers would find her hand unhygienic.


    Another thought came in her mind that Courtney had to celebrate her father''s birthday, so she wouldn''t mind if Amelia put on the closed sign on the shop''s door.


    "Thank you for dropping me here," Amelia said politely.


    "Have a good rest. I will come back to see you once I finish my work." Lucian''s concerned tone expressed more feelings than his face.


    Amelia parted her lips to speak something more, but Carlotta interrupted her, "You know, guys, I can''t help saying this. Amelia, you should get back with Lucian as soon as possible because you both love each other so much. I can see it is true love."


    "Miss. Carlotta, please take care of Amelia." He reluctantly ignored her words.


    Carlotta nodded and promised, "Don''t worry. No one will dare to bully Amelia as long as I''m alive."

 Chapter 121 Almost Shamed By Others

    Amelia blushed in embarrassment. She felt Lucian''s eyes on her before he left. When she looked up again, he was gone already.


    Afternoon had already come and the sun was up, giving her a bit of warmth.


    "Amelia, you don''t really have to push Lucian away because he genuinely loves you." Despite Carlotta not knowing the real reason behind Amelia and Lucian''s separation, she could tell how much Lucian loved Amelia based on his actions alone.


    "Carlotta, come in and have a seat!" Amelia decided to change the topic since she really wasn''t in the mood to talk about Lucian.


    "You should definitely rest at home first before going back to work," Carlotta said in a worried tone¡ªwisely taking the hint that Amelia wanted to change the topic already.


    Amelia couldn''t help but be moved at how concerned Carlotta was for her. Carlotta even went to find Shelly for revenge on her behalf. Carlotta was acting as if she was family to Amelia and that was very touching.


    Amelia agreed. She had intended to invite Carlotta inside the house but Carlotta still had to prepare for a meeting that afternoon.


    Perhaps it was the change in weather or her pregnancy but Amelia fell asleep as soon as she arrived home. When she woke up, it was already evening. She went to the living room only to find that the house was completely dark save for the dim lights that were turned on in the yard.


    It was already


    hing she could do now was hope that Lucian would show up soon.


    After getting the call from Amelia, Lucian quickly drove to her home.


    Just when he was a few turns away from Amelia''s place, he saw a sign for road rescue. Irritated, he made a turn and decided to change routes.


    With that, Lucian decided to call Amelia and make sure that she was still safe.


    He dialed the number but no one answered.


    This made him worry even more so he slammed his foot on the gas pedal, speeding off.


    Amelia wanted to answer her phone but the bearded man blocked her.


    "You stay quiet and get in bed! No one''s going to come rescue you tonight! You''re all mine!" The bearded man had shut off Amelia''s phone.


    Amelia felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her chest. As much as she wanted to fight back, she couldn''t because she had to think of the baby.


    The man threw her phone aside and approached Amelia, an evil smile on his face.


    "You keep still!" Amelia trembled with fear, her back sweating profusely.


    "Dinner''s served. Who could say no to a dish that''s already been served on the table?" The bearded man approached Amelia. In fear, Amelia tried to turn to the side but he had already pulled her into his arms. He whispered in her ear, "Well, aren''t you stubborn? I''m going to kill you if you move!"


    When he had finished speaking, he eyed Amelia maliciously, ready to pounce on her.

 Chapter 122 Dont Be Afraid, Im Here With You

    "Help!" Amelia screamed at the top of her lungs. There was despair in her voice and tears flowed freely down her soiled cheeks.


    Lucian''s car pulled over in front of the house. He got off right away and ran all the way to the house. The front gate was left ajar, obviously forced open with the door broken in half. A feeling of anxiety mixed with anger moved up his spine and to the base of his skull. He rushed into the house and immediately heard Amelia''s desperate cry for help. His adrenaline immediately flowed into every fiber of his muscles as he ran into Amelia''s room. He immediately saw the man who was forcing himself on Amelia. He grabbed the man by his shoulders, lifted him off the spot and threw him at the wall. The man''s back and head made a loud thudding sound as they collided with the wall with a powerful force.


    The bearded man groaned as he hit the wall. He was stunned by the force of Lucian''s attack. But Lucian was not done yet. He approached the dazed man and started to pepper him with blows. Rage completely took over Lucian. When the bearded man fell unconscious from the beating, Lucian bound the man with a rope and called Eric and told him of the situation.


    Amelia was so shocked with what happened that she curled up into a ball in one corner of the room. Tears flowed down her face like torrents of rain that brought burning pain to Lucian''s heart.


    Lucian approached her slowly so that she wouldn''t be startled and add to her distress. He then straightened her clothes. She stared blankly at a wall but she seemed to recognize Lucian. He gently lifted her up and then carried her out of the room.


    She was pale and her hair was a mess. Her eyes looked lifeless and dull. They just stared blankly forward into nothingness.


    "Don''t be afraid. I''m here with you now. Everything will be fine. It will all be okay..."


    Amelia rested on Lucian''s chest as he carried her out of her room. She felt his warmth with her ears as the thumping heartbeat of Lucian''s heart played a steady rhythm for her. She slowly stared up at Lucian''s handsome face and she immediately felt relieved and safe.


    mb, she would''ve probably fought her attacker off more aggressively.


    "Courtney, please stay here with Amelia. I have something I need to take care of." Lucian then bid both ladies farewell and went back to his room next door to prepare himself for his errands that day.


    Amelia felt disappointed when she heard that Lucian had to leave. But she did not betray a single ounce of what she felt and maintained her expressionless face and calm.


    "Courtney, shall we check out?" The hotel felt so luxurious to Amelia that she knew it must be expensive. She thought that since she was already feeling better, it was unnecessary to stay there and burn money.


    "Don''t worry about the hotel bill. Lucian is paying for it. Besides, we can''t go back to the yard just yet," Courtney explained and sighed slightly.


    Amelia suddenly looked confused. She turned to look at Courtney and asked, "Why can''t we go back? How is Mrs. Chen?"


    The bearded man broke the front door last night when he tried to rape her. Amelia wondered whether Mrs. Chen was frightened when she saw her attacker and what happened.


    Amelia suddenly felt guilty for what had happened last night. She felt that the trouble was all her fault.


    "Well, she''s good!" Courtney replied immediately. Courtney didn''t want to worry Amelia so she immediately changed the subject of their conversation. "By the way, my parents wanted us to visit them if you have the time. They want to cook something special just for you!"


    Amelia smiled broadly and then said, "Oh, thank you so much! So, they still remember me!"


    "You are my best friend, Amelia. They could never forget you!" Courtney declared confidently. She had a proud smile on her face as she spoke.


    But Amelia''s fear found its way back to her. "Is Mrs. Chen really okay?" Amelia asked in a worried tone.


    Her room was in quite a mess last night but Lucian took her to the hotel before she could clean it up.


    The landlady was old and couldn''t move around too much anymore. Amelia knew that she''d feel guilty and really bad if something untoward happened to Mrs. Chen because of the attack last night.

 Chapter 123 Bring Mrs. Amelia Home

    "Oh, sweet girl! Don''t you think it''s a little weird?" Knowing how she would react to the information, Lucian told Courtney to keep the truth from Amelia for the time being. But Courtney didn''t want to keep her friend in the dark and worry herself to death about her landlady. She swallowed before she said to her, "Well, promise me you won''t think too much about it, but there''s something you need to know about Mrs. Chen."


    "Mrs. Chen?" Amelia couldn''t believe what she just heard. Did something happen to her landlady?


    "Was she not at home?" Courtney didn''t wish to make Amelia recall the horrible events of last night, but she said nevertheless, "If it hadn''t been for this, I would have continued believing she was just as kind as you are!"


    Amelia couldn''t think of anything to say. She merely held herself and denied everything that Courtney spoke. Mrs. Chen had always been kind to her, she told herself.


    It was ten in the morning when Jonny came to see Amelia. Opening the door to her room, he could instantly tell that she was feeling down. Courtney went up to him to tell him what had happened.


    After learning everything from Courtney, Jonny dragged a chair and sat beside Amelia''s bed. With a friendly smile, he said to her, "I heard that Lucian saved a certain damsel last night."


    He joked, hoping to turn Amelia''s sour mood around.


    "Jonny!" Amelia didn''t even notice that Jonny had entered the room. After recovering from surprise, she acknowledged him with a nod.


    She bit her lip and didn''t dare say a word. Her eyes betrayed her anxiety. Jonny didn''t say anything for a while until he smiled and finally said, "Amelia, you''ll find plenty of other people to love and be friends with. Please


    here, Mr. Lucian," Lily said, jokingly sticking out her tongue.


    Lucian gave her an appreciative smile. "We''re so lucky to have you, Lily. You''ve been nothing but kind to us," Lucian couldn''t help but compliment her.


    Hearing his words, Lily laughed and replied, "I''m kind to you and Mrs. Amelia because you treat me very well. You don''t put on airs like other rich people."


    "It''s Amelia you should be thanking, really. It was she who hired you after all," Lucian reminded, glancing at Lily through the rear-view mirror. Lucian had been used to doing most things alone, requiring little to no service. The only reason he had thought to look for a maid was that he thought Amelia felt bored staying home all alone every time he was at work.


    "I should also be thanking you, Mr. Lucian. If you hadn''t married Mrs. Amelia, you''d never have hired me!" Lily said sweetly.


    Lucian and Lily conversed happily in the car until they reached the hotel driveway.


    Noticing that Lucian had no intention of getting out of the car, Lily asked, "Aren''t you coming up to see Mrs. Amelia?"


    "No. I''ll be picking her up tomorrow anyway. You two have a nice chat and enjoy yourselves." Amelia had already tried to avoid him earlier that day. Lucian knew that Amelia would be more at ease if he wasn''t there.


    "I understand, Mr. Lucian. Take care on your way back," Lily said as she stepped out of the car, and waved at him.


    Lucian only nodded and drove off.


    Amelia had a great day in her large room. There was TV to watch and books to read so it was impossible to get bored.


    Looking at the clock and noting the time, she wondered why Courtney had not yet arrived. She was about to call her friend when the doorbell rang.

 Chapter 124 The Opposite Attitude

    Amelia noticed the silhouette of a girl wearing purple outside her room. She thought it was Courtney so she rushed to open the door for her best friend. Amelia gasped in surprise. She was bewildered to see that it was Lily who stood there and waited for the door to be opened.


    "Hi, Miss Amelia. Were you asleep?" Lily asked when she noticed that Amelia was surprised to see her. She felt worried that she had disturbed her in some way. She was visibly embarrassed, and yet in her heart she was really happy to see Amelia again.


    "No, I wasn''t. Please, come inside." Amelia stepped aside so that Lily could get inside the room. She wondered if Lily had an urgent message for her.


    Lily entered Amelia''s room timidly. She turned around to Amelia and said in a soft tone of voice, "Miss Amelia, Mr. Lucian asked me to come and check on you." Amelia suspected that Lily''s visit had something to do with Lucian, but she wasn''t sure exactly what. She and Lucian hadn''t cleared the air between them after what happened, so Lily was meaning to do something about it.


    She motioned Lily to sit on the sofa then she briefly went to the kitchen to get some glasses and a pitcher of cold water. The anticipation of what Lily had to say made her heart race. Her hand trembled as she poured water into Lily''s glass. The memories that she had of her time with Lucian flooded her mind and the rush of strong emotions almost overwhelmed her.


    Lily noticed Amelia''s shaking hand so she gently took the pitcher from her with a smile and said, "Oh, Miss Amelia! Please let me pour water for the both of us." Amelia smiled back at her and nodded as she let the pitcher go. Lily took the pitcher with a steady hand and then noticed that the wound at the back of Amelia''s hand had not healed yet. She then poured water for both of them with a smile.


    Although she initially thought that it was Courtney who had visited her, Amelia was really happy to see Lily once more. Her visit felt like the visit of a sister and she felt relieved that she came.


    She suddenly felt so close and comfortable around Lily. She turned to Lily and then said just as she was putting the pitcher down to the table, "From now on, just call me Amelia." Amelia smiled broadly at her after speaking. The care and love in their eyes at that moment were exactly what sisters felt for each other.


    Lily understood why Amelia wanted it but she couldn''t find it in herself to agree to it. "I can''t agree to your reque


    pack more than she had expected.


    Lucian approached her quietly from behind. "Just put everything you need there and leave it. I will have Frank come over and pack it up for you," he suggested in a casual tone. He reached out and gently held her busy hands. She did not resist his advances. She could feel the love from Lucian''s touch and it made her weak. "I know how kind-hearted you are. And the true reason why you now feel disappointed and sad was because you treated the landlady as family. It''s OK, that''s perfectly normal to feel that way. Now, I want to do something that could make you feel better and put this unfortunate event behind you for good," said Lucian.


    "I''m just a little sad and disappointed regarding what happened," Amelia said as she nodded. She started to sob as she spoke.


    "While it''s normal to feel sad about what happened, it wouldn''t be a good idea to be too emotional right now. You''re pregnant. It''s not good for you and the baby to dwell on something like this," Lucian explained in the same gentle voice. Lucian''s words soothed her and comforted her. She felt her sorrow and worry faded away as she listened to him.


    Amelia stopped crying and wiped away her tears. She then asked Lucian to just let it go.


    She knew Lucian well and she knew that he would not stop investigating the matter and would even take it to court.


    "I already paid for the debt that she owed, but she has to apologize to you. Her actions made it possible for you to get hurt in this incident," he said to her as he rubbed her shoulders to make her feel comfortable. Amelia noticed that Lucian still looked depressed and angry about the incident.


    "I wonder where they took that wretched man?" she asked. The memory of the bearded man made Amelia shiver and made her heart beat faster.


    "When I see him again, I will eat him alive!" Lucian said angrily slamming his fist against his open palm.


    Amelia thought that he looked childish and it made her want to laugh but she decided to hold her laughter back and smiled instead. She agreed that her attacker needed to be taught a lesson.


    "Don''t worry, I have people who would make sure that he rots in jail. And there are people in jail who are waiting to teach him a lesson or two," Lucian declared coldly.


    Lucian''s sudden seriousness chased Amelia''s smile away.


    "What about the man behind the curtain?" Amelia wondered who could be so cruel and wicked to frame her using such a despicable method.

 Chapter 125 Forgive Her

    His eyes were dark as an abyss. Fury was written all over his face. He pursed his thin lips and squeezed out a few words in an angry tone. "Edmund has gone overboard! Fine, this time, I''ll return the favor." Edmund had crossed the line this time, and Lucian couldn''t stand it anymore.


    It would''ve been fine if Edmund resorted to tricks of the business world to make Lucian suffer. Edmund had instead used despicable means to hurt Amelia.


    Amelia was confused. Wasn''t Edmund Jonny''s father? Why did he do that? A trace of worry could be seen on her face.


    "He was trying to suppress me by hurting you. You were never his target." Lucian''s face darkened, and the anger on his face only increased.


    Amelia''s eyebrows furrowed. How could she understand the complications of business? She looked at his angry face and decided to comfort him. "Well, maybe he just wants to take care of his daughter in the best way possible."


    She bit her lips, regretting her words. How could she say something like that knowing how uncomfortable this topic was for Lucian? After seeing Lucian''s cold glance, she lowered her head in embarrassment.


    Amelia didn''t know what to say.


    "Edmund has never been a good father. He used his own daughter to get to me. All he thinks about is to defeat his enemies! He doesn''t even think of his daughter." Muscles on Lucian''s face tightened and twisted to show disdainful expression. He had been holding a grudge against Edmund ever since the Zhan Group fell into crisis.


    "So, Shelly was also his victim." Ame


    man. Mrs. Chen never complained about her debts. Instead, she would always focus on Amelia''s comfort.


    Her love for her husband gave her the courage to stand straight in the adversities of life.


    Love and kindness had the power to overcome the hardship.


    "It was the least I could do." Lucian smiled lightly, concealing his inner thoughts. He hadn''t told Amelia that his heart was moved by that old woman''s dedication to her husband.


    He wasn''t a savior, but if he could help someone, that''s worth it.


    "You did a great job!" She gazed at him with a smiling face, impressed by his actions.


    Lucian grinned, and joy glinted in his eyes. It was indeed worth the efforts. There was nothing better than hearing his beloved''s words full of praise for him. He licked his lips in anticipation. This was the right time to ask her. "I have a vacant house in the south of the city. You can move there for a few days."


    He couldn''t find the right way to tell her the truth. But after his blunt words came out of his mouth without hesitation, he felt a little worried. After all, he knew Amelia well.


    "Now, Mr. Lucian wants to support his ex-wife." She glared at him.


    Lucian froze, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "It''s not safe to live in the courtyard. Plus, you don''t want to see the guilt on Mrs. Chen''s face every day, do you?"


    Amelia narrowed her eyes at Lucian. She had indeed noticed a little change in his expressions. Even though his eyes held a hint of anger, his tone was gentle as if he was coaxing an angry child.

 Chapter 126 A Handsome Man

    "Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Lucian. But I really don''t need it." He was her ex-husband and she knew that if they became close to each other, society would judge them harshly. And if they did become close, what would happen to Shelly? Being the second wife, did that make her the third party?


    Lucian''s disappointment pushed him back to his cold persona that she had not seen for a long time. His gentle and handsome face had melted away to his familiar detached composure. He still looked handsome but anyone who knew him for a long time would see the subtle differences in his countenance. He was not aware that it took all of her strength of will to maintain a certain distance between them; resisting all of his charms that made her weak. It was even harder than the time when she had to write the divorce agreement; something that she had to do because she had no other choice left.


    Lucian was a man who never believed in love nor marriage. He ignored women who admired him and treated them with indifference before he met Amelia. But after he fell in love with her, he started to change himself little by little. He didn''t want his usual cold and withdrawn self to hurt her in any way.


    The crisis that shook the Zhan Group left him feeling guilty with what happened to Amelia. It made him think that he was a failure as a husband. He couldn''t even keep their marriage. When he found out that Amelia was pregnant, he felt that God gave him another chance to make up for his failures. He therefore promised himself that he would never allow Amelia and her baby to suffer because of his losses.


    Lucian never wanted forcing Amelia to accept his decisions. He was determined to find another way to convince her to accept his offer.


    The aged landlady had to be confined to the hospital as ordered by the doctor. Thus, Amelia still lived in the courtyard. She made sure to go to the hospital to deliver her meal on time every day.


    It had been a week since they last saw each other so Amelia decided to call Courtney. Courtney told her that she was at the store during daytime and went back to the Lin family in the ev


    shes," he replied back lightly.


    Amelia didn''t know if she should laugh or cry. She came out from the back of the counter and started to serve desserts for the group of girls. She was surprised with what they told her, "Thank you for letting us enjoy looking at the handsome man for free. We will definitely visit again tomorrow!"


    The milk tea shop wasn''t big and Lucian heard what the girls said. When they left, he complained to Amelia, "So I am nothing but an exhibit."


    Although he felt depressed and a little tired, a sly smile crossed his lips. He looked straight at Amelia and made a peculiar face that seemed to boast in front of her. She thought to herself that his face was silently telling her, ''Yes, I am the most handsome man in the world. Stare at me and enjoy it!''


    "What are you thinking now?" Lucian asked as he stared at Amelia. She remained motionless as if a spell paralyzed her entire body. Lucian slowly walked towards her and waved a hand in front of her eyes.


    Amelia then seemed to spring back to consciousness and stared at him. She suddenly felt embarrassed.


    "Nothing important. Thank you for all your help..." She knew that if Lucian didn''t came and helped out, she would''ve been so exhausted. She also doubted that she would''ve been able to provide a very good service to the customers if she became exhausted early.


    Lucian''s face suddenly darkened with disappointment. He was not happy with the way that Amelia was too polite to him.


    "I suggest that you close the shop early. You should not stay up late since you''re a pregnant woman," Lucian suggested strongly but with an obvious tone of concern.


    "There are still more than three hours before the scheduled closing hour of the shop," Amelia replied in a slightly stubborn and childish tone.


    Lucian didn''t say anything. He was slightly frustrated that he couldn''t make her do anything. He took out his phone and made a phone call to Eric. A short time later, Eric arrived with a package with him when he entered the shop. "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian asked me to prepare food for you. Please eat them right away while they''re still hot."

 Chapter 127 To Give Her And The Baby A Surprise

    She was so busy that she didn''t even have the time to have dinner. When she saw Lucian open the food box, a feeling of warmth coursed through her heart. This made her stomach grumble so she walked towards Lucian and looked through the food in the box.


    "I haven''t had dinner either. We can have dinner together." He just wanted to have a meal with Amelia without all the guilt. For just a while, he wanted to be with her and be happy.


    After dinner, Lucian and Eric sat at their seats outside the shop. They seemed to be talking about business while Amelia was calculating the net profit of the whole day.


    "Why haven''t you come back yet?" Amelia raised her head again, only to find that Eric had left already and Lucian was quietly watching her.


    "Why are you calculating by hand?" Lucian had grabbed her notepad in which Amelia was writing on. At that moment, he looked truly captivating.


    "Give it back!" Amelia frowned as she tried to get her notepad back.


    She was bad at math so she always felt like her calculations were wrong.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I can''t believe my wife is so stupid! I worry about our unborn son''s IQ," Lucian taunted her, grinning playfully.


    Amelia wasn''t offended. If anything, she felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. On the outside though, she made sure she was still composed.


    After making a mistake with one of her calculations, Lucian headed to the bar counter and powered up the computer. He began typing quickly¡ªclassifying the drink


    , he had placed an altar under Iris''s portrait along with a few offerings. Amelia bowed three times to the altar before restlessly pacing around her room.


    The villa had three bedrooms and a baby room that contained a lot of toys.


    Amelia was a bit taken aback upon seeing this. ''Was this Lucian''s doing?'' she wondered to herself.


    The baby room was painted two colors: light blue and pink. It looked absolutely magnificent.


    The loneliness she felt a moment ago was all gone as it had been replaced by warmth and appreciation for Lucian''s kindness.


    She didn''t expect that Lucian would do all of these for her and the baby.


    When she thought back to how cold and indifferent she was towards him, regret arose in her heart.


    Clutching one of the toys to her chest, her face lit up with joy. "Baby, your dad bought all these for you. That''s how much he loves you. I can''t wait to meet you."


    "Call me if you need anything or if something happens," Lucian''s words echoed in her mind. He had hired several people to guard the villa from the outside.


    These days were filled with uncertainty and conflict. With this in mind, Lucian wanted to be sure that Amelia was safe.


    "Mr. Lucian, you don''t have to worry. We assure you that we will protect Miss Amelia." Four men in black suits stood by the door, occupying each side.


    It was already midnight and the lights in the villa had already been shut off. He didn''t want Amelia to know that he had hired people to monitor her.

 Chapter 128 Shelly Was Injured And Hospitalized

    When Lucian returned to SJ Garden, it was already three in the morning.


    As soon as he reached the living room, he heard footsteps. Someone was coming down the stairs.


    In his surprise, he turned his head and saw that it was Shelly. Her hair was a mess. Wearing a lace nightgown, she presented herself to Lucian the way that someone might dangle a piece of meat in front of a dog.


    Feeling a little annoyed, he looked away and asked coldly, "Why are you here?"


    He found the whole thing strange. She was dressed like she was ready for bed, yet she had heavy makeup on. Her dark red lips curled up in a seductive smile.


    "This is my home. Can''t I be here?" Shelly had managed to force that smile, but her voice trembled slightly.


    Exhaustion was becoming evident on Lucian''s face. It was late, and he wanted no more of this. "Whatever."


    The indifference in his words was not lost to Shelly. By that point, she was already hurt, but it was his words that drove her to the edge. There was a hint of jealousy in her voice when she asked, "Were you with Amelia?"


    "Yes," Lucian answered without hesitation.


    The harsh way in which he regarded Shelly broke her heart.


    For the past few days, she had been staying with the An family. She had hoped that Lucian would come over and pick her up. She had even asked Edmund to talk to him about this. Now, Lucian showed no guilt after coming home in the wee hours of the morning from having met up with Amelia. Add that to the fact that he had never gone to pick her up as she had originally expected he would.


    She began running back the way she had come in an obvio


    g that she wanted whenever she wanted it.


    "Thanks for your understanding, Auntie." Lucian knew that Emma was simply trying to stay away from trouble. He had also heard that Edmund was treating her badly.


    "I was not myself just now." Emma smiled apologetically, and the lines on her forehead disappeared. "But I feel better now. I don''t regret saying what I said."


    She took a deep breath, knowing that she had done something brave. Ever since she married Edmund, she had felt even less important than a servant. He mistreated her, but she endured everything because of the children. However, today, when she saw him prioritize his position over the safety and well-being of his children, she was unable to hold back.


    Lucian understood. He smiled gently and said, "Auntie, Jonny loves you very much. He''s doing all of this for you."


    Jonny had been unwilling to take over the company. Before he even finished school, Edmund had been mentoring him and preparing him to be a valuable member of the An Group. Instead, Jonny wanted to follow his heart and do the things that he loved. It was then that his relationship with his father soured.


    "Jonny''s father can be selfish. He used to think that it was only natural for a son to take over his father''s company. Now, he feels threatened that Jonny is taking the company away from him, that Jonny is going to lead An Group and will run it poorly." Emma knew exactly how Edmund thought.


    "I have always favored fair competition, not dirty tricks like his." If it weren''t for Edmund, Zhan Group wouldn''t be in the mess he had seemed to save it from in the first place.

 Chapter 129 Are You Imprisoning Me

    "I know Jonny did all this for me. But I don''t want to see them fight with each other and lose the crap out of it," said Emma by wiping her tears. She was devastated thinking about the entire situation.


    Lucian pressed his thin lips and understood Emma''s pain. After a while he said, "If Uncle can realize his mistake, Jonny won''t do such bad things."


    "Lucian, please persuade Jonny. You can do it for the betterment," requested Emma. Noticing that Lucian''s eyes were bloodshot, she added, "You can go back and rest. I''ll take care of Shelly. Your health is important."


    Lucian was really exhausted. He felt relieved as Emma agreed to take care of Shelly. "Thank you, Auntie," said Lucian with respect.


    After coming out of the hospital, Lucian called his subordinate and inquired about the condition of Amelia. He went back to the SJ Garden without any worries after making sure that she was safe the whole night.


    ''''Is it lethargic during pregnancy?'''' Amelia woke up past eight o''clock in the morning. Without an alarm clock, she woke up naturally.


    The gauze curtain in front of the window was blown and the bright white light reflected into the room outside the window. The chimes dangled with the streams of the wind and birds chirped.She sat up from the soft bed, rubbed her long black hair and lifted the quilt. She stepped on the dark wooden floor with bare feet. Then she opened the curtain and looked out of the window for the view, breathing in the breezy air.


    Last night, the night was so deep that nothing could be seen at all. What she only knew was that along the way, two sides of the road were surrounded by dense trees. She felt a sense of mystery while they were on the road.The dense green looked like tall mountains which focused into darkness. The car was moving through a series of landscape patterns.


    Amelia was attracted by the fresh scenery outside the window as she opened the curtain. She had always been a person who enjoyed little things and a true nature lover.


    At first sight, the vis


    melia cooked some chicken soup for herself. The chicken soup was prepared with nutritious ingredients that made it delicious and healthy. It was important to have the right kind of food considering Amelia''s pregnancy.


    She was always fond of her cooking style. She knew how to chop, cook and garnish different kinds of food. She had an interest towards food history as well.Even the picky Lucian always spoke highly of her cooking.


    Amelia felt bored, so she picked up her phone and dialed Courtney''s number. She felt puzzled when she remembered that Lucian told her that Courtney was not in the city last night.Amelia had to talk to someone to come out of the loneliness that was bothering her.


    The phone kept ringing and after a while Courtney picked up. Her voice sounded lethargic, as if she was still sleeping.


    "I heard from Lucian that you are not in the city. Where have you been? You know what.. I''m thinking," said Amelia desperately. It was weird that Courtney needed to close the shop for a week. But she always said that she was in the shop.


    "It''s a long story. I''ll tell you when I come back," Courtney said in a long voice sounding tired.


    "When will you come back then? I need you." Amelia was so far away from her friend, so she didn''t want to make Courtney worried. She decided not to tell Courtney that she was now confined in a villa far away from the city by Lucian.


    "After a week or so." Courtney returned yawning and seemed a little sober. She began to care about her and asked, "How are you recently? Is everything fine? Are you taking your meals correctly?"


    Hearing that she was worried, Amelia couldn''t help but ask, "You just said after a week?"


    Lucian promised her that he wouldn''t let her go until a week later too.


    "It takes time for me to come and go back, so I''ll enjoy myself. There is lot to do. No worries at all." Courtney yawned again and again while talking and cut the call in a hurry. "I''m not talking with you now. I''ll bring you a gift when I come back. Be ready girl!"

 Chapter 130 Her Heart Is Softened

    Before Amelia could utter a word, Courtney already hung up.


    "Courtney this is..." Amelia was filled with confusion. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. She stood up and asked carefully, "Who is it?"


    "Amelia, it''s me." The soft familiar voice came through the door to Amelia''s ear.


    Upon hearing the voice, Amelia¡¯s hand trembled as she held the doorknob. Although she wanted to open the door, a burst of panic rose in her heart.


    At this moment, she was eager to see him but not because she missed him. As for Amelia, it was the other way around, she wanted to push him away.


    After weighing things in her mind, she opened the door and showed herself. Looking at Lucian''s face, it was filled with familiar coldness.


    "Have you eaten already?" Lucian concernedly asked as he stood in front of her. He did not notice the displeased expression on her face.


    In front of the door, Amelia remained standing. As for Lucian, he couldn''t move into the house.


    "Let me out!" she begged to break the long deafening silence.


    At the sight of her pleading eyes, Lucian felt pain in his heart as his eyes narrowed.


    "Amelia, don¡¯t be stubborn. Listen to me this time, okay?" he said. Lucian stayed up all night, his eyes turned red due to bloodshot. Tiredness was evident on his face.


    The moment Amelia laid her eyes on him, she noticed his face looked exhausted. Eventually, her eyes intertwined with Lucian''s eyes.


    "Do you feel okay? Are you sick?" Usually, Lucian appeared to be an energetic person but he looked like the opposite today. It was obvious that his energy ran out. In addition, he had bloodshot in his eyes. Earlier, Amelia was in a bad mood, but the winds quickly changed


    time when they were still married.


    He did not mean to scare Amelia. However, he was shocked when she turned around.


    "Have you been there for a long time? When did you wake up?" she said. When Lucian was fast asleep, Amelia thought he would sleep a little longer. Thus, she went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The moment she turned around, she saw him staring at her quietly, which made her panic.


    Feeling sorry, Lucian scratched the back of his head. He noticed that Amelia was holding the dish in her hand, he reached for it and asked, "Are you done? Is the food ready? I''m feeling hungry."


    Those words came out of his mouth in a very natural manner, sounding like they were an old married couple who had lived together for more than ten years.


    Amelia¡¯s face blushed. Then, she smiled as she handed the food to Lucian and said, "There¡¯s still a soup left. Do not wait for me. You can eat first if you¡¯re hungry."


    "No, I''ll wait for you," he replied. Amelia mentioned that eating alone was bad for her. On the other hand, Lucian was used to handling himself and taking care of everything, so he did not mind at all. However, after their divorce, he deeply realized the pain of eating alone.


    A simple home-cooked dish of meat and a bowl of soup were more than enough for the both of them.


    "Go ahead. You should eat plenty to regain your energy." Amelia filled a bowl of rice for Lucian and served him with a smile.


    Seeing Amelia wearing a floral apron, a curve formed on Lucian''s lips as he felt happiness coming from within.


    Amelia noticed the smile on his face and asked curiously, "Why are you smiling?" Undeniably she felt beyond happy when she saw his smile.

 Chapter 131 The Ex-Wife Becomes The Third Party

    "This tastes like home," Lucian said as he sampled the food in front of him.


    "But the food Lily cooked is also very delicious," she meekly replied. Amelia initially thought that he was referring to the taste of the dishes, but she realized that he was enjoying the scenario more.


    She smiled as she placed her hands inside the big pockets of her pink apron. Lucian had carefully picked it for her because he wanted her to wear it for as long as she stayed there. And he hoped in his heart that Amelia would stay there for good.


    Lucian bought that villa a couple of years ago. At the time, he merely thought that the area looked peaceful and the air was quite pleasant. He considered it as a good place to live in, but then things had changed. He saw that the villa could be more than just a house. It could be the home where he would live with Amelia and their baby.


    "Aren''t you hungry? What were you thinking of?" Amelia was putting more food into his plate when she realized what she had just said and bit her tongue.


    Lucian snapped out of his daydream, and looked at Amelia with worry in his eyes.


    "Thank you..." he trailed off. These words moved Amelia but she took control not to show it in her expression.


    In his mind, Lucian wanted to call Amelia honey. But he also had to restrain himself. He decided to save it for when he had finally restored her title as Mrs.


    Dinner time was over in the blink of an eye. Lucian volunteered to wash the dishes but Amelia didn''t want to bother him with it. But after hearing him jokingly boast of his superb talent in dish washing, Amelia was only too happy to take him on his off


    thought that she would learn everything from him.


    She dialed his number and to her relief, Jonny quickly answered her call. Before Amelia could say anything, he immediately said, "It''s not true what they said in the news, Amelia. Shelly just sustained a minor head injury. She didn''t try to kill herself. Someone was making things up, probably trying to damage Lucian''s reputation and stir up trouble for Zhan Group."


    Jonny''s words put Amelia''s mind at ease. But she still worried over Shelly so she asked, "How''s Shelly now? Lucian... Did Mr. Lucian visit her?"


    Amelia felt it was ridiculous to ask as soon as the words were out of her mouth.


    She had never thought of getting in between Lucian and Shelly, but it seemed as if there was always this unexplainable connection between her and Lucian.


    "Don''t worry about her. Mom''s taking care of Shelly in the hospital. She''ll be discharged in a few days or so," Jonny answered quickly.


    "Oh, I''m sorry, Jonny. Were you busy?" she asked after detecting impatience in his voice.


    "Yeah. I''m in the middle of an important meeting. I need to hang up now, Amelia, but I''ll call you when it''s done," Jonny said.


    "Okay. I just wanted to ask about Shelly. That''s it. Thank you," Amelia said before hanging up the phone.


    She was no longer as worried as she was before, but the guilt for having hurt Shelly remained in her heart.


    Courtney called her late in the afternoon and announced happily that she was back from her trip. But Amelia didn''t want to ask about her vacation. She casually asked, "Didn''t you say that you''d be coming back after a week? Why are you back so early?"

 Chapter 132 Amelia Could Not Be More Emotional

    Hearing the coldness in her tone, Courtney thought that Amelia was angry with her for leaving without saying goodbye so she tried her best to coax her over the phone, "Honey, I''m sorry. I know it''s my fault but don''t worry, I''ll be home early so I can accompany you."


    Perhaps it was because she was so preoccupied in her own thoughts coupled with her misery but sullenly, she responded, "I don''t need company."


    Amelia wasn''t childish by any standard. Sometimes, she would snap but she rarely ever lashed out. So upon hearing Amelia''s ungratefulness, Courtney grew furious. She roared, "Amelia, what is it with you today? You''re being so annoying! Where the hell are you anyway? I''ll go where you are so I can apologize to you!"


    Upon hearing this, Amelia felt a little hope arise in her heart. She asked tentatively, "Courtney, if you come here, can you take me with you?"


    "Sure, just give me the address," Courtney replied bluntly.


    After giving Courtney the address, Amelia was in a much better mood now. Standing in front of the French window, she patiently waited for Courtney.


    When Courtney finally arrived, Amelia was surprised to see that not only did she not come alone but she also rode with Lucian to come here!


    "I thought you were..." Amelia''s voice trailed off. She thought Courtney was picking her up. She wondered why Courtney would come here with Lucian. However, she decided to not say anything upon glancing at him.


    "Amelia, Lucian asked me to come and live with you." Courtney was very ent


    ture of feelings surging in his heart. He hated talking to her like that as he felt that it hurt him even more than it did her.


    Just then, he received a call from the hospital telling him that he needed to be there as soon as Shelly woke up.


    The An Group was a mess. Edmund and Jonny were in a power struggle over the An Group. Meanwhile, Lucian was just waiting for the right time to attack and weaken Edmund''s power so he could finally terminate his marriage with Shelly.


    Shelly was confined in the biggest hospital in the city. As she lay in her bed, she looked out the window, her eyes blank. When she heard about what was going on in the An Group, sadness immediately filled her.


    She was the one who had offered help to the Zhan Group when they fell into a crisis. Their agreement was that if Lucian married her, the An Group would help the Zhan Group through their crisis. However, with the way things were going, Lucian would hate her more let alone fall in love with her.


    "Shelly, I cooked some porridge for you. You need to eat something since you just woke up," Emma gently said as she made her way to Shelly''s bed.


    Shelly cast a hateful look at her and accused, "I bet your son garnered a lot of your support for what he did, huh?"


    As soon as she woke up, the first thing she did was call Edmund. Even though the person she really wanted to see first was Lucian, she knew that the person who was going to listen to her was Edmund. Despite everything, the person she still trusted the most was him.

 Chapter 133 Pretend To Be Poor In Front Of Him

    Edmund thundered at the other end of the line. He said that in addition to Lucian, Jonny had stirred up all the shareholders of the An Group, forcing Edmund to give up his position as the CEO.


    Emma''s hand quivered when she heard Shelly''s question¡ªso much so that she almost spilled her porridge. Thankfully, she was quickly able to gather herself. Smiling, she said, "You just woke up. You shouldn''t be thinking about these things yet."


    Shelly pushed the bowl away, her eyes gleaming in anger. "Am I really your daughter? Why is it that you''re so focused on protecting your son so much?"


    Back when Shelly was still a child, she felt as if Emma didn''t really care about her. Although Emma was kind to her, it wasn''t really the same as how she was with Jonny. It seemed as if Emma cared more about Jonny than she did Shelly.


    Emma''s face darkened. She apologized, "I''m sorry. I neglected your feelings all these years."


    "Do you think that''s enough?" Shelly sneered as she glared at her mother, eyes filled with resentfulness. "What? Have you been waiting for this day all your life? You willingly take insults and humiliation just so your son can have the power in the family? Are you proud, huh?"


    Surprised, Emma didn''t expect that Shelly, at her young age, would be occupying her mind with these kinds of things and assumptions.


    "Shelly, we''re family, not enemies." This only made Shelly even angrier.


    "Family?" Shelly snorted and bit back, "Did you ever hug me?"


    "Shelly, I know I wasn''t exactly the perf


    Lucian with him.


    "Shelly, don''t get mad. Your brother only wants to talk with Lucian because they''re in business together. That''s it. It doesn''t mean anything else," Emma tried to explain.


    This only provoked Shelly further especially that Emma was once again defending Jonny. Her eyes full of resentment, she snapped, "You always take Jonny''s side no matter what. Is this what you mean when you say you love us equally?"


    Emma was rendered speechless.


    Her lack of a response didn''t mean that Shelly was right, she just didn''t want to infuriate Shelly even more. After all, Shelly had just woken up and the doctor did say that she was going to be emotionally unstable for a while.


    "Shelly, you can do whatever you want to me but when it comes to mom, I''m drawing the line. Why are you yelling at her?" Jonny''s pet peeve was his mom being mistreated and being yelled at so he didn''t care that Shelly just woke up¡ªhe was angry and he wasn''t going to just stand by and do nothing.


    "Jonny, you''re her brother," Emma said sternly.


    "Do you and your son enjoy taking advantage of me when I''m sick and helpless?" Shelly taunted, frowning. Then she turned to Lucian and whined, "Lucian, I want to go home already. I don''t want to stay here anymore."


    Shelly believed that if she acted weak and miserable, Lucian would take pity on her.


    "I talked to the doctor just now and he said that since you just woke up, you need to stay in the hospital for at least a week," Lucian said calmly, feeling a little uncomfortable.

 Chapter 134 Shelly Went Into A Coma Again

    Shelly was still in the hospital. Apparently, Edmund was the culprit behind the spread of the rumor that she committed suicide because of love. He was trying to destroy Lucian''s reputation, which would, in turn, have a bad influence on the reputation of the Zhan Group.


    "But I don''t want to see them!" Shelly said pointedly, grabbing Lucian''s white shirt and pointing at Emma and Jonny.


    "Mom, I''ve already hired someone to take care of her. Now, since she doesn''t want to accept our kindness, you don''t have to stay here and waste your time," Jonny said to Emma, feeling guilty. After that, he turned to look at Lucian and said, "Lucian, come with me."


    Shelly''s face suddenly turned pale. With much urgency, she grabbed Lucian''s clothes and wouldn''t let him go. "Lucian," she said, her tone desperate. "I''m... I''m feeling a sharp pain in the back of my head. Please stay here with me." Using her incredible acting skills, she was able to shed convincing tears.


    Lucian forcefully shook Shelly''s grip off of him. "I have something else to deal with. I''ll come back to see you after work." His voice was deep but it was devoid of any kind of emotion.


    The expression on Shelly''s face changed dramatically. With Lucian evidently not caring about her and her welfare, she broke down and cried, "I don''t care! I''m hurt because of you! You must stay with me!"


    "Really, Shelly? Are you really doing this right now?" Jonny said, his voice imbued with annoyance. "You''re an embarrassment!" He came over and grabbed Shelly''s wrist tightly, also trying to force her to let go of Lucian''s coat.


    Shelly saw that and instantly recognized the opportunity it was presenting. She took hold of Jonny''s arm and pulled herself out of balance. With a loud thud, she fell to the ground, to the surprise of everyone.


    "Shelly!" Emma shouted as she rushed over to Shelly. She held her in her arms and said anxiously, "Jonny, call the


    ght, he didn''t expect that they would be there. The flashes of their cameras blinded him and so he decided to retreat for the time being.


    Frowning, he took out his mobile phone and called his assistant, Eric, to ask him to come to the hospital as soon as possible.


    "Mr. Lucian, there''s a rumor going around that Miss Shelly tried to commit suicide because you were neglecting her. Is that true?"


    "Mr. Lucian, you look so tired. Is that because you have been taking care of Miss Shelly the whole day?"


    "Mr. Lucian, do you know about the changes that has happened in the An Group?"


    "Mr. Lucian, I heard that you still love your ex-wife, Amelia. How true is that?"


    Chaos ensued in the lobby. Every reporter wanted to ask every question, and they all wanted answers from Lucian. Lucian debated on staying silent, but the questions were too personal to ignore.


    His expression became noticeably more hostile than usual, and with his sexy thin lips, he said coldly, "It''s not appropriate for me to answer any of your personal questions."


    "How is Miss Shelly now?" one reporter asked eagerly.


    "Miss Shelly is safe and is in a stable condition. Thank you for your concern." While Lucian was handsome and charismatic, his aura had always been cold. That was why people always had trouble approaching him.


    Soon, Eric, along with four bodyguards, arrived at the hospital to fetch Lucian. He was used to this kind of media frenzy, but it seemed that this time around, an unprecedented number of reporters flocked the hospital.


    It was particularly impressive because it was already late in the night. Slowly, he, the bodyguards, and Lucian made their way through the crowd of reporters and into the car outside the hospital.


    "Mr. Lucian, the reporters have been ordered to go home. They also promised not to write any reports about you tomorrow," Eric reported respectfully after they all got in the car.

 Chapter 135 I Want A Divorce

    After a whole day''s work, Lucian was a little exhausted. Unfortunately, these trifles were even more worrying than all of his business matters.


    Closing his eyes, he kept silent and tried to sort things out in his head.


    "Mr. Lucian, shall I send you back to the SJ Garden now?" Eric asked tentatively.


    "No. Bring me to a hotel somewhere close by." The villa was now a place that didn''t have Amelia in it. Going back would just bring in too much loneliness in his heart.


    If he had a choice, Lucian would have gone to the Amelia''s villa in the south city just so that he could see her. But given with what had happened, he had to control himself.


    Meanwhile, Amelia felt as if she had lost contact with the outside world. The only that kept her days a little less boring was when Courtney turned on the TV in the morning, watching the news about the current situation.


    "Amelia, come and have a look!" Courtney cried out excitedly as she gnawed on a corn cob.


    At that time, Amelia was cooking some soup. Turning the stove off, she walked to the living room curiously. "What is it?"


    "Look. The An Group is really owned by someone else now," Courtney said, pointing at the TV. "Jonny has taken over the company."


    A shiver ran up Amelia''s spine, her eyes widening in disbelief. On the screen, Jonny was dressed in a black suit, beaming widely. There were reporters all around him, and he was answering all their questions eagerly.


    "Amelia, you must be quite a catch! Both of the men vying for you are so incredible. If ever you don''t end


    ally that heartless? Shelly is still in the hospital bed. Aren''t you being too harsh on her?" Fannie defended.


    The only reason she said this was not because she wanted to help Shelly out, but rather she did not want Amelia and Lucian to get back together. After all, Amelia was not as easy to use as Shelly. What''s more, she was still trying to get control of the Zhan Group.


    Even after all this time, Fannie just could see Lucian as her biological son. Maybe if he treated her badly in the future, there was a chance she would gain support from the Zhan Group.


    "I''m sorry, but if you keep interfering with my own personal business, the more I''m obliged to stay farther away from you," Lucian countered.


    With a pale face, she stared at him in disbelief. "Is it really so wrong to care about Shelly?"


    "If you really want the best for me, you should respect my decisions." After all, he was a capable man. He was very independent, and knew how to handle his own affairs.


    "I see... You don''t want to listen to me at all now. If you insist on divorcing Shelly, then don''t bother calling me your mother anymore!" Fannie said angrily. "If that''s what it takes, then so be it," Lucian shrugged.


    Hearing this, Fannie was completely taken aback. She had thought that maybe Lucian would''ve changed his mind when she said that. Although it was true that Lucian was grateful that Fannie had raised him, his priority was taking care of Amelia. There was no one else in the world he loved more. What''s more, she was carrying another life inside of her.

 Chapter 136 Refused To Get Back Together

    "Nicholas, did you hear that? He''s your son!" Fannie pointed at Lucian, trying to find some comfort from Nicholas.


    "I already told you¡ªthey''re all grown up now. You have to stop interfering with their lives." Instead of siding with Fannie, Nicholas stood up for Lucian.


    "Yeah, Fannie. They''re not kids anymore. We need to leave them alone and allow them to make their own decisions," Emma echoed. Emma sighed as she tried to comfort Fannie.


    However, Fannie didn''t seem to be convinced. In her mind, Emma and Nicholas were only siding with each other for Fiona''s sake. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be indulging Lucian like this.


    "What? In the end, your daughter''s going to be left alone and abandoned!" Fannie snapped, deliberately provoking Emma.


    Fannie regularly had afternoon tea with Shelly in the Zhan mansion. Every now and then, Shelly would mention Emma and the hatefulness in her tone was undeniable. Fannie decided to use this against Emma¡ªweaponizing her weakness in an attempt to drive a wedge between her and her daughter.


    "I''ll be sending the divorce papers over to you soon. Take care of yourself." Lucian had already learned from the doctor about Shelly''s condition. The doctor said that it was nothing serious and she could be discharged after a week of rest.


    Shelly''s face turned pale. She couldn''t believe this was happening and she refused to accept it. She cried, "Lucian, you can''t do this to me! I''m never going to divorce you! Never!"


    As soon as Lucian stepped out of the ward, he heaved a huge sigh of relief. With that, he


    houldn''t you be together?" Courtney couldn''t understand where Amelia was coming from.


    "Do you think I would still love a man who doesn''t know how to take his responsibilities seriously?" Amelia smiled coldly.


    The indifference in her tone broke Lucian''s heart. Still, on the outside, he kept his composure.


    "Stop talking nonsense." Courtney pulled Amelia aside and whispered, "Even if you''re not thinking about yourself, you have to think about the baby. You want to be a single mom? You sure about that? Isn''t that unfair to your baby? You''ve decided the course of his entire life before he could even choose for himself."


    Once Courtney mentioned the baby, Amelia immediately softened. That was her weakness¡ªthe baby.


    She didn''t want her baby to have a broken family. Now that it''s come to this point, she was finding it difficult to decide and she didn''t want to be selfish.


    "I know you still have your doubts and I promise you I''ll spend my entire life asking for your forgiveness. Will you consider then getting back together with me?" Lucian offered sincerely.


    "All right. It''s a deal." Amelia looked up at him coldly.


    "I''m a man of my word," Lucian answered confidently.


    As Courtney stood beside them, watching them with her furrowed eyebrows, she couldn''t help but be frustrated. They were just about to make up and now they weren''t again?


    After Lucian left, Courtney walked up to Amelia and asked in confusion, "Why are you so stubborn? Lucian''s been trying to repair your relationship and I think you''re just being cruel to him."

 Chapter 137 Where Is Happiness

    Courtney didn''t have the heart to say that it was Amelia who had signed the divorce agreement. Lucian would have had to deal with tough problems all by himself.


    "I know it in my heart. But I don''t want him and me to be looked down upon by others." What Lucian said was right. She had a heavy load in her mind. If that load did not disappear from her mind, she could not live peacefully with him. Any relationship requires mental peace to survive.


    "Is it because of Shelly?" Courtney knew what kind of person Amelia was. She always thought for others and always felt bad for others. Amelia was a giver, not self-absorbed at all.


    "There is nothing wrong to love someone. Whatever Shelly has done, Lucian should not let her down. Even he has a part in all of this." Then Amelia went upstairs.


    "Your love is so heart-warming. I have to worship Buddha every day to atone my sins," Courtney sighed resignedly.


    Amelia didn''t understand what Courtney meant. After she went upstairs, she asked Courtney what she had tried to convey.


    Courtney was surprised by the question. She raised her eyebrows, opened her eyes widely and said, "Do you remember Melissa? The lady with sleek long hair?"


    "Yes, I do." It was obvious that she remembered Melissa. After all, she had an episode in the love life of Courtney and Kent.


    She remembered that Melissa was pregnant and Kent was forced to marry her. It was an unpredictable event. But as adults they had to take a responsible decision to not harm the baby.


    This caught Amelia''s thought. She wondered why Kent had chosen to be with Courtney and let go of Melissa''s baby.


    "Don''t look at me in horror. I''m not that vicious." Noticing the change in Amelia''s expression, Courtney immediately explained, "Melissa pretended to be pregnant. But she didn''t expect that Kent wo


    out of excitement. She grabbed Amelia''s arm excitedly. "Then let''s go to the door and say hey to the guards. I think we should definitely go."


    "Okay." Amelia nodded with relief.


    There were always some coincidences in the world. Just as they reached the gate, they saw a black limo outside. They thought it would be Lucian as he promised to come. But it turned out to be Jonny.


    "Oh my God! He''s so handsome!" Courtney had seen Jonny before. He was dressed in sportswear and looked as warm as the sun. But he looked extremely cold when he took off his sunglasses, as if nobody should approach him. Courtney couldn''t stop staring at him. She was enamored by his looks.


    He walked towards Amelia with a cold face as if he had come to report something important.


    "Hey, long time no see, Amelia. How are you doing?" Jonny greeted gently with a sweet smile.


    "Hey, you think I''m invisible?" Courtney said in an unconvinced tone. She was dissatisfied with the fact that there was only Amelia in Jonny''s eyes. Courtney wanted Jonny to notice her too.


    Jonny suddenly burst into laughter and greeted with a serious look, "Miss Courtney, long time no see. How are you doing?"


    "Wow, look at you. You are not the same person anymore!" Courtney smiled slightly. She pointed at Amelia and said to Jonny, "I have to call my boyfriend back. Take your time."


    Courtney knew that Jonny came there to talk with Amelia, so she left quietly. She figured that the matter was of much importance.


    Amelia opened her mouth and wanted to say something. But when she saw Jonny, she controlled her anger. As Amelia was a selfless person, she always had the difficulty to open up in such situations.


    Amelia was thinking in her head that she had finally come up with an idea to get out and now it wouldn''t happen as Jonny arrived.

 Chapter 138 Each One Has A Story

    Amelia looked at the familiar surroundings. She knew this villa well. She brought Jonny into the hall and made him a cup of tea. Her actions resembled a hostess rather than a guest.


    Jonny quietly stared at her moving around the hall with complicated emotions in his heart.


    "Congratulations, Jonny." Amelia sat opposite to Jonny and gave him a polite smile.


    Jonny took a sip of tea and raised his cup, almost as if he was mocking himself. "Congratulations!" He knew that Amelia was too naive to understand why he was so engrossed in fighting with his father.


    "It''s good news. Congratulations!" Amelia gazed at him with a sincere smile.


    "Then, I''ll take your blessing." A bitter smile formed on Jonny''s lips.


    Amelia''s brows drew closer in concern when she saw that lonely smile on his face. "So, will you continue to be a designer?"


    Ever since Jonny took over the An Group, he had been busy. She wondered how he would manage to keep up with his hobby.


    "You know me well." Jonny''s lips curved up to flash a big grin to Amelia.


    A trace of blush formed on Amelia''s cheeks. "Of course, I do! You are a fashion designer."


    "Rest assured. I know Lucian is the only one in your heart." Jonny wanted to tease her, but his heart couldn''t help but be jealous.


    Amelia frowned when Lucian was mentioned.


    "What''s wrong? You look pale." Jonny fixed his eyes on changed expressions, thinking she was sick.


    Amelia wasn''t paying attent


    onny finished his words.


    Jonny smiled at her before leaving. Amelia sat in the living room until dinner. That was when Courtney came downstairs. "Don''t worry. We will just keep looking for a solution."


    Courtney''s comforting voice rang in Amelia''s ears before it became severe. In the end. Amelia could only helplessly gaze at her friend and said, "Mom taught me to keep my promises. I had promised to Shelly that I would not disturb her and Lucian''s life."


    Shelly was now a thorn in her heart, and no one could persuade her to feel otherwise. Amelia''s heart started sinking deeper in pain.


    "Why are you so stubborn? Even Jonny said that it was a trick played by Shelly. But what you are doing now is too much. Why don''t you work on taking back your happiness?" Courtney didn''t think it was a big deal for Amelia and Lucian to get married again. Even though they loved each other, they had to separate due to unforeseen circumstances. The current situation did give Amelia another chance to make it up to him. Courtney thought Amelia was a fool to let him go just like that.


    Amelia had a headache after discussing the same topic with every single person she met. "Are you hungry? I''m going to cook."


    "Kent has brought us some delicious food." Courtney''s face lit up when she thought of him.


    Amelia released the breath she had been holding, although she was happy for Courtney. "Will you forget about me now that you have a boyfriend?"

 Chapter 139 I Will Make Your Life Worse Than Death

    "Oh, stop saying that," Courtney murmured in embarrassment. She placed her hand on Amelia''s shoulder and said, "When Kent and I first started dating, I never left his side for even a minute. But now that we''re back together, I want to spend more time with you."


    Amelia couldn''t help but laugh when she heard Courtney''s reply. "Well, that''s great to hear! Thank you."


    Courtney had looked happier and livelier since her reconciliation with Kent. She would spend her free time chatting him up on the phone and the couple easily passed hours this way.


    "You said Kent is bringing us some food?" Amelia asked, an idea coming over to her.


    Courtney thought she must be hungry. She stood up and said, "He''s supposed to be here by now. I''ll go out and take a look."


    ''If Kent could easily come inside and out of the villa, I can find a way out then, '' thought Amelia.


    She followed Courtney to the gate and saw Kent arriving. He stepped out of his car carrying a huge bag of food.


    "Why are you so late?" Courtney asked annoyed. The spoiled and snappy girlfriend in her was showing.


    "I got stuck in traffic. Are you hungry? You must be starving," Kent said with a worried expression on his face. He looked at her like there was no one else in the whole world.


    "It''s not about me. It doesn''t matter whether I''m hungry or not, but I can''t let my godchild starve. Come in!" Courtney replied. She took the bag of food to free his hands.


    It was only then when Kent noticed Amelia who had been standing behind Courtney. Awkwardly, he smiled and apologized, "Sorry, Amelia. It''s rush hour. Traffic was terrible."


    Kent looked like his former s


    ept her silence.


    For Shelly, nothing Amelia could say would make any difference.


    "Lucian thought that he was keeping the love of his life safe in his house, but someone just had to go for a drive, isn''t that right? It''s destiny that brought us here. God wants me to get rid of you, you bitch!" Shelly raged.


    But Amelia kept struggling. The ropes were cutting into her skin but she didn''t feel any pain. She only thought about her baby.


    Feeling that it was impossible to break her hands free, Amelia tried to move her legs. Reading her intentions, Shelly kicked her legs. Amelia winced in pain.


    "There''s no point in struggling. You will die today." Shelly had specifically chosen the abandoned garage for this plan. She knew that it was so far and secluded that she could do as she pleased without disturbance.


    "Do you really think that killing me would solve all of your problems?" Amelia asked. Hot tears were streaming down her cheeks. She couldn''t believe that Shelly could actually threaten her life.


    Shelly was wearing a pastel pink dress, which made her look like a princess from afar. But a closer look at her eyes would show that she had gone mad with jealousy and hate.


    "I have nothing to lose now. I don''t care about anything," Shelly casually said, shrugging her shoulders.


    Amelia found her sympathy for Shelly. Looking at her, she said sincerely, "I''m a woman, too! I understand your pain. It''s never wrong to love someone, but if that person doesn''t love us back, why should we take it against ourselves? Why should we let love ruin us?"


    "Save it. Your words won''t have any effect on me," Shelly said coldly.

 Chapter 140 Extreme Torture

    Amelia pressed her lips as she felt sore all over her body that even her feet were numb with pain.


    It was already half past seven but the sky was still visible. Shelly took out a bottle of water and downed it all in one gulp. "Do you want some?" she asked arrogantly.


    Amelia looked away and said coldly, "Miss Shelly, this is not a TV drama. You can stop now."


    Shelly was emotionless. She wasn''t focusing her energy on controlling her anger instead she was playing tricks. She opened the bottle, held the bottle midair, and poured it on Amelia''s face.


    Amelia tried her best to dodge, turning to the side in an attempt to avoid the cold water splashing all over her.


    However, Shelly was quick. Soon, Amelia was having trouble breathing with all the water pouring down on her, she kicked her legs helplessly.


    "Hahaha..." Shelly laughed evilly. In a mocking tone, she taunted, "Amelia, do you want to know what you look like right now? If this gets out to the news, your squeaky clean image will be tainted. I don''t think Lucian would find that attractive, wouldn''t you?"


    "Miss Shelly, I respect you. I know I promised I wouldn''t be involved with Lucian anymore but now you''re just being mean. Aren''t you ashamed of yourself?" Amelia wasn''t softhearted anymore. At the most, she merely tolerated Shelly but if Shelly wasn''t going to be a decent human being then she was definitely going to fight back.


    The mockery on Shelly''s face was gone as it was replaced with a stone


    never had he broken down like that.


    When he took her to the hospital, he impatiently waited for the results, never leaving the hospital. The entire time he felt as if his heart was going to jump out of his chest. Filled with remorse, he wanted to hit his head against the wall in guilt. He felt as if it was his fault that this happened to Amelia. If only he''d protected her, this never would have happened.


    As soon as he found out that Amelia had left the villa, he immediately went out to look for her. He also asked most of his friends to search for her in the city.


    Amelia didn''t wake up until the following night. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw were the white walls and the strong smell of disinfectant fluid immediately filled her nose. With that, she knew she was still alive.


    She looked around and noticed that Lucian was lying on the bed, holding her hand tightly.


    Amelia slightly moved her finger which woke him up right away.


    "Amelia..." he whispered softly, his eyes still half closed.


    Her heart was immediately filled with warmth.


    "Are you okay? Are you feeling any pain?" he asked nervously as he stood up, a worried look on his face.


    Amelia''s lips were dry and parched. Putting on a wry smile, she said, "I''m fine."


    "Don''t move. I''ll call the doctor first." Lucian was enlivened now that Amelia was finally awake.


    Amelia felt sore all over her body and her eyelids still felt heavy so much so that she fell asleep once again.

 Chapter 141 Might Lose The Baby

    After the doctor checked up on Amelia, Lucian helped her return to her ward. When Amelia had laid down, he quietly sat at her bedside. He was currently thinking about what the doctor had told him, and was getting very worried.


    Taking Amelia''s hand, he put it to his lips and kissed her fingertips gently. There were a lot of different feelings surging up in his heart.


    The baby wasn''t getting enough oxygen because of the amount of activity Amelia was doing. Because of this, the doctor said that there was a chance that they might lose the baby. Lucian was starting to go out of his mind when he learned this.


    It was a good thing that Amelia had a strong will.


    As per the doctor''s orders, Amelia should rest as much as she could. If there was anything she needed, she had to let someone else do it for her.Shortly after the examination, Amelia had finally woken up completely.


    Glancing at the ward with white walls around, Amelia eyes fixated on Lucian. "Is the baby...Is the baby okay?" she asked weakly, putting her hand instinctively on her belly.


    The last thing she remembered was the dull pain coming from her stomach, and the feeling of something slowly leaving her body. And so, her first natural reaction when she woke up was to ask about their unborn child.


    Lucian pressed her hand against his cheek. "Don''t worry. The baby''s fine. Just get some rest," he comforted.


    Seeing Amelia anxious like this made his heart ache. Guilt washed over him as he felt like it was his fault that Amelia was suffering this much.


    "That''s good... The baby''s still here," Amelia muttered under her breath, a faint smile playing on her lips.


    "You should get some sleep. I''ll just be right


    cian noticed the tears from the corners of Amelia''s eyes and asked worriedly, "Did I hurt you?" There were bruises all over her body -- bruises which came from the kicks Shelly had given her.


    Amelia shook her head and answered in low voice, "No... I... just feel so happy you''re here."


    After everything that had happened, being here with Lucian suddenly made things better. Because of this, she was even more reluctant to leave him.


    "You little fool... Did you think I was joking around when I promised to take care of you?" Lucian quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes and kissed her softly on her lips.


    "Don''t cry... I might start to cry as well. Plus, it''s not good for the baby," he continued. These words really hit on Amelia. With a sniff, she gave a slight nod.


    "I''m sorry.... I''m really sorry. This is all my fault," Lucian apologized, his voice breaking. There was so much love and regret in his heart at the moment. For one, he was thankful that Amelia was stable for now. But he couldn''t help but think that this wouldn''t have happened to her in the first place if it weren''t for him.


    Amelia couldn''t help laughing, "Are you going to let it go if you are sorry?"


    She thought that Lucian would say something to contradict her, but to her surprise he just stood up and kissed her on her forehead.


    This sudden action made her blush even more.


    "Ahem!" A cough came from the door.


    Straightening up, Lucian saw that Jonny was at the door, a wicked smile on his face. "You came at a rather inappropriate time," Lucian told him.


    Jonny pretended to cover his eyes with embarrassment. "I think I might need to wash my eyes with bleach after seeing that," he exaggerated.

 Chapter 142 Confession Of Love

    "You''re just jealous!" Lucian snapped in a harsh voice. There was an undertone of playfulness in his voice despite his words.


    Amelia had never seen Lucian speak to Jonny that way. But Lucian''s words and manner seemed to have no effect on Jonny. He wasn''t mad at all. Instead of saying something back to Lucian, Jonny turned to Amelia and said, "Amelia, I really wanted to come and see you as soon as possible, but he didn''t let me because he was afraid that I would steal his thunder and get more of your attention."


    Jonny gave a mischievous smile.


    "Since when did you two become so ridiculous?" Amelia asked with a slight smile. She was visibly amused by the way that they spoke and jested with each other.


    "Lucian may sound gutsy sometimes, but the truth is that he is a very shy person inside," Jonny remarked. He took the opportunity to make another verbal swing at Lucian to the amusement of Amelia.


    Lucian knew that Jonny was only cheering Amelia up with his words so he didn''t reply back. He felt glad when he saw the smile on Amelia''s face as well as the sound of her light giggle.


    Amelia didn''t say anything but she was smiling and had started to giggle. She then turned to Lucian who was peeling an apple for her, her eyes filled with love, and asked, "So, when did you learn this skill?"


    He may not know how to properly wash the dishes, but he surely had a skill with peeling fruit.


    Her words sounded like she was flattering Lucian. Lucian glanced at Jonny proudly then said to Amelia, "I''m quite amazing, aren''t I? Do you want to reward me with a sweet kiss?"


    His eyes closed slightly as he faced Amelia and waited for her to kiss him.


    Jonny felt embarrassed and said, "Lucian, how could you show us that face? It''s disgusting!" He then burst into a thunderous laugh.


    "Jon... Mr. Jonny, please don''t worry. I would never act like him," Amelia remarked with a serious tone of voice. The amused smile on her face slightly faded away and was replaced by a slightly playful smile.


    She almost addressed Jonny by name only and she felt bothered. She remembered her p


    n said in a soft voice, "Lucian, I''m almost fully recovered. You can take care of the affairs at the company now."


    Lucian was touched by Amelia''s words. He kissed Amelia''s forehead and then replied in his usual husky voice, "I''ll be back as soon as I finish. There is something that requires my immediate attention."


    Lily''s face blushed with embarrassment as she watched the two lovers. She sat at the opposite side of Amelia and bowed her head. Lucian stood up, straightened himself and took his suit jacket on his way out of the bedroom. After Lucian had gone, Lily turned to Amelia and said, "Mr. Lucian really loves you so much, Mrs. Amelia.


    You''re really the only woman for him." Amelia felt very happy when she heard Lily''s compliment. Her face suddenly radiated with the happiness that she felt.


    Lucian went straight to his car after he left SJ Garden and drove straight to the Zhan mansion.


    Darren told Lucian on the phone that Nicholas was seriously ill and asked him to go back to the mansion as soon as possible. Lucian was not able to say much on the phone and decided to go there right away. He decided that it was best to conceal everything from Amelia so that she would not become worried. So he put on his usual face even though worry was eating at his heart.


    He immediately left his car as soon as he arrived at the Zhan mansion. He went straight to Nicholas'' bedroom when he got into the house. When he reached the bedroom, he saw Nicholas lying on the bed with his eyes closed. He kept murmuring ''Fiona'' again and again even though he was visibly having a hard time breathing.


    Lucian knew that Fiona was his mother''s name.


    "Dad, it''s me, Lucian. How do you feel?" Lucian asked as he gripped Nicholas'' hand with both of his hands. He sat at the edge of Nicholas'' bed and then turned to the doctor who stood at the opposite side of the bed. "How is he?" he asked the doctor with pleading eyes.


    "Mr. Lucian; Mr. Nicholas'' blood pressure spiked up to a very dangerous level. I suspect that something severely distressed him," the doctor explained in a worried voice.

 Chapter 143 Go Back To The Sweet Days

    "Something distressed him?" Since Nicholas had a hard time moving around, Darren had to constantly be by his side.


    When the doctor finished the treatment and had given him prescriptions, Nicholas was immediately relieved. Lucian then headed downstairs to ask Darren about what had happened.


    "Mr. Lucian, I think it must have something to do with Mrs. Fannie." Darren was so nervous that his hands were trembling. He then told Lucian what had happened. "This morning when Mrs. Fannie got up, she left with a suitcase. Mr. Nicholas began to cough nonstop that he fell on the ground. His forehead was swollen..."


    Angrily, Lucian questioned, "I can''t believe you didn''t tell me right away when that sounded like an emergency to me!"


    Darren began to panic upon seeing that Lucian had gotten angry. Hurriedly, he explained, "Mr. Nicholas told me not to tell you because you were preoccupied with Mrs. Amelia. He didn''t want to add to your problems..."


    After that, Lucian calmed himself down and ordered, "Cook some porridge and send someone to find out where Mrs. Fannie is."


    "I have already sent out several of my men to look for Mrs. Fannie. I assure you, Mr. Lucian, that we are doing something about this," Darren replied respectfully.


    When Lucian returned upstairs, the attending doctor had just finished Nicholas''s infusion. He then reported to Lucian about Nicholas''s current condition.


    As Lucian stood in front of the bed, an array of mixed feelings surged inside him.


    Since he took control over the Zhan Group, he rarely came back home mostly for two r


    snickering to herself.


    What she didn''t know was that Lucian had already woken up the first time she kissed him. Not wanting to ruin it for her, he pretended to still be sleeping and hoped to himself that she wouldn''t stop.


    When Amelia attempted to get out of bed, he purposely pulled her towards him. A bit startled, she didn''t dare to move again.


    Lucian had wrapped his arm around her waist which meant that she couldn''t get up anymore.


    Amelia tried to move Lucian''s hand away but he wouldn''t budge.


    "Be careful, the baby..." Amelia whispered. She was actually trying to see if Lucian was just pretending to be sleeping.


    "What''s wrong with the baby?" "What''s wrong?"


    Amelia looked at the nervous Lucian and let out a chuckle.


    After a short while, Lucian came to his senses. He stretched out his long arms, held Amelia in his arms, and pinched her nose. "Good. You''re getting good at tricking me, I see."


    "I thought you liked it when I teased you," she said playfully.


    Lucian loosened his hand that was pinching her nose and caressed her face. "Of course, Mrs. Amelia, I give you permission to tease me forever."


    "Humph! You''re lying!" He liked that they were slowly returning to their normal dynamics.


    Amelia got up and went to the bathroom. She asked, "Do I still have any toiletries here?"


    "What do you think?" Lucian proudly asked her.


    "Well, you did get married to someone else for a while..." Amelia said, feigning innocence. Lucian shot her a warning look to which she grinned at. Lightly, she said, "I''ll just take a quick shower."

 Chapter 144 Im The One He Loves

    She could only imagine what Lucian was feeling right now.


    If Lucian asked her who was behind all this, she wouldn''t know what to say.


    After washing up, she saw that Lucian had already changed. He looked absolutely handsome in his blue shirt that he kept unbuttoned. It accentuated his broad shoulders making him look charming and elegant as ever.


    At that moment, he was standing in front of the French window, with the morning sun beaming down on him. He looked like he''d been sent from heaven.


    "Are you ready?" Lucian turned as if he felt Amelia''s eyes staring at him. When he looked at her, his eyes were gentle and affectionate.


    Noticing the bruises on Amelia''s face, Lucian led her to the sofa and took out the medicine box so he could apply some medicine on her bruises.


    That morning, they both felt warm and peaceful, happiness lingering in the air.


    When they went downstairs, Lily had already prepared breakfast. She was waiting for them when they arrived. Sweetly, she greeted them, "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia, breakfast is ready. Please enjoy."


    After that, Lucian and Amelia exchanged glances with each other smiling. When Amelia first invited Lily to have breakfast with them, Lily refused. However, when it was Lucian who had insisted, Lily had no choice but to do as requested. Sitting on the breakfast table with them, she grinned sheepishly.


    "Amelia, I have some work to do. I''ll pick you up for dinner at t


    cking my husband?" Courtney drunkenly asked as she pointed her finger once again to Melissa.


    Melissa glanced scornfully at the drunk Courtney and asked coldly, "Your husband? Why? Do you have a marriage certificate already?"


    Sobering up a bit, Courtney recognized her and said angrily, "He''s not my husband yet but is he yours?"


    "Well, legally, he is," Melissa said confidently.


    What the hell was going on? Amelia shot Kent a questioning look. She immediately noticed how nervous he was. She couldn''t help but wonder if Melissa was saying the truth after all.


    "Are you trying to threaten me? Kent and I are going to get married soon. How dare you come here and call him your husband? We''re engaged!" Courtney snapped furiously.


    They were starting to attract the attention of the customers nearby. It didn''t take long for the manager to notice the trouble that was brewing too.


    "Sir, Miss, can we move this elsewhere? People are starting to look," the manager said calmly in an attempt to mediate.


    "Sorry, we were just about to leave," Amelia said apologetically. She then pulled Courtney''s sleeve and whispered, "What''s going on? Let''s just get out of here and we''ll talk then."


    Courtney was starting to sober up. She warned Melissa, "Stop pestering my husband just because you two have a history together. I''m telling you, I don''t care about his past. What matters is the present and at present, I''m the one he loves!"

 Chapter 145 Stay At The Zhan Mansion For One Night

    It was more or less a prickly thorn in Courtney''s heart. She would feel a devastating pain in her heart if she got to know everything. However, Kent tried hard to stitch up the wound in her heart by all means. As Courtney was recovering from the shock, she was torn apart again because of Melissa.


    Melissa was full of anger and dissatisfaction. She was a self-centered woman. She couldn''t swallow her anger when she came to know that Courtney pointed at her nose while they were surrounded by others. Melissa couldn''t control the situation calmly. Immediately, she picked up the glass bowl on the bar counter and threw it directly at Courtney. There was a splatter of glass on the ground and everyone became silent seeing the shocking incident.


    Courtney dodged the bullet subconsciously. But she was still hurt badly.


    "Courtney!"


    "Courtney! Oh my god!"


    Kent and Amelia held Courtney with their hands at that instinct and heard a cry of pain from her throat. Tears rolled down from her eyes and her heart beat got faster.


    Melissa was eager to hurt Courtney. The smashing sound of the glass and Courtney''s expression out of pain made her smile for just an instant. Soon after that, her eyes met with Kent and she froze with regret. She felt a glitch in her heart and was ashamed of her impulsive behavior.


    "I...I didn''t mean.. Sorry... I... I didn''t mean to... I didn''t know that she would be badly hurt." Melissa was so scared that her eyes were wide open and her lips kept trembling with guilt and fear. She knew that everyone around her would have thought how much of a bitch she was. Kent looked at her resentfully and it struck her quite badly.


    "Take Courtney to the hospital now! She is bleeding. Right now!" Amelia''s face was pale and she didn''t bother to respond to Melissa. She wanted to save Courtney and couldn''t come out of the immense shock.


    The fellow


    en the beds were covered with a layer of scarlet paint and the lamps had rustic gold finish. The make-up mirror was exactly the same like the ones in ancient drama sets. The king size wooden bed had a pair of pillows which were neatly arranged on the head of the bed. There were candlesticks on the round table and two candles on the candlesticks. Everything seemed to be like the wedding rooms in the movies. The mansion''s style portrayed class and elegance.


    Amelia took a look at Lucian and laughed, "It seems to be our wedding night." Her mouth was wide open by seeing the grandeur of his house.


    "I think so. Haha!" Lucian said as he looked solemn and charming.


    Amelia reminded him nervously, "I''m pregnant now. You can''t do anything to me."


    Lucian suddenly got excited seeing her nervous. He approached her with a cheerful face and teased, "Don''t worry. I''ll be careful."


    His charming flirtation weakened her breath and she could clearly hear her heart beat.


    "Lucian, don''t do that!" Amelia pushed him away nervously.


    Lucian wanted to continue joking with her, looking at her bare face. He reached out his arms and held her slender waist. He said in a tender voice, "I''m the father of the child. I''m your husband. How could I hurt you and the child?"


    Amelia shivered listening to Lucian''s words when he came closer to her. She glared at him and warned, "You''d better be careful when you sleep at night. Otherwise, you can sleep on the sofa." Amelia turned from a calm bird to an ordering parent in a second. She gave an order to Lucian for the first time.


    "What? Mrs. Amelia is frightening." Lucian gave an evil smile and continued to tease her. But his evilness was intriguing.


    Amelia was used to him being disrespectful in front of her. So she just smiled lightly.


    She felt shy to admit that she couldn''t sleep well without Lucian by her side at night.

 Chapter 146 Its So Funny

    One night, she kicked the quilt off and it woke Lucian up. He placed the quilt over her several times but she kept kicking it off. No matter how many times Lucian placed the quilt back on her, she just kept kicking it off. In a fit of frustration, Lucian tapped her on her buttock to wake her up. She woke up startled and sat on the bed. She asked him why he woke her up.


    Lucian apologized immediately when he saw that she felt wronged by having her sleep interrupted. He explained that she kept moving too much that she kept kicking the quilt off and he was afraid that she might fall from the bed. He was actually worried that she might catch a cold if she slept without the quilt.


    She smiled but laughed to herself because of how pitiful Lucian looked as he explained everything to her.


    Amelia always got up early but she woke up late the first time she stayed at the Zhan mansion.


    She would still be in bed if Lucian didn''t wake her up. He wanted her to get up and have breakfast before it got very late.


    She opened her eyes and tried to see the rays of the sun to determine the time and then asked, "It''s late, isn''t it?" She got up and moved the curtain a little bit to look at the morning sun. She took her phone to check the time and a hint of disappointment crossed her face. She was a little upset that she woke up late.


    "I woke you up because it''s getting late and I was worried that you might be hungry. But if you haven''t slept enough yet, have breakfast first and then you can go back to sleep again," Lucian suggested. There was a smile on his face that made him look like he was pampering her.


    Amelia didn''t answer but shook her head instead. She silently went straight to the bathroom to wash up.


    She then went downstairs and found that Nicholas patiently waited for her in the living room as he sat on his wheelchair. She immediately ran to him and said in an apologetic tone of voice, "Dad, I''m sorry. I overslept." She scratched her head as she spoke. Her voice was filled with embarrassment. She looked like a student who was late for class and h


    xpression of frustration. "I am not acting like a spoiled child. I''m trying to discuss this with you like a couple." Unfortunately, persuasion was never her strongest suit. And Lucian was never a person that was easy to convince of anything.


    Lucian laughed hard when he saw her pitiful and helpless look. "Only my wife could act like a spoiled child in front of me and get away with it!"


    Amelia blushed and rolled her eyes at his words, "I''m being serious!"


    "Okay, go ahead then. I''ll listen." Lucian immediately straightened himself up and stared straight into Amelia with eyes that were full of love.


    "I still want to work in the milk tea shop," Amelia said in a determined tone of voice. Lucian knew that when she had decided to put her foot down on something, it would be impossible to dissuade her.


    Since he cannot convince Amelia to give up, Lucian knew that he had to find the middle ground and offer it to Amelia. "And so Mrs. Amelia wanted to make some money of her own. If a paparazzi saw you, they''d think that we''re going through a rough patch in our relationship,"


    Lucian said as he grabbed her hand tightly but affectionately.


    Amelia couldn''t think of a better way to stay active. She knew that if she stayed home, she''d only get bored.


    "I can hire two waiters. And you can only work from 2 P.M. to 6 P.M. Promise me this or your only other option is to stay at home." Lucian explained Amelia''s two choices patiently. His voice sounded soft to her as he spoke slowly so that she''d understand everything.


    "It''s just a small business, Lucian. If you hired two waiters and paid for their wages every month, how will you make a profit?" Amelia knew that even though the milk tea shop was located at a strategic location, the target market was not that big. Thus, there was no need to hire waiters.


    "I am the owner of the store. So, Mrs. Amelia, please listen to me," Lucian said with the same voice. He wanted to keep his voice moderated so that he would not agitate Amelia too much. But, still, he had to convince her with how he wanted to do it.

 Chapter 147 Call Me Honey

    For some time, Amelia was quite touched when she heard about it from Courtney for the first time, but she didn''t expect that it would now become a way to threaten her.


    Amelia had to show Lucian that she really wanted to work there so she pleaded, "Two to six o''clock, then after that a fellow waitress should be enough to watch over the store. She will work with me on these shifts."


    To put it bluntly, she was still distressed about the salary.


    "We''ll make an agreement in case you change your mind," Lucian reluctantly responded. In fact, he didn''t feel comfortable with Amelia''s decision to continue with her job. He was worried that she might overwork herself but still, he chose to do the thing that would bring Amelia happiness.


    "It''s a good bargain, you''re indeed a businessman," Amelia complimented him. Amelia couldn''t do anything but shake her head in distress due to Lucian''s actions.


    But the fact that he only did this because he cared for her made her happy, so she gladly signed their written agreement.


    Amelia finally fulfilled her wish to work in the milk tea shop. It might seem very hard to work as a pregnant woman, but Lily would always cook very satisfying meals for her. Lucian even hired a nutrition expert to teach Lily how to cook meals for Amelia after she gave birth.


    Amelia was deeply moved by all of the things that he had done for her. So she continued to work in the milk tea shop and would punctually get off duty at 6:00 pm.


    Lucian would come and pick her up in person. Even though her life was simple, she was happy and content. If she was being honest, she couldn''t ask for anything more.


    Ever since Courtney had reconciled with Kent, she managed to buy the milk tea shop which she owned in the past. Courtney said their love came back to life again so she must get the shop


    on. Since their relationship had been going so well, Courtney had even branded them as a comedy duo.


    That weekend morning, Amelia got up and packed the gifts for Yolanda''s baby. Then, she picked out a maternity dress with just a plain color from her wardrobe and looked at herself in front of the mirror for quite some time.


    "What''s wrong?" Lucian asked. He had just came out of the shower from his bath. He saw Amelia standing in front of the mirror with a concerned look on her face.


    "My belly is getting bigger and bigger. No matter what I wear, I can''t cover the fact that I''m pregnant," Amelia replied in a sorrowful voice. She pouted and felt very aggrieved as a mother.


    "Are you worried that Yolanda and Sophia will notice that you''re pregnant?" Lucian asked. He seemed to understand what Amelia was worried about.


    "Even my father doesn''t know that I''m pregnant yet. When they finally find out about it, they''ll certainly be surprised," Amelia replied. She didn''t know what she was truly upset about, but her face soon turned to a smile when she realized something. "It''s a surprise for my father. I''m sure he''ll truly be overjoyed when he finds out that he''s going to become a grandfather soon."


    "That''s right, my silly wife. Always try to see things in a positive light," Lucian replied. When he saw her smile, Lucian felt relieved. He then held her in his arms and gave her a loving kiss.


    Finally, it was time to meet with Amelia''s family again. When they arrived at the MC Hotel, Lucian''s car attracted many guests'' attention since it was a limited edition.


    Lucian helped Amelia out of the car. The way he acted like a gentleman caused ladies to scream, which made Jasper, who was greeting the guests, have a somewhat complicated feeling. After seeing Amelia''s belly, his eyes were as deep as the mist.

 Chapter 148 Who Is the Babys Father

    "Mrs. Amelia is so lucky! Did you see how Lucian had his arm around her waist and kept looking at her with those eyes? Oh my god, I''m so single..."


    "So Mrs. Amelia is pregnant!"


    "Looks like she''s about four or five months pregnant... But she''s so thin though! I wonder how she and the baby will do."


    Whenever Amelia attended banquets with Lucian, a lot of people would talk and gossip among themselves. At this point, she was already quite used to it. There was always a smile on her face when she passed by everyone. As long as Lucian was by her side, she felt that she had nothing to worry about.


    "Lucian, Amelia. Welcome!" Jasper greeted enthusiastically, spreading his arms widely with a big smile on his face.


    Overhearing the other guests'' chatter, Yolanda scanned the hall and walked over to them in her high heels. Upon seeing Amelia''s bulging belly, Yolanda raised an eyebrow at her. "You''re pregnant?" she asked in surprise.


    "Is it that obvious?" Amelia joked, stroking her belly.


    At the moment, Jasper also came up to them with a cheeky grin. "Amelia. Lucian, Congratulations!" Jasper exclaimed.


    "Thank you," Lucian replied calmly.


    "You look like you''re already in your second trimester..." Yolanda stated, her eyes filled with puzzlement.


    "That''s right. I''m already five months in," Amelia replied with a nod.


    "Five months? But you..." Yolanda sneered, hesitating to continue. Taking a deep, long breath, she glanced at Lucian and then back at Amelia. "If I remember correctly, you were with Jonny five months ago," she sai


    od that Yolanda''s words were a little excessive, but as a stepfather, he should not say too much or else Yolanda would feel that he was intentionally partial to Amelia.


    Over the years, Amelia had had other people berate her. Even so, Vernon never seemed to make a move to protect her. It was as if Vernon treated Yolanda as his biological daughter more that he did with Amelia.


    "Come on, everyone is here. Let''s start!" Jasper sat beside Yolanda, took the child from her and greeted everyone with a smile.


    "Watch the baby''s head! Make sure you support it well," Amelia said instinctively. After all, it was a newborn baby. Seeing Jasper hold the baby so haphazardly made Amelia extremely nervous.


    "Okay, I got it." Jasper gave her a smile and did as she said. He was so unskilled that his face was twisted with confusion.


    "Well... you''re such a baby expert now, aren''t you? Really prepared to take on motherhood," Yolanda commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She took a quick glance at Amelia, as if she wanted to see her response.


    However, Amelia didn''t care about that at all. When she saw the dishes on the table, she smiled at Lucian. "The baby and I are getting really hungry from all this delicious looking food!"


    It was rare for her to act like a spoiled child in front of others. So, Lucian thoughtfully put some food into her bowl. "In that case, you better eat up. I can''t let the two of you starve."


    Although their conversation was normal between them, it was so sweet to hear for the other people who were able to listen in.

 Chapter 149 Hurtful Words

    When Yolanda saw the intimacy between Lucian and Amelia, envy spread across her chest. She eyed them with a disgusted look. They had indeed shamelessly stunned her. She felt that it''d be useless to interrupt them even. Moreover, Vernon had warned her harshly several times in secret not to dispute them anyway. Even though she was dissatisfied, she had to hide the fact forcefully.


    "Lucian and Amelia love each other and now they are going to have a lovely baby. I''d say their lives are complete," raising the glass of wine, Vernon suddenly exclaimed aloud. He had a toothy grin on his face.


    Amelia picked up the glass of juice in front of her and acknowledged him with a smile, "Thank you, Dad. There is no doubt on that. I''ll certainly live happily forever with Lucian. You can rest assured."


    "Yeah, that''s what I had hoped for you." Vernon nodded at his daughter, then turned to Lucian and raised his glass. "Lucian, thank you for making my daughter happy."


    Lucian raised his glass too. He returned the smile genuinely and enunciated, "Dad, I should thank Amelia instead. My life has become special just because of her and I cherish every second of my fate that I get to live with her. I will thank god over and over throughout my life, that she is the woman with whom I will spend the rest of my life."


    Lucian wanted to say this to Amelia secretly when they''d be alone, but as the topic brought up, he couldn''t stop himself. Either way, he wanted everyone to know how grateful and happy he was having Amelia by his side. He was a lucky person to live with Amelia forever. However, what he didn''t like here was this family taking Amelia for granted. They had always underestimated Amelia and that made him feel angry at them. This was why he confessed the real words of his heart in front all of them. If they liked lying on Amelia''s face, then he would choose the most hurtful words to re


    rly. Lily got worried seeing her like that. Although she promised not to tell Lucian, she couldn''t take the risk. After all, Amelia was pregnant. If anything happened to her, Lily might be held responsible for her condition.


    With great care and concern, she helped Amelia lie down on the bed and then called Lucian secretly and told him everything.


    Lucian rushed back to the SJ Garden as soon as he got the call. When he arrived, he saw that Amelia was sleeping soundly with a face as pale as snow. It was painful to look at her like that.


    She didn''t wake up until it was dark. Seeing Lucian sitting by her side on the bed, she immediately sat up and asked, "Why are you back so soon?"


    Lucian held her and tucked a pillow behind her back. He gently smoothed the bangs that fell on her forehead and gazed at her with concern. "Amelia, if you have any problem in the future, remember to tell me before anyone else. Do you understand?"


    Amelia shook her head. "I''m fine," she answered in a low voice and averted her gaze. Amelia realized Lucian was aware of her situation.


    "Mr. Lucian. The doctor is here." Lily knocked on the bedroom''s door and said in a low voice. Lily''s voice made her head snap at the direction of the door hastily.


    Amelia looked at her, then at Lucian. She asked curiously, "Who is ill?"


    When he saw the puzzled look on her face, he felt sorry for her. A thought crossed his mind which he realized he was lucky to observe. Amelia was really very cute and innocent. He assured her gently, "I have called the doctor to see you. Let him check you up. I will be relieved once he does so."


    "Oh! Okay." Although Amelia was a little reluctant, she agreed with Lucian. She knew Lucian could be persuasive. So, she nodded her agreement at him.


    After the checkup, the doctor reminded Amelia what she should pay attention to and reminded her to always keep a happy mood.

 Chapter 150 I Want A Daughter

    Lucian made a mental note of everything the doctor had said about Amelia''s pregnancy. When the doctor reminded her to keep a good mood, he specially gave a long and lingering look at his wife.


    From his eyes, Amelia could only feel the depth of Lucian''s love and she basked in its warmth.


    After the doctor left, he asked Lily to bring Amelia some soup so she could eat. He took the bowl from Lily''s hands and started feeding her himself.


    Amelia didn''t mention why she was sad that afternoon, but Lucian had already guessed the reason.


    Vernon had called him to ask about the project funds but he flatly refused. Consequently, Vernon became furious and vented his anger on Amelia. Lucian didn''t expect that he would do this. He just couldn''t take it well.


    "Did Lily tell you?" Amelia asked as Lucian was tenderly blowing on a spoonful of hot soup.


    Despite feeling depressed because of Vernon''s words, Amelia took comfort in Lucian''s presence.


    Lucian fetched a basin of warm water and began wiping Amelia''s face with the damp towel. After that, he took another doting look at her and said, "Fortunately, she did tell me. Did you really plan on keeping that to yourself and suffering alone?"


    His face was so close to hers that Amelia felt his warm breath on her cheeks. She was so moved by his words that she couldn''t keep her tears from falling.


    "Alright, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to scold you. I just feel hurt when you keep these things from me. You''re always taking on everything by yourself. It''s like you don''t even trust me," Lucian apologiz


    ven against Shelly.


    But destiny had other plans.


    "It''s the start of another sales season. You must be very busy with the Sales Department nowadays?" Amelia asked. She was not aware that Sasha was no longer affiliated with Zhan Group.


    Since Amelia brought it up, Sasha thought to tell her everything.


    "Thank you for your concern, Amelia, but I''m no longer with Zhan Group. Even if I do want to go back, I''m pretty sure Lucian won''t give me a chance," Sasha sighed. She then looked at her and begged, "Amelia, everyone knows that I did very well when I was with Zhan Group. I really want to go back. Do you think you can put in a good word for me with Lucian?"


    Amelia frowned. Requests like this always made her uncomfortable. She had no idea how to reply.


    "Please! I won''t put you in a difficult position, I promise. I just worry about Lucian. He would definitely go against me getting hired," Sasha said while trying to hold back tears.


    Despite feeling flustered, Amelia tried to comfort her, "Don''t worry about it, Miss Sasha. You know that Zhan Group''s recruitment process only considers one''s work performance. And since you''ve always put out stellar work, I''m sure that you won''t need any special help. You''d definitely get in."


    Her answer was smart and reasonable.


    Sasha was surprised to hear Amelia''s very wise words. She had always thought of her as a simple, soft-hearted girl who did as everyone told her. Hearing Amelia turn down her request, she thought that she had matured in her own way. Sasha couldn''t help but admire her a bit.

 Chapter 151 Stay With Me

    It was the middle of the night. Moonlight gently illuminated the white walls of SJ Garden, and a dreamlike haze enveloped Amelia''s surroundings. The fragrance of various flowers in the backyard wafted in the air as she sat at the desk, working out how well the milk tea shop had done this month.


    She had fallen asleep when Lucian returned from a business dinner.


    Upon entering the bedroom, the first thing that he noticed was Amelia slumped over her desk. He made his way toward her and took the pen that she had been too tired to put down. He picked her up. She was lighter than she appeared to be. Carefully, he carried her over to the bed.


    Even though he had been busy the entire day and was exhausted by that point, seeing Amelia took all of that away.


    She was now six months pregnant. Still, Lucian could not help but notice that her skin remained smooth. She had also gained some baby fat. He looked at her fondly as she slept. Her face was no longer as pale as it had been in the past. The pregnancy had blessed her with a ruddy complexion. In Lucian''s eyes, she looked younger and even lovelier.


    He silently studied her for a while, gently kissing her on the lips afterward. Then, he got up and returned to the desk. Seeing that she had fallen asleep computing her milk tea shop''s income, he felt speechless.


    ''When you were a student, did you sleep during your math classes?'' he thought, amused.


    He proceeded to take care of the calculations that Amelia hadn''t worked out. Looking at her delicate handwriting, L


    You''re right. Let me ask you something instead. Earlier, the Zhan Group was in a big mess. At that time, she decided to divorce Lucian and stayed with Jonny. Now, it''s true that Lucian and Amelia are living together, but are you sure that it''s Lucian''s baby?" She glanced at the direction of the kitchen to make sure that Amelia hadn''t heard anything.


    "Nonsense!" Nicholas yelled. Then, he took a deep breath and said quietly, "Amelia choosing to divorce Lucian was temporary. You know better, Fannie. I''ve gotten used to you being ungrateful, but now, you''ve resorted to slander. Do you think this is appropriate for someone at your age?"


    He had always hoped that Fannie would set aside her prejudices against Amelia, but now he was losing hope.


    "After the baby is born, you''ll know whether I''m lying or not. Women nowadays are more sensible, so don''t blame me for saying something like that ever again," Fannie said, not backing down. It hadn''t become easier for her to accept Amelia. She spoke with obvious disgust, which Nicholas clearly saw.


    However, he would rather get mad at himself than listen to more of Fannie''s nonsense.


    "Nicholas, I''ve been part of the Zhan family for many years. Now that Lucian has grown up, our company is only becoming better and better. I do not require much. Give me five percent of the shares so that I have something to depend on." Noticing that Nicholas was no longer speaking, she thought that her words had worked on him. She was confident now that she was going to benefit from this.

 Chapter 152 You Are So Hopeless

    "Lucian is in charge of the Zhan Group. I don''t think I can change anything." Nicholas knew that Fannie''s request was reasonable, but it was impossible to fulfill her request. Her attitude towards Amelia was extremely horrible. If Fannie somehow managed to change her behavior, perhaps Lucian would agree without hesitation.


    The color of her face changed dramatically. She lowered her voice and said in a threatening tone, "We have been a couple for years. If you don''t want to help me, it''s fine. But don''t blame me for revealing your secret."


    "You are going to be a grandmother. Isn''t it foolish to bring up those bizarre things? You''re just going to humiliate we both." A spark of anger ignited in Nicholas''s eyes.


    Fannie sneered. "If you can make that kind of decision, then why not me? Plus, I don''t think I''ll have any dignity if I lose my face in the Zhan family."


    Nicholas trembled in anger. He stayed silent for a moment and raised his head to gaze at her fiercely. "You should change your attitude towards Amelia. Show that you are a mother-in-law, not some villain in a movie. Amelia has never retorted whenever you yelled at her. If it were another woman, she would have argued back long ago."


    "Nicholas, why are you so partial with her? It makes me think as if you want to rob the cradle again. It''s a pity that she''s your daughter-in-law. Besides, you can''t even move your legs. How could you even run away with her?"


    "You are so unreasonable!" Nicholas roared in a fury. He raised his walking stick and slammed it


    g in her heart. She pushed the bowl down and pointed her finger at Amelia''s nose in anger. "Do you think you can buy anyone''s heart using food? I will never do that! Never!"


    After Shelly vented her anger, she turned around and left without even saying goodbye to Fannie.


    "No... Shelly, come back!" Fannie could only stare at the empty space. She shook her head in disappointment. "What a mean girl!"


    "Mom, don''t blame Shelly. Here, drink it all." Amelia didn''t expect to meet Shelly in the hospital. She was even more startled at Fannie''s behavior. Her attitude toward both Amelia and Shelly had taken a leap.


    "Amelia, you know that I''m Lucian''s aunt, don''t you?" Fannie put down the empty bowl and held Amelia''s hand. "I have always been insecure, you know? I''m not his real mother, I''m his aunt. I always feel like he would just slip out of my hands any minute! He just never listens to me, and I end up interfering too much in his personal life. The result is what''s been happening between him and me today."


    Amelia had never been alone with Fannie before. In the past, Fannie wouldn''t have talked to her like this. The old Fannie was too aggressive and hyper to speak peacefully.


    After listening to Fannie''s words, Amelia understood the reason why Fannie used to behave like that with her.


    "Mom, don''t worry. Lucian won''t do anything reckless." Amelia had been with Lucian for almost a year, and she knew him like the back of her hand.


    He proved to be a responsible man as she relied on him for her lifelong happiness.

 Chapter 153 The Change In Fannies Attitude

    "I hope Lucian will behave as you said." The smile on Fannie''s face was forced. It was obvious that she was incredibly anxious.


    "Dad missed you so much, mom. If you only knew, he feels so guilty for what happened. Locked himself in his study and barely eats anything." Amelia kept in mind her main purpose of coming to the hospital today.


    If Fannie didn''t forgive Nicholas, it would be hard for them to get along with each other. Although what Amelia said didn''t work, it was better than not to mention it at all.


    "Are you saying that it''s not his fault that he couldn''t control his temper? That it''s not his fault that he hit me?" Fannie said, gritting her teeth.


    Amelia felt slightly embarrassed. Comforting people wasn''t her strongest suit. What''s more, this was a matter that concerned her elders. But, as the daughter-in-law of the Zhan family, she had no choice but to do her best.


    "Mom, don''t be too mad at dad. He didn''t mean it. I think he has learned his lesson this time. After everything that''s happened, I doubt he would do something like that again," Amelia consoled Fannie in a low voice.


    "He didn''t mean it?" Fannie scoffed. "If he dares to do that again, I will kill him!"


    Her face was as red as fire. There wasn''t a trace of sarcasm in her voice. Seeing Fannie like this shocked Amelia quite a bit.


    Seeing the fear and astonishment on Amelia''s face, Fannie concealed her anger and put on a smile. "Don''t worry. As long as he doesn''t mess with me, I won''t be too hard on him."


    At that time, she didn''t expect that Nicholas would be so angry. Ac


    these things.


    "But you''ve taken charge of everything! What else is there for me to do?" Amelia pouted and asked playfully.


    Looking at her, he said seriously, "What you need to do now is to eat well and keep your mood up. Take care of yourself as much as you can so our baby can come into this world without any complications. Okay?"


    Looking at his serious facial expression, Amelia just let out a long, deep sigh.


    "It sounds like a piece of cake... But there are other things that are out of my control. What if the baby doesn''t look good? Who will be held accountable?" She pouted as she chewed on her food.


    Lucian found it was funny that she occasionally spoke some silly things. Every day, Amelia never failed to surprise Lucian. Ever since she came into his life, everything was so much brighter and more colorful.


    In order to prepare the delicious food for Amelia, he had taken time off to study. Since he knew that she was pregnant, he specially consulted a nutritionist. He remembered all the food that was good for a pregnant woman like Amelia.


    Perhaps it was because Lucian had personally prepared the food that Amelia indulged herself completely. When she had finally finished eating, she had eaten twice as much as she normally would that she could barely stand up straight. "Baby, it looks like your father wants to make your mother fat," she said as she stroked her belly, "If I become fat, your father might stop loving me."


    Lucian couldn''t help laughing and looked at her affectionately. "Don''t worry. No matter how fat you are, I always love you."

 Chapter 154 Taking Wedding Photos

    In truth, Lucian really wanted Amelia to gain some more weight. Before, he had joked that she would easily get blown away by the wind, to which she said that she would just cling onto his neck.


    At the thought of this, Lucian couldn''t stop smiling.


    Seeing Lucian smile to himself, Amelia couldn''t figure out why he was so happy. Not thinking too much about it, she stood up and started clearing out the table. But before she could pick anything up, Lucian immediately stopped her, "Let me do it. Just go relax at the living room." There was a hint of concern in his tone when he saw how full she looked.


    "Hey, you were the one who cooked. So it''s only fair that I do the dishes. We need to have a fair division of labor around here," Amelia said seriously.


    "We''re in a relationship, not in a democracy. You don''t have to be so serious about it," Lucian said, rolling his eyes. Taking the chopsticks from her hand, Lucian smiled sweetly at her. "People say that pregnant women should be treated like a queen. So now, will the queen please allow me to do the dishes?"


    "In that case, when the baby is born, you won''t spoil me anymore, right?" Amelia asked directly, crossing her arms over her chest.


    With a bowl and dishes to wash in his hands, Lucian shook his head and smiled at her. "My dear wife, please don''t think about that right now. All I''m asking right now is that you go relax."


    Amelia couldn''t help but let out a laugh of her own.


    That night, Amelia and Lucian laid down in bed. Amelia''s head laid on top of Lucian''s chest. She could hear the steady beating of his heart. "Honey?" she said in a quiet voice. "Maybe I should go and visit mo


    ''s go and ask the doctor the check-out time." Lucian squeezed out a smile, trying to get rid of the tangles on Amelia''s face.


    At the door of the hospital, Lucian and Amelia ran into Emma.


    "Amelia, Lucian. You are here." There was always a gentle smile on Emma''s face.


    It was a little embarrassing for Amelia to meet Emma in such a humble way.


    "Hello, auntie," Amelia greeted her with a smile, but her heart was clenched tightly.


    Emma just kept smiling at her. "Long time no see. I see you''re going to be a mother. Congratulations."


    "Thank you, auntie." Seeing that Emma had no intention of blaming her for what happened, Amelia felt relieved.


    "Auntie, do you come to visit anyone here?" Lucian greeted with a calm face.


    "I came to see your mother. And also... I came to pick up Shelly," Emma said, looking embarrassed. "But Shelly doesn''t want to go back with me. I''m such a bad mother."


    Emma, who had always been calm, sighed helplessly when she mentioned her daughter.


    "Look at me. I don''t need to take up your time with these trivial things. You''d better go in now," she continued as she shook her head. Then, she flashed a kind smile at Amelia and Lucian before finally going on her own way.


    Just when Amelia was about to enter, Lucian grabbed her arm. "Don''t come in," he said with a frown.


    "Why not?" Amelia was confused and wondered why Lucian suddenly changed his mind.


    "Didn''t you hear Emma just now? Shelly is also here." When he mentioned Shelly, he couldn''t help frowning, and his eyes were full of disgust.


    "I ran into Miss Shelly in the ward yesterday. I don''t think there''s anything to worry about," Amelia smiled.

 Chapter 155 They Quarreled Again

    "You met her yesterday?" Lucian was obviously shocked. He went to ask, "Did she do anything to you? Did she say anything hurtful again?"


    Seeing Lucian''s nervous expression, Amelia understood that the memory of her being abducted the last time was still fresh in his mind.


    "She didn''t say anything." Amelia shook her head and said, "If you don''t want to go inside, we can visit dad."


    "Okay, let''s go back to Zhan mansion," Lucian said as he tried to control his own emotions. Amelia knew that Lucian only thought about what was good for her and she didn''t want him to worry over nothing. She thought that visiting his father would take Lucian''s mind off things.


    Nicholas was practicing Chinese calligraphy in the study when they arrived at Zhan mansion. Hearing the knock on the door, he raised his head and saw Lucian at the door. His face lit up at the sight of him. He asked, "Aren''t you busy today? You''re early."


    "I''m not busy these days. Amelia and I just dropped by after getting our wedding pictures taken." Lucian walked up to Nicholas and saw the Chinese characters written on the huge parchment. He praised his father, "Your calligraphy has always been amazing! I can never quite do it like you."


    Getting recognized by his son made Nicholas so happy. He put aside his brush and ink and pointed at a piece of calligraphy he had just finished. He said, "An ideal marriage is divinely arranged. This is my gift to you and Amelia."


    "Thank you!" Lucian excitedly took the calligraphy and said, "Amelia would be thrilled to receive this, knowing that it''s you who ma


    .


    She often made these kinds of remarks. It was quick thinking on Lucian''s part that saved the day, or things would have been a disaster.


    Fannie didn''t say anything else and focused on her plate.


    The parents shared nothing much with each other except random pleasantries. After dinner, Nicholas invited Vernon to play chess with him at Zhan mansion.


    Perhaps because he enjoyed the same hobby, Vernon agreed.


    Amelia stood at the door waiting for Lucian to get the car. When Vernon walked past her, he casually said, "You''ve humiliated me today."


    Amelia''s face fell and her heart sank.


    She didn''t even know what she did to make Vernon say such hateful words.


    Lucian stopped the car in front of the restaurant and called out Amelia to get in. Seeing that she didn''t look well, he asked, "What happened?" He turned to look at Vernon who had already gone inside their car. Lucian already had a hunch.


    "Can we go back to SJ Garden now?" she eagerly asked Lucian as she sat in the front seat of his car.


    They had initially intended to drop by Zhan mansion with their parents, but seeing Vernon in a terrible mood, Amelia wanted nothing to do with him.


    "Okay, if that''s what you want," Lucian said. Vernon and Sophia were already on their way to Zhan mansion, so Lucian called Darren to inform him about their change of plans.


    "Let''s go home." After hanging up on Darren, Lucian held Amelia''s hand and away they drove.


    They spent the drive in silence. When they finally arrived at SJ Garden, Amelia wearily told Lucian, "I''m a little sleepy. I''m going to bed."

 Chapter 156 You Are Jealous Of Our Baby

    "Okay. Don''t think about it. Sleep tight. I''ll call you for dinner," Lucian said softly.


    She pulled out her hand from the quilt and grabbed Lucian''s strong arm. Her eyes sparkled as if she was a little puppy wagging her tail at Lucian. "Can you leave after I fall asleep?"


    "Alright. Go to sleep. I''ll be with you all the time." Lucian sat beside her, gazing at her in affection.


    Amelia smiled and scooted closer to him. She fell asleep within a few minutes.


    Lucian knew that she acted like a little child because of her bad mood. ''Vernon must have said something that made her lose the sense of security like this,'' Lucian thought and caressed her cheek before leaving the room.


    She had a dream in which her mother, Iris, was standing under the thick apricot tree. Amelia knelt in front of Iris and said in a trembling voice, "Mom, please don''t leave me again?"


    Iris smiled sweetly at that, and the dream faded away. Amelia opened her eyes slowly, trying to focus on her surroundings. Tears were still fresh on the corner of her eyes.


    "Honey, are you awake? Did you have a nightmare?" Lucian had just returned to the bedroom from his study when he saw Amelia staring blankly in a daze. She seemed frightened with tear stains on her cheeks. He hurried to her side and wiped off the tears from the corner of her eyes. Putting her head on his broad chest, he stroked her head gently. "Shh...it''s okay. I''m here. Don''t be afraid."


    Her


    ne of my classmates. I didn''t want to disturb you, so I answered it outside."


    Amelia was not a good liar. Her face turned red after she said that in embarrassment.


    "It''s okay. Let''s go to sleep." Lucian brought her to the bed and covered her body with the quilt.


    "Lucian, you are spoiling me so much that I don''t know how to take care of myself anymore." Amelia pouted and adjusted herself on her pillow.


    Lucian wore a smile on his face when he looked at her. "It proves that you''re happy."


    "Of course!" Amelia gave him a proud smile.


    "Go to sleep. I''ll take a shower first." Lucian caressed Amelia''s cheek and gazed at her affectionately.


    The next day.


    Amelia also woke up at the same time as Lucian.


    Although Lucian told her to rest a little more, Amelia shook her head. "I wanted to have breakfast with you. That''s why I woke up early."


    For Lucian, everything Amelia told him would always be reasonable. Her words made him feel loved.


    She bid him goodbye and took out her phone, remembering Jonny''s request.


    Jonny arrived at the SJ Garden about half an hour later. Amelia had already been there waiting for him at the main gate.


    "Amelia, I''ve made you wait, haven''t I? Jonny got off the car and opened the door for Amelia.


    "Jonny, why are you so mysterious? You''re standing in the monitoring range right now, and he can see you. Why did you let me say nothing to Lucian?" Amelia didn''t know what Jonny wanted.

 Chapter 157 An Appointment With Jonny

    The car slowed down to a halt. There was an annoyed look in Jonny''s eyes as he let out a sharp sigh. "Why didn''t I think of this before?" He was doing this to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.


    Noticing the worried look on Jonny''s face, Amelia smiled and said, "Don''t worry. Lucian is not that narrow-minded. Besides, you have been friends with him for so many years now."


    "I hope so." Jonny''s eyebrows were furrowed deeply. At this moment, he couldn''t help but think of the reason why he came to find Amelia in the first place. "My mother is sick," Jonny explained. "She kept calling your name last night. I''ve thought about it a lot before I asked you to come and see her."


    "Auntie is sick?" Amelia asked in disbelief. Just a couple of days ago, Amelia saw her at the hospital. "Has she gone to see a doctor yet?"


    "She''s been sick for quite some time now," Jonny explained. "There are times when she doesn''t feel anything at all. But when she does, it''s very painful for her." His voice was filled with distress and sadness.


    Amelia had fallen quiet as she thought of Emma. For all the times she had met her, Emma had always been such a kind but quiet person, and there was always a smile on her face.


    "Ever since I took over the An Group, my father has been staying at home every day. I thought he and my mother would finally start getting along." With his head down low, Jonny shook his head. "I didn''t know that things would get even worse between them. It made my mother even more depressed, and she started getting her asthma attacks more frequently than before." Jonny tightly clutched onto the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.


    Amelia remembered how Jonny had told her last time that Edmund treated Emma badly. It was really surprising


    irl who''s suitable for him, please introduce her to Jonny right away," Emma said with a laugh.


    "Yes, of course auntie," Amelia said light-heartedly.


    The two of them continued to chat happily, their laughter lifting up room''s atmosphere. When Jonny had finished preparing breakfast, he went back to Emma''s room. "Mom, how can you be so biased towards Amelia?" he asked, pouting his lips like a child. "I always try to tease you and make you laugh but it never works. How come you can''t stop laughing when you''re talking to Amelia?"


    With the same smile on her face, Emma took hold of Amelia''s hand and said gently, "Oh, I don''t know... Amelia is just such a lovely person that it''s really hard to feel anything negative when she''s around."


    Feeling bashful, Amelia lowered her head with a smile on her face.


    "Since you like Amelia so much, why don''t you adopt Amelia as your goddaughter?" Jonny suggested with a smile.


    Emma''s eyes widened in surprise at Jonny''s sudden suggestion. But after thinking about it for a while, she smiled awkwardly and looked at Amelia. "Well, that would be a good idea. I just don''t know if Amelia would agree to it..."


    "Of course. We should ask Amelia first," Jonny said, looking expectantly at Amelia.


    It was all so sudden, but Amelia really liked Emma. The way Emma treated her was so kind and loving. If she ended up as Emma''s goddaughter, it would be as if she would finally get the maternal love she had barely gotten.


    "There''s nothing better I could hope for, auntie," Amelia replied with a smile.


    "So it''s settled! Congratulations!" Jonny exclaimed excitedly.


    His humorous words made Emma laugh. She held Amelia''s hand and sighed, "Even if Amelia can''t be my daughter-in-law, at least she''s still close to me."

 Chapter 158 Lucian Got Jealous

    Amelia had never felt the compassion of a mother since Iris died. But each time she was with Emma, she somehow felt a semblance of that feeling.


    Amelia and Emma chatted for a while as they spent time together. After having lunch, Jonny brought Amelia back to the SJ Garden. She entered the house silently and found that Lily was taking a nap. The phone suddenly rang when she was on her way upstairs. She went and answered the phone, it was Lucian who was calling.


    "Hello, Lucian. It''s me." She felt mildly surprised by Lucian''s call. She wondered why he didn''t call her on her mobile phone.


    "I called your mobile many times but it''s powered off. Lily told me earlier that you have gone out?" Amelia took out her mobile phone and found that it was indeed turned off. She tried to turn it on but it wouldn''t turn on.


    "I''m sorry, Lucian. I forgot to charge my phone last night," she replied in a distressed tone of voice.


    "It''s not a problem. I just want to make sure that you are OK," Lucian replied with a soft voice. A tone of relief could clearly be heard from his voice.


    Amelia understood exactly how anxious Lucian must''ve felt when he was not able to contact her mobile phone even after multiple attempts.


    "So, what''s up with you? Are you done with work and on your way back home?" Amelia asked in a hopeful tone. It was barely three in the afternoon.


    "Not yet, but I might get off work early as soon as I finish this," Lucian replied. He sounded eager to complete his work right away and get back home to Amelia.


    "I''ll be cooking dinner. Then I will be waiting for you once I''m done," Amelia said in her usual tone of voice.


    They spoke a little bit more on the phone and then Lucian hung up.


    There was a knock on the door of his office as soon as he hung up the phone.


    "Mr. Lucian, here is a brief summary of Mrs. Amelia''s activities today. She rode


    n but Amelia''s lie made him feel annoyed even more.


    "Go ahead and cook. I have something I need to finish." Lucian made up an excuse to leave Amelia''s presence. He didn''t feel like talking further at the moment.


    "Okay." Amelia sensed that Lucian was not in the mood to talk with her. She went to the kitchen to cook as she initially intended to do.


    When dinner was ready, Amelia went upstairs to call Lucian to dinner. When Amelia entered the room, Lucian was going through several letters in his hands. When he noticed that Amelia had entered, he immediately put the letters away.


    Amelia was startled by Lucian''s sudden reaction. She ended up speaking to him in an awkward tone, "It''s time for dinner, Lucian."


    "Okay." Lucian stood up in his usual manner and took her hand and proceeded to go downstairs and into the dining room.


    If she had any doubt earlier if there was something wrong, she was now convinced of it. Lucian was acting strangely that she didn''t know how to approach him.


    They had dinner in total silence. Lucian did not say a single word to her until they finished eating. When he finished eating, he got up and left the dining room. Lily cautiously approached Amelia and said, "Mrs. Amelia, have you noticed that there seems to be something wrong with Mr. Lucian today?" Amelia said nothing and started to clear the table instead.


    But she did sense something. She sensed it since the moment that Lucian arrived and entered the house, she knew that something was wrong.


    Amelia made a cup of tea for Lucian after she''d finished with the table. She then walked slowly towards the living room. Lucian sat comfortably at the living room sofa and watched a ball game. She approached him and carefully handed him the cup of tea. He took the cup of tea without a word. She then sat beside him and then asked in a gentle voice, "Lucian, are you unhappy?"

 Chapter 159 Where Is The Trust Between Husband And Wife

    Usually when Lucian returned home, he always had a bright smile on his face. But his face looked cold and pale today. Amelia got little uncomfortable seeing the expression on his face.


    "Amelia, I think the most important thing between a couple is trust. Isn''t it?" He asked Amelia to sit down because he wanted to talk about something important. Lucian looked at her with his deep eyes and held her hand. "You know there is CCTV in the Zhan mansion. Why did you lie?"


    It turned out that Lucian was not happy about it.


    "Sorry, I didn''t tell you about it in advance. I didn''t want to cause any sort of misunderstanding." Amelia apologized to Lucian as she felt guilty. The fault was on her side.


    Lucian felt sorry for Amelia, by seeing the sad look on her face. After all, he loved her so much and couldn''t help keeping her sad any longer. Lucian was puzzled with mixed thoughts. But he knew that she deliberately concealed it and this made him uncomfortable.


    "If you don''t want me to get you wrong, saying the truth is important. Right?" Lucian was trying to figure out Amelia. He just couldn''t get her.


    Lucian wouldn''t make blind and disorderly conjectures. But he was displeased because she intended to conceal the truth from him.


    "I''m sorry sweetheart. Jonny called me last night. He said his mother was sick and asked me to visit her. I was afraid that you might misunderstand the whole situation, so I didn''t tell you." Amelia had no intention to hurt Lucian. Somehow, everything turned out to be this way. She could no longer disappoint him, so she decided to tell the truth.


    "Why doesn''t his mother go to the hospital when she is sick but let you to see her? Don''t you feel inconvenient with your pregnant belly? Have you forgotten what Shelly did to you last time? Darling, you have to take care." Lucian bombarded a series of questions at Am


    e phone," Sasha said wickedly.


    Amelia frowned and said coldly, "Okay, I''ll call him later. Thank you!"


    "Hey, Amelia, don''t hang up. I have something to tell you." Sasha''s sudden coquettish voice irritated Amelia. She was already tired after Courtney''s visit.


    But Amelia decided to be polite and said, "Please go ahead, Miss Sasha."


    "Amelia, it sounds like you are jealous. Doesn''t it? You needn''t be jealous. I am the employee of the Zhan Group now. It''s my duty to answer the phone for my boss. We are so familiar with each other since the beginning. Don''t you think it''s too unreasonable for you to be upset like this? You are educated. I assume you would understand." Sasha''s tone was very soft on the phone. But it made Amelia feel very uncomfortable because she didn''t expect this situation. Needless to mention, Amelia was a bit possessive about Lucian.


    Amelia didn''t have a good impression of Sasha. She had been very rude to Amelia during her working days at the Zahn group. Sasha insulted her a number of times before and those memories stuck to her forever.


    "Miss Sasha, please don''t worry. I''m not mad. Bye!" Amelia was about to hang up.


    "Are you angry? I didn''t mean to....." Suddenly, Sasha smiled and continued, "I begged you to speak for me in front of Lucian last time. But you rejected my offer resolutely. I had to rely on my own abilities to enter the human resources department for an interview. I didn''t expect that I would pass. Now I am a qualified staff of the Zhan Group and I have resumed to my original post. Kind of proud you know!" Sasha was sarcastic while she talked to Amelia. It was almost like she wanted to tear Amelia apart.


    "Congratulations, Miss Sasha. I''m glad." Amelia knew that Sasha was angry with her refusal to put in a good word for her in front of Lucian. But she decided not to extend the conversation.

 Chapter 160 Light Sweetness

    "Moreover, Lucian drove me home yesterday!" Sasha bragged at the other end of the line.


    Amelia fell silent. She felt a sharp twinge in her heart, which she tried her best to ignore. "If that''s all, Miss Sasha, I have to go."


    She hung up the phone without hesitation for fear that she might say something that would further hurt her.


    Lucian didn''t return in time for dinner. Neither did he make the usual call to let Amelia know where he was or why he was running late.


    That night, Amelia had dinner by herself, after which, badly needing a distraction, she watched TV in the living room.


    The night got deeper, and she had planned to stay up and wait for Lucian''s return. However, she fell asleep in the middle of reading a book.


    In the middle of the night, Amelia awoke to the smell of alcohol. She looked around and found Lucian on the bed, sleeping heavily, obviously intoxicated.


    Shocked and having had some hours of sleep, she was now wide awake.


    "Lucian?" She tried to nudge him awake, but he was so drunk that he felt nothing. He muttered something unintelligible instead.


    Amelia sighed. Then, with all her strength, she managed to turn him over and take off his shirt, pants, and shoes. She was not going to let him sleep in this sorry state. Amelia couldn''t believe the strength that was needed to change her husband''s clothes in his sleep. Little beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Some beads came together to make bigger, heavier droplets that made their way down her face.


    Nonetheless, after a deep breath, she fetched a basin of warm water and a towel, washed his face, and straightened him on the bed.


    It seemed that he had been at an important event. Usually, it was Eric who drank for him during social activities.


    The next morning, Lucian aw


    Fannie said, nodding.


    Amelia became uneasy. She was sure that Sophia had talked something to Fannie, but now she wondered if she had said something to make Fannie unhappy.


    "Mom, what''s wrong?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.


    "Let''s eat first, shall we? We can talk about it after the meal," Nicholas interrupted with a gentle smile.


    "That''s right. We can finish dinner first and talk about this later," Fannie agreed. She managed a tight-lipped smile.


    After the three had had their dinner, a servant prepared some fruit for them. Amelia and Fannie sat next to each other on the sofa. Together, they ate fruit while they watched the soap opera on TV.


    "Amelia, maybe now is a good time for you to know. Your parents paid us a visit. As you know, we don''t know much about your family. Now, at dinner, you told us that the woman whom we know to be your mother is actually your stepmother. Now, I understand why she came up with those conditions," Fannie said at last.


    Amelia sat upright. She didn''t understand what Fannie meant. Nervously, she asked, "What conditions? Do you mean she tried to make a deal with you?"


    For some reason, Amelia couldn''t call Sophia her mom this time.


    "If you recall, we didn''t give you a red bag at your wedding, so it was expected for your mother to ask for some cash as a gift of sorts. We had to inform you of this. That''s all," Fannie said with an air of finality. Based on her explanation, Amelia guessed that she didn''t care about that money.


    After hearing the story, she understood.


    However, she couldn''t believe that Sophia had done what she had done. She couldn''t imagine her going up to the Zhan mansion and asking the family for money.


    "Mom, did you give her what she was asking for?" she asked, now visibly upset.

 Chapter 161 Confrontation With Sophia

    "Not yet. I need to make you know about it first and then we can follow your parents'' demands," Fannie said with a smile.


    ''Then, it wasn''t too late,'' Amelia thought to herself.


    Almost at once, Amelia stood up and pleaded to Fannie and Nicholas, "Dad, Mom, you don''t have to fulfill the Mo family''s requests. Lucian and I have already discussed it and we''ve decided to have a simple wedding ceremony. There''s no need for all that frills."


    "What? Why would you say that? You''re marrying Lucian which means we should offer the Mo family a dowry. Plus, you''re going to give birth to a baby for the Zhan family. You should be proud," Fannie said, grinning from ear to ear.


    Nicholas nodded in agreement, the gentle smile on his face never wavering.


    "Mom, I still have to talk to my dad about this. Please don''t say anything yet," Amelia negotiated.


    Since Amelia was insisting, Nicholas had to agree. "Fannie, we should respect her decision. We should wait until then," he said.


    "Well, if you need anything, just tell me." There was a meaningful look in Fannie''s eyes.


    Amelia didn''t notice this but was nonetheless moved by the kindness that they showed her.


    Since she was planning to visit the Mo family, she didn''t stay in the Zhan mansion for dinner. Just as Darren was driving her back to SJ Garden, she asked him to drive her instead to the Mo mansion.


    Darren figured that Amelia just wanted to visit her family so he didn''t worry. He drove her to the Mo mansion as asked then headed back to the Zhan mansion.


    ad away from Amelia as if he didn''t want to see her face anymore.


    "Dad, I''m going to help you get the money for what you owe but I hope this is the last time that you and Sophia get involved with the Zhan family or else, you won''t ever see me again," Amelia said before leaving.


    After Amelia left, Sophia ran upstairs and asked excitedly, "Tell me what she told you!"


    Vernon sat up from the bed, wiped his face with a towel, and grumbled, "You''re so smart and you didn''t even have to lift a finger."


    "I''m just making sure this whole thing is believable. Tell me, what did she say?" As soon as Sophia saw the smile on Vernon''s face, she knew that their plan had worked.


    "Well, even though Amelia is not my biological daughter, I still don''t like lying to her like this." Vernon couldn''t help but feel bad when he thought of how badly he had treated Amelia.


    Sophia forcefully pushed Vernon and said in a shrill voice, "So you''d rather see your own daughter suffer?"


    "Wow. The nerve of you to say that! If Jasper and Yolanda continue gallivanting without a care in the world, how is our company going to stay afloat?" Vernon said a bit angrily.


    "All right, all right. Jasper''s already learned his lesson. He''s going to do his best from now on." Sophia''s first and foremost priority had always been to protect her daughter so she didn''t like the way Vernon was talking about her daughter now.


    Since Amelia wasn''t her biological daughter, it seemed as if her contributions to the Mo family had been taken for granted.

 Chapter 162 Someone Cast In A Bone Between The Couple

    Amelia was already riding a taxi on her way home when Lucian called her to ask where she was. When she told him the truth, he said that he would pick her up instead.


    Not wishing to argue with her husband, Amelia got off the taxi and stood by the roadside to do as he told.


    She kept thinking about the two hundred thousand that Vernon owed.


    Amelia had promised Vernon that she would help him, so she wanted to keep her word.


    Of course, she wouldn''t be able to raise two hundred thousand in a short matter of time, but considering how much she made at the milk tea shop in the last couple of months, she knew that she would be able to help her father to pay some.


    "Amelia! It''s really you," Jonny said after stopping his car in front of her.


    "Jonny?" Amelia didn''t expect to see Jonny there.


    "What are you doing here? Get in the car. I''ll drive you home," Jonny said with a smile.


    Amelia waved her hand and replied with an equally gentle smile, "Thank you, Jonny, but I''m waiting for Lucian. He should be here soon."


    "I see," Jonny said. He looked at her heavily pregnant belly and said with concern, "Well, you can sit here in the car while you wait. It must be more tiring for you to stand."


    Amelia shook her head and replied, "I''m okay, Jonny. Please go ahead. Lucian said he''s arriving soon."


    Jonny stepped out of the car. Approaching Amelia, he joked, "Are you afraid that Lucian would be jealous if he saw me? Then, I''ll wait here with you to see his reaction."


    "There''s no need, Jonny, really," Amelia answered with e


    me, I''m sorry but it won''t work. I know Lucian better than you," Amelia said as the corners of her mouth lifted to form a mocking smile. Sasha had never seen her look so confident.


    She had never considered that Amelia would fight back. Frustrated, Sasha assumed an air of indifference. "I don''t care what you think. But there''s one thing that I''m really worried about. It''s that Lucian has been keeping certain letters. I saw him take them out and reminisce."


    Letters? Amelia didn''t know just how much of Sasha''s words she could believe.


    Feeling that Sasha had been expecting to elicit a certain reaction from her, she forced a smile and said, "I don''t think there''s anything more we need to talk about. Please excuse me."


    "Take care, Amelia. And if you want to know more about the girl behind the letters, you''re free to come visit me at No. 32, Hua City. Or at Zhan Group, whichever''s more convenient for you." Sasha gave her a gloating smile.


    Without raising her head to meet Sasha''s eyes, Amelia nodded politely before hailing a cab.


    No. 32, Hua City? Amelia wondered if it''s the same place she used to frequent.


    She didn''t know that Sasha had moved into this place, somewhere very close to SJ Garden.


    Amelia clung to her handbag and tried to calm her thoughts.


    As soon as she arrived at Mo mansion, Amelia immediately noticed a familiar luxury car parked at the gate.


    She was even more stunned when she saw the person who got out of the car. "What are you doing here, Amelia?" Lucian asked her with the most charming smile.

 Chapter 163 Bonds and Thorns

    Amelia woke up still feeling shaken. Cluttered thoughts followed her unsteady feet and she froze when she was face-to-face with Lucian. She got caught red-handed in her lie.


    She had already made a promise not to keep secrets from him, but she had broken her word once again. Shame flooded her senses and she couldn''t bear to meet Lucian''s eyes.


    "Lucian, I thought you were at the company." The voice that came from her trembled with the weight of her guilt.


    Lucian stood in front of her, his face unreadable. Amelia had almost flinched when he reached out, but the hands that held her were gentle and had no trace of punishment. "I had something to deal with here, but it''s done now. Let''s go back," he said.


    "Oh. Is that so?" she answered, unable to think of any other response. On one hand, she was relieved that he did not seem to be upset, but she had come here to hand over the money to Vernon. If she left now, she would have wasted her time, but with how things were at the moment, she would have no choice but to go with him.


    They had barely taken three steps when Sophia came rushing to them. She turned to Lucian and sobbed, "Lucian, you are still Mo family''s son-in-law. How can you be so cruel!"


    Vernon quickly followed her out of the house. At the sight of Amelia, his face darkened with anger.


    Amelia was at a loss about what was happening. Beside her, Lucian stood as cold as steel as Sophia grabbed at his arm and pleaded. Fury burned bright in his eyes and he felt no pity for the woman who was all but kneeling in front of him.


    "Get her off me," he said coldly to Eric, who was standing behind him.


    The next moment, Eric came forward and disentangled Sophia from Lucian''s arm. "M


    She didn''t even know why it hurt this much. Would she have been less sad if she chose to resent Vernon?


    Why was it that the thing she longed for was the very same cause of her pain?


    An hour had passed and Lucian couldn''t bear the silence no longer. He got the spare key to open the door and found Amelia on the sofa, muffling her cries with a hand as she cried.


    His heart lurched from his chest at the sight of her quietly crying. Hurrying over, he gathered her in his arms and said, "You have me. You will never be alone. I will protect you and never let anyone hurt you."


    Lucian''s words were genuine as they flowed from his lips.


    Vernon was taking advantage of Amelia''s soft-heartedness and only wanted to use her. If Lucian had not stepped in, she would have been involved unknowingly.


    "Lucian, my father owes 200,000 dollars now. If he is called to court, he will surely be in jail!" Despite all she knew, Amelia still worried for her father.


    "Amelia, if you help him now, he will never learn. A crime cannot be solved with another crime. He would just be committing more and more wrongdoings until there is no way out. Do you really think that he would change if you save him?" Lucian reasoned, hoping that Amelia could see reason.


    Amelia knew that what Vernon had done was wrong, but some part of her was still unable to stand by as his daughter.


    "I don''t know. It would have been better if I didn''t find out, but now that I understand what happened, I just feel restless," she said, her confusion forcing her honesty out.


    Lucian embraced her more tightly and said in a gentle voice, "You are pregnant now. You should focus on yourself. Being emotional won¡¯t be good for you or the baby."

 Chapter 164 I Am Not Your Biological Daughter

    "Lucian, I can''t stay calm when I''m in trouble." Amelia pushed herself out of Lucian''s arms and looked at his worried face with guilt.


    Lucian smiled faintly and caressed her cheek. "You don''t have to say sorry to me. As long as you are happy, I am happy."


    Although she was concerned about Vernon, she didn''t say anything about it. She thought Lucian would waste his valuable time worrying about her.


    When Lucian was at work, she called Courtney to ask for help.


    As soon as Amelia mentioned the matter about her father, Courtney said in a firm tone, "It''s not your fault that your father walked on the wrong path. He''s just blaming it all on you because of constant losses. He is so shameless."


    Amelia was speechless at the way Courtney talked, and her face went gloomy.


    "But don''t worry. I''m sure Lucian would do something about it." Courtney waited a few seconds for Amelia''s reply before saying that.


    "Why would Lucian help my father?" Lucian didn''t even mention anything about it last night.


    "It''s because he is the son-in-law of the Mo family." Amelia had never expected that Lucian would help her father.


    She was silent for a while. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. She sighed and said in a small voice, "Courtney, I have to hang up."


    "Amelia, wait¡­" Courtney''s soft voice sounded in her ears. "If you''re worried about him, I can accompany you to the Mo mansion."


    Amelia hesitated before saying yes. Lucian wouldn''t be anxious if Courtney were to accompany he


    on''t Lucian and Amelia help you in committing a crime?"


    "Is that why you come here today?" Vernon asked angrily.


    Courtney gently smiled and shook her head. "Uncle, Amelia is your daughter. She is also very anxious. I know you don''t want her here, but at least she isn''t laughing at you. What''s funny is that you misunderstood your daughter''s feelings!"


    "Courtney." Amelia urgently pulled Courtney''s hand to stop her.


    "If you feel guilty, you can accept the punishment. After that, we will try solving it reasonably." Courtney''s voice was firm.


    She thought it was the only way. Without speaking a sentence longer, she stood up and dragged Amelia toward the door.


    Amelia could see a furious Vernon in the living room, and she felt worse.


    Just as she took a few steps, Vernon''s cold voice echoed in her ears. "You''re so heartless. It proves that you really aren''t my daughter."


    Wasn''t Amelia his daughter? She stopped on her tracks and turned around. Her confused eyes stared at Vernon for a long time, as if trying to digest his words.


    "What do you mean, uncle?" Courtney wasn''t calm either. She frowned and walked over to Vernon.


    Vernon raised his head to glance at Amelia. He smiled bitterly and said, "Just think about why Lucian was so mean to me. Wasn''t it because he knew your background?"


    "My background?" Amelia whispered to herself, too afraid to say it out loud.


    "You don''t even have the family name Mo. You''re just an adopted child!" The irony in his tone was unmistakable.

 Chapter 165 Unbelievable News

    It seemed that Vernon was torn between crying and laughing at that moment. Seeing him like this made Amelia''s heart ache. It was all too unexpected, and his words were like sharp knives that penetrated ruthlessly through her entire being.


    How could it be that she wasn''t really his daughter? It was true that Amelia did not get along with Vernon that much. In fact, there were times that she even wished that their relationship had never existed. But despite that, she never thought the day would come that Vernon would tell her that she wasn''t his daughter.


    Frozen in shock, Amelia felt that a large part of her life had been taken away.


    She clutched her chest, trying to calm down her panicked heart.


    Courtney put her arm around Amelia''s shoulders and tried to comfort her. "It''s okay. He probably just said that out of anger," Courtney comforted in a hushed voice. "Don''t worry about it. Let''s just go back first."


    Even Courtney was shocked by what Vernon just said. But she had to be calm for Amelia''s sake.


    "Do you really think I''m that reckless and out of my mind?" Vernon said with a bitter smile, "Why don''t you just think about it? Have I ever been an actual father to you all these years?"


    Thinking about this, Amelia''s head went blank.


    He was right. From what she recalled, he had never picked her up from school when she was little, never attended the parents'' meetings. Even when she did well in school, he never uttered a single w


    . "Where is she? Where''s my mother?"


    "Amelia, don''t be afraid. I''m here." Lucian held her hands and said in a hoarse voice.


    "I just saw my mother. She was talking to me... She said that being my mother was the happiest thing in the world for her... And then she was gone... Just like that," Amelia muttered, her voice breaking in tears.


    The truth that he tried to hide from her had physically and emotionally hurt Amelia. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn''t have trusted Vernon from the very beginning.


    In order to make Vernon shut up, Lucian bribed him with project funds. It didn''t occur to him that Vernon would go back on his word because he wasn''t satisfied with what Lucian provided.


    "Honey, listen to me and have a good rest. The doctor said that you should take it easy..." However, Lucian still didn''t want to tell the truth. He didn''t want to take the baby as an excuse to lock her emotions. If he did, she would suffer more grievances for the baby. If she was extremely sad and angry, it would hurt her more. So he softened his voice again and coaxed her softly, "If you want to vent your anger, I''ll just be here to help you go through it. You don''t have to do this alone."


    After calming down, Amelia still couldn''t believe that what Vernon had said was true.


    The memory she had about Iris was so vivid in her mind that it was impossible to debunk it. There must have been a reason why she would dream about her like that.

 Chapter 166 I Feel Uncomfortable

    On one hand, she didn''t want to deny it. On the other hand, she couldn''t accept it.


    When Sophia and Yolanda arrived, she was treated worse than the maids hired by the Mo family and was constantly ridiculed by Sophia and Yolanda every day. Vernon kept silent the entire time that she was maltreated.


    She originally believed that Vernon was so in love with Sophia that he decided to leave his wife to be with her. He spoiled Yolanda because he wanted to impress Sophia. He felt that it was for the best since it was difficult to be a stepfather.


    But the truth hit her quite hard. She felt like everyone in the world knew about it except her. She even admired how much the Mo family loved each other. To show her admiration, she even forgave Vernon for what he said and did to Iris.


    "Am I so naive? I didn''t see the truth when it was plain for everyone to see," Amelia said sadly. She looked frustrated and distressed.


    Lucian pulled her into his arms and kissed her ear gently. "You still have me no matter how naive you are," he said softly to her.


    Amelia bit her lips and didn''t say anything. The tears started falling freely down her cheeks.


    Lucian''s words comforted her and made her feel safe. Two things that she needed to feel the most that time.


    She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly. She felt like holding on to the mast of a ship as powerful winds from the storm of life whipped against it and threatened to capsize it.


    Amelia had been in a confused mental state since the time that she found out that she was her mother''s adopted child. She ate and slept normally every day but everything else seemed gray to her.


    She often found herself absent-minded and


    sponsible for what happened, if that''s what you''re worried about."


    She thought that the driver was an irresponsible person and didn''t want to bother wasting her time on him anymore. She felt that it would be pointless to try and make an irresponsible person become responsible for anything.


    "Excuse me, miss. You are a witness to this accident. You can''t leave yet. Otherwise, who can testify on my behalf?" The taxi driver held Amelia''s arm and looked at her with pleading eyes.


    The man who caused the accident didn''t look like he regretted what happened at all. He stood by his car with a cool manner as he watched the other driver.


    Amelia felt another tugging pain in her belly. She held her belly with both of her hands. "Deal with it yourself. I have other things to worry about. I am no longer feeling well," she shouted angrily at the driver.


    At that same moment, Lily arrived on the scene running. "Mrs. Amelia, are you OK?" she asked in a worried tone. The look of anxiousness filled her face.


    Amelia looked at her and shook her head. Her eyes were filled with worry. "I need to get to the hospital. Check if there is a cab nearby that we can take."


    "I called Mr. Lucian. He should be here shortly," Lily said as she reached her hand out to help steady Amelia. Her face looked even worried when she noticed that Amelia was sweating heavily and was in pain.


    Amelia gritted her teeth as the pain steadily intensified. She found a place to sit and walked towards it with the help of Lily. Lily then helped sit Amelia and they waited for Lucian.


    "Sweetie, can you still hang on? You can take my car if you want." The man who caused the accident stood in front of Amelia and offered.

 Chapter 167 A Baby

    "Stay away from Mrs. Amelia!" Lily stood in front of Amelia and yelled at the creepy man who was staring at her. She was quite pissed at the way he glued his eyes to Amelia.


    "Wow! You are so pretty. Do you have a boyfriend?" The man looked quite decent. But he drained his impression by using indecent words.Giving a compliment was not an issue. But his body language was quite creepy.


    Lily couldn''t help but say, "Mr. Lucian is coming soon. If you don''t tell the good from the bad, you will suffer!" She got angry seeing his behavior towards a married woman.


    Amelia was so uncomfortable that her forehead started to sweat. She grasped her clothes tightly out of pain.


    But the pain shot up in a while and became unbearable. She kept panting and said to Lily desperately, "Lily, help me call an ambulance...I can''t take this."


    Her voice was weak and her face turned red. She was crying and asked for Lucian several times.


    "Mrs. Amelia, please hold on. I am calling right now!" Amelia''s condition was getting worse. Lily immediately called up the emergency number.


    The taxi driver slipped away when the creepy man didn''t notice.When the man who passed vulgar comments heard Lily, he thought of reporting it. So he laughed and said, "Alright! Since you don''t appreciate it, I''ll go now..."


    There was a sense of complacency in the vulgar man''s voice. He drove away giving a witty smile.


    "You son of a bitch! Mr. Lucian wouldn''t spare you. He just ran away irresponsibly. Such a jerk!" Lily said, "I''m sorry, Mrs. Amelia. I should have called the ambulance as soon as I went out of the SJ Garden."


    Amelia''s lips became dry with pain. She wanted to say something but w


    o breast feed the baby from time to time.


    Lucian was trying to help. But he couldn''t do anything. Lucian was worried about Amelia not sleeping enough. Soon, Fannie carried the baby and put him on a cradle. She sung sweet songs, expecting the baby to calm down.


    A month had passed, Amelia had planned a family dinner to celebrate the baby''s first month. But Nicholas was not satisfied with the idea. He wanted a grand celebration because Mark was the eldest grandson of the family. Nicholas decided to hold a banquet. Everyone from various fields of the city was invited. The big crowd made Amelia a bit uncomfortable. But she managed to handle the baby with Lucian''s support.


    Amelia used to think of Fannie as a shrewish woman. But after Mark''s birth, Fannie had changed. She became more gentle and soft. Amelia changed her impression on Fannie. Fannie was an amazing host. She was capable of handling toasts from businessmen and chatting with everyone. Her usher to manage the guests made things easier for Amelia.


    After the baby was one month old, Fannie moved back to the Zhan mansion. She said that she wanted to give some space to the couple.


    Amelia couldn''t persuade her to stay. Lucian thought that Nicholas would be lonely in the mansion. So Fannie''s idea to move out was a good decision.


    "Mom, thank you so much for all this. A few days later, I will get Mark to visit you and dad," said Amelia gratefully. She was happy that the family bond was budding after Mark''s birth.


    "Amelia, you have contributed a lot to the Zhan family. We should keep up our family bond. Please take good care of my grandson and visit us when you are free," said Fannie with a kind face.

 Chapter 168 Whatever It Is, Stop It

    Amelia felt the winter breeze on her face and it felt bitterly cold against her skin. She instinctively fell back into Lucian''s arms.


    "It''s cold here. Let''s go inside," Lucian whispered into Amelia''s ear. With a caring around Amelia''s shoulder, Lucian guided his wife back into the room.


    "Mark''s getting better," Amelia said happily as she watched the baby in the crib.


    Lucian stood behind her and looked at Mark who was sleeping soundly. From his baby, he turned to look at his wife and smiled. At that moment, Lucian felt as if life had truly blessed him.


    "People always told me that I was lucky to have everything I could possibly want. And every time, I''d just laugh them all off. But looking at you and Mark now, I actually feel like the richest man in the world," he said with pleasure as he put his arms around her.


    Amelia smiled, too. She looked at Mark and said gently, "My life is complete with you and our baby."


    Amelia had already gone through so many painful memories, but in that moment, she felt nothing but happiness and gratitude. The pain in her heart was slowly fading away.


    Amelia had to stay confined in the house to recover from giving birth during the first month. Courtney would visit her and they would talk about many things. For one, Amelia complained about not being able to wash her hair properly that she had actually cried to Lucian because of it.


    But in light of having given birth to her son, Amelia had never felt


    im about the rumors she had read on the Internet, but she didn''t have enough courage.


    Lucian cared too much about Amelia and she knew that he wouldn''t take kindly to those who would slander her in front of him. Saying anything negative about Amelia would earn her Lucian''s spite. It would be much harder for her to get closer to him if ever.


    "Come here, baby. Auntie Sasha would like to hug you," Sasha said with outstretched arms. Lucian stood up and was about to place Mark in Sasha''s open arms when Lily stepped in.


    "Mr. Lucian, I think it''s time for Mrs. Amelia to feed the baby," Lily said with wary eyes locked at Sasha.


    Lily didn''t know much about Sasha but she could clearly sense that she was not to be trusted. She didn''t like how Sasha looked at Lucian so she decided to interrupt.


    "Okay, Lily! Well, Mark, you should go to your mom," Lucian said.


    "You''ll find Mrs. Amelia in the lounge, Mr. Lucian," Lily reminded him. She had no intention of taking the baby herself to leave the two alone.


    "Yeah, thanks," Lucian said. Oblivious to the sharp looks the women threw at each other, Lucian stepped out of the room to search for Amelia.


    Sasha wanted to stop Lucian, but her own seething emotions wouldn''t let her.


    "Miss Sasha, Mr. Lucian loves Mrs. Amelia very much. Please, whatever it is you''re planning, stop it," Lily said curtly before turning around and leaving.


    Sasha was left speechless. It seemed as if Lily''s warning worked.

 Chapter 169 Lets Wait And See

    Sasha was an arrogant woman from the start. She never expected a servant like Lily would show her audacity in front of her. It made her extremely angry. She stomped towards Lily and grabbed her by her ponytail and yelled aloud, "Do you really expect Mrs. Amelia could maintain her position for a long time?"


    Lily''s head hurt where Sasha had pulled her hair as she squeaked in agony. She then struggled to look at Sasha, and when she did she saw raw fury in Sasha''s eyes.


    As the ceremony was already over, most of the guests had left. Thus no one really noticed the violence that was going on between Sasha and Lily. Although one of the waiter had noticed it, he had deliberately ignored it. Who would even want to engage themselves in an unwanted brawl?


    "What are you doing?" Lily cried out. She stared at Sasha angrily, trying to tear her hands off of her hair. It was really contradictory that how a pretty woman like Sasha could be this vicious.


    Sasha let out a cold laugh suddenly, "How dare you? You dare to warn me! You have no idea who I am! Let me tell you this straight. Don''t keep a false hope that your loyalty will pay you back for raising your status. You are a servant to Lucian and Amelia and you will remain one and there is a good possibility that you might have to serve someone else in the future instead of Amelia."


    It was true that Sasha always had wanted to be the wife of the CEO of the Zhan Group. But Amelia was the one who received the status to become Lucian''s wife and Sasha envied her for this from her core. She still had the hope that she would be able to separate them and Amelia would leave Lucian all for her.


    However, Sasha''s words had amused Lily. She snorted hearing he


    et married soon.


    "So, this is the first time for Lucian to celebrate his mother''s birthday?" No wonder this was why Lucian remained silent for a long time before answering her when she mentioned this matter to him.


    Darren nodded, then sighed, "Mrs. Fannie looks domineering, but actually she is very soft hearted."


    Amelia admitted it in her heart. Then she sent a text message to Lucian. She intended to buy her a birthday present and a cake.


    Lucian made up his mind to celebrate Fannie''s birthday on the insistence of Amelia. So, he came as soon as possible to meet with Amelia after he got her call.


    Together they went to the mall and picked a piece of expensive jewelry for Fannie. Amelia had learned how to make cakes, so she didn''t want to buy it, instead she wanted to make a birthday cake for Fannie herself.


    Lucian agreed that it''d be a good idea. After picking the present, he drove Amelia to a large bakery to buy the ingredients to make the cake.


    Amelia had made the shape of the carnation flowers on the cake and also a heart shape made of fruits, with layers of flowers decorated on the edge. The color was mainly pink and light purple, which looked very pretty.


    It was already ten o''clock sharp when they arrived at the Zhan mansion. After holding Mark in her arms from Amelia, Fannie found the cake on Lucian''s hand. She looked at him in surprise, "Lucian, it''s a...?"


    "Happy birthday, mother." Lucian smiled elegantly.


    "Happy birthday, mom." Amelia followed.


    It seemed like all this was beyond her expectation. Standing in the living room in a daze for quite a long while, she came forward and hugged both of them. "Thank you, Lucian. Thank you Amelia. It means a lot to me."

 Chapter 170 Everything Has Been Planned For A Long Time

    "Come here, let me hug my grandson!" Nicholas rolled his wheelchair to the living room. He stretched out his arms excitedly at the baby in Fannie''s arms.


    She carefully handed baby Mark to Nicholas with a smile and said, "Nicholas was so excited when he heard that you were coming that he decided to skip going to the center for his morning exercise."


    Although Nicholas was no longer mobile, he still went to the morning exercise center regularly; a habit that he had maintained for many years.


    "And why not?! My grandson is coming to visit!" Nicholas held Mark and swayed him slightly in his arms to keep him comfortable. He stared at him as if he was the most precious treasure in the world.


    Lucian placed his arm around Amelia''s shoulder, smiled proudly and declared, "And it''s thanks to Amelia!"


    "You''re right. Thank you, Amelia, for everything!" Nicholas nodded in agreement to Lucian, his face beaming with joy.


    Amelia immediately felt embarrassed by the compliment and replied, "I''m just glad that Mark can be a source of happiness for everyone in the family."


    The harmony of the gathering delighted her immeasurably. It had been some time that she had longed for the warmth and bond of a family. The death of Iris left a huge hole in her heart even after she learned that she was not Iris'' biological daughter. She felt emptiness and longing in her heart. In order to cope with this, she tried to forgive everything that Vernon did to Iris. She thought that this would at least help rebuild her bond with Vernon as a father, but in the end, Vernon used her for his own selfish end.


    Fannie and Nicholas took turns in having Mark in their arms. When it was time to prepare for dinner, Amelia went to the kitchen to cook.


    She had had meals with Fannie and Nicholas a few times in the past. Thus, she knew the kinds of food that they liked having. When she go


    and Mark?"


    "What do you mean?" It took some time before Amelia understood what he really meant to say. She smiled at him and pretended to disapprove of his line of thought. "You are all the security that Mark and I will ever need."


    In her heart, she always considered Lucian as her bastion; solid, impenetrable and able to protect her and Mark from any and all harm.


    Lucian held Amelia tightly in his arms as he smiled at her. They silently stared at each other for a long time.


    Amelia stayed at the SJ Garden most of the time and took care of Mark.


    After Fannie received 10% of the shares of the Zhan Group, she never called Amelia again. Lucian asked Amelia to inform him immediately if ever Fannie called her to ask them to go back to the Zhan mansion.


    The trust that Fannie built in her disappeared in an instant. The feeling between a daughter and a mother that slowly developed between them melted immediately. And she felt slightly betrayed each time she thought about it.


    The promise of a good weather prompted Lily to propose that they take Mark to a nearby park for a walk. Amelia agreed immediately to her suggestion.


    They excitedly rode the car that Lucian gave Amelia. A short time later, they drove out of the garage and headed for the park.


    "Mrs. Amelia, time flies so fast! Mark can now smile and he just smiled at you!" Lily squatted in front of Mark and caressed his cheek.


    "You''re right. It feels like it was just yesterday that I have given birth to him. I am sure he will not be a baby for a very long time." The thought filled her eyes with happiness and sadness at the same time.


    "By the way, Mrs. Amelia, do you know the lady who wore a purple dress at Miss Courtney''s wedding ceremony?" Lily wanted to warn Amelia for a long time but she didn''t know how to start. She wanted to let Amelia know that she should be cautious of Sasha.

 Chapter 171 Mark Was Kidnapped By Sasha

    "Purple dress?" Amelia thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes."


    "Do you know her?" Lily hesitated before asking.


    Amelia frowned at her query. Why was Lily suddenly curious about Sasha? "Not really. It''s just, I met her a couple of times."


    "Mrs. Amelia, you must be careful of that woman. Her ambitions may end up hurting you!" Lily was indignant at the thought of Sasha.


    Amelia''s lips curved up to form a disapproving smile. She had guessed the conversation between Sasha and Lily.


    "Don''t worry. She can''t snatch him away. The feeling of possessiveness isn''t always a true love." Lucian wouldn''t leave Amelia just because of Sasha''s sweet words.


    "That woman is not easy to deal with!" Lily snorted, remembering Sasha''s words.


    "Lily, here." Amelia handed her child to Lily. "Please take care of Mark. I need to go to the washroom." Amelia rushed over to the restroom after searching for it in the park.


    "I''ll take care of Mr. Mark." Lily took Mark out of the stroller and held him tighter in her arms.


    At the same time, two tall men, who had been lurking behind Lily and Amelia, walked over to stand just behind her. Their dark shadows enveloped Lily''s small figure, eyes sparkling with desire. It felt as if they had captured their prey, and they just had to enjoy their feast.


    Lily turned around, and her eyes widened. Her face went pale upon seeing two tall men in front of her. She put her hand on Mark''s head and stood in a protective stance. Her lips trembled in fear. "Who are you? What do you


    Just as she entered the area of empty rooms, the sound of people echoed in the building.


    "Lucian, to be honest, I don''t want to, but you''re too selfish." A woman''s voice reached Amelia''s ear.


    It was Sasha! It never occurred to Amelia that it was Sasha who would dare to kidnap Mark!


    "Sasha, you''ve disappointed me." Lucian gave her a cold reply.


    "Disappointed?" Sasha sneered in response. She was done with his expectations. "I''ve already let you down. I won''t be afraid of this."


    Sasha sat on the leather sofa and glanced at Lucian with a cold gaze. Lucian''s heart burned in rage, but he managed to stay calm on the surface. She snorted in her heart, seeing through his act. She just wanted to hear a few sweet words from his mouth. Was it too much to ask? She wouldn''t have done this if Lucian had agreed to her demands.


    After the wedding ceremony, Sasha had used the time she had with Lucian when he had taken her home. Just when they had reached before her doorsteps, she put her arms around Lucian''s neck, and said admiringly, "Lucian, I don''t need any legal status. Just let me be your woman, okay?"


    She lowered herself and begged him, but Lucian didn''t care. He gazed at her in disgust. "I have eyes for no woman except Amelia. No one can replace her."


    Lucian''s words had been so cold to Sasha back then that she sat motionlessly for a long time.


    Sasha''s face turned red in anger after remembering that event. Her self-esteem was too high, and that''s why she had sent people to follow Amelia.

 Chapter 172 The Truth Was Always So Terrifying

    Sasha never liked Amelia. She believed that Lucian wouldn''t have been so merciless to her, if it wasn''t for Amelia. Sasha would avenge Amelia at any cost.


    "Don''t you care about your son? Is that bitch more important?" She wanted to see if Lucian would make a choice between his beloved son and his beloved wife.


    Lucian was quite irritated by what Sasha asked. His face turned red and fury filled his deep eyes. Lucian''s low voice sounded as cold as the ice under the abyss and he said, "I hate threats. How immoral of you to ask such things?"


    Sasha knew that her words would hurt Lucian. She knew that he was short tempered and had decided to hurt him purposefully. But she got restless and her heart trembled seeing his reaction.


    Sasha knew that she had only one chance. If she compromised, Lucian wouldn''t change his mind and trust her anymore. So she decided not to.


    She didn''t expect that Amelia was so important to Lucian. No matter how hard she tried to get closer to him, she always failed. Lucian was committed to Amelia and was ultimately loyal.


    This made her deeply frustrated and arrogant. She started to pile up evil thoughts. Sasha wanted to separate Lucian and Amelia at any cost.


    "Lucian, I think I am better than Amelia. What do you like about her? Tell me!" asked Sasha desperately. She wanted all his attention and wanted to know why he decided to be with Amelia.


    Sasha was beautiful and highly educated. She had all the qualities of a golden girl. Men admired her for her beauty and


    he met with Lucian''s cold eyes. This made her strained. "Are you angry?" asked Amelia.


    "Don''t be a fool!" Lucian said angrily.


    Looking at Lucian''s angry face, Amelia asked sadly, "Did Sasha tell the truth? Have you loved someone else? I''m not that important to you, am I?"


    She had lost her ability to distinguish due to anxiety. Amelia spilled the words out of insecurity and desperation. She felt numb seeing the entire situation.


    Sasha smiled wickedly seeing things go wrong between the couple. She gave Amelia an evil look. Sasha felt that she had won and was ready to possess Lucian.


    Lucian remained silent after Amelia questioned him. He was extremely hurt and felt as if a knife pierced his heart.


    "Sasha, I''ve promised you this. Please bring him out." He couldn''t hide his anxiety. It was clearly seen that he was hurt.


    Amelia felt terrible when she heard Lucian''s reply. Her heart sunk into an abyss and she lost balance. But she had to gather all her strength, till she got Mark back.


    "Lucian, don''t ever try to fool me. If you and Amelia don''t get divorced, I can''t hand over Mark to you." Sasha didn''t believe Lucian''s words. She knew that she would be closer to her goal if she kept Mark. His child was her path to achieve Lucian. Sasha threatened, "Before I did this, I was determined to perish with you. So, Lucian, don''t try to change my mind. If I don''t tell you where Mark is, no matter how hard you try, you still can''t find him. Even if you find him, the situation won''t be good... "

 Chapter 173 So I Am Not The Woman You Love Most

    "Shame on you!" Amelia glared at Sasha. She never expected that a glamorous woman could say such vicious words.


    Sasha raised her eyebrows and smiled mockingly. "So what? To get the man that I love, I don''t care if I have to be shameless."


    Amelia bit her lower lip and kept her anger in check. "You want to get a man who doesn''t love you at all. Don''t you realize how pathetic that is?" Amelia replied back at Sasha.


    Sasha never expected that Amelia would ridicule her considering the situation. The words of Amelia struck as sharp dagger and she clearly felt the stinging pain.


    "And do you really believe that you are the woman that Lucian loves the most? You poor girl. You don''t know anything about Lucian''s past, do you? In his heart..."


    "Enough!" Lucian exclaimed and interrupted the rest of what Sasha was about to say. He glared at Sasha and then turned to Amelia. He spoke to her in a disapproving voice, "I hope you''ll behave yourself and not get carried away at the slightest provocation."


    His expression was as cold as ice but his voice was still his usual soft tone.


    Amelia was stunned by what she heard. She stared at the man in front of her with indifference. She felt betrayed as his words dazed her as if everything that was happening around her was but a dream.


    "I know that it was all my fault, but I never thought about screwing it up..." Amelia replied in an agitated tone as she tried to explain herself to Lucian.


    He took a deep breath as a grim look filled his face. His face suddenly turned distant. "If you do not want to mess it up further, then go home."


    His words took her by surpr


    she stood outside by the car.


    Amelia looked around and saw that there was an apartment about a hundred meters away where a few people were present. She wanted to run away, but she was worried about Mark''s safety. She was worried that Sasha might hurt Mark if she somehow upset her.


    "Mark is about to fall asleep. Taking him now will interrupt his sleep." She believed that Lucian would find a way to get there and save her and Mark.


    But Sasha couldn''t wait any longer. She turned to Amelia once more and demanded again, "Give me the baby! If he wants to sleep, I can have one of my men to put him to sleep."


    Sasha thought that as long as Mark was not hungry, there wouldn''t be any problem. She wanted to secure the baby before Lucian arrived or all that she had done would be wasted.


    Amelia started to worry that Sasha would forcibly take Mark away. She became so nervous that she started looking around for anything that she could use to help them escape. When she turned her head to one direction, she saw Lucian in front of his car and was rushing towards them.


    "Lucian! How did you?" Sasha was shocked. She never expected that Lucian would find them.


    Lucian ignored Sasha with a determined face. He looked at Amelia and asked her in a worried tone, "Are you and our baby OK?"


    Amelia let out a sigh of relief when she saw Lucian. She was no longer afraid as she firmly shook her head. "We are both fine," she answered with a straight face.


    Several men instantly surrounded the area as soon as they got off the car closely following Eric. They immediately rounded up the two muscular men who were with Sasha.

 Chapter 174 The Woman You Couldnt Let Go

    Anger was written all over Sasha''s face. Her lips were trembling. She couldn''t believe what she just saw. With a pained expression, she looked at Lucian and said, "Lucian, how could you break your promise?"


    Lucian sneered, "I''ve given you the chance to change, but you just ignored it. You''ve made many mistakes, Sasha. There''s no point in honoring a promise to a cruel woman like you."


    Anger welled up in Sasha''s heart. She glared at Amelia with eyes full of hate.


    "I may have lost, but you will never be happy with him, Amelia. You''re not the woman he loves the most!" It was clear to Sasha that she would never win Lucian''s heart, but she wouldn''t pass up the chance to hurt Amelia.


    Lucian had told Amelia to not take any of Sasha''s words seriously. She knew that Sasha had said those words only out of spite.


    "Let''s get out of here, Lucian," Amelia said to her husband, paying no attention at all to Sasha.


    But Sasha had rushed to her and grabbed her by her hair. She said through gritted teeth, "Your feet are tied up. How do you think you''d run away?"


    Amelia felt a sharp pain on her scalp as Sasha tugged at her roots. But knowing that any sudden movement on her part may endanger her baby, she winced in pain and kept still.


    "Aaah!" Amelia heard a cry as she felt her hair fall loose.


    Lucian didn''t consider that Sasha would physically hurt Amelia. Seeing the woman he loved struggling in pain, anger took hold of hi


    Amelia thought that maybe she didn''t really care so much about Lucian''s past. Only she wanted to assess her importance in his heart.


    Mark broke the silence by crying. Amelia stood up, carrying the baby, and paced back and forth in the room to soothe him.


    Lucian wanted to help her, but Amelia quickly said, "You should go to bed early. You have work in the morning and Mark''s cries will keep you up."


    Amelia''s words were like a splash of cold water dousing what little warmth Lucian felt.


    "Please, Lucian. Just go to sleep," Amelia said in a low voice.


    "Amelia..."


    "Let''s talk tomorrow. I''m really tired," she said.


    Seeing fatigue written all over Amelia''s face, Lucian dismissed the idea of conversing with her. He finally said, "I hope you sleep well. Good night."


    Lucian reached out to pat her head and Amelia allowed him to. But despite her appreciation of the gesture, she felt generally indifferent to him.


    During the night, Amelia felt exhausted but couldn''t find it in herself to sleep. If it hadn''t been for the fear of disturbing Mark, she would have tossed and turned the whole night.


    When she awoke the next day, she was devastated to find the baby missing. Her heart raced as she rushed downstairs only to find Lily carrying Mark in her arms.


    "Did you sleep well, Mrs. Amelia?"


    "What time did Mark wake up?" It took Amelia too long to doze off that her sleep had been too deep when her son woke up.

 Chapter 175 The Couple Slept In Separate Rooms

    "Young master woke up when Mr. Lucian went to work." Lily saw the nervous look on Amelia''s face and frowned, but decided to let it go. After all, Lily didn''t know that Lucian and Amelia were sleeping in different rooms.


    Amelia had learned her lesson and didn''t want to be away from Mark. But when she woke up in the morning, Mark was out of her sight. Her face had turned pale at that. She had to rush downstairs to find Mark in Lily''s embrace in the living room.


    "Mark! Let me hug you." Amelia''s shoulders relaxed and leaned back on the couch, hugging Mark to her heart''s content.


    Lily gave a confused glance at Amelia, and then she looked at Mark and asked, "Mrs. Amelia, did Mark trouble you last night?"


    "Mark slept very well. He didn''t cry at all." Amelia smiled with satisfaction.


    The frown on Lily''s forehead only grew deeper. "Then why do you have dark circles under your eyes? Mr. Lucian looked worn out and didn''t even eat his breakfast before he went to the company," Lily said in a low voice.


    The corners of Amelia''s lips twitched. "Did he say anything?"


    Lily nodded. "Mr. Lucian asked me to take care of the young master and invite you to eat meals."


    Amelia''s face went gloomy after hearing Lucian''s words. She tried her best to calm her racing heart.


    "Mrs. Amelia, did you see the news about a certain someone?" Lily''s excitement leaked through her words. Her eyes sparkled when she looked at Amelia with hopeful eyes. "That woman made an apology to you, Mr. Lucian, and our young master in front of the media!"


    "You mean Sasha?" Amelia never liked watching or reading anything related to the news. She was still confused when Lily told her about it.


    ourtney was right. "We aren''t talking to each other, and it''s been two days already."


    "Tell me, why?" When Amelia didn''t reply, Courtney silently looked at Mark and stroked his cheek. "Mark''s skin is so white and soft. I''m sure he''ll be more popular than his father when he grows up!"


    "I am not bad either, okay?" Amelia felt as if Courtney was mocking her by mentioning Lucian again.


    "Of course! He has inherited great genes from both of you!" Seeing Amelia silent, Courtney sighed and said, "Let''s get to the point. Spit it out. I know it''s hard for you to hold everything back."


    Courtney had been hiding one thing from Amelia. Lucian had called earlier in the morning and urged them to come back as soon as possible.


    She was indeed worried about Amelia after reading the news. But when she knew that Mark and Amelia were safe, Courtney''s anxiety was reduced, and she planned to stay in the hotel for a few more days. To her surprise, Lucian called her right at that point, and she hurried back.


    She knew that if Lucian wasn''t able to handle something, it must have been a serious matter. That was why Courtney decided to resolve the conflict between Amelia and Lucian.


    "I know Lucian loves me a lot. But I still don''t know why I''m dwelling on his past¡­" She wanted to forget about Sasha and what she said, but the thought of it would automatically pop up in Amelia''s mind after facing Lucian.


    "Is it because of his ex?" Courtney asked tentatively.


    Amelia shook her head. She had no idea what was going on. "Sasha said those words deliberately to alienate Lucian and me. But she said something about Lucian, something I couldn''t ignore because I saw it by my own eyes."

 Chapter 176 You Are Everything To Me

    "What? So you are doubting Lucian''s true feelings for you?"


    Courtney asked Amelia incredulously. Although Amelia wanted to deny it, but in her heart she had sensed something she didn''t want to acknowledge.


    "Amelia, I can''t believe it. Lucian is so nice to you and it is pretty obvious to all. Yeah, you know him better than anyone else, but even though, I''d really like you to consider again." Courtney couldn''t even ascertain the fact that Lucian could even think of loving any other women apart from Amelia. Everyone knew Amelia had a very important and magnificent place in Lucian''s heart.


    Amelia sighed forlornly, "It''s that, these days Lucian is behaving distant. For that matter, I really don''t want to occupy his entire attention and time. I just ... want him to open up to me. Sometimes I feel like I don''t even know him at all..." It was true. She didn''t know much about Lucian''s past and after hearing Sasha''s words, she was indeed feeling insecure.


    "Look, Amelia, I understand that you are feeling insecure. In a marriage these feelings are normal. Sometimes you just got to sit and talk to each other." Courtney knew that Amelia didn''t care about Lucian''s past. It was just her insecurity messing with her head. She proposed considerately, "You and Lucian need to sit down and talk whatever the matter out properly without stressing out too much. Besides, it is you who is going to spend the rest of your life with him. Don''t let anyone''s words influence you. Give Lucian a chance to explain himself."


    Amelia opened her mouth to say something, but paused. What Courtney said, actually made sense.


    Amelia stayed at Courtney''s home the whole afternoon until around dinner Lucian came to pick her up. Amelia was in fact surprised to see Lucian there. She didn''t know Lucian knew about Courtney''s new house. However, Courtney wasn''t at all surprised. She said to him with a cunning smile, "Oh! Thank god that you''re here Lucian. Only you can make Amelia understand now. Because, she won''t listen to me." She fake-huffed and conti


    ead the said soulfully, "You don''t have to be the smartest to be my woman. Because I''m smart enough, honey, for both of us."


    "Someone looks like an iceberg while being silent, but when he opens his mouth he suddenly turns into the sweetest pleasure. How come?" Amelia mocked Lucian playfully. He was so eloquent.


    She had long forgotten her anger.


    "Mrs. Amelia. You''re prying into my privacy." Lucian however, answered her in a casual tone. He pretended to be the cooler version of himself.


    "Okay fine. If you don''t want to talk about it, then I won''t force you anymore," Amelia muttered, looking away.


    Lucian only smiled but said nothing. He held her waist and pulled her closer into his arms. Then he said in a firm voice, "Mrs. Amelia, my love for you has no limit and it cannot be expressed verbally, but only through action."


    "Is this a threat?" Amelia cocked one of her brows. She found herself gradually leaning against the wall. With one of his hands on the wall, Lucian also leaned closer and gazed into Amelia''s eyes. His eyes were full of deep love.


    Amelia suddenly became nervous like her first time. Her heart started beating fast. She could feel the sincerity in his words, and the temper in her heart suddenly softened. She said gently, "I won''t do that again..."


    "Honey, it wasn''t your fault. It was all my fault. I didn''t give you a sense of security." Lucian raised his hand to touch the head of Amelia, and his voice was full of tenderness.


    Watching his love for her, she overcame every grudge she had against him. "Keep these letters. They are your precious memories. I understand." Amelia was being truthful. In today''s era of high-tech and electronic products, letters were rare antics.


    Lucian glanced sideways at the letters on the table and asked vaguely, "Is Mrs. Amelia testing me?" He had never thought about throwing away these letters. After all, what happened in the past couldn''t be changed. That period of his memory was gone and throwing away these letters wouldn''t do any good to the present.

 Chapter 177 A Letter From A Strange Woman

    "Of course... Not!" Amelia exclaimed. Upon seeing Lucian''s stressed out face, Amelia couldn''t help herself from laughing and even teased him. "Maybe we could make these letters into a family heirloom. When Mark grows up and finally has his first crush, these letters could definitely help him chase after her!"


    Amelia still couldn''t contain her happiness. Lucian had no other choice but to roll his eyes at her. Amelia still proceeded with her jokes so Lucian finally snapped and said, "These are not love letters."


    They were clearly just ordinary letters. However, even if they weren''t love letters, it was a hundred times more important to Lucian.


    After all, the words written on those letters gave Lucian the sunshine he needed to get through the harshness of his youth.


    "Those aren''t love letters? So, what are they?" Amelia curiously asked. Amelia was left confused as to why Lucian collected mere letters from his youth.


    Lucian answered her in a short and concise manner. "It''s a story about a girl and a boy trying to redeem what they once had."


    "Redemption?" murmured Amelia who was suddenly in a daze. She saw the smile on Lucian''s face while he was speaking. It made her feel sad and dejected. Her thoughts quickly jumped to conclusions so she exclaimed in a jealous voice, "Then why don''t you marry her?"


    It wasn''t difficult to see that Amelia was suddenly in a bad mood. Lucian couldn''t help but laugh at her reaction and teasingly said, "Haven''t we agreed not to have any argument about this topic?"


    Lucian didn''t want Amelia to find any loopholes in his words, so he didn''t dare to say another word to her. However, it might just make Amelia misunderstand more things.


    Amelia quickly replied in a serious tone, "I''m not angry."


    Lucian approached Amelia and stopped when he was just inches from her. He as


    Amelia apologetically lowered her head and responded, "Don''t worry about me. Mark has been good these days."


    As for the dark circles under her eyes, it was because of her fight with Lucian for the past two days. Although Amelia now had slept well, the dark circles were still visible because of too much stress. In addition to this, she wasn''t wearing any makeup so anyone could quickly see that something was wrong at first glance.


    "Did Lucian do something to piss you off?" Nicholas asked with a concerned look on his face, trying to look for some clues on Amelia''s expressions.


    Amelia quickly shook her head and denied his assumption. "Dad, Lucian and I get along very well."


    "That''s good, it will definitely be easier for the both of you if you get along just fine," Nicholas advised.


    Amelia didn''t say anything and just merely nodded her head.


    After lunch, Fannie came back to the mansion. She saw Amelia and asked her with a smile on her face, "When did you come here, Amelia?"


    It was quite difficult for Amelia to get used to her new attitude, but she soon adapted as usual. She quickly answered in return, "Before lunch. Have you already had lunch, Mom?"


    Nicholas told Amelia that Fannie went out to play Mahjong and that she would come back home after dinner, so he didn''t wait for her for lunch.


    Fannie nodded her head and glanced at Mark who was in Nicholas''s arms. She smiled and walked over to her grandson and said, "Come here, let grandma give you a hug."


    "Take off your necklace and ring first, I don''t want you hurting my grandson," Nicholas said in disgust while he looked at Fannie''s sparkling jewelries in front of him.


    With an embarrassed expression on Fannie''s face, she exclaimed, "Isn''t Mark wearing clothes? I''m not the horrible grandmother you think I am. I won''t accidentally hurt him."

 Chapter 178 I Dont Want To Upset You

    Amelia was worried that Fannie might quarrel with Nicholas, so she immediately explained, "Dad, don''t worry. Mark is in heavy clothes."


    She wasn''t able to think clearly as she was in a hurry, and Fannie easily caught her words.


    "Amelia, I don''t like what you''re saying." Fannie glared at her and asked, "Do you mean that I deliberately hurt Mark?"


    Amelia was really confused. She thought about what she had said before. "Mom, I meant that what Dad had said doesn''t matter at all. Please don''t misunderstand what I meant," she explained.


    "Fannie, don''t escalate things. Watch your tongue!" Nicholas knew that Amelia was an honest person. She would never hurt others even for her own defense. He couldn''t stop to continue defending her.


    "Don''t help!" Fannie became excited when she heard Nicholas speaking for Amelia. She pointed at Nicholas''s nose and berated, "Do you really think you can hide your sins by pretending to be a kind father?"


    She was very angry and looked really cruel. When Amelia heard Fannie''s angry words towards Nicholas, she felt a little fazed. Amelia even thought that the days that Fannie was gentle were only a dream.


    She seemed to have turned back to her sharp and hurtful lips.


    The anger on Nicholas''s face subsided after hearing what Fannie had just said. The atmosphere was filled with silence and embarrassment.


    Amelia took Mark from Nicholas and comforted them, "Dad. Mom. Don''t


    severely cold.


    She cleaned the study and quietly went downstairs. Just as she was going down, she saw Lily comforting a crying Mark. She walked over and held him in her arms. "Mark must be hungry. You go eat dinner, and I''ll feed him first."


    It was already seven o''clock in the evening. The dishes were starting to get cold.


    Lily heated the dishes again and went to the living room to take Mark.


    "Mrs. Amelia, for the sake of Mark, you should eat." Lily tried to comfort Amelia.


    Lily was right. Mark had to eat even though she was feeling sad.


    After dinner, Amelia gave Lucian a call but his phone must be turned off.


    She sat on the sofa and didn''t realize that it was already midnight.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mark is already asleep. Please go to bed," Lily said to Amelia.


    "Okay," Amelia answered, confused. She cast a glance at the clock.


    She didn''t know what had happened. Lucian was undeniably angry when he left.


    After retreating to the bedroom, Amelia called Eric. He was Lucian''s assistant. She asked him if he knew where Lucian was.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I have no idea. Mr. Lucian went home after work..." Eric replied.


    Amelia''s mood was like a flowing river. She felt her chest tightened, similar to the feeling of being drowned.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll go out and find him," Eric said.


    "Call me as soon as you get any news," Amelia said, her voice still sounded worried. She grasped the phone tightly.

 Chapter 179 Shameless

    Amelia still was worried after hung up the phone. She wondered if she could sought help from anyone else who might have information about Lucian.


    Then a name popped up in her mind. Jonny.


    Yes, she could seek help from Jonny. As soon as she thought of Jonny''s name, she hurriedly dialed his number and hoped he would answer quickly.


    Normally Jonny would never miss her call. Every time she called Jonny, he would always answer the phone no matter what. And this time was no exception.


    The phone might have rang once or twice, but Jonny answered it with a cheerful tone. Amelia felt a little nervous when the phone connected and she heard Jonny''s voice. However she summoned up her courage and asked him, "Jonny, do you... umm ... Have Lucian contacted you recently?"


    She tried to sound casual. She didn''t want to appear suspicious to Jonny.


    "Lucian?" Jonny said in a confusing tone. He paused momentarily before he added, "Because of business, we often meet with each other, but not recently have we met. What''s wrong? You seem stressed."


    That meant, Jonny also didn''t know Lucian''s whereabouts. Amelia bit her lower lip, then answered his question considerately, "Oh, no. I''m absolutely okay. Don''t worry."


    She pretended to sound usual with her easy tone, but her words were hasty.


    Because it was already midnight and it was obviously not normal for anyone to call at this hour of night to ask about her husband''s whereabouts. Jonny got the image absolutely right. Something was definitely up.


    "Amelia, didn''t Lucian return home tonight?" Jonny asked her carefully.


    Amelia paused for a second before answering. She thought that this was solely her and Lucian''s business. She should not let anyone else to know. So, she let out a quick laugh and replied, "No. Actually Lucian was home. Then he had to go to his office as a sudden important work came up. He must have gotten busy with his work so didn''t answer my call. He hasn''t come back from the company yet. That''s why I''m calling you..."


    Amelia knew she


    stayed quiet. But what made Amelia more upset was the girl that came out of his room and stood behind Lucian. Amelia remembered that, this was the same girl whom she met this morning. Amelia noticed she was wearing a white bathrobe, and her hair was still wet.


    The glimpse of Lucian with another girl had frozen Amelia right on the spot. She couldn''t even say anything else. She felt as if this wasn''t even true. This was a dream. The fact was she couldn''t imagine Lucian with another girl and here he was standing with her.


    "Lucian, why are you here?" Shelly asked Lucian. She was also confused. She glanced at the girl behind Lucian as one of her brows slanted in strong disapproval. "And who is she?"


    But Fannie interrupted, "Lucian, did you see what Amelia has done? She has come here behind your back to sleep with another man! Such a shameless woman!" She pointed at Amelia and continued accusing her, "I did not believe it when it was said that she had an affair with Jonny. But now it is right in front of all our eyes. There are even rumors that Mark is Jonny''s child! It indeed is true then. We all know there can''t be any smoke without fire!" Fannie looked at Amelia viciously and said those hurtful words.


    But Fannie''s words had fueled Amelia''s anger. She trembled in fury and her eyes went red with those accusations. She yelled aloud suddenly, "You can insult me. I can tolerate that. But you have no right to do the same with my baby!"


    It didn''t matter to Amelia anymore that Fannie was a senior to her. She didn''t care if her words could offend her but she would never allow Fannie to slander her and Lucian''s child.


    However, all the while Lucian didn''t say anything. He stood aside quietly and only watched everyone, especially Amelia. Amelia looked at him and immediately got familiarized with his cold expression which was strange yet so familiar.


    But the girl behind Lucian seemed frightened with all of these conflicts. She hugged his arm from behind and whispered in his ear, "Lucian, I''m scared..."

 Chapter 180 Dont Pretend To Be Miserable In Front Of Me

    "It''s nothing. You can go in first," Lucian told the girl in a very gentle voice as he comforted her. "Go in and dry your hair or you might catch a cold."


    Watching this scene made Amelia''s heart freeze. She felt as if all the energy in her body had been drained. Staring helplessly at Lucian, she wished that all of this was just a bad dream.


    She knew that Lucian loved her, and yet how could he ignore her like that? How could he be so gentle towards another girl?


    "Mom, this has nothing to do with you," Lucian told Fannie coldly after the girl left.


    Fannie looked as if she had more to say, but seeing the angry expression on Lucian''s face was enough to change her mind. She didn''t want to provoke her son. Fannie turned to Shelly and said, "Shelly, it looks like Lucian already knows about this shameful affair. He probably knows what he''s doing. Let''s go back."


    "But he''s with another woman!" cried Shelly.


    "Let''s go!"


    Shelly was unwilling to leave, but Fannie had already dragged her away before she could protest some more.


    The corridor fell silent when they left.


    Amelia felt like her heart had been hollowed out. She stared at the floor as she tried to understand the mess in her own head.


    She desperately waited for Lucian to say something, anything. She longed to hear him assure her that there had been a mistake or a misunderstanding.


    he wanted to feel closer to him.


    She wanted to stay in his arms for a long time, but before she could feel comfortable, Lucian pushed her away. Amelia fell forcefully on the ground.


    She almost screamed in pain, but her husband held her down and bent over her, his deep eyes gleaming under the dim light.


    "Don''t pretend to be miserable in front of me. It doesn''t suit you at all," Lucian said coldly.


    Amelia didn''t know if he was talking to her or imagining a conversation with another girl. But hearing those words made her feel more in despair.


    This man felt strange and different from Lucian, and this made Amelia feel scared.


    She felt as if a cold gust of wind brushed through her skin as he acted indifferently towards her.


    After leaving Lucian in the shower, Amelia took Mark to the guest room. She didn''t want the drunken Lucian to hurt their baby by accident.


    It was late when Amelia fell asleep with Mark in her arms. But when she had woken up, she found her baby missing. She felt nervous, feeling that she had been a careless mother.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I''ll take care of young master. Please go back to sleep," Lily told her as soon as she saw Amelia opening the door to the guest bedroom.


    She walked to Mark''s crib and watched him as he slept.


    When she remembered what happened with Lucian that night, she felt a pang of pain in her heart.

 Chapter 181 The Shame Of Being A Third Party

    "Mrs. Amelia, I am sorry but Mr. Lucian has left..." Lucian would be home every day, but for the past two days, he had not shown up. This kind behavior was incredibly abnormal for him, and so it occurred to Lily that maybe there was some kind of conflict between him and Amelia. Because of that, she took the initiative to check on Amelia.


    It was a cold winter morning. The thick fog still had not dissipated even at seven o''clock, and with a hazy surrounding, the daylight was slow to illuminate the city.


    When Lucian was still tending to the company, he would wake up and go downstairs to have some breakfast at half past seven. ''Did he intentionally leave early because he didn''t want to see me?'' Amelia thought, already offended.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you... look so tired," Lily said, full of concern. Amelia''s skin indeed looked incredibly pale, and under her puffy eyes were huge dark circles. "I think it would be better for you if you rest."


    Lily''s concern warmed Amelia''s heart. ''Even Lily noticed how unhappy I am,'' she thought. However, when she remembered that Lucian had not checked up on her, she felt worse.


    She opened her mouth to say something, but she was unable to because she started to feel uncomfortable.


    In order to have enough milk for breastfeeding, Amelia had to eat healthier than usual at set times even if she didn''t want to and was in a bad mood. She didn''t want sacrifice Mark and his health just because of what she was feeling.


    Just after lunch, Amelia received a phone call from Jonny.


    "Amelia," he greeted from his end of the line. "I''m right in front SJ Garden right now. Do you want to go out? Take Mark and we''ll go somewhere nice!" Jonny''s voice was full of excitement.


    Even if Amelia had no idea what Jonny was planning or where they were going, she j


    women who are loved always look good. They rarely look stressed or anything like that,'' she thought.


    "Miss, we''re looking for Lucian," Jonny stated in a cold voice.


    It seemed that the girl didn''t intend to let Amelia and Jonny in. She stood in the way of the door, her frown deep and her eyebrows furrowed. Reluctantly, she said, "Lucian isn''t here. Don''t come in!"


    Jonny, who was towering above the girl, glanced around the room. After doing that, he said angrily, "I don''t want to make a fuss out here, little missy. May I remind you that being a third party in other people''s marriage is really shameful?"


    "A... third party?" The girl couldn''t help but laugh out loud. She glanced at Amelia with disdain and said with a weird sense of superiority, "If I hadn''t lost connection with Lucian so suddenly, he wouldn''t even think of getting together with this woman!"


    The girl''s tone was firm as she looked at Amelia with cold and sharp eyes.


    The girl''s blatant provocation wasn''t working on Amelia, however. A faint smile was evident on her face because she somehow agreed with what the girl said.


    Lucian treasured those letters so much that she was sure he was extremely concerned about the girl who wrote them.


    What upset her most was that Lucian had said that it was a thing of the past and that she would be the one he would be with going forward. But what happened?


    "I don''t care about the things that happened between you and Lucian. Unfortunately, now, he has a wife and a child. You are disturbing their happiness. Behave yourself and have some sense of shame!" Jonny said angrily.


    Hearing Jonny''s words, the girl''s face turned red, but she still smiled, not to be outdone. "So what? After reading the letters, Lucian still comes here to see me. He is crazy for me, mister."

 Chapter 182 Lets Wait And See

    It looked like a game in which she had the upper hand.


    Seeing her arrogance, Amelia fell speechless.


    She was definitely enjoying flaunting her superiority.


    "You''re Amelia, right?" The girl threw Amelia a disdainful look. "I''m so sorry that Lucian has been away from you because of me. But he owed me. Please forgive him."


    "How can you say that so carelessly? Do you know that what you''re doing is making Lucian feel guilty? He has a wife and a baby!" Jonny was so enraged that he punched the wall behind the girl. He looked like a wild animal ready to devour.


    The girl shook in fright after Jonny''s punch missed her cheek by a few inches. She took a step back and felt aggrieved. "Lucian said that he wanted to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. I''m not making this up!"


    "Did Lucian really say that?" Astonished, Amelia looked at the girl, thinking that she must have misheard her.


    The girl could only nod. Recovering from the earlier shock, she looked at Amelia and smiled. "Lucian said that he was worried about me. He takes good care of me, you know. At first, I just wanted him to make up for everything he did. I didn''t want to interfere with his life. But it was him who said that I wouldn''t have to worry about anything ever again since he showed up."


    The girl wouldn''t hide the happiness in her voice. On the contrary, she took great pleasure when she saw th


    d, "Are you insane? If you were this good at acting, why didn''t you become an actress? Is this how you get people''s sympathy?"


    Seeing Claire''s tears, Amelia felt uncomfortable in the situation. Claire had just threatened her moments earlier, and now she was on her knees and crying. Amelia thought that she''d win an award for acting if she entered the entertainment industry.


    "Mrs. Amelia..."


    "You have nothing to beg of her!" a familiar voice shouted and made Amelia quiver.


    Although she knew that she didn''t do anything wrong, she felt guilty and shuddered all over.


    It was Lucian. When did he come? How long had he been watching them?


    Did Claire set her up? Did she act like a bullied little sheep to make Amelia look like a vicious woman?


    "Oh, Lucian, you''re here..." Claire said as she rushed into his arms and cried, "Lucian, I thought you''ve left me again..."


    Before Amelia could fully recover from what just happened, she saw Claire clinging to Lucian, her face buried in his chest like an innocent victim who had found refuge.


    Any man who would see the tears falling from Claire''s eyes would instantly feel sorry for her.


    "Don''t be afraid. It''s all right," Lucian comforted Claire in a gentle voice as he helped her walk into the hotel room.


    Watching him ignore her existence and hearing him comfort another woman completely broke Amelia''s heart into pieces.

 Chapter 183 Am I Making Trouble Out Of Nothing

    Amelia had lived in comfort and great sense of security that she became blind to the approaching danger that now greeted her.


    ''Lucian, is it true, what Claire said, that you can''t speak to me of divorce because of Mark?'' she thought to herself.


    Amelia held on a wall to maintain her balance. She felt like a defeated warrior with countless injuries as all of the sorrows of the battle reflected clearly on her face.


    She was about to leave but the sound of a door opening made her stop. She turned around and saw that it was Lucian who opened the door. He looked handsome as usual but his face was grim and cold.


    Amelia didn''t say anything as he walked out. She stared at the floor as she patiently waited for him to speak first.


    After a long silence, Amelia thought that Lucian wouldn''t say anything. But just when she least expected it, he called out to her, "Amelia!"


    His voice was like a thunder that echoed within the walls of the room that brought with it a cold wind and a promise of rain.


    It made Amelia nervous.


    She was afraid to hear him say the word divorce with an uncaring voice.


    She had to face him even though she was terribly afraid. She knew that she had to accept what fate would hand off to her with courage. She forced a faint smile on her face that she could hide behind.


    "Don''t come near her again. She is emotionally unstable and her disease will have another attack if she gets irritated in any way." Lucian''s tone was cold. Although his words did not blame her for anything they still hurt her so much.


    Amelia bit her lower lip to help quell the pain that she felt. "Do you know her?" she asked after a period of silence.


    "I don''t care whether I know her or not. But now that she has found me, I can''t tr


    ou show those photos to Lucian, I''ll make sure that you will regret it very dearly!" he warned in a stern voice that Amelia had never heard before.


    "If you''re so afraid that I will show these pictures to Lucian, then that means that you''re guilty! And if you feel guilty, that means that you''re really having an affair with Amelia!" Shelly sneered with such determination that she seemed so sure of her accusations.


    "Jonny, don''t waste time on her. I believe that a clean hand needs no washing!" Amelia said as she stood behind Jonny while rocking Mark a little so that he wouldn''t wake up from all the shouting. She stared fearlessly straight into Shelly''s eyes. "Miss Shelly, if you really believe that we''ve committed a crime, then file charges with a criminal court. I will not stop you if that is your wish."


    "Hahaha! Such are the passionate words from one who lost her way in love!" Shelly stared back at Amelia with disdain and added, "But you are going to be spat on by everybody!"


    "Amelia. Go on ahead and enter your house. Don''t listen to her nonsense. She''s a lunatic!" Jonny was furious at his sister. The only thing he could do now was to comfort Amelia.


    "Thank you." Amelia curtsied to Jonny and approached her house with Mark in her arms.


    "Just wait, Amelia. I will see it with my own eyes how the Zhan family kicks you out!" Shelly exclaimed as Amelia walked away. She was unwilling to let Amelia go so easily.


    As soon as Amelia entered the house, Lily approached her hurriedly and said anxiously, "Mrs. Amelia! Thank goodness, you''re finally back! If you hadn''t come back by now, I really wouldn''t know what to do!"


    Amelia looked at Lily''s nervous expression and felt confused. "Lily, what happened?" she asked immediately.

 Chapter 184 Claire Called To Provoke

    "Someone named Claire called and asked you to leave the SJ Garden¡­" Lily hesitated before saying further. "She said that very soon she will be... Mr. Lucian''s wife." Lily was so anxious that she could hardly speak.


    ''Claire?'' Amelia frowned after hearing that name and thought to herself, ''She even asked me to move out of the SJ Garden?''


    Claire couldn''t sit back and do nothing, and Amelia knew this. But she didn''t expect Claire to be so impatient.


    "Let me take Mark upstairs." Amelia strolled toward the stairs with an expressionless face.


    Lily''s eyes were filled with worry when she gazed at Amelia. "Mrs. Amelia, what happened between you and Mr. Lucian? It''s quite unusual for him to stay out for two days."


    Lily knew that Amelia and Lucian were deeply in love. But Lucian hadn''t been home for two days. Even Amelia''s face stayed gloomy for far too long. It wasn''t hard for Lily to guess that the couple had a fight.


    "He has been too busy to come home these days." Amelia''s voice was low when she ascended upstairs.


    After arriving at the bedroom, she put Mark in the crib and sat next to him. Her moistened eyes stared at her little one for a long time before sighing in helplessness.


    She had been forcing a smile on her face a lot these days to escape reality.


    Fortunately, Mark was keeping her company, making her shoulders relaxed. Still, her eyes had a touch of loneliness whenever she would be alone.


    The cruel words of Claire and the cold attitude of Lucian had made her feel depressed.


    Amelia couldn''t help but remember sweet moments they shared toge


    went back to her bedroom, resuming her activity beside the window. She didn''t even realize that it was 11 pm when the door of her bedroom suddenly opened. Her mouth hung open after seeing Lucian standing at the door.


    His black suit complemented his icy expression. Her heart thudded against her chest.


    "Is Mark asleep?" His eyes were glued to Mark, sleeping in the crib.


    Amelia recovered from her shock and showed off an indifferent expression on her face. "He just fell asleep."


    Then they were surrounded by a long silence.


    Amelia was in a bad mood. Although she had a lot to say, her mind was blank. She didn''t know how to break that uncomfortable silence.


    Just as she was about to open her mouth, the thought about her news popped in her mind. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Lucian. ''He didn''t come back to argue about that, did he?''


    She silently braced herself for hearing hurtful words.


    "I''m sorry. I came a little late on New Year''s Eve." His voice carried a hint of embarrassment, surprising Amelia.


    Amelia wanted to tell him that she was fine, but she couldn''t. His attitude earlier was different from that of today''s, which confused her. She didn''t know what to say.


    "You are too busy. I understand." She turned her head, appearing cold on the surface. It seemed like she didn''t care if he wanted to spend his New Year''s Eve with Claire.


    Ever since that girl showed up, he had always been late. Amelia thought that there was no need to use polite words.


    "Amelia, I don''t want you to misunderstand me..." He sighed and glanced at her helplessly.

 Chapter 185 I Wont Divorce You

    Amelia did not understand why he sighed, but once she remembered how he threatened her, she gave Lucian a mocking smile. "I''m a sensible woman. I know that it''s not good to cause trouble out of nothing."


    She said the words casually, but Lucian heard the annoyance in her tone.


    It felt like a sharp knife stabbing his heart.


    Lucian took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. "Amelia, I promise it''s not what you think. I''ll explain it all once I''ve dealt with it, but you have to trust me."


    "You''re going to explain everything once you''ve dealt with it?" Amelia said with a look of amusement. "I don''t care for your explanation. It''s your attitude towards me that''s bothering, Lucian."


    He had always been gentle to her in the past. But since Claire''s appearance, Lucian had become cold or even harsh.


    Amelia knew that she hadn''t done anything wrong, so the fact that Lucian regarded her with aloofness disappointed her.


    Her response only made Lucian angrier. He scowled when he asked, "Don''t I treat you well? I don''t understand how you could be mad for what I said in the hotel this morning."


    Amelia understood what Lucian meant. He only thought that it was unnecessary to pay attention to that thing...


    But seeing his handsome face contort in anger made Amelia shocked. As if in a trance, she said coldly, "Maybe I''m just not suited for this kind of life. I don''t understand your idea of plain living. You can tell me if you love her. I don''t care anyway, so don''t worry about it."


    Amelia said in a low voice that


    t to be with Jonny!"


    Lucian said while looking at her intently. His sharp eyes stirred up feelings in Amelia''s heart.


    Hearing him determined to stay married to her made Amelia feel a bit thrilled, but she couldn''t be completely happy, knowing that he said those words in anger.


    The fury in his tone overpowered the beautiful memories that came with his declaration.


    "But you''d only let Claire down if you don''t divorce me. You shouldn''t do that to the woman you love, especially if it''s just to spite me. Don''t you think that''s pointless?" Amelia said. Since Claire called the SJ Garden, Amelia thought it was enough proof that Claire was eager to marry him.


    Lucian frowned and replied impatiently, "I don''t even know if you have a brain, Amelia."


    "Mr. Lucian, you''ve already told me that I''m stupid more than once. It''s really weird. When you loved me, you told me I was simple and kind. But now that you hate me, you call me stupid. You change your mind rather quickly." Amelia laughed bitterly.


    "Amelia..." Lucian''s tone softened as he trailed off. He lowered his eyes to her affectionately. This sudden tenderness made Amelia''s heart tremble in confusion.


    Her cold voice sounded nervous. "You... What''s wrong?"


    After taking a deep breath, Lucian took her into his arms and asked, "Why won''t you give me an explanation? I don''t want you to go. I can''t let you go."


    Whatever pretense of strength Amelia clung to gave way after hearing these words. At the time, Amelia only felt deep sorrow.


    Her anger had subsided.

 Chapter 186 A Clean Conscience Man

    "So do you also believe that the news is true?" Amelia asked with furrowed brows, still remembering his harsh words.


    "I don''t believe it at all." Lucian continued as he shook his head, "I''m just a little angry with you."


    The way he looked at Amelia so earnestly as he said this at her made her feel a bit embarrassed.


    Amelia lowered her head and avoided his burning eyes. "Even if you''re angry with me, I don''t see why you should suspect me," she uttered in a small voice.


    Nodding in agreement, Lucian smiled, "If that''s not the case, I really don''t know how you can be this stubborn."


    The air between them was more at ease now as Lucian started to tease Amelia.


    After a minute''s silence, Amelia looked up at Lucian. "You said that the most important thing between a couple is trust," she muttered. "But you... I don''t trust you anymore!"


    There was no more holding back for Amelia -- she wanted to speak her mind freely and let him know what she was thinking.


    Of course, Lucian knew why she didn''t trust him. Putting on an enchanting smile, he looked at her with his sharp eyes. "Amelia, I understand how you''ve been feeling these past few days. When I saw the news about you and Jonny, I was also very jealous."


    Amelia suddenly blushed when she thought of those pictures. They did look too intimate.


    "But I didn''t let it get to me... because I know that you love me." Then, he let out a complacent laugh as he wrapped his arms around Amelia''s slender waist. "Never mind. Don''t mind what I said just now," he quickly added.


    Seeing the Lucian''s playful dem


    from ear to ear. "It''s so good to see you two being together like this!" she exclaimed happily.


    Although Lily was working in SJ Garden, Lucian and Amelia treated her like family. They were very grateful to her for caring about them as much as she could.


    "Lily, as long as he can correct his mistakes, I think I''ll be able to forgive him," Amelia said, teasingly nudging Lucian''s side.


    Lily hid her face behind the bouquet of roses she was holding, like a shy, young girl.


    "Mr. Lucian, since you have been forgiven, I won''t scold you anymore. Don''t do anything rash to Mrs. Amelia again!" said Lily arrogantly.


    Normally, Lily wouldn''t dare to speak to Lucian in this way. It was just that she cared a lot about Amelia, and wanted Lucian to know that she was on Amelia''s side.


    However, Lucian didn''t mind it at all. "It seems that I really need to make some changes. Before, Lily was grateful to me. But now, Lily is defending you," he said with a smile.


    Amelia laughed, looking back at Lily to give her a quick wink.


    "What''s that, Lily? Is that from your boyfriend?" Amelia asked playfully.


    Lily''s cheeks blushed instantly. Biting her lip, she looked even shier than before.


    "It''s alright if you have a boyfriend, Lily. There''s nothing to be ashamed of. If you have any problems or want someone to talk to, I''m sure that Amelia would be willing enough to help you out," Lucian stated, sounding like a knowledgeable elder.


    Lily nodded her head, feeling deeply moved by their kindness. "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia, don''t worry. I won''t be blind like last time."

 Chapter 187 Pretty Hot-Tempered

    "Please forget the unpleasant memories, if only to enjoy the present happiness." Amelia thought that getting hurt was a natural part of growing up. Making mistakes or even failing relationships could help any girl become more mature and sensible.


    "Lucian, I need to give Lily the day off so she can have time for her new relationship," said Amelia to Lucian when Lily went back to her room.


    Lucian didn''t want to object to anything that would make Lily happy, but he asked Amelia with worry, "I''ll mostly be at the company throughout the day. If Lily goes out on a date, you''ll be all alone here. Can you handle Mark by yourself?"


    Amelia thought that Lucian was underestimating her. She quickly retorted, "Well, I do take care of him all the time because I''m still breast-feeding him."


    The doorbell rang as soon as she finished her sentence.


    "I''ll get the door," Lucian said as he stood up.


    Amelia lulled Mark to sleep after Lucian left. She was ascending the stairs with the baby in her arms when she heard a female voice coming from the hall.


    Amelia had heard the voice before. She instantly recognized that it was Claire''s.


    Her heart jolted but she quickly calmed down. She continued taking the steps to the bedroom to deposit the sleeping Mark into his crib.


    Amelia remembered everything Lucian had told her about Claire. She may have called her at SJ Garden to ask her point-blankly to divorce Lucian, but she only felt sorry for her after learning that she was suffering from sever


    re, please have some fruit."


    Claire managed to return Amelia''s smile, only hers didn''t look quite as happy and sincere. She said in a strange tone, "Your servant has a bad temper. I don''t know how you can tolerate it!"


    Amelia calmly replied, "Lily may have misunderstood you, but she''s actually very kind and considerate to other people."


    "No, I know what kind of person she is," Claire retorted.


    "Claire, don''t you want to see the letters? I have them all. I can show you upstairs," Lucian suggested. Not wishing to dwell on Lily, he thought of changing the subject.


    "Great!" Claire clapped her hands happily like a child.


    It was the first time Amelia saw Claire smiling sincerely. She felt happy for her in her heart.


    "Amelia, come with us," Lucian reached out and tapped Amelia on the shoulder. He looked at her with tenderness and love.


    Just as Amelia was about to say something, Claire stood up and said in a flirtatious tone, "Lucian, this is between us. I don''t want others to know about our story."


    Lucian''s face fell. He looked at his wife with shame in his eyes.


    But Amelia was more understanding than others would have been in the same situation. She only said, "Lucian, please go with Miss Claire. I have to feed Mark."


    Amelia thought she understood how Claire had felt. And it''s because she trusted Lucian that she knew she didn''t have anything to worry about.


    "Amelia..." Lucian suddenly called out to her.


    Amelia turned her head and asked, "Why? What''s wrong?"

 Chapter 188 You Have No Right

    Without uttering a single word, Lucian simply walked in front of Amelia and looked deep into her beautiful eyes. He briefly remarked, "Thank you." He then kissed her gently on the forehead.


    Amelia responded with a sweet smile while Lucian nodded in return.


    She immediately understood why Lucian thanked her and felt relieved after his soft and sweet kiss.


    The expression on Claire''s face became gloomy upon seeing what Lucian did.


    Although their seemingly intimate act was merely a daily routine between Lucian and Amelia, Claire still felt extremely jealous of the two.


    When Lucian escorted Claire upstairs, she quickly turned to look at Amelia and glared at her.


    Ever since Amelia found out about the misfortune that happened to Claire, she thought that both of them shared a very similar experience. Therefore, Amelia could understand why Claire would have that contemptuous look on her face.


    Later on, Amelia went downstairs after feeding Mark. She coincidentally came across Lily who quickly took her hand and said in a serious tone, "Mrs. Amelia, aren''t you being too careless?"


    "What do you mean?" Amelia asked with a confused expression on her face. After guessing what was bothering Lily, she forced a smile and added, "After hearing the whole story from Lucian, I thought I should trust him much more."


    "Oh, Mrs. Amelia, it''s not about Mr. Lucian. I''m telling you to be on guard against that tramp! She barged right into our family!" Lily boldly exclaimed. From the very beginning, Lily always had a suspicion that Claire had a bad intention. She worried that Claire would try to take advantage of Amelia''s sympathetic nature and kindness in order for her to get closer to Lucian.


    e to the car. Claire was shivering like a stray cat soaked in the cold rain. She buried herself into Lucian''s arms, held his clothes tightly, and couldn''t even speak clearly. "Lu... Lucian, don''t... Please... Please don''t leave me alone..." Claire silently mumbled.


    He looked at her and clearly realized that her asthma had been triggered by her emotions. He then promised her, "Don''t worry. I won''t leave you alone."


    Ten years ago, because Jonny and Lucian didn''t get along very well, he cut off contact with Claire in a single breath and didn''t even bother to say anything to her.


    Lucian had never expected that her life would be in such a miserable state just because of his sudden leave.


    Long after parting with Claire, Lucian was sure that he no longer cared for her. But seeing her now made him feel nothing but sadness and guilt.


    After hearing Lucian''s words, Amelia, who was driving the car, couldn''t help but tremble. But her consciousness kept reminding her not to jump into conclusions and misunderstand everything.


    On the way to the hospital, Claire put her arms around Lucian''s neck. The moment she did, she completely stopped trembling.


    "Lucian, I just had a relapse," Claire uttered with a tone of grievance when she had finally calmed down.


    Lucian tried his best to take her hands off his neck but as a result, Claire grasped even tighter. Despite Amelia being just a few feet away, she whined like a spoiled child, "Lucian, all these years, what I fear the most is going to the hospital. Can we just not go there?"


    "Don''t worry. I''ll stay with you. Just let the doctor check on you. You''ll recover soon," Lucian gently replied. He tried to make his tone as calm as possible.

 Chapter 189 I Want You To Carry Me Inside

    Claire pouted sitting in the back seat of the car and acted like a child. "Lucian, you promised me that you would be my sun again and make me happy from now on. Have you forgotten everything already?"


    As soon as Claire finished her eloquence, Amelia, who was driving the car, hit the brake sharply. The car abruptly stopped making Amelia''s body lean forward at once. Claire''s open words had distracted her. What was this girl''s deal with her husband?


    "Amelia, are you okay?" But Lucian immediately came to her aid. In a hurry, he moved Claire''s sharp hand away from around his arm and got off of the car immediately. He reached to the driver''s seat, opened the door then examined Amelia for any injury. He went deeply worried about her in an instant.


    "I''m fine. Sorry, I was just distracted. Didn''t focus on the road..."


    Lucian didn''t want to blame her. He exactly knew what turmoil had been going on inside her mind. He felt sorry to see her in this situation. It was him for whom she was suffering.


    However, Claire in the back seat did not care about whether Amelia was hurt. She wasn''t that generous. She put one of her hands on her chest and gasped, "Do you have a problem with me and my words, Amelia? Then just say it out directly. Why are you trying to scare me off like that?" After blurting that resentfully, Claire leaned back in the car''s back seat and began breathing audibly. It was more of a dramatic way than genuine.


    Amelia hearing Claire''s words and her situation said calmly, "Lucian, I''m fine. You go and take care of Miss Claire. I''ll drive carefully, I promise." Seeing Claire''s eloquence of being sick, Amelia wanted to rush to the hospital as soon as possible. She didn''t want her to fall sick because of her.


    "I don''t want to go to the hospital, Lucian. I don''t want to go to the hospital." As soon Lucian went back to sit beside her, Claire grabbed his hand and pleaded with her soft voice. She acte


    ugh a full checkup for him.


    In the hospital, the doctor examined Mark for any other injuries. Then he said that except for the bump on Mark''s forehead, there was no bruises on his other body parts.


    Even though Amelia was relieved that there were no other injuries, she still felt terrible when watching his son in so much pain for the forehead swell.


    When they were done with the checkup, the sun had already set.


    Lily was holding Mark in her arms. She said to Amelia doubtfully, "Mrs. Amelia, don''t you think it''s not normal that Mr. Mark fell over and got injured all by himself?"


    Lily knew that Mark was Amelia''s heart. Amelia would never be irresponsible with his care. He could never get hurt while he was under Amelia''s supervision.


    Amelia reasoned with Lily''s doubt and felt the same way. She reminded herself that before she had gone to the bathroom, she had put Mark into the baby carriage. It was impossible for him to fall onto the ground, that also beside the bed.


    Shortly after they returned to the SJ Garden, Lucian came back from work.


    Amelia was already depressed about Mark''s injury. So, when Lucian went to the bedroom to pick him up in his lap, Amelia dodged.


    "What''s wrong?" Lucian was confused when he was stopped by Amelia. He stared at Amelia and noticed her upset face.


    "Mark has just fallen asleep. Don''t pick him up now." Amelia didn''t want to make Lucian worry just yet. He had only returned from his work. She didn''t want him to get anxious again. So she made up an excuse pretending normal.


    Getting what she meant, Lucian nodded. "I see. But why do you look unhappy?"


    He agreed with Amelia and did not pick up Mark, and the bump on his forehead did escape Lucian''s eyes under the cover of Amelia.


    Her face flushed in suppressed worry and stress due to her intentional avoidance. She blurted out of extreme anxiety, "Why am I unhappy? Do I always have to be smiling to see you?"

 Chapter 190 The Boys Wound

    Amelia smiled after she finished.


    Lucian relaxed as he saw the soft curve on her lips. "Put Mark in the crib. Lily has prepared the dinner."


    "Where''s Claire?" Amelia asked tentatively.


    "She was resting in her room earlier. She''s in the dining room downstairs now," Lucian replied.


    Truth be told, Amelia felt no desire to eat, but she was worried that Lily might tell Lucian that Mark was hurt because of her refusal, so she acquiesced quietly and promised to go downstairs later on to have her meal.


    "Amelia, you can''t be watching our son every minute of the day. If you indulge him this much, he might grow up spoiled. We''re just going to be downstairs, and you''re already this reluctant to leave him? Honestly, I''m getting a little jealous now," Lucian teased. He watched Amelia plant a gentle kiss on Mark''s forehead. The image warmed him, like temperate sunlight touching his skin, but with it came a slight worry.


    When Mark was born, Lucian and Amelia had talked about parenthood. Their son would live in comfort, but he was adamant that Mark would not be raised spoiled.


    Amelia shared this sentiment. Mark would certainly come from a privileged background, but she did not want him to be conceited or entitled like the others from the same social status. Above all else, she wanted their son to grow into a responsible and upright man.


    "No, my Mark won''t." Amelia bent down and kissed her son tenderly.


    Lucian couldn''t help but poke fun at her. He moved closer to Amelia and said, "Is it my turn now, my dear wife?" His eyes gleamed with mischief.


    Amelia rolled her eyes at her husband''s antics, but gave in. "You are such a kid," she said, then stood on tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. It was a simple, nonchalant gesture, but Amelia''s cheeks burned as she went back down on her feet.


    Perhaps it was because of what had happened that afternoon


    continued to speak, it would lead to an even bigger argument.


    "Lucian, Mark is just a little boy. I have no idea what your wife is thinking," Claire threw in, stoking the flames of their anger.


    Lucian said nothing and merely held Mark in his arms, throwing a cold look towards Amelia.


    That one look, wrought with unspoken accusation, spoke more than words ever could. Suddenly, Amelia could no longer control herself and shook with anger. Lucian had no idea of the torment she had gone through. She had been punishing herself ever since the accident, and he only added salt to her wounds.


    Claire smiled to herself. Tonight was her victory.


    In their room, Amelia wordlessly made the bed.


    Lucian had never reproached her, and the image of his furious glare was still fresh in her mind, bringing another wave of sadness over her. When she turned around, she found him staring at her.


    She turned her gaze away from him.


    She didn''t know what that look meant, and she had already had enough of fighting. If he threw harsh words at her again, she might break.


    "Amelia, I''m sorry..." Lucian said softly.


    I''m sorry? Amelia was taken aback at his words.


    He was apologizing, but her heart remained closed from pain. "You''re Mark''s father. Of course you would feel angry," she said in a flat voice.


    She understood why Lucian got mad, and even she agreed that he had the right to be, but Amelia was in too much pain to be forgiving.


    Walking up behind her, Lucian put his arms around her waist and held her close. "Tell me whatever you want to say. I''ll listen to all of it," he said softly.


    His warm breath brushed her neck and her skin tingled from the sensation. She pushed Lucian away and said, "I have nothing else to say."


    "You must be thinking that I have changed since Claire moved in," he said.


    "I didn''t say anything. You did," Amelia answered back.

 Chapter 191 Why Self-deception

    Lucian smiled. He thought that Amelia looked so cute when she''s jealous.


    "Amelia, I''ll find a better place for Claire to stay at in a few days," Lucian declared.


    Amelia was surprised with what she heard. She turned to Lucian in disbelief. "I thought you said you''d have her depression cured?"


    "That''s what I thought too at first. But when I found out that she was more likely to have an asthma attack and become emotional when she was at the SJ Garden, I was convinced that it wasn''t the best idea anymore." And the situation got Lucian in a bad mood. Something that he decided not to tell Amelia.


    Amelia agreed but she did not express it. Mark''s fall and injury this afternoon seemed so strange to her and Lily. She hadn''t figured out how it really happened but she welcomed the idea to eliminate all external factors that could have caused it.


    Lucian called Eric the next morning and asked him to find a quiet villa with a peaceful environment.


    Eric proved to be a very efficient man in fulfilling Lucian''s tasks for him. He found the perfect villa for them that afternoon.


    Lucian announced the plan to Claire during dinner that evening and Claire reacted negatively to it.


    "Lucian, what are you saying? That you want me to move out?" The shock of hearing the news caused Claire to drop the bowl in her hand to the floor as she stared at Lucian with wide open eyes filled with shock.


    Lucian didn''t see any reason to repeat what he said and didn''t say anything. He glimpsed at the pieces of broken porcelain on the floor and briefly remembered something.


    "Miss Claire, surely you know that you can''t be a guest forever. Do you intend to live at the SJ Garden?" Lily snapped at her. She spoke without caring about how Claire would react to her words.


    "No... Lucian, you can''t do that. You won''t..." Her eyes moved from the broken pieces on the floor and then to the dishes on the table. Her face looked lost and


    very agitated. Her countenance had started to have a frightening look.


    Her words were harsh and they''d hit home for Amelia had felt their sting in her heart. How could she not mind?


    Amelia did not let up and kept staring at Claire with the same look that dared and challenged Claire''s aggression. "You know why Lucian allowed you to stay with the Zhan family, didn''t you? So, why are you still deceiving yourself?"


    Amelia was smart and she was definitely not the helpless target that Claire thought she was.


    She spoke the truth and the truth was the most effective weapon of all. It affected Claire more than she wanted and this made her even madder.


    "Deceiving myself?" Claire''s smile was mixed with disdain although the effects of Amelia''s words were there. "Whatever the reason was, all I know is that Lucian cares deeply about me. He just can''t let me go!"


    Claire''s reply was cleverly crafted to use Lucian''s obvious care for her. Her face suddenly looked arrogant and triumphant.


    Amelia was speechless. She was momentarily stunned by the truth. What Claire said was right. Lucian did care for her a lot. He even felt bad after he broke off all contact with her in the past.


    "Miss Claire, I need to go and check on Mark." Amelia knew that there was no point in continuing the conversation. She knew that if they continued in this line of talk, Claire would only become even more displeased and aggressive.


    "Wait!" Claire exclaimed and stopped Amelia from leaving the room. She smiled coldly and then said, "I want you to know that you are now my sworn enemy! Since you also prefer that we be enemies because you refuse to give up Lucian, then I will accept that challenge. And there can only be one who can stay with Lucian. You or me!"


    Amelia shuddered as she stared back at Claire. Not because of her words but because she believed that she was being kind to her and yet Claire had considered her as an enemy.

 Chapter 192 He Doesnt Love Only You

    "Sorry. I''ve never viewed you as competition." Amelia smiled. She continued, "I am confident that Lucian will never betray me."


    She trusted him to the greatest extent, for he had told her how he truly felt for Claire.


    Claire''s face darkened in an instant. She glared at Amelia and did not show any signs of backing down. "I don''t know if you''ve heard, Amelia, but some men can actually love more than one woman. How do you know if Lucian isn''t any different?"


    Having heard this, Amelia retorted, "By all means, you have a go at it. Get as close as you can to Lucian to confirm this little theory of yours. How about that?"


    Claire was speechless. After her attempt at standing up to Amelia, she was humiliated.


    "You can''t do anything to me! In fact, you can try, but you can''t stop me." She snorted. On her face was the look of unyielding determination.


    Amelia took a deep breath. She knew that she had to watch it when talking with Claire, as the latter was prone to asthma attacks.


    In the afternoon, Jonny called, asking Amelia out to lunch. She had wanted to refuse at first. However, she immediately remembered how Lucian had told her that if it weren''t for Jonny, he and Claire wouldn''t have run into each other. Amelia wanted to know the whole story.


    Amelia and Jonny met up at a coffee shop which would have been every bookworm''s paradise. Amelia was not especially fond of drinking coffee, bu


    aid.


    "You are being weird today. I didn''t mean anything by what I said," Amelia said earnestly.


    What she said was right. Even Jonny thought so.


    All he had thought about during the blind date was Amelia, so he had called her up after the meeting.


    He had thought that by this time, Claire had influenced Lucian and Amelia''s relationship.


    When all those negative things about Amelia came out in the news, Lucian wasted no time at all to dispel those rumors. It was then that Jonny realized that Lucian truly loved her. However, it had been impossible to give up on his feelings, and he went back to admiring her from a distance, just like he had done in the past.


    "Amelia, how wonderful it would be if there are two Amelia in this world." Jonny looked at the blank expression on Amelia''s face and couldn''t help but sigh. After that, he thought that the other Amelia just wouldn''t be as good as this one.


    He knew that it was impossible for the two of them to get married and live happily ever after. Still, he chose to remain lost in these absurd dreams of his.


    "Two Amelia?" Amelia got even more confused. She couldn''t help but make fun of Jonny. "Have you been drinking coffee or wine? Stop talking nonsense!" Laughing, she held Jonny''s cup and took a whiff of it. Then, with a childish smile on her face, she said, "It''s not alcohol. Is this because you used coffee instead of wine to numb yourself?"

 Chapter 193 Hang Out With Other Men

    Her words amused Jonny to no end. The gloom haunting him quickly vanished. "It''s not the coffee, of course," Jonny said, smiling. "But don''t worry, I feel somber now."


    "If there''s anything that makes you even a wee bit uncomfortable, just tell me! I''ll do everything in my power to address it for you," Amelia said enthusiastically. Her eyes were bright and full of excitement, and her wide smile revealed the deep dimples on both of her cheeks. Seeing that, Jonny''s heart couldn''t help but flutter. ''I feel like I''m getting drunk just off of her smile,'' he thought, smiling fondly.


    "Amelia, maybe I''m wrong..." he suddenly said, quickly deciding to change his original plan. He felt ashamed over it, but he knew that that was what he had to do.


    "Don''t think about it too much, Jonny," Amelia said softly, trying to be comforting. "I know you don''t want your mother to worry about you. But don''t force yourself. Maybe your destined girl isn''t ready to meet you yet. When the time comes, trust me¡ªshe will be the one to come to you!" With that, Amelia couldn''t help but think that Jonny was sorry for her mother Emma who was worried about his marriage.


    The words that came out of Amelia''s lips soothed Jonny''s soul. It was as if they had magic in them that instantly warmed people''s hearts¡ªhis heart. He had never been that close to her, but every time she had shown great concern for him, he felt his heart had been warm bit by bit.


    "Amelia, thank you for your advice," he replied softly. "I''m feeling much better now." Unfortunately, he wasn''t. But he didn''t have the heart to admit that to Amelia.


    It was already dinnertime when Amelia and Jonny got out of the cafe. Jonny proposed that they have dinner in a hot pot restaurant, but because Amelia had already been out for too long, she was becoming worried about Mark. "I think I need to rush back now," she said apologe


    to fall asleep, and if I give him to you now, he might wake up. I''ll carry him for now," Lucian said. Amelia took the coldness and indifference in his voice as clues that she should not insist on getting Mark.


    "Okay," she replied resignedly. Although she was sad, what Lucian said was reasonable.


    She followed Mark closely with her eyes. She was stretching out her hand to touch Mark''s face to feel his temperature when Claire''s pulled it back forcibly. Amelia turned to her in surprise, but she wasn''t ready for what she said next. "You really went on a secret date with Jonny while your child was having a high fever? You really don''t care about him, huh? Now, you''re acting like a good wife and mother. How pretentious!"


    Lucian was taken aback. Quickly, he turned to Amelia to see if what Claire said was true. Amelia''s face was pale as a sheet of paper. It convinced him that Claire was telling the truth and soon enough, anger started raging in his heart like wildfire that no one could put out.


    "Claire, don''t exaggerate things! Mr. Jonny and Mrs. Amelia are just friends and you know that!" Lily hissed angrily. She knew that if it wasn''t for Claire''s lying tongue, Lucian wouldn''t have asked her to turn off her cell phone and make it harder for Amelia to contact her.


    "Lily, don''t meddle in things you know nothing about!" Claire retorted. "And stop trying to cover up what Amelia did. Look at her! She''s incredibly pale and can''t even defend herself! You know why? It''s because I am telling the truth!" Claire''s face showed incredible determination. She was trying to ruin Amelia and Lucian''s relationship, and she would do everything to succeed!


    Amelia was still speechless. She turned to look at Lucian''s handsome face, but now, his eyes were devoid of warmth. His stare was cold and shallow, and it bore an indescribable sadness into her already aching heart.

 Chapter 194 Incompetent Mother

    "Is it because of love?" Lucian gave an incredulous smile. He looked at Amelia and mocked her, "I hear it''s an ideal spot for couples. You and Jonny might enjoy the romantic ambiance, won''t you agree?"


    There was a sharpness to Lucian''s looks that stabbed Amelia''s heart. The pain was inflected so quickly, she gasped for breath.


    "How can you say that, Lucian?" He knew that she and Jonny were just friends. How could he think that way about her?


    Amelia knew that it was her carelessness that led to Mark getting sick, but it wasn''t like she wanted it to happen. She felt guilty, and Lucian''s words offered no comfort.


    But Lucian ignored the sad look in her eyes, and reprimanded her coldly, "You''ve failed in your duty as a mother."


    The words made Amelia freeze as she looked at Lucian in disbelief. She pursed her lips and trembled slightly. She felt a dark chill spread over her body.


    She knew that she shouldn''t have left Mark because he was still breastfeeding, so she didn''t want to make any complaints. But given Lucian''s harsh comments, she couldn''t help but feel depressed.


    The doctor confirmed that Mark''s fever had already gone down. With his permission, Lucian was able to take the child back home.


    It was already ten o''clock when they came back to SJ Garden. The sky was pitch black and the house was silent.


    Lucian took Mark in his arms and headed straight to the bedroom, followed by Amelia.


    The room felt cold because of the silence


    ed to her and said, "I have an important meeting today. Take care of Mark."


    Lucian actually didn''t mean to sound as cold as he did. But when he opened his mouth and heard his tone, it was too late to take anything back.


    "Mark is also my son. Don''t worry," Amelia said with a forced smile. She added, "Don''t forget to have lunch."


    She only worked with Lucian for a few months, but it was enough for her to see just how workaholic Lucian could get. She had heard from Eric that Lucian would often skip lunch to work throughout the day. She took it upon herself to remind him to eat before he went to work every day.


    But after she bid him goodbye that day, he merely nodded and didn''t kiss her as he usually did.


    After Lucian left, Amelia quietly went back to the bedroom. She found the clothes Lucian had worn in the bathroom and thought of soaking it in water before washing. But before she could reach for a basin, something caught her eyes. There was a lipstick stain on his collar.


    Amelia couldn''t believe her eyes. All color drained from her face as she looked at his shirt.


    After examining the piece of clothing, she found other lip prints in various parts.


    If Lily hadn''t called her to tell her that Mark was crying, Amelia could''ve sat there for hours, holding Lucian''s shirt.


    "Are you okay, Mrs. Amelia? You don''t look so good," Lily asked when she saw the expression on Amelia''s face. She did not just look absent-minded; she also looked grim.

 Chapter 195 Not In Good Faith

    Amelia shook her head without saying anything.


    "Oh right, Claire went out early in the morning. I don¡¯t know where she went but she seemed very happy!" "I am annoyed with her. Always out of sight, out of mind!" Lily said with resentment as she mentioned Claire''s name.


    The lip prints on Lucian''s white shirt displeased Amelia that she didn¡¯t pay attention to Lily''s remarks.


    Claire was gone for the whole day and carried dozens of shopping bags when she returned. Lucian accompanied her.


    "Welcome back, Mr. Lucian! Mrs. Amelia is waiting for you for dinner." Lily ignored the high spirits of Claire in front of her and greeted Lucian passionately.


    Amelia waited at the dinner table with Mark in her arms. Nervous when she heard about Lucian.


    The lip marks she found this morning were supposed to make her unhappy but she was so careful not to make it seem that he did something wrong.


    "We already had dinner outside. Enjoy your meal," Lucian answered flatly.


    It was like a basin of cold water poured over Amelia and froze her body when she heard this. She suddenly lost her appetite for the delicious dishes in front of her.


    "Lucian, thank you for buying me so many things today. You made me feel like the happiest woman in the world!" The proud voice that followed and echoed from t


    ia higher. "Okay, I''ll go with the other one!" She chose the other coat instead.


    Amelia disregarded the opposite choice of Claire, ignored her and continued eating.


    The man on the other side remained silent and Amelia didn''t try to look up, either. Tension filled the dining room.


    Claire, dressed in new clothes, fur hat and a red scarf around her neck sat down at the table and checked the food. She complained, "I don''t want to eat bread and milk. I want noodles for breakfast."


    Amelia was stunned with her demands but didn''t respond. She heard Lucian lightly suggested, "Let Lily make noodles for you."


    Lily didn¡¯t mind her demand for noodles but her voice annoyed her. Additionally, she sat next to Lucian and was so talkative the entire breakfast. Lily couldn''t bear her flattering expression.


    "Mr. Lucian, I don''t have time to cook noodles for Miss Claire because I have to take care of the young master. If she wants it really bad, she''d better cook it herself," Lily calmly refused. She walked to the stroller and pushed Mark into the living room.


    Claire was astounded that Lily turned down Lucian''s request openly. This really pissed her off. She looked at Lucian and angrily said, "Lucian, your servant is very rude! I know she doesn''t like me but she did not even listen to you!"

 Chapter 196 Teach Her A Lesson

    Amelia''s heart jumped. She turned to look at Lucian.


    At the same time, Lucian also turned to Amelia and their eyes met as they looked at each other.


    Amelia was about to bite her bread, but when she saw the look in Lucian''s eyes, it brought her pause. She wondered if he wanted her to cook noodles for Claire.


    While Amelia was lost in thought, Claire turned to her and called out to her like a spoiled child, "Amelia, the dishes that you cooked last time are very delicious. I think that you could make some very delicious noodles too! Please cook some for me!"


    Claire asked before Lucian could say anything.


    Amelia didn''t reply. She kept looking at Lucian as if she was waiting for him to say something.


    Lucian felt Amelia''s stare. He felt like it was burning a hole into his head. He raised his head and looked into her eyes and thought that he understood exactly what she was thinking.


    "I''ll do it," Lucian said flatly and stood up from his chair and started to walk away from the table.


    "Lucian, are you serious?" Claire asked very excitedly. She touched Lucian''s arm as he got up from the table.


    Amelia threw a glance at her and saw that she looked very happy at the turn of events.


    Amelia felt anxious as Lucian headed for the kitchen. She was worried that he might not be skilled enough for whatever it was that he planned to cook. She also felt disappointed that he went to cook for another woman.


    She was normally generous and tolerant, but she couldn''t keep herself calm when it came to her most beloved.


    Lucian spent a lot of time learning how to cook for Amelia. He slowly learned to cook some of her favorite dishes by himself and Amelia had always considered it a


    hts went across his mind.


    Amelia bit her lower lip. The words that she said may have sounded mean but it definitely made her feel better to say what was in her chest.


    "If that is the case, then I''ll have Claire move out," Lucian declared and was about to walk out of the bedroom.


    Amelia suddenly spoke to stop Lucian. "Lucian, the problem now is no longer just Claire. It''s the feelings that you gave me."


    Lucian became impatient and irritable. He looked as if he was able to explode in any minute.


    Lucian stared straight into Amelia''s eyes and sneered, "So I made you feel bad? You promised me that you would help Claire get over her mental depression. And yet now you''re putting all the blame on me."


    "You''re always with her! You stayed with her in the study, bedroom and the shopping mall! You may be good friends, but why are you treating me like this?" There was silence as Amelia waited for an answer from him.


    "You''ve changed," Lucian declared as his lips twisted into a cold smile. His voice was filled with disappointment.


    Amelia''s face suddenly turned pale at the thought that entered her mind. She felt almost paralyzed; like she was caught in a nightmare. "Lucian, do we still love each other?" she asked in a shaking voice.


    It was a stupid question that was filled with fear but it was the one question that Lucian never expected to hear from her.


    Lucian felt a stinging pain in his heart. He didn''t answer her and walked out of the bedroom instead.


    Amelia''s knees became too weak to support her and she fell to the floor kneeling. She suddenly burst into tears like the whole world was crashing down all around her and there was nothing that she could do to stop it.

 Chapter 197 You Cant Keep Your Man

    What did she just ask? Amelia had already started to regret it.


    Just as she calmed down, Claire opened the bedroom door, wearing the clothes given by Lucian. Claire crossed her arms against her chest and stood at the door. A smug smile was dancing on her lips.


    Amelia gazed at Claire with an expressionless face. She was already used to seeing that creepy smile these days.


    "Amelia, you know, men hate being controlled by women like you. If you continue to force Lucian, he will end up leaving you one day." Claire''s tone had a hint of mockery.


    Amelia frowned at Claire and said in a cold voice, "How long do you wish to bother him?"


    Claire smirked and twirled a strand of her hair in her fingers. "Until he starts loving me!"


    Amelia''s eyes burned in anger at that. She stared at Claire in hatred. Silence filled the room, but Amelia stood on her ground, unwilling to surrender in front of Claire.


    "Amelia, you are afraid, aren''t you?" Claire''s lips curved up when she looked at Amelia''s changing emotions.


    Amelia curled her fist and said dryly, "Now that you''re determined, I have no choice but to fight back."


    Although Lucian had been very cold to her recently, Amelia didn''t want to give up on him. She tried to be strong for herself and Mark.


    Claire narrowed her eyes at Amelia. She didn''t think Amelia would refute.


    Jonny had told her that Amelia was a soft-hearted person. Claire had planned to drag Amelia to the dead-end so that she would give up on her own. B


    her stern eyes glanced at his amused face. "I have a condition. You have to stay away from Claire!"


    Her puffed-up cheeks and domineering voice seemed as if a little child was trying to scold her elders.


    Lucian''s amusement reached another level after seeing her expression. He let out a deep chuckle and pulled her closer. Amelia''s soft lips quivered once again as his breath brushed her delicate skin. Lucian''s hand reached her head, and he pressed his lips on hers.


    Since the day was a weekend, Lucian and Amelia rolled in the sheets for a long time.


    The sunlight filtered through the French window to flash on two happy lovers in bed.


    Amelia gazed at Lucian''s handsome face that was shining because of sunlight.


    She supported her head with one hand and stared at Lucian in admiration. Amelia raised her free hand and gently stroked his eyelids. Happiness flooded her heart at the scene as she continued to touch his face.


    By the time they were done playing around, it was already late. They went downstairs only to look at Claire''s angry face. Claire was already picking up her empty plate from the table.


    "Lucian, why did you get up so late?" She walked towards him and pouted unhappily.


    Amelia ignored Claire and carried Mark to the dining room.


    Lily watched Claire from the side, and she clutched her fist in anger. She didn''t know that Lucian was just acting. Lily grabbed Claire''s wrist and glared at the girl. "Claire, you''re a guest here. I hope you can behave!"

 Chapter 198 A Bootlicker

    Lily''s words toward Claire made her feel embarrassed. But the fact that Lily was only a maid caused Claire to feel like she did not qualify to teach her a lesson. She replied with conviction, "Who said I was just a guest? I''m very important in Lucian''s heart!"


    Claire spoke without a shed doubt. She completely relied on what Lucian promised her, and his feelings of being indebted to her.


    "Mr. Lucian, Claire is not just a simple, innocent woman. Please do not be cheated by her sweet words!" caused by her anger towards Claire, Lily boldly exclaimed.


    Since Lily''s words were a bit harsh, Lucian felt a little nervous. But at the same time, he had a hard time holding back the happiness in his heart. Then he said in a positive tone, "Lily, please help take care of young master. I''ll have breakfast with Mrs. Amelia first."


    "Lucian, what about me?" Claire quickly asked, knowing that she had to make full use of Lucian''s every free minute.


    Lucian didn''t even bother to respond. He knew that she was incredibly stubborn, so he just sat down at the table. Then Claire pleadingly said with a smile, "Lucian, please let me eat with you."


    That morning, Lucian got up pretty late. Claire felt somewhat fearful and agitated,


    because it wasn''t easy for her to get a chance to grab Lucian''s attention. If Lucian and Amelia were always together like glue, how could all her previous efforts be successful?


    Amelia remained particularly calm during breakfast, only casting a glance at Claire from time to time while she ate.


    "Lucian, today is a weekend. What do you have in plan?" Claire asked as she gently peeled an egg for Lucian. She then slowly placed it near his mouth with a grin on her face.


    Even though Claire was good at catching people''s attention, after hearing Nicholas praise Amelia, she did not dare to utter a single word.


    "What about now? Don''t you think you have too much self-confidence?" Lily couldn''t help but ridicule Claire when they were the only two people left in the living room.


    "It''s still better than being a servant," Claire retorted but she was clearly having a hard time to fight back.


    "I don''t want to waste my time on you anymore!" Lily instantly responded. She didn''t feel angry despite Claire''s discriminating words because she never thought that being a servant was an inferior job. Moreover, Lucian and Amelia cared very much about her and never looked down upon her.


    After some time, everyone was finished with their lunch. Amelia had planned to stroll in the backyard of the Zhan mansion with Mark but before she did, she asked Claire whether she would like to accompany her.


    Claire immediately asked in return, "Will Lucian come with us?"


    "Lucian is playing chess with Dad. He''s not coming," Amelia answered her and added, "Lily has a stomachache so she went to rest inside. If you don''t want to go, then I''ll go first."


    "Lily really won''t come with you?" Claire couldn''t believe it. She was relieved when she learned that Lily wasn''t coming. She always thought that Lily would accompany Amelia wherever she went. Claire then agreed quite easily. "Okay, I''ll go with you and help take care of Mark by the way."


    "Let''s go," Amelia said with a smile and walked ahead with Mark in her arms.


    Claire closely followed in silence. An idea suddenly came into her mind. She thought that if she played some tricks right now, maybe no one would take notice.

 Chapter 199 Its All My Fault

    Claire rolled her eyes as she remembered the look on Nicholas''s face as he held Mark. She believed that the only reason Nicholas held Amelia in such high regard was because of that baby, Mark.


    "Amelia, why do you think there are so many flowers this season?" Claire strode forward confidently, and asked Amelia.


    Amelia never visited the Zhan mansion without going to the backyard. The fresh smells and bright colors of the garden''s flowers and plants always enchanted her. It was her oasis, and safe space.


    "I''m not sure about a lot of them. Each one is so different and unique from the others. They''re almost hypnotizing, in a way!" Amelia couldn''t help but sigh in pleasure, fully focused on the flowers.


    Inspired by some flowers with thorns in front of them, Claire quickly sprouted up a plan. Her stern face warmed up, and she smiled sweetly. "Did you know that I grew up in the countryside? I have seen a lot of flowers just like these before."


    "Is that right?" Inspecting the sharp thorns on the flowers, Amelia responded softly, "They really look pretty, but those thorns are sharp. Be careful when you touch them!"


    "Can I ask you a favor?" Claire turned her head to Amelia with her lips pouted. "Can I pick one? It''s kind of nostalgic for me."


    Amelia didn''t really ever pick any of the flowers out in the garden. She thought that they were connected by the root, so that they could live with the branches. But being considerate of Claire''s feelings, Amelia couldn''t help but nod her head in approval.


    "Thanks, Amelia." Claire beamed happily as a clam as she jumped into the garden.


    ?" Lily was too angry to even respond to her.


    Claire became angry and raised her voice deliberately. "I was also hurt by the thorns, except my face, I also got hurt in the arms and chest. I didn''t lose my temper, why are you all angry at me?" she asked. Half of her actually believed what she was saying.


    "You are really a good actress pretending to be innocent!" Lily glanced at Claire and said rudely, "No matter how you push yourself into this family, you are still just Mr. Lucian''s friend. You cannot and will not ever be his wife!"


    She then remembered that she had threatened Amelia over the phone previously. Claire''s face turned pale and she bowed her head with shame, feeling insignificant.


    "You don''t have nothing to say now, do you?" Lily saw her embarrassed face and snorted in disgust.


    "Claire, Let''s talk." Lucian walked out of the bedroom, motioning for Claire to come along. He glanced at her face, colder than a winter''s night.


    Claire didn''t notice Lucian''s face at all. She just looked at his back like an overjoyed fan and gloated, "I''m going to talk to Lucian. You''d better go to make up to Mrs. Amelia right now."


    "You!" Lily shook her fist in anger.


    In the study, it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.


    Lucian sat at the desk and looked at Claire who just came in silently. Pointing to the red chair in front of the desk like a headmaster with his pupil, he said, "Sit down."


    The simplicity of his speech heightened her discomfort.


    Claire sat down quickly and looked up at Lucian with fear, but trying not to show it. "Lucian, what do you want to say to me?"

 Chapter 200 The Fake Identity Gets Exposed

    Claire wanted to be cared for by Lucian, but the look in his eyes suggested that it wasn''t a good time. She didn''t dare put up the little girl act in front of him.


    Lucian felt disappointed as he looked at Claire from head to foot. He said coldly, "Claire, you know that I only agreed to let you live here in SJ Garden because I want to help you deal with your condition. But now, I realize that it was a wrong move. You don''t deserve my trust."


    Lucian didn''t raise his voice but he sounded thoroughly angry. A shiver ran down Claire''s spine. Although she felt guilty as she wondered about what Lucian could have possibly discovered, she tried her best to remain calm. She pretended to be confused when she asked, "Lucian, did I do something wrong? Why are you angry?"


    Tears fell down from her eyes as she tried to look miserable.


    But Lucian couldn''t be moved. He asked coldly, "There''s a line you should never cross, Claire. Don''t you feel guilty for hurting the woman I love and our child?"


    Claire was immediately stunned by his question.


    But she was smart enough to see through Lucian''s words. Could Lucian have found out that it was because of her that Mark fell and got hurt? Was he angry because he knew that she fell in the garden on purpose?


    She tried to guess, but Lucian said with absolute certainty, "You''re a smart woman, Claire. Do you honestly think no one has seen through your despicable behavior?"


    "What do you


    a girl she''d never met didn''t even make Amelia jealous. She only admired her.


    "You''ve suffered a lot these days. I''m really sorry, Amelia," Lucian apologized as he looked tenderly at his wife. He stood up and held her in his arms.


    At the time, Amelia felt very safe and warm in Lucian''s embrace. She couldn''t even feel wronged or hurt. She only felt how much Lucian cared for her.


    In truth, Lucian actually didn''t have any evidence to prove Claire''s guilt. He only bluffed to see how Claire would react.


    Even though he didn''t think to question Claire''s identity, he already felt suspicious of her as he grew dissatisfied with her attitude as soon as she came to SJ Garden.


    "Actually, Lucian, I thought it was odd for Claire to appear out of nowhere, so I met with Jonny that day to confirm her identity," Amelia said in confusion.


    "What did Jonny say?" By then, Lucian had very strong doubts against Jonny. He felt as if Jonny had orchestrated the whole thing.


    He just couldn''t understand what reason Jonny could have to go through the trouble.


    "Jonny told me about the girl in your past. He said that he then happened to meet Claire and thought that her story was similar to yours. So he asked her to look for you. But he said he didn''t expect that you would quickly confirm her identity," Amelia told him what Jonny said.


    "Leave it to me, Amelia. Don''t worry." Lucian had made up his mind. He was going to confront Jonny.

 Chapter 201 The Arrogant Third Party

    Amelia nodded obediently. She parted her lips to encourage him. "Lucian, I believe you will meet her again."


    If so, Lucian wouldn''t be guilty about it anymore.


    He had never been so anxious before. But then, he was reminded of his past because of Claire''s appearance. Out of guilt, Lucian couldn''t let it go even if he wanted to.


    Lucian made an appointment with Jonny on a rainy day.


    He marched inside the business club at a slow pace and sat by the window, looking at his wristwatch with his stern gaze. He was twenty minutes earlier than Jonny. Turning back to the window, Lucian continued to watch the raindrops in a daze.


    "Lucian, how long have you been waiting for me?" Jonny''s warm voice broke the silence of the club, earning Lucian''s attention.


    Lucian looked up in surprise and turned back to his wristwatch. Jonny was ten minutes early.


    He smiled lightly. "Are you free today?" Lucian knew that it was rare to have free time at the office hour.


    Jonny fixed his tie and put the document case on the table. He had left his company in a hurry. A teasing smile formed on his lips, and he looked at Lucian. "How will we become close friends again like before if we continue to act so professionally?"


    Lucian''s lips stretched into an embarrassing smile. "Sorry. I kind of forgot that you aren''t a journa


    r''s behavior. Just as he was about to say something, he heard comments of a few people in the crowd.


    "Isn''t that the CEO of the An Group?"


    "And that old man is the former CEO of the An Group, Edmund, isn''t it?"


    "Oh my God, you''re right!"


    "¡­¡­"


    The onlookers kept gossiping. Even the waiters standing on the side of the bar counter pointed fingers at Edmund and the woman.


    The corner of Edmund''s lips curved up to form an evil smile. He didn''t think his actions were wrong. "If she has the audacity to cheat on me, why can''t I have my fun?"


    Edmund''s words ignited flame around the club.


    People were already gossiping about the unbalanced relationship between Edmund and Jonny. Now that they were arguing in public, the murmuring became loud. They didn''t seem to understand why Jonny would take over the position of CEO of the An Group.


    "You don''t care about your face, but I do!" Jonny gritted his teeth to suppress his anger.


    Edmund knew that Emma was Jonny''s bottom line. If he wanted to annoy Jonny, he could just continue the topic. He said in a sarcastic tone, "Your mother cheated on me years ago. I was just having fun. Compared to your mom, what I did was nothing!"


    Several people around them gasped in surprise. "It turns out that Jonny''s mother had cheated on Edmund. We didn''t know that..."

 Chapter 202 She Cheated On Me

    "It''s harder for ordinary people like us to become members of the rich. I never expected that the wealthy still go through so many troubles. Alas! It''s just the same as the life of ordinary people!"


    Jonny didn''t take kindly to Edmund''s words. He clenched his fist tightly and before anyone could react, he sent his fist flying towards Edmund''s face.


    The force of Jonny''s punch was so strong that Edmund fell from the chair to the ground. He looked stunned and embarrassed.


    But Jonny wasn''t planning to let him go easily. He grabbed him by the collar while he was still down and yanked him fiercely. "If you say anything rude to my mother again, I''ll make sure that you regret it!" Jonny said in a threatening and irritated tone of voice.


    Blood flowed freely from the corner of Edmund''s lips. He smiled dryly despite his overall desperate look. "I''m only telling the truth. But you simply find it hard to accept the truth," he replied in a mocking tone.


    Lucian knew that Edmund and Jonny never got along well with each other. And Edmund never taught Jonny anything. They were almost strangers to each other when they met.


    "My mother never blamed you for everything that you did all these years. Whenever you were out with other women, she never said anything harsh about you. She''s always been tolerant of you and yet you treat her this way? You don''t deserve to be called man at all!" Jonny said as he pushed Edmund fiercely on the floor, letting go of his collar. His face was filled with disgust at Edmund.


    Jonny never had a nice memory of Edmund.


    Whenever Edmund got back home, he would beat Emma and scold her. He always hated Edmund for what he did to his mother. This made Jonny rebelli


    roud of the New Year''s Eve dinner that was prepared by Amelia. "Amelia, with your cooking skill, the Zhan Group can take over the catering industry!"


    Each time Amelia cooked at the Zhan mansion, Nicholas would shower her with praises and compliments. She started to get used to it after some time and didn''t blush too much anymore.


    "Lucian, the Zhan Group has a new project. You need to pay more attention to it. We can''t proceed as planned if you''re not always around!" Fannie interrupted Nicholas without a warning and reminded Lucian with a serious look on her face.


    Lucian stopped eating and the movement of his chopsticks paused. He frowned and sighed impatiently. "Mom, I know what I''m doing."


    "It''s New Year''s Eve, Fannie. It''s not the time to talk about work. Let''s talk about something else while eating, OK?" Nicholas said in a moderated tone of voice. Although Fannie''s statement also brought him pause, the smile on his face never faded one bit.


    But Fannie wasn''t planning to give up easily. "What do you know about what I''m talking about? I have a share in the Zhan Group. I''m just trying to put the interests of the company above everything."


    "Dad, let''s just eat," Lucian said. Nicholas was aware that Fannie was a persistent woman so he decided not to argue with her.


    "Amelia, don''t forget to clean up the house. Otherwise, Lucian might worry about you." Fannie turned to Amelia without warning.


    "Okay," Amelia replied with a nod as her cheeks suddenly turned red.


    "Mom, can you stop being such a grouch for once?" Lucian angrily threw his chopsticks on the table and stood up with Mark in his arms.


    "Lucian...," Amelia called after him as he walked away from the table.

 Chapter 203 The Death Of Iris

    "I''m just teaching her how to be a good wife. What''s wrong with that?" Fannie complained.


    Nicholas furrowed his brows deeply. While Amelia was chasing after Lucian, he reminded Fannie coldly, "You already got what you want. Now stop messing with the children."


    This made Fannie even more unhappy. She replied impatiently, "I not only have to fight for my place in the Zhan Group but also in my own family! As Amelia''s mother-in-law, I think I have the right to discipline her!"


    Fannie was unsatisfied when seeing Lucian always defend Amelia. She felt that she, as a mother, was neglected. Especially Lucian wasn''t her biological son so she felt as if she had no control over him.


    "Amelia is sweet and kind. Anyone would be happy to have her as a daughter-in-law. You''re the only one who''s being way too picky!" Nicholas sighed¡ªknowing that no matter what he said, he couldn''t get through to Fannie.


    "Lucian!" Amelia tried to catch up with him but unfortunately, she failed. From a distance, she could see Lucian nearing towards his car, getting ready to get in and drive off.


    Under the eaves of the mansion, there was a row of red lanterns that reflected a red halo. The warm atmosphere only magnified Lucian''s icy cold demeanor.


    Finally, she had caught up with Lucian and Mark. "You know Mom better than I do. Why are you mad at her? We''re having the family reunion dinner tonight. Dad''s going to be upset if you''re not there."


    Lucian and Amelia went back to


    ea that maybe Sophia really did have something to do with her mother''s death.


    "What''s your phone number then? I''ll call you when I''m free." Amelia really wanted to know how Sophia was involved in her mother''s death.


    "Amelia, I know I''ve done a lot of terrible things to you. Don''t worry, I''ve already received my punishment. I really hope you can forgive me. I''m suffering now from my retribution and I''ve grown a lot especially after I had Bonnie. I really should turn over a new leaf. That''s the only way I can set a good example for my daughter," Yolanda explained sincerely. Amelia could tell that Yolanda really had grown and matured.


    In the past, they always fought whenever they saw each other. This was the first time that they''d met and didn''t fight. It seemed as if the hostility between them was gone already. Amelia smiled and said, "Well, like you said, in order to set a good example for my son, I''m going to forgive you. I''m letting the past go. Yolanda, you should be happy."


    "Thank you." Yolanda smiled in relief. Before leaving, she held up Bonnie''s hand and said, "Say goodbye to Auntie."


    "Mrs. Amelia, who was that woman? If you didn''t return so soon, I would have asked someone for help!" Lily watched as Amelia and Yolanda spoke all the while alert, ready to call for help if something went wrong.


    Amelia couldn''t help but laugh as she could tell that Lily went a bit overboard in worrying about her. "Who would mess with me in broad daylight?"

 Chapter 204 Why Do You Sell Them To Me

    Amelia felt depressed after she heard what Yolanda had to say.


    She heard from Lucian that the Mo family''s house was sold to help pay off debts because of the incident with Vernon. She forgot to ask where they moved after the house was sold.


    Fortunately, Yolanda left her phone number. Amelia planned to meet with Sophia because she was doubtful with the circumstances around Iris'' death.


    The CEO''s office was located at the top floor of the Zhan Group building.


    There were two knocks on the door and then Eric walked in through the door. "Sir, the CEO of the An Group, Mr. Jonny is here," Eric announced to Lucian who sat behind his desk, poring over some papers.


    Lucian had planned to set aside some time to invite Jonny over. He never expected that Jonny would actually beat him to a meeting between them.


    "Invite him in," Lucian replied in a soft voice.


    The door opened and Jonny walked in. He wore a well-pressed beige suit that was tailored to his size.


    The simple interior design and spacious office made employees feel relaxed while working in the offices of the Zhan Group. "I think I need to renovate my office," Jonny said with a broad smile on his face as he entered Lucian''s office.


    Lucian looked up from the pile of papers on his desk. He smiled and then asked, "Did you really come to visit just to see the interior of my office?"


    Jonny laughed lightly and sat down. He playfully tapped at the sofa with his slender fingers and said in a congratulatory tone, "The businesses of the Zhan Group have made big progress recently. You must be in a very good mood!"


    Lucian closed the documents in his hands. "Thank you for letting us get the


    flirt with her. She always had a cold expression and avoided my friend. I thought that she worked there at that time, so I didn''t pay much attention to her. Then I heard from my friends that her mother had just passed away and that she was doing it to survive. Then I decided to get in touch with her."


    "Why does it sound to me like it was a romantic encounter for you?" Lucian asked. He immediately thought that it was a fateful encounter for Claire to meet Jonny. He was convinced that they made a good match. "I think you have feelings for Claire. Why not make the first step? Maybe I''d even forget that you sent her to stay with me."


    "Since when have you become so heartless? In order to eliminate a rival in love, you''d sell these women to me?" Jonny complained like a child who lost to a game.


    "Come on. The way you talked about Claire, how you met her and then her tragedy, it was different from the way you normally speak. Don''t tell me that you haven''t noticed that in yourself at all?" Lucian explained carefully. He sounded like he saw into Jonny''s soul what Jonny himself failed to see.


    Jonny thought about Lucian''s words and had to admit that he did feel something different about Claire. But he knew that this feeling was more of a feeling of intense sympathy and it was not the same feeling as the one he had for Amelia. The only person that he cared about beyond mere sympathy was Amelia.


    He gave it some thought and then turned to Lucian after some time. He found Lucian looking intently at him with a faint smile on his face. He couldn''t help but smile back. "If you think this is for the best. After all, we have known each other for a long time."

 Chapter 205 Jonny Has A Crush On You

    All of a sudden, Lucian roared with laughter, "I hope this kind of childish things won''t happen again. Otherwise, I''m telling you Jonny, you and your An Group will suffer because of this stupidity!" It was more of a threat than a friendly suggestion.


    Jonny''s lips curled upwards. "How ironical! Since when have you learned how to threaten others like Edmund?"


    Lucian immediately frowned. "Don''t compare me with him. He threatened me in order to achieve his own interests, and I do it for... My beloved woman. My wife! Both are different," Lucian retorted. He first of all, didn''t like to be compared with others, neither liked his wife being the topic of discussion among other men. Be it Jonny or anyone else.


    "Don''t worry. I respect Amelia. As long as you treat her well, I will never have any unrealistic ideas." Jonny affirmed genuinely. Jonny always knew that what he had in mind would never come true.


    If Amelia ever had the idea to be with him, she would have chosen him over Lucian. Amelia had loved him in the past or not, but now she was Lucian''s wife. He''d always keep that in mind before thinking something inappropriate about her.


    On the other hand, Lucian said nothing. He only nodded slightly with a faint smile on his face.


    Lucian understood that Jonny was being formal not only to maintain the integrity, but also to avoid the difficulties.


    If Jonny considered he had a chance to attack, Lucian would not back away to hit and in the process win.


    On the other side, in the SJ Garden, Amelia was preparing dinner carefully while she heard the rustling sound of rainfall outside. Her concern for Lucian getting wet in the rain grew instantly. She wondered if he had taken the umbrella with him or not. Her eyes darted towards the clock. It was about time when Lucian returned home. But he hadn''t yet. Had he got stuck in the office? Amelia immediately panicked at the thought and dialed his number.


    After the third ring when he picked up the phone, she asked impatiently, "Lucian, wh


    she had once received only seventy-five dollars when she had washed eight thousand glasses a whole afternoon. But, she felt content with that. Because those seventy-five dollars were all she needed for the whole next week''s expenses.


    "Amelia, have you been waiting for a long time? I''m sorry. The place we are living now is quite far from here... " As she was lost in her thoughts, a woman''s voice interrupted her thoughts, bringing her out of her trance.


    Amelia averted her gaze at her. Sophia took a seat opposite to her. Amelia was in fact surprised to see how much she had changed.


    This woman in front of her was definitely different from what she used to be. In the past, Sophia usually wore a beautiful cheongsam, even in winter. It made her figure look more graceful.


    But today Sophia wore a plain worn out cotton that had been out of fashion for a long time. And it made her look a little old and shabby.


    "I just arrived too," Amelia calmly responded. She looked down at the porridge section of the menu. As Amelia had guessed that Sophia must be in an empty stomach, so she pushed the menu in front of her and asked her in a polite tone, "Please order some food."


    Obviously, Sophia was overwhelmed by Amelia''s unexpected favor. Holding the menu in her hand, she glanced through the menu. In the end, she ended up ordering a bowl of the cheapest porridge with an embarrassed smile. "I''m not used to having breakfast. But as you are insisting, I can order this one. Porridge is good for the stomach!"


    Sophia said in a low tone, which surprised Amelia, considering she had a pretty loud voice.


    Amelia observed the woman sitting in front of her quietly. She was full of shyness and looked as if she had been a simple country woman from the countryside who had just come to the prosperous city. She was restrained and at a loss.


    "How are you doing?" Amelia asked in concern as she noticed the blood on the back of her hand when Sophia took the glass of water from the table. The cut was fresh.

 Chapter 206 Having Another Man

    "We''re fine," Sophia said, an air of peace and contentment evident in her aura. "Having a child who is so loving and sweet is doing us good. Also, Yolanda is not as lazy as she was before. She actually found a well-paying job and has been successfully supporting the family ever since."


    It was the first time Amelia saw Sophia behave in such a way¡ªserenely, innocently, joyfully. It made her fall into a trance.


    "Uhhh..." She was about to ask Sophia about what happened to Iris, but at the last second, she stopped herself. All of a sudden, she was confronted by the fact that she and Sophia weren''t close enough to talk about such personal things.


    Somehow, Sophia was able to read Amelia''s mind. Upon recognizing what she wanted from her, she said with utmost care, "I know that you are here today to ask me about the cause of your mother''s death."


    It had been eleven years since Iris passed away, but the pain that Amelia thought she had successfully buried so deeply inside her heart would still haunt her from time to time. She would miss her more often than she cared to admit, and the sadness of losing her stung more as time passed.


    For the longest time, she had debated if she wanted to know what had happened or not.


    Soon, however, she understood that the only way she could cope with the death of her mother was to figure out what pushed her to commit suicide.


    Amelia didn''t speak for a long while. Sophia had to break the silence as the place was becoming busier and busier with waitresses starting their cleaning routines. "Amelia," she started, looking around and becoming more wary of the people around them. "I think it would be better if we talk about this in another place."


    Amelia snapped out of her daze and began to look around. ''Indeed,'' she thought, feeling that she had not thoroughly thought this


    th that, mainly because he was softhearted."


    "Really? What about Yolanda?" Yolanda was older than her, so something was not adding up. She needed know everything.


    "Yolanda... Yolanda was the result of an accident that happened between us when we got drunk once. That night, Vernon, with the help of copious amounts of alcohol, told me everything that he had been bottling up in his heart. I gave myself to him because I loved him deeply..." While Sophia sounded incredibly embarrassed, there was no trace of regret in her voice. She made a choice, and she would stick to it no matter what.


    Somehow, that made Amelia choke up. Never did she think that the truth would be so simple yet scandalous.


    In her mind, Iris was a great, selfless, and kind-hearted woman. Unfortunately, after hearing what Sophia said, the image in her mind totally changed. ''My mother was a bad woman who ruined her marriage because she had another man,'' she thought.


    That somehow did not sit right with her. "You made up all of these just to make you look innocent! You are a liar!" she suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs. Her eyes were unfocused, she didn''t know what to believe and what to do.


    Iris was her mother, a gentle and kind person who always looked after her. ''Nothing will change that,'' she thought. ''Not even Sophia''s story!


    How could such a selfless woman do something like that to her husband? To her family?''


    "I know that it''s hard for you to accept the truth," Sophia said quietly, surprised but understanding. "But I swear to God¡ªI am telling the truth! God is my witness and if He finds that I am not faithful to my promise, I pray He strike me down at this very moment!" Sophia struck her chest many times as she said those words. She wanted to prove to Amelia that she was telling the truth, and nothing but the truth.

 Chapter 207 My Mom Is Not A Bad Woman

    Since the day that she found out that she was not the biological daughter of Vernon, she started to avoid the Mo family as much as she can. She thought that it was cruel but she felt that it was for the best.


    Although Vernon and Sophia treated her indifferently, Amelia still felt that she should be treated as a member of the family, but she never expected it to be more than just wishful thinking on her part.


    "In the present time and age, what your mom did might be considered love. But it was wrong. She should not have taken advantage of Vernon''s love to cheat on him," Sophia explained.


    Sophia''s words made Amelia ponder the truth behind them. "If what you said is true, then why did my mother promise to marry my father? She must have important reasons, right?" Amelia asked.


    "You are right. Your mother did have her own reasons." Sophia frowned and then nodded. She knew that what she was about to say would be difficult. "Your mother had a lover while she was married to Vernon. When Vernon found out that she was pregnant, he became so happy that he promised that he will be a responsible husband and will make their family happy."


    Amelia felt bad the more she heard Sophia''s words.


    Her story so far implied that Iris and her lover only used Vernon for their own gain.


    "This is ridiculous!" Amelia exclaimed. Her entire body shook as she became overwhelmed with sadness and rage.


    Sophia felt sad as she looked at Amelia. She tried to comfort her and said, "Don''t be too sad for what happened. Vernon and I should still take the blame for your mother''s death. If you feel angry with us, we will not blame you and we will not complain. We are now paying for the sins that we have committed all those years ago..."


    Sophia said with a v


    utiful face. And Lucian felt enchanted just by looking at her as he approached.


    Amelia looked deeply immersed in her sorrow and crying that she never noticed Lucian. He stood silent by her side for a long time but she never sensed his presence.


    He noticed that Amelia''s shoulders gently shook with each breath that she made. Lucian knew that she had been crying for some time. He squatted down beside her and slowly hugged her. "Honey, what happened?" Lucian whispered in a gentle voice.


    She felt his arms around her as he held her tightly. Warmth filled her body.


    Lucian''s voice rang into her consciousness like the sun at the end of a deep black night. She became fully aware of his presence as the events of the day washed over her in a new wave of sorrowful thoughts.


    "It''s not true. It can''t be true," Amelia whispered tearfully back at Lucian. She shook her head gently as she spoke in between sobs.


    Lucian had no idea what happened. He was unhappy to see her so sad and broken. He picked her up from the floor and gently put her on the bed. He then took the sleeping Mark from her arms and placed him on his crib. Lucian then sat beside Amelia and wiped away her tears. "Tell me what happened and we''ll deal with it together, OK?"


    Amelia wept as if in reply to Lucian''s question. He took her in his arms and held her tightly.


    She shook her head gently as he held her. She wanted to tell him but she had no idea where to start. And her inability to tell Lucian frustrated her and made her even sadder.


    Lucian immediately noticed that Amelia was unable to talk about what was bothering her so he did not force her. He kept holding her tightly and whispered gently to her, "I am here, Amelia. Whatever happened, I am always here for you."

 Chapter 208 Falling In Love With The Same Man

    Amelia pulled herself out of Lucian''s arms while tears trickled down her face. She worriedly looked at his handsome face and suddenly felt sorry for what she had done. Amelia wanted to think things through by herself, so she politely asked, "Lucian, please let me be alone for a while. All of your efforts to comfort me will be useless if I can''t figure out these unpleasant emotions within me."


    "Why do you have to do it alone?" Lucian solemnly asked and hugged her again. He added, "You''re my wife. Even in happiness or sadness, I should be with you. I can''t let you go through your problems alone."


    Tears continued to drop at the corners of Amelia''s eyes. She was still upset, so she pushed Lucian away and suddenly exclaimed, "You''ll only end up making me think that this is a big deal. I don''t need your comfort. I can do this by myself. Get out of here!"


    She completely rejected Lucian''s kindness with utmost conviction, despite the guilt and distress she felt in her heart.


    Even Amelia herself couldn''t comprehend what was going on. But she knew that talking to Lucian would only cause more problems.


    And the overwhelming truth behind what she had just learned made it unbearable.


    Lucian didn''t want to upset Amelia more than she already was, so he agreed to her request and simply told her, "Okay, then I''ll go downstairs to take care of Mark. If you become hungry, just go downstairs and eat."


    Amelia remained silent since it was rare for Lucian to give in to her woes. She then turned away from him with a look on her face that was very strange for Lucian.


    Before leaving the bedroom, Lucian stared for a while at Amelia with so much concern in his eyes. The feeling of helplessness made


    ife miserable.


    "I''ll keep it for you and take it as the fee for inviting Amelia," Yolanda uttered with a joyful smile. She then raised the bank card left by Lucian and felt that all her problems were solved in an instant.


    Sophia glanced at the card and didn''t say anything, but reminded Yolanda, "We still owe some people money, go and see how much money is in that card tomorrow. Pay our debts if there''s enough."


    Hearing that, Yolanda was surprised and asked Sophia with so much doubt in her voice, "Mom, you told Amelia the truth in order to get money, didn''t you?"


    Yolanda remembered that before Vernon was put to jail, Sophia promised him that she would never tell Amelia what happened in the past. So why did Sophia break that promise?


    Meanwhile, Sophia thought there was nothing wrong in doing so. At that time, she just wanted to earn Amelia''s trust. If she needed to ask for help in the future, it would be much easier to do so. She calmly uttered,


    "I always knew that Amelia was softhearted. I thought that she couldn''t help herself in finding out the truth. She definitely wanted to know more. She would have wanted to find our current residence and try to help us. But unexpectedly, Lucian got here first." Sophia didn''t try to hide the truth about what happened in the past, for two reasons. One was to clear her conscience, and the second was to prevent Amelia from further misunderstanding Vernon''s actions.


    Sophia felt that her mind and body were finally free from all the guilt which she had been carrying for the past ten years.


    Long ago, she and Iris were extremely good friends. If they hadn''t fallen in love with the same man, that unfortunate incident wouldn''t have happened.

 Chapter 209 Let Fate Decide

    "Alas, I was too narrow-minded. I''ve always regretted that I fought with Amelia in the past. I never got the chance to make amends with her. Now, everyone has been avoiding us. Fortunately, Amelia had it in her heart to forgive me." Although Yolanda still took it to heart that Lucian had reported Vernon and Jasper, she knew who was to blame. Occasionally, she would be glad that Lucian had reported them. Otherwise if Jasper had repeated his mistakes, the consequences would''ve been more severe.


    It was late at night when Lucian returned home from Sophia''s place.


    He thought Amelia had fallen asleep. But as soon as he went to the living room, Amelia jumped out of the sofa and said in confusion, "Lucian?"


    "Amelia, why haven''t you gone to bed yet?" Lucian answered, his low and pleasant voice emanating a tone of surprise.


    Amelia thought he had a social dinner to attend tonight. She sniffed his clothes and there was no smell of alcohol except the familiar fragrance of mint.


    Lucian was amused by her cute reaction. He looked at her dotingly and rubbed her head. "I didn''t drink tonight," he said.


    "Where did you go?" Amelia''s sweet face was not as pale as she had been when he came home from work. Her cheeks had regained their color, and with a smile on her face, she looked livelier.


    "My friend wanted to talk to me. She''s all right now. Let''s go upstairs and call it a night." Behind the calm tone in his voice, Lucian was careful not to mention anything about Sophia. The sound o


    ut criticize her, "Mrs. Amelia, you have to be kidding. Mr. Lucian doesn''t want you to go to work and suffer at all!"


    "I was just kidding, Lily! You have to loosen up." Amelia shyly stuck out her tongue. She looked at the time and was about to make dinner in the kitchen. "Help me take care of Mark. He is very active now. He would fall down accidentally or eat carelessly."


    "Are you talking about my son again?" Before Amelia entered the kitchen, she only heard Lucian''s pleasant voice coming from the porch.


    "Dad... Dad... " Mark stammered before Amelia could react.


    "Oh, my good boy, come here. Let me hug you!" Lucian held Mark in his arms and smiled. He pretended to show off and said to Amelia, "My son is really a good boy! He calls me dad!"


    Hearing Lucian''s delight over the boy, Amelia felt disturbed and corrected him instantly by saying, "I didn''t hear Mark call dad. It must''ve been a sonic boom!"


    Hearing Amelia''s words, Lily couldn''t help bursting into laughter. "Mrs. Amelia, it''s a good thing the young master called him Dad. How could you be jealous?"


    "Exactly, how could you be jealous?" Then Lucian smiled at his son and said, "Mark, you have to learn to call her Mom, or she will be jealous of Dad,"


    Lucian said in a sarcastic voice and teasing smile.


    "Jealousy is good for you. You should have more," Amelia answered.


    "Then, I''ll save it for you." All of a sudden, Amelia felt their conversation was so childish. She shut her mouth and went into the kitchen.

 Chapter 210 A Fool For Her Charms

    "Lucian, the milk tea shop has been sold out," Amelia said as they were having dinner. She took her time to swallow her bite before she continued. "Do you think¡­ I can try opening a flower shop now?" she asked him tentatively.


    This morning, Courtney had given Amelia the idea. Flowers and plants were feminine interests, and they were popular with the women in the area, so Courtney suggested for her to open a flower shop.


    "Or maybe a toy store, or a bookstore?" she added hastily. She wanted Lucian to take her proposal seriously.


    "Mrs. Amelia, those are a lot of suggestions. Are you sure you''ve considered it carefully? Businesses don''t grow from whims," Lucian answered, looking over to Amelia with a serious expression.


    "Mr. Lucian, I am consulting you for advice. After all, you''re one of the best in your field," Amelia replied playfully.


    The corners of Lucian''s mouth raised slightly. Amelia''s tactics were definitely working. "You¡¯re not so bad yourself, seeing that you can flatter me this much," he teased back. "I''ll have no choice but to agree if you put it that way."


    "So¡­ It''s okay?" Amelia had already been prepared to butter him up more if he was opposed to her ideas, but it seemed that she didn''t have to anymore. Still, she had not expected Lucian to agree so easily.


    "It''s time for dinner now. I can even out our favors later¡­" He looked at her and smiled mischievously before continuing, "¡­in the bedroom."


    Amelia had almost choked on her food. Her cheeks burned scarlet as she avoided Lucian''s eyes. She glanced at Lily, who was standing beside them. The woman had a subdued smile on her face. Amelia quickly turned her eyes back on her plate from embarrassment.


    "Lucian! How can you say that? We are eating¡­"


    thoughts drifted to Sasha. The last time Lucian had spoken of her, he had told her that she was in a bad condition. Sasha had once been an adversary, but Amelia couldn''t ward off thought about her.


    At dusk, the golden lights of the SJ Garden were all lit up. The white walls were bathed in their ethereal glow, as the orange hues of sunset receded.


    "Amelia, I heard that you went to the shop today?" Lucian asked as he watched a ball game in the living room after dinner.


    Amelia, who was holding Mark in her arms, was a little surprised, but then she joked, "I''m getting closer and closer to believing that you''re spying on me. Nothing escapes your eyes, Mr. Lucian."


    "Hmmm. That''s not a bad idea. Maybe that way my headaches would lessen," Lucian quipped.


    Amelia scrunched her face in annoyance but answered seriously, "Originally, I had planned to buy Courtney''s milk tea shop, but I changed my minds."


    "Why is that?" Lucian raised his eyebrows in question.


    "That shop is like the fruit of Courtney and Kent''s love. It''s something more sentimental. The two of them have gone through a lot of difficulties, and the shop is witness to that. If I change the place into something else..." her voice trailed off as she told Lucian her feelings.


    "You feel like you''re taking those memories away from them?" Lucian finished her sentence for her. Amelia missed the small curve on Lucian''s lips as he looked at her. He did not need any more explanation to understand what Amelia was feeling. Her sincerity never failed caught him off-guard every time, and he didn''t have the heart to argue with her plans anymore. "Go ahead. You can keep the original design of the place. That way they can also look back on the memories that they have there."

 Chapter 211 Mark Needs A Little Sister

    "I think that won''t work. I have a better idea," said Amelia. She already felt thrilled although she hadn''t told him her second plan yet.


    "What?" asked Lucian in a surprised tone. "What idea is that?" he added. Apparently, Lucian was confused with what Amelia had just said. However, seeing her in high spirits right now also made him feel happy for her.


    Although he said that he didn''t agree with her, deep inside him he still thought that he would support her in anything that could make her happy.


    He didn''t even want her to be stressed or exhausted.


    In the middle of their conversation, Lily who had just finished cooking and changing clothes, walked into the living room. "Mrs. Amelia, I think you and Mr. Lucian have something to talk about so just leave the young master to me," she said to Amelia.


    "Okay. Thank you, Lily," replied Amelia sincerely. She was touched by Lily''s thoughtfulness and kindness so she was truly grateful.


    When Lily took Mark away, Amelia turned to Lucian again. She handed him a piece of paper with the schedule that she personally wrote by herself.


    "I saw an empty space next to Courtney''s milk tea shop and I think it''s very suitable for the business I have in mind. I''ve already talked to the owner and he told me that the rent is 20,000 dollars. It''s a little expensive but I think the location is very good. I believe that many customers go to that area," she said with a smile. "Amelia, I think you have already made your decisions and you have already taken some actions before even letting me know about it," replied Lucian bluntly as he squinted.


    Amelia was taken aback. She admitted that she had made the decision by herself, but she was discussing it with him now.


    She noticed that Lucian''s eyes darkened so she suddenly felt scared that he wouldn''t agree to her idea.


    "Lucian, that space is just next to Courtney''s milk tea shop. If I can put up a flower shop business there, that means that our


    ed to Jonny and smiled awkwardly.


    "Jonny, please don''t laugh at us," she said apologetically. "Please bear with us. Women usually like to cry." "I''m also moved," replied Jonny as he blinked his eyes. There was a touch of warmth in his gentle eyes.


    "I''m moved by your sisterhood. I think this shop has a good name," he added as he clapped his hands.


    Courtney was amused by Jonny''s reply so she tried to make fun of Amelia.


    "You know what? I have a gut-feeling that Lucian will be jealous of me," she said with a witty smile. "How about I change the name into something else?" Amelia also quipped.


    "No, don''t change it. Don''t worry, I won''t blink even if Lucian put a knife on my neck," Courtney also jested. They all laughed at each other''s joke.


    "Lucian is a very generous and considerate person. And he also knows that Amelia is safe because her flower shop is just next to my milk tea shop. The name of your flower shop is a reward for you, Amelia," said Courtney. "Oh, yeah. The milk tea shop next to my flower shop is owned by Courtney," Amelia told Jonny.


    Courtney was definitely right. Lucian had always been there for Amelia. In return, Amelia was very grateful for Lucian''s support all this time. It was very obvious with the light of happiness that dazzled on her face every time he heard Lucian''s name. But for Jonny, it brought nothing to him but pain.


    "What kind of flowers are those? I haven''t seen them before!" exclaimed Courtney. She noticed that the situation became awkward upon mentioning Lucian''s name so she thought of a way to change the topic. She noticed the flowers that Jonny gave to Amelia so she used them as an excuse. She pretended to look surprised and amazed of the flowers as she added, "They look so beautiful, very special!"


    "This is called ''Yimi flower.'' It''s a simulated flower but it bears a profound meaning," explained Jonny. His eyes were on Amelia as he was explaining to Courtney in a very soft voice.

 Chapter 212 The Flowers Are So Special

    "Is this ''Yimi flower''? I''ve heard the story!" Courtney interrupted excitedly, she then proceeded to tell the story of the flower. "The flower is like a small explosion of love. Those sparks are bright and brilliant, even more than the orchid cactus. In the end, it''s strong spirit represents courage..."


    Flowers in hand, Amelia''s eyes dropped downwards and focused on them. She was lost in thought, but it looked as if she was quietly transfixed by the flowers.


    "Courtney, you sure seem to know a lot about flowers." Jonny grinned, without thinking he looked over to study Amelia''s pensive face.


    "No, not really. Pretty much, I''m on par with Amelia in most aspects. But, I am crazy about flowers and plants." Courtney''s face flushed red having heard his compliment. Noticing that Amelia was in a daze, she followed up by asking, "Mr. Jonny, since it''s a special gift, does it have any special meaning?"


    After nervously darting his eyes around, he quickly regained composure. "Well, that''s because Amelia is quite special to my heart."


    His voice was genuine, full of tenderness and affection.


    "Tut-tut, Amelia, If you weren''t married, I would reckon that Mr. Jonny was in love with you." Courtney said directly. Jonny immediately felt embarrassed and looked down.


    Amelia quickly snapped out of it and shot a fierce glance at Courtney. She turned to Jonny, and said reassuringly, "Don''t mind what she said, Jonny! Courtney has verbal diarrhea sometimes, she doesn''t think before she talks and it just comes pouring out!"


    What Jonny wanted to say, was that Courtne


    fore.


    Amelia froze. Like a deer trapped in the headlights, she didn''t know what to do.


    "Well, I came here to congratulate Amelia on the opening of the flower shop, as any good brother should do," Jonny slowly responded with a smile on his face. Compared to Lucian''s dark look, Jonny looked much gentler.


    "Well, I hope that''s the truth." Lucian''s voice had changed, now it was cold and emotionless. This made Amelia feel nervous.


    Jonny very calmly smiled again. "Lucian, you always have been the winner in business. Why are you so insecure in love?"


    His tone was somewhat challenging, as if he was nudging him along to somewhere ugly.


    "You have two minutes to get out of here, right now!" Lucian''s mood had become fiery with rage, contempt pouring out of his eyes.


    "Lucian, Jonny is here to congratulate us on the opening of the flower shop. Be polite!" Amelia didn''t understand why Lucian had become so nasty all of a sudden. It seemed that Jonny had done something to provoke him. Before, he used to greet Jonny politely and cordially. But not this time, she could feel coldness coming off of his body.


    "Amelia, don''t try to speak for me. Otherwise, he will get even more jealous!" As soon as he finished speaking to her, Jonny looked over at Lucian and said, "Don''t think that this can stop me. I have told you that I will never give up the opportunity to get what I want."


    Amelia was confused by all of the testosterone hanging in the air. But, Jonny''s tone was serious, almost matching that of Lucian''s. Why did Jonny say that? What was it that he wanted?

 Chapter 213 Lucians Outburst

    Jonny was just about to leave after he finished speaking when he was stopped by Lucian who was running towards him. Lucian pulled on Jonny''s collar with one of his hands and quickly pushed Jonny. Jonny was caught unawares and was knocked onto the ground with ease.


    "Lucian, stop!" Amelia was taken aback by the scene.


    The show of violence in front of her made her tremble with fear. She was considering to intervene, but her train of thought was interrupted by Jonny who was on the ground. "Amelia, this is a matter between us men. You''d better stay away from it, or you will be hurt." He heaved.


    "What do you mean by a matter between men? Do you need to be this violent?" Amelia said, exasperated. She had no idea where Lucian''s anger came from, but she couldn''t stay calm as an onlooker, knowing that the two of them were fighting right before her eyes.


    "Do you think that you can win Amelia''s trust with sweet words? What a hypocrite you are!" Lucian clenched his fists. Lucian was seething with anger. He wound his hand back and struck Jonny with a strong blow firmly into his face.


    Amelia could feel the pain as she watched. It was almost as if it was her face that was hit. Meanwhile, Lucian grasped Jonny''s throat with one hand, preventing him from struggling and resisting.


    "Lucian, if you have anything to say, just say it! No one has to be hurt!" Amelia bellowed. Amelia took notice of the blood beginning to drip from the corner of Jonny''s mouth. His face swollen due to lack of breath; he looked terrible.


    "Amelia, I have given him all the


    home since it was Lucian who drove her here.


    Amelia walked hurriedly to the taxi stop as raindrops fell one by one. Once she arrived, the rain was already pouring heavily.


    It was the time of day where business was slowest and there were not many taxis available. She waited for a long time at the stop, but she was not able to get a ride.


    The downpour fell heavier as time passed. In no time, her feet was wet with rainwater.


    She hugged her slim frame and took a step back to keep her shoes from getting soaked any further.


    It seemed that the heavens were in sync with her mood. It rained when she was down.


    Amelia decided that sulking was pointless and so she sat down and waited quietly for the taxi. She returned to her daze and her mind floated away.


    "Get in the car, Amelia," said a deep, gentle voice. A luxury car stopped in front of Amelia. She failed to notice the man speaking to her due to her daze combined with the loud rainfall.


    Intending to approach Amelia, the man inside the car opened the door. It was Jonny. He pulled Amelia, who sat at the stop, into his arms. He removed his coat and covered her head with it. He whispered to her, "Slow down, you''ll get your shoes wet."


    Another car pulled into the scene and a strong energy could be felt radiating from the person inside. It was Lucian. The sight he saw lit his anger that burned in his heart like a raging fire.


    Lucian gritted his teeth, his hands gripping the steering wheel tighter. His anger boiled over and he released it with a strong thump on the steering wheel.

 Chapter 214 Dont Be Childish

    "Jonny, what are you doing here?" It was not until she was inside the dry warmth of the car that Amelia dazedly recognized Jonny.


    "There are some clean towels at the back. Dry yourself first; you may catch a cold." Jonny pointedly ignored Amelia''s question, focusing instead on getting her dry.


    Amelia nodded and reached toward the back seat to get one of the towels with which to dry her face. She sighed deeply.


    Jonny threw her a side glance and asked curiously, "Are you mad at me because I fought with Lucian just now?"


    "I''m so sorry, Jonny..." It was not even considered a fight; Lucian suddenly attacked Jonny out of nowhere. Yes, Amelia was mad, but her anger was directed at Lucian, not at him. Ashamed, she could only apologize to Jonny.


    Jonny flashed her an understanding smile in an effort to alleviate her guilt. "What happened back there... you had nothing to do with it. How can I blame you for that? That was between Lucian and me. Don''t worry about it."


    He was the one who got hit by Lucian, yet Jonny was still trying to comfort her. Amelia felt even worse.


    "What happened between you and Lucian? Why was he so angry?" Amelia had never seen Lucian angry enough to hit someone. To be sure, she never expected that he would hit Jonny.


    No matter how angry he became in the past, Lucian had never lifted a hand to strike anybody.


    With a self-deprecating smile on his face, Jonny answered lightly, "It''s true; I did something wrong, so I should accept my punishment. That''s the least I can do."


    Jonny did not give a definite answer, but Amelia heard the resignation in his roundabout reply.


    The rain started pouring down in torrents. The overcast sky was so dark and gloomy that it made the afternoon appear like it was already night.


    Heaven continued its downpour even as the car pulled up at the gate of the SJ Garden. Jonny reached o


    She looked over at Amelia with worry. The room''s occupants were both looking pale and morose. In a flash, Lily read the situation and made a hasty exit, leaving the ginger soup on the coffee table.


    Amelia didn''t say anything. She took up the ginger soup and nearly burned her mouth with how quickly she consumed it.


    With some of her earlier anger still stirring in her chest, she recalled Lucian''s words, "Who will take care of Mark if you catch a cold?" Was that his only concern? What about her well-being?


    She drank up the soup in a fit of pique.


    "Lucian, we''re both adults here. Throw a tantrum, fine¡ªI''m not going to say anything about it. You only hear what you want to hear, anyway. Here, you can dry yourself." As she spoke, the fight gradually drained out of her. Amelia softly finished her sentence, laid the towels beside Lucian, and left the bedroom.


    A long, pregnant silence filled the room with Amelia''s departure. The tension in Lucian''s rigid stance gradually slackened, and he hung his head in defeat.


    "Mrs. Amelia, did you have a fight with Mr. Lucian?" Lily was preparing dinner in the kitchen. She looked up to see Amelia coming down the stairs and could not help but ask the question in a concerned tone.


    A frown marring her face, Amelia said sadly, "If only he actually quarreled with me."


    If it were her with whom Lucian had quarreled, she would have borne his ire regardless of how resentful she felt. This time, however, Lucian picked a fight with Jonny without any explanation. She asked Jonny why the fight occurred in the first place, but the man didn''t answer her question, either.


    Now, she was left with no idea of what was going on.


    Lily shook her head. "I have never seen Mr. Lucian this angry before. He must have suffered quite a blow." Amelia did not know how to respond to Lily''s observation, so she stayed silent.

 Chapter 215 Go To The An Group For Him

    So did Amelia.


    On the contrary, there was a certain coldness coming from Lucian. Anyone who even tried to approach him would be petrified by his cold and indifferent demeanor, making it quite difficult to even empathize, all the more feel concern towards him.


    "Lily, I''ll cook dinner tonight," Amelia said, as she wanted to take her mind off things. She sat down in silence, not wanting to think of her problems at the moment. After all, she wouldn''t accomplish anything by dwelling in her worries.


    "Mrs. Amelia, perhaps you can spend some time with Mr. Mark. He''s been a delight to take care of and hasn''t cried all day. I''m sure he won''t cry with your company." Lily was well aware that Amelia had been busy all day. Besides, she was soaking wet from the rain. She understood that Amelia needed a break from all the confusion and complications with whatever it was she was going through. She thought that maybe spending some time with her son would give her some relief.


    Suddenly, Amelia felt a sharp pain gnawing at her heart the moment she heard Mark''s name. This led to an uneasiness that made her feel somewhat vulnerable as she gazed to the direction of the pram.


    As she walked towards Mark''s pram, she gently lifted him in her arms, slowly kissing and caressing his face. She stared at him with a soft glow in her eyes and felt solace as she connected with her child.


    At the dinner table, Lily started getting anxious because Lucian failed to show up for dinner. She wanted to ask Amelia to call him, but the sight of her gloomy face in their previous discussion discouraged her. Finding no other choice, she forced herself to stay calm and remain silent.


    Amelia and Mark spent the night at the guest room. The next morning, Amelia was taking a bath when she heard Lily violently knocking on the door. She did not appreciate hearing such harsh noise too early in the morning.


    "What happened?" she asked in exasperation. She swiftly opened the doo


    to their faces, seemed to have recognized Amelia. She stared at her and politely asked, "Are you Miss Amelia who''s been in the news?"


    "Yes.." she reluctantly answered. Amelia''s heart started feeling heavy with dread as she heard the receptionist''s question. After all, the rumors going on about her were all destructive towards her reputation. Previously, Courtney would ridicule her about this, saying that fans of Lucian and Jonny would throw eggs at her when they meet her.


    "It''s great to have finally have met you in real life. You look much more beautiful in person than your photos in the tabloids!" With a sweet smile on her face, the receptionist continued, "Mr. Jonny told me to bring you straight to his office if you came by to visit earlier on. There''s no need for any appointment. Please sit down while I call for someone to assist you."


    "Great! I didn''t know that he has a ''green channel'' for you." Courtney hissed sarcastically.


    But Amelia was worried about Lucian, so she just took a joke.


    And if were not for Lucian, she probably wouldn''t have come to the An Group.


    However, she still politely thanked the receptionist.


    Soon after, a tall and slender woman approached Amelia and Courtney, feigning a smile. "Please follow me, ladies."


    While the girls were inside the elevator, Courtney curiously asked, "Amelia, why didn''t you ask for Lucian at the reception?"


    "It''s okay. I''m hoping he''s not here," murmured Amelia. If that were the case, Amelia wouldn''t have to worry about Lucian and Jonny''s relationship.


    "Well, I''ll do anything for you," Courtney compassionately said to Amelia. However, Amelia was earnestly hoping to see either of them right now, so that she could put an end to her worries.


    "Wow, the higher, the better! Is Mr. Jonny''s office on the top floor of this building?" "Ding", with the sound of the elevator, the woman led Amelia and Courtney out of the elevator and towards the door of the president''s office.

 Chapter 216 Come With Me, Amelia

    It was early morning. The hallway was too quiet and gloomy, even for that building. It felt as if that was the most serious vibe the place had for weeks. To no surprise, the doorway that led to the CEO''s office was closed.


    "Bang Bang Bang..." Without any regard for subtlety, Courtney knocked loudly at the door.


    Amelia was not too fond of the meeting that would follow. She knew that at any moment, the doors would swing open. This sent butterflies to her stomach. She wondered if Jonny was inside that room, and if Lucian was there with him...


    She was right. The two men were actually inside. They were sitting face to face when they heard the knock. The interruption merited an exchange of silent glances between the two men. Lucian could not refrain from sneering. Jonny, on the other hand, maintained a warm inviting expression on his face.


    "I told you not to test the goodness of Amelia any further. Her soul is of the kindest manner." Jonny burst with emotion. He was so enamored with Amelia that he raised such a great concern. His words genuinely sounded like they came from a place of love rather than heartache.


    "Don''t use sweet words to cover up your hypocrisy, Jonny. Especially now that Amelia is here." After such a cynical rebuttal, Lucian stood up and walked to the door. As slender as ever, he opened the door gently.


    "Lucian, it''s you!" Courtney stood behind Amelia. She was shocked to see Lucian get the door for them. Courtney asked, "Did you come to the An Group to talk business with Jonny?"


    ''If we happen to interrupt Lucian and Jonny in the middle of their business meeting, it will surely be terrible for Amelia,'' Courtney thought.


    As Lucian opened the door, Jonny felt like he was struck by lightning


    move at all.


    As the cool breeze blew, her long black hair fluttered gracefully to its own music.


    All of a sudden, everything went silent. Amelia could hear her heartbeat. The stillness of her surroundings comforted her.


    Lucian noticed that Amelia had kept quiet the whole time. He put his arms carefully around her dainty waist, and with a doting smile he asked, "Do you worry about me?"


    The question somehow swung the mood of the scene. It reminded Amelia of all the faults Lucian had. Out of distaste, Amelia vented, "No one worries about you, Lucian. I am more worried that yesterday''s incident will happen again!"


    Although she would not admit it, she still cared a lot for Lucian. They were man and wife after all. However, her concern about the fiasco that transpired the day before was completely true.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t care to drive all the way to the Zhan Group, and then to the An Group.


    Lucian could read her so easily. He knew which one was the truth, and which one was the lie. To Amelia''s surprise, Lucian gave her a big happy smile.


    "Lucian, don''t think you''re crazy these two days?" asked Amelia.


    "Like a mad man?" Of course, Lucian had the cheek to say that.


    Amelia was totally confused. She glared at Lucian and asked, "Why do you hate Jonny so much?"


    Hearing that name vexed Lucian, more especially that it came from Amelia. He frowned and responded, "He deserves it." Lucian''s tone was suddenly thin and cold.


    "Lucian, why do you have to act so childish?" Lucian''s answer seemed immature to Amelia, and that annoyed her profoundly.


    Lucian grew angrier. However, it only took one glance at Amelia for his anger to dissipate. Things had always been this way, and it puzzled Lucian dearly.

 Chapter 217 The Little Elf

    Lucian was like a child who fought in the playground but wouldn''t admit that he was in the wrong.


    "He''s lucky I''m not a child, because if I were, trust me¡ªhe would have already been beaten into a pulp!" Lucian shouted angrily.


    His whole body then started tensing up, as if he was preparing to lunge towards Jonny once again. Before he could do that, however, Amelia stepped in to stop him. "This ends now, Lucian!" she firmly said.


    Amelia got up this morning with a heavy heart. While she still had not gotten over the depressive episode she experienced yesterday, she knew that if she didn''t do anything, the conflict would only get bigger.


    "Amelia, I have one question in mind," Lucian said while knitting his eyebrows. He was still angry, and it was evident in his voice. Last night he found it hard to sleep: not understanding what Amelia was trying to do was only adding to his headaches.


    "What is it?" asked Amelia while she was looking at Lucian''s face. ''Does his anger have anything to do with me?'' she thought.


    While Lucian knew that it was a little disrespectful to ask Amelia in such a straightforward way, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to get any kind of answer from Jonny. Because of that, he had no other choice but to do what he was about to do.


    "How long have you known Jonny?" he asked quietly. The nature of Amelia and Jonny''s relationship was still baffling to him. ''How did the two of them build such a deep kind of friendship when they just met!'' he said inwardly, getting more and more frustrated.


    Lucian asking Amelia about her relationship with Jonny was the last thing she expected from him. She wasn''t able to conceal her astonishment and soon


    t..." he said softly.


    "Well, it seems that you''re a little unhappy about it," Courtney replied as she noticed the sadness on Jonny''s face. She stopped her teasing and said seriously, "As a couple, quarrels should be addressed early on so that it wouldn''t grow into a deeper misunderstanding. Don''t worry about them, Mr. Jonny, I know they will patch things up very soon!"


    The moment Courtney finished speaking, someone knocked on the door of the CEO''s office.


    "See? They''re here already!" Courtney said as she ran to open the door.


    The expression on Jonny''s face became even worse as his heart beat so fast.


    "Wow, hi! Nice to meet you. Look at those happy faces. You two must have had a romantic date on the rooftop. Am I right?" Courtney teased upon seeing Lucian and Amelia in front of the door. They were smiling from ear to ear, and their fingers were interlocked.


    Courtney''s words made Amelia so shy that she had to lower her head.


    "Well, why don''t you two come in!" Courtney said, ushering them inside. When they came face to face with Jonny, Lucian couldn''t help himself. "You win some, you lose some, Mr. Jonny. We came here to thank you in person!" His eyes went from Jonny to Amelia, as if signaling something.


    Jonny forced a smile and said in a low voice, "You''re welcome. And congratulations! It seems like the two of you are getting along incredibly well."


    Upon hearing Jonny''s voice, Amelia couldn''t help but feel sad.


    She had always been grateful for Jonny. Although Jonny hid the whole letter thing from her purposefully, he still had helped her a lot. ''Thank you so much, Jonny,'' she said inwardly, mentally taking note of how he had saved her life.

 Chapter 218 Thank You For Your Help

    "From now on, I will have to call you my senior," shouted Amelia. The emotion in her voice seemed vague.


    She sounded like the usual but she was heartbroken.


    Jonny had already thought of the possible consequences of hiding the truth from Amelia before. He knew that his relationship with her might be affected if she happened to find out the truth.


    However, he didn''t mind it because he was already contented of being able to see Amelia any time he''d wanted. Although Amelia could only treat him like a brother, it didn''t matter as long as he could be with her all the time.


    "Amelia, I''m sorry that I had to lie to you," said Jonny apologetically. Upon mentioning Amelia''s name, he felt like something pierced through his heart and he could feel the sharp pain.


    "I will always remember your kindness. You will always be a good brother here in my heart," replied Amelia. It was her promise to him.


    Brother... Jonny was already aware of this fact, but hearing it straight from Amelia''s mouth somehow saddened him.


    "Mr. Jonny, thank you so much for helping me out this time," said Lucian with a big smile. Triumph was written all over his face.


    A bitter smile formed at the corner of Jonny''s mouth. He had to accept defeat this time. Since he was so eager to achieve his goal, he failed to notice that he was already losing in the fight.


    The heaviest blow was losing the trust of Amelia.


    All the while, he thought that Amelia would hold on to the promise they had made to each other before, and not reveal to Lucian about their true relationship. But unexpectedly, she and Lucian still found out the truth finally.


    Moreover, he didn''t expect that Lucian and Amelia would hold each other''s hands even tighter this time. Their love to each other seemed to grow stronger.


    "I believe that you and Amelia are destined for each other. God led your paths to cross. You see? Despite the twists and turns that you both experience, you are still together. Isn''t tha


    e wanted to protect Amelia from her so he didn''t want to leave.


    Fannie deliberately put on a long face and pretended to be angry. "Son, can''t I have a talk with my daughter-in-law? What are you thinking? We are in SJ Garden now. Do you think that I will eat your wife alive?"


    "Lucian, didn''t you say earlier that you have a business to deal with?" this time, Amelia spoke up. "I will accompany mom for now. Anyway, you will only be working upstairs. You can come down immediately after you finish your work. Don''t worry about us," she added. To avoid causing more trouble, Amelia thought that it would be better if Lucian would follow his mother this time. Although she wasn''t sure of Fannie''s intention, she decided to just go with it.


    "I hope someone will see the goodness in you," Lucian said to Amelia before he left. He realized that Fannie was right. SJ Garden was their home. Fannie couldn''t do anything to threaten Amelia because he wouldn''t allow it to happen.


    When Lucian was already upstairs, Amelia smiled at Fannie apologetically. "Mom, why dad didn''t come with you?" she asked.


    "You know that your father is not well right now. He finds it difficult to move," responded Fannie sourly. She was now wearing that sullen face again.


    Amelia noticed the sudden change in Fannie''s facial expression so she felt uneasy.


    "Amelia, as your mother-in-law, I''m afraid that I will need to say some things you won''t like to hear. It''s hard, I know. But I still have to say them because I care for my son a lot." By the look of it, Amelia could tell that Fannie had a lot to say.


    She knew that Fannie held a grudge against her. Moreover, Fannie didn''t like to be disobeyed. If she continued to go against her, the more that she wouldn''t stop pestering them. Hence, Amelia decided not to talk much no matter what she would say.


    Anyway, she only cared about Lucian. As long as her husband understood her, she had nothing to fear.


    "Go ahead, mom. I''m listening."

 Chapter 219 Making A Decision By Force

    Amelia respectfully kept smiling, but her eyes didn''t shift at all.


    Prior to opening her mouth, Fannie was silent. It was like she was getting ready to jump from a tall diving board and needed to choose the right moment.


    "Amelia, you getting to marry into the Zhan family was not planned. The odds of that happening were slimmer than our five million jackpot. So, to call you lucky would be an understatement." As Fannie had been so busy making arrangements, Amelia was pretty sure Fannie was going to mention her humble origins again. Amelia wasn''t allowed to go too far without being reminded of where she came from.


    "Nicholas and I have always had an ideal daughter-in-law in mind. But, our son is now old enough to decide for himself on which path to take. This morning, when I arrived at SJ Garden, I was told by the servant that Mark was ill. I''m quite concerned about this. I feel that we need to hire more servants, because there always seemed to me to be not enough of them here."


    It was now clear why Fannie had so much to say, she wanted to use this opportunity to hire two more servants for the villa.


    Slightly relieved, Amelia understood what she had to do, so she said, "Or course, Mom, I will make those arrangements as soon as I can. Once we receive some appropriate candidates, I will choose another servant."


    Amelia actually agreed with her mother-in-law, because she now managed a flower shop. With one more servant, she would not only be able to help Amelia with her business, this would also leave Amelia more time with her child at home.


    Lucian did mention this idea previously, and she wholeheartedly agreed with it. But, now that Fannie had given her the green light for this additional expenditure, they could take action quickly.


    "Don''t waste any time making any job advertisements for us. If you''d like, I can prepare one for you!" Inwardly, Fannie''s heart was jumping for joy.


    "Well, I do greatly appreciate that gesture


    e. So, there is no reason to..."


    "Oh, don''t think that you can threaten me by mentioning Lucian. I''m your mother-in-law, don''t forget that. I''ve already taken the necessary actions," Fannie interrupted, she didn''t have the patience to listen to Amelia''s explanation at all.


    Amelia just sat there holding her teacup, she swallowed. What was she going to do?


    She knew this family well enough. Once one of them insisted on something, whether or not it was reasonable was irrelevant. Fannie would fight to the death for this, to uphold her pride and authority, the natural order of their universe.


    "Mrs. Amelia, if I may interject here, Clara and I are forty years old. We are much more skilled at doing the housework than any of your younger servants," the taller, slim, middle-aged women added in humbly. She sensed that something was odd about how Amelia didn''t seem to want their service.


    Amelia rumpled her face, "Auntie, please forgive me. This has nothing to do with the quality of service you will provide..."


    "Please rest assured. Nina and I are quiet and will definitely not disturb your family," Clara promised. She needed to be more careful with these people.


    "I agree with Clara. I promise, you won''t even see us throughout the day. We will be fully occupied with our duties," the woman named Nina said with a hopeful smile. She was sitting on the edge of her seat.


    It was one versus three, an unfair fight designed to be that way. Amelia understood what was happening, she straightened up in her chair.


    Fannie could smell weakness in people like a pack of stray dogs could. If Amelia continued to hesitate, she would lead the attack.


    "Amelia, I believe you are a sensible girl. Did Lucian ask for your opinion in this matter? If you are hesitant, then maybe you should second-guess yourself," Fannie said in a way that made it seem like she was on Amelia''s side. But, she was a seasoned manipulator, with years and years of experience.

 Chapter 220 Keep An Eye On Her

    "Okay, mom. I''ll do what you say," agreed Amelia. Initially, she wanted to wait for Lucian first before she made a decision. But Fannie wouldn''t let go of her so she was forced to do so.


    However, although she had already made a promise to Fannie, she would still consult with Lucian when he returned. He could still make his own decision about this matter.


    "That''s good. I have been talking with you for quite a while. I''m glad that my efforts pay off," replied Fannie with a smile. A trace of satisfaction showed on her face as she stood up.


    She then turned to Clara and Nina for some instructions. "Clara, Nina, please listen to everything that Amelia will say to you. And remember, you have to take good care of the young master."


    "Please rest assured that we will do our best, Mrs. Fannie. We will work hard for the young master," replied Clara. Fannie nodded in satisfaction before she turned to leave. Nina then escorted her all the way to the door. Amelia followed behind them. "Take care, mom," she said politely before Nina closed the door.


    When Fannie was gone, the big living room suddenly became quiet.


    Amelia had actually planned to go to the flower shop after breakfast because Courtney had promised to take care of Mark. But since Fannie suddenly came and stayed for a while, it would already be lunchtime soon.


    She didn''t feel good about it. Her flower shop had just opened recently but it had been closed more often. This was not good for the business. Although making money was not the main reason why she had started this business, getting more loyal customers would be much satisfying for her. But that would only happen if her shop had stable business hours.


    Amelia was absorbed in her thoughts that she had almost forgotten the presence of the two new servants. "Mrs. Amelia, please let us know what we can do for you," said Nina respectfully.


    Amelia was dazed for quite some time. Sh


    uffer even a little grievance in the future," replied Lucian sweetly.


    Amelia couldn''t help blushing. She asked the question in a very serious manner but Lucian responded with a sweet smile. "Don''t get me wrong. I just want our family to have a warm and harmonious relationship with each other. That is why as much as possible, I don''t want to create conflict with your mom," she tried to explain. "That''s what my mom is like. The more obedient you are to her, the more aggressive she will become. My father is a living example." Lucian frowned and sighed helplessly at the thought of his father.


    "Since my biological mother passed away, she has been taking care of me. From that time, she has been trying to control my life but she always fails. Eventually, she has to give up and let me do whatever I want," Lucian added. Amelia had respected and obeyed Fannie because she was Lucian''s mother.


    But now Lucian reminded her of something. Fannie wasn''t really Lucian''s biological mother. She was just his aunt who assumed the responsibility of being a mother to him when his real mother passed away. That was the reason why Fannie also assumed the authority of a mother-in-law to her. "Lucian, I am such an idiot. In your letter to me before, you have mentioned that your mother passed away. How can I neglect such important information?" Amelia sounded very apologetic.


    "Mrs. Amelia, let me remind you. This is not the first or second time you are being silly." Lucian satirized her mercilessly.


    Amelia was left speechless. It was actually true.


    Because of being softhearted, every decision she made would always end up in trouble. And Lucian was always the one to resolve it for her.


    "Well, you said that being smart is your business, and I''m only responsible for being stupid, right?" Amelia stuck out her tongue playfully.


    Lucian smiled but said nothing. Instead, he just stared dotingly on his lovely wife.

 Chapter 221 I Tore Up Those Letters (Part One)

    "Lucian, you still kept all these letters?" Amelia was still awake after she brushed her teeth and washed her hair. She immediately saw the letter next to the dresser so she took a look at it.


    When Lucian came out of the bathroom, he saw that her hair was still wet. He shook his head, frowned and slightly rolled his eyes.


    "Why didn''t you dry your hair first? You might catch a cold!" Lucian complained in a worried tone. But he didn''t stop there. He took out the hair dryer and started to dry Amelia''s hair himself.


    She closed her eyes and smiled. She basked at the love and attention that Lucian gave her as he dried her hair.


    After a moment, while Lucian still dried her hair, she raised the letter in her hand so that Lucian could see it. "Lucian, I find that my handwriting is a lot better than yours," Amelia said as she held the letter at Lucian. She compared their handwriting with a proud smile on her face.


    "I didn''t pay much attention to my handwriting at that time. But I have greatly improved it. If somebody saw my handwriting now, they''d think that I am such a perfect man!"


    "You are so narcissistic!" Amelia said in a playful tone a


    e turned to her friend.


    "Well, it''s Jonny!" Courtney replied while bending slightly sideways over to her friend.


    Amelia blushed instantly at Courtney''s statement. "Although there have been some misunderstandings between Jonny and me, he helped me a lot in the past."


    "You treat him as a brother, but that is not how he looks at you." Courtney told her the story of what happened in the office that day. "After you and Lucian left for the rooftop, Jonny''s face turned red and his eyes were filled with bitterness. He was absent-minded when he answered me that the tea cup in his hand fell to the ground."


    "That''s because he concealed the fact that he''s been hiding the letters that Lucian was sending for me. Perhaps he was worried that I will find out about it from Lucian when he asks about the letters," Amelia explained. She analyzed the possible reason why Jonny could have acted that way in front of Courtney.


    When she found out about the truth, she became mad at Jonny, although it didn''t really do any harm to her relationship with Lucian. Additionally, Lucian had had a grudge against him for a long time that it became a heavy burden on Jonny.

 Chapter 221 I Tore Up Those Letters (Part Two)

    "You''re fooling yourself. It''s obvious that Jonny has feelings for you!" Courtney said frankly. "And if Jonny didn''t really like you, then why is Lucian so angry with him?"


    Amelia suddenly felt dizzy after listening to Courtney''s words.


    "I don''t know how to answer that," Amelia answered Courtney in an evasive manner.


    They only received a few orders the entire day, but she was still happy.


    When she was about to close up the shop at around four in the afternoon, she was surprised to see Jonny arrive. He asked if she had the time to grab something to eat with him.


    Amelia was about to decline because she knew that she had to go back to the SJ Garden to take care of Mark. "We won''t take long. It''s just a brief meal, it wouldn''t take up too much of your time," Jonny beseeched her. He seemed to have sensed what she was about to say so he immediately explained that they wouldn''t take long.


    The pleading look on Jonny''s face made it difficult for Amelia to refuse further.


    "Courtney! Come join us for dinner!" Courtney came out from the side of the store


    urtney told her earlier that day during their chat in the flower shop. About Jonny''s feelings for her.


    ''Was she telling the truth? Does Jonny really have feelings for me?'' she wondered to herself.


    "Jonny, whatever misunderstandings we had before, I hope that we could put that aside and get back to how we were before." Being a very good friend, she didn''t want Jonny to feel depressed anymore.


    Jonny smiled awkwardly at Amelia and then sighed. "I always knew that you were a kind person."


    "Lucian doesn''t really hate you. And I should know because I''m his wife. You don''t need to beat yourself up about it." Whether Jonny felt stressed because of how Lucian thought about him or not, she felt that she had to speak out to let him know.


    When Lucian learned the truth, he never mentioned Jonny or anything untoward about him.


    "You and Lucian were destined to be together. Even if I didn''t do any of what I did that brought you together, you would still end up meeting each other," Jonny said with a little nod. He stared at Amelia who listened attentively to him.

 Chapter 222 As Long As You Are Fine

    Although Jonny''s voice sounded melancholic, the smile on Amelia''s face didn''t vanish.


    When they came out of the Chinese restaurant, they were met by the night wind. The cool breeze touched their cheeks. Amelia''s long black hair swayed with it. She looked so beautiful.


    "It''s cold. Put this on," offered Jonny as he took off his jacket and handed it to her. His voice was warm and soft as usual.


    "Thank you but I''m not cold," refused Amelia politely. She was actually surprised by Jonny''s warm gesture.


    "Are you afraid that Lucian might misunderstand?" he asked with a smile. Jonny was only half-joking but he squinted to see Amelia''s reaction.


    Amelia shook her head vigorously and responded with a frown, "No, it''s not like that. I just think it''s really unnecessary. Anyway, the car also has a heater."


    But Jonny wasn''t about to give up. Wearing the same smile on his face, he continued to persuade her, "C''mon, put this jacket on. As an elder brother, it is my responsibility to take good care of my younger sister."


    As much as possible, Jonny didn''t want to always remind himself that Amelia could never treat him more than a brother, but it seemed that it was the only way to make her feel at ease when being with him.


    As expected, Amelia stopped refusing when she heard Jonny mentioned the word brother.


    "Thank you, Jonny. I have to go now," she said gratefully.


    "Be careful. Drive slowly, okay?" replied Jonny with a smile. He waved goodbye until Amelia''s car faded away. The sadness in his eyes was very apparent.


    The moment Amelia left, Jonny felt that she also took his heart away.


    When she arrived at SJ Garden, Amelia heard Lucian''s voice from the outside. She could tell that he was playing with Mark.


    She felt


    or being unreasonable. I had no choice but to drink with those men. They kept on filling my glass until I totally got drunk."


    Amelia was so shocked after hearing Lily''s story. Although she wasn''t personally there, she could imagine what Lily had gone through. Now, she was trembling with anger. "Oh my God! How could that be possible?"


    But since Lily was devastated right now, Amelia didn''t want to say more words to fill her with indignation. All she wanted was to pacify and comfort her. So, she decided to just listen to Lily pour out her resentment.


    "He was my classmate in junior high school," Lily started. "Since we were on the same class, I thought that I''ve already known him well. I didn''t know that he was hiding a lot of things from me. I never thought that his friends were like that. Hanging out, drinking, and gambling in the KTV? So absurd! I was really angry last night. The rage in my heart could burn the whole city!" The more Lily thought about what happened last night, the angrier she became. She looked so sad and pitiful.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I know I''ve told you before that I have already found the love of my life. But now, it''s still like drawing water with a sieve. You better forget what I''ve said before."


    The sadness in Lily''s eyes reminded Amelia of that moment when she broke up with her boyfriend. That time, she was also very depressed. "Don''t be sad anymore, okay? Let''s just be thankful that you are all right." Amelia was so worried that she checked Lily from head to toe.


    "Fortunately, a boy helped me out. If it wasn''t for him, those bastards would let me drink and drink until I pass out." Lily heaved a sigh of relief. Although she felt really sad, she was still grateful that someone saved her from danger.

 Chapter 223 Distributing Leaflets On The Street

    Amelia pulled Lily in for a long hug and pat her back. "It''s ok, don''t cry. I know that this feels difficult now, but it will be easier as time goes on. Not every man deserves your heart, just remember that, ok?"


    "But Mrs. Amelia, I really do love him..." Tears started to stream down Lily''s face and her body convulsed from the sobbing.


    Amelia understood this type of situation. She sighed and thought of how to comfort Lily. "You''re not in a frame of mind to make a decision on this, first you need to calm down. When you have a steady head, then you will be ready to make a decision."


    "Okay," As Lily sniffed trying to stop the flow of tears, she asked, "Mrs. Amelia, are you going to go to the flower shop today? You can go back to work now and I can take care of young master. I need to take my mind off of this."


    Lily was also not in a frame of mind to take care of a baby at the moment. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked frail. Amelia was concerned about her. "Lily, get some rest. I''ll take care of Mark," she said.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I''m fine, really! Please go to the shop. It''s just been opened, and it''s important for you to be there for your customers. This could damage the reputation if it''s randomly closed like this." To reassure Amelia, Lily shook her head immediately. "Please understand, the young master is my biggest source of joy. A smile on his face is the best reward I can get," Lily said.


    "All right. But once Mark falls asleep, I want you to take a rest too," Amelia agreed reluctantly. Before leaving, Amelia patted Lily''s shoulder again. "If you ever need anything, just tell me. You are not only a helper at SJ Garden, but you''re like my sister."


    In her heart, Lily was


    eek.


    When Amelia remembered this day in her past, she became excited at the thought of doing it again. Whether or not the leaflets were refused or tossed into the trash can after a quick glance, she distributed them with a smile.


    "Look! Isn''t that the wife of the Zhan Group''s CEO, Amelia Mo? Why would she hand out leaflets on the street?"


    "Yeah, I wonder if it''s some type of prank. Let''s go and have a look!"


    A couple of girls spotted Amelia, and spent several minutes staring at her from the other side of the street. Once they recognized her, they approached her slowly with curiosity to confirm.


    "Hello." Amelia noticed that two, well-dressed girls wearing French-style red berets were looking at her in a strange way. She greeted them with a smile on her face, like she did to everyone else, and handed over the leaflets.


    The two girls took over the leaflets, but they still stared at her. Like she was some type of exotic caged bird.


    "Are you the owner of this flower shop?" One of the girls pointed at the leaflets and asked Amelia, in awe.


    "Yes, the flower shop is just in front here." Amelia pointed to the location of the flower shop. She thought that the two girls were going to buy flowers, by the way they were looking at her.


    "Aren''t you Amelia Mo?" one girl asked with a strong vocal fry in her voice.


    Amelia''s face blushed, she felt like she would rather them not know who she was. She wanted to deny it. But she couldn''t lie, so she simply nodded to confirm their suspicions.


    "Oh my god! It''s true!" The girls in front of her were star-struck. They started to jump up and down and they hugged each other tightly.


    Amelia just smiled politely, she hoped that nobody else heard.

 Chapter 224 A Dispute Over A Bunch Of Flowers

    "The Zhan Group is the biggest company in the city. Why are you handing leaflets out here?" the young girl asked with surprise after recognizing her as the wife of Zhan Group''s CEO.


    "If you''re a member of the Zhan family, shouldn''t you be rolling in money?" Another girl butted in to ask.


    Amelia didn''t expect that Courtney''s prediction would come true. Addressing the women, Amelia smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern. Yes, I do live a good life at home, but opening a flower shop has always been my dream. Now, I''m doing just that so I''m really happy."


    Initially, Amelia didn''t think to entertain these sorts of questions, but knowing how rumors could easily spread when ignored, she had to engage. She didn''t care much about what other people thought about her, but cared about Lucian''s reputation and Zhan Group.


    "Oh, I see. Then, you won''t mind if we look inside, will you?" The two girls understood what she meant, but then their curiosity was piqued.


    Amelia wasn''t done distributing leaflets, but she didn''t want to ignore potential customers so she showed them inside.


    "Oh! Well, the shop is well-decorated, but it doesn''t offer a wide variety of flowers. The selection is okay, but it''s not amazing," one of the girls said as she checked out the plants.


    This comment didn''t make Amelia unhappy. She smiled appreciatively and replied, "Thank you for your feedback. It will definitely help us improve our shop


    "If I were you, I''d be considering my options now. I''m warning you, you could get into some serious trouble."


    Niki froze in shock. She was still waiting for her boyfriend to answer, but her expression clearly betrayed fear.


    The Zhan Group headquarters were relatively close to the flower shop. Amelia thought that it would take Lucian about half an hour to arrive, but he entered the shop about ten minutes after the call.


    Dena looked as if she was about to faint. She held to her friend''s arm and nearly screamed, "Oh, my god! It''s Lucian. We''re seeing Lucian in person. He looks even more gorgeous than in the photos!"


    Niki also stared, her mouth gaping open.


    "What happened?" Lucian asked calmly.


    Biting her lower lip, Amelia looked at Lucian awkwardly. She was about to explain when Courtney interrupted, "You see this girl staring at you like a psycho? She''s really obsessed with you. She threatened to cause trouble if we didn''t call you."


    Dena was trembling. There was fear in her eyes as she looked at Lucian, but there was also admiration.


    Niki hurriedly apologized, "Mr. Lucian, I''m sorry. I... I''m sorry for bothering your wife. I didn''t realize how much you cared for her. We''re leaving you now."


    Niki was then completely different from how she was earlier.


    "Wow! If you''re that good at acting, you should''ve been an actress!" Courtney said in a discontented tone as she crossed her arms over her chest.

 Chapter 225 Being Ungrateful

    "Courtney, stop talking." Amelia was just trying to pacify the situation, however, what Courtney had said caused Lucian to be agitated. She was trying to find the right words to clear things up properly.


    Lucian was starting to feel very detached. His face was cold, his eyes turned deep as his eyebrows furrowed together. When Amelia looked at him, she started to feel a little frightened inside.


    "Amelia, you already have someone here to back you up. What are you afraid of?" Courtney was quite confident at this point because she didn''t think it was possible to even provoke Lucian. She was too caught up with her intention to even notice the look of weakness in Amelia''s face.


    "So what you''re saying is that, if Mrs. Amelia and I don''t love each other, you will find a way to make things difficult for her?" Lucian said as he looked through his narrowed eyes that gleamed with a contentious fire. The expression on his face getting stone cold, starting to feel more and more distant as time went by.


    One of the girls, known as Niki, was speechless after hearing Lucian''s question. The poor girl looked horrified, to say the least, and apologized to Amelia with a timid tone soon after.


    The girl standing next to her, Dena promptly filled in and said, "I apologize, Mr. Lucian. Niki did not mean what she said. I hope you can forgive her."


    "Girl, I know you''re avoiding trouble, but Lucian wasn''t scolding you. Stand aside." Courtney then turned to Niki, who had been headstrong before this, and said, "I thought you had someone to back you up. Why hasn''t he come yet?" She continued, "Has your boyfriend grown tired of having to meddle with your problems and refused to come?"


    "I... My boyfriend didn''t come to stand up for me, so I''m just going to leave the flowers. Let''s go..." Niki was clearly frightened and shaking with fear. She was already on her way out before she was


    nued to play with Mark.


    "Mr. Lucian, dinner is almost ready!" Lily shouted as she ran out from the living room.


    "I''ve already had dinner outside," Lucian answered with a calm, empty voice without turning around.


    A sense of torment came over Amelia when she heard what Lucian had said.


    ''What''s wrong with him? Did I really do something so bad to make him so upset?'' Amelia thought to herself. On a typical day, Lucian was always happy to spend time and play with Mark in the living room after dinner. Tonight, he didn''t even bother to take a look.


    Amelia carefully prepared some fruit for Lucian, considering the fact that he skipped dinner at home. She held the plate of fruit as she walked toward his study.


    Amelia came in and found Lucian busy with his study. She swiftly walked over and handed him a delicate plate of fruit and timidly said, "Eat some fruit before you get caught up with work."


    Amelia was very mindful about intervening, so she turned her back before saying anything more.


    Lucian paused for a second and watched Amelia as she walked away. With an ice-cold voice, he asked, "Why would Jonny give you that flower?"


    Amelia''s breath let out a short gasp when he finally said something, while her body trembled with fear. Her face was stuck in a dazed expression before she was able to turn around and respond to Lucian, "He gave me flowers to congratulate me on the opening of my shop."


    But when she thought of the meaning of the flower, Amelia couldn''t help but frown.


    "Never mind." Lucian scoffed as he heard this and looked back down to continue writing on his documents.


    "Lucian?" Amelia called for him with a delicate voice.


    Lucian looked up at her and gave a rigorous look.


    "I know that it has nothing to do with you. I''ve had an ill temper all day, don''t trouble yourself about it. It''s nothing to take at heart," he said apologetically.

 Chapter 226 You Still Care

    "We''re married. Why are you being so polite to me?" Amelia was confused.


    Lucian looked up thoughtfully. He stared at Amelia''s face for a long time. "I shouldn''t have taken out my feelings on you. I''m sorry,"


    he apologized in a low voice.


    Amelia looked at him and asked lightly, "Lucian, what''s wrong?"


    She couldn''t help but be worried upon noticing how preoccupied Lucian was.


    "Amelia, I don''t know why but I can''t shake off the feeling that Jonny did all this for a reason. It''s best to stay away from him from now on." After that, Lucian stood up, carrying the fruits that Amelia had brought to him, and walked to Amelia. "Let''s go. I''ll check on Mark," he said softly.


    Lucian''s tone wasn''t as cold as before and he even looked calmer now but his words brought doubt to Amelia''s heart.


    ''Jonny did all this for a reason...''


    The next day, the sun was shining brightly.


    Amelia pulled the curtain of the French window. Lucian was still sleeping on the bed. Her first instinct was to wake him up but upon realizing that it was the weekend, she decided to let him sleep in, drawing the curtains back to a close.


    However, when she turned, Lucian was already standing in front of her. Without saying anything, he stretched out his arms and pulled her towards him.


    Even though they''d been living together for two years, he had never failed to make her heart flutter.


    "Are you going to the


    tead, they even seemed interested as they asked her where the flower shop was located.


    "Honey, you haven''t given me flowers for a long time. Why don''t you buy some for me?" a girl suddenly said.


    "Okay, okay, I''ll buy you flowers!" a man agreed. He then turned to Amelia and asked, "Where is this flower shop? Is it just nearby? We can go now."


    "Let''s go to the shop and look around. I was planning on buying flowers for my wife anyway."


    "I''ll go with you!"


    "Me too. You know how much girls love flowers!"


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    With that, the crowd headed towards the flower shop.


    Amelia joyfully led the way to her flower shop. Just as she was about to cross the road, Jonny stopped her.


    "What''s wrong, Jonny?" Jonny stood in front of the group of people, his arms stretched out as if he wasn''t going to let them pass.


    "Hey, isn''t that Mr. Jonny?" a man pointed out, smiling in disdain.


    ''They know each other?''


    Amelia turned to Jonny who had a grim look on his face. She could tell that something was wrong.


    "How about this? You can come here another day to buy flowers!" Amelia blunted out. They had outnumbered Jonny. If they fought with Jonny, Jonny was likely to lose so she had to do something about it.


    "Amelia, behind me!" Jonny''s face was emotionless. Gone was his usual warm demeanor as it was replaced by a cold look on his face. This was something that Amelia had never seen before.

 Chapter 227 Lets Go Home

    Although Amelia was still confused, she could easily tell from the man''s expression that he had something against Jonny.


    "Wade, we have tasks to do today. They are more important than your grudge against Mr. Jonny so don''t let your emotions ruin everything. I suggest that you put aside your resentments for now." The man who was pestered by his girlfriend to buy some flowers a while ago suddenly patted the man he called Wade on the shoulder and gave some advice. His voice sounded so lazy but his eyes were also full of disdain as he spared a glance at Jonny.


    "I''m just wondering, are the tasks you mentioned given to you by Lucian?" asked Jonny coldly. Amelia couldn''t help trembling when she heard Lucian''s name.


    She looked at the man in disbelief. Suddenly, she became eager to hear his answer.


    "I don''t have to answer your question," replied the man candidly. "It''s not important whether you answer my question or not. Anyway, I am pretty sure that you are Lucian''s men. He wants to hide it from Amelia but sadly, he messed up this time," retorted Jonny in a low voice.


    "What do you mean, Jonny?"


    Perplexity was written all over Amelia''s face. She still couldn''t understand what Jonny and the stranger were talking about.


    "Mrs. Amelia, please don''t listen to him. He is talking nonsense. Mr. Lucian clearly cares for you. But Jonny likes playing petty tricks against our company and stirring up troubles behind our backs," explained the man.


    "Are you from the Zhan Group?" asked Amelia slowly. Based on Jonny and the man''s conversation, it was already clear that these men were from Lucian. However, Amelia still wanted to confirm it directly


    up the past. "Why did you have to bring up the past?" she asked.


    It had been a long time since that event happened. She couldn''t understand why Jonny would suddenly bring it up. Maybe Lucian was right. Jonny really had an ulterior motive all along. "Amelia, don''t give me that surprise look. You know that I''m just forced by someone," answered Jonny through clenched teeth.


    "No matter what conflicts you have with Lucian, I don''t want you to become enemies." One was her husband and the other was like a brother to her. She didn''t want any of them to be hurt.


    "Amelia, let''s go home," said Lucian in a soft voice. He put his arm around Amelia''s shoulder and urged her to get out of the spot.


    However, all Jonny had wanted was to make things worse. He wouldn''t allow Lucian to just leave so easily.


    "Yimi flower is your mother''s favorite flower. But when I gave it as a gift for good luck to Amelia, why did you get so jealous? You even cancelled some of our business deals," said Jonny in a soft voice. There was a smile on his face but the sarcasm in his voice was very obvious. Lucian''s eyes filled with anger in an instant.


    Amelia felt that his grip on her shoulder tightened and she felt a slight pain. His other hand was also clenched tightly. It was as if he was trying to control his anger.


    When she looked up to him, she noticed the strange expression on his face.


    "Lucian, let''s go home," uttered Amelia suddenly. Her voice trembled because she was extremely nervous.


    She waited for Lucian''s response quietly. He turned to his staff behind him and ordered, "You can go home now."


    "But Mr. Lucian..." one of his men was about to refuse.

 Chapter 228 Lucian Is With Me

    "Come on, it''s time to go. Let''s just do what the CEO had asked." One male employee urged his peers to leave the place, although most of them seemed to be reluctant. A female employee spoke up and persuasively said, "I think we should give the CEO and Mr. Jonny some privacy. Let''s get back and mind our own businesses."


    Convinced by what was said by their co-workers, the employees bade farewell to the CEO, then proceeded to leave.


    All that remained in the place were Lucian, Amelia, and Jonny. Having the space all to themselves seemed uncanny. There was nothing but silence and glances between them. Little by little, Amelia began to feel uneasy.


    "Jonny, do keep the account in mind. I''ll see to it that Amelia gets home first, then we shall discuss it further." Lucian broke the silence with that stern speech. His indifference towards Jonny was unmistakable.


    "Why do you have to leave so soon? Are you worried of what other people think?" Jonny retorted with a mocking smile. He continued to taunt and said, "Is this about your mom?"


    "Shut up," Lucian said stoically. However, no matter how hard Lucian tried to contain his distaste, he could not allow such an offense to simply pass. His eyes burned with anger. Lucian stared at Jonny intensely. He threatened, "If you dare to speak of this again, I''ll make sure you suffer things worse than death!"


    Amelia could feel Lucian''s anger. His hand trembled with scorn, as it rested on her shoulder.


    Amelia felt relieved when Jonny decided to not pursue the topic any further.


    "Well, since you''re so adamant about it, I guess I should stop." Jonny seemed so da


    further.


    She called him again, but his phone was off.


    She had been worried a lot due to Lucian''s absence. Now that she knew Lucian was with Shelly, there was no way for her to calm down.


    She thought of ways to get Lucian, but there was really one way to do about it.


    "Mrs. Amelia, it''s late. Are you seriously considering to go out?" Lily, with Mark in her arms, followed Amelia out of concern.


    Amelia looked at the sleeping Mark in Lily''s arms and said, "Lily, could you please take care of Mark for me? I really need to go out for a while."


    "Okay. Please, drive safe." Lily frowned and seemed to be a little bit distressed with what was happening.


    Amelia simply nodded and went to the garage to fetch her car.


    Amelia did not know where Shelly lived. However, she had a hunch where she could have been staying.


    Amelia would try for the An mansion. She knew that her plan was not air tight, but she had to try.


    Fortunately, she had gone there twice already. Thus, she needed no help from any navigation device.


    The An mansion shone brightly at night.


    As soon as Amelia stopped her car, someone came out to greet her.


    "Hello, Mrs. Amelia." Amelia was actually quite acquainted with the butler of the An mansion. He used to call her Miss Amelia. However, she was not Miss Amelia anymore. Amelia was there as Lucian''s wife.


    The butler greeted her properly. As a response, Amelia nodded back politely.


    "Is Miss Shelly home?" she asked very straightforwardly.


    She was very anxious. However, Amelia was always great at hiding her emotions whenever she spoke - especially when it was necessary.

 Chapter 229 The Other Side Of Jonny

    "Miss Shelly is not at home, but Mr. Jonny and Mrs. Emma are here," the butler answered respectfully.


    Amelia frowned. She knew that both Jonny and Emma were in the house except Shelly.


    She was a little disappointed, and for a moment she refused to come inside. However, turning back was not an option, if only for courtesy. It would be rude not to enter, all thing considered.


    Jonny sat at the living room with his eyes trained on a thick business book. As he vaguely felt the presence of someone entering, he looked up and was surprised at the sight that greeted his eyes. "Amelia, why are you here?" he asked in surprise.


    Under the light of the crystal lamp, Amelia''s fair skin seemed to glow. Her bare face was as radiant as moonlight.


    Jonny put his book down on the table. It was as if something had enchanted him. He moved, half-conscious, and crossed the room to where she stood.


    "I... I happened to be nearby, so I came over for a visit," Amelia answered.


    Jonny nodded unsuspectingly at her response. "I see. Take a seat," he said.


    Amelia felt uneasy under the weight of Jonny''s gaze. She craned her neck to look further inside and asked politely, "Is sworn mother home?"


    "Yes. I''ll get her." Jonny gave her a smile then walked inside.


    The lingering agitation in Amelia''s chest grew with each passing minute. However, it would be terribly impolite to walk in and leave just like that.


    A moment later, Jonny came back with Emma. "Amelia!" the older woman called ou


    ld such animosity towards Lucian.


    "And you think I''ll agree?" Amelia scoffed and gave him a cold smile of her own. "Does sworn mother know about this? How do you think she would feel when she finds out that her son, who she has regarded in high respect, is this kind of scum?"


    Amelia knew that it mattered little to Jonny what his family would think, except his mother.


    "Amelia, don''t be so na?ve. The more people like you, the more they will also try to hurt you and those you hold dear." Jonny''s expression remained cold and unflinching even at the sound of Emma''s name. He lowered his head and spoke closely to Amelia, "It''s time to toughen up. You''d better be smart about your choice. If you cooperate, Lucian will be safe. I don''t intend for Lucian to die. I just want to see him suffer."


    "You think you can take his life? Lucian will never let you off!" Amelia glowered. Jonny and Lucian were both CEOs of their respective groups, but even with the same titles, there had always been an unmistakable gap in power.


    The An Group had a history of helping the Zhan Group when it came into crisis, but with Lucian''s abilities and the long-term credibility of the Zhan Group, it had grown to surpass the An Group.


    "It does not matter much to me what happens to the An Group. It can fall apart for all I care," Jonny shrugged.


    Amelia said nothing more at his indifference.


    She felt that she had made a mistake by quarrelling here with Jonny. For now, she should calm down and think.

 Chapter 231 Lucian Was In Danger

    "Amelia, you don''t have any other choice. Stop wasting more time and energy." Jonny smiled at Amelia. He hoped to change her confused and stubborn mind.


    Jonny maintained a dominating demeanor, and looked like he was god-sent. Amelia''s face, on the other hand, continued to darken further.


    Amelia glanced at her phone. She wondered if Eric would be helpful, given her current predicament. It was clear that she was getting desperate...


    "Amelia, no matter how rough my relationship with Lucian is, I will always be kind to you. You must trust me on this one. If you don''t want any more trouble, come with me to the villa. I promise to leave you be as soon as everything gets settled." Jonny did not know how to take away Amelia''s sadness. All he could offer her was his honesty and concern.


    "I never pegged you as someone heartless, Jonny. It''s easy for you to leave. However, it is not the same for me. I cannot leave my husband behind!" Amelia was angry and loud. The sincerity in her tone was undeniable.


    All of a sudden, Jonny''s face turned grim. He knew what he had to do. Before things escalated further, he said, "If that''s the case, please forgive me for what I am about to do..."


    "Ah!" Amelia felt a jolting blow to her neck, rendering her unconscious.


    Jonny was quick enough to catch her before she could hit the ground. He held Amelia dearly in his arms as he said, "I''m really sorry, Amelia. You left me with no choice."


    "Mom," Jonny called. "Can you watch over Amelia while I am gone? I need to go out and take care of something." Jonny entrusted Amelia''s safety to his mom. Emma, as she stood at the doorway, trembled with fear and confusion. The sight of her son carrying Amelia''s passed out body to the bedroom was truly uncanny to her.


    "Jonny, isn''t Amelia the girl you so deeply admired? Then, why did you knock her... her... knock... knock her unconscious?" Emma stood aside, making room for Jonny and Amelia. She was too nervous to articulate her words properly.


    Jonny gave his


    spired together, but it was fairly clear that they were in disagreement, too.


    "You see, a woman must capitalize on a man''s vulnerability. That''s why I took Lucian in when he was down. I was the one who took care of him when he needed it most. And for that he would always remember me," Shelly declared with a triumphant smile.


    ''A man''s vulnerability...'' There was something about that line than hinted for Amelia.


    Lucian was in a bad mood lately, but he tried to treat her in the best possible way he could. Perhaps, that was the root of their misunderstanding. Amelia could not help thinking that she had greatly neglected Lucian.


    "If you really love Lucian, why did you hand him over to Jonny? Are you not aware of Jonny''s intentions for Lucian?" Amelia spiraled down due to the emotions that overwhelmed her.


    "Lucian''s capture was practically his own doing. He refused my courtship right away!" Shelly said bluntly. There was no hint of shame in her tone.


    Amelia felt relieved with the news she had just heard. She felt proud that Lucian kept the sanctity of their marriage. No less was expected of him.


    However, having her husband''s loyalty was beside the point. Amelia needed to know where they had hidden her husband.


    "Amelia, don''t you dare play tricks with me. Don''t think for a second that you can escape from me!" Shelly fashioned a cold face. She gave a glance at Amelia and held a dagger to her victim''s throat. She then said with a malicious smile, "If I can''t be with the man I love, the same goes for you..."


    "I will not beg for my life. If you really intend to kill me, then do it. Do you think Lucian will love you for doing so? Do you think you''ll be able to survive in prison? At least, I have enjoyed my life. Yours will be filled with only suffering," Amelia said indifferently. Once again, she had hurt Shelly''s ego.


    "Well, if you''re not afraid to die, I can arrange something worse just for you!" Shelly raised the dagger she held and prepared to slash Amelia''s face.

 Chapter 232 Is Amelia Dead Or Alive

    "Stop!" shouted someone. The voice resounded the whole place like a wind blowing in the wilderness.


    Amelia felt elated upon hearing that voice. She recognized who he was.


    "Lucian, what are you doing here?" asked Shelly. She looked at Lucian in disbelief. How could he be here?


    As far as she could remember, Lucian''s feet were tied with ropes and Jonny was guarding him very well. Why was he here right now?


    "Release Amelia!" ordered Lucian in a low voice. Shelly was stunned for a brief moment. Then she shook her head vigorously.


    Everything had already gone out of her plan. Amelia was the only thing left that she could use against Lucian. She could never let her go away.


    "Shelly, stop being so stubborn. I know that I''m the only reason why you are doing this. Please, stop now. Jonny is just using you but I know that you are different from him. Don''t fall into his trap." Lucian tried to use his softest voice to persuade Shelly. He was hoping that she would listen to him.


    Meanwhile, Amelia could feel the blade of the dagger pressed on her throat. If she made even just a slight movement, it would pierce through her skin. She would definitely bleed.


    She was so scared. The pounding of her heart was so loud and she couldn''t breathe. Was this her end?


    When she looked at Lucian, she saw that his face was so pale and almost bloodless. She had never seen him this nervous before.


    "Lucian, can I really trust you?" cried Shelly. Her voice was full of grief. "I did all of these because I love you so much. When I found out that you fell in love with her and she bore your child, I was so angry that I wanted to kill her immediately!"


    Shelly got more and more agitated and she co


    Jonny turned to face Shelly. He glared at her and said fiercely, "I told you to hand over Lucian to me. I didn''t tell you to hurt Amelia!"


    He thought that Shelly wouldn''t go back to An mansion for the time being. However, he didn''t know that she went back right after he left. "Do you really think I''m stupid?" retorted Shelly. "I know that you will hurt Lucian. And even if you hurt him so much, he can still never be mine. So I decided to vent my anger on Amelia," she added. Shelly glanced at the silent Lucian. Then, she bowed down her head in shame.


    Jonny was a heartless person. Shelly knew that fact very well. However, she still chose to connive with him because she thought that it could get her closer to Lucian. She also thought that she would be safe if she had Jonny as her ally.


    Eventually, she got closer to Lucian. However, it wasn''t in the way that she had wanted. The coldness in his eyes every time he looked at her always reminded her of all the troubles she caused. She knew that he would never forgive her.


    Hence, she could now understand that she and Lucian were drifting apart.


    Jonny got rid of Shelly''s hands with all his strength. Then he glared at Lucian and asked another question, "How will you feel if it''s your mother that is being bullied? Tell me!"


    Lucian didn''t react. He was still wearing a straight face. He even didn''t resist when Jonny grabbed his collar. All he cared about was Amelia. He wasn''t in the mood to think about anything else.


    "Lucian, what happened?" Courtney suddenly arrived in the emergency room. When she saw that the light in the emergency room was still on, she went weak at the knees. She was so worried that her heart beat wildly.

 Chapter 232 I Failed To Protect Her

    Lucian tightly pressed his lips together, not saying a word.


    "What the hell is going on, Mr. Jonny?" It was Jonny who had answered her phone. When Courtney heard that Amelia was in the hospital, she called a taxi right away.


    Frightened, Shelly took a step back. She glanced at Courtney in both guilt and fright.


    Jonny kept his mouth shut as well. Instead, he shot Lucian a sharp gaze as if to imply that this was all Lucian''s fault.


    Courtney skimmed the room, not getting an answer for a while.


    She worriedly looked toward the door of the emergency room, feeling like she''d just been clawed by a cat.


    "What are you doing here?" Caressing her bulging belly, she walked up to Shelly and shot her a snide look.


    Shelly''s face immediately reddened in guilt. She nervously stuttered, "I... I was worried about Amelia so I came here to see her..."


    Courtney didn''t know much about Shelly. However, she did know that Lucian had been forced to marry her when the Zhan Group was going through a crisis. She also made Amelia''s life a living hell. For the life of Courtney, she couldn''t understand what the hell Shelly was doing here now.


    "Worried?" Courtney sneered. She continued, "You''re worried that she might wake up, aren''t you? Then you''d be very upset if she did, right? Because you have evil plans?"


    Shelly''s face turned pale in embarrassment. Hesitantly


    y, "Look, Mark, it''s mommy. Come on, let''s cheer her up so she''ll wake up soon, okay?"


    Lily felt a lump form in her throat as she watched this scene unfold. She couldn''t help herself as she shed a few tears, smiling to herself.


    The doctor had said that Amelia''s wound was already treated. However, Amelia was quite weak which was what caused her to fall into a coma. She hadn''t woken up yet.


    "Mark, from now on, let''s work as a team. We need to watch over mommy and make sure that she eats well. We need to protect her. Look at her, she''s so thin..."


    Suddenly, Lucian''s voice trailed off as if he couldn''t bear to continue. He looked upwards in an attempt to control his emotions.


    "Mr. Lucian, when Mrs. Amelia wakes up, I''ll make some nutritious soup for her every day so she can build her resistance!" Lily whimpered.


    Lucian merely nodded in silence.


    "Mr. Lucian, I brought you some soup too. You haven''t rested in two days. I don''t want you to be sick when Mrs. Amelia wakes up," Lily pleaded, frowning.


    Lucian hadn''t eaten much in the past two days too. Even when he would force himself to eat, he couldn''t bring himself to especially when he saw Amelia lying in bed.


    "Okay," Lucian answered in a hoarse voice.


    It was about ten in the evening when Amelia woke up. Lucian immediately grabbed a cotton swab to moisten Amelia''s dry and chapped lips.

 Chapter 233 Deep Love

    Amelia blinked her eyes several times to get adjusted with her vision, her eyelids felt heavy, lips were dried and fingers trembled.


    "Amelia, are you awake?" His voice was the first sound that entered her ears. It was although flat, but anyone could tell the concern dripping from his voice. Lucian then added with a relief, "Don''t talk now. I''ll go, call the doctor."


    A while later doctor came and checked on Amelia. After checking, he let them know that Amelia was still very weak and needed to stay in the hospital for a few days.


    Amelia''s eyes went wide at the suggestion. She looked at Lucian as a half-hearted smile crept on her face. She held Lucian''s hand and asked in a low voice, "Lucian, I can''t stay in hospital. I want to go home."


    Lucian however, already knew Amelia didn''t like to stay in hospital. So he had already decided to ask the doctor about her discharge soon.


    So, he didn''t refuse her request and said, "Okay. For now listen to doctor''s instructions. I''ll ask for more details to the doctor tomorrow and see if you can be discharged soon." Lucian certainly hoped that Amelia could go home for a rest as soon as possible.


    "Lucian, you''ve grown a beard..." Amelia noticed Lucian''s appearance with close concern and felt a pang of pain for him. He looked so tired.


    It was evident that he had been taking a good care of her while she was in coma and didn''t take care of his own.


    "Do I look sexier then?" Lucian touched his chin as a smirk appeared on his handsome face.


    Amelia thought as she threw him a silent thorough look, even in his exhausted appearance, he looked elegant.


    However, there were dark circles under his eyes and she noticed his eyes had blood streaks due to sleep deprivation. It made him look so haggard.


    She blinked and gazed down. She felt sorry for him despite her own condition. She took a quick glance at the bed next to her and the nurses who were attending the patients, and said to Lucian, "I''m fine now. You can go to bed and


    ''s recommendation.


    And Lucian had given her a task to make sure that Amelia returned back to her good health in less than two months. So, Lily was determined to fulfill her master''s wish.


    The same day at night, the SJ Garden was decorated with bright lights.


    Amelia was wearing a pink dress and made her bed with a beautiful cover. However, Lily reminded her repeatedly that she should take rest. But she didn''t feel like sitting quietly all day long. On the contrary, she was even more excited to return back to the SJ Garden.


    After drinking a glass of water, she asked Lily, pointing at the heart shape she had made on bed with rose petals, "Lily, is the heart shape right? Did I not put it straight?"


    Lily looked at it, smiled and nodded. She praised Amelia, "Mrs. Amelia, this is the best heart shape I''ve ever seen, honestly. It''s very special because you have made it. Plus, it''s made out of flower petals. It''s so beautiful!"


    "Oh! Don''t sugar coat your words." Amelia rolled her eyes at her and then adjusted the heart again.


    The room was full of colorful balloons, all of them were puffed up by Amelia herself. She took two purple and pink balloons and handed them to Mark. She gushed with a sweet smile, "Mark, Daddy will be back very soon. Wish him a happy birthday, OK?"


    Although Mark hadn''t yet learned to speak properly, he could still babble "Daddy".


    "Mrs. Amelia, when Mr. Lucian comes back, he will be deeply touched by your efforts in arranging all this," Lily genuinely commented. Watching the delicate decoration by Amelia of the mansion, Lily couldn''t help but praise her.


    Usually they kept only one lamp lit outside the villa, but tonight, the whole villa was lit up by the lights.


    Amelia had decorated the carved gate and the path that led to the villa, everything with colorful balloons.


    Even Amelia had dressed herself pretty for Lucian. To be honest, she wanted to repay Lucian''s romantic gesture of last night and for that she was pretty excited.

 Chapter 234 Conflicts Escalated

    She rarely wore makeup, but for Lucian she was willing to try. It was his birthday and she wanted to amaze him.


    She had learned about his birthday from Fannie just the other day.


    Had Fannie not mentioned it, she would not have known.


    They had been married for two years now, but Lucian never told her when his birthday was. But then again, she''d never bothered to ask himself. After finding out from Fannie, however, she wanted to celebrate the occasion.


    "I don''t know if Lucian would like that," Amelia wondered. She frowned, slowly feeling the pressure sink in.


    "Men are the ones who typically arrange surprises for women, so Lucian will definitely love you for this!" Lily stood next to the bed and encouraged Amelia to check if the flowers and balloons needed to be set up.


    Amelia had been the one to pick up the flowers in the shop.


    A cunning smile slipped across her face as she turned and looked at Lily. "If Lucian wants, I''ll let him pay for the flowers."


    "And since when have you been a penny-pincher?" Lily couldn''t help but make fun of her.


    "My flower shop is still growing," Amelia replied seriously, yet with a small childish pout. "I have to start saving again after all this since I''ve been spending a lot for this birthday."


    "Well, you''re right, Mrs. Amelia." Lily nodded in agreement, upon hearing her serious tone. "Mr. Lucian will be happy with the turnout. It was money well spent."


    As they talked and laughed between themselves, Lu


    More and more journalists recognized her as she made her way, thus making a small path for her.


    She had no idea what had happened. Had she known sooner, she would have probably passed out.


    Jonny''s face was swelling and expressionless.


    "Why are you here?" As soon as Lucian said this, he held Amelia in his arms and looked at her with deep concern.


    "I got a call from Courtney. She told me what happened. Jonny was in a fight, so I came here." Amelia looked at him with hesitation.


    Lucian''s brows furrowed together, but he managed to wipe away his worried expression. "Let me take you out of her first," he said.


    "What about you?" She stared at him in horror, like an insecure little girl.


    "Let''s go together," he answered her.


    This set her mind at ease.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mrs. Amelia!" numerous reporters called out as they tried to make their escape. "We''re sure you''ve heard about the rumors online. What do you have to say?"


    Neither she nor Lucian responded.


    She had no plans of responding, that would only make the truth murkier.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you and the president of the An Group were lovers," one persistent reporter started. "Would you mind answering--"


    He was cut off by Lucian throwing his recorder away. He looked down at him angrily and said, "Do you think you can get away with talking to my woman like that?"


    He didn''t give the reporter a chance to respond, reached out for Amelia''s hand, and together firmly started walking away.

 Chapter 235 He Wanted To Reveal The Truth

    The doughty atmosphere suddenly changed the expression of the reporters likened to a tamed sheep faced against a wolf. Lucian sharply exuded a strong aura as he spoke in a tough cold voice. Those who were unwilling to move back began to retreat and their face showed a panic-stricken look.


    "Mr. Lucian, you can''t always avoid the problem like this." One of the reporters struggled to suppress such pressure and boldly asked. He glanced at Jonny who was standing aside and inquired, "Mr. Jonny, you look very calm. Does that mean the rumor on the Internet is true?"


    "Yeah, there are no waves without wind. There is a huge secret!"


    "Mr. Lucian, could you please tell us the truth?"


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing the lead journalist braving himself to once again press on for answers, the reporters felt encouraged and one after another found their courage to bombard Lucian with a new round of questions.


    Amelia who was currently in Lucian''s arms could feel the man''s anger radiating as his muscles tensed for every jab of questions asked.


    "Jonny, are you trying to return to your former career?" said Lucian. He stood still with disdain on his face and took a quick glance at Jonny who was standing aside and watching the fun.


    His voice was not loud nor silent but was clearly heard amid the noise. His words were easy to understand. It looked like the uproar was probably arranged by Jonny.


    "That''s right. There''s no smoke without fire. Someone is trying to confuse the truth, so we don''t have anything to say. Justice will have its day!" Amelia looked up and smiled all of a sudden, a carefree smile.


    The reporters went still and the noise was hushed. At this time, Jonny walked forward and stoo


    at Jonny before turning his back against him.


    Jonny''s lips still curled into a complacent smile, which slowly faded away as their backs gradually went far. What was left on his face was nothing but bitterness.


    On the way, Lucian didn''t say a word while driving. His expression unreadable.


    Amelia looked at him several times but said nothing in the end.


    After returning to the SJ Garden, Lucian went straight upstairs to the study. Amelia silently followed him but was stopped at the door to the study.


    "Amelia, you go downstairs first to accompany Mark. I want to be alone in the study," he pleaded with a tired look on his face.


    Amelia frowned. Although she was a little disappointed, she still felt sorry for him and nodded to agree.


    She went downstairs but her thought was still bothered and worriedly wondered.


    What happened to make the calm and wise Lucian upset?


    As soon as she sat down on the sofa and had Mark taken out of the stroller, her phone vibrated.


    Seeing Jonny''s name on the screen, her heart shivered.


    "Do you want to know the reason? Come to the villa in the south of the city and see me."


    The content in Jonny''s text, like a fish hook with a bait, caused her to feel a lurking danger and gradually made her curious.


    She knew that no matter how she asked Lucian, he wouldn''t tell her the truth.


    He would rather deal with Jonny than tell her the truth.


    With so many questions and uneasiness, Amelia felt that Lucian''s sudden unwillingness to speak out maybe was caused by the deepest scar he had hidden.


    She had always been cautious as not to upset him. She wanted to do something for him in any way she could just for him to open up to her.

 Chapter 236 How Could You Think I Dare Not Take You

    She didn''t want to hurt him and so, she helped him cover up the wound he was trying to hide.


    "Lily, once dinner is ready, have the food sent to Lucian''s study. I am going out for a while," Amelia said addressing Lily.


    Lily stopped cooking and turned around. "Mrs. Amelia, dinner is almost ready. You can leave once you have eaten."


    Her eyes curiously watched Amelia stand at the kitchen door. She wondered how she could go out alone without Lucian''s company.


    "I will be back once I have completed my errands. If Lucian asks, you can tell him Courtney wanted to have a chat with me." Amelia shook her head.


    "Okay," Lily agreed, hesitantly. There was nothing more she could say to change Amelia''s mind.


    Amelia sped through the roads. She was eager to know the reason.


    She had driven around recently, becoming skilled at driving.


    As she approached the villa located in the south of the city, Amelia suddenly stepped on the brakes.


    She put her chin on the steering wheel, looking out into space. After a few moments of thinking, she realized that perhaps Jonny''s request to meet with her might not have been that simple.


    After what had happened last time, she didn''t trust him anymore. She told herself to be more vigilant.


    She would give Emma a call fi


    ys considered me a brother to you but I always take you as my beloved."


    "Jonny!" Amelia exclaimed, shocked by Jonny''s words.


    Courtney said this before, but she had never taken her words seriously.


    Amelia had thought that as long as she kept her distance, Jonny would not dare make a move.


    But now, he had finally admitted that she was the woman for him.


    "You do not love me," Amelia retorted. Hearing her words, Jonny laughed, mockingly. He gently touched her face with his other hand. "It''s rare to see a woman look so beautiful without makeup."


    Despite his attempt at flirting, Amelia felt bile rise up to her throat.


    She took a step back but, there was nothing but a wall behind her.


    "Jonny please, behave yourself!" Amelia pleaded, looking away.


    "This is my place. If..." he trailed off. Jonny knew what he planned was treacherous but, it was important to show her his true colors.


    Amelia''s heart began to thud. She knew what he had meant.


    She felt trapped, trying to think of a way out of this situation.


    "Jonny, before I came here, I called sworn mother and told her..." Amelia began.


    "Shut up!" Jonny yelled, cutting her off. "Do you really think I would not do anything because you told my mother?" he asked, a nasty smile on his face.

 Chapter 237 What Did He Do To You

    Like a demon possessed him, Jonny moved frantically. He grabbed Amelia''s clothes, and ripped them to tear them apart.


    "Jonny!" Amelia, with a pale face exclaimed in shock.


    Her fear didn''t calm Jonny down. Instead, he looked at her and dropped the clothes. He reached out and gripped her throat tightly with his strong hands. No more sounds came out from her mouth.


    In a panic, she garnered her strength to lift her foot and stamped down hard on Jonny''s toe, as hard as she could.


    The sharp jolt of pain seemed to relax Jonny''s grip, but he was quick to calibrate. He looked at her, breathing heavily. Baring his teeth like a dangerous baboon, he said spitefully, "Amelia, you''re not a business man, but you have got to pay me something, right?"


    He then pushed his face closer to her but was avoided by Amelia immediately. Disgust was written all over her face.


    "If you choose to get paid in this way, you need to know the consequences of your actions!" Amelia was not going to play this game.


    She wasn''t the type of woman to submit to coercion like this.


    She did not feel any self-pity, but she felt sorry for Lucian''s sake.


    Jonny thought that he could take advantage of her, holding her against the wall like a rag doll.


    "You are one sick dog!" This was another side to Jonny, he seemed to be out of his mind completely.


    No matter how she struggled or fought back, he pushed himself even harder against Amelia.


    This was a game of fire, and someone was going to get burned.


    "Jonny, stop it!" Emma called out at the right time. Amelia was losing consciousness, her head felt like it was about to explode. A small gasp of air escaped her mo


    ''t understand why Amelia lied to him.


    "It seems that every time you go to visit Jonny, telling me the truth becomes difficult." He couldn''t help himself, it was coming out of his mouth and he couldn''t control it.


    However, he was inferring something darker. He could feel something had happened between them.


    Amelia didn''t say anything, but she couldn''t stop the corner of her mouth from twitching nervously.


    She didn''t tell him because she knew that he would be angry. But in the end, not telling him made him even angrier than she could imagine.


    "Amelia, don''t pretend like you are at a loss for words. Am I the only one who did something wrong?" Amelia''s silence seemed to anger Lucian, for every second she didn''t say anything it grew bigger inside of him.


    He no longer had any patience with her, this was getting ugly.


    Over the past two years, getting to know each other had been a process.


    So, Amelia moved forward and knelt in front of Lucian. She held his legs with her hands and looked up at him.


    "Lucian, if I hadn''t hidden it from you this time, I wouldn''t have been able to see Jonny''s two-sided face!" She looked like a child who had a rough day on the playground with some bullies.


    She ground her teeth inside of her mouth without opening it, looking at the sofa beside Lucian.


    Lucian''s anger turned to concern. He gently took hold of Amelia''s hand and pulled her onto his lap. He asked softly, "What did he say to you?"


    By Lucian''s response, Amelia now understood what he was worried about the whole time.


    She shook her head, looking like a drunk on cheap wine, "Nothing, but I thought that I knew who he was, but I didn''t."

 Chapter 238 Sleep In Separate Bedrooms

    However, for the sake of revenge and dragging Lucian down, Jonny¡¯s words and behavior became extremely terrible.


    "What happened to your neck?" The red mark on her neck caught Lucian¡¯s attention, he pulled off her clothes. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a low voice, "What did he do to you? Tell me the truth!"


    In that instance, Amelia was thoughtfully caressing her neck. She laid her eyes on him curiously and shook her head. "Well, he... Jonny did not do anything to me?"


    As a matter of fact, Jonny wanted to get close to her, but she avoided the things to turn out his way.


    Amelia¡¯s heart trembled in fear whenever that scene crosses her mind.


    However, Lucian fixed his eyes at the red mark on her neck. Staring at the mark felt like looking directly at the sun, his eyes were burning in pain.


    "This is a hickey, isn¡¯t it?" Lucian¡¯s mind was consumed by irritation. He pulled Amelia up as those words came out of his mouth coldly.


    After hearing the straightforward question, Amelia was stunned.


    The truth was Jonny grabbed her hand and wanted to steal a kiss from her. With all her might she tried to avoid him, but unfortunately failed.


    As she was trying to escape, her neck was rubbed by his hand, the friction caused the red mark on her neck.


    The statement was too good to be true for Lucian. He did not believe any part of it, suspicion was evidently seen in his eyes.


    Her face was deathly pale as if blood left her body. She explained for herself, "Lucian, it¡¯s not what you think. These are really not hickeys..."


    "Really? Then tell me about it!" Lucian snapped, his tone was intense. Obviously, Lucian ran out of patience.


    Amelia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Then, she slumped to the ground weakly.


    "


    oom.


    After eating breakfast, Lily came over and said, "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian just called and he said that..."


    Suddenly, Lily seemed to hold back her words, her actions made Amelia more anxious.


    Lily was a girl who had a sharp tongue. Yet, she could not speak fluently at this time, so she must be up to something unpleasant.


    However, when the misunderstanding between her and Lucian crossed her mind, she understood what Lily was worried about.


    "Just say it. Do not worry, I won''t be mad." She flashed a light smile ready to accept her fate.


    Lily took a deep breath, bit her lips, and replied bravely, "Mr. Lucian has restricted you from going out."


    At that moment, she realized that Lucian grounded her freedom.


    All of a sudden, Amelia thought Lucian''s decision was ridiculous and irritating at the same time, but the curve on her lips never faded.


    "It''s fine with me. I haven''t seen Mark for several days. I can take this opportunity to spend more time with him," she said. Amelia found an alibi to get over the pain. But the pain in her heart only disappeared temporarily. The moment it came back, it felt like a virus intoxicating her whole body.


    "Mrs. Amelia, did Mr. Lucian restrict you because he was mad for what happened yesterday?" Lily frowned as she asked cautiously.


    Although Amelia had a smile on her face, emptiness could be seen in her eyes and her thoughts were flying far away.


    At the same moment, inside the CEO''s office of the Zhan Group.


    Lucian sat on the coach holding a file in his hand. As he looked at it, he frowned deeply.


    "Did Jonny manage to take away our project at a high price?"


    "Not only that, he also invited many senior shareholders to dinner," Eric honestly answered.

 Chapter 239 Dont Ask

    Lucian furrowed his brows, feeling his face tighten.


    He threw the file aside and furiously said, "He''s going to use up all the capital of the An Group to compete with us!"


    It was exactly what Edmund did to the Zhan Group last time.


    When Jonny and Edmund competed for the An Group, Jonny not only bribed many senior shareholders but also received help from the Zhan Group.


    That time, it was Lucian who decided to help Jonny.


    Even though Jonny came out strong then with Lucian''s help, the two never seemed to mend their complex relationship.


    "Mr. Lucian, since Jonny''s offering a high price, why don''t we take an eye for an eye?" To Eric, the An Group was much inferior to the Zhan Group since they had less assets.


    Although the Zhan Group had encountered capital turnover problems before, it was Edmund who was behind it.


    Recently, Lucian increased the shareholders'' cooperation. Having just finished several projects brought back the capital that they owed. Their sales had also increased a good percentage. It goes without saying that the Zhan Group was back on top.


    "Don''t panic. Let him try for now. Once he''s way into deep, that''s when I''ll attack. It''s better if we destroy them in one go." Lucian didn''t seem the least bit fazed.


    Earlier, he had been furious because he was reading the agreement that Jonny had sent over.


    The agreement simply did not meet the requirements of their industry.


    "Then why were you so angry?" Eric knew Luc


    ozen in shock.


    Besides the fact that Sasha was wearing a sexy slip dress, what surprised Lucian more was her mere presence.


    Before he could even open his mouth, Sasha smirked and said, "Lucian, did you just wake up? You were so..." Her voice trailed off as she blushed and lowered her head shyly.


    Her words could only mean one thing and only a fool wouldn''t understand what she was talking about.


    Despite the mental breakdown he was having, he did his best to calm himself down. In a cold and low voice, he spoke, "What the hell happened last night?"


    The last thing he remembered was his old college classmate inviting him for dinner. He initially wanted to refuse but in the end, decided to accept.


    Then they ordered two bottles of whisky.


    Lucian wasn''t actually planning on drinking but his classmate convinced him by saying that they hadn''t seen each other in a long time. Considering the stress he''d been under lately, he decided to give in. He finished the entire bottle of whisky to make himself feel better.


    But even so, he wouldn''t have been so drunk.


    "Oh, Lucian, don''t ask..." Sasha playfully said, a sweet smile pasted on her face.


    Lucian froze in suspicion and uneasiness, unable to say a word.


    With that, Sasha cautiously approached him. In a soft voice, she said, "Lucian, it was such a coincidence that I ran into you as soon as I returned from abroad."


    As she spoke, she put her hands on Lucian''s chest, trying to seduce him.

 Chapter 240 A Couples Quarrel

    "If there is nothing else to do, I will go back first, ok?" He promised Amelia that he would not get drunk again the last time he had a wild night. But, he still got her upset by spending all night out.


    "Lucian!" Sasha grabbed him by the shoulders. She came around in front of him and told him, "If Amelia asks about last night, don''t tell her that you''ve met me, all right?"


    Lucian groaned. He was battling a heavy hangover. He didn''t have the patience to listen to this woman.


    "Listen to me, I''m not interested in interfering with your sense of freedom. But, I''m warning you, don''t try to use the same trick again!" Despite his sorry state, Lucian could effectively see who Sasha really was. She wasn''t as attractive on the inside as she was on the outside. So, he left right after.


    Wearing her slip dress, Sasha could only watch him leave. She wasn''t pleased with this. Lucian had warned her, and she had already annoyed him. She always felt ugly when men would leave her like this in the morning.


    Downstairs in the shiny hotel lobby, Lucian called Eric to pick him up. He was offered a coffee by a friendly male attendant, but he declined. He just wanted to get out of there.


    "Boss, where should I take you? Are you going to the Zhan Group''s offices or to SJ Garden?" Eric didn''t look back at Lucian in the eye, but just in his general direction.


    Sitting on the cream, leather backseat, Lucian closed his eyes and replied with a sigh, "Drive to the SJ Garden." As normal, a business newspaper and a bottle of water were provided for him in the back of the car. He normally didn''t even touch them. But, that morning, he drank the entire water bottle in one swig.


    As he didn''t go back last night, he had to go home this morning.


    "But..." Eric had to be careful how to word his concern.


    "What? Spit it out!" Lucian wondered what Eric had to sa


    ence.


    He couldn''t waste his time thinking too much of that. So, he shook his head and entered the office.


    He put in his wireless headset and asked Eric to bring the documents over to his office right away. He could now focus on this situation at hand.


    "As Mrs. Amelia''s father is currently incarcerated, we went to the correctional facilities to visit him. So, he had a few words to say about her past..."


    As Eric reported to Lucian, Lucian opened the sealed bag. He looked like a child on Christmas morning opening his gifts.


    Reading over the documents, Lucian''s face froze. Suddenly, he blinked and re-read what he saw, as his mind processed the information.


    "What''s wrong, Mr. Lucian?" Eric was alarmed that Lucian looked so shook from reading the document.


    Lucian''s hands started to tremble, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He started to repeat in disbelief, "It''s impossible! It''s impossible!"


    Tossing the documents on the desk, he arose from the chair, picked up his coat and left the office without saying anything.


    Eric scrambled to collect the documents scattered on the table, put them back into the folder and the sealed bag. He ran outside to follow Lucian.


    "Mr. Lucian, please don''t worry about anything. We will investigate Mrs. Amelia''s background in more detail if it''s not sufficient." Eric had assumed that the information he found was going to be useless, so he misread Lucian''s reaction.


    "No more investigations!" Lucian had turned around, his tone was final. He stood still breathing heavily from his chest, looking at Eric.


    Eric was confused. Why would Lucian not want us to continue with this investigation? But, he knew better than to ask any more questions.


    "Eric, I need you to help me with some business issues. I have some personal affairs to deal with right now." Lucian then left the company.

 Chapter 241 Reconciliation

    Lucian couldn''t remember how he left the office. The moment he got in the car, he felt as if all his strength and energy had been drained.


    He clearly remembered what was said on the document and all he could think of was his chest tightening as every second passed.


    In the police station at the city.


    "Is the information you provided true or false?" Lucian''s cold voice rung through the glass window.


    Vernon was terribly sick¡ªhis face pale and his cheeks hollow. He couldn''t stop coughing even as he nodded to answer Lucian''s question.


    Fists clenched tightly, Lucian stared at Vernon through the glass window. "What if this is just your way to get revenge?"


    Vernon stopped coughing and chuckled. "This isn''t revenge. This is destiny. This is retribution."


    Vernon''s voice gave him away¡ªit was full of pain and resentment. This did not go unnoticed by Lucian.


    Lucian finally knew why Vernon was so cruel to Iris and Amelia.


    However, Lucian couldn''t believe that the reason would be his own father.


    "If you''re still suspicious, you shouldn''t have come to me. You should have used the most effective method -- paternity testing," Vernon said emotionlessly.


    Lucian suddenly fell silent. A mixture of nervousness and distress arose in his chest.


    He didn''t know what he would do if he found out that it was indeed true. How could he ever handle a situation like that?


    Amelia had heard that the ocean had a calming effect to the


    y, "She was probably very busy today. She had to cook and take care of Mark. Normally, her cooking doesn''t taste like this."


    Undoubtedly, Lucian grew upset at this.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I''m the one who cooked these dishes," Lucian finally admitted.


    "You cooked these?" In utter shock, Amelia returned her gaze to the food on the table. Nodding, she said, "Well, it really does look like you''re the one who cooked these."


    "I didn''t expect you would be so harsh..." Lucian didn''t expect this of Amelia so he brushed her off and said, "Well, just make do with it. Wash it down with red wine if you really can''t stand it."


    He spoke so fast that Amelia could tell how embarrassed he was.


    She raised her wine glass, looking at him sincerely and eagerly, "Mr. Lucian, thank you, really."


    As she recalled the couple she came across today, she realized that she couldn''t let this cold war between them continue or else, it would consume the love and trust they had for each other.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I shouldn''t have spoken to you in that tone. I shouldn''t have doubted you..." Lucian said remorsefully.


    Although Amelia''s past was still a mystery to him, he decided to let that go for now. At that moment, he just wanted to have a nice meal with his wife.


    "Thank you for admitting your mistakes." Amelia wasn''t really mad anymore the moment she returned home.


    Her mood also greatly improved when she found out that Lucian had cooked dinner for her.

 Chapter 242 The Terrible Result

    Amelia almost drained her glass. Lucian just stared at her in awe.


    "It''s okay for you to drink like this in front of me. But if I''m not around, never do it, okay?" Lucian warned Amelia. He sounded righteous but his voice was also full of concern.


    Amelia nodded happily. She was already a little drunk and the effect of alcohol was very apparent as her face turned red. She looked like a beautiful rose under the light.


    In Lucian''s eyes, she was a woman full of feminine charm.


    Lucian stood up without taking his gaze away from Amelia. He came to her and hugged her.


    The warmth of their love spread all throughout the bedroom in an instant. The smell of fragrant flowers seemed to envelope the whole room. It felt like there was no one else in the world but them. They were enjoying every moment together.


    The next day, Amelia woke up without Lucian beside her. Maybe, he got up earlier than her. When she tried to move, she felt her body aching all over. She felt like she was beaten up by ten horses.


    Amelia struggled for several times before she was able to barely stand up. She went to the bathroom to wash her face. But when she saw her reflection on the mirror, she noticed the hickeys all over her body. When she remembered what happened last night, she suddenly felt embarrassed and blushed.


    Amelia saw Lily making breakfast in the kitchen when she went downstairs so she made her way to the living room and played with Mark. But when Lily saw her in the living room, she took off her apron and ran to her.


    "Mrs. Amelia, have you and Mr. Lucian already made up?" she asked worriedly.


    When she saw that Amelia was smiling, she felt relieved. Then she said with a smile, "I know it!" She unintentionally saw the red mark on Amelia''s neck so she immediately covered her face out of shyness. "The evidence is irrefutable!" she exclaimed.


    Amelia felt so embarrassed as well. She tried to cov


    home, Amelia had already finished preparing dinner. She looked at the clock and she wondered why Lucian hadn''t arrived yet.


    "Mrs. Amelia, is Mr. Lucian having a business dinner tonight?" Lily also looked at the time on her watch. It was already almost midnight.


    Amelia couldn''t help heaving a deep sigh. She also didn''t know what happened. Before Lucian left this morning, he told her that they would be having dinner together. But now, he didn''t even answer his phone. "Lucian''s phone is off so I can''t contact him. Let''s go eat dinner first."


    Amelia got more depressed when they had finished eating dinner but there was still no sign of Lucian.


    She didn''t give up and kept calling him. Unfortunately, his phone was still off.


    A few minutes later, Eric called Amelia to inform her that Lucian was in a dinner party. He also said that if Lucian couldn''t come home tonight, he would find a hotel for him to sleep.


    Amelia felt bad when she heard of the word hotel.


    It reminded her of Sasha''s complacent laugh over the phone last time.


    But she did her best to get rid of those unpleasant ideas. So to divert her mind, she went upstairs to coax Mark to sleep.


    Eric was right. Lucian didn''t come home that night. Amelia thought that he would be coming home early in the morning but he still didn''t show up until she left for the flower shop.


    When she returned from the shop in the afternoon, she had expected to see Lucian at home. But Lily said that he hadn''t come back the whole day. Amelia hastily called his number but there was still no answer.


    "Lily, please take care of Mark. I need to go to the Zhan Group now." Amelia didn''t wait for Lily''s reply and she went out in a hurry.


    During the past month, they almost didn''t have any conflict or misunderstanding. Lucian had been so nice to her. She couldn''t think of any reason why Lucian wouldn''t come home so she got more and more worried.

 Chapter 243 How Should I Face You

    Amelia arrived at the Zhan Group building, which was silent save for the faint noises of people on duty going about their work.


    Considering the privilege of unlimited access to his office that Lucian had given her on a previous occasion, she didn''t have to make an appointment to be able to visit him at work. The guard on duty let her pass unimpeded and respectfully greeted her.


    The air inside the CEO''s office on the top floor was acrid with cigarette smoke that permeated to the hallway.


    When she pushed on the door to let herself in, Amelia couldn''t believe the sight that greeted her.


    One would never think that this was a CEO''s office judging from its state of disarray. Empty wine bottles were piled up on the floor, and Amelia bent and picked them up, tiding stuff here and there while looking for her husband.


    She found Lucian immobile on the leather sofa, dead drunk and seemingly fast asleep.


    "Lucian?" Amelia tried to call his name softly. Deep inside, she was beset with worry. ''What''s wrong with Lucian?''


    Lucian stirred a little and said, "Didn''t I say that no one is allowed to come in?"


    She could detect a hint of anger in his voice, but he didn''t even lift an eyelid to express his annoyance.


    "Come on, Lucian, let''s go home..." Amelia knew that when Lucian was feeling pressured at work, he tended to knock back a drink or two to unwind. How stressed was he that he was able to finish all of these wine bottles?


    Carrying someone as tall and built as Lucian was an exercise in futility for someone as comparatively small as Amelia. She attempted to do so but failed over and over.


    "Let me go!" Lucian shook off Amelia''s hand. In his drunken state, he muttered in a voice full of anguish, "Why? Why are you doing this to me?"


    Amelia was struck by the loneliness of that question. "Lucian, forget everything that has happened in the past. I''m here, and I always will be." Amelia gritted her teeth and heaved with all her might in a fina


    had rarely mentioned his mother in front of Nicholas. There must be a compelling reason for him to be asking this question now.


    "Why can''t you just answer me?" Lucian implored Nicholas, disappointment slowly registering on his face.


    The subject was like a locked door; the moment the gate was opened, the dust blew right in and got into his eyes, making it difficult to see.


    After some time, Nicholas replied, "It was different time then. We did not have the freedom to choose the ones that we married. Love was not on the table." Nicholas stared into the distance, as if he was recalling what had happened a long time ago.


    The indirect answer told Lucian all that he needed to know.


    His parents'' marriage had been arranged by their own parents, and love was out of the question.


    "Do you mean to say... you had affairs with other women outside of your marriage?" Lucian''s voice steadily rose with growing anger, and his eyes were ablaze.


    Upon hearing Lucian''s words, something clicked with Nicholas. He looked at Lucian for a while and asked with a smile, "Have the An family been telling preposterous tales again?"


    If only that were so. Lucian would rather deal with hysterical gossip from the An family, and he would have been thankful afterwards. Instead, the cold, harsh reality of the paternity test results was looming before him, and it was something he couldn''t run away from.


    How could he explain it to Nicholas? How could he tell him that Amelia was his father''s daughter out of wedlock? How could he tell him that he and his own wife were half siblings?


    Lucian was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He had always believed that he''s a strong man, and he never could have foreseen himself crumbling under the weight of this disaster.


    "The day has eyes, the night has ears!" With these cryptic words, Lucian left.


    He had always treated Nicholas with respect. This was the first time that he had been so disappointed and angry at his father.

 Chapter 244 An Awkward And Complicated Background

    Fiona''s sudden death had a devastating impact on Lucian. Furthermore, Nicholas lost both his legs in this same fire which forced Lucian to take over a company he had no plans of inheriting.


    "Lucian, if you had known about it all this time, why didn''t you tell me?" Nicholas exclaimed as he pushed his wheelchair towards Lucian. He tapped his cane aggressively on the floor and his face reddened with anger.


    Lucian paused when he heard this, his face expressionless.


    Even before he came to the Zhan mansion, Lucian wanted to adjust his state of mind so that he''d be able to resolve things properly. He didn''t want the fury inside of him to overburden his purpose.


    "Do you know a woman named Iris Liu?" Lucian asked, as Nicholas noticed a gradual change in his expression.


    "Iris Liu?" Nicholas let out in a whisper as he recollected his memories. "She... ...How do you know her?"


    His face stayed still when his thoughts spun around his head, while the timbre of his tone changed into a silent confusion.


    "Because she is Amelia''s mother," Lucian said in a calm, suppressed tone. His heart had been unsettled all this time.


    "Amelia''s mother?" Nicholas said with a stunned expression. It took some time for him to grapple his thoughts and come to his senses.


    Nicholas had an unblinking stare and his face kept still in an incredulous expression.


    Every breath Lucian took felt like cry of despair.


    He reflected on all the instances where he felt grateful and honored to be the man that Amelia called her husband, but it all seemed to be so ironic at this point.


    "I took a strand of your hair and brought it to a DNA testing center along with Amelia''s a few days ago. The results came out and the outcome was clear. You are Amelia''s father." Lucian was hesitant all this time, refusing to believe this fact. However, now that he had brought it up to Nicholas, there was no way he could deceive himself any longer. He was finally able to recognize that


    l?" Lucian wanted to unveil the actuality of the circumstance, but found himself lacking the courage to ask more.


    He had a flashback of the time when Jonny sneered as he talked about Fiona cheating on Nicholas in the past. Now, he was certain that it wasn''t merely an unwarranted rumor.


    ''How did Jonny know about this while I was oblivious this whole time?'' Lucian thought.


    He mistakenly believed that Jonny had deliberately made up such claims just to spite him. This misunderstanding even led to a massive dispute that caused a rift within their friendship.


    "Lucian, Amelia is not just your wife, but she is also part of our family. What is it you''re being so cautious about?" Nicholas asked with a frown, completely flustered with Lucian''s words.


    "Don''t you get it? It''s because Amelia is my wife that my heart feels heavy with sadness!" Lucian exclaimed as his voice escalated with distress.


    He was disheartened by the fact that he knew there was no way to cure the pain that would be felt whenever he thought of his relationship with Amelia.


    Shortly after, Fannie returned just in time to hear Lucian shouting and she stopped just outside the study, secretly eavesdropping on the conversation between the father and son.


    Moments later, when Darren came by looking to inform both Lucian and Nicholas of something, he was stopped by Fannie.


    Fannie was known in the Zhan mansion for her ferocious demeanor. Most people were afraid of her and Darren was of no exception as he immediately walked away when Fannie had given him a stern look.


    "Please tell me that you''ll be able to settle this matter peacefully. Promise me that you''ll avoid trouble and I will not contradict your decision; whether you want to fight or turn your back against me," Nicholas said with a compromising tone.


    "If I may ask, am I the antagonist in your story?" asked Lucian. In spite of all the wrath he felt towards his father, Lucian would never do anything to hurt him.

 Chapter 245 Amelia Is Innocent

    Although Fannie had just arrived, she could tell from their faces that there was an ongoing conflict between father and son.


    "Be kind to Amelia. She''s the mother of your child," Nicholas pleaded.


    The corners of Lucian''s lips formed a cold smile. He responded after a while, "Amelia is my wife, and Mark is my son. I don''t need your advice on how to treat them."


    Lucian was furious, but he still couldn''t help but feel warmth at the thought of his wife and child.


    Nicholas looked relieved.


    "Let''s talk about your past some other time. What you need to do now is focus on the more important things," Nicholas said in a low voice before Lucian could leave the study.


    But his words confused Lucian, who then looked at him with a quizzical brow. He asked, "Should we really postpone this for another time? Are we waiting for a special occasion?"


    Fannie, who was standing by the door of the study, involuntarily clasped her hands at the mention of Lucian''s past. The words made her feel extremely nervous. She felt cold beads of sweat running down her temple.


    She never thought that this day would come so soon.


    She heard the men mention Amelia''s name. She couldn''t help but wonder what on earth she had to do with the issue.


    "Amelia is not just your wife; she''s also my daughter. For the last twenty-six years, I haven''t done my duty to her as a father. I can only hope to make it up to her." Nicholas thought that Lucian was mentally strong enough to take in his sudden confession. After all, he still had vague memories of Fiona.


    "My mother may not have taken much care of me, but she''s still my mot


    r." To show him how glad she was, Amelia wanted to cook for Lucian personally.


    "I''m sure Mr. Lucian would appreciate that, Mrs. Amelia!" Lily said with a wide smile.


    Amelia was cooking in the kitchen when Lucian came down from the study.


    Seeing Lily playing with Mark, he casually told her to take the baby upstairs.


    It was obvious that he was trying to get her out of the room.


    Lily thought it strange that Lucian looked serious despite seeing Mark. He wasn''t smiling like usual, and he also didn''t ask to hold his son unlike before.


    Lily thought that there was a weird atmosphere in the room, so she stood up and followed Lucian''s orders. But before she left, she said, "Mrs. Amelia is making dinner in the kitchen."


    Lily thought that Amelia making dinner would make Lucian feel better.


    But contrary to her expectations, Lucian''s face went dark when he heard Amelia''s name.


    In the kitchen, Amelia was too focused on her cooking that she didn''t notice Lucian standing behind her.


    When she turned around, she was shocked to see her husband leaning against the kitchen door with his arms folded.


    Lucian didn''t intend to scare her. Seeing how terrified she was of his sudden appearance, he forced a smile and said, "You''re too absorbed in your cooking."


    Amelia blushed with embarrassment and gave him a shy smile. "Are you hungry? Dinner will be ready soon."


    Given her skill, Amelia was able to make several dishes in a short matter of time.


    As she set the table, Lucian watched her with mixed feelings.


    Regardless of what happened in the past, Amelia was the one person who''s innocent.

 Chapter 246 I Will Never Leave You Alone Again

    Amelia''s identity was so complicated that she couldn''t even live in peace. She was like a floating vessel that had no fixed point. Because of that, Lucian decided to keep everything a secret. He did it not only to protect Amelia but also for his own sake.


    Amelia was setting the table, getting ready for dinner. When she looked up, she found out that Lucian had been patiently waiting in the corner. She couldn''t help smiling and teasing him, "When Mr. Lucian is hungry, he can''t help acting like a child."


    Lucian couldn''t help fixing his eyes on his wife when he noticed her bright smile. Without saying anything, he walked up to her and held her quietly in his arms.


    Amelia didn''t expect her husband''s gesture so she was shocked.


    His being affectionate all of a sudden somehow frightened her. "I... My apron is oily..." she stammered.


    "That''s also your scent," replied Lucian shamelessly. The sweetness and the sexiness in his voice, and his warm breath tickled Amelia.


    She blushed out of embarrassment. They had been married for quite a while now but she realized that she still couldn''t deal with his honeyed words easily.


    "Let''s eat." She was so shy so she lowered her head and struggled out of his arms.


    But Lucian held her more tightly. She felt like she was stuck in the mud so she stopped resisting. It would be much better if she let Lucian do what he wanted to do.


    For some reason, Amelia felt a little strange. Lucian held her more and more tightly as if he was afraid of losing her any moment. She was confused all of a sudden.


    As a matter of fact, Lucian was seeking comfort from Amelia. He wanted to feel the warmth of her body to make sure that he was hugging her in the flesh. It was also his way of dispelling the


    lso sounded cold.


    Amelia froze. She really couldn''t understand Fannie''s real intention.


    "Mom, what do you really want to say?" All of a sudden, Amelia''s voice sounded so weak. Fannie once again reminded her of her mother and she couldn''t help feeling very sad especially when she remembered everything that her mother had gone through.


    At this time, the waiter came back with their order. While staring at the porridge, Fannie said, "Let''s eat first. Only when you have a full stomach that you can have the strength to grieve."


    It wasn''t clear if Fannie sounded comforting or vicious.


    Amelia took the spoon and had a bit of porridge. Fannie, on the other hand, was eating with appetite.


    After having two or three spoons of porridge, Amelia stopped eating.


    Fannie mentioning about her mom made her lose her appetite. She even found it difficult to swallow the porridge she put in her mouth.


    "Are you done?" Fannie asked when she noticed that Amelia wasn''t touching her food anymore. When Amelia didn''t answer, she also put down her spoon and said, "Listen to me carefully."


    Fannie''s expression became serious and Amelia suddenly felt scared.


    She had the intuition that Fannie was about to say something big and it was related to Iris.


    To calm herself down, she clasped her hands and sat straight. She was ready to listen no matter what it would be.


    "When I saw the picture of your mom that time, I hated it so I took it away. But you must actually thank me for what I did. Because if Nicholas happened to see that picture, your marriage with Lucian probably didn''t happen." Bewilderment was written all over Amelia''s face.


    "Why not?" Amelia didn''t have any idea what Fannie was talking about. She really couldn''t understand.

 Chapter 247 The Truth

    "As you are aware that you are not Vernon''s biological daughter, have you ever considered searching for your biological father?" Fannie was engaging Amelia to discuss this sensitive topic.


    Find her biological father, like a treasure hunt? She had thought about it, actually.


    When she learned that she was not Vernon''s biological daughter, she got really emotional.


    If Lucian wasn''t with her to provide her support, she could actually have passed out.


    But when Fannie mentioned this matter to her, she was reminded again that her father wasn''t her biological father.


    "Do you know who my biological father is?" She stared at Fannie with wide eyes, she felt breathless.


    "I not only know who he is, I was married to him for ten years," Fannie said and stared at Amelia. She was opening a box which had been shut for decades. The dust rose into the air.


    "You mean..." Amelia didn''t expect that curve ball to have just been thrown at her.


    As far as she understood, the only man Fannie had ever been married to for ten years was Nicholas.


    "The truth is much stranger than fiction, isn''t it? But, also I think that it''s quite exciting!" The maniacal smile that appeared on Fannie''s face made Amelia feel queasy.


    "But, what? How could that be..." Amelia shook her head virulently and sputtered, "If that''s the case, our baby Mark is..."


    She couldn''t even go there in her mind, for it was absurd. This was concocted by Fannie. She wouldn''t allow herself to be fooled by the old lady in this way.


    "What are you planning to do? Force me to leave Lucian next?" Amelia crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side, she now understood Fannie''s plan.


    Fannie casually reached into her handbag and took out a piece of paper. She placed it in front of Amelia. "I know you are thick-headed pe


    for her comment, he said, "So, you lack self-confidence, huh? If I really wanted to flirt with a beautiful girl, it wouldn''t be you, because you''re too silly!"


    Amelia didn''t respond, he didn''t seem to get the memo.


    "Would you like some?" The man passed over a bottle of soda water to Amelia, and stared at her face. His eyes were so blue, like the sky. Strange looking.


    Amelia reacted in an awkward way. After all, they didn''t know each other. She just shook her head rudely.


    "Go on! Drink it. You''re not going to die!" The man forced the soda into her hand. He wasn''t the type of take no for an answer. Pointing at the opposite coast, he explained, "Every afternoon, I come to exercise. I''ve seen you more than once around here."


    "Really? You''ve seen me before?" Amelia remembered that she had come here with Lucian about three times. Last time, she had come here because she was also in a bad mood. Hmm, was there a pattern here?


    "You know there was a woman who tried to commit suicide last time? You ran to the seaside so quickly. When I passed by, she called you a mistress." He pulled another soda out of his bag, and expertly cracked the top off. He drank half of it in one gulp.


    Amelia looked at him and swallowed as well, mirroring him. She reluctantly opened the soda and drank it.


    She actually hated carbonated drinks, her stomach felt as if someone just poured acid inside it. She ended up choking on it.


    "Don''t chug it like a beer!" The white man found it amusing to watch her struggle.


    But, he was right. It felt like she was drowning her sorrows with cheap boxed wine.


    "You know, I''d actually prefer it if I could get drunk." She sighed and grimaced bitterly.


    "It''s easy." The man suddenly stood up, he told her before leaving, "You stay here. I''ll be right back."

 Chapter 248 You Lack Exercise

    Amelia only found out how tall the man was when he stood up.


    As she didn''t want anything to do with him, she quickly took the chance to head towards her car quickly. Unfortunately, before she was able to reach it, the tall blonde man, who was holding a few bottles of frozen beer in his hand, had already caught up to her. Enthusiastically, he said, "Hey, you! Come drink!"


    The invitation confused Amelia. She turned to the guy and said impatiently, "I''m sorry, but we don''t know each other. What makes you think that I would drink with a stranger?"


    Even if the man was incredibly handsome, with the way he was acting towards her, Amelia would not hesitate to be rude to him.


    "I knew you''d say that," the blond man replied, chuckling. After he put the bottles on the ground, he looked at Amelia with an enchanting smile, stretched out his hand, and said in a quiet, sensual voice, "My name is Michael, thirty years old. Nice to meet you."


    This sudden development stunned Amelia and it made her face flush red. She didn''t know how to react, especially since she had decided she would not be nice to the man.


    But due to social graces, she had no other choice but to politely take his hand and shake it.


    "Thank God you are wearing flats," Michael remarked playfully as he looked at Amelia from head to toe. Then he turned to the endless island and asked, "Are you interested in running along the island?"


    Amelia looked at the direction Michael was staring at, and she found that the coast was stretching for miles and miles. Just by looking at it, she already felt tired.


    "No," she replied as she shook her head. With a polite smile she continued, "But thank you for your invitation. I''ll be on my way home now."


    "What? Don''t be boring, c''mon!" Michael joked. "We''ll never know how small this island is if we don''t run around it!" After saying that, he immediately grabbed Amelia''s hand and pulled


    ''s study.


    What Fannie said was right: she was not only the victim. ''Lucian was also one,'' she thought.


    Amelia could hardly imagine how Lucian reacted when he found out that he was not Nicholas'' biological son...


    When she learned from Vernon that she was not his biological daughter, she felt like the world was closing in on her.


    If it weren''t for Lucian, who accompanied, encouraged, and comforted her, she wouldn''t know where she would be and how long she would face that problem.


    She wanted to be there for him as he was once for her.


    The door of the study was slightly ajar. Amelia knocked gently, and after getting consent from Lucian to come in, she pushed the door open and walked in.


    After noticing that it was Amelia, Lucian closed the book that he was reading and stood up. Slowly he approached her, and when she was within arm''s length, he pulled her into a hug. He held her tightly without saying anything. After a while, he asked, with a worried tone, "Where did you go? I wasn''t able to call you."


    Amelia tried to hold back her tears, but she was failing miserably. With a tear streaming down her left cheek, she answered, "Sorry, my phone died. I forgot to charge it last night."


    "I understand. It''s good that you are back." Lucian released her and stroked her hair. He looked at her with eyes so tender and said, "Let''s go downstairs and have dinner."


    "I... just had some... " she said sheepishly, trying to avoid rejecting Lucian.


    "Eat more. Eat with me," Lucian stressed again.


    "You haven''t eaten yet?" Amelia looked at him in concern.


    Lucian shook his head and said, "I can''t eat all alone. Especially if you''re gone."


    While it sounded a bit exaggerated, Lucian was telling the truth.


    He firmly held Amelia by the shoulders. While he looked okay, his eyes were telling a different story: sadness was filling them, and it was yearning for someone to connect to.

 Chapter 250 What A Small World

    "Lucian, why are you home so early today?" Amelia asked softly when they were eating in the dining room. She was surprised because this was the first time that Lucian came home ahead of her.


    "I finish everything in the office early so I decided to go home," replied Lucian. Actually, he wasn''t really in the mood to work today so after dealing with a few important documents, he went home.


    He thought that he could see Amelia when he got home, but unfortunately she wasn''t there yet.


    Thinking that she must be at the flower shop, Lucian didn''t bother to call her. He knew that she was sometimes busy with her work there. However, he began to feel anxious when Amelia hadn''t returned yet when it was already dinnertime.


    He had cooked dinner for them. "You are getting better at cooking," commented Amelia.


    The truth was, Amelia didn''t know what to say. She was so nervous and she was afraid that she might say something wrong.


    She had finally understood why Lucian didn''t tell her the truth. Maybe they both lacked the courage to face the fact.


    "Why are you sweating?" Lucian noticed the beads of sweat on Amelia''s forehead so he handed her a tissue.


    "Why are you sweating a lot when the air conditioner is on?" asked Lucian again.


    Amelia felt a bit guilty when she saw the quizzical look on Lucian''s face. "I did some workout before I came home," she lied. She made a face and stuck out her tongue to make her lie more believable.


    "Eat first then take a shower after you get some rest."


    Amelia wasn''t sure if Lucian believed in her excuse but she just nodded obediently. It looked like Lucian was also absorbed in his own thoughts.


    But even though both of them were deep in thought, they still cared for each other. The love they had for each other was enough to still feel the warm even if they were sad.


    Amelia was tossing and turning in bed. She did her best to fall asleep but


    ldn''t ask you to go with me because you were busy so I decided to go alone. I just wanted to have some fresh air by the seashore. Who would have thought that someone would think that I was committing suicide?" she explained as she glared at Michael.


    "Yes, that''s right. I just totally misunderstood your wife yesterday," agreed Michael. He noticed Amelia''s sharp glare. If only looks could kill, Michael would have been dead now.


    "You two made me confused." Lucian shook his head helplessly.


    ""Lucian, did you..." Amelia was about to ask Lucian if he was hurt when he tripped this morning but she stopped when she remembered that Michael was still there. She thought, it wouldn''t be appropriate to ask the question with someone else around.


    "By the way Amelia, this is Michael. We were classmates when we studied abroad. We''re also at the same age. He owns some restaurant chains here in our country." "Hello," greeted Amelia as she nodded politely.


    "The Zhan Group also takes part in the catering industry. I hope we can also do business with you in the future," she added innocently.


    "Huh! Now I''m curious why the excellent Lucian married a woman like you. What business are you talking about?" Michael deliberately teased her in front of Lucian.


    "My wife is actually a very simple woman." Lucian corrected Michael''s words and looked at Amelia dotingly.


    Amelia understood what Lucian meant. She was a person who disliked the business world so he didn''t involve her in his job.


    There was a time when the Zhan Group was in danger and Amelia remorsefully blamed herself for not being able to help. However, Lucian told her that he preferred her naivety and someone like her would be very difficult to find. In short, Lucian liked her the way she was and she didn''t need to pretend to be someone else. Because of that, she could rest assured that Lucian''s love for her was pure and genuine.

 Chapter 250 Dont Give A Good Look

    She did not expect that Lucian would comfort her so dearly, especially that time.


    Amelia knew that Lucian''s family expected him to marry a wealthy woman from another elite family. But she was not such a lady.


    "Should I get going? Oh, it pains me so much to see how sweet your love has grown," Michael said as he held his chest. He mustered a terribly miserable expression.


    Michael had always been a good actor. Had Amelia not seen his frivolous side, she would have surely fallen for his antics.


    "Do you want me to call Sasha for you?" Lucian teased back, sporting a wide confident smile.


    ''Sasha? Michael knows Sasha?'' thought Amelia.


    She just met Sasha in the elevator, who was wearing a complacent expression.


    "Oh no, please don''t. Sasha is a fierce woman. She would eat me up," Michael complained. He winked at Amelia and said, "If you need a playmate whenever Lucian is too busy, you can always come to me. We can run the whole island together."


    Amelia had no answer for that, but she was sure to give Michael a cold hard look.


    "Honey, Michael is only teasing. Look, he and his Chinese mom stayed in America for his American dad. Michael grew up abroad, and so his sense of humor is different. Please, don''t be offended." Lucian knew that Amelia would not be amused by such remarks from Michael. At some point, Lucian knew he needed to reassure Amelia.


    Amelia shook her head and said, "Fine, I won''t mind him then. Anyways, I only came here for you, hon."


    Touched by Amelia''s sweet words, Lucian hugged her tightly and kissed her forehea


    nk.


    It seemed clear to Amelia why Sasha was so eager to answer the phone.


    She was already Michael''s girlfriend then, and was with Lucian and Michael at that time.


    To Amelia, it seemed like Sasha still had feelings for Lucian, so she had provoked Amelia on the phone.


    That thought made Amelia feel sorry for Michael.


    "Little sister-in-law, let''s go to the reception room and wait for Lucian and Sasha to get off work." "I feel like a bum," Michael added.


    Amelia had a good impression on Michael. Although he could be quite aggressive, they actually had a nice time at the island.


    "Mr. Michael, you do not need to go to some office to make money. Only a hobo would not have that opportunity!" Amelia quipped with a smile.


    "Wow, look at you. I thought you were cold. I never thought you can be so humorous." Michael stirred the coffee with his fingers. He smiled and asked, "So, you and Lucian, was it marriage before love?"


    Questions about Lucian made her excited. She managed a smile and said, "We fell in love first."


    "But you guys got married so quickly." Taking a sip of coffee, Michael revealed a promise that Lucian broke. "He told me that he would tell me if he were to marry. Sadly, I learned your marriage from Sasha, and only after Mark was born," Michael said in a fully sad tone.


    "Don''t you watch the Chinese news? That must be why you knew so late," Amelia said with great curiosity. News about Lucian''s marriage was reported everywhere. Although the news focused on Amelia''s background, the news circulated throughout the region.

 Chapter 252 My Mother Taught Me

    "Aren''t you a clever one? Lucian did mention that he was fond of your feistiness." Michael didn''t expect Amelia to retaliate so soon, but he was also pleased with her response.


    "I sense scorn in your words. Are you trying to test my wits?" Amelia assumed that he was unimpressed by her statement.


    As Michael looked into Amelia''s angelic eyes, he couldn''t get himself to find malice in her. "You have a pleasantness that even Sasha doesn''t have," he said.


    Amelia couldn''t grasp how he could demean his own girlfriend in front of her, especially after what she had told him.


    "Isn''t beauty found only in the eyes of the beholder? Your words don''t amuse me whatsoever. In fact, I find it all the more hypocritical," she said. Despite the fact that Amelia wasn''t fond of Sasha, she still empathized towards her even after what Michael had said about her.


    "I''m just being honest here," Michael said with a smirk as he laid his coffee cup down on the table. He then glanced at his phone to check the time and continued, "Lucian just messaged me that he''s completed his work and will be here soon."


    Michael was smart to end this foolish conversation then and there. By this point Amelia had her eyebrows crinkled in annoyance and was ready to lash out on him for his imbecilic behavior.


    "You and Lucian really are the perfect couple." Michael jested at Amelia as he stood up.


    Amelia''s eyes displayed confusion, but she responded quickly, "You''re quite observant. I''ll take what you said as a compliment."


    Michael burst into laughter as he shook his head and continued to express admiration towards her intelligence.


    In fact, Amelia found it a bit over the top that Michael had chosen such a fancy restaurant for a simple lunch.


    As they stepped onto the long red carpet that led into a lavishly luxurious restaurant with a palace-like structure, the waiters lined up uniformly along both


    ry throat.


    One of the biggest things that Iris had passed down to Amelia was her technique of making the most delicious noodles.


    Amelia knew that Iris had always been known to be a wonderful cook. She wasn''t just simply fond of Iris'' cooking, she was also able to learn how to make her special noodles.


    Amelia had spent all her life trying a variety of noodles from different places around the country. However, none of them could match the unique flavors that existed in Iris'' special noodles.


    Perhaps, it was the love that was put into each bowl of noodles she made that made it so special.


    When Amelia was making breakfast for Nicholas, she suddenly felt some distress as she remembered the DNA test report that Fannie had taken the other day. As she thought of her mother, she couldn''t help but make the special bowl of noodles that Iris taught her for Nicholas to try.


    It took almost half an hour for Nicholas to finish his bowl, but throughout that time, Amelia had no clue what was on Nicholas'' mind.


    When he was finished, Nicholas looked at the bowl and with a pensive tone, he said, "This bowl of noodles has brought back a memory from the past that I thought was long dead and gone."


    Amelia blankly stared at Nicholas, surprised by his response.


    She wondered if his reason for visiting her today was to confirm the truth once and for all.


    Didn''t Fannie say the other day that both Nicholas and Lucian were afraid of her finding out the truth? ''I suppose Nicholas realized that it would be foolish to tell me the truth as it would only make me feel more resentful towards him.''


    As Amelia contemplated these thoughts, Nicholas came to her and said, "Your mother must be an amazing cook!"


    It was only then that Amelia confirmed her doubts about the fact that Iris had cooked for Nicholas before, or else he wouldn''t have reacted in this way towards a bowl of noodles.

 Chapter 252 You Are Not Good At Acting

    With a deep breath and eyes solely fixed on Nicholas in his wheelchair, Amelia succeeded to answer in a composed tone, "I can cook because Mom had taught me well."


    She was defending Iris in her heart, so when she said it, her tone though calm was also proud and angry.


    Nicholas suddenly fell into silence. He took his time and contemplated while he looked at the ground before he finally composed himself and lifted his head to look at Amelia with apologetic eyes and politely said, "It was not easy for your mother. She must be very happy to have a daughter as considerate as you."


    When she was a child, her mother attended, escorted, and guided her alone, and Vernon treated her indifferently. Back then, she had no idea why her father had been so cold to her. But since she knew the truth, she seemed to somehow know the answer.


    "Dad, do you want to see Mark? He''s here." Wanting to change the topic, Amelia turned her head and saw Lily, who was already carrying Mark downstairs. She smiled, relieved to have changed the subject that made both of them uneasy.


    Nicholas glanced their way and saw them too. He said with a happy face, not feeling dispirited all of a sudden,


    "Oh! Come here, my little boy. Hug Grandpa!" Nicholas reached out his hands to his grandson as Lily carried Mark to him. Finally, a smile appeared on his formerly forlorn face.


    Nicholas held Mark in his arms as if he had picked up a treasure. He played with the child and said while laughing, "Ah, God really listens. This little one solved all the difficult problems effortlessly."


    Although lost and unaware of what he could have meant, Amelia just guessed that in this awkward relationship, Mark was the best incentive.


    "Dad, you talked strangely today," Amelia said with a faint smile, trying to catch his emotions whi


    ed from the hospital, Fannie came to pick him up. When she saw Amelia in the corridor, she pulled her and said abruptly, "Let''s talk."


    "Lucian is going through the discharge formalities for dad. So I''m going to see dad. If you have anything to say, just tell me now," answered Amelia. Amelia knew what Fannie wanted and that the sole purpose of the conversation was to hurt her.


    "While he''s in the hospital, I went to his study and found the letter that your mother wrote to him many years ago. Maybe that letter can clear your doubts and questions." Although Fannie had always been mean, her serious words and the letter attracted the attention of Amelia.


    "You can just give it to me," Amelia said, not getting why Fannie wanted to even talk to her privately when she could just give her the letter.


    "Oh, come on. You don''t have to be suspicious of me all the time. I won''t eat you up. I just do what I want!" Holding the foxed letter, Fannie swung it in front of Amelia. She smiled smugly and said, "Iris'' handwriting is not familiar to you, is it? This letter looks very old. And besides, who else do you know got to call Nicholas his nickname other than your charming mother?"


    Since they were in the hospital, Fannie''s voice was not loud, but every word was like a knife, directly stabbing Amelia in the heart. It was a calm war she struggled to compose herself from.


    Amelia wouldn''t allow someone to slander her mother, no matter what happened to her.


    She always believed that what Iris gave her was the kindest and most beautiful of all. She would never give up the belief that the accusations against her mother were all lies.


    The foxed letter of age drew the attention of Amelia.


    Since Fannie was willing to show her a piece of evidence, she must think that the letter could threaten her.

 Chapter 253 Whats Wrong With You

    Indeed, Amelia considered everything Iris left behind when she passed away as valuable treasures.


    Letting it go was hard for Amelia, and after she hesitated for a while, she decisively agreed with Fannie.


    Amelia thought while Lucian was dealing with discharge formalities of the hospital, she would have a word with Fannie to settle things out. Before leaving, she specially requested the nurse of Nicholas to look after him.


    Then they went to the hospital rooftop.


    "Tell me, what do you want from me?" After she arrived at the rooftop, Amelia did not bother to go around in circles and asked straight to the point.


    During that time, it was still early in the morning, so even it was summer and the sun was strong, the wind on the rooftop was quite cool.


    Amelia arranged her hair in the back of her ears. She looked at Fannie with her eyes partially closed, waiting for her conditions.


    "Great. I am looking forward to a deal after I make some conditions." A curve formed on Fannie¡¯s lips, these words came out of her mouth, "My conditions are very simple. First, you can keep Mark here and leave Lucian forever. Second, you can live with Lucian, but you will not have any right to inherit the property of the Zhan Group! Choose wisely."


    After stating the requests, she seemed to have issued a military order which could never be disobeyed with blank expression on her face.


    Gazing at Fannie¡¯s serious face, Amelia took a deep breath.


    Fannie was intimidated, she was worried that Amelia might take over Lucian¡¯s right of inheritance of the Zhan Group.


    In her mind, Fannie was fully aware that Amelia would not leave Lucian easily, so she g


    dle myself on the way home."


    After those words came out of her mouth, Amelia walked downstairs without looking back. She did not pay attention to Lucian¡¯s facial expression, her head was occupied by the sound of her shattering heart.


    In front of the hospital building, she bumped into Shelly and Emma whom she had not seen for a long time.


    Lucian informed Amelia that Shelly had been taken to the police station for several days.


    "I am sorry Amelia..." Shelly said with sincerity. With all the courage she gathered, she did not try to avoid the meeting with her to personally apologize.


    In the past, she used to be self-willed and arrogant, but now she swallowed her pride. It could be seen in the gentle expression on her face.


    Amelia hoped she was not just imagining the scene in front of her. She nodded politely and laid her eyes on Emma. "Godmother."


    After Amelia experienced something unpleasant in the An mansion, she hardly communicated with Jonny. As a result, it made visiting Emma nearly impossible.


    Emma gave a warmhearted smile which radiated a refreshing aura.


    "Amelia..." Emma replied not as casual as she used to be. She walked up towards Amelia and asked forgiveness. "I am sincerely sorry for what happened last time."


    Amelia got the message that she was feeling guilty for the fact that Jonny forced her to stay with him last time.


    "It¡¯s all in the past. Let¡¯s not talk about it." Amelia shook her head with a sense of relief. Inside her heart, she did not hold any grudge against Emma. She kept in mind that Jonny wanted to take advantage of her last time. If Emma did not arrive in time, she would been hurt by Jonny.

 Chapter 254 The Past

    "Amelia, I am aware that what I did is unforgivable, and I can''t ask for your forgiveness. But I really have to at least apologize to you," Shelly said as she stepped forward and bowed sincerely to Amelia.


    Amelia was surprised with what Shelly did and said, but she said nothing. At length, she decided to eventually leave. "Go inside. I need to return home."


    "Amelia, I hope that there is something in the future that I can do in order to make up for the stupid and mean things that I did to you," Shelly said in an apologetic tone of voice just as Amelia was about to leave.


    Amelia''s face didn''t change although she paused to hear what Shelly had to say. She didn''t say anything after Shelly finished speaking, and instead proceeded to the parking lot.


    "Good girl," Emma said in a gentle voice. She approached Shelly quietly after Amelia got into the car. Shelly watched Amelia silently until she drove away.


    "I understand that you are doing this for your son, but I feel less pressure now after saying that to her," Shelly replied back to Emma in a tone of indifference.


    "You''re both my dear children. I will never be biased to any of you," Emma said as she gently stroked Shelly''s face and smiled at her.


    "Didn''t you say that you wanted to see aunt Fannie? Let''s go inside," Shelly suggested in her regular tone of voice. Her expression did not change but what Emma said touched her deeply and it made her think about a lot of things that she took for granted before.


    Emma nodded to the suggestion. Her smile never faded from her lips as she followed Shelly. Her expression changed when she suddenly remembered something. "When you hurt Amelia in the past, was your aunt Fannie behind any of it?" Emma asked in her usual gentle tone of voice.


    The words spoken by Emma made Shelly pause. Her face suddenly turned white as


    starting line of the letter surprised her. She never expected that it would begin with the words, "Amelia, my daughter." The words unleashed a flood of emotions in her heart.


    It was the kind of pain that made her feel helpless.


    After she finished reading the letter, tears immediately filled her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.


    She never expected Vernon to feel sorry for the insults that he made to her and to her mother, Iris.


    In his letter, he explained why he was angry with her that made him tell her that she was an adopted child. According to his letter, the company of the Mo family had almost gone out of business. He became stressed with coming up with a plan to keep the business afloat. He then came up with the idea to apply for a loan with the Zhan Group but Amelia''s unwillingness to help made all the anger in his heart explode at her and that made him say all those terrible words to her.


    He then disclosed the circumstances that surrounded her true identity. He explained that he was both young and impulsive, but he really did love Iris so much. He became angry when Iris used his love for her to hide the result of her affair.


    Iris didn''t have to lie to him to get safe haven. He was more than willing to accept her if only she told him everything from the start.


    Vernon also said that he went back to Iris in order to calm her down. But he slept with Sophia for one night before he came back. Even though Sophia became pregnant, Vernon was ready to return to their family without hesitation. He thought that everything would go back to normal afterwards and that they would be happy, but he never expected to be a laughingstock.


    Vernon said the same thing as Sophia, confirming her story. He said that Iris started to see her lover once more after she gave birth to Amelia. This drove them apart once more.

 Chapter 255 The Entire Story

    Vernon had never known that the man he mentioned in his letter was Nicholas. They had dinner together at the same table and even played chess before, but he wasn''t able to discover that the mysterious man was Nicholas.


    Amelia felt that the weight in her heart got heavier. She sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at Mark who was sleeping soundly. A bitter smile appeared on her face.


    A few moments later, she went downstairs and looked for Lily. She planned to visit Vernon at the police station so she asked Lily to take care of Mark.


    When she arrived at the police station, a policeman escorted her to the visiting area intended for family members.


    The moment she saw Vernon, she couldn''t help feeling sorry for him. Although a thick glass wall was separating them, she could tell from his looks that he wasn''t feeling well.


    Vernon was so emaciated that Amelia thought he could even hardly stand. He had been through a lot in the past years so his health was badly affected.


    Amelia stared at him for a long time through the glass wall. She then picked up the receiver without taking her eyes away from him.


    "You have finally decided to see me," said Vernon first.


    His voice was low and hoarse. Amelia held the phone tight as she suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She tried to fight back her tears after hearing Vernon''s voice.


    Although he gave her a reproachful look, his hoarse voice sounded quite kind.


    Amelia had never liked crying in front of others. However this time, she felt like her heart was going to explode so she just burst into tears all of a sudden.


    When Vernon saw the tears in her eyes, he got nervous. He was worried that Amelia would be upset so he explained calmly, "Don''t get me wrong. I am truly happy that


    loved his wife or not, it was his responsibility to protect and take care of his own family.


    "I''m sorry for your mother..." Nicholas couldn''t finish his sentence because he once again coughed more fiercely.


    Amelia started to boil in anger. After everything he had done, all he could say was sorry? That was not what Amelia wanted to hear.


    "I went to see my father just now, and he already told me everything. Are you still going to deny the truth for the sake of your image?" She wanted to condemn Nicholas. She felt more disappointed because it seemed that Nicholas was still protecting his image until now that was why he wouldn''t tell her what really happened back then.


    "It was all my fault, I admit that. That''s why I feel so sorry for all of you." Nicholas started to admit his mistakes and blamed himself. He was still coughing a lot and his face had started to turn red.


    Despite her anger, Amelia couldn''t afford to look at Nicholas struggling with cough so she handed him the glass of water from the bedside table. He felt a bit better after draining the whole glass.


    Silence enveloped the entire room for a short while before Nicholas started to talk about the past.


    For him, meeting Iris was the most beautiful accident in his life.


    It made Amelia feel more uncomfortable.


    He met Iris in a high-end bar. This was the kind of place where most rich young men went to find something interesting and entertaining. That time, he was very dissatisfied with his arranged marriage so he went to the bar with his friends to have fun. Iris happened to sell drinks there.


    One of his friends found Iris beautiful so he proposed a bet. He said that whoever among them could get her phone number would be treated by the others to a month''s feast.

 Chapter 257 No More Promises

    Nicholas didn''t have much interest in food but if it was involved in his personal affairs, he would not let it go. It was almost every man''s instinct to not give up on a challenge.


    He then launched an attack and set his plan in motion. He started by either buying all the drinks that Iris recommended, or giving her a huge tip.


    He even pretended to run into her by chance on her way home.


    With such dedication and persistence, no woman could get away from this hot pursuit. He continued to pursue Iris by sweet words and gestures concealing the fact that he was already married. As a result, his efforts were not in vain and Iris eventually fell in love with him. They were so happy that they couldn''t withstand the thought of being away from each other.


    "So you mean to say that my mother had an affair?" Amelia''s cold voice broke the silence. The dread atmosphere in the room made it hard for anyone to breathe.


    "I didn''t mean that." Nicholas suddenly became very nervous. He hastily explained, "It''s all my fault. I loved your mother so much at that time and made a lot of promises to her..."


    This explanation did not make Amelia feel any better. On the contrary, she felt that Nicholas and Iris had betrayed their families at the same time.


    "My mother didn''t tell you..." She wanted to know whether Nicholas knew about the existence of her, but she couldn''t ask anymore.


    Nicholas understood what Amelia wanted to know. He explained slowly, "I knew your mother was pregnant, but she insisted that the baby was not mine. At that time, all I could do to help was to give her some money, but she didn''t take it..."


    "What a pity! Do you think you can use money to buy people?" Amelia couldn''t help but


    servant asked her if she would stay in the mansion to have meal, but she declined and left.


    She was usually not like how she had acted today. Therefore, under her indifferent expression, the servants suddenly became afraid to approach her.


    In fact, she really wanted to go to the hospital to see Lucian. She was worried and even hoped that she could take his place. However, learning the truth from Nicholas made her flustered that she didn''t know how to face him.


    If she was innocent, then Lucian was the victim.


    Nicholas had never mentioned anything about Lucian''s background, and Lucian was aware that he was not Nicholas'' biological son. He still acted strong and seemed to swallow all the bitterness in order to protect the joy of the family.


    Amelia looked at Darren and was too angry to say anything.


    "I have to go back to the SJ Garden first." Amelia shook her head and felt worried. Darren naturally understood and before he could leave, she ordered, "Could you help me find someone to replace Lucian?"


    "Please rest assured, Mrs. Amelia. I won''t let Mr. Lucian overwork. And it''s Mr. Nicholas'' decision," Darren answered. He then bowed to her respectfully and left.


    Amelia had still not entered the car for a long time. She stood in a daze even though Darren had already left. She looked around the villa which was surrounded by mountains and rivers as quietly as a hermit, but her heart was filled with uneasiness.


    Upon returning to the SJ Garden, she thought that all the troubles would disappear as soon as she saw Mark, but her worry for Lucian still lingered. Her heart was constantly aching.


    Although she didn''t mean to hurt Fannie, her injury did have something to do with her.

 Chapter 257 Why Are You Be Like This

    She took a few quick bites of her lunch and brought some of Lucian''s favorites out with her.


    "Mrs. Amelia, actually Mr. Lucian returned earlier..." Lily stuttered before Amelia could step out of the door.


    Amelia blinked in surprise. "Did he say anything?" she asked.


    Lily became uneasy after being asked. She darted her eyes to the floor, trying to avoid eye contact with Amelia.


    She didn''t intend to tell this to Amelia at first. It just happened that her mouth slipped. Now that Lily brought this on herself, Amelia''s silence drove her on the edge. Amelia didn''t say anything yet, but she looked like she had something on her mind.


    "It seems that Mr. Lucian... It seems that he took your mother''s photo when he headed out..." Lily muttered. The room with Iris'' photo displayed on an altar was maintained daily by Lily. Lucian specifically instructed her to burn some incense and keep the room tidy. But when she went to clean the quarters earlier, she couldn''t find the photo.


    Nobody entered the room except for Lucian. Lily mentally recalled that he returned home half past ten. He appeared to be preoccupied with something. So, she guessed that it must be Lucian who took it.


    "What did you say?" Amelia felt her chest tighten. She didn''t believe what she just heard. "You mean Lucian took my mother''s portrait?" she asked.


    "Yes!" Lily nodded deeply. Before she could say anything, Amelia left the room.


    It was already lunch time. The sky was dull, thick rain clouds were rolling in.


    Amelia felt robbed as she thought of how her cherished treasure was taken away without her consent. S


    erything she said. She shouldn''t be this emotional, but it was difficult to fight the feeling.


    She knew exactly how hard Lucian''s life was, but she also couldn''t help but throw a tantrum on him.


    Soon, Lucian returned with Iris'' portrait with him.


    Amelia snatched it away and removed the black cloth wrapping around it. Iris was still there with a gentle smile on her lips.


    Without a care of Lucian''s presence, she held Iris'' portrait tightly in her arms. Like a lost child, she began to sniffle, fighting the urge to sob.


    Before Amelia''s knees could give out, Lucian bent down in an attempt to reach out his hand and help her up. However, she was vigilant. Amelia didn''t want him to touch her.


    "If you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me off. You can even curse me." Lucian softened up watching Amelia shed tears. He felt that it was reasonable for Amelia to say something spiteful.


    But his words didn''t soothe Amelia. It only broke her.


    Remembering that they were in public, she wiped her tears and stood up abruptly. She looked down at him and cried, "Don''t show my mother''s photo to anyone. It is an insult!"


    Amelia recalled the words she overheard from Fannie earlier. She remembered the fury that surged in her that time. But when she thought about how she still couldn''t protect her mother that time, she sighed feebly.


    She didn''t want her mother to be disturbed.


    Her eyes darted toward Lucian who stood quiet, biting his lips. Amelia thought he probably had nothing to say, so she gave him a stern look and said, "Rest assured. I won''t compete with you for everything you have."

 Chapter 258 Dont Know What To Do

    Amelia was so angry that she could not speak. Then, she said words that were unusual for her to utter.


    Hearing Amelia''s words made Lucian disappointed.


    "Am I the villain here? Why do you hurt me over and over?" Lucian frowned and implored Amelia for an answer.


    "You weren''t before. But now, I am quite uncertain." As Amelia thought about their respective true identities, she could not contain her emotions any longer.


    Those words truly hurt Lucian. Amelia''s face turned red in anger. She looked at Lucian as if he were an enemy.


    "Amelia, so many things are happening as it is. Can we at least stop exchanging such hurtful remarks?" Lucian''s voice softened. Sadness was apparent in his eyes. He looked helpless and defeated.


    Amelia stared at him with her puffy eyes.


    "Did I upset you?" she whispered, her voice filled with uncertainty.


    "I did not mean to. I''m sorry," Amelia said. Lucian put his hands on Amelia''s shoulders and said, "I will tell you everything once mom has recovered and leaves the hospital."


    "Lucian, you shouldn''t have lied to me," Amelia protested. As it turned out, she had known everything.


    Amelia had told Lucian so many hurtful things, but both of them preferred that than silence. They knew that things would only worsen if they left the issue unresolved.


    Lucian simply frowned. Even in such a defeated state, Lucian looked gorgeous.


    "I did not intend to keep you in the dark, babe. It''s just that I did not know how to tell


    ecided to add fuel to that fire and said, "In fact, Lucian and I agreed to forget about that night. But my God, how can I do so with this baby inside me? I can''t simply leave Lucian in the dark."


    Sasha''s words quickly cut Amelia.


    Moments ago, Amelia brimmed with confidence. She trusted that Lucian could not do such allegations. But having the photos as evidence, Amelia knew that she had to be mistaken...


    Sasha''s story added up in Amelia''s head. She remembered how Lucian refused to speak of that night when he returned the morning that followed. He simply said that he drank with Michael and stayed at a hotel.


    Lucian had begun to emphasize that there should be more trust and space between couples, and so she chose to believe in him completely.


    It was terrible how Amelia would be notified of such a heinous act, especially at that moment.


    It was too painful to Amelia. All she could do was clench her fist tightly. Amelia forced herself to look calm and collected.


    "This is none of my concern, anymore. Bring it up to Lucian and stop bugging me." She smiled and pretended not to care.


    Sasha had come all that way to meddle between Amelia and Lucian. Seeing Amelia''s defeated demeanor, Sasha gloated with immense satisfaction.


    Just to add salt in Amelia''s wound, Sasha frowned and maliciously said, "I know you''re the love of Lucian''s life. I know that having this child won''t make Lucian love me, nor the child. I really don''t know what to do, Amelia."

 Chapter 259 Mark Can Call Her Mommy

    Sasha crossed her arms and pretended to be at a loss.


    Amelia sneered at her behavior. Sasha was such a thick-skinned woman.


    "Whatever it is that''s going on between you and Lucian is none of my business," she said coldly.


    She wasn''t sure if Sasha was really telling the truth but she also couldn''t help being skeptical. However, she shouldn''t just panic immediately. She must do something to find out the truth first.


    "I know you''re upset. Actually, I am too," said Sasha. "I''ve already decided to be with Michael even if I don''t love him. You know, it''s better than to have no one at all. But on that night, I made sure to have a chance to get close to Lucian. And I didn''t fail. Now, I can have the chance to start a good relationship with him." Sasha sounded very excited. She couldn''t find any reason to refuse the bet because she was confident that the 5 million prize would fall into her hands.


    Amelia lost her tongue all of a sudden. The expression on her face was so cold.


    But no matter how bad she felt, she would never lose her composure in front of Sasha. She would never let Sasha think that she was weak and easy to bully.


    "Are you messing with Michael?" Amelia asked as she gave Sasha a sharp glare.


    "I''m just being practical. Don''t be so naive, Amelia. People, especially women, must learn to make use of all the resources around them. In my case, Michael is my best resource. That''s why I''m using him to get close to Lucian."


    For Sasha, what she was doing was just a normal thing in this society. She thought that Michael was a man easy to manipulate so she was confident of using him.


    Amelia, on the other hand, thought the opposite. Although she had only met Michael a few times, she could feel that he was a man that could never


    gative thoughts anymore. She felt like her head would explode any moment if she continued to think.


    What she needed was something to divert her emotions. She thought for a moment then she decided to clean the room. After cleaning, she went downstairs to cook dinner.


    Lucian said that he would come home tonight, so she made his favorite food unconsciously.


    However, it had been an hour after she finished setting the table but there was still no sign of Lucian.


    "Lily, we can''t wait for him. Let''s just have dinner together." The slightest hope left on Amelia had vanished. She should learn to get used to this kind of situation.


    Lily frowned while looking at the door from time to time. She was praying that the door would open and Lucian would come in.


    "Mrs. Amelia, how about I call Mr. Lucian?" Lily asked cautiously. When Amelia didn''t say no, she went to the living room and called Lucian.


    Five minutes later, Lily came back.


    Seeing the expression on Lily''s face, Amelia already knew the answer. She didn''t ask anything and just said, "Sit down and eat."


    The fact was, the food on the table had been heated three times while waiting for Lucian to arrive. The pleasant aroma of the dishes had gradually disappeared. It was like the hope in Amelia''s heart that''s slowly melting.


    "Mr. Lucian said that tonight is his classmate''s birthday. He forgot to tell you not to wait for him for dinner." The chopsticks in Amelia''s hand shook after she heard Lily''s report.


    She trembled and she suddenly felt suffocated.


    Was Lucian really telling the truth? Or he was just angry at her because of what happened in the hospital?


    ''Classmate,'' thought Amelia. ''Is it Michael?'' If it was Michael''s birthday, then Sasha would definitely be there too.

 Chapter 260 An Arrogant Third Party

    She was so jealous that she couldn''t get her mind off it.


    "Mrs. Amelia, are you okay?" Lily asked worriedly upon noticing Amelia''s trembling hand.


    Amelia''s heart skipped a beat. She tried to restrain her emotions when she heard Lily''s voice, not wanting to dwell on her emotions further.


    However, the harder she tried, the more upset she felt.


    Throughout dinner, she absent-mindedly picked up her food, only taking a few bites.


    After which, she played with Mark for a bit. By the time Mark had fallen asleep, Lucian still wasn''t home.


    If he was going out to meet with an old classmate of his, he might get drunk.


    Amelia had no plans on waiting up for Lucian anymore. As she lay in bed, the lamp on the bedside table flickered. The air was thick with silence that all she could hear was her breathing and her heart beating.


    This didn''t help create a good sleeping environment for Amelia as she lay in bed. She was wide awake.


    She stared at the ceiling, her eyes blank and her mind racing.


    She could already imagine Sasha taking advantage of the situation¡ªSasha would most likely tell everyone that she was pregnant with Lucian''s child. She figured Lucian was probably going to be surprised at first but eventually pleased.


    As she lay in bed, tossing and turning, she couldn''t help but sneer at herself.


    She thought Lucian loved her and only her. However, upon learning of his infidelity, she couldn''t help but fee


    rry for Amelia as she looked at her.


    Amelia shook her head and smiled disapprovingly, "I''m worrying about something I shouldn''t be. I''m hungry. Let''s eat first." Having been upset last night, she ate so little. Now she felt her stomach grumbling in hunger.


    Amelia rarely claimed that she was hungry. This excited Lily so much that she served Amelia her porridge right away.


    Amelia couldn''t understand why she was having such a hard time eating. Even though she tried to eat, she just didn''t feel like it.


    "Mrs. Amelia, eat this. It''s good for your appetite." Lily thought that the breakfast she had prepared was too light so she offered Amelia pickles.


    Amelia nodded her head and began to eat because she didn''t want to disappoint Lily.


    Amelia had just gotten only a few bites in when Lucian appeared downstairs.


    Now that he had sobered up, he regained his usual high spirits.


    He was wearing a nicely cut beige striped suit that accentuated his figure perfectly.


    Lucian paused for a moment when he saw Amelia sitting in the living room. After a while, he walked towards her, a charming smile on his face. His face was unreadable as he spoke in a tone, indifferent with a hint of affection, "I''m heading to the hospital to fix mom''s discharge papers. After that, I''m going to the Zhan Group. If you need anything, just call me."


    Despite the lightness of Lucian''s tone, Amelia still lost her appetite after hearing this.

 Chapter 261 The Threat

    It had not been the best day for her, more to that things began to take a turn for the worst.


    She did not a say a word. She simply lowered her head and minded her food, which seemed tasteless to her.


    "Mr. Lucian, please have breakfast before you go out." Lily stood just outside the dining area and added, "Mrs. Amelia had been waiting for you in there for some time."


    Lily simply wanted the couple to have a decent breakfast together.


    However, Amelia would not allow that to happen. She stood up and said, "Thanks for the breakfast, Lily. I truly enjoyed it."


    Then Amelia left the dining room without any more to say.


    Lucian watched Amelia as she left the room, and felt some kind of unbearable disappointment.


    "Mr. Lucian, Mrs. Amelia was not able to sleep last night to take care of you," Lily whispered to Lucian.


    Amelia had indeed stayed up all night long to make sure Lucian would be alright. As he was made aware of what had happened the night prior, Lucian could not shake off the guilt he felt. He wanted to apologize to Amelia so bad.


    Lucian began to walk over to Amelia, and found his wife playing with their son. He smiled dearly and said, "Come over to daddy, Mark. I want to hug you."


    The sound of Lucian''s voice made Amelia''s heart race. Amelia then, with a sarcastic smile, thought,


    ''Once his baby with Sasha is born, maybe he can play with him...''


    Amelia knew that every child needed their father''s love and attention. She


    ovide more trouble.


    As she began to accept Sasha''s inclusion into their lives, Amelia had found herself in a rough patch with Lucian.


    "I have a very simple request. I want you to divorce Lucian or let me be his lover." Sasha was not fooling around, and Amelia was well aware of that.


    "You''re delusional!" Those words came out of Amelia without hesitation.


    She knew that she had no reason to choose either option.


    In order to keep her marriage intact, she should not make a compromise that would satisfy Sasha...


    If she did Sasha''s request, her marriage would mean nothing.


    At a certain level, Amelia held an appreciation for Sasha''s wits. It seemed that Sasha had the upper hand.


    "Miss Amelia, don''t get angry. Divorcing Lucian would give you and your son, lot of fortune. However, if you don''t, we''ll eventually be treated as equals." Sasha shamelessly blurted out her thoughts.


    "You truly are one arrogant bitch, aren''t you?" Amelia did not think a concession between her and Sasha was necessary. "Rest assured, I won''t divorce Lucian," Amelia declared confidently.


    Amelia knew that the challenges that she and Lucian had already faced were far worse than Sasha. Why should they fold now?


    "Really? Are you sure? Since you insist, I''m afraid I have to expose this to the public," Sasha threatened at the other end of the line.


    Amelia had seen a lot of Sasha''s tricks before. Amelia never thought that she would go so low to defame Lucian.

 Chapter 262 At A Loss

    "That''s good. Too many women in the city admire Lucian. If you spread the news, not only will you make Lucian hate you, you will also help me eliminate my rivals. It''s me who''s going to benefit, really." Amelia pretended to be unaffected by Sasha''s words.


    Sasha could only keep silent. It seemed as if Amelia''s words had worked.


    "You made me do this, Amelia!" Sasha fumed.


    It was not until Sasha hang up the phone that Amelia realized her hands were sweating.


    She slumped onto the bed and stared at the wall with vacant eyes. She felt extremely wronged.


    Amelia wondered if she should tell Lucian about it.


    But she recalled how every time she expressed her emotions, she would always be met with skepticism by Lucian. He would always think that she was being eccentric, especially when he didn''t know any better.


    Remembering that Fannie was to leave the hospital that afternoon, Amelia got out of bed and thought about visiting Zhan mansion.


    It was she who hurt Fannie. No matter what others said, a daughter-in-law should never have done what she did.


    But upon learning her story, Fannie had stopped treating Amelia with civility.


    Shelly was at Zhan mansion when Amelia arrived.


    She greeted Amelia as soon as she entered Fannie''s bedroom, which Amelia thought was highly unusual.


    She actually called to her politely.


    After acknowledging her greeting, Amelia walked up to Fannie''s bed and asked with concern, "Mom, how are you feeling?"


    "Are you disapp


    d as he flipped a switch on the wall behind him. The whole room lit up and the painting on his desk became even more striking.


    The painted woman was familiar to Amelia.


    She recognized the woman as her mother, Iris.


    She turned to Nicholas with unhappy eyes and said, "Can''t you let the memory of my mother rest?"


    Amelia thought Iris didn''t need him to do her portrait.


    Iris had been dead for ten years. She thought that he probably hadn''t given her much thought all this time.


    But Nicholas had been feeling nostalgic. Thinking about it, he thought that he may seem hypocritical to Amelia.


    "Amelia, do you know why this portrait is only half-finished?" Nicholas asked, ignoring what Amelia had just said.


    Amelia smiled mockingly. "I don''t know. And I''m not sure I care."


    "You''ve always been an obedient child. I don''t want you to get angry over this," Nicholas said in a gentle tone.


    "Do you think I''m a fool who has to just accept everything you say?" In Amelia''s head, she had little connection with Nicholas. She only shared his blood.


    As Lucian''s father, Amelia showed great respect for him.


    But as her own father, the man Iris loved with all of her heart before she died, Amelia couldn''t help but feel mad at him. Every time he spoke, she only wanted to hurt him with her retort.


    Stunned by her sharp words, Nicholas was at a loss for words. He had intended to have a good talk with her, but hearing her then, he began to think that it was impossible.

 Chapter 263 A Fight Between Father And Son

    "If you really want to have a peaceful relationship with family then you should just respect them and don''t treat them any differently." Amelia''s point was that everything should stay the same¡ªnothing should change.


    Even so, it would be difficult to act the same especially when you knew everything.


    But now, she obviously didn''t have the courage to face reality.


    Nicholas nodded in understanding. Putting on a gentle smile, he said, "Don''t worry. I treat you and Lucian the same way."


    "Does that matter? I don''t care about that at all." Amelia couldn''t help but laugh. She didn''t think it was necessary for Nicholas to say this.


    Because Nicholas couldn''t make it up to Iris and Lucian''s mother no matter how much he owed them and no matter how much he regretted his actions.


    Nicholas knew this better than she did.


    Fortunately for Amelia, Vernon had always been cold to her even as a child. He never really treated her like his daughter so Amelia never really felt as if she had a father in the first place.


    Iris''s love for her was enough.


    The moment she stepped out of the study, a servant approached her to inform her that Lucian had just arrived.


    Despite her excitement, she made sure to slow down her pace.


    "Lucian, please help me!" When she arrived at the door of Fannie''s room, she immediately heard Fannie crying.


    Amelia''s heart tightened. Just as she was about to go inside, Lucian s


    e that!" Amelia bore her gaze into his.


    "Well, I''m glad you two seem to be getting along so well!" Lucian nodded as he stared back into Amelia''s eyes.


    With that, he left the study.


    Amelia felt her heart beat pulsing in her ears, her chest tightening.


    "Amelia..." Nicholas said.


    "Was Lucian telling the truth?" asked Amelia while she turned her gaze to Nicholas.


    If Lucian was telling the truth then she could definitely understand why he was so angry at Nicholas.


    In response, Nicholas merely lowered his head, not even trying to defend himself. This could only mean one thing¡ªLucian was right.


    Amelia closed her eyes in despair, biting her lips.


    "Why? Don''t you know that this is only going to drive a wedge between me and Lucian?"


    "I''m doing this for a reason and that''s not because I don''t believe in Lucian. You two are married! This is for the two of you! This belongs to the two of you!" Nicholas was relentless.


    "Why did you do it?! Do you think that this is going to change my opinion about you? Do you think this is going to make up for what you did to my mother? Do you think this is going to appease Lucian?" Each word Amelia said hit Nicholas like a sharp knife.


    Rendered speechless, Nicholas stood there idly as Amelia stormed out.


    When she left the study, Lucian was nowhere to be found.


    She needed to explain herself to Lucian because he had thoroughly misunderstood her.

 Chapter 264 I Have Broken Up With Sasha

    "Mrs. Amelia...Mrs. Amelia!" Darren called out, huffing and puffing several times as he tried to run after her.


    Amelia quickly turned around when she finally heard Darren and faced him with a stumped expression on her face. "Have you seen Lucian?" she asked him directly.


    She felt shivers run through her body when she remembered how angry Lucian was when he lost his temper. However, this time, he had eyes that blazed with resentment in a way she had never seen before.


    "Mr. Lucian and Mrs. Fannie just left the Zhan mansion, but he asked me to pass this message to you...'' he said, slowly unraveling the apprehension in his voice that stopped him from finishing what he was going to say.


    "Just say what is it that you have to tell me?" Although, Amelia already had a hunch about what this was about, she still wanted to hear it straight from Darren himself.


    "Mr. Lucian said that the Zhan mansion is your home now. There''s no reason for you to return to SJ Garden anymore." Darren finally concluded as tiny beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. The way he was sweating from agitation made it clear that he had gone through a lot of difficulty just to deliver this message.


    Amelia was mindful of the fact that Lucian was capable of playing with anyone''s vulnerabilities. He could even harm someone like Amelia, with just a simple command and no regrets.


    She wondered if Lucian''s message about not returning to SJ Garden was Lucian''s way of casting her out from his life. She wondered whether this was the same kind of retaliation that Lucian had subjected to Nicholas as well.


    However, Amelia was even more troubled with the thought that if she never returned to SJ Garden, she would never have the chance to see her son again.


    "I cannot accept that. I''m going back to see my son!" Amelia refused decisively as she walked straight to her car and started the engine.


    "Mrs. Amelia! I apologize, but Mr. Lucian is currently in a fragile state. A small thing could provoke him into rage. I hope you don''t mind me asking if you could wait unti


    ws."


    "Do you have something to say to me?" she asked. Michael was clearly approaching this arrogantly, but Amelia no longer had the patience to humor him anymore.


    "I can tell that Lucian hasn''t been in his best state. He got really drunk the other day and he kept asking me to drink with him. Just tell me what happened, will you?" Michael''s eyebrows started to furrow, pinching the golden brown hair that laid softly on his forehead.


    What the man vaguely implied was that Lucian was trying to drink his sorrows away.


    Amelia had a good idea of Lucian''s drinking as she had seen how much pressure he was under in the last few weeks. However, the way Michael described it to her broke her heart.


    "Thank you for letting me know. I''ll take note of this and will be more attentive about it in the future." This fabricated statement rolled off her tongue as she maintained composure and smiled politely. Although there was no use trying to hide the fact that she was having a fight with her husband, Amelia didn''t want the rest of the world to talk about her personal affairs.


    "Sasha and I have broken up!" Michael shouted just right before Amelia was about to drive off.


    Amelia stopped as soon as she heard Michael''s shocking revelation. She couldn''t understand why he would tell her something so personal all of a sudden.


    Amelia stared at him with her mouth agape in disbelief.


    Michael couldn''t have found out about Sasha''s pregnancy¡ªthat much Amelia was certain of because she was cautious enough not to make any mistakes.


    Although Amelia didn''t know why they had broken up all of a sudden, but when she saw the smile on Michael''s face, it was clear that he wasn''t sad about it at all.


    Perhaps he also had the ability of portraying the role of someone who didn''t care.


    While Amelia was lost in thought in the middle of the road, Michael caught up to her car. He had a vibrant aura, and with a big charming smile on his face he asked, "It''s about to rain, can I get a ride home?"


    Slowly his face transformed into a more solemn expression.

 Chapter 266 Falling Sick

    Amelia raised her head up to look at the cloudy sky. Thinking that this man was Lucian''s old classmate, she had no reason to reject him and just let him inside her car.


    Michael had Western features, but his mannerisms, accent and even body language were the same as any other Chinese person.


    Sitting down in the passenger''s seat beside her, he wanted to say something. But, he couldn''t find the correct words that easily.


    Thankfully, for everyone''s safety on the road, she kept two eyes fixed in front of her. She wasn''t interested in giving him too much attention.


    "Do you know? I''ve known for a while that Sasha loves Lucian..." Cutting off his sentence, Amelia turned her head sharply to face him after slamming on the brakes.


    Michael''s mouth dropped open, he didn''t expect her to respond like that. He raised his eyebrows slightly. With a toothy smile, he complimented her, "You know that you''re a good driver?"


    But he actually meant she was not a good driver.


    But Amelia didn''t really care, what was most important to know was why he had broken up with Sasha in the first place.


    Predicting her next question, Michael quickly anticipated and answered it.


    "Well, you know what? It wasn''t that big of a deal for me from the get-go. But, Lucian is a good friend of mine. So, that would have thrown a wrench into our friendship." The toothy grin on his face was quickly replaced by a solemn exhale, he couldn''t mask how he felt anymore.


    "So... You ended up breaking up with her?" Amelia could now put the pieces together in her head. Sasha had told her that she had used her boyfriend to get close to Lucian.


    But Amelia didn''t feel any pity for him. Instead, she said cheerfully, "When the wrong door closes, the right one opens up. Don''t feel too sorry for yourself."


    If Sasha hadn''t liked Michael in the fir


    w usually gave people a sense of comfort. As she spotted them, they warmed her up.


    Not Darren, but another maid she had met but couldn''t remember her name, opened the door for her.


    She stepped into the foyer, puddles of water formed under her feet. She looked up and witnessed a flurry of maids running around.


    Amelia was confused as to why everybody was in such a rush. She asked the closest one to her, "What''s the fuss about?"


    The maid frowned. How could she hide the truth from Mrs. Amelia? So, she told her, "Mr. Nicholas''s legs are in a lot of pain, it''s a lot more serious than before!"


    "Then send him to the hospital now!" Amelia took out her phone. She fumbled around as her hands were slippery. She wanted to call the emergency phone number.


    "Mrs. Amelia, please don''t call anyone! Mr. Nicholas has stated that he doesn''t want to go to the hospital for his legs." The maid then said in a low whisper, "Mr. Nicholas''s attending doctor is on his way right now. I''ll go upstairs to help."


    The elegant, orderly building had become chaotic in just an instant.


    Gripping her phone tightly, Amelia thought of what she could do to help. She wanted to call Lucian but abandoned that idea almost immediately.


    "Mr. Nicholas, Mrs. Amelia is here!" Darren had spotted Amelia show up at the bedroom door. He was so pleased that he decided to announce it like he was an MC of a big happy event.


    All the people busy at the bedside looked up, and moved away making way for Amelia to enter.


    Looking at the frail man in bed, his forehead was covered with sweat because of the excruciating pain, Amelia''s heart sank. She felt horrible, even more than before.


    She had never really seen Nicholas suffer before. But, her previous anger toward him seemed to dissipate substantially when she saw him on the bed like this.

 Chapter 266 Kicked Out Of SJ Garden

    Nicholas was in so much pain that sweat ran in rivulets down his face. He stared with narrowed eyes at Darren, trying to gauge whether he was telling the truth.


    "Amelia..." The pain was intolerable, and it showed in his voice.


    Amelia was not a stone-hearted woman who could just ignore what''s happening before her. She went up, held one of Nicholas'' hands and said in a soothing voice, "Please hold on a little longer. The doctor is on his way."


    Nicholas nodded weakly. These words seemed to comfort him somewhat.


    Watching how Amelia looked after Nicholas and pacified him, Darren heaved a big sigh of relief.


    The attending doctor was expected to arrive in half an hour.


    Meanwhile, one of the maids brought in some hot water. Amelia dipped a towel into the water in the basin and gently wiped Nicholas'' legs.


    With the hypnotic effect of Amelia''s gentle ministrations, Nicholas soon drifted off to sleep.


    Amelia stood there looking at that pale, haggard face that had been temporarily wiped of pain and felt a sharp twinge in her heart.


    Perhaps it was their blood relationship that was making a mess of everything at that point. However, at that moment, she forgot everything else and gazed at Nicholas, who was sleeping fitfully.


    Lucian knew very well that Fiona lost her life because of Nicholas. Did he think that it was poetic justice that Nicholas was now in such a condition? Wasn''t this a worse torture than death?


    When she came out from Nicholas'' room, the anxious look on Darren''s face immediately vanished. He forced a smile and said, "Mrs. Amelia, it''s getting late. The maid has prepared your and Mr. Lucian''s room."


    Her and Lucian''s room...


    She frowned and said in a neutral voice, "I know that the doctor said that dad''s legs are doing a lot better, but I t


    kfast as promised. She looked at her missed calls and saw several from Lucian and Lily.


    Heart pounding in her throat with worry that something had happened to her son, she immediately called back Lily to ask her about Mark.


    "Mrs. Amelia!" Lily sounded very happy to receive her call.


    A smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and her heart felt warm. Lily''s voice reassured her. "I am sorry I missed your call, Lily, I just got up," she said with a rueful chuckle. Then, her tone changed. "How''s Mark? Did he behave well last night?"


    She couldn''t help a trace of bitterness in her heart from creeping into her voice.


    "Yes, he was well behaved last night, Mrs. Amelia." After her reply, Lily was quiet for a second, and then she asked in a low voice, "Mrs. Amelia, where are you right now?"


    The question again plunged Amelia into the depths of despair. Looking at the misty mountains, she forced a smile on her face and replied, "I''m fine, don''t worry about me. Lily, I''m entrusting Mark into your care. Please take good care of him."


    "Mrs. Amelia, please rest assured that I will do so. After all, it is my job to take care of the young master. I''m more worried about you..." Lily''s voice trailed off. She was about to burst into tears at any moment.


    Amelia felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes and was about to end the call.


    Before she ended the call, Lily said out loud, "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian intended to fetch you from the Zhan mansion this morning, but Mrs. Fannie stopped him!"


    Amelia had always known that Fannie hated her, so she expected Fannie to try and prevent Lucian from bringing her back.


    But why did Lucian plan to bring her back to the SJ Garden? Was he unaware of his rash behavior, or did he think that he and Amelia were still husband and wife?

 Chapter 267 Confrontation

    She was still in a daze when she heard someone knocking on the door. One of the servants of the Zhan mansion came to check if she had already gotten up.


    "I''ll go downstairs in a short while," she said without opening the door. There was no response from the servant but she heard footsteps receding.


    When she got downstairs, Lucian was standing in the middle of the living room.


    His tall and strong physique was hard to neglect.


    But she was not in the mood to care so much about it. She took a deep breath and walked slowly towards him, feeling ill at ease.


    Lucian''s face lit up upon seeing her. He was apparently happy to see her again.


    She couldn''t meet his gaze as she was getting closer to him.


    "Did you sleep well last night?" asked Lucian casually. He seemed not to mind her uneasiness.


    She looked down and scratched her head unconsciously.


    ''It''s already ten o''clock. Isn''t it obvious that I woke up late?'' she thought. However, she was too embarrassed to say it loud in front of him. Instead, she looked around to avoid meeting his eyes.


    Perhaps, Lucian had understood the meaning of her silence so he said, "That''s good."


    Then he heaved a deep sigh and added, "I actually didn''t sleep well.


    Amelia was surprised. She suddenly looked into his face with creased forehead.


    What did that deep sigh mean? Was he satirizing her for sleeping well? "Maybe because I''m not used to sleeping without you," explained Lucian unabashedly.


    Amelia felt like her face was burning. She must be blushing now.


    But when she remembered that it was Lucian who drove her out of SJ Garden, her expression suddenly became cold. The shyness she felt a while ago had totally banished. She had actually taken that moment to heart.


    "It seems that you only thin


    ecking the news, she took her phone out and searched for the news website.


    Since it was something about Jonny, it meant that it had something to do with Lucian too. "You can go back to your work now. I can walk around by myself from here," she said to the servant behind her.


    She then went back to her phone and scanned the headlines. Sitting beside the artificial fountain, she checked every news that might mention Jonny or Lucian''s name.


    She scanned the page over and over again until half an hour later, the news about Lucian displayed on the screen of her phone.


    The eye-catching headline almost made Amelia''s heart explode.


    "Lucian Zhan, a talent in business, is actually an illegitimate child of an unknown. His wife is Nicholas'' biological daughter!"


    Amelia immediately dialed Jonny''s number after reading the headline.


    To her surprise, Jonny picked up after just one ring. It was as if he was really waiting for her call. "Does exposing other people''s private life give you pleasure?" Amelia yelled. She clenched her fist in anger.


    "I knew you would call," replied Jonny. From the tone of his voice, Amelia could tell that he was smiling. Didn''t he even realize that he had already crossed the line?


    "Well, this big news will definitely put the Zhan Group into the limelight. You should be happy for Lucian," he added.


    Amelia got more angered. She wondered how Jonny had gotten this news since it hadn''t been made public. Of course, it couldn''t be Fannie. Although she didn''t like Amelia, she would never do something to ruin Lucian''s reputation. It couldn''t be the servants as well. All of them were trained by the Zhan family and they had their loyalty. It was more impossible that any of them would expose this kind of information to the media.

 Chapter 268 Besieged By Journalists

    "It''s just a rumor, there is no proof. Why are you so eager to let it out? Aren''t you afraid of being sued?" Panicking was the last thing that Amelia wanted. She didn''t want to admit anything so soon.


    Jonny smiled coldly. He was confident that he knew what was in Amelia''s mind. "Amelia, don''t try to hide it from me. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time."


    "What do you mean?" Amelia asked. She didn''t know what Jonny meant, but she could tell from his tone that he had been waiting for a chance to exact his revenge on Lucian.


    "You may not know this, but Fiona, Lucian''s mother, was a famous slut in the past!" The sound of Jonny''s evil laugh reverberated from the other end of the phone. The mere mention of Fiona''s name made him grit his teeth. "She was a regular third party in people''s relationships! Everyone wanted to kill her!"


    "No matter what the real story is, there''s never a good reason to expose it to the media!" Amelia replied in anger. Her voice was obviously agitated and her entire body shook because of the rising feeling of indignation.


    There was nothing in Jonny''s mind that made him think that he might have gone too far. "Don''t you agree that it is always better to get back everything that belongs to you?" he asked with an evil smile on his face.


    "Don''t expect that every person is like you who can stand up against the wishes of their own father to protect their own interests. Most people do not have the boldness to do that," Amelia contended in a tone of voice that challenged Jonny''s ideas.


    She had no idea what kind of person Jonny was in the past or during the years when she didn''t see him regularly. But when she learned that he tore up the letters that Lucian wrote for her, and that he made disrespectful remarks to him, she felt very disappointed in him. She never thought that he was the kind of person who would take advantage of her gratitude for what he did.


    "Amelia, I


    s calmed them down a little bit.


    The journalists followed Darren''s instructions and moved towards the center of the road. Although most of them stopped surrounding the car and went to surround Darren, it was still not perfectly effective. It would still be a challenge if Amelia tried to put the car on reverse and drove off.


    "We want to arrange an interview for the wife of Mr. Lucian. There is a rumor going around that she''s the daughter of Mr. Nicholas. We want to know how much of that is true," one of the reporters demanded. She then turned to Amelia who still sat inside the car and watched them silently. "What do you think is the impact of this news to her relationship with the CEO of the Zhan Group? Has it changed? And in what way?"


    The other reporters all threw their questions after the first reporter was done asking. Some were follow-up questions and some were new questions that they were interested to know.


    Even the smallest piece of news about the Zhan Group or Lucian could attract a great amount of attention and interest in the city. And reporters would do anything to get the latest news about the Zhan Group or Lucian.


    Darren looked for a good place to position himself and slowly moved there as the reporters followed. "If you are really interested to know the truth behind these rumors, just follow our corporate guidelines and we''ll arrange everything. We are here to respond to this and give you as much information as you need. So, just follow the company''s ground rules for interviews like this."


    The journalists believed what he said and started to move away from the car.


    Seeing this opportunity, Amelia moved from the passenger seat to the driver''s seat. Her slim figure made it easier for her to slide to the driver''s seat without getting noticed by the reporters. When she was about to drive away, a deep male voice reverberated in the area that made her pause and stop the engine of the car.

 Chapter 269 Dont Make A Fool Of Yourself Here

    "Wow, the CEO of the Zhan Group is coming. He''s so handsome!"


    The reporters swarmed over to Lucian, finally vacating the area around Amelia''s car


    A lot of these reporters were females who were infatuated by Lucian''s handsomeness.


    Lucian ignored all the questions that were being thrown at him and all the cameras that were shooting him.


    Dressed in his crisp suit, he walked towards Amelia''s car. He looked like a prince as he was so handsome that everyone was staring at him. In that moment, Amelia could only see him and only him, the crowd behind him was invisible to her.


    "Lucian, get in the car!" Amelia was smart enough to open the door to the passenger seat, wanting to get Lucian away from the reporters right away.


    She thought Lucian would understand her but it turns out that she had been mistaken. He said, "Looks like Nicholas really can''t wait to force me out of the Zhan Group, huh? Did you post the news on the Internet?"


    Upon hearing this, Amelia''s face turned white as a sheet. She shook her head and denied, "It wasn''t me! It was Jonny!"


    This was the last thing she expected of Lucian. It turns out that Lucian thought of her as an emotionless woman who only cared about getting ahead and taking over the Zhan Group.


    Amelia suddenly loosened her grip on the door. She sat in the driver''s seat as if she had lost all her strength, not knowing what to say or do at that moment.


    The reporters continued to take pho


    going after Lucian this time.


    The ward became quiet all of a sudden. After making sure that Jonny was gone, she tiptoed out of bed. Thankfully, she wasn''t wearing a hospital gown so she didn''t look suspicious as she sneaked out.


    To ensure that she wouldn''t bump into Jonny elsewhere, she took the backdoor exit.


    As soon as she left the hospital, she realized that her phone was gone.


    ''Did Jonny take it?'' she thought to herself.


    "Mr. Lucian, you can''t contact Mrs. Amelia?" Darren asked worriedly as he stood atop the bridge where Nicholas''s car had crashed.


    Meanwhile, Lucian had been trying to contact Amelia but it seemed that her phone had been turned off. He couldn''t help but be worried.


    Finally, just as Lucian was about to give up, someone picked up his call.


    "Lucian, I have Amelia''s phone," Jonny said confidently.


    Lucian frowned upon hearing this. He asked, "Where''s Amelia?"


    "She''s still in the hospital. This is all your fault! She got into an accident because of you!" Jonny accused.


    Lucian couldn''t deny that he was at fault but at the same time, it was Jonny who had leaked his private affairs to the media.


    "What hospital?" Lucian asked levelheadedly.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of Amelia," Jonny answered, ignoring Lucian''s question.


    "Jonny, I''m warning you. If you even so much as touch a hair on Amelia''s head, I''m going to make you pay for it!" Lucian said fiercely, clenching his fists.

 Chapter 270 The Fight

    "Even if Amelia is not here with me, you still won''t stop badgering me, right?" said Jonny. He then smiled wryly. There was no trace of fear on his face.


    "What do you want from me?" asked Lucian seriously. Although he had slowly seen through Jonny''s hypocrisy, he still couldn''t understand why Jonny hated the Zhan Group so much. Competition was just normal in every business but Jonny seemed to dislike what was called a healthy competition.


    As a matter of fact, if their companies would do business together as partners, it would be very beneficial to both of them. It could even help them set a good image in the business industry.


    However, Jonny probably wanted An Group to be the only leader in the industry so he was doing everything he could to destroy the Zhan Group.


    "Don''t worry, my plan hasn''t changed. I have always liked Amelia so I''ll make sure she''ll be mine." Jonny knew that Lucian wasn''t an easy person to deal with so he should be more careful with his plans. He couldn''t just give him any idea.


    His dreams were big. When he heard that Nicholas was planning to transfer the whole Zhan Group to Amelia, he thought that he could have everything in this world if she could be his.


    When Jonny mentioned Amelia''s name, Lucian''s face immediately turned cold. His whole body trembled and his eyes burned with anger. He clenched his phone tight.


    "Don''t you ever dare, Jonny!" he warned. "I can lose myself, but I can never lose Amelia."


    Although there had been so many things bothering him, Amelia had never been out of his mind. He was still madly in love with her just like the old times. In fact, when he found out that Amelia had a car accident, he almost broke down. So, he could never allow someone


    was true. The An family and the Zhan family used to be very close. But as time went by, the relationship started to change. They almost didn''t keep in touch with each other. They would sometimes gather on some occasions and talk like old friends, but the atmosphere was different.


    "Aunt Emma, this is a personal issue between me and Jonny. This has nothing to do with you. Please get out of the way or else, you will also get hurt." Lucian had always respected Emma. But this time, he couldn''t just let Jonny go away.


    "Since you still call me auntie, please listen to me. Stop hurting Jonny." Emma persistently convinced Lucian. She didn''t move away from where she was standing.


    Jonny who was still on the ground, gave Lucian an arrogant smile. He thought that even if Emma would be able to convince Lucian, he would still take his revenge.


    The elder looked at Lucian with pleading eyes. He couldn''t stand seeing the sad look on her face so he clenched his fist and let go of Jonny''s collar.


    When Jonny was finally free from Lucian, he got up and ordered the two security guards to beat Lucian. "What are you two waiting for? Come on!" he shouted.


    Emma stopped the two men from moving. "Jonny, why do you still have to do this? Lucian has already let you go."


    Her voice was as gentle as the spring breeze.


    "Mom, please go inside," Jonny said to her mother. He couldn''t let himself suffer for nothing. He would get even with Lucian for what he did to him.


    "Jonny, if you don''t listen to me right now, I will forget that I ever have a son like you!" Emma lost her patience and started to get annoyed. She would never let Jonny''s men beat Lucian.


    When Jonny heard Emma''s words, he suddenly didn''t know what to do.

 Chapter 271 Talk About His Identity

    "You two stop!" Left with no choice, Jonny halted.


    Lucian wasn''t afraid of Jonny''s two subordinates at all. After all, he''d been trained abroad. No matter how capable Jonny''s subordinates were, he couldn''t be taken down that easily.


    "Lucian, you better leave right now." Emma figured her worries could only be dispelled once Lucian had left the An mansion.


    "Yes." Lucian appreciated Emma''s help.


    After Lucian left, Jonny was fuming. He couldn''t understand why Emma did what she did. "Mom, am I really your own son?! You actually let your son get beaten up? And for whose sake? Lucian''s?!"


    As much as Emma empathized with her son, she knew that Jonny was the wrong one here.


    "Jonny, all I want is for our family to be happy. Nothing else matters to me," Emma said tenderly.


    Jonny knew his mother very well and his mother wasn''t the type to fight for what she wanted. That was exactly the reason why in her marriage, she was the pushover.


    "You know Lucian''s family background. Why did you ask me to let him go?" Jonny couldn''t calm himself down. He figured that of all people, Emma would be the one to understand him. He didn''t expect that Emma would take Lucian''s side.


    "That''s exactly the reason why I can''t let you hurt Lucian! Because you''re brothers!" Emma shouted.


    Jonny couldn''t help but sneer, "Brothers? We


    cian that she was pregnant, she could easily win Lucian over. ''Is it really going to be this easy for me to be the next wife of the Zhan Group''s CEO?'' she thought to herself in delight.


    A complacent smile appeared on her face as she thought of this.


    Lucian grew upset upon hearing Amelia''s tone. Grimly, he responded, "You know the situation we''re in right now. I can''t just leave Mark at the Zhan mansion."


    "Well, that''s really a good reason!" Amelia said sarcastically. In her rage, her hand was trembling as if she was on the verge of a breakdown. "I need to see Mark today!"


    She didn''t want to cry right now. However, she was so anxious that she didn''t know what to do. The tears welling up in her eyes made her feel so vulnerable.


    Looking at the tears streaming down Amelia''s delicate face, Lucian felt a sharp pain in his heart. Just as he was about to open the door to let Amelia in, Sasha suddenly spoke,


    "Lucian, I have something very important to tell you."


    Lucian cast a cold glance at Sasha and said, "If it''s about work, please ask the head of the department. Not me."


    He hadn''t agreed to Sasha''s request to work at the Zhan Group. If it hadn''t been for Michael, he would have turned her down completely.


    "It''s not about work. It''s about me and you... " Sasha stuttered as she glanced at Amelia in fear.

 Chapter 273 I Missed You

    She didn''t know if Sasha was only acting brash and ambitious in front of her, but right now, she looked incredibly pitiful, innocent, and weak. ''Has she always acted like this... in front of him?'' she thought, stunned.


    Lucian had seen what kind of person Sasha was before. Because of that, he only felt two things towards her: hate and loathing.


    "But... the thing between you and Amelia... hasn''t been resolved yet, right? I guess I''ll just... talk about it next time..." Sasha said, trying her hardest to appear like a reasonable person. Her true intention, however, was to convince Lucian.


    Unfortunately for her, Lucian was not interested in pursuing the matter. "Don''t ever show up here in SJ Garden again if you have nothing important to say or do," he said coldly, not even looking at Sasha.


    With the impersonal and sharp tone that Lucian was using, everyone who heard it was sure that it was a warning¡ªand not even a very kind one at that.


    Perhaps it was because Amelia was already irritated by how Lucian was acting that she wasn''t able to stop herself from speaking out, "No one will ever come look for you if it is not important. You know that!"


    Had this whole debacle happened in the past, Amelia''s words would have sounded humorous. Now, however, she sounded very unhappy. More importantly, she spoke for Sasha.


    Lucian didn''t understand. No matter how wrong he had been, Amelia would never choose to take Sasha''s side in an attempt to counter him.


    "Amelia, please stop," Sasha begged, fear evident in her voice. "Lucian is in a very bad mood today."


    "I don''t care!" Amelia shouted. "Some people just have the same mood as the June weather. I know that you can wait, but the baby inside of you can''t!" With that, Amelia had pledged her allegiance to Sasha''s side of the argument.


    But she kne


    by Fannie''s actions. He began to cry, but Lily was quick to comfort him.


    Seeing what happened to Mark, Lily got more angry. "Of course I know who I am!" she hissed back. "But I guess someone else hasn''t find her place in here just yet!"


    This act of defiance was the last straw for Fannie. She was so angry that she stood up and was preparing to slap Lily to show her who was in charge.


    Sasha, however, grabbed Fannie''s hand, persuading in a soft voice, "Auntie, don''t worry. Lily is right. Taking care of Mark is her most important task right now. I can get tea by myself."


    After she finished speaking, Sasha went into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of tea.


    That somehow appeased Fannie''s anger. However, she couldn''t help but glare at Lily.


    The reason why Sasha had endured Lily''s treatment of her was because she had learned a trick that would surely keep her inside the mansion. Previously, she had left a bad impression on Fannie. This time, however, they were on good terms and were mingling enthusiastically as if they were true family. Because of that, she intended to make a good impression on everyone in the house.


    ''A plan that is infallible, '' she thought to herself, rejoicing silently.


    When Lucian invited her in and shut Amelia out, she became extremely happy. It was a big win for her, and she intended having more.


    "By the way, Lily, it''s time for lunch. Why don''t you go to cook?" Fannie once again lazily ordered as she took a sip of coffee.


    Lily was already preparing to take Mark to his room to let him sleep, but when she heard Fannie, she once again became very angry.


    She knew clearly who she was in that house, but she was becoming more and more irked by Fannie''s arrogance and Sasha''s fakeness. ''Mrs. Amelia, where are you?'' she thought, missing her more and more.

 Chapter 273 Fannie Made Trouble With Lily On Purpose

    Mark had always been a well-behaved kid. Even though everyone knew that he missed his mom dearly, Mark was brave enough not to cry.


    "Let me carry Mark upstairs," Lily deliberately said with a low voice.


    Due to Fannie''s presence, Lily''s usual tasks started to seem more tiring.


    "What''s wrong with you? If you can''t do this job properly, then I must tell Lucian to fire you. How can you be so inefficient?" Fannie stood up and pointed her anger onto Lily.


    Sasha pretended to be the good cop and said, "Auntie, please calm down. Anger does not suit you. Also, Lily is the only helper here in SJ Garden. She can''t do everything all at once, auntie."


    "I just remembered that morning when Lucian fired two helpers that I recommended because of that stupid Amelia," Fannie vented. She surmised that her anger was all because of Amelia.


    Sasha immediately recognized that Fannie despised Amelia too. That made winning Fannie''s approval much easier for Sasha. She knew that if she played her cards right, Fannie would be on her side in no time. In that case, Sasha and her baby would be accepted seamlessly into Lucian''s family.


    Contrary to what Sasha thought, everything did not seem so seamless. She had gone through so much trouble just to be in the position she was in.


    Sasha was more than willing to go through those depths. At the end of the day, Sasha knew that she would come out as the biggest winner.


    "Let me hug you, Mark." With a false smile, Sasha walked towards Mark and stretched out


    lia retorted unto Michael.


    Michael handed her a bottle of coke and gulped his down. "Don''t be extremely arrogant. Lucian likes you, but that doesn''t mean I''m also like him," he returned.


    After Michael finished his words, he glanced at Amelia with disdain.


    Amelia found that to be very amusing. "So people have said, as I married Lucian, that I''ve won the lottery..."


    She used to be proud of that sentiment. At that moment, she felt nothing but despair.


    Seeing Amelia''s reaction, Michael suppressed his chuckle and asked, "What''s wrong, Amelia? What happened?"


    "Why do you care? Would it amuse you to know that I am miserable?" Amelia, due to her sadness, was unable to recognize the kindness that Michael exhibited.


    Confused, Michael cheekily said, "You''re my sister-in-law. If something bad were to happen to you, I should be concerned."


    ''I must be a nuisance to this guy,'' Amelia thought.


    Amelia did not know how to answer and simply pouted in response.


    "You''re Lucian''s friend. It''s best if you stay away from me." Amelia deliberately dismissed Michael''s company.


    Michael probed unto Amelia and asked, "Were you crying earlier?"


    "It''s none of your business!" Amelia turned her back at Michael and checked her face through a mirror she had in her pocket. She realized that there was no hiding how puffy her eyes were, nor how red her nose was.


    "Not only are your eyes swollen, your face gives away your sorrow." Michael continued describing what Amelia was looking like now.

 Chapter 274 Just Tell Me If You Need My Help

    But it was a good thing. Amelia felt much better now, her mood had lightened up. Michael tried to play it off as a joke but in fact, his concern was genuine.


    She knew that the harder she tried to comfort herself alone, the more depressed and desperate she would feel.


    "Have you really broken up with Sasha?" She didn''t know what else to say to him so she ended up bringing up a topic that would upset both her and Michael.


    "If I had known how good-tempered you were in nature maybe I wouldn''t have ignored some matters in the first place," Michael said casually.


    "What do you mean?" Amelia asked doubtfully. As she looked at Michael''s profile, she couldn''t help but admire his handsome face. He had a pointed and tall nose that only made him look more charming especially under the light.


    He looked elegant even when he wasn''t saying anything¡ªthere was just something about him that made him stand out.


    "I''m sorry for what I did to you," Michael said apologetically.


    Amelia didn''t want to pry anymore. She figured Michael was probably still upset from having to break up with his girlfriend.


    "I just found out on my way to the beach that how pathetic I have been." Amelia''s gaze fell on the sunset, its shadow dimming her face beautifully.


    "Why''d you feel that way?" Michael asked in interest, turning to look at her.


    "My best friend is pregnant so I can''t find anyone else


    rren was ready to leave.


    At that moment, thunder roared as a herd of dark clouds gathered in the sky. It seemed that it was going to rain.


    Amelia used to like the rain because it calmed her down. However, nowadays, since the rain made Nicholas''s leg disease worse, she didn''t like the rain as much anymore.


    She frowned and asked, "Darren, did you call a doctor for dad?"


    While she genuinely cared about Nicholas, she also purposely tried to play down her concern for him.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you don''t have to worry. I''ve already arranged everything." Darren couldn''t help but be moved on behalf of Nicholas for Amelia''s concern. Then he asked, "Mrs. Amelia, are you going out?"


    "Yes." Amelia nodded. She didn''t want to tell anyone that Lucian was forbidding her to see Mark so she just made up an excuse¡ªshe said she was just going to get something from the SJ Garden.


    When Amelia said this, she realized that it was a good excuse to pack up some of her things that were left in the SJ Garden and at the same time, she could also see Mark.


    Darren had a strange look on his face that he quickly replaced with a smile. He offered, "Did you leave a lot of things in the SJ Garden? I can drive you there."


    "No, thanks. I can drive by myself." With that, Amelia hurriedly waved her hand. She didn''t want Darren to report anything to Nicholas if something else happened in the SJ Garden.

 Chapter 275 I Didnt Really Mean It

    Instead of continuing with what he started, Darren trashed his original plan.


    On the way to SJ Garden, thunder growled like a hungry giant in the distance. Heavy rain was deciding the right time to fall to the ground, still tempting the earth''s inhabitants.


    The windshield was like a girl who had just become single again, but it wasn''t her choice. The rain droplets, like her teardrops, needed to be constantly wiped away by the window wipers.


    Once she arrived to the estate''s gate, Amelia who was inside the car, gave Lily a call.


    Lily answered the phone, but Amelia could hear Fannie''s piercing voice in the background. "What type of careless servant would answer the phone without even making breakfast first?"


    "Mrs. Amelia..." Lily bravely focused on her phone call, despite Fannie''s insult.


    Amelia''s heart fell in her chest, she knew how difficult Fannie could be.


    On the phone, Amelia heard footsteps approach, and then there was a scuffle. That same, sharp voice, now a lot more clearer, asked, "You want to see Mark, don''t you? Let me tell you something, as long as I''m here in the land of the living, Mark''s ours. Do you understand?"


    The line cut off, Amelia wasn''t even given the chance to respond.


    Amelia was angered for no reason. Her heart was full of rage.


    She knew Fannie never liked her, but Amelia decided to not just swallow her resentment in matters of Mark.


    There wasn''t a spare umbrella in the car, so Amelia got soaked, again. Her cold fingers rang the doorbell from outside the gate, her heart was beating fast from adrenaline, anger and the cold.


    When Lily opened the door, she saw Amelia standing outside the gate looking like a wet house cat. Lily gasped, and rushed back insid


    from her and go tend to him. So, I lost control and pushed her away. Her head hit the corner of the table, and she began to bleed..."


    Lily described the episode and started crying in fear. She really didn''t mean to hurt the old woman. But, she had no choice.


    Amelia understood Fannie, so she believed that Lily was telling the truth. She reached out to Lily to hug and comfort her, "My dear girl. Don''t be afraid, I''m here with you."


    When they were on the hospital rooftop last time, Amelia didn''t have the intention to fight back either. She did respect Fannie as she was her husband''s mother. However, Fannie''s nasty words and behavior had the unique ability to push someone to their absolute limit, she ended up pushing Fannie down as well...


    So, she completely understood why Lily behaved in the way she did. Amelia thought that Lily''s actions were perfectly reasonable.


    Being with her son and Lily in the bedroom, Amelia felt warm inside. She quickly polished off the ginger soup that Lily had prepared for her. "Thank you Lily. I''m so lucky to have you by my side. I couldn''t have been more worried every time I think about Mark."


    Missing a son was the most difficult thing for a mother to experience, but she felt much better with Lily''s help and care.


    "Mrs. Amelia, what exactly happened between you and Mr. Lucian? Why have you two drifted apart?" Lily had witnessed the lack of affection the couple shared recently.


    Amelia didn''t really want to talk about this sensitive issue. But, she knew that Lily didn''t mean to pry but it was a true concern to her.


    But, Amelia couldn''t think of an adequate response to that question. In fact, she was trying to figure out an answer herself for the past few days.

 Chapter 276 You Are Really Pissing Me Off

    "You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to, Mrs. Amelia. But I think, you can''t just put up with it anymore or else a new hostess will take your place here in SJ Garden." Lily knew that what she had said would hurt Amelia. As much as possible, she didn''t want her master to suffer. However, when she thought of that ambitious Sasha who came to SJ Garden yesterday, she couldn''t help feeling angry.


    Amelia could understand why Lily was so worried. Lucian had already given Sasha the permission to enter their villa yesterday. This little thing could progress and might end up Sasha taking over her place. Lily obviously didn''t like her to be her master.


    "By the way, has Lucian left?" "Yes. I think he''s going to the hospital," answered Lily with a nod.


    Actually, Amelia was planning to take Mark away. She was just waiting for the perfect timing. Lily seemed to have read her mind so she said with a frown, "Mrs. Amelia, I actually don''t know the gate''s password. Mr. Lucian doesn''t want to give it to me. Maybe he''s thinking that I will tell it to you. He has been really cautious now."


    All of a sudden, Amelia felt hopeless.


    "No wonder he let me stay," she murmured. Lucian was not a fool. He probably knew all along that she wasn''t just simply visiting Mark.


    He changed the password of the gate so she couldn''t leave. If she stayed inside the house while Lucian was gone, he could be rest assured that she couldn''t run away with Mark.


    But Amelia wasn''t just giving up easily. She went out and tried all the passwords she could think. Lily tailed her. Unfortunately, none of them worked. Since she failed guessing the password, she needed to think of other ways.


    "I think I''ll just climb the gate," she suddenly exclaimed. The gate was made of iron bars so there were some gaps in between that she c


    wouldn''t want to lose face in front of Lucian so she would gamble her safety.


    He didn''t say anything. Instead, he scanned the gate with his eyes and studied its feature. He then adjusted his feet to balance between the gaps just like the way he did when he went up earlier. Afterwards, he stretched his arm and smiled to Amelia.


    "Amelia, if you trust me, cling to my arm and pull your feet."


    Michael believed that as long as Amelia could free her feet from being stuck, going down would be easy for her. After all, she had successfully surpassed the most difficult part which were those sharp spikes on top of the gate.


    Looking at Michael''s firm expression, Amelia chose to trust and believe him. Although she already felt so weak, she did her best to cling to his arm and kick with all her might.


    The gate shook violently when she kicked. Fortunately, Michael was quick enough to grasp her hands firmly. Michael''s movement caused the gate to shake more, but then it slowly became stable again.


    "My feet are free now. I can surely get down by myself," said Amelia in a low voice. She sounded very happy.


    Michael nodded with a smile. His eyes were shining brightly.


    They then started to get down from the gate carefully.


    The moment they landed on the ground, they felt elated. They were able to overcome such a difficult situation by helping each other. Amelia was so happy and excited that she suddenly threw herself into Michael''s arms without hesitations.


    Although she failed to take Mark away, Amelia was still grateful that she was safe.


    When Lucian saw Amelia hugged Michael, he felt a sharp pang in his heart. It was too painful that he almost couldn''t breathe. He couldn''t move and he even couldn''t make a sound.


    On the other hand, Amelia''s unexpected hug made Michael crave for it more.

 Chapter 277 I Didnt Want A Divorce

    The hug that Amelia offered was only out of politeness and nothing else.


    When she withdrew from Michael''s embrace, she caught sight of the worried look on Lily''s face. She averted her gaze and saw Lucian, holding the ladder.


    Her mouth agape, she was rendered speechless.


    Sweating profusely, she took Mark from Lily. Affectionately, she carried her son. "Mark, mom''s back!"


    Michael couldn''t help but be moved at this touching scene. As he stood aside, he looked at Mark who looked exactly like Lucian. He commented, "Mark, you''re so handsome!"


    Lucian put down the long ladder and walked up to Amelia. The look on his face was unreadable.


    Despite the blank look on Lucian''s face, Amelia could still feel her heart beating a mile a minute.


    Even though Lucian kept calm on the outside, on the inside, his heart was filled with complicated emotions.


    "Lily, take Mark away!" It seemed that Lucian was on the verge of breaking down. His low voice was thunderous.


    Taken aback, Amelia was not pleased when she heard that Lucian had asked Lily to take Mark away.


    "Lucian, let me be clear about this: Mark is my son. You have no right to forbid me from seeing my own son!" She hadn''t seen Mark for days. When she had come here in the morning, she was soaking wet from the rain and Lucian was so cold to her.


    She tried her best to fight back.


    "So you want to take Mark away?" Lucian let out a laugh before he said snidely, "What''s next?


    e in the Zhan mansion but Lily''s been the one taking care of Mark ever since he was born. So I brought her here with me." ''Nicholas owns the house after all. I need to ask for his permission first. It''s only polite,'' she thought to herself.


    "Greetings, Mr. Nicholas." Lily bowed to him respectfully.


    Nicholas looked at Lily and said with a smile, "Don''t worry. You don''t need to ask. I''m fine with it."


    In Nicholas''s mind, this was Amelia''s home now which meant that she didn''t really need to ask for his permission anymore.


    Still, he appreciated how polite Amelia was as it showed how much she still respected him.


    Fortunately, Nicholas didn''t ask about Lucian. That would have been quite difficult to answer.


    During dinner, it was inevitable that Nicholas would ask about Lucian and Fannie. After all, he hadn''t mentioned them for quite a while now.


    Lily froze when she heard Nicholas mention Fannie, a guilty look on her face. Thankfully, Amelia answered for her.


    "They''re fine," Amelia answered perfunctorily.


    "That''s good. I guess you can''t stay with Fannie in the SJ Garden, can you?" All of a sudden, Nicholas''s eyes became sharp. He squinted as he carefully watched Lily''s face for a reaction.


    Amelia was quick to notice this. She already knew that Nicholas was trying to dig for more information. Keeping her composure, she said with a smile, "Lucian''s been busy lately. In a few days, he''s coming to pick up me and Mark."

 Chapter 279 I Appreciate Your Kindness

    "Amelia, the Zhan mansion is the same as the SJ Garden. You can live wherever you like." Nicholas explained at once as he was afraid that Amelia misunderstood him.


    If possible, he would like Amelia and Mark to live in the Zhan mansion longer.


    He wouldn''t pay off enough to Amelia before he died.


    After dinner, Amelia decided to have a talk with Nicholas.


    She had to make her stand clear no matter he transferred the property of the Zhan Group to her or not.


    She didn''t mean to prove anything in front of Lucian, but she knew what she was thinking.


    She didn''t want to live a rich but peaceful life.


    She had thought this way when she married Lucian.


    "Mark is very lovely and quiet." Seeing that Amelia came to the study, Nicholas greeted her with a smile.


    Amelia smiled in a polite way. She seemed to have something on her mind.


    "Dad, I have something to ask you, but I don''t know if I should. It has been bothering me for days. I think it''s better to ask you the question." The smile on her face was neither too light nor too heavy, but quite calm.


    "What''s the matter? I''ll tell you everything I know." Said Nicholas in a soft tone. His face was always full of tenderness.


    Amelia thought about it in her heart for a while and then said with courage, "If you really want to transfer the property of the Zhan Group to me, then I don''t understand what you''re doing."


    "How do you know this?" Said Nicholas in a hurry. He spilled the beans


    ." Under the emergency, Amelia reminded him quickly.


    With a smile appearing on his face, Lucian teased her, "Mrs. Amelia didn''t mean to refuse. Besides, this is my exclusive territory and no one will see it. So what? It''s normal for a couple to make out."


    Lucian seemed to be in a good mood. He became as humorous as usual.


    "What a fickle man!" Amelia couldn''t figure out what was wrong with this man who pretended to be intimate with her and was so indifferent to her before?


    When he was about to kiss her, a figure stopped in front of the elevator. It was Sasha.


    She didn''t know why she looked flustered. It seemed that she was the third party who came here to make out with Lucian and get caught by his wife.


    On the contrary, Lucian was calm. He adjusted his sleeves and the collar of Amelia''s suit.


    "You two actually..." Pissed off, Sasha pointed at Amelia.


    She must have realized that she was in the wrong. After all, she was still the wife of Lucian. There was no reason for her to get angry.


    "Let''s go. The meeting is about to start." Lucian almost ignored Sasha and said to Amelia in a low voice.


    And he even held Amelia''s hand in front of her, as if they were a loving couple.


    Why did everything change after a night?


    Amelia felt like she was still in a dream and arrived at the meeting room at a loss.


    His assistant, Eric, was helping him decorate the venue. When she came in, she found that it was obviously too early.

 Chapter 280 Shareholders Meeting

    "Mrs. Amelia..." Eric nodded and greeted her with a big smile. He then immediately continued to work.


    In the conference room, Amelia grew confused and did not know where to sit. Lucian gently pulled a chair right beside him.


    ''Yesterday, I could not eat because of sheer anger. How did he manage do subdue me with one passionate kiss?'' Amelia thought to herself.


    She felt that her heart had betrayed her. How could she forgive Lucian so easily?


    "Here you go. Hope this cheers you up," Lucian said as he handed her a folded paper.


    Amelia wanted to unfold the paper so bad. However, Lucian stopped her before she could manage to do so. "Don''t unfold it in front of me, okay? It''s too embarrassing," Lucian explained.


    Amelia was surprised to see Lucian so coy. As a result, her curiosity about the paper''s content intensified.


    Soon, the shareholders came in one after another. Amelia stopped gossiping with Lucian and sported her game face.


    With the same serious look, Lucian gestured that they be seated.


    They sat down very close to each other. It made Amelia feel like they were once again in college.


    Sasha then came in and began to check everyone in attendance.


    It was mentioned that the meeting would proceed differently than usual, and the major stakeholders were fine with it. Soon everyone began to sign into attendance, then whispers engulfed the conference room.


    Amelia tried to dismiss what she felt, but somehow she knew that some of the shareholders wer


    the second one."


    Amelia did not want to talk too much. She just wanted to air how she felt about the matters that were raised.


    Fannie was in great distaste of Amelia''s display. Provoked, the old lady stood up and said, "Then why didn''t you say so before a consensus was reached? Please don''t waste everyone''s time with those crocodile tears of yours!"


    All the shareholders nodded in agreement. They did not understand Amelia''s reaction as well.


    "I do not care what any of you think, but I''m afraid I cannot agree with the chairman''s propositions." All of a sudden, Amelia was serious and assertive. She glared angrily at Nicholas, as if she were scolding a child.


    Nicholas made those decisions out of good intentions, but it seemed that Amelia was yet to accept them.


    Amelia soon left the room while everyone was still inside. Lucian immediately followed her.


    Eric smartly redirected everyone''s attention with his report. He flashed a presentation on last season''s sales data, which captured all the shareholders'' attention.


    Amelia found herself running towards the CEO''s exclusive elevator. Before the doors could shut, Lucian got inside the elevator with her.


    Amelia was shocked by his presence. But the moment she saw Lucian, Amelia was no longer lost. She felt so relieved.


    "It''s no big deal. I understand why this makes you so anxious." Lucian took out a wet tissue and wiped Amelia''s hands.


    Lucian knew how much her hand was sweating throughout the meeting.

 Chapter 280 A Talk (Part One)

    The stickiness got wiped away by it, leaving her hand to sense the coldness the tissue left.


    She was in fact awed at first. She wanted to ask him didn''t Nicholas'' decision affect him? Why did he stood by her side then?


    After they left the building, Lucian mostly kept quiet. Even the whole time he was driving, he didn''t talk much.


    Amelia in the beginning although stole a few glances at him sideways, but when he didn''t acknowledge her prying glances, she heaved a heavy sigh then concentrated outside the car''s window. She rolled down the window to get some fresh air.


    In fact, she was really enjoying the sweeping of cool wind on her face. It seemed like it was taking all her stresses away from her. The worried expression on her face turned to calm, when a sudden gust of wind rolled by, blowing across her face, disheveling her hair.


    She inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. Then her eyes narrowed at their surroundings. She didn''t notice it until now, that Lucian had actually taken her to the seaside. They were about to reach their destination.


    A small smile tugged on her lips reminiscing about their past which included their frequent visit to the seaside. They used to go for a leisurely stroll by the sea and spend a quality time together. Over time it grew into a habit to her. Whenever she would be in a bad mood she used to go to the seaside to relief her stresses. But she wasn''t sure why Lucian had brought her here today.


    She observed the weather outside. Fortunately, it was good today. The sun above was shining softly, the heat was moderate, and the salty sea breeze was blowing with a medium speed.


    She turned


    it for a while. Then she shook her head and sighed, "Don''t worry. The evidences will be in our favor."


    "Are you coming back to the SJ Garden?" on the way back, Lucian asked her gently.


    Of course she wanted to go back to the SJ Garden and stay with him. She was missing the old days so much. But when she reminded herself of Fannie, she stopped herself from accepting his offer.


    "Your mother''s health isn''t really in a good condition these days. So, I guess, I will stay at the Zhan mansion for a while." Fannie was actually admitted in the hospital. But as there was this general shareholders'' meeting, she had to come to attend it even with her illness.


    "My mother wouldn''t have a problem if you come back. She would move to another house," as if aware of her concern, Lucian quickly added.


    Amelia wanted to accept his offer but still felt it inappropriate. So, she put a temporary end to that conversation with an excuse, "Let''s talk about it later."


    Lucian didn''t insist thereafter.


    "Is Sasha living in the SJ Garden?" Amelia focused her attention on Lucian from the passenger''s seat.


    She felt a sense of jealousy if that was the case.


    Lucian frowned at the name of Sasha, not to mention that Amelia could think he would have agreed to let Sasha move in with him.


    "You are the only woman Amelia, that I have brought home to stay overnight. Other women are not qualified enough for that position," Lucian told her proudly.


    The mention of their first time meeting, reminded her how little they had known about each other yet he had brought her to his home. At that time, it seemed like a scene from a steamy romantic movie.

 Chapter 280 A Talk (Part Two)

    Amelia couldn''t help but laugh aloud. "I remember that someone threatened me with photos at that time."


    Lucian smirked at that. He was a strange specimen at that time. He wasn''t sure why did he bring her home from the bar when she got drunk.


    Actually, he was forced to get married at that time by his family. Since he didn''t have any feelings for Shelly, he wanted to escape it. Coincidentally, he got the idea of a fake marriage which was the exact moment when Amelia appeared.


    "I haven''t ever seen those photos actually." Speaking of those photos, although it occurred to Amelia several times and she even had asked Lucian for them, he didn''t give them to her.


    She still couldn''t understand how Lucian, a handsome man who had so many girlfriends, a complete stranger at that time had threatened her with those photos.


    Lucian cast a side glance at her. "I am still curious to know the reason of you getting drunk. Was it for another man?" Jealously was evidently dripping from his voice.


    Amelia''s face flushed when she heard that.


    It wasn''t for another man but it sure was jealousy. When she got the news that Jasper and Yolanda were together at that time, her mind had been blocked to think rationally. She could not get out of the fact that why couldn''t she get a man like everyone else.


    But then again, it was probably in her fate. "This is fate. We cannot escape it!" Amelia had accepted her destiny and probably it was for good. She didn''t regret it anymore.


    After driving Amelia to the Zhan mansion, he didn''t say anything. But Amelia could not help asking him, "How about coming in?"


    She didn''t know why she was acting like she was the owner of the house. It was in fact, Lucian''s home.


    When did she become the one receiving the guests? Probably, it was Lucian who had given her the rights.


    Hearing her invitation, Lucian couldn''t say no anymore. He got off of the car, then stood tall


    to you than me?" Lucian took a quick glance at Amelia before turning his attention back on the road.


    "That''s a question I think Lily is the right one to answer," Amelia replied in a proud and happy note.


    Lily looked at Lucian and blushed. "I feel safe to have Mrs. Amelia around since she is so kind."


    Lucian didn''t respond immediately so Lily thought that he had gotten angry with her answer, so she hurriedly added to please him as well, "In fact, Mr. Lucian is also very gentle. When he is with Mark, he is a perfect father figure."


    "Oh! So, that means, I act as a bad guy in front of you?" He intentionally tried to find some loopholes in Lily''s words. He was in fact enjoying this conversation. Although, he kept a straight face.


    In response to which, Lily decided to give Amelia some information when she wasn''t in SJ Garden. "Mrs. Amelia, you have no idea that when you weren''t in the SJ Garden, Mr. Lucian was feeding Mark at midnight, all by himself. He''s one of the best fathers I''ve seen in my whole life." Lily really wanted to speak highly of Lucian. Because it was the truth. However, when she finished her words, Amelia was so pleased that she laughed aloud looking affectionately at Lucian.


    "Lily, think twice before you say something. Okay?" Lucian said. He wasn''t particularly scolding her, but he didn''t really expect she would choose that bit of information to say in front of Amelia.


    But Lily here, didn''t think there was anything wrong with her words. "Young master has the habit of waking up and drinking breast milk in the middle of the night, as you already know, Mrs. Amelia. So, Mr. Lucian was so cautious all night long to take care of that matter," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.


    Amelia laughed heartily at that. Her eyes suddenly welled up with happy tears. She gushed happily, "Lucian, don''t hide your love. I know that she meant, you have fed Mark from the milk bottle."

 Chapter 281 Honey, Why Are You Crying

    Lucian hadn''t expected that Amelia would tease him as well as he glanced at her.


    Amelia held back her laughter.


    Sitting in the back seat, Lily was relieved that the couple had finally reconciled. Finally, she could set her heart at ease.


    "Wow, it feels so good to be home!" Amelia immediately went straight to the bedroom. She lay in the bed and closed her eyes, feeling the softness of the silk against her skin.


    Lucian came over, took Amelia''s hand, and rubbed it against his face. Playfully, he said, "Your days at the Zhan mansion must have been tough for you."


    It wasn''t until Amelia had come home did the atmosphere finally loosen up.


    Even though Lucian had spent time with Mark the other days, he still couldn''t help but feel as if something was missing.


    "By the way, Lucian, about what your father announced at the shareholders'' meeting, is it true?" Amelia was afraid that Nicholas would do as he had said despite her objections.


    Lucian shrugged his shoulders. He said, wanting to appease her worries, "He only did that because he wanted to make it up to you since you didn''t have a father growing up. If you really don''t want to, he won''t force you."


    After hearing what Lucian said, Amelia felt a little relieved.


    However, when she thought back to recent happenings and how Lucian seemed to always be misunderstanding her, she purposely pouted a


    rents. He knew that Amelia was innocent, and he felt bad for not believing her and taking his anger out on her.


    Deeply touched, Amelia smiled at him. "Bitter fruit always turns sweet. No matter what happens in the future, I hope you never leave me. We should always face problems together,"


    Amelia said firmly, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Although Lucian had already suggested before that they have a wedding, she didn''t think it was necessary then. After all, they already had Mark.


    However, Lucian really wanted to give Amelia a beautiful wedding.


    Seeing Amelia''s excitement now, he knew he made the right decision.


    He had been planning and preparing the wedding for a while now making sure that everything was decided based on Amelia''s taste.


    In order to ensure that it was a surprise for Amelia, Lucian did his best to do everything in secret.


    A week later, Lucian had already sent out the wedding invitations to their relatives.


    Only Amelia had no idea.


    When Courtney received her invitation, she jumped in joy. If she weren''t pregnant, she would have rushed right over to SJ Garden to give Amelia a huge hug.


    But she promised to keep it a secret so she had to refrain herself from calling Amelia.


    "You weren''t even this happy when we got married. Lucian and Amelia have been married for a long time now. Why are you so excited?" Kent teased.

 Chapter 282 Mysterious And Romantic

    Courtney rolled her eyes at Kent and mumbled, "You men are so stupid! You don''t understand how I''m feeling!"


    Amelia was one of her best friends. While she knew that Lucian was a good man, he still had way too many admirers. The wedding was definitely going to help get rid of the admirers.


    "Lucian had actually planned the wedding in secret. Amelia was probably so smitten when she found out!" Kent had been friends with Amelia for years so he understood how excited Courtney was for Amelia as he too felt the same way.


    "Yeah, I feel as if my only daughter''s finally going to get married!" Courtney said sentimentally all of a sudden.


    Thankfully, Courtney didn''t jump up and down in excitement this time because every time she did this, Kent would get extremely nervous.


    In the next three days, Lucian left the house early and came home late.


    However, that morning, Amelia got up early so she could catch Lucian before he left. "What have you been busy with recently?" she asked bashfully.


    Even though he wasn''t staying out all night and getting drunk, he was still coming home way after dinner time. Naturally, Amelia was curious.


    Lucian looked at her and smiled. He turned around and said, "You''ll know the day after tomorrow."


    "Can you tell me now?" Amelia pressed, growing more curious by the second.


    Pinching her nose, Lucian said, "Well, you might be more scared than surprised if I tell you now."


    Lucian was firm¡ªhe wa


    nt on.


    The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers. The elaborate decoration of the flowers by the sea made everything look so romantic.


    At this time, a romantic background music called ''Marry Me'' came from behind Amelia. It was a familiar song.


    ''Oh my God! Is this really a wedding?''


    Suddenly, guests were arriving.


    There was Courtney, Kent, Lily, Mark and so on... ''Why are they here?''


    Amelia closed her eyes for a while. When she opened her eyes again, she found that on the other side, Lucian was gazing at her affectionately, holding a bunch of flowers in his hands.


    It wasn''t a dream. It was real.


    When she looked at Courtney to ask what had happened, Courtney stuck out her tongue at Amelia and buried her head into Kent''s arms shyly.


    Kent raised his fist to encourage her.


    Apparently, Lucian had been behind all of this. They had all worked together to keep it from her.


    No wonder Lucian had been so busy the past few days. He left early in the morning and came back late at night. Last night, he didn''t even come home at all! Amelia fought Lucian because of that and Lucian didn''t even bother to explain himself.


    Amelia then realized that she was wrong to get mad at Lucian.


    As soon as she realized what Lucian had done for her, her eyes began welling up in tears.


    Soon, the LED screen began to play their previous wedding photos including all their photos with Mark who was just about a year old then.

 Chapter 283 What About Me And Our Baby

    Amelia looked around her, confused. The host stepped forward to the center of the stage and called for the bridegroom. At the sound of Lucian''s name, she snapped out of her bewildered daze.


    Her guess was right. This was no make-up launch event, after all¡ªit was a surprise wedding ceremony arranged by Lucian!


    The solemn wedding march started playing, and Amelia found herself trembling at the romance of it all. Her tremulous gaze found Lucian, who was smiling at her gently.


    Lily, who was wearing a purple dress, came up to her with a reassuring smile. She touched Amelia''s arm and whispered, "Mrs. Amelia, don''t be nervous. I''ll be right beside you."


    Lily''s voice had a way of soothing other people''s worries, and it did reassure Amelia. Even so, she still felt nervous, faced with such a luxurious and romantic scene and all of the guests present.


    When the host called the bride''s father to the stage, Amelia''s heart tightened. She was sure that Vernon was still in prison. How could he attend the wedding?


    Her musings were interrupted when she saw Nicholas being wheeled toward the platform and looking resplendent in a black suit.


    Far from reassuring her, the sight of Nicholas made Amelia even more nervous.


    As he approached her with Darren pushing his chair, Amelia''s thoughts were churning. Her hands clenched into fists, and her heart was pounding madly.


    In spite of the pressure that she felt at that moment, Amelia tried to calm her racing heart as she moved forward to meet Nicholas as arranged by the host. Side by side, they withdrew from the stage.


    As the host gave a passionate speech with the romantic background music playing, Amelia stood on the flower-covered path and savored the salty sea breeze. Slowly, her heart settled down, and an indescribable excitement filled her.


    From the other side of the stage, Lucian approached her, a


    Amelia, and so she lost her backer.


    Then, she accidentally overheard that Lucian and Amelia were to be married today. She actually had no intentions of ruining the wedding and knew full well that she wouldn''t succeed in doing so on her own. At least she could throw a monkey wrench to Lucian''s plans and vent her anger.


    "Ok, you''re pregnant with Lucian''s baby. So what?" With a look of disdain on her face, Courtney continued haughtily, "Your penchant for being the other woman is laughable. You''ve tried and failed to seduce Lucian countless times, and maybe you did succeed once. You thought that fact was your entrance ticket to the Zhan family, but unfortunately, Lucian had just married Amelia, the daughter of the family. Good luck in daydreaming about joining the Zhan family, because that''s never going to happen in real life!"


    Stunned, Sasha could only stammer, "W-what do you mean?" Sasha''s face drained of color, and she stared at Courtney, uncomprehending.


    If Amelia was the daughter-in-law of the Zhan family, how could she marry Lucian as the daughter of Zhan family? Were the gossip articles actually true?


    "If you really want an explanation, you might want to step down while I''m asking lightly. Or we can do this the hard way," said Lucian in a cold voice, his eyes filled with contempt as he looked at Sasha.


    "Lucian!" Sasha implored, shocked at the cold shoulder Lucian was giving her. "Please think about the baby inside me! You get to have a happy family; what about me and our child?"


    "Stop your acting right now!" Courtney exploded. "You know exactly what happened that time." Courtney reached out and gave Sasha a push. At that point, she felt like Lucian and Amelia couldn''t deal with the situation, so she took it upon herself to help out. "You''re pathetic and shameless, coming here to ruin this happy occasion for everyone. Get out, now!"

 Chapter 284 A Connection Between Husband And Wife

    Courtney didn''t even exert any force on her but Sasha fell on the floor, frightened.


    Seeing Sasha in this state, the guests at the wedding table stood up and swarmed around the stage.


    Not wishing to feel humiliated in front of many people, Sasha decided to play along. She lay on the floor. Her face contorted into an expression of pain as she groaned.


    "Get up! Don''t play dumb with me." Courtney reached out a hand to help Sasha up, but her tone was full of disgust.


    Assisted by Shelly, Fannie walked to her and helped Sasha up. She was very surprised to see her on the floor. "What happened? How did you fall? You need to be careful because you''re pregnant!"


    Sasha was stunned to see Fannie''s worried expression. She couldn''t understand why she was suddenly nice to her.


    Despite their pleasant conversation at SJ Garden, Fannie warned her the next day never to return or she would have her tortured as she did back then.


    She may be a confident woman, but Fannie''s threats overwhelmed Sasha.


    She still felt sad and dejected until she learned from an anonymous tip that Lucian had prepared a secret wedding for Amelia.


    "Thank you, Auntie," Sasha said as she stood up. She looked like a helpless little lamb with a hurt expression on her face. Everyone who saw her would think her deserving of pity.


    "There are many people here today. If you have anything to say, let''s talk about it later. Don''t make a fool of yourself." Fannie was de


    ian had always said that the most important thing was for a couple to have trust in one another.


    "If it''s really your child, would you really ignore him?" Amelia broke free from Lucian''s arms. The thought of Sasha and her baby made her anxious.


    Lucian swallowed. The question obviously made him tense up.


    "I''m trying to remember what happened that night. I know I was drunk, but there must have been some sort of misunderstanding." After saying as much, Lucian remained silent. He didn''t answer Amelia''s question. He only showed how confused he was over everything.


    "So you''re not sure?" Amelia looked at Lucian with pleading eyes. She''d have given everything to know what was on his mind.


    Lucian nodded. Amelia saw light flashed quickly in his eyes as he turned his head to hers and asked, "Can you do me a favor?"


    "I''m your wife. You don''t have to be so formal with me." Amelia pouted and said sweetly, "Just say what you want and I''ll do my best."


    Touched by her words, Lucian held her closer to his chest. "I''m not simply asking for your help. What I''m going to request from you may hurt."


    "Don''t worry about me. I can take on anything as long as you protect me." Perhaps it was because nobody else was there that Amelia felt comfortable to share her honest and heartfelt words with Lucian. Her face flushed as she spoke.


    "I''d like to ask Sasha to move in to SJ Garden. We''ll find the truth once we''ve observed her," Lucian suggested.

 Chapter 285 You Are A Mere Servant

    Amelia hesitated before finally agreeing.


    Sasha was tough to deal with, but she was willing to do her best if it meant clearing Lucian''s name.


    "Thank you, honey," he said as he pulled her close. He felt relived the moment she agreed. "Your trust is more important than anything else."


    Lucian drove Sasha to SJ Garden the day after the wedding.


    Lily had no idea what was going on. She was utterly confused upon seeing Sasha enter the room. A dark look went over her face, only to be replaced with utter confusion when she saw Lucian and Amelia treating Sasha with smiles on their faces.


    "Mrs. Amelia," she started. "What happened to you and Mr. Lucian?" Her eyes drifted over to Sasha and asked, "Why did you invite a wolf into the house?" To her, Sasha was a vicious and cunning woman.


    "Don''t worry," Amelia replied. "Everything will be fine." Lucian and Amelia had agreed to keep the secret between themselves. Lily had to be kept in the dark.


    It wasn''t a matter of distrust toward Lily. Both she and Lucian just agreed that the less people knew, the better.


    If Lily knew Lucian''s plan, she would be highly respectful towards Sasha. Sasha being suspicious of Lily would only cause more trouble.


    "Lucian, I don''t have much luggage," Sasha said, looking over to Lucian. "I just bought some pregnancy books along with some others. Oh, you must be exhausted." She caught herself mid-sentence and went over to Lucian to give him a massage.


    Amelia


    with the other," Sasha said to Amelia with fake praise and sarcasm dripping with every word.


    Lily bit her tongue to keep herself from saying anything.


    "Let''s eat," Amelia repeated with an awkward smile.


    "Well, Amelia, it''s not that I am picky, but this food is so bland." Looking at the dishes on the table, Sasha shrugged and looked bored.


    This surprised Amelia. And she asked, "So...would you like the food to be a little more spicy?"


    "Not really," Sasha replied. "In fact, I rather prefer bland food, but I really don''t want to eat these dishes." Sasha didn''t give her answers much thought and just spoke what was on her mind.


    "Hey, can you stop?" Lily had finally spoken up. "Mrs. Amelia made the effort of making the food a little bland because something too sweet or spicy may be bad for your baby," she said.


    "Lily, stop talking," Amelia interrupted her. "Lucian and I also like spicy food. I''ll cook something spicy next time."


    This upset Sasha.


    "I didn''t like it that flavorful as much before," she confessed. "But since I got pregnant, my appetite has changed." Sasha said this with a hint of sadness, using her baby for sympathy.


    Amelia smiled and left it at that, choosing not to reply.


    Lily decided to follow suit and not dwell on it further as well.


    The dinner ended in quiet and peaceful silence.


    "Mrs. Amelia, please go and have rest. I''ll wash the dishes." After the meal, Lily cleaned the table quietly by herself.

 Chapter 286 I Refuse To Speak To Her

    Amelia suddenly heard a rattling noise from the living room and she turned around to see Lucian standing there.


    She felt a sense of joy the moment she realized that Lucian was back. However, before she was even able to greet him, Sasha dashed toward him and charmingly greeted, "Lucian, you''re back! Have you eaten already?"


    However, the moment he arrived, Lucian''s eyes were glued towards Amelia. While he was caught in a daze of her stunning beauty, he completely disregarded Sasha.


    "Hurry up and go, Mrs. Amelia. You''re the one he wants to see!" Amelia stood completely still as she stared blankly at him. Lily noticed this and encouraged her by nudging her from behind with a happy look on her face.


    Knowing that Lily had done this out of care, Amelia turned to face Lily and smiled, shaking her head with amusement.


    When Amelia turned around to look forward, Lucian was already standing in front of her. He had that familiar tenderness in his eyes when he said, "Have you had dinner?"


    Amelia nodded and said, "I''m surprised you didn''t drink at the dinner party."


    "Did my wife just compliment me?" The enamored couple teased each other, as if they were the only people there.


    When Lily saw how well Lucian and Amelia were getting along, she couldn''t stop grinning from ear to ear, as she carried on washing dishes with a sense of relief in her heart.


    Sasha, however, was teeming with jealousy and watching the intimacy between the couple felt like a torture she couldn''t get out of.


    She couldn''t bear the thought of watching Lucian and Amelia showing their affection towards each other, but she couldn''t bear to disappoint Lucian even more. After all, he was the one who had asked her to stay at SJ Garden.


    "So, Lucian, you''re going to ask me whether I''ve had dinner or not?" Sasha''s words bled with resentment, as she walked towards him.


    Lucian closed his eyes and sighed in dismay. Despite having lost his patience, he responded in a calm and restrained tone, "Well, when I heard Amelia''s


    nued to hand Sasha the bandages when she noticed Lucian''s compromising face.


    Just from a glance, she could already tell that Lucian was forced to endure Sasha''s neediness and he didn''t want to even be near her.


    However, Sasha stared at Amelia''s eyes and couldn''t hide the smug look on her face as if she had won the game.


    All the while, Lucian tried his best to push her away like he was trying to detach a strange creature away from him.


    "Ah! It hurts!" Sasha grumbled with an upset look on her face and said, "Lucian, you''re hurting me!"


    However, the man was completely exasperated at this point and the anger was clear in his eyes because he barely grabbed her arm.


    Out of everyone, Lily was clearly the most enraged about what she was seeing and she snapped, "Shame on you, Sasha. Shame on you! I''ve never seen a woman act so shameless and disgracefully as you have just showed me this morning!"


    Amelia walked towards Sasha to tend to her finger without uttering a single word on what was going on. Keeping a calm and expressionless face, she opened the box and said, "Sasha, please show me the cut."


    She hoped that now the woman would take her hand off of Lucian.


    "Mrs. Amelia, how could you do this to yourself? Let me take care of this!" Lily quickly snatched the swab and ointment from Amelia''s hand before urging her to sit next to Lucian.


    Clearly frightened by the idea that Lily was going to treat her wound, Sasha kept quiet throughout the whole ordeal. She knew well that Lily wasn''t fond of her and angering her would only do her more harm than good.


    "Miss Sasha, please keep calm and don''t act like a baby. This won''t hurt at all." Lily already knew how Sasha would react while treating her wound, so she made it a point to tell her beforehand so she wouldn''t have to watch her whine throughout.


    Unbeknownst to her, Sasha seemed to have made a vigorous enemy. The mere sight of Lily now gave her a fright, but Sasha decided to keep her thoughts and words on the matter to herself.

 Chapter 287 Wait For Me At Home

    Lucian and Amelia smiled at each other.


    On the other hand, Sasha was so upset. She felt like she couldn''t breathe. A mere housemaid just yelled at her and she found it so unacceptable.


    "Lucian, where are you going?" she shouted when she saw that Lucian was about to leave.


    "Of course Mr. Lucian needs to go to work. He can''t be with you 24 hours a day," murmured Lily. Although her voice was very low, Amelia heard her.


    So she glanced at Lily and hinted her to stop.


    Sasha suddenly stood up. "I''ll go with you," she said. She was still an employee of the Zhan Group so she thought that it would just be okay to go to the office with Lucian.


    "No need. The HR department has fired you so you''re not a Zhan Group employee anymore," replied Lucian in a cold voice. He hated being with Sasha. No matter how much he tried, he really couldn''t develop any feelings for her.


    Sasha''s face turned pale. She looked at Lucian in awe. Was he really serious? She didn''t expect that he would fire her so suddenly.


    She was actually planning to go to the office with Lucian every day to brag her relationship with him. She wanted all the employees of the Zhan Group to realize that she was not just an employee. Furthermore, she wanted to ignite the hatred in Amelia''s heart by making her jealous.


    However, all her fantasies vanished. Lucian didn''t give her even the smallest chance. She felt like her whole body froze and she couldn''t move even a bit.


    When it came to Sasha, Lucian seemed to be very insensitive and inconsiderate. He didn''t mind her feelings. Just like now, he walked up to Amelia and kissed her on the forehead just like his usual habit in front of her.


    "Wait for me at home," he said to Amelia. His voice was sweet and gentle.


    Amelia fe


    erge of breaking down when Amelia arrived.


    "Mark!" Amelia ran to Lily and held Mark into her arms. Her heart ached upon seeing her son crying.


    When they arrived at the children''s hospital, the doctor immediately checked on Mark. Afterwards, she told Amelia not to worry anymore. His leg was just a little swollen because of the heavy object that fell on him but there was no fracture.


    Finally, Amelia felt relieved.


    "Lily, you can go home now. I''ll stay with Mark in the hospital first. Although there is nothing serious, I want him to be checked thoroughly again just to make sure." Seated on the edge of the hospital bed, Amelia held Mark''s hands tightly. She still looked very nervous.


    "Mrs. Amelia, I''m so sorry." Lily felt so guilty that she didn''t know what else to say.


    "Don''t think too much. Mark is fine now," consoled Amelia. Although Lily hadn''t explained it yet, Amelia already surmised that it had something to do with Sasha.


    In the evening, Lucian came to the hospital. He looked so worried.


    "Why didn''t you call me?" he immediately asked Amelia. He only found out when he came back home and Sasha told him about it.


    "Mark is fine now. Besides, I know that you are busy at work. I don''t want to disturb you." Amelia''s eyes were fixed on Mark while she answered Lucian''s question. "After all, it was my fault," she added. Guilt was written all over her face.


    "Don''t always blame yourself for everything. I already know what happened." Lucian frowned. He didn''t want Amelia to always apologize especially for things that she wasn''t at fault.


    "You know?" Amelia was surprised. The only thing she cared about earlier was Mark. She was in a hurry to bring him to the hospital that she didn''t even bother to ask what really happened.

 Chapter 288 Babys Father

    "Lily was worried that you might take the blame, so she told me everything before I left." Lucian''s eyes darkened suddenly as a thought occurred to him.


    Amelia looked a little embarrassed, but she quickly collected herself and asked, "What is it? Is it related to Sasha?"


    "Yes." Lucian nodded, looking extremely serious.


    Amelia''s heart gave a little jolt. Her guess was correct, after all. Sasha had only been staying at the mansion for two days, but she was so restless. If they couldn''t figure out what to do about her soon, who knows what sort of trouble she may come up with next.


    "Lucian, I can''t let Sasha stay at the SJ Garden," Amelia said in an adamant tone.


    She would go to any lengths to ensure Mark''s safety, even at the risk of appearing selfish.


    "I did not accept Sasha here in the SJ Garden to take care of her, but to find out the truth. Now that she''s feeling restless, I have to gather information in another way." It looked like Lucian had planned everything to the last detail and considered all possible scenarios.


    Amelia still felt bewildered even with Lucian''s explanation, but she still thought that their irregular setup was extremely inappropriate. She frowned and said, "For the sake of the child in her belly, I can be patient, but I don''t want to wake up one morning with a knife sticking out our backs."


    The next day, as soon as the doctor confirmed that Mark was ready to be discharged from the hospital, Lucian took Amelia and their son back to the SJ Garden.


    Whether she had learned from her previous mistakes or she wanted to please Lucian, Sasha waited for their return and walked up to Lucian as soon as he entered the mansion''s doors with Mark in his arms.


    Lucian ignored her and went upstairs directly to his room.


    Sasha was momentarily stunned by the snub that Lucian delivered. Amelia followed beh


    e teacup and sipped the tea slowly, her hands steady despite the turmoil in her heart.


    Faced with Amelia''s lack of interest on the subject, Sasha continued on, "So... Lucian has finally acknowledged the baby in my belly as his."


    Her hands caressed her still-flat belly, and her lips appeared to be perpetually upturned by a pleased smile.


    Amelia presented a calm facade that did not reflect the conflict inside her.


    "I''m very glad to hear that. Congratulations, Sasha!" Amelia said with a slight smile, placing her teacup back in its original place with not the slightest hint of tremble. She resolved not to give the other woman the satisfaction of getting a reaction from her!


    Sasha laughed coyly, flaunting her triumph. "Lucian isn''t a heartless person. Do you think he could ignore his own flesh and blood?"


    "Yes, Lucian is a kind person. If he actually were heartless, he probably would have abandoned his wife and child long before now, what with all sorts of temptations that could be found just about everywhere." Amelia so badly wanted to ignore Sasha because anything she would say would probably fall on deaf ears, anyway. Even so, she couldn''t stop herself from delivering that insult.


    Sasha quickly realized what Amelia meant, and her face went pale with fury.


    "Huh. You become a lot meaner than before, Amelia. Still, you have to learn to accept reality," not to be outdone, Sasha retorted.


    With a slight smile on her face, Amelia marshaled on, "Even though certain situations are unavoidable, I believe nothing you do can ruin our family." She was glad that she actually sounded more confident than she felt.


    However, Sasha didn''t believe her at all.


    "Keep deluding yourself, then. When my baby is born, I will become Lucian''s wife. Mark my words," Sasha said with conviction. Amelia finally knew what Sasha''s endgame was.

 Chapter 289 Unexpected Truth

    The smile on Sasha''s face never reached Amelia''s eyes. But she knew that Sasha wouldn''t give up easily.


    "Amelia, what makes you so special? You can cook, wash and probably clean the house, but other than that you are basically good for nothing. While I, on the other hand, can help Lucian with the business," Sasha said, proudly pointing out her greatest advantage over Amelia.


    "Well, Sasha, you are such an amazing woman. It must be so hard to find someone like you in the whole wild world. I will make sure to mention that to Lucian when I sleep with him on the same bed," Amelia replied in a deliberate cold tone of voice.


    Sasha fully understood the sarcasm in Amelia''s words. She meant that no matter what Sasha''s virtues might be, it was her whom Lucian slept with on the same bed. Sasha was like a mere pet that Lucian wanted to keep around.


    "We''ll see about that!" Sasha replied angrily.


    Amelia was immediately lost in thought as she watched Sasha turn her back on her in anger.


    She never understood why Lucian suddenly admitted that Sasha''s child was his, but she thought that he likely had a good reason.


    And whatever that reason was, she knew that she simply couldn''t mess up and ruin Lucian''s plan.


    After having lunch, Amelia received a message from Michael that invited her to have an afternoon tea with him. She was about to reply with a message to decline his invitation when she noticed that Sasha was preparing to leave and she suddenly became curious.


    Almost at the same time, another message from Michael arrived. "I have an appointment with Sasha. Please make sure not to be discovered by her on your way here. Perhaps we can get the answer that you need from our conversation."


    The message m


    urned around but found nobody else there but her.


    The disappointment in Sasha''s face told Amelia that Sasha thought that it was Lucian who arrived and entered the house.


    "Didn''t you go shopping? Why are you back so early?" Amelia asked. She pretended to be calm, and tried to keep everything she knew locked inside her.


    Sasha moved to her side, hopping up and down. She grabbed Amelia''s arm and said in an excited voice, "I walked around but found nothing interesting. So I decided to come back home."


    ''Come back home?'' Amelia repeated to herself. ''How could she consider this place as her home?'' Amelia wondered.


    "Ha-ha-ha! Unfortunately, that''s true sometimes." Amelia pretended to agree with her.


    Sasha sensed that there was something wrong with Amelia. She assumed that Amelia was mad at her because of Mark''s wound. So she held Amelia''s arm tighter. "Did you go out just now?" she asked in a tone that was similar to a kid asking her mother about something.


    "Yes, I went to the flower shop," Amelia replied without looking back at Sasha. She continued walking and was about to go upstairs.


    Sasha smiled at Amelia and then said, "Oh, silly me. I told you that I will go to the flower shop to buy some flowers, but I''ve never actually been there!"


    "We can go together sometime if you want. I understand that Mr. Michael must send you flowers before when you were in a relationship. But now the situation is different," Amelia said sarcastically. She had a wicked smile on her face as she said these words on purpose. She wanted to see how she''d react when she heard the name Michael.


    The words left Sasha dumbfounded. She stared agape at Amelia as she stood very still. She looked like she had lost her soul.

 Chapter 290 Lets See How You Will Perform

    "Actually, Michael''s not a romantic person. When we were still in a relationship, we only had dinners at most. We even rarely held hands like most couples do," Sasha explained. She was trying to distance herself from Michael.


    Amelia cast a glance at Sasha. Thinking about Michael had told her that he and Sasha never had a serious relationship, she smiled and asked, "Miss Sasha, you two fell in love with each other at first sight, right?"


    If a couple fell in love at first sight, they might find it hard to forget each other. Even after breaking up, the memory of their love would surely remain.


    Sasha was quiet for a little while. She seemed to realize something. Then she gave Amelia a cautious look and said, "I actually told you that I was in a relationship with him because I wanted to get close to Lucian."


    What she said surprised Amelia. She didn''t expect Sasha to be this shameless.


    "You knew that Michael was Lucian''s classmate when you met him?" Amelia wanted to make sure that Michael wasn''t Sasha''s accomplice. She wanted to know if he wasn''t really betraying Lucian from the very start.


    "Well, since you really want to know, I will tell you the whole story." Sasha thought that Amelia was still thinking that there was an emotional connection between her and Michael so she wanted to change her mind by telling her the story.


    "I met Michael in a bar. He approached me and we started to get to know each other. He found me pretty but he wasn''t serious on me. He was only attracted to me and he only wanted to have fun." Upon starting her story, Sasha got reminded of her first meeting with Michael. She suddenly frowned and her


    nothing to do with his real identity but she still got inflicted. She became a victim. He even heaped his own negative emotions on her.


    Thinking about all of those things, Lucian suddenly felt that he owed Amelia too much.


    And now that Sasha was causing a lot of troubles, he felt like he didn''t deserve to own Amelia if he would just let her feel wronged all the time.


    Finally, he could understand why Nicholas was so protective of her daughter.


    Since it was a weekend, Lucian decided to take Amelia and Mark for a walk. But when Sasha heard about it, she volunteered herself as well.


    "Lucian, please take me with you. I promise, I won''t cause any trouble," she pleaded. "Who can believe in your words?" said Lily sourly. She had actually reacted strongly than Amelia.


    However, Lucian nodded in agreement.


    "Mr. Lucian!" Lilly called out Lucian''s name and gave him a pleading look. She wished Lucian would say no. Sasha was a troublesome woman and her presence would just ruin the little family''s moment. She brought nothing but trouble to this family.


    The nervous look on Sasha''s face disappeared in an instant. She looked at Lily with smug look.


    The reason why Amelia didn''t say anything was because she knew that Lucian had his own plan. So she just said, "I''ll bring Mark''s bottle."


    "Mrs. Amelia." Lily was so confused. She couldn''t understand why Amelia didn''t object at all.


    "Lucian, it''s sunny today. I''ll just get my hat and put on some sunscreen. Please wait a moment," said Sasha excitedly. Sasha realized that she was still wearing a housecoat so she decided to change into something appealing that could amaze Lucian.

 Chapter 291 A Happy Family

    After dressing up, Sasha finally went downstairs.


    "Are you going to a pageant? Why are you wearing heavy make-up?" Lily commented snidely when she saw Sasha standing by the stairway.


    Amelia had changed into a sports shirt so she could match with Mark.


    Ignoring Lily, Sasha walked up to Lucian confidently and said, "Lucian''s wearing a suit so I thought it would be appropriate if I dressed up too."


    This was obviously a jab at Amelia who was dressed so casually.


    "If you''re ready, we can go," Amelia said calmly.


    "Wait a moment." Lucian patted Amelia on the shoulder and went upstairs.


    "Lucian?" Sasha called, confused.


    Since Lucian was still gone, Lily went up to Amelia and whispered, "Mrs. Amelia, stand up for yourself. Don''t let Sasha get close to Mr. Lucian!"


    Even though Lily kept her voice low, Sasha still heard her.


    Sasha fluttered her eyes at Lily and grumbled, "She''s just a servant. What right does she have to talk about me like that?"


    Amelia didn''t like how Sasha was treating Lily so she retorted, "Miss Sasha, everyone is born equal. Please behave yourself. I treat Lily as if she was my sister."


    Anger welled up in Sasha''s heart. Just as she was about to fight back, Lucian had already arrived downstairs so she bit her tongue back.


    "Oh, Mr. Lucian changed his clothes!" Li


    casually.


    Despite Amelia''s confusion, she still got out of the car with Lucian.


    "Let me take Mark. He''s getting heavier and heavier." As soon as Amelia got out of the car, Lucian considerately took Mark from her arms.


    "Lucian, she doesn''t want to eat here..." said Amelia. But Lucian didn''t want to wait for Sasha and headed straight to the restaurant.


    "She doesn''t have a choice." Lucian gave a cold smile. His eyes were unreadable.


    Amelia had thought that Sasha would stay in the car, but to her surprise, Sasha had come to the front desk.


    The restaurant was grand and magnificent as it was lavishly decorated.


    Amelia couldn''t help but notice that Sasha fit right in with her fancy dress. Sasha looked like she belonged here as she walked in the hall.


    On the contrary, she and Lucian looked like lost holiday tourists in their sportswear.


    But Lucian was naturally elegant. His demeanor made him stand out.


    Amelia felt secure as she walked alongside him.


    Led by the manager, they sat in the VIP room.


    "Oh my God! They also have toys!" There was a large box full of all kinds of toys inside the VIP room.


    Upon seeing this, Mark broke free from Lucian''s arms.


    "Mark''s not such a good boy anymore. He chooses toys over his own dad?" Lucian teased as he put Mark down to play with the toys.

 Chapter 292 A Strange Atmosphere

    Once she entered the hall, Sasha got a queasy feeling in her stomach. This didn''t happen often, but she could recognize it. It was her intuition speaking to her.


    Something was definitely wrong when she noticed how many toys were placed around the room. ''Didn''t Michael know that we would be coming?''


    If he didn''t know, how could he know to prepare all of these toys?


    If Michael was to appear later on, would she be able to pretend that she didn''t know him at all?


    While it is true that she had already cut off her relationship with Michael, her unborn baby didn''t approve of that separation with him...


    Coming to this conclusion, she felt a wave of nausea. She couldn''t shake away that feeling, it was getting worse. She rushed into the bathroom, opened the toilet and began to vomit.


    Having seen her rush into the bathroom, Amelia was concerned. So she followed her, knelt down beside her, and helped her by passing the tissue over to her. Like a boyfriend would do if his girlfriend drank too much at a party.


    With red, swollen eyes, Sasha looked up at herself in front of the mirror. She vaguely was able to see another woman standing beside her. Who was that? This couldn''t get any worse for her, uncomfortably she groaned to express her thanks.


    "If there is nothing else to do, I can leave first," seeing that she was alive but just in a very sorry state, Amelia spoke softly.


    Following Amelia, Sasha grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her. "You must''ve hated my guts, didn''t you?"


    Amelia was quite surprised, as Sasha lacked her usual confidence. In fact, Sasha''s face even looked different than she remembered her. But, Amelia didn''t answer the question, she hadn''t really given it too much thought before so she didn''t know what to say.


    Not having ever tasted the bitter cup of losing this competition, she actually had


    ucian know everything, and did Michael arrange everything in advance?


    Didn''t Michael ask her to hide what happened from Lucian? Or, could it be that he deliberately kept her in suspense with some of these plans?'' Amelia wondered.


    "Isn''t this engagement ceremony a bit random?" Hearing that, Sasha tried to hold in a laugh but it spat out sounding more like a snort. Michael wouldn''t betray her, no matter how hard he could try to play around with her. He was the father of her baby, after all. And she knew his secret.


    Michael reached out to arrange his blond hair that was slightly curled up, like a Roman senator. He said in a charming fashion, "Well, I''m not sure if she''s willing to go with me, so I''m going to approach this in a conservative way. But having my best friend here to witness it, makes it even more enjoyable!"


    Since Michael didn''t refer to anyone in particular, his voice ended up trailing off. Sasha felt her heartbeats pounding harder in her chest.


    She didn''t feel comfortable anymore, so she shuddered, "In that case, I''m your ex-girlfriend, so I don''t think that I should be here. I''ll be leaving right away!" Taking her handbag, Sasha stood up and intended to leave.


    Michael didn''t let her pass him. His hands held her slender wrist firmly, and really examined Sasha''s pale face. "Why are you so scared? If you don''t have any feelings for me, then why are you afraid?"


    Sasha''s eyes started to dart around. She let it out and said loudly, "We were just playing around all along. We didn''t ever really love each other."


    "You always talk too much without thinking. You''ve gotten so many holes in your argument as normal!" Michael leaned over and whispered something in Sasha''s ear.


    In a flash, Sasha opened her eyes wide. She didn''t even see it before, but now she realized that Lucian and Amelia were here as well!

 Chapter 293 The Lie Gets Exposed

    Sasha took a deep breath and tried her best to look composed.


    If Lucian learned the truth, all of her previous efforts would be put to waste.


    She was filled with so much joy when Lucian recognized and acknowledged her.


    As long as the child was recognized by Lucian as a member of the Zhan family, Sasha believed that her dreams might yet come true.


    Confident in her acting skills, she took on a more relaxed expression after Michael spoke.


    "Hey, Lucian, Amelia! If I had known that this was Michael''s engagement party, I would''ve worn my sportswear." Sasha pouted her lips. She was the perfect image of calm.


    Amelia and Lucian didn''t say anything. Instead, it was Michael who smiled and said, "It doesn''t matter what you wear. Anything''s fine. I still think you''re the perfect match for me!"


    Sasha''s face turned scarlet as she glared at Michael. She thought the words that came out of his mouth were pure nonsense.


    "Little sister-in-law, please sit next to Lucian. I''ll take this seat." Michael looked at Amelia with happiness in his eyes.


    Amelia followed his request and went to sit beside Lucian. Once she''d settled, her husband took her hand in his.


    Seeing this romantic gesture, Sasha''s eyes were filled with jealousy. She gave Michael a more resentful look, believing that it was he who allowed this to happen because of his words.


    "Hey, we''re in love. Why are you so formal with me?" Sasha had cautiously moved her chair away from Michael''s when the latter took his seat beside her.


    Seeing her reaction, Michae


    ture; she could only wish them well.


    The days when Sasha stayed at SJ Garden were beginning to look like a bizarre dream.


    "We can finally sigh with relief." Lucian heard Amelia whisper to Mark as she bent down to kiss the baby on the cheek.


    "What are you talking about? You know I won''t abandon you and the baby, right?" Lucian blurted out.


    Amelia rolled her eyes at him and said, "That''s because someone claimed responsibility for the child. If it weren''t for Michael, there''s no way we''d have known the truth."


    Amelia thought it a little inappropriate given the gravity of what just happened, but she couldn''t help but tease her husband.


    With a serious look on his face though, Lucian explained, "Well, I''ve learned as much from my own investigation."


    "Your investigation? I thought Michael''s conscience drove him to confess." Michael was becoming more and more of a puzzle for Amelia to understand.


    "But it wouldn''t have been possible without his cooperation, too." Lucian smiled, but there was still a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "I went to check the surveillance video of that night. I saw that while Sasha helped me into the room, Michael was there, too."


    They had been good friends since their university days abroad. Lucian couldn''t believe that Michael would try to take advantage of him.


    "Do you mean to say that what happened that night wasn''t just because you were drunk, but because they planned it in advance?" Amelia''s thoughts were racing.


    Lucian nodded before telling Amelia the complete story.

 Chapter 294 Michaels Secret

    There was a long silence after Amelia heard it all.


    She never expected that there were so many sorrows that hid behind the seemingly carefree smile of Michael.


    The complexity of their family made his life feel like a prisoner.


    He never meant to take advantage of Lucian, but he wanted to make a good impression in A City and gain the recognition of his family by using his relationship with Lucian.


    Michael''s mother came from a big family in A City. She met a foreign boyfriend when she studied abroad, but the members of the family were strongly against her marriage. Thus, Michael''s mother had to give up her family and elope with her boyfriend abroad.


    Even after Michael was born, his mother''s family still held a grudge against his mother marrying a foreigner.


    Two years ago, Michael''s father died of an illness. His mother decided to go back to her family.


    Although his mother''s family had accepted Michael, they were still not convinced that it was a good idea to hand the family business over to him. Thus, they decided to give him a difficult performance test. If he failed the test, he would be separated from his mother.


    In order to obtain more resources, Michael had to take advantage of his friendship with Lucian.


    When Sasha found out about it, she offered to become Michael''s girlfriend and promised to help him obtain all the resources that he needed from Lucian.


    "So Sasha came here to play the role of Michael''s lover?" At first, Amelia felt sorry for Sasha. But now that she learned what really happened, she was no longer sure how she felt about her. She believed that Sasha was prepared to do whatever was necessary in order to get what she wanted no matter how despicable it was.


    "Is it fate when two people are willing to accept each other?" Lucian had a beautiful vision for them.


    It reminded Amelia of the beach where she met Michael for the first time. She suddenly realized that it w


    ad no idea what to make of it.


    Nicholas'' legs had gotten worse and it was very serious. The doctor came back to check on him and discovered that he didn''t get better after taking medicine.


    The servant brought a basin of hot water that Amelia made useful. Amelia briefly soaked a small towel in the basin and then squeezed the excess water off. She then wiped Nicholas'' forehead with the warm towel.


    "Is that you Amelia? What brings you here?" Nicholas opened his eyes when he felt the soothing effect of the warm towel on his forehead. He was surprised to see that it was Amelia who took care of him. His twisted face suddenly brightened up with a smile.


    "Dad stop talking. It might make you even more uncomfortable." The discomfort in Nicholas'' face made Amelia feel heartbroken. She felt pity for him and wanted to do everything she could to ease his pain.


    She used to like rainy days, but after seeing how much pain rainy days had brought to Nicholas, she felt that she didn''t like rainy days anymore.


    "It''s okay. I''m glad to see you," Nicholas said with effort. He had difficulty speaking and his voice sounded dryer than before.


    Although she badly wanted to confirm the story of the maid. She refrained herself from doing it to avoid getting Nicholas overexcited.


    Lucian arrived at dusk.


    Amelia never told Lucian about Nicholas'' accident that morning and how his legs got worse. Lucian found out about it from Lily.


    Fortunately, the pain in Nicholas'' legs eased after dinner. Amelia and Lucian returned to the SJ Garden shortly after dinner.


    "Achoo!" Amelia sneezed almost as soon as she got into the car.


    Lucian turned to her with a worried look and asked, "Do you have a cold?"


    Amelia wiped her nose with tissue. Her eyes looked watery and her nose was slightly red. She turned to Lucian with a slight smile and shook her head. "My body is not that weak. Don''t be nervous," she replied with a smile.

 Chapter 295 A Bickering

    "The seasons are changing so you should be extra careful," Lucian said, still frowning.


    "Mr. Lucian, why are you always nagging me?" Amelia protested. On the inside, though, she was flattered with Lucian''s concern.


    Amelia''s mind was elsewhere. She was conflicted if she was going to ask Lucian about something or not.


    "You''ve barely said a word on the ride. If you have something to say, just say it," Lucian said upon noticing the strange look on Amelia''s face.


    Amelia looked at Lucian in surprise. She remained silent for a while before speaking, "Well, the servant in the Zhan mansion told me that the reason why father''s leg disease is worse than before is... The servant said that mom pushed dad in the backyard and got him wet because it was raining. But when mom pushed dad in the backyard, it wasn''t raining yet..."


    Amelia couldn''t shake off the uneasy feeling she had in her chest. Confused as she was, she could tell that something was wrong.


    Lucian frowned and his eyes darkened.


    Amelia''s heart ached when she saw this look on his face.


    "Do you think the servant was telling the truth?" Amelia had thought that Lucian would help her analyze and solve the problem, but to her surprise, he only asked her more questions.


    Amelia was a little taken aback, not knowing what to say. With much hesitation, she said, "Maybe, I''m just overthinking things."


    "Are you saying that my mother purposely harmed your father?" Lucian pressed.


    Hearing this,


    m here when you get better."


    "You''re. Even if you had brought him, I wouldn''t even be able to hold him," Nicholas said softly.


    Amelia didn''t know why but he was so careful whenever she was around him. She couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed about this.


    "Father, I want to confirm something with you..." Amelia said hesitantly. She tried her best to dispel her suspicions even though Nicholas''s legs were getting better already.


    "Go ahead. I''ll tell you everything I know." Seeing the frown on Amelia''s face, Nicholas naturally assumed that something bad had happened.


    "I heard from a servant here that your legs got worse because of the incident yesterday morning." Amelia''s brows furrowed together.


    Upon hearing this, Nicholas''s brows knitted slightly but he quickly shifted to a calmer expression. Lightheartedly, he answered, "Yes, it got soaked in the rain but your mother helped me back inside the villa right away."


    "Was it mom who pushed you?" Amelia asked.


    Nicholas seemed hesitant as he didn''t want Fannie and Amelia to fight anymore.


    "The weather was nice. I was heading to the backyard to have a look. But who knows? It rained soon." Nicholas smiled stiffly as he tried to hide the truth.


    Amelia stared at Nicholas. She didn''t know whether she should believe what Nicholas said or the servants...


    "My child, what''s wrong?" He couldn''t help but feel worried when Amelia didn''t say anything as a look of confusion lingered on her face.

 Chapter 296 We Have Been Married For Years

    Amelia shook her head, and with a subtle unobtrusive voice she said, "It''s nothing. I was just trying to rule out the possibility, but it seems as though I''ve made a mistake."


    She released a deep sigh. The thought of Lucian taking Fannie''s side over hers, was something that made her feel a kind of resentment that she couldn''t put aside.


    When Nicholas observed that she wasn''t looking well, he asked, "Did you have a fight with Lucian?"


    The moment that she heard his name, her expression turned glum and she murmured, "He''s downstairs."


    Her voice had faint remnants of displeasure that came out without a conscious thought.


    Nicholas could easily take the hint as to why Amelia was unhappy and he gave her a reassuring smile. "You''re a couple, and fights will sometimes be unavoidable. Don''t forget that."


    Amelia''s lips puckered together in response, finding it hard to suppress her agitation towards the situation.


    She reminisced on the earlier portions of her relationship with Lucian, when he''d always spoken out to defend her no matter what. However, since he learned of her real relationship with his father, he had gotten much more sensitive towards a lot of things.


    "Please, father. Don''t worry yourself about this and just promise me you''ll take care of yourself." Amelia chose to shake away her troubles and shifted her attention to comforting Nicholas instead.


    "I hope you can try to put your mind away from those questions you had earlier and don''t let it bother you anymore. Let bygones be bygones, there are other things to look forward to," said Nicolas, as he looked towards Amelia in complete earnestness.


    Amelia pouted her lips while she folded her arms. Despite what Nicholas said, she still felt wronged. "I don''t mean to hold grudges, but Lucian just simply misunderstood me. It angers me to think that he wouldn''t even give me the chance to explain!"


    to the palm of her hands. She stood there with eyes blazing with wrath.


    "And why wouldn''t you blame him?!" Amelia only assumed that Lucian had stopped her on purpose when they were on the stairs just to distract her. If he really had genuine concern for his father, he would have rushed towards him as soon as possible.


    What Fannie had done towards Nicholas could have been avoided if he didn''t carry her all the way to their bedroom.


    After she tried to break down everything that had just happened, Amelia glared at Lucian with suspicion and was suddenly frightened of him.


    When Lucian noticed the strange look in her eyes, he was completely perplexed. "Amelia, why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Oh dear, stop pretending!" Amelia quickly assumed that Lucian was holding a grudge against Nicholas after everything had been revealed. She thought that he was unwilling to call him his father for those reasons.


    "Pretend...?" Lucian muttered as his eyes narrowed with a stone cold expression. He was completely puzzled as to why Amelia was looking at him with so much suspicion and said, "My mother was never a rational person, but I hoped that you can at least be one!"


    However, what Lucian had said not only caused Amelia to be more furious, it also presented him in a bad light.


    "Well, what a surprise. When your mother says something wrong, you ask me to respect her. However, when I say something wrong, you tell me I am just as irrational as your mother. So tell me, whose side are you really on?" She really did not want to have to say these things in front of Nicholas, but what Lucian said offended her so much that she couldn''t help but express her disbelief towards his hypocritical statements.


    Lucian''s eyebrows furrowed even more deeply. He never meant to criticize Amelia earlier. He just wanted to find a way to resolve the issues between Amelia and Fannie."

 Chapter 297 Fannie Got A Mental Disease

    Lucian expected that Amelia would understand but he thought wrong. Amelia still acted indifferently and held on to past resentments. He was caught in between but couldn''t help being partial to Fannie.


    Misunderstanding arose and he was not able to explain in time, which deepened the conflict in Amelia''s heart.


    "Amelia, I care about dad as much as you do." Lucian''s face fell as he said in a low voice.


    After hearing Lucian''s words, Amelia felt a sharp pain in her heart for some reason. She couldn''t utter a word and remained silent for a long time.


    "Lucian, Amelia, don''t fight because of me. This matter is not a big deal. I understand that your mother has a grudge in her heart. I can help her vent all her anger because it is all my fault." Nicholas comforted the two trying to lessen the growing tension between them.


    Lucian looked at Nicholas and felt sorry for him. He walked towards him and said, "I''ll have the servant bring the first aid box."


    "There is no need. Don''t worry about me." Nicholas felt warm and responded apologetically.


    "Dad, this is caused by his mother. How could you forget that easily?" Amelia suddenly questioned. She was angry and couldn''t keep her silence anymore.


    On the other hand, Lucian was stumped at Amelia''s sudden outburst. What she said was indeed true and he couldn''t argue back. With a shudder from his back, he left the room without saying anything.


    Amelia didn''t do anything to appease him and just let him leave. She knew she had blurted out something hurtful but also regretted it in the end.


    "Amelia, I can see that Lucian loves you very much." Nicholas was already feeling conflicted and reasoned out to Amelia as soon as Lucian left.


    Amelia at the moment was pouring water for him. She just smiled as if nothing happened and responded in a calm voice, "Dad, I understand. I know that I have been impulsive but you said it was normal for a husband and wife to quarrel. It''s going to be fine soon."


    Nicholas smiled warmly at her daughter''s words.


    Ameli


    d a phone call from Lily.


    Lily grumbled on the phone saying that she missed her. Amelia felt sad listening to her and said, "We''ll be back in a few days."


    "No, Her Ladyship is too weird, I can''t take it any more..." Lily complained on the phone.


    "What did you say?" If Amelia didn''t guess wrong, the person that Lily talked about should be Fannie.


    As soon as Lily realized that she had said something wrong, she immediately corrected herself. "What I mean is that since you don''t come back I have a really hard time every day..."


    "Lily, don''t change the topic. Tell me, is mom in the SJ Garden?" She didn''t think Lily would hide anything from her.


    Lily lowered her voice and answered with great care, "Mr. Lucian asked me not to tell you about it. The next day you moved in the Zhan mansion, Mr. Lucian took Mrs. Fannie to the SJ Garden."


    After listening to this, Amelia''s heart missed a beat.


    That is to say, after a fight with Nicholas that day, Lucian had taken Fannie to the SJ Garden.


    Their conversation about Fannie having mental disease wasn''t true. It was just an excuse for Fannie to escape.


    Amelia still remembered that Lucian didn''t like it when others lied to him. She felt enraged. Did he ever think that what he did contradicted his own words? When he lied to her, his lie was just like an awl to hurt her heart.


    Last night, she asked him about his opinion whether to continue living in the Zhan mansion or move back to the SJ Garden where she used to live. However, he didn''t give an answer and now she understood.


    He was actually hiding the truth about knowing that Fannie was all along in the SJ Garden.


    This time, Lucian had already left to work. After hearing what Lily had revealed, she wanted to confront him and make everything clear.


    Nicholas was already recovering well. Amelia stood at the door of the study and looked at him. Seeing that he was busy with his painting and not wanting to disturb him, she told the servants a few things and drove to the Zhan Group directly.

 Chapter 298 Help Her Cover Up Her Mistakes

    "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian is in a meeting. You can wait for him in his office," Eric said nervously. He was worried that Amelia would barge into the meeting room in her anger.


    Just as she was about to push the door open, the door of the meeting room suddenly opened. It was Jonny whom she had not seen in a long time.


    "Amelia, what''s wrong with you?" Amelia couldn''t control herself as she was too upset.


    She hadn''t seen Jonny in so long that a look of surprise was written all over her face.


    She nodded to him politely and turned back to find Lucian who was also inside the meeting room.


    She figured they were still discussing projects since they were holding documents in their hands.


    Weren''t they just recovering? How come they already have cooperated again?


    But this was not the most important thing at the moment. After all, this was Lucian''s business and she couldn''t get in his way.


    "Mr. Lucian, I''m leaving now." Seeing that Amelia wasn''t in the mood to talk to him, Jonny didn''t say anything more and turned to greet Lucian.


    In response, Lucian merely nodded.


    Only the two of them were then left in the large room.


    Perhaps due to anger, Amelia could feel her chest tightening as she gasped for breath.


    "Amelia, what happened?" Lucian asked gently upon noticing her pale face, walking over to her. He couldn''t help but worry if it was about Nicholas''s health.


    Amelia stared at Lucian and asked


    ad of Fiona and be better than her. Unfortunately, things always end up going awry." Nicholas eyes sparkled with admiration when he mentioned Fiona. Still smiling, he continued, "I refused her proposal to get married after Fiona''s death. I only agreed eventually for Lucian''s sake."


    "So she''s taking her anger out on you? I''m assuming this isn''t the first time that this has happened?" Amelia could tell that until now, Fiona was still in Nicholas''s heart¡ªsomething Fannie never managed to do.


    Even the servants in the Zhan mansion didn''t like Fannie. They obeyed her orders but they weren''t loyal to her in any way.


    Fannie probably felt that this rich and luxurious life she was living wasn''t hers. She was probably scared that it could get taken away from her any time.


    "It''s been years and I''ve already gotten used to her but recently, she''s been going too far especially with the things she''s asking from me!" Nicholas grew slightly angry as he spoke. "I haven''t seen her in days and I have lots of peaceful time."


    "Asking from you?" Amelia asked in confusion. She couldn''t help but wonder why Nicholas was suddenly so angry.


    "She asked me to leave most of my property to her and Lucian. While you and Mark get the remainders, she said that''s what''s fair for you and Mark..." Even as Nicholas repeated the words, it was obvious that he was so angry that he couldn''t stop knocking the crutch on the ground as he spoke.

 Chapter 299 Like A Divorced Couple

    Amelia said in disbelief. She didn''t expect that Fannie could be so horrible.


    "So you fought with her and she hurt you in the process?" If Fannie was doing all of this as a way to guard herself against Amelia, then she was just being overly paranoid about nothing.


    Not once had Amelia thought of relying on the Zhan Group for rest of her life.


    "In addition to that, she''s also suspicious of Mark. She says we can''t really be sure that Mark is actually Lucian''s son and that we need to do a DNA test to confirm..." Nicholas was so furious that when he had realized that he had said all this, it was already too late. He hadn''t intended to tell Amelia this but in his anger, he wasn''t able to control himself. When he looked up, he found that Amelia''s face was white as a sheet.


    Fannie had always questioned Mark''s real father because Amelia had lived in Jonny''s villa for quite a bit when she was pregnant.


    Amelia figured that the best way to respond was to not respond at all. That was normally how rumors died down. However, she didn''t expect that Fannie would still push her suspicions of Mark despite everything.


    "Don''t mind her. She''s just being paranoid. Don''t take her seriously," Nicholas comforted Amelia immediately.


    Not wanting to be a downer, Amelia forced a smile and shook her head. "I''m fine. Clean hands don''t need washing."


    "You really don''t need to worry. As long as I''m here, she can''t touch you," Nicholas said, his eyes sharp and determined.


    Amelia, when are we going to start communicating calmly with each other? We''re fighting over a small disagreement," Lucian said, sounding worried.


    This rendered Amelia speechless. After a short silence, she answered, "Maybe our whole relationship is a mistake."


    She looked at the ceiling and recalled all the things that had happened, feeling tired.


    "Okay, Mark is awake. I have to go." Lucian''s voice was soft but Amelia could tell that he was already getting impatient.


    Amelia didn''t want to fight anymore so she asked calmly before he hung up, "Do you want me to pick up Mark at the SJ Garden or are you going to bring him back to the Zhan mansion?"


    They were talking as if they were already a divorced couple.


    After a short pause, Lucian said in a low voice, "I''ll send Mark back."


    Then the next thing Amelia heard was the dial tone¡ªLucian had already hung up. A bitter smile tugged at the corners of Amelia''s lips. ''Did I go too far?'' she asked herself.


    No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn''t understand why Lucian would do that.


    As she sat in her room alone, tears started streaming down her face.


    After she had finished crying, the pain in her waist had subsided already. She got up from bed, washed up, and headed downstairs.


    Meanwhile, Nicholas had gotten up early. He was already in the living room, reading the newspaper.


    As soon as Nicholas saw Amelia, he put down the newspaper and smiled. "Amelia, did you sleep well last night?"

 Chapter 300 Lets Get A Divorce

    Amelia had just cried in the room. Even if she washed her face and wore a smile to cover up, nothing could mask the exhaustion and pain on her face.


    Amelia nodded and felt a little sad.


    "Amelia, please have your breakfast. You need to keep up your strength." Nicholas had a lot to say, but he held his tongue. His eyes were full of sorrow as he gazed at his daughter.


    "Dad, I want to take a stroll in the backyard. It''s still too early to eat." Her voice was hoarse from all of the hours she spent weeping.


    Noticing her pale face and red eyes, Nicholas couldn''t help but ask with concern, "Did you quarrel with Lucian?"


    Amelia sent her father a quick smile to reassure him. "No, I''m just not used to eating breakfast too early." She slightly shook her head in self-admonishment, worried that she might end up revealing more than she intended to say. "Dad, I''ll go out and exercise, and I''ll have breakfast when I get back."


    Nicholas sensed her reluctance to talk about what was bothering her and didn''t push her to speak. "Okay, take your time. I''ll ask the help to prepare something for you."


    Amelia whispered her thanks and walked out of the hall.


    Outside, the morning was crisp, and dew hung in the air.


    Amelia slowly made her way across the green lawn to look at the foliage in her father''s backyard, and dew on the ground seeped through her shoes. She took deep breaths, trying to ground herself, and let out a big exhale with her eyes closed. That simple action made her feel slightly calmer, and she opened her eyes to stare at the sky. Surrounded by the tranquility of the morning, she could still feel the profound sadness in her heart.


    At noon, Lucian


    She stepped forward to stop Nicholas, but Lucian''s cold words cut her off.


    "Don''t apologize now! It won''t change anything!" The ice in both his voice and expression was intimidating.


    Clearly, he meant every word.


    As if the wind was taken out of his sails, Nicholas slumped on his chair, his self-directed anger replaced with remorse.


    "Did it ever occur to you that, like Amelia, I may not give a damn about your money? This inheritance issue has driven a wedge between us, and I''m not sure whether our broken family can be fixed."


    Lucien took the words right out of Amelia''s mouth.


    Nicholas fell silent, suddenly lost in thought.


    "You''ve always said that we will always be family. Why would you separate us?" Amelia didn''t know where Nicholas''s anxiety about their family sprang from.


    He said that he trusted Lucian, so why did he divide the property into several parts?


    "I know Lucian doesn''t care about the Zhan Group, but I am worried that somebody may take advantage of that fact." At this moment, Nicholas''s mind was in a whirlwind. Even he himself couldn''t figure out why he felt so confused.


    "Do you think splitting up your estate will give you a sense of security?" Amelia could only laugh in disbelief as she looked at Nicholas. "I have told you time and again that I know nothing of the Zhan Group. I am not equipped to help you deal with management problems and corporate decision, even less so with power grabbers."


    As far as she was concerned, the Zhan Group was like a hot potato that she couldn''t handle. On the other hand, Lucian could.


    "Amelia, what your saying is making me even more worried," Nicholas sighed, anxiety clear on his face.

 Chapter 301 Discipline Your Wife

    "Why?" Since she had already said it, there was no reason to hide it anymore. And she must get an answer.


    Lucian looked confused too. He squinted at Nicholas, trying to figure out what was going on.


    "Amelia, please don''t ask anymore. I''m sorry, I should have thought twice about it. I''m really sorry," mumbled Nicholas. He looked so embarrassed. He found it difficult to answer her question directly.


    "You are just making us feel more and more uneasy. Lucian and I have been open to you. You don''t need to hide anything from us." For Amelia, there was no more truth that she couldn''t accept. Lucian and she had both accepted the fact that Nicholas was her biological father. What else could be worse than that?


    "Amelia, listen to dad. Since he doesn''t want to talk about it, let''s just respect his decision." Lucian talked to Amelia in a very soft voice.


    Since it was Lucian who said it, Amelia became an obedient child. She immediately stopped questioning Nicholas.


    But she and Lucian still had some matters to deal with.


    "You two should have a good talk," said Nicholas. He then asked the servant to push him back to his room.


    The hall became quiet again. Lucian didn''t say a word while Amelia looked at the other side.


    After a long silence, Lucian finally spoke up.


    "I know I''m wrong. I should have told you sooner that my mother is currently staying in SJ Garden. But please understand. She is mentally and emotionally unstable right now. I want to bring her to the hospital to get professional help but she doesn''t like the at


    er.


    "Kent, what are you feeding Courtney? She''s too heavy!" complained Amelia. Obviously, Courtney gained a lot of weight because she was pregnant. However, she still looked as feminine as before.


    With an embarrassed look on his face, Kent coughed and whispered to Lucian who was standing next to him, "Amelia just stepped on the point and I think she will suffer a lot."


    Lucian was confused but he found the scene really hilarious that he didn''t know whether to cry or to laugh.


    "Don''t make me sad!" Courtney was like a sulky little girl. She was actually getting more insecure because her pregnancy caused her to gain a lot of weight. She even blamed Kent every day for overfeeding her.


    "Well..." Amelia was trying to find the right words to say. "Don''t you think you have become more feminine now?" She involuntarily caught a glimpse of Courtney''s breast, hinting her of something.


    The two men who stood beside her began to look embarrassed.


    Courtney was dazed for a moment. After a few seconds, she came to her senses and scolded Amelia, "When have you become so flirtatious?" "I''m just kidding!" Amelia winked at her then turned to Kent.


    "By the way, Kent, I think Courtney''s pregnancy also has benefits. You see? You can enjoy her sexiness." "Ahem!" Lucian interrupted Amelia consciously. He thought that she was getting more and more unreasonable.


    But it didn''t mean that he found her disgusting. In fact, she became lovelier in his eyes.


    "Lucian, discipline your wife!" Courtney reprimanded as she blushed in embarrassment.

 Chapter 304 Lucians Jealousy

    Lucian nodded with a smile and then winked at Amelia.


    A wink that meant, "Well done, honey!"


    But Amelia was not done yet. "Courtney, your words before were way more disgusting than mine. And if you want to know why I''m so different now, it''s all thanks to my husband, Lucian!" Amelia said proudly with a slight pout on her lips.


    And she didn''t mean to hurt Lucian. But Kent and Courtney laughed loudly at her words anyway.


    "Lucian, I didn''t expect you to be such a romantic. No wonder I''m so jealous of Amelia!" Courtney took the opportunity to jest at Lucian. It was like kicking a man while he''s down.


    Amelia''s face turned red. She suddenly felt that she dug a hole for Lucian. She turned to him with an apologetic look but was surprised to see him in a very calm state.


    "Well, why don''t we all sit down while we talk," Kent suggested, interrupting their merry jesting. He ushered them to the seats in the living room with his open hand.


    "My tummy is getting bigger. It''s now a challenge for me to just move around," Courtney complained after she sat down. The mere act of sitting down seemed like a tedious activity for her. She sighed deeply once she was seated.


    Amelia comforted her since she had experienced something similar. "Don''t worry, your body will start to adapt to it as you get closer to the month when you''ll deliver your baby."


    "I think you are right. Good thing it''s cooler here," Courtney said as she relaxed. Soon, she was smiling happily. "I really hope I can have a son so that I don''t need to have a second child!" she said in a hopeful tone.


    Amelia turned to her and said with a jesting smile, "You are so old-fashioned. I thought you don''t have any preference. That you''re OK whether it''s a boy or a girl?"


    Courtney sighed and explained, "It''s not real


    alk about with Lucian. But since she was not used to this kind of situation, she thought that her question was not really a good choice.


    "What if I tell you that I''m full? Will you feel disappointed?" Lucian stepped on the brake without warning and then unbuckled his seat belt when the car had come to a complete halt. He then leaned forward towards Amelia until the distance between them was only a few millimeters.


    Amelia eyes were opened wide in astonishment. The sight of Lucian''s handsome face made her cheeks flush and her heart beat fast.


    "Why would I be disappointed?" she asked in a soft tone of voice. She blinked her eyes and felt too nervous to move.


    "Courtney said those words to see my reaction, didn''t she?" Lucian whispered in Amelia''s ear. His voice felt like he was saying something sweet to her.


    She never expected that Lucian would figure out Courtney''s game. This made her feel a little guilty and she almost regretted agreeing to Courtney''s idea.


    A sudden smile on Lucian''s face surprised Amelia. "Since you have achieved your goal, I will cook braised pork for you tonight," Lucian suddenly said.


    Amelia was stunned and it took a long time before she could react.


    When she saw that Lucian was serious, she shook her head. "Don''t be childish. You don''t have to do this."


    "No, no. Don''t worry, Mrs. Amelia. I''m not going to burn the meat," Lucian said as he bent forward while saying the words. Their face were so close to each other as he spoke that she could smell the mint from his breath. Before she could do or say anything, his lips were already on her lips and then down to her neck.


    When she arrived at the Zhan mansion, a message from Courtney arrived. She messaged that Lucian still cared about her very much since his face was dark while he ate.

 Chapter 303 I Am Divorcing Your Father

    Amelia happily texted back, saying that Lucian was making braised pork for her.


    Amelia wasn''t really fond of meat, but to enjoy a meal prepared by Lucian was something she didn''t want to miss. In any case, she was slim, so the thought of eating some pork wouldn''t hurt her weight.


    "How is it?" After placing the dish on the table, Lucian sat opposite to Amelia and waited for her to say something.


    Amelia thought the man was being too self-confident. But after taking a bite, she relished the flavor that left her nodding in delight. She didn''t expect that Lucian could cook something as delicious as this.


    "When did you learn how to cook?" Amelia was astonished. For Lucian to live a pampered and easy life, she slightly expected the man to come up with some bland cooking despite the effort. The dedication to learn these dishes really paid off for him.


    Noticing the surprised look in Amelia''s eyes, Lucian smiled proudly and said, "You don''t need to say anything. The look on your face already gave it away."


    "What... I think it''s not bad..." Amelia saw a tiny smirk perking up on Lucian''s lips. She huffed, not liking the sight of the man''s confidence getting the best of him. So she straightened up on her seat, calmly took some bites of it, and started pretending to be unimpressed with the food.


    "Alright. Well, I don''t want to force you so..." Lucian pretended to take away the braised pork in front of Amelia.


    But Amelia moved quicker and protected her food with her slender arms. "Even if it''s not delicious, we shouldn''t be wasting it!" she reasoned with a pout.


    Lucian was amused by her excuse. He sat back down and grinned. "You get more adorable when you try to use your charm on me. You know what? Let''s try it again!"


    Amelia


    twitch on her finger gave away her uneasiness over it.


    She tucked her hair behind her ear to compose herself and muttered, "Lucian, if..." With a huge gulp, she looked at her husband and continued, "I mean, if dad and mom get divorced, will you be able to accept it..? Okay, wait! It''s not about you accepting it. I mean¡ª" She stopped herself to bite her lip, trying to come up how to properly word her thoughts out. She took a deep breath and asked with final certainty, "Do you think it''s possible for them to call off their marriage?" Since Fannie trusted her with this, Amelia wanted to try her best to explain it properly to Lucian. But her mind was a mess, and so were her words.


    Lucian''s eyes darkened, deep displeasure evident on his handsome features.


    "Mom asked you to say this?" The tone of his voice was void of warmth.


    Amelia nodded reluctantly. She then explained to Lucian, "She said that she had no feelings for father. If she continues to stay with him, she would lose her dignity..."


    Lucian''s scowl grew deeper. Seeing this, Amelia dared not to continue. Her lips trembled in fright.


    Since Lucian didn''t speak for a long time, Amelia didn''t dare to utter a single word either. The atmosphere in the room became heavy. It was almost suffocating.


    "Leave it to me. I''ll handle it," Lucian decisively spoke after a long deafening silence.


    Amelia figured that Lucian finally thought it over. And she probably didn''t have a say about the matter anymore.


    She could only hope for Fannie and Nicholas to live happily together.


    But the next morning, the dining room was strained with a serious intensity of stillness.


    Because Amelia didn''t expect that Lucian would bring up the issue and frankly ask about the matter to Nicholas.

 Chapter 304 Dinner Before Separation

    Amelia didn''t dare make a sound as she carefully watched the expression on Nicholas''s face.


    Nicholas had a terrified look on his face. While Amelia knew that even though their marriage for more than 10 years was fake, they had still probably gotten familiar with each other over the years.


    "Did your mother ask you to do this?" Nicholas asked in a hoarse voice after a long silence.


    Lucian nodded in silence. Then he raised his head and asked Nicholas, "What do you think?"


    As Amelia gazed at the look of concentration on Lucian''s face, she seemed to realize something.


    Maybe he wanted to know what Nicholas''s answer was. If Nicholas agreed to the divorce then he wouldn''t object anymore.


    At the same time, Amelia looked at Nicholas expectantly, hoping that his answer would not disappoint them.


    "If this is what your mother wants then I have to respect her decision," Nicholas said slowly.


    Lucian frowned as he pursed his lips in displeasure.


    Anyone could tell that Lucian was disappointed at Nicholas''s answer.


    "Dad, don''t you miss mom at all? She lived with you for most of your life. She''s family to you!" Amelia said. Although Fannie had told her that they could still see each other frequently even after the divorce, she still felt very upset.


    "Amelia, stop persuading dad. If they both want a divorce then we should just


    s Nicholas savored the food, he couldn''t help but notice that Fannie was staring at him. He exclaimed, "So yummy!"


    The grin on Fannie''s face widened.


    It was obvious that Nicholas''s opinion mattered very much to her.


    "You should eat more too." Nicholas put some food on Fannie''s plate. This intimate gesture made her blush.


    Amelia and Lucian exchanged glances as this was such a rare sight.


    Why did they have to separate then?


    "Are you just doing these things now because of the separation?" Fannie blurted out, mixed feelings surging in her heart.


    She really didn''t want to say this in front of everyone but she couldn''t help herself.


    "It''s not always easy to eat the meals you cook." The look on Nicholas''s face was unreadable. It''s hard to tell whether he was sighing with emotion or criticizing Fannie for seldom cooking for him as his wife.


    "I don''t really like smelling like smoke. On the contrary, my sister doesn''t mind," Fannie said.


    Despite the smile still pasted on her face, the tone in her voice was odd.


    "Mom, let''s eat," Lucian said.


    "Okay!" Nodding her head, Fannie glanced at Nicholas and said, "I guess separation really is the best option. We just shouldn''t talk about the past anymore."


    Nicholas and Fannie still meant something to each other. They just weren''t getting along anymore thus the separation.

 Chapter 305 Shocking News

    The villa Fannie was brought to was located at the south of the city, in close proximity to Jonny''s villa. That was one of the things Amelia observed as she followed Lucian and Fannie on their way there.


    Since Lucian had never spoken to her about it, Amelia didn''t even have a chance to voice out her opinion on it.


    In any case, there was nothing between Jonny and Fannie to be worried about as they weren''t even living under the same roof.


    "Dad is worried that you aren''t used to living alone, so he has sent two servants to help you. There will be one to help you with your health and daily tasks, and the other so you can have someone to chat with during your stay," Amelia said as she took Fannie''s arm while they walked towards the two servants.


    Fannie reluctantly gave off a smile and said, "For the first time I know how considerate he is after having been lived with him for over a decade."


    "He also said that if there is anything that you need, please don''t hesitate to ask him. Of course, you can also ask both me and Lucian as well." Despite knowing that it was somewhat inappropriate to even talk about Nicholas at this point, Amelia also had to face the situation and just say it. She had to do this so she could alleviate Nicholas'' worries towards Fannie.


    "Huh! I wonder what else is missing..." Fannie scoffed with eyes clearly filled with sorrow.


    Amelia was aware that no matter how much Nicholas tried to make up for all the pain he had caused Fannie, nothing would ever fully compensate her suffering.


    She would never be able to comprehend how much courage Fannie had to muster up to make the decision of getting a divorce from Nicholas. However, she could not understand why a divorce was even necessary since Fannie had just moved out.


    "Your father did it on purpose." Fannie took a deep breath with a soft glimmer of sadness in her eyes.


    Amelia opted not to say anything else to avoid causing more pain, and just helped Fannie tidy up her room.


    "Amelia, you should just get some rest and let the servants handle this." Fannie was quite satisfied to


    er back to him, he asked, "Would you be able to keep this a secret from Lucian in the meantime?"


    Amelia''s sharp eyes stared at him with utter disappointment before she took a deep sigh of exasperation. She said, "Up until now, you have done nothing but choose the interest of the Zhan Group over everything else!"


    "I''m sorry, but you are far too young to understand these things. Not only is the Zhan Group a result of my lifelong efforts, but it is also the honor of the Zhan family. Could you at least try to understand why I would go through such lengths to protect it?" Despite Nicholas'' guilt towards the situation, he believed it was a reasonable request to ask for.


    "The feud between you and the An family is none of my concern. If you make decisions that would hurt Lucian, however, the blood relationship between the two of us will be completely irrelevant to me." Amelia expressed her true feelings.


    "Edmund has always been a cunning and clever man. If he finds out that Lucian is truly his son, I know he would find a way to manipulate him into inheriting the Zhan Group and turn it into his own..." Nicholas was clearly anxious and agitated when he spoke, and he couldn''t even finish his sentence.


    "Do you really think that Lucian is that foolish? From all the degrading things I had just heard from you, I realize now that Lucian''s coldness towards you had been reasonable all along. Fannie also must have known about your insensitivity for her to want to get a divorce from you." Amelia''s face seemed unsettled while her tone had gotten even more indignant.


    By that point, Nicholas was rendered speechless. His horrified look was followed by an embarrassment and even bitterness in his eyes.


    "Paper can''t wrap up a fire. Eventually, Lucian will find out the truth. I advise you not only think about the interests of the Zhan family, but to also think about your relationship with Lucian as father and son." Amelia warned him before she turned her head and walked out of the study.


    Nicholas'' pupils started to dilate, as worry started to overwhelm his mind and soul.

 Chapter 306 An Unexpected Visitor

    "Mrs. Amelia, dinner is almost ready. What are you doing?" Amelia was holding Mark in one hand and a suitcase in the other. Her lips were set in firm, tight line as her eyes burned in silent anger.


    She gripped her suitcase tightly, willing herself to contain the heat of her fury. She did not want to victimize others and wrongfully snap at them. "Lucian won''t go back to the Zhan mansion tonight. I will be taking Mark back to SJ Garden. Please tell dad later, Darren," she replied in flat voice.


    "This..." Darren was at a loss about how to appease her, and seeing the decisiveness in her eyes, he had no other choice but to relent. Taking the suitcase from her hand, he said, "It would not be convenient for you to drive with the young master. Let me see you off."


    Amelia had almost wanted to refuse, but Darren was right. Mark was still young, and she had her concerns about having to drive and keep an eye on him at the same time. It was not a long way from here, but it would put her at ease if she accepted Darren''s offer.


    With an apologetic smile, she said, "Then, allow us to trouble you, Darren."


    "You are welcome, Mrs. Amelia. It would be my pleasure."


    Darren left after he had sent Amelia and Mark back to SJ Garden. She entered the house without a sound. She was already in the living room when Lily noticed her, and the woman hurriedly went over and held Mark in her arms. "Mrs. Amelia, you should have called for me. You almost gave me a scare, coming in so quietly like that."


    Amelia just gave Lily a tired smile.


    "Lily, please take care of Mark first. I''ll go up and put our things away," she spoke in a low voice. It was not hard to see that her mind was elsewhere.


    "Okay..." Lily sensed Amelia''s pensive mood and said nothing more. Amelia


    in surprise.


    Jonny feigned embarrassment, making a show of scratching the back of his head. "I don''t think it would be a good idea. After all, Amelia is a married woman. If I stay here, it might cause unfounded rumors," he said.


    At Jonny''s words, Amelia''s face darkened with anger. "Mr. Jonny, mother asked you to stay in consideration for you. It''s completely your decision whether you stay or leave, but I would appreciate it if you don''t say anything that could easily be misinterpreted. Otherwise, I would think that you''re insinuating things on purpose," she warned sternly.


    Jonny''s feigned awkwardness quickly turned to genuine embarrassment. Amelia''s words seemed to have struck a nerve, and he fell silent.


    Fannie, who had since been observing the two, decided that now would be a good time to clear the air. She stood up and announced with a smile, "Well, I''ll cook dinner! You two continue with your chat."


    Amelia immediately protested, "Mom, I came here to cook for you. If you do it yourself then I''ll be going back."


    At this, Fannie had no choice but to relent. "Alright then. I''ll stay here with Jonny and you go and cook. Ah, but remember to cook one more portion," she said as she sat back down.


    "Don''t worry. Lucian will come later. When he comes, dinner will be ready." With that, Amelia turned around and went to the kitchen.


    Jonny''s eyes followed Amelia as she went to cook, none the wiser about Fannie''s watchful gaze on him.


    "Jonny, you and Lucian are the same age. Isn''t it about time for you to settle down?" Fannie reminded him kindly.


    Her question seemed to have put Jonny in thought. He paused for a moment before answering, "For so many years, I haven''t met a person I really like, so I''m just going with the flow for now."

 Chapter 307 Im Not Satisfied That He Married You

    Fannie smiled when she heard this. "Why aren''t you kids in a hurry? Your parents could be worried about you."


    Jonny smiled in an embarrassed way but didn''t say anything.


    "So, what kind of girl do you like? I have a lot of friends and their daughters are about the same age as you. If there is a suitable one, I can help you get to know her." Whoever said that a smile could answer everything was wrong when it came to Jonny''s situation. He never expected that Fannie would be so persistent.


    Jonny clenched his fist and coughed into it to hide his embarrassment and hoped that Fannie would leave him be.


    But Fannie noticed that he was not willing to answer her question so she decided to change the topic. "Is there anything unpleasant between you and Lucian?"


    Jonny was shocked by the directness of Fannie''s question. He never expected that Fannie would dare ask such a question bluntly. It seemed that he was destined to face one embarrassing question after another from Fannie.


    "Auntie, I am sure that you are aware that I got hurt by rumors some time ago that made me feel depressed, and I haven''t gotten rid of it yet. Unfortunately, Lucian was the means to vent out some of that anger. We are still in a cooperative professional relationship, and there is nothing unpleasant between us," Jonny replied in a straightforward way. He was immediately thoughtful after he replied to Fannie''s question.


    After she finished preparing dinner, Amelia was surprised that Jonny was still there. She greeted him politely and asked in a soft tone of voice, "Mr. Jonny, would you like to join us for dinner?"


    Even though she knew that Lucian would be there later to pick her up, she knew that it was not appropriate to make Fannie and Jonny wait. So when the food was ready on the table, she had no choice but to invite Fannie and Jonny to dine.


    "You can tell how delicious the food is just b


    lits of fiery anger that stared at Amelia. "All the disgusting information about Lucian''s mother is not exaggerated or baseless. They are all real!"


    What Jonny said about Lucian''s mother caused Amelia to glare at him, but she quickly withdrew her eyes. Her mind was still in a mess because of what Nicholas told her a few days ago.


    "Stop denying the truth, Amelia. You are the biological daughter of Nicholas. That is an incontrovertible fact. And Lucian is the illegitimate son of Fiona and someone else."


    "Shut up!" Amelia shouted at him angrily. Her eyes were filled with anger that almost shone red under the dim light.


    Jonny suddenly sneered at her. "What? You still can''t get over it? Or do you think you can just forget all of it?"


    What Jonny said completely ruined Amelia''s mood. Each word of what he said was like a smoldering dagger that pierced Amelia''s heart.


    Amelia and Lucian tried their very best to accept the complicated life that they found themselves in. But despite their efforts, it was still almost impossible to completely escape it.


    "Now that you have the An Group and Lucian has restored your business relationship, what are you still dissatisfied with?" asked Amelia. Jonny''s manner made him seem like a mad dog to Amelia. A mad dog who was ready to bite anyone who came close to him. She was not feeling inclined to further treat him respectfully.


    "And I''m not happy that he married you. Why him, not me?" Jonny asked in a tone of anger and disapproval.


    Amelia did not answer back. Not because she couldn''t find the words to answer back to him but because she simply felt that there was no need for her to answer him at all.


    If it was not about Lucian, she could make herself ignore Jonny''s absurd words.


    "Answer me, Amelia!" Jonny exclaimed as he suddenly reached into the car and grabbed Amelia''s neck as he demanded for an answer to his question.

 Chapter 308 You Broke My Good Stuff

    Amelia pressed her lips tightly and glared at Jonny. "Even without Lucian, I never would have married you." Her voice was dripping with contempt.


    Hearing these words, Jonny''s face turned even redder, and his eyeballs bulged out their sockets to the point of nearly falling out. His clutch slackened, but he did not let Amelia go.


    Amelia was all but choking under his hold, and breathing was becoming difficult. Unable to stand another minute of his abuse, she violently swatted away Jonny''s hand.


    Jonny came to his senses and lost his grip. He reached out to grab Amelia again, but she quickly slid out of reach.


    Jonny didn''t expect Amelia to resist, but it was okay. The more she resisted, the stronger his desire to conquer her. Before Amelia could escape, he opened her door, and reached inside to drag her out.


    With the strength of Jonny''s pull, Amelia almost ended on her knees on the pavement. Eventually, her strength failed her, and her knees gave out. She felt a sharp pain shoot up from where her knees hit the ground.


    She frowned, trying her hardest to keep from crying out because of the pain. She glared up at Jonny, her eyes glittering with fury and unshed tears.


    "Amelia, it''s really not a good idea to insult me again." Amelia''s words made Jonny furious.


    He had known all along that she didn''t like him, but what she said just now hit him where it hurt the most.


    Lasers could have shot from Amelia''s eyes as her anger burned white hot. Even in the dim lighting, the fire in her eyes was lethal.


    "You should be ashamed of yourself for what you''re doing!" Amelia didn''t mean to say her thoughts out loud, but she couldn''t help herself.


    Jonny brought this upon himself, so why should s


    ight, her heart finally felt at ease.


    When Lucian moved her chin, a frown marred Amelia''s brow. She tried to regain her expression, but Lucian was too quick and too close to miss it.


    "Say something if you''re in pain. Why do you have to hide it?" Lucian captured the slightest change in her expression, and his eyes flickered with a hint of pain.


    Amelia''s heart felt warm. "It doesn''t hurt now," she whispered, her voice quivering.


    "Take some medicine, shower, and go to bed early." Lucian tidied up Amelia''s torn clothes. He was still furious at Jonny, but he held back his anger, afraid of scaring Amelia. He couldn''t bear the thought of doing so, so he gently treated Amelia like a wounded animal.


    Amelia looked at Lucian, silent, but her thoughts were loud. She couldn''t contain her feelings for this man.


    Noticing her gaze on him, Lucian didn''t say another word. He bent down and captured her cherry lips with his own. Soon enough, the kiss turned from a butterfly kiss, gentle and tentative, into a strong and demanding one.


    The events of earlier slowly disappeared from Amelia''s consciousness as she savored the sweet warmth of Lucian surrounding her and the lips moving insistently and passionately against hers. Lucian''s tenderness was addicting, and the unpleasantness of the night faded away.


    "Cancel all collaboration projects with the An Group. From now on, we will not be cooperating with them!" As soon as Lucian walked into the office the following morning, he didn''t waste a single minute and relayed these instructions to Eric, his assistant.


    Eric was fully aware of the events of last night. It was the first time he ever saw Lucian that angry. "Yes, Mr. Lucian, I''ll do it right away."

 Chapter 309 How Dare You Say Her Name

    Lucian would rather pay for damages than reach an agreement with Jonny.


    Even though he wouldn''t profit from it, he would rather send An Group the message that Zhan Group could care less about money. Moreover, it wasn''t as if there were many companies who would rather have business with An Group.


    Lucian almost lost his temper when he saw the red marks on Amelia''s neck last night. He thought that it was time to deal with his grudge against Jonny.


    He only tried to keep calm in front of Amelia because he didn''t want to make her worry.


    But he had known everything well enough before Amelia could even explain. He knew that she only acted that way because of Jonny''s threats.


    The scars on her neck proved that Jonny could be mean in both words and deeds.


    The call from An Group eventually came sometime in the afternoon. Jonny asked Lucian out that night so they could have a private talk.


    Hearing his request over the phone, Lucian''s lips curved slightly. Disdain was written all over his face.


    The men agreed to meet for dinner and Jonny arrived at the designated restaurant about half an hour earlier than scheduled.


    Upon seeing Lucian, Jonny greeted him casually, but the former didn''t care much for his civility.


    He took the seat opposite Jonny''s and sat without so much as a word. Even his face was devoid of expression.


    "I''ve already placed an order, but have a look at the menu to see if you want anything else." Jonny passed the menu to him but his enthusiasm for food was not shared by Lucian.


    Lucian expressed his disgust and resentment through his eyes. He gave Jonny a sharp look


    It was Lucian''s words that dealt the most critical blow.


    Jonny was stunned into silence, and yet there seemed to be something hiding behind his eyes.


    Jonny had wanted to blurt out the truth, but he knew that doing so too quickly would leave him with nothing against Lucian.


    He worried that if Lucian knew about his true parentage, he might work together with Edmund to put an end to his leadership. His position as An Group''s CEO would be taken away, and Lucian would only be too happy to have him stripped off his power.


    He realized that he had been too impulsive, and that he shouldn''t argue with Lucian over a few business losses.


    Between An Group''s profit and the stability of his own position, remaining CEO was more important for him.


    "You may leave now." Jonny''s voice was low when he ordered his men to let Lucian go. He then smiled as he turned to him and spoke, "What you said just now was sobering. Regardless of everything, I must never forget that I owe you for everything I have now. What happened today is entirely my fault. Please forgive me."


    Given his sudden change in attitude, Lucian could only wonder if there was something wrong with Jonny.


    "Jonny, I don''t know if you''re suffering from some sort of mental illness, but if you really want to compete with Zhan Group, do so after you''ve consulted a psychiatrist." Lucian warned him indifferently.


    After those words, Michael appeared out of nowhere with a look of worry on his face. "Lucian, are you okay?"


    Michael had just been in a dinner party, but rushed over after receiving notification of what happened at his restaurant.

 Chapter 310 Michaels Rescue

    Lucian shook his head lazily. "I''m fine. Sorry to bother you."


    "Don''t be so formal with me!" But when his eyes fell on Jonny, he said in an unfriendly tone, "Thank you for booking in our restaurant. Unfortunately, we do not tolerate any form of discourtesy. Please leave right away or we will have you escorted out!"


    Jonny never expected that the owner of the restaurant was friendly with Lucian. It was a popular restaurant chain in the country. He had no choice but to comply and leave the restaurant.


    Since it was a private matter between him and Lucian, it was never a good idea to deal with it in public.


    In addition to his own reputation, he also needed to consider the An Group. The influence of the Zhan Group could negatively affect the growth of his company if he chose to do so.


    "Until next time, Lucian," Jonny said with a polite smile. Unfortunately, in Lucian''s eyes it was hypocritical and pretentious.


    The tense atmosphere in the dining area quickly dissipated after Jonny left.


    Michael tapped Lucian''s shoulder and said with a broad smile, "It was fortunate that the lobby manager gave me a call. I was planning to get drunk again tonight."


    Lucian smiled elegantly as he looked at Michael from head to toe. He threw a thumb upward in front of Michael with an approving smile. "Not bad. I always see you in sports clothes, but wearing a suit fits you just fine. You look like a charming restaurateur."


    Michael smiled sheepishly. "Not as good as you, of course," he replied humbly with a timid smile on his face.


    "It''s a b


    had attended several large gatherings with Lucian since then. She had believed that as long as she could stay beside Lucian with a smile on her face, everything would be fine.


    However, she decided to tease Lucian a little. "If I decide not to go, will Mr. Lucian look for another female companion?"


    "If you really don''t want to attend, then I will have to play this game," Lucian replied casually, as he fixed his clothes and got ready for work.


    "How dare you?" Amelia said in a harsh tone as she glared at Lucian.


    Keeping his laughter in check, Lucian looked at her and said seriously, "But of course, I dare not."


    Amelia was enchanted by the seriousness and foolishness in the face of Lucian. She smiled immediately, "For your own sake then, I have no choice but to play the part."


    "Thank you, Mrs. Amelia," Lucian replied to her with a smile.


    Half an hour later, the party dress was delivered to their home.


    ''Am I too thin? But if I''m not thin, the clothes won''t fit me so well!'' Amelia thought as she stared at herself in the mirror. She thought that Lucian picked the dress for her by checking the photos on his cellphone. And it fitted her perfectly. So she began to admire the fit of the dress on her figure.


    When Lucian had Amelia try on her wedding dress before, he asked the staff to keep Amelia''s measurements and shoe size for future reference. And because of Lucian''s forward thinking, Amelia''s newly-delivered dress fit her perfectly.


    It was rare for him to hear her laugh so happily, so Lucian never told her the details.

 Chapter 311 Are They Together Now

    "My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world." Lucian gazed at Amelia, utterly stunned by her beauty.


    The lilac dress she wore effortlessly showed off her beautiful figure. At that moment, she looked like an elegant fairy.


    "Lucian, if you keep on staring at me like this, I won''t be able to walk." Feeling Lucian''s intense gaze, Amelia smiled bashfully.


    A playful smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, his eyes burning with passion. Affectionately, he admitted, "Because my wife is so beautiful."


    Growing even more embarrassed, Amelia''s cheeks flushed, her heart fluttering.


    Most of the guests were famous people who would bring along with them their girlfriends, wives, and other times, famous female stars as well.


    Upon Amelia''s arrival, the paparazzi would take lots of photos.


    Fortunately, Amelia had already experienced this before. While she didn''t really like getting her photo taken, it wasn''t as bad as she thought it was going to be.


    "Just relax and hold my hand," Lucian whispered to her gently as they walked along the red carpet.


    Amelia turned to look at him and gave him a sweet smile. This sweet moment was captured by the camera. She looked absolutely beautiful as she smiled, showing off her charm.


    The hemline of the dress was inlaid with a laye


    pital.


    Left with no choice, the doctor had to agree.


    "Amelia, Mr. Lucian, thank you for your help." Claire bowed deeply to Lucian and Amelia. Then she turned around, ready to leave.


    "You''re still weak. Why don''t you stay at the hospital just for tonight?" Amelia suggested. She was still a bit worried. Meanwhile, Lucian hadn''t said a word.


    Claire looked pale and seemed to be malnourished.


    She looked fragile and feeble¡ªthe way she used to look before.


    Claire looked at Lucian quickly and then shook her head at Amelia. "I''m so grateful that you took me to the hospital but I don''t want to bother you anymore..."


    "Is it because you didn''t bring any money with you?" asked Amelia. Claire was shivering from the cold in her sapphire blue dress.


    "Lucian, lend her your coat." Amelia didn''t have the heart to see Claire like this so she asked Lucian to give her his coat.


    Lucian was reluctant to agree. He just wasn''t used to doing this for anyone else other than Amelia.


    Claire''s eyes gleamed expectantly, not intending to refuse.


    "Lucian?" Amelia pressed when she noticed that Lucian still hadn''t taken his coat off.


    "It''s okay, Amelia. I''m not cold..." Claire could tell that Lucian didn''t want to do it so she had to say something in order to not embarrass herself.

 Chapter 312 I Have No Place To Go

    "Here you go! Have my coat!" Even though she had a thin coat, Amelia hoped that it would help Claire''s situation. Amelia could no longer bear to see her shiver in the cold.


    Lucian frowned after he saw what Amelia had done. He quickly took off his suit coat and wrapped it around his wife.


    Although Lucian behaved somewhat brashly, Amelia still appreciated his gesture.


    It was right around two o''clock in the morning when they found themselves walking out of the hospital with Claire.


    "Where do you live? Let us give you a ride home," Lucian offered somewhat coldly.


    Amelia looked worriedly at Claire. Lucian knew that the only way to ease Amelia''s mind was to ensure that Claire got home safely.


    Claire looked back at Lucian. She shook her head and stammered, "I... I have no place to go..."


    "What do you mean, Claire?" Amelia frowned and could not believe what she just heard.


    Lucian looked brooding. He could not stop being vigilant towards other people, especially given the troubles that their marriage had gotten into.


    Even though Claire seemed harmless, Lucian could not shake the thought of this person possibly hurting his soft-hearted Amelia.


    "I''ve been living in a villa set out by Jonny, but I cannot stay there tonight... You see, we got into a huge fight and he asked me not to go back," Claire said while sobbing uncontrollably.


    "Is that why you were in a taxi so late at night?" Amelia began to slowly piece together what had happened to Claire, but there was one thing Amelia coul


    ange my mind because of him..."


    ''Is she referring to Jonny?''


    Amelia understood that everything Claire did was out of her love for Jonny.


    Amelia smiled and said, "All relationships are complex. We can''t see through some things, but we can always learn and grow from them."


    "Yes, I love him so much..." Claire said with tears in her eyes.


    Claire''s words resonated strongly unto Amelia''s heart.


    Amelia completely understood what Claire had felt. Like her guest, Amelia knew what it was like to be abandoned by a man she loved so deeply...


    "There are so many good men in this world. Don''t hang yourself on one tree!" Lily said with a deep sigh. She could not forget the two jerks she had met.


    Claire smiled in agreement with that clich¨¦ and replied, "I know, but moving on takes time. If only I could control how my heart felt!"


    "You are right. But it will be better as time goes by." Lily had also taken her time adjusting with her current environment.


    "Amelia, Lily, thank you for your time and tolerance. I better get going." Claire stood up quickly, then bade farewell to both Amelia and Lily.


    Amelia stood up and asked worriedly, "Have you found a place to stay in, Claire?"


    Claire shook her head. With a forced smile, she said, "Don''t worry. I can take care of myself."


    "Why don''t you stay in SJ Garden in the meantime? You can leave as soon as you''ve found a place to stay," Amelia offered. She genuinely cared for Claire, for Amelia knew how difficult it was to be heartbroken and lost.

 Chapter 313 Jonny Broke Her Heart

    "Amelia, you''re so kind. I appreciate this, but I don''t need..." Claire quickly refused with a worried look on her face.


    "Well, it''s still pretty early. I''ll help you find a place to stay." Amelia previously had been in a similar situation, so she proposed the suggestion with enthusiasm.


    After hesitating for quite a bit, Claire eventually agreed and nodded her head.


    However, as she glared from aside, Lily seemed to be a bit more apprehensive. She looked at Claire with squinted eyes and thought that she may have evil intentions as she''d had before.


    "Oh, Amelia. I envy the kind of love that you and Lucian have with each other," Claire sighed on the passenger seat, as they were on the way to find a house.


    Amelia smiled as she drove the car and said, "What is there to be envious of? We got married and had a child, just like every other couple out there."


    "At least the two of you are truly in love unlike my relationship with Jonny. From beginning to end, all I hoped was for him to love me back," she said with a glint of sorrow in her tone, as if she was almost desperate to earn Jonny''s love.


    When Amelia heard this from Claire, she felt slightly uncomfortable and unsure of what she had meant. After all, this was not the Jonny that she remembered.


    However, moments later she recalled how he tore apart the letters that she and Lucian had been exchanging. She wondered if Jonny had been pretending to be kind just to gain Amelia''s trust and respect.


    "Sometimes love is a funny thing. You can spend all your time loving someone who will never love you back. However, sometimes, the person who truly loves you, you can never love back." Amelia did not know what to say to make her feel better. She did hope that Claire could realize that sacrificing for a man who didn''t love her back was both impractical and nonsensical.


    "In fact, he had just been using me as leverage. He gave me a condition that was arranged with Mr. Lucian. He told me that if I am able to gain Lucian''s trust, he would marry me..."


    Ame


    tachments towards people. She could not just state something as if it were so simple.


    Jonny was indeed a generous man, because when Amelia drove Claire back to where she lived, she discovered that the villa he offered her was located at one of the most affluent areas.


    However, Claire did not want to live here mainly because of the luxurious villa, she was only here for the promise that Jonny had to her.


    Jonny bought Claire a luxurious villa so that he could remove the guilt he had for not loving her. Amelia found it outrageous that he could think that Claire should simply be content with the little emotional affection he had to offer simply because he had gotten her a wonderful home.


    She didn''t know much about Claire, but could clearly see how deeply-rooted her love for him was. It didn''t matter how much pain Jonny inflicted because her love was not something she could turn away from.


    As she drove away from Claire''s home, she suddenly found herself in the exact same situation as she did the other night.


    Although it was mid-afternoon, Amelia had sharp eyesight. With a glance, she could easily recognize who was inside the car that stopped right in front of hers.


    This was already the second time he had fooled her into this same trick, so Amelia took this as an act of contempt.


    The road could only accommodate one car, so it was impossible for Amelia to drive past his car.


    It was very likely that Jonny had planned this on purpose. Amelia watched as the door of the car opened and Jonny stepped out to walk towards her.


    The sun shone towards him brightly as he wore an exquisite suit. He had a big grin on his face that Amelia found particularly striking.


    Despite this, when she reflected on what he had just done, she felt nothing but disgust towards him. Her eyes were brewing with loathing and the nerves on her face tightened.


    "Amelia, what an amazing coincidence! We seem to run into each other everywhere!" Jonny said with a huge smile on his face as he tapped on the window of Amelia''s car.

 Chapter 314 Defending For Claire

    With a trace of disgust on her face, Amelia frowned.


    Seeing Amelia refused to roll down the window, Jonny took a glance at the villa behind him and said in bewilderment, "Did Claire tell you about this place?"


    After hearing Jonny mentioned Claire¡¯s name, Amelia looked at him with resentment in her eyes and said, "You do not own this place. Why can¡¯t I come here?"


    Surprised by her words, Jonny remained silent for a moment. A grin flashed upon his face then he said, "You are right. I own this place. If it is you, I would gladly accompany you."


    "Jonny, aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself? Since when did you become so shameless?" Amelia asked without holding back, gnashing her teeth.


    The man in front of her was way matured than before, but his words were scandalous. Even his face looked great, but in Amelia¡¯s eyes it was disgusting to look at.


    "Amelia what you said was like a knife directly piercing my aching heart." Jonny frowned and laid his hands in his chest, pretending to be distressed.


    In that moment, a strong feeling of disgust was seen in Amelia¡¯s eyes. She raised her voice and said furiously, "An irresponsible man like you, no matter how successful you are in life would be despised!"


    Although anger was burning inside her, Amelia would not get off the car because of what happened that night.


    However, Jonny stood blocking her way, she was about to call Lucian for help.


    Although she was not used to bothering Lucian, there was no hesitation in her heart during that moment because she needed her husband to show up.


    "Are you calling your husband? Great! I have something to discuss with him," Jonny asked casually as he peaked at


    was afraid that Jonny would spill secrets out of anger. Secrets that would make Lucian¡¯s heart suffer.


    However, at this moment, she wanted to show off to Jonny.


    "Well, since you mentioned it, I have to wait until Lucian come to get even for you." It seemed that Jonny was not shaken by her words even a little bit. He just raised the corner of his lips sarcastically.


    "Amelia, how about I drive? Look at your wounds. Your hand must be hurting. It is the least I can do," Claire gently offered out of concern.


    To lessen Claire¡¯s worries, Amelia held back the pain on her palm and face. She smiled and replied, "Do not worry. I¡¯m totally fine. I¡¯ll be there soon."


    "I guess I¡¯d better stay at a hotel tonight. I¡¯ll check the rental information online later."


    "It¡¯s fine. You can live at our house until you find a safe place to stay," Amelia said. In Amelia¡¯s point of view, the moment she decided to help Claire, she became responsible for supporting her until the very end. Her mind would not be in peace if she left Claire alone outside.


    "But don¡¯t you think..." There were worries inside her heart. She hesitated for a while before she opened her mouth and said, "Mr. Lucian, if he..."


    Amelia understood where the conversation was going so she interrupted her. She warmly smiled and said, "It is true that Lucian appeared to be serious and intimidating most of the time. But, I can assure you that he is easy to get along with. There are no reasons to worry. He won¡¯t say anything."


    "It seems that Mr. Lucian smiles exclusively for you. Whenever he was not in front of you, he always got his serious face on." Claire expressed her thoughts about Lucian.

 Chapter 315 The Gentle Look Of Lucian

    Amelia was aware of Lucian''s coldness towards other people. When they met for the first time, her first impression of him was that he was a very cold person and that he was unapproachable.


    "Amelia, I really don''t like living under someone else''s roof. But I appreciate your kindness," Claire replied as she insisted on staying in a hotel. It was obvious that Amelia''s attempt at persuasion was ineffective.


    But Amelia understood how she felt. After Iris'' death, she felt like an outsider even though she was a member of the Mo family. Sophia and her daughter''s entrance into the Mo family added to her feeling of alienation.


    In the end, she felt no more than a fifth wheel. But her feelings had improved and were completely different from what they were before.


    "I''ll try to find a better place for you to stay tomorrow," Amelia added as she turned her car around to take her to the hotel that she stayed last night.


    To set her mind at ease, she called the security officer and planned to leave Lucian''s name in case of any emergency.


    The security officer was inattentive at first when he answered Amelia. But when she mentioned Lucian''s name and told him who she was, his manner quickly changed. He stood up in attention and this made him look like a soldier who was in the presence of the chief.


    She felt very pleased as she left the hotel. ''I never expected to gain respect everywhere because just because I am Lucian''s wife,'' she thought to herself with a satisfied smile.


    When she completed dealing with Claire''s issue, Amelia was ready to drive back to the SJ Garden.


    It was late in the afternoon and the street lights on both sides of the road were lit. They gave out a pale ghostly light against the fading daylight.


    The thought of Jonny''s face crossed her mind without warning and it immediate


    next day, Lucian decided to bring Amelia to the hospital.


    At first, Amelia didn''t want to go with him to the hospital. But Lucian insisted. She then begged again and again to no longer go to the hospital but finally gave in. Amelia had no choice but to go with Lucian.


    "Are you afraid that my injuries will leave a scar and that it will make me ugly and then you will dislike me?" On their way back from the hospital, Amelia had several guesses regarding Lucian''s true reason for insisting on bringing her to the hospital.


    But Lucian never really gave it much thought. He turned to her and then teased her. "Yes. And so don''t forget to take the medicine that the doctor gave you on time."


    "I never expected you to even say that! All men like beautiful women!" Amelia replied grumbling. Her lips pouted a little as she muttered.


    A smile slowly crossed Lucian''s handsome face as he continued driving. His eyes glistened as he briefly glanced at Amelia and saw her pouting her lips.


    "You know what, Lucian. I don''t think that you have an eye for true beauty. I''m just an average-looking woman. Why did you fall in love with me?" It was a question that Amelia had asked Lucian a hundred times before. And during each of those times, Lucian would patiently answer her. But Lucian did not answer her this time. Instead, he smiled at her without saying a word.


    When she didn''t hear an answer from him, Amelia decided to just stop talking.


    It was perhaps because of the medicine that Amelia took at the hospital that she suddenly felt sleepy. Lucian wasn''t talking so she probably became sleepy out of boredom.


    When they arrived at the SJ Garden, Lucian carefully brought Amelia to the bed. The sight of her sleeping made him feel relieved.


    He kissed her lightly on her forehead and was about to go downstairs.

 Chapter 316 Jonny, You Are So Shameless!

    Amelia''s mobile phone hummed annoyingly on the bedside table.


    Before pressing the "off" button to ignore the call, the name "Jonny" flashed on the screen.


    After hesitating for a moment, Lucian answered the phone but didn''t say anything.


    "Amelia, I spent a lot of time thinking last night, I really shouldn''t have sent you the threatening message. Please trust me, my love for you is pure. I apologize about your injury yesterday. Amelia, I''m sorry..."


    Lucian''s pupils tightened and his heart started to race. In such a short moment, everything that he always suspected was confirmed.


    A red hot flame like the one in the furnace, lit within his heart. He didn''t utter a word to give anything away. Jonny, feeling strange on the other end of the line, kept calling Amelia''s name.


    "Amelia? Relax. You know, I''m not stupid. I will be careful in front of Lucian, I won''t ever dare say what I shouldn''t. Please don''t be upset with me, okay?"


    His fingers clenched the phone tighter, Lucian was upset to say the least.


    Although Jonny didn''t really clarify, he learned that Amelia''s wound was connected to Jonny, in some way.


    ''But Amelia, what are you hiding? Why can''t you just tell me the truth?'' thought Lucian. After cutting off the line abruptly, Lucian stood by the bed. He stared at Amelia in silence for a long time. He didn''t wake her up. But, he just spent some time observing this woman who was the mother of his child.


    By the time Amelia woke up, it was already afternoon. She had to go downstairs to find out that Lucian had already gone to work.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian did specially state that you must rest at home. Don''t go out and run around at all..." Lily trailed off, it was


    me?" Jonny didn''t stop approaching her until he forced Amelia into the corner.


    The potted plant under his feet was shoved aside. He stepped on her feet as to not allow her to escape, both of his hands supported the walls to prevent her from hitting him.


    "Jonny, I didn''t come here to see you. I''m here just to make sure that Claire is safe!" Amelia looked unimpressed at Jonny. She hated being trapped by a man like this, so she stretched out her hands and pushed him away. But, the push made her feel weak and frail.


    To a passerby, it looked like these two lovers were playing around in the hallway.


    His men were already gone. The only voice heard in the hallway was Amelia''s.


    "Well, it''s obvious because you chose to come here alone, that you still trust me," Jonny bragged shamelessly and exhaled on Amelia''s face.


    Amelia knew Jonny''s manipulation tactic, but it was stomach-turning for her.


    "Let me go!" Amelia felt that Jonny''s hand was touching her waist from the back. She could feel it going down towards her bum. Despite being protected by several layers of thick clothes, she still felt vulnerable.


    Jonny didn''t ease up. Instead, he doubled down on his approach. The intimacy became an aggression and intimidation, just like earlier.


    "Shame on you, you coward!" Amelia didn''t want Jonny to do anything more here.


    "Yes, I am shameless. So what?" All of a sudden, Jonny become a wild animal. He tightly gripped Amelia''s wrists. His strong chest, like strong walls crushing its victim, fiercely threatened to break her ribs.


    She cried out painfully, her panting become louder and louder. She would never give up struggling, even though she was overwhelmed by this beast of a man.

 Chapter 317 Do You Think I Will Be Afraid Of You

    Just as Jonny was about to lower his lips onto her lips, Amelia cried out loudly, "Lucian! Lucian!"


    Because her face kept moving, Jonny didn''t succeed at what he was planning.


    Jonny was irritated by her resistance. He caught her hands and pinned them down securely. She suddenly felt a piercing pain on her hands.


    "I may have missed so many times, Amelia, but this time, I will make sure never to miss again!" After that, Jonny picked up Amelia and brought her into the adjacent open room.


    When Jonny threw her on the bed, Amelia started to forebode danger that she was in.


    She fought fiercely and struggled against Jonny. The sound of her clothes getting torn mixed with her screams for help. Fear slowly gripped her heart tighter as her tears fell down like rain on her cheeks.


    She kept calling for help even though she started to feel hopeless.


    Jonny pushed aside her efforts to keep him at bay like a wild beast with inhuman strength.


    It was as if his sanity was completely consumed by the strong desire to possess Amelia.


    Disgust and anger overflowed from Amelia''s tear-filled eyes as she stared at Jonny.


    "I will not let you have your way. You will have to kill me first!" Amelia declared stoically. She had no plan to stop resisting and cooperate with what Jonny wanted. She kept struggling with all the strength that she had in her.


    Because Jonny''s sense of reason was completely consumed by desire, he never ceased even after Amelia threatened him.


    But just as Jonny was about to completely undress her, a loud "bang" that came from the door filled the room.


    Jonny fought back hopelessly as two men in black suits grabbed him from behind and overpowered him. Lucian entered the room closely behind the two large men.


    . But Jonny offended her again and again.


    "You are such a successful businessman, Lucian. You have the ability to do anything you want in the business world. And now you have been beaten by Amelia. Aren''t you angry about that?" Jonny asked in a sarcastic tone of voice as he suddenly burst into roaring laughter.


    Lucian kept a straight face when he listened Jonny''s words. He had gotten used to the idea that Jonny''s statement no longer bothered him.


    "Since I can help you take over the An Group from Edmund, Jonny, I can also destroy the An Group," Lucian said as he gave Jonny a sharp look with his dark eyes.


    Jonny''s face suddenly became pale. But he soon regained his sarcastic expression. He laughed at Lucian''s threats. "The An Group was never my goal. My true goal was to bring the An Group into such a mess that they will not be able to recover from it!"


    "You''re right. You did all this for your mother. And so the An Group should really be taken back by Edmund from you!" Lucian replied with a mocking nod and a straightforward tone of voice.


    Despite his simmering anger for Jonny, Lucian still spoke calmly. He was aware of Jonny''s fragile mental state that could be made worse with the wrong tone of speech.


    At that point, he noticed that Jonny could no longer sit still. "You are digging a hole for yourself if you did that," Jonny said hurriedly.


    If his hands and feet were not restrained, Jonny would definitely be in a fistfight with Lucian in the room.


    "The way you behaved is a real slap on me." Lucian felt extremely disappointed at Jonny as he stared at him. "Considering the friendship that we once had, I always thought that your intentions were never truly bad. But you have proven to me clearly that I was so wrong!"

 Chapter 318 I Am Ashamed To Be Your Brother

    "So, you still want to kill me even though we''re brothers?" Jonny''s eyes widened with a fake innocent expression, but his question was all too provocative.


    Lucian smiled disapprovingly. "You wouldn''t even be alive to ask that if it were up to me."


    Last night was a nightmare for Amelia. Lucian was beset with guilt; he had forgiven Jonny time and again, but that decision had seriously harmed Amelia.


    Now, he did not intend to let Jonny get away with it.


    With a snort, Jonny stared at Lucian and said, "In that case, I have nothing to be afraid of."


    Despite this outward show of confidence, Jonny was, in fact, extremely worried.


    He did say that he did not give a damn about the An Group, but it was, in fact, his shield. Without the An Group, all of his efforts over the months would go down the drain.


    The company was a powerful tool against his father. Without it, his father would be able to fight back and return to the An Group. He would still be on the losing end.


    Lucian just had to pinpoint his weak spot.


    "Well, you have your work cut out for you. You can just wait to clean up the mess created by the An Group." Lucian snorted. Then, he turned toward his men and instructed, "Untie him and wait until he returns to the An Group. I''m sure the mess would have blown up by now."


    Jonny knew that in addition to massive financial resources, the Zhan Group had accumulated a spotless reputation in the business world over the years. He knew that if Lucian wanted to take the An Group down, the company would not stand a chance.


    Once freed from the ropes, Jonny stretched his arms and legs. He thre


    point."


    Lily nodded in agreement to Claire''s logic. "Yes, Mrs. Amelia. You should stay here, or Mr. Lucian would have to worry about you if anything happens to you out there."


    Despite the disquiet in her heart, Amelia tried to listen to the voices of reason provided by Claire and Lily. After all, even if she found Lucian, she wouldn''t be able to do anything.


    However, she knew how much Jonny hated Lucian. Jonny may use the information in his arsenal to hurt Lucian.


    An inebriated Lucian stumbled into the house near midnight.


    Amelia had been waiting for him in the living room all night. At the sound of door opening, she leaped to her feet immediately in time to see Lucian, who was weaving left and right, stumble and fall. She hurried forward and asked in concern, "Lucian, are you okay?"


    "Go away!" Lucian, who was enveloped in a cloud of smoke and alcohol, held up a hand and slurred in disgust, "Liar! Liars, every single one of you!"


    Amelia stopped in her tracks and stared at him, stunned. She saw Lucian struggling to get back on his feet, so she approached him again to assist him.


    Maybe due to inebriation or annoyance, Lucian pushed Amelia away in disgust as soon as she approached him.


    Amelia''s position on the stairway was precarious, and Lucian''s repeated attempts to ward her off put her at risk of falling. However, she did not feel anger toward him; she was concerned that Lucian may end up hurting himself because of how unsteady he was. She carefully walked up to him like she was approaching a wounded animal and threw one of Lucian''s arms around her shoulders, gently supporting him.

 Chapter 319 Lucian Doesnt Want To See Me

    It was fortunate that Lucian stopped pushing Amelia away. But when they entered their bedroom, he quickly fell asleep on their bed.


    Amelia spent a lot of time trying to fix Lucian''s sleeping position and taking off his clothes which reeked with the smell of alcohol.


    When she finally lay down beside him, Lucian suddenly murmured something vague but it was too quiet for her to hear.


    The next day, Amelia woke up on her side of the bed. She looked beside her for Lucian but he was no longer there.


    Amelia was a little surprised that she slept so soundly that she didn''t know when Lucian had left.


    She then thought of where Lucian could possibly be. After a few moments, the sound of water trickling down from the bathroom quickly calmed her down.


    Eventually, Lucian stepped out of the bathroom with water still dripping from his hair.


    Amelia forced herself to get it together. She approached him and candidly said, "Lucian, I''ll get you a towel."


    She had seen Lucian''s strong muscles multiple times but every time she saw them, she still couldn''t stop her heart from beating so fast.


    "No need," Lucian replied in a timid voice while he held her slender wrist.


    Amelia was left to stay still, thinking to herself that something was wrong with Lucian because of his tone. But when she thought of how drunk he was last night, she figured that his stomach might just be upset today. So she simply looked at him and tried to understand his condition. She then calmly said,


    "I overslept this morning. You should have woken me up to cook something for you. I''ll go to the kitchen right now to make some porridge so you can eat."


    Lucian''s eyes fell on the blank expressio


    he could be with at this moment and suddenly thought of Michael.


    Fortunately, Michael''s phone number was still on her phone. She dialed it and it took him a long time to answer.


    "Hey, Michael, it''s Amelia. Have you seen Lucian?" Amelia said. It was just a few words, but it caused her to pant heavily.


    "Relax Amelia, Lucian''s right here next to me," Michael replied with a serious tone.


    After finding out that Lucian was with him, Amelia felt a bit of relief. She continued to ask, "Michael, could you please tell me where you are? I''ll come and pick him up."


    Her voice was timid but it sounded somewhat impulsive. But at that moment, she only thought that she needed to see Lucian, or she wouldn''t be able to calm down.


    Michael responded with a heavy sigh. He refused to tell her their whereabouts and replied instead, "Don''t worry, Lucian will be fine with me."


    All of a sudden, Amelia felt like her heart was struck by an arrow. She felt immense pain and said, "Is it because Lucian doesn''t want to see me? Then please take care of Lucian for me."


    After hanging up the phone, Michael looked at Lucian sitting in front of him and asked, "Are you really going to avoid Amelia?"


    Lucian finally had an expression other than anger, but there was still no joy whatsoever.


    "Alright, let''s stay at my house tonight. It''s not that great but it''s better than a hotel!" Michael teasingly exclaimed while he took the bottle in front of Lucian away. He then stood up and tried to help Lucian stand up as well.


    "No thanks, it''s better if I go home." He couldn''t deny that there was some sadness in his heart. No matter how much he drank, he still felt sober all over his body.

 Chapter 320 She Wants To See Him But She Cant

    "Yes, a married man like you is supposed to prioritize his family. You have to give most of your attention to them. Besides, someone like Amelia is difficult to find. Nowadays, kind and considerate women like her are rare." Michael didn''t want to answer Amelia''s question on the phone just now.


    Although he didn''t know what exactly happened between them, he could tell from Amelia''s anxious voice that something was wrong. He knew her. She was the type of person who would endure sadness on her own but don''t complain. He had really wanted to tell her the truth but Lucian forbade him.


    "I''ll go now." Lucian picked up his coat and was about to leave.


    Michael was worried about him so he called his chauffeur. When the chauffeur came a few minutes later, he instructed him to take Lucian back to SJ Garden.


    "Mr. Lucian, you... Are you all right?" Lily stammered as she greeted Lucian. She was so surprised to see her master looking terrible.


    At that time, Amelia was in the middle of the stairs. She was carrying Mark in her arms. When she heard Lily''s nervous voice, she halted and looked at Lucian.


    "Lucian..." Seeing that Lucian didn''t look good, Amelia ran downstairs in an instant. She had almost forgotten that Mark was still in her arms.


    "Mom... Mom..." Perhaps Mark felt nervous when Amelia suddenly ran so he cried and shouted.


    Luckily, Lily was a sharp-eyed woman so she immediately approached Amelia and took Mark from her arms. "Mrs. Amelia, let me hold the young master first so you can help Mr. Lucian," she said.


    With the help of the chauffeur, Amelia was able to bring the drunk Lucian into their bedroom upstairs. She suddenly felt exhausted because he was


    always been calm, but now his voice raised a little.


    Amelia blushed as she nodded to him. She felt guilty for showing up without prior notice. She hoped that Lucian hadn''t heard Eric''s voice from his office.


    "Is Lucian busy now?" she asked gently.


    "Mr. Lucian has been pretty busy these days," Eric answered, a little embarrassed.


    "Is the news report true?" Amelia couldn''t wait any longer so she decided to ask Eric curiously.


    Eric frowned. He seemed to be in a dilemma. "Mrs. Amelia, please forgive me if I can''t answer your question. Mr. Lucian is very strict about this matter so we are not allowed to talk about it," he said apologetically.


    "It''s okay Eric. I totally understand," she said with a smile. Obviously, Eric was a very loyal assistant to Lucian. Amelia had already known that he was always obedient to Lucian''s rules so she shouldn''t have asked.


    Eric nodded and asked politely, "Would you like to see Mr. Lucian?"


    "Is it okay to see him now?" Amelia was a little uncertain so she asked carefully.


    "Mr. Lucian is busy now but I''m sure he will be very happy to see you." Eric was about to knock on the door when he finished his words.


    But what Eric had said melted the expectation in Amelia''s heart.


    When Lucian saw her now, he would definitely frown.


    "Mr. Eric, please continue with your work. No need to bother Lucian. I''ll just wait for him at home." She gave Eric a shy smile. Since Lucian was very busy, her presence might just disturb him. He might not be happy to see her at all.


    "Mrs. Amelia, are you sure you don''t want to go inside to see Mr. Lucian?" Eric was shocked. He couldn''t understand why Amelia had suddenly changed her mind.

 Chapter 321 Nicholas Doubts

    Amelia looked up and smiled, "Let Lucian do his work. I''ll prepare dinner for him at home."


    Eric understood that it was a lame excuse and nodded his head in agreement.


    He then watched as Amelia got into the elevator until the doors closed. He then walked over to the CEO''s office and knocked on the door and went in.


    Lucian was occupied in reading the documents on his desk when Eric came in. He was unusually busy, so Eric thought twice before calling his attention. "What took you so long?"


    Lucian asked flatly. He had finished most of the documents that he had to read while he waited.


    The question of Lucian caught Eric by surprise. He was at a loss of whether he should tell Lucian that Amelia was there or not. Because of this, he was unable to immediately reply to Lucian.


    "Eric, what''s wrong?" Lucian asked when he noticed that Eric was perplexed and was not able to answer immediately, and this was so unusual in Eric.


    Eric approached Lucian and handed over the documents that he required. "Mrs. Amelia was just here to see you," he reported in a brisk tone.


    A look of surprise took over Lucian''s face. He got up from his chair as he turned expectantly at the door. "Where is she now?" he asked Eric with wide open eyes.


    "I''m sorry Mr. Lucian," Eric said as he scratched the back of his head. In his mind, he knew that it was his fault that Lucian was not able to see Amelia. "I said that you were working on a lot of documents," he continued. "Mrs. Amelia then said the she will just go back home, cook dinner for you and then wait for you to get back home."


    Lucian slowly got back to his chair and lowered his head. After a brief moment, he looked up and asked, "How long has she been gone?"


    Eric gave it some thought and made an estimate. "She is probably at the ground floor by now."


    "Read through the rest of the documents and report the key points to me," Lucian said as he hurriedly grabbed his coat and ran to the elevator.


    When the elevator reac


    ed him with any suspicion, it would be a huge disservice to Lucian and the fruits of all his efforts.


    "Lucian is a good person and it is fortunate that he didn''t inherit any of Edmund''s bad characteristics. This is why I have great hopes for him. However, I am afraid that there will come a time when the Zhan Group will no longer be around." Since Amelia was Nicholas'' and Iris'' daughter, he was worried for her future and the future of his grandson, Mark.


    Nicholas'' worries made Amelia speechless.


    But all of safeguards that Nicholas had put into place made Lucian feel desperate.


    "I respect you a lot, mostly because you''re Lucian''s father. But if you can''t trust Lucian, then I can''t respect you the same way anymore because Lucian is my husband. He''s your grandchild''s father." Amelia felt like it was the last thing that she could possibly say to Nicholas to make him understand that there was no way or reason that she would be OK with Nicholas not trusting Lucian.


    The Zhan Group may be strong as a company, but Lucian was still just Lucian. He was just one man who still had the needs that a normal man would need like people he could depend on.


    And as his wife, Amelia felt ashamed that she could not do more to make everything easier for Lucian. To ease him of his burden.


    "I understand that you and Lucian get along very well with each other. But you are a daughter of the Zhan family. You have to consider the Zhan family," Nicholas explained. He had no choice but to use her blood connection to make her understand and see why he had to do the things that he did.


    He was convinced that his words would help make Amelia understand everything about his decisions. But this was not the case.


    After she heard Nicholas'' explanation that they connected with blood relations, Amelia felt a little disappointed. She immediately replied back to Nicholas without thinking about what she was about to say, "If blood ties can create distrust, should I still feel grateful?"

 Chapter 322 Dont Insinuate

    Nicholas knew exactly how he had let Iris down.


    The so-called compensation for years of neglect was nothing but a flagrant display of the Zhan Group''s wealth.


    Amelia had told him time and again that the joy of a family was rooted in harmony, not in the material possessions of the Zhan Group.


    "At the end of it all, even if you blame me, I won''t let anyone else take over the Zhan Group!" Although he was sorry that his answer would upset Amelia, Nicholas still felt that the Zhan Group was an indispensable part of his life.


    Amelia was furious, and Nicholas''s answer was further fueling and fanning the flames.


    "Dad, does that mean we should do anything to protect the image of the Zhan Group, even if we have to drop Lucian?" Amelia stared at her father, fists clenched and eyes red with anger.


    Amelia''s fury did not go unnoticed by Nicholas, but he had already made up his mind. Despite his internal conflict, he looked outwardly calm and solemn.


    All of a sudden, the light in Amelia''s eyes bled out. She said self-deprecatingly, "What you want is immortality for the Zhan Group. You don''t need us, your family..."


    Those words were the last thing he expected from Amelia. Nicholas looked stunned, and his mouth worked as if he wanted to refute Amelia''s statement, but he could not come up with a valid argument. So he stayed silent.


    "No matter what happens, dad, I will never leave Lucian." Amelia knew how much Lucian had suffered. If Nicholas were to ask her to choose between the company and Lucian, she would choose Lucian in a heartbeat.


    "Amelia, don''t be hasty in making your decision when nothing has happened yet!" Nicholas replied in a suddenly animated voice. He could not hide his agitation.


    Amelia suddenly stood up and


    Amelia, I only asked Jonny to come here so that he could apologize to you, nothing else."


    Bitterly, Amelia retorted, "If apologies make everything okay, then everyone would do such low, disgusting mistakes and think it''s okay to get away with them without any consequences." Amelia had no intention of forgiving Jonny for his shameless behavior in the hotel that day.


    Thus, she took great pains to avoid places that Jonny often visited.


    The man she had once considered her benefactor had become the person that she hated the most.


    Now, she couldn''t care less about the competition between the Zhan and An Groups.


    In the past, she would have been extremely angry to find out about Zhan Group''s tactics to mess with the An Group and would even defend them in front of Lucian. Now, she only felt a cold sense of satisfaction about the other company''s impending downfall.


    Jonny stood up and walked towards Amelia.


    Like a coward, she wheeled around and quickly tried to make her escape.


    "Amelia!" Emma exclaimed behind her, but Amelia paid her no heed.


    She kept running as fast as she could without a backward glance.


    Disoriented, she could not find her car after exiting the villa. To her dismay, she had forgotten the exact parking spot.


    "Amelia, don''t run. I don''t have any bad intentions coming here. I only wanted to apologize to you!" Amelia heard Jonny speak from somewhere so close behind her.


    ''Don''t run? Did he really think I''m an idiot?'' thought Amelia.


    She knew that Jonny could easily outrun her, but Amelia did not stop running.


    She really should have listened to her inner voices telling her not to come. She couldn''t forgive herself for being so stupid and for agreeing to meet up with Emma. This was all her fault.

 Chapter 323 Why Did You Go To The An Mansion Again

    Amelia wore a pair of low-heeled shoes. But even with the low heels, each step that she made created a clacking sound with the floor. She was more familiar with using flat shoes, so she felt that she ran slower than before.


    There was a big water fountain near the gate of the An mansion. Amelia was worried that she ran the wrong way and wanted to go around the water fountain to check if her car was parked on the other side of the water fountain. But she was surprised that her car was nowhere to be found.


    "Don''t run, Amelia! You can''t get away from me!" Jonny reached out his hand to grab her shoulder as he threatened her.


    Amelia briefly glanced over her shoulder and then gave Jonny a look of disgust. "You are crazy!"


    She wondered how he could possibly have the time to chase her around when he surely had things that he had to do at the An Group.


    "It''s true that I''ve wronged you, but I''ve always been opposed to Lucian, not you," Jonny explained as he stared at Amelia with his sharp wild eyes.


    "And that is exactly why you are my sworn enemy. Because you are opposed to Lucian!" she replied back to him with scorn.


    The tone of her voice and the hostility in her eyes were like molten knives that slowly murdered Jonny from within.


    "You are so naive, Amelia!" Jonny replied back as he violently shook his head. There was no smile on his face anymore. He regarded Amelia as being silly.


    But whatever words he said, Amelia would never be able to bring herself to trust him again.


    "Let me go!" Amelia screamed as she stared at Jonny with sharp eyes. She forcibly got rid of his hand on her shoulder.


    "Once Lucian found out about his true identity, he looked for Edmund. He then used the resources of th


    Lucian''s statement regarding Jonny''s situation was so clear and ominous that it rendered him speechless.


    "Lucian, leave that crazy man alone. Let''s just go home!" Amelia said as she tugged at Lucian''s arm. She glared at Jonny with such indifference that he almost regretted what he said.


    The tone of Jonny''s voice reflected his unwillingness to accept whatever fate handed down to him; while Amelia''s words were hurting him.


    "Don''t you always talk about knowing my family background? Let me make it clear to you. Your wish will never come true!" Lucian said with scorn as he escorted Amelia into his car.


    It was obvious to Jonny that Lucian was never an easy rival since the beginning. He could easily see through Jonny''s thoughts and plans. It was one of the reasons why he wanted to get Amelia to his side. Because she was Lucian''s weakness. He saw her as the key to defeating Lucian.


    They drove off in silence soon afterwards. Amelia was bothered by Lucian''s complete silence while driving. He focused on driving and never spoke nor turned to look at her.


    The words that Lucian left for Jonny before they drove off made him seem superior and domineering to Amelia. It was like he was completely in control of the things that happened to him.


    There was frustration in Jonny''s face as it turned pale as a ghost.


    Lucian felt the animosity between him and Amelia as he drove. "I said those words just to hurt Jonny on purpose. But it does not mean that I am OK with what you and your father hid from me."


    Amelia was stunned by his words. She slowly turned to look at his handsome face and saw no emotion there. They were very close to each other physically but she felt like he was a thousand miles away from her.

 Chapter 324 Cant Let Go Of You

    "Lucian, why don''t you let go of yourself?" Amelia could feel the pain in his heart, so she could understand it. But sometimes, his words were really like a knife that pierced through her heart. It was too painful.


    Anger flashed through Lucian''s eyes. His face turned cold and his tone became unpleasant. "I have always reminded you to tell right from wrong. You know that Jonny is a bad guy. Why did you still come to see him?"


    Upon hearing Lucian''s words, Amelia was stunned. She didn''t know what to say. Tears streamed down her face quietly, she looked pitiful.


    Perhaps her silence attracted Lucian''s attention. He turned his head and stared at her sorrowful eyes. He said flatly, "If you don''t trust me enough, stop caring about how I feel. Just follow your father''s arrangement."


    If Lucian''s words could penetrate people''s heart, Amelia would have been devastated.


    "Lucian, what are you talking about?" Stunned by his words, Amelia turned and stared at Lucian.


    Looking straight ahead, Lucian didn''t answer her question.


    When he arrived at SJ Garden, he went upstairs and entered his study directly.


    Amelia stood quietly in the living room. She couldn''t do anything but stared at Lucian''s receding back.


    With Mark in her arms, Lily walked up to Amelia. She looked at Lucian''s direction first then at Amelia with perplexed expression on her face. "Mrs. Amelia, have you and Mr. Lucian fought?" she asked.


    Amelia had her own feelings too. She didn''t answer Lily''s question. She just took Ma


    im but she chose to keep it in her mind.


    She was moved by this thought. Somehow, she felt happy that Lucian still cared for her.


    But when they went upstairs, Lucian said that he would sleep in the guest room. He said he didn''t want to wake her up early in the morning.


    Amelia was so disappointed. She was deeply hurt. Her relationship with Lucian was definitely a roller coaster ride. Sometimes happiness, sometimes disappointment.


    Lucian didn''t wait for Amelia to respond. He went to the closet to get the clothes he would need for the next day and went to the guest room. Amelia just watched him going out of the door.


    During dinner, Amelia''s heart was filled with joy. All of a sudden, it was now covered with sadness.


    The next morning when Amelia woke up, Lucian had already left. Even Lily who got up very early also didn''t see him.


    After lunch, Amelia received a phone call from an unknown caller.


    When she answered the phone, it was a middle-aged man who introduced himself as Edmund.


    Amelia trembled a little when she heard the name. She wasn''t really familiar with Edmund''s voice although she had spoken with him during the time that the Zhan Group was in a crisis.


    "What can I do for you?" Although she didn''t like Edmund, she still showed respect for him.


    Edmund laughed on the other end of the line. His laughter seemed to hint something although it was obscure. "Amelia... Oh no, I should call you daughter-in-law. I actually didn''t expect that we will become family someday."

 Chapter 325 Nicholas Was In A Coma

    Amelia frowned and breathed heavily. The disgust in her heart was unspeakable.


    It was just like what they said; like father, like son. Edmund and Jonny both spoke in exactly the same way and tone.


    Amelia didn''t say a word about it on the phone. Edmund smiled to himself and said, "Nicholas has been the most powerful man in the business world in his life. Even after he was disabled, he still fought against me behind the scenes. If he only knew that Lucian and I met in secret, he''d probably be too angry to even sleep!"


    Edmund said in a tone of voice that was filled with confidence. His voice reflected his happiness at Nicholas'' state.


    Amelia didn''t make any sound, but she was almost at the end of her rope.


    She never believed that Lucian would recognize Edmund as his father. She interrupted his confident tirade with words filled with hate. "If you think that blood relationship can change how a person sees you, then you are sadly mistaken."


    Her words made him stop laughing as expected. "What about you?" he asked in a sarcastic tone of voice. "Are you glad to know that you are the illegitimate daughter of Nicholas?" he continued with the same sarcastic voice.


    At those words, whatever little respect that she had for him vanished immediately.


    "Mr. Edmund, I never felt inclined to answer your insignificant questions. And I don''t plan to start doing so now," Amelia replied in a slightly abusive tone. She was about to end the call after she said that but Edmund was able to call her attention to what he said and it prevented her from ending the call.


    "Don''t make any quick conclusions. You may consider your father a victim now, but once you look closely, you might change your mind. Don''t you know how much of an asshole he was?" Edmund said hurriedly. It was like he sensed that she was going to end the call so he made sure that he''d be able to say everything before they got disconnected.


    There was a brief silence as Amelia was rend


    his cup is slippery and small. I was careless," she explained as she tried to hide her nervousness.


    "I know you and Edmund have been friends for a long time. But there are things that you have no right to reveal. Why would you even tell him about it?" There was a hint of anger in Lucian''s voice as his eyebrows slowly met at the center and became tense.


    The words of Lucian made Fannie stiffen. She looked anxious. There was a long time of silence between the two of them. "Lucian, the reason why I did it was because I was hoping that Edmund would help you. I never did it to embarrass you,"


    Fannie replied. She sounded regretful as she answered him.


    "I am more than just embarrassed now. I am ruined!" Lucian roared at Fannie. His voice rang with the anger that pumped in his heart. His entire being refused the fact that he was a member of Edmund''s family.


    "Nicholas has long known that you are the son of Edmund. This is why he has long prepared to make sure that you will never take over the company even though you are now in charge of the company. He just didn''t trust you!"


    The main reason why she proposed to get separated from Nicholas was because she knew that the day would come that the real background of Lucian had to be exposed.


    If she didn''t accidentally hear the truth, she would never be sure that Lucian was actually Edmund''s son.


    "So what?" Lucian exclaimed unexpectedly. His manner made him look like he never really cared whether Nicholas trusted him or not. He then stared straight into Fannie''s eyes and then said, "I don''t care if I lose the Zhan Group. All I care about is my marriage with Amelia and my family."


    "So, you''d rather be with Amelia than to keep the Zhan Group?" asked Fannie.


    "The Zhan Group was never everything to me. Taking over it was never my ultimate goal. He turned to one side as he took several deep breaths. His handsome face was marked with stubbornness under the light shining in from the windows.

 Chapter 326 Why Do You Still Care

    At his words, Fannie turned livid with rage. She scoffed, "All there is in Nicholas'' mind is the interest of the Zhan Group. Why do you still care about the father-son relationship? If you really care about Amelia, save yourself these unnecessary troubles and just focus on her!"


    A chance like this did not come by so easily, and Fannie was not willing to let go of it without gaining some leverage. She had been encouraging Lucian to turn against Nicholas, and if she played her cards right this time, she just might convince him once and for all.


    However, Lucian was not one to be fooled so easily. He had come here with the purpose¡ª to figure out how Fannie worked with Edmund.


    Unexpectedly, Fannie spoke out her intention first.


    "Mom, dad and I have no blood relations, but he had brought me up, and he has my gratitude. It would be wrong to say that this great kindness I received was superficial," Lucian countered.


    "He was just using you!" Fannie insisted.


    "When my mother passed away, he could have told me to take over the family business, but he didn''t. He sent me abroad to study and to give me more opportunities. If he really were only after what use I could be, he wouldn''t have gone through all that trouble, don''t you think?"


    Lucian''s anger surged at Fannie''s accusation.


    "So you''re saying that you won''t recognize your biological father, the man who shares every bit of his blood with you, but you want to accept that old fox whose only concern is money?" Fannie spat, her eyes gleaming with rage.


    Lucian chose to ignore her question. "I hope you stay out of this matter. Otherwise, I can''t promise that I would consider how you feel," he warned.


    "Look


    it was good for my brain. She even told me that if I ate it, I could get 100 points the next time I take a test."


    Amelia''s smile turned wistful as Iris'' face appeared in her mind. She imagined the story as she told it, and her chest tightened as she thought of how warm and beautiful the scene was at that time.


    Lucian looked at her in silence, suddenly regretting his choice of words. He wanted to make her happy, but he had childishly intruded because he felt uncomfortable.


    "Then, you''re gonna need to eat more. You need it. Maybe you won''t be so simple-minded if you eat enough of it," he said. Lucian picked up the chopsticks and started putting the ingredients one after another into the hotpot until it was brimming with food.


    Amelia knew that Lucian was teasing her again, but at the sight of his smile, she had forgotten all her retorts. She watched in mild surprise as Lucian reached for his chopsticks and ate. Amelia knew that he did not particularly enjoy the dish, and yet he was eating it with her. His gesture warmed her, and she ate heartily, thinking that it was the best hotpot she had ever had.


    By the time they were finished, Amelia was almost too full to even walk.


    "Lucian, are you fattening me up?" she complained, her tone light and teasing.


    "Let''s go. I''ll drive you home." Lucian''s voice returned none of her humor.


    Amelia was confused. Wringing her fingers, she said, "You said you had something to talk about¡­ Besides, I have to take care of dad in the hospital tonight."


    "I''ll take care of him. Just go home and stay with Mark."


    His eyes were distant and he spoke with finality. At this, Amelia could no longer insist and relented in silence.

 Chapter 327 A Fight Between The Couple

    After he brought her back to the SJ Garden, Lucian then drove back to the hospital.


    The next morning, Amelia went to the hospital so that Lucian could leave and rest. When she arrived at the hospital, the nurse informed her that Nicholas had left the hospital.


    She thought that it was very odd. No matter how fast Nicholas recovered, it would take at least three days before he was well enough to leave the hospital. But it had been only one night.


    The situation confused her and she wasn''t sure what to make of it so she decided to call Lucian. After a few rings she found out that his phone was turned off.


    Since calling Lucian was futile, she decided to call the Zhan mansion. One of the servants answered the phone. The servant informed her that Nicholas had not returned to the Zhan mansion yet.


    Panic steadily increased in her, Amelia rushed out of the hospital and drove all the way to the Zhan Group.


    She suddenly remembered that Lucian was acting strange last night and he asked her to leave almost forcibly. He didn''t want her to stay with Nicholas in the hospital after dinner.


    The more she thought about the situation, the more worried she felt.


    A short time later, Amelia arrived at the Zhan Group.


    She stared at the building with a sigh as she exited the car. The place was quite familiar to her by now.


    She wanted to see Lucian and clarify with him what really happened. She almost ignored the greeting of the reception girl as she walked into the lobby of the building.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian is in an important meeting. You can''t go in," Eric announced as she approached the door of the CEO''s office.


    "I need to have a word with him real quick and then I''ll leave," Amelia replied in an agitated tone of voice.


    The image of Nicholas getting discharged from the hospital despite being w


    o work. I''m fine," Amelia said as she refused Eric''s offer.


    "Mr. Lucian has always been too busy these days, Mrs. Amelia. Please don''t take whatever he said too seriously." Eric was aware how much Lucian cared about Amelia. Lucian said those words on purpose, but it was not yet the right time to tell her about the whole plan.


    She shook her head and smiled bitterly. "My behavior was not good too."


    After she got into her car, Amelia took a deep breath and decided to go back to the Zhan mansion. She started the engine and drove off.


    She suspected that Nicholas was still not back at the Zhan mansion yet even when she was on her way to the Zhan mansion.


    If she was to believe what Lucian said, then that means Nicholas was in a safe place. She suspected that Lucian had brought Nicholas to an undisclosed location.


    Despite this possibility, Amelia still felt sad.


    She couldn''t get over his words "your father." When she thought about it, she felt a stinging pain in her heart.


    A servant immediately met her as she entered the gate of the mansion. Amelia parked her car and then exited it to talk with the servant. "Has Mr. Nicholas returned yet?" she asked.


    The servant shook her head and replied, "Even Darren has not returned yet."


    ''Darren? Darren was also there and he took care of Nicholas last night,'' she suddenly thought.


    If Lucian brought Nicholas somewhere and he didn''t take Darren with him there then Darren would be back at the Zhan mansion. But since Darren had not returned yet, then Darren must be taking care of Nicholas.


    However, even with this thought, Amelia still felt worried.


    She could not understand why Lucian did what he did, and she could not understand why he suddenly became close to Edmund considering his disgust for him in the past.


    Was it because of their blood tie?

 Chapter 328 The Misunderstanding Is Getting Deeper

    Amelia was in a horrible mood, so she went out for a drive to clear her head. She drove around downtown in circles, but nothing worked to improve her mood.


    Her phone suddenly showed Claire''s caller ID. "Hello?"


    Amelia suddenly remembered that Claire''s house was nearby, as she said the last time.


    "Amelia, where are you right now? Please, come visit me at my house and rescue me from boredom. I''ve been cooped up in the house for too long!" Claire''s plaintive demand, which was cloaked as a request, greeted her as soon as she picked up.


    At the time, Amelia was not in the mood for any negativity, so she held the headset away from her ear, growing a little impatient at Claire''s complaints. Even so, she didn''t have the heart to stifle Claire''s enthusiasm, so she only waited quietly for Claire to finish, only half-listening.


    "Today''s not really a good day for me, Claire. Maybe some other day..." she said.


    "Actually, Amelia, one of my friends is pretty friendly with Jonny," Claire continued as if Amelia did not interrupt her. "This friend told me that she overheard Jonny saying that he would make Lucian a laughingstock in the city..."


    Amelia''s hearing suddenly focused on Claire''s words. "Okay, I''ll be right there."


    As long as Lucian was involved, she always paid attention.


    The place that Claire was renting was situated within a safe neighborhood with a good environment.


    Claire must have informed the guard in advance about Amelia''s arrival, so she only had to register at the lobby to enter.


    She took the elevator to the 12th floor. The hallway was extremely quiet when she stepped out.


    After confirming the unit number from the Claire''s text message, Amelia slowly walked down the hall, checking the numbers on the doors to find the correct unit.


    "Yes... Ah... "


    The occupants of a certain unit were very enthusiastic, to put it quite mildly. They di


    answered only because she forced him, then she would rather not know.


    She adjusted her hold on Mark and went downstairs, leaving Lucian alone in the bedroom, lost in thought.


    Suddenly, his phone vibrated with incoming messages and received several photos, one after the other.


    The text read, "Damn, Lucian, your wife is so sexy!"


    Some photos showed a naked Jonny and a woman underneath him, evidently in the throes of passion. The woman in the photos was unidentifiable because her features were blurred. However, the set of photos included those of Amelia stepping in and out of the elevator and greeting the guard in the reception area.


    Lucian''s jaw clenched when he saw these photos. However, it was not anger that he felt, because he saw through Jonny''s ulterior motives.


    To Lucian, Jonny''s actions showed a blatant disregard for his own life, so he would do him a favor and grant him a quick death.


    "Dinner is ready, Mr. Lucian... are you going out?"


    Amelia was feeding Mark in the dining room at the time. When she heard Lily''s voice, she looked up and through the glass window she saw Lucian standing in the living room, dressed in a formal suit.


    Lucian slightly nodded his head. "Please enjoy your dinner. I need to deal with something outside. I''ll be right back." He did not elaborate on the reason why he was leaving at that time and, without another word, walked out of the front door.


    "Mrs. Amelia, Mr. Lucian said he had to deal with something..." reported Lily.


    Amelia turned toward her with a bright smile on her face. "Well, let''s have dinner now. I''m hungry!" Amelia heard exactly what Lucian said, so she interrupted Lily. Holding Mark, she sat down in front of the dining table while inspecting the dishes and proceeded to eat her dinner with gusto.


    However, it was all for show; her heart felt empty as soon as she heard that Lucian was heading out.

 Chapter 329 A Silly Wife

    "Where are you now?" Lucian called Jonny as soon as he stepped out of Zhan Group.


    "Wow! It''s like a one-on-one battle!" Although he couldn''t see him, the picture of Jonny''s evil smile was clear in Lucian''s head.


    But he was not in the mood to beat around the bush with Jonny. He replied coldly, "Come at me if you have anything against me. Don''t play dirty tricks behind my back!"


    "Play dirty tricks?" Jonny was obviously not taking the conversation seriously. He said with confidence, "I know that those photos may be too shocking for you, Lucian, but I''ve been in your wife''s life for a long time after all..."


    Lucian''s anger drove him to clench his fists. He hated how Jonny was slandering Amelia.


    "Let me say this in advance: An Group is going to change ownership and you will have nothing. Don''t say I didn''t warn you."


    After hearing these words, there was only silence from Jonny''s end of the line.


    After a while, he burst into laughter. "Even if you end up having both An Group and Zhan Group, it still won''t change the fact that you''re the fruit of your mother''s cheating!"


    At the time, it seemed as if Jonny felt truly hopeless that he had no comeback to resort to. He could only try to hurt Lucian by bringing up his scandalous origin.


    Lucian was uncomfortable hearing it, but he understood immediately that Jonny only wanted to offend him because he was hurt.


    "And by the way, I hate to break it to you, but this won''t change the fact that you will have nothing." Even though Lucian felt downcast, he still tried his best to stay


    have to get someone to watch over you," Lucian sighed. The more he thought about things, the more worried he became.


    Sensing that Lucian wasn''t joking, Amelia declared, "There''s no need for that! If Jonny dares to do anything to me, I will fight him!"


    But Lucian thought that Amelia''s bravery was the mark of arrogance and stupidity.


    "Is that something a responsible wife and mother would say?" He tightened his hold around Amelia''s waist.


    "I promise, I will be more vigilant from now on." Amelia was quick enough to dodge Lucian''s angry remark.


    Lucian seized the opportunity to comment, "You always say that, but when did you ever really do it?"


    "But I didn''t come back empty-handed this time!" Amelia announced as she took out her phone to show Lucian the photos she had taken.


    "Did you take all these?" The angles were different from Jonny''s photos, but Lucian could tell they were taken from the same place.


    "Claire is a cunning liar, but I still care about her reputation as a woman. These pictures speak for themselves. They clearly show who Jonny is!"


    "Idiot!"


    "What?"


    Amelia believed that she could use the photos against Jonny to keep him from mentioning Lucian''s background to anyone.


    "If Jonny really cared about his reputation, he wouldn''t have allowed you to take these pictures," pointed out Lucian.


    "But I took these secretly. They had no idea!" It was not something Amelia would ordinarily do, but given Jonny''s despicable behavior towards her and her husband, she thought that it was just at most a small warning.

 Chapter 330 Courtney And Kents Love

    Lucian knew that Amelia did not understand what he had meant. He took out his phone and showed her the pictures that Jonny had sent.


    "How could Jonny do this?" Amelia''s anger rose as she looked through the photos.


    No wonder the guard let her in without question. It was all part of Jonny and Claire''s plan, and Amelia had fallen unwittingly into their trap.


    She slapped her forehead in frustration. "How could I be so stupid!"


    Lucian was unable to fend off the amusement that came at the sight of her furrowed brows. "That''s what you get for acting on your own. From now on, you should know better and just stay at home. I''ll take care of the rest," he said, planting a small, affectionate kiss on her ears.


    "So you agree that I''m stupid?" Amelia''s frown deepened as Lucian''s face broke into a grin.


    He responded as if he was talking to a child, "Of course, not. If Mrs. Amelia, my wife, the mother of my child can understand my words, then she''s not stupid, right?"


    Amelia''s face flushed at his obvious teasing. "You''re a bully! How dare you¡­Hmm!"


    But before she could finish her words, Lucian''s lips stopped hers.


    His kisses grew more passionate as the night deepened, their limbs intertwining under the cover of the dark.


    It was already noon when Amelia woke up.


    Her eyes fluttered open, lingering between the edge of sleep and wakefulness. The other side of the bed was empty and the clock showed that it was already 12 o''clock. Slowly, she stirred, sitting up and wondering about the strange soreness in her limbs...


    As her mind shrugged off the last traces of sleep, images from the previous night flooded her c


    y a happy occasion. But Amelia couldn''t ward off the uneasiness that brewed inside her.


    Jonny was a man with an insatiable thirst for revenge. The collapse of the An Group would undoubtedly be one more addition to his list.


    What''s more, the reporter''s question just now fueled their dispute.


    It was not only Lily who was particularly happy at the turn of events. Even Kent had called to congratulate. Courtney also said that Lin Group could rely on the protection of the An Group.


    Holding Mark in her arms, Amelia played with him in the bedroom. Her son tugged at her and said in broken sentences, "Mommy, Mommy... Grandpa... Visit Grandpa¡­"


    Earlier, Lily had told Amelia that it was Frank who sent Mark home.


    Mark was learning to speak much more clearly than before, so Amelia took little time to understand him. When she realized what he meant, she held Mark in her arms and asked eagerly, "Mark, tell mom. Did dad take you to see Grandpa today?"


    Mark looked at her blankly. The expression on his face was quite adorable.


    "Mark, did you see Grandpa?" Amelia asked again, going slower this time so Mark could follow her words.


    With a nod, Mark said, "Grandpa... Grandpa... "


    "All right, all right. I won''t ask you anymore. Come on. Are you hungry? Let''s go downstairs to have dinner." Amelia carried Mark in her arms as they went down. They were in the middle of the stairs when the door swung open to show Lucian.


    "Mr. Lucian, you looked so handsome today in the news!" Lily greeted him.


    Ignoring Lily''s fawning, Lucian turned his head to Amelia and said, "You were still sleeping this morning, so I took Mark out."

 Chapter 331 A Fight Again

    Amelia''s eyes narrowed at Lucian when she asked him in a suspicious tone and her voice was certainly not low, "Where did you take Mark to?" She stared at him, expecting an honest answer which never came. She had a doubt that Lucian perhaps had taken Mark to Nicholas''s place.


    Lucian turned his eyes at Amelia, who was now holding Mark in her arms. He frowned, debating on his answer then settled on saying, "Amelia, calm down first."


    Amelia pursed her lips. She was indeed loud more than needed. But she didn¡¯t want to accept that in front of him, so she didn¡¯t say anything neither asked him the second time where he had gone with Mark. She instead decided to leave the room and go downstairs with Mark to the dining room. Lucian saw his sulking wife leaving the room as he let out a groan and followed her out.


    Lily was working in the kitchen. When she saw Amelia walking in the kitchen with Lucian trailing behind, she stood aside with eyes downcast. "I should go fill a bowl of rice for little Mark," Lily uncomfortably mumbled while she sensed the seriousness between her master and mistress. She moved away from in front of Lucian shyly, eyes still downcast.


    Lucian didn¡¯t comment on that as he followed Amelia into the dining room. He sighed watching her moving around, sulking. When Amelia went and sat down, Lucian joined her, sitting in his usual seat in front of Amelia. He gazed at her. "Didn''t we reach an agreement last night?"


    Amelia was feeding Mark, but her hand shook when she heard him. Her grip on the spoon tightened as she averted her eyes on him, agitated. Lucian was still watching her with an unwavering stare. She snapped, "You were meant to attend the celebration party today. Why weren¡¯t you here and just returned now?"


    "I hope you can reflect on what you have said. Besides, dad wanted to see Mark. So I took Mark to visit him," Lucian countered harshly. His expression turned cold in the blink of an eye. He then rose from his seat and stormed out of the dining room.


    Lily was just outside the kitchen. When she saw Lucian leaving in anger and noticed Amelia''s face was as pale as snow, she was petrified, eyes focused at the doorways. Mark had also sensed something was


    of his men to do the work.


    After arranging everything, Michael turned to Amelia who was still standing in the lobby.


    "You''re going to be seen if you stand in the lobby for longer. Besides, I figured, you need to eat something first. I have arranged someone who will convey whatever they will be discussing in that room over to us. So, relax now."


    Amelia nodded and took his offer. Michael then led her to a private room and ordered food for her. He then held one cup of coffee and took a sip from it elegantly.


    Then he turned to Amelia and expressed his doubt. "However, I am a little worried that we would even get to know nothing at all. Because, there is a great possibility that they will go silent once a waiter goes in there."


    Amelia frowned at his words. "It''s possible." Michael although had agreed to her silently, noticing her going upset, he tried to comfort her. "Don''t think too much now. You''re the only one in Lucian''s heart. He won''t betray you."


    Of course, Amelia knew that. Lucian loved her endearingly. That wasn¡¯t her concern. She was worried because there were a lot of things that Lucian had hidden from her.


    She wanted to know and her curiosity now was troubling her, driving her restless.


    They sat there quietly for a while. Amelia was too drawn inside herself to further continuing the discussion and Michael was understanding of her silence. After about twenty minutes, Michael¡¯s informer knocked at the door of the private room they were sitting.


    He came and informed him, "Boss, the person Mr. Lucian is talking with is the former president of the An Group, Edmund. I tried to get close to them to listen to their topic of discussion. But they seemed to lower their voice to avoid any unwanted listener."


    This information got Amelia even more unnerved.


    She knew Lucian was always careful in his dealings, and if the conversation was confidential, he wouldn¡¯t let anyone know about it.


    "Did Lucian say anything else?" Michael asked.


    The man nodded. "Mr. Lucian asked if you have arrived in the hotel yet."


    Michael looked at Amelia as his eyes twinkled in amusement. "Your husband is one smart man, Amelia. He seems to have found out about my whereabouts."

 Chapter 332 Michaels Distress

    At that time, Amelia was overwhelmed with so much anxiety and it showed in her face. She quickly asked, "What should I do?"


    "It''s fine, I''ll go and check upstairs," Michael replied while he stood up. He then added, "Just stay here, I''ll be back in a minute."


    Amelia simply nodded in agreement as she bit her lip, seemingly at odds with his decision.


    Perhaps she might have been too naive to think that things would be simple from the very beginning. But now, it might have caused trouble for Michael.


    Meanwhile, the air inside of Lucian''s room felt cold. It might have been because of the silence between the people inside. It was so eerie that even the sound of a needle dropping on the floor would easily be heard.


    Suddenly, Lucian heard a knock on the door and immediately asked the person to come in. At the same time, a smile made its way on his face.


    Edmund noticed this and asked, "Lucian, do you really have no intention of reconsidering what I just said?"


    At that point, Michael had already come inside. He had a wide smile on his face when he saw Lucian, but when he looked toward Edmund, the smile on face quickly disappeared.


    Michael then said, "My apologies Lucian, I wouldn''t have come in if I had known that you were busy with some business."


    "What business? You actually came at the right on time. Let''s have a drink!" Lucian replied and raised his glass. He then proposed a toast to Michael, but before the man could respond, Lucian had already taken a sip of his beer.


    Michael didn''t know how to react to Lucian''s actions. So instead, he greeted Edmund, as a sign of politeness. "Hello, Mr. Edmund."


    His greeting made Edmund smile, but it was of a different kind. One that seemed like it was forced. "What is it, Mr. Edmund? I''m feeling like a prisoner now," Michael teasingly added.


    urant.


    At first, she thought that Michael was truly in love with Sasha, but she didn''t expect him to say something like that. She then tried to comfort him.


    "How could you say that when you already have a child with her? And in addition, love can be developed through time."


    Michael smiled with a hint of bitterness and replied, "At first, I thought so too. But what she did to me was unforgivable."


    In Amelia''s mind, Michael was kind of a playboy. But it was, in fact, the opposite. He was a gentle and sensitive man who seemed to be deeply hurt just by the sound of his voice.


    "Please try to be more tolerant Michael, for the kids," Amelia responded but as soon as she did, Michael started crying in front of her. She felt a bit uncomfortable.


    "Sasha still loves Lucian very much. She would often threaten me that she would have an abortion if I ever tried to get closer to her," Michael murmured.


    Upon hearing his words, Amelia was left in shock completely.


    "I''m sorry Amelia, I didn''t mean to harm you or Lucian with that. I just wanted to finally say it to someone," he added.


    People might think that he was only talking about these things because he was drunk. But at that moment, he seemed completely sober.


    Amelia shook her head and said in an attempt to comfort him, "Don''t worry, it''s much better if you tell it to someone."


    In the end, it turned out that Michael had done everything for the baby. But Sasha only used it to keep him away.


    When their conversation was finally over, Amelia accompanied him in drinking a few more glasses of beer.


    "I exposed Sasha''s lie to you because I''m grateful for everything that Lucian has done for me. But now, I''ve realized that being with a woman that doesn''t have a single ounce of love for me felt like I''m living in hell," Michael solemnly stated.

 Chapter 335 Amelia Was Blamed For Getting Drunk

    Michael poured out all his emotions to Amelia. He told her everything.


    Amelia could really agree to him. It was truly difficult to accept someone you didn''t love.


    "But I made a promise to her so I must keep it." A hint of pain flashed through Michael''s eyes and a bitter smile appeared on his face.


    Amelia fell silent. She felt bad seeing his painful expression.


    They had almost finished the two dozens of beers they had ordered so Amelia already felt drunk. She excused herself and went to the bathroom to freshen up.


    When she came back to their table, Michael wasn''t there anymore.


    She went to the bar counter to ask the bartender if he had seen Michael.


    However, before she could say a word, she was suddenly pulled by someone from behind.


    Amelia sobered up a little because of shock. She struggled to break free and turned to the person who held her.


    She saw a handsome but cold face staring at her. A face that was very familiar to her. "L-Lucian?" she uttered in surprise.


    "Wow! You can still recognize me even if you''re drunk. I think you are really good at drinking, Mrs. Amelia," said Lucian with a scorn. The next thing Amelia knew, Lucian threw her into the backseat of the car then he sat next to her.


    She suddenly felt the spasm in her stomach and her face twisted because it hurt a lot. She pressed her belly to alleviate the pain.


    When Lucian noticed it, his frown deepened. "Frank, bring us to the nearest hospital," he ordered to the driver angrily.


    "Have you seen Michael?" asked Amelia innocently.


    Lucian got angrier because Amelia still cared for someone else even if she was already in pain. But since he knew what kind of person Amelia was, he


    e seemed to be in a good mood already since he had been smiling since they had entered the room.


    "Yes, but I don''t think you would tell me about it," she answered directly.


    Lucian looked at her dotingly and said, "Go take a shower first. I will tell you everything you want to know."


    Amelia''s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You will tell me everything?" she asked to confirm. She suddenly felt thrilled. When Lucian nodded and the smile on his face widened, Amelia said excitedly, "Lucian, just give me ten minutes. I''ll finish taking a shower in less than ten minutes."


    Looking at her serious look, Lucian displayed a bigger smile on his face.


    At first, Amelia thought that Lucian only said those words to coax her into taking a shower. But to her surprise, Lucian was still waiting on the sofa when she went out of the bathroom.


    "Aren''t you going to take a shower?" she asked. She noticed that Lucian was already wearing a night robe.


    "I''ve taken a shower in the other room," he replied patiently.


    "Uh..." Amelia scratched her head in embarrassment. She didn''t know what else to say.


    "Come here."


    Since she was standing a bit far from Lucian, he pointed the space beside him hinting her to sit down.


    Amelia walked towards him like a puppet.


    "When the An Group went bankrupt, I didn''t mean to annex its properties to the Zhan Group. All I wanted was to give Jonny a heavy blow." Lucian started his explanation the moment Amelia was seated beside him.


    Initially, she didn''t care much about these problems. However, because of Lucian''s background, he constantly had a connection with the An family. For this reason, Amelia became interested in matters like this.

 Chapter 334 Learn To Forgive

    "And regarding my close relationship with Edmund, I just wanted to find out the real reason behind my mother''s death," Lucian added.


    The issue regarding Fiona was a sensitive topic for Lucian and Amelia knew this very well. She turned to Lucian and saw him with slightly lowered head and sulky eyes.


    "So, did you find out anything?" Amelia asked softly.


    It was such an important matter to Lucian that she was sure that he likely found something out about his mother.


    He was discreet about the results for fear that it might mean trouble to others.


    Amelia learned more about him the longer they were together. But her emotions could get the best of her and it caused misunderstandings between them.


    "It''s true that Edmund wants to be the CEO of the An Group again. But he never said anything about my mother."


    And this was the reason why Lucian wanted to get closer to Edmund until he could get the information that he wanted.


    "Maybe the death of your mother was also a trauma to him," Amelia said boldly. It was an unexpected idea.


    So unexpected that even she was surprised with what she said. She thought that Lucian would be offended by her idea. But his reaction was not what she expected. "Actually, I think that he''s guilty of something connected to her death!"


    "Are you saying that Edmund might have something to do with your mother''s death?" It was Amelia''s personal belief that because they were a couple, they should talk about these things as much as they could.


    Lucian slowly moved to turn and look straight at Amelia without speaking. He looked at her silently for a brief moment. "Dad thought that her death was odd back then, but he couldn''t find any evidence to confirm his suspicions. So, it''s over."


    The sound of Nicholas'' name


    e former president of the An Group, harbored ill will against Lucian. His angry remarks were made just to entertain the public and vent his frustration. And both Lucian and I are willing to be part of your entertainment."


    She made Edmund seem like an unreliable source of information that could have underlying motives for what he allegedly revealed.


    Even if it what he said was true, she had to deny it.


    "But Mr. Edmund swore that what he said was the truth," a reporter reasoned out.


    Amelia smiled at the reporter and then said with an inquisitive manner, "Are you implying that no one would ever dare slander another person because he swears? Besides, think back on the past, and remember who it was that had a track record of slandering others? Isn''t that Mr. Edmund?"


    "Mrs. Amelia''s words seem to make more sense,"


    the reporters nodded in agreement.


    "Mrs. Amelia, there are also rumors that you are the illegitimate daughter of Mr. Nicholas. Would you care to comment about this?"


    Amelia smiled and replied calmly, "Rumors are rumors. The truth is always in the heart of Lucian and in my heart. If I have to answer, then all that I can say is that our family is living happily without any worry of these bad news."


    She had been with Lucian long enough that she could now face reporters without trembling in fear. Not so long ago, being caught in a situation like this would make her a nervous wreck. Now she could fend off reporters with ease on her own.


    The reporters who kept throwing questions at her eventually gave in.


    Perhaps it was wise for the reporters who decided to give up. They knew that Lucian had such a great influence in the city that even if the rumors were true, it wouldn''t really affect the advancement of the Zhan Group.

 Chapter 335 Father And Son

    The reporters took care not to ruffle any feathers and always projected kindness.


    "Thank you all for your hard work." Amelia greeted the reporters with a bow when she walked to the gate of the Zhan Group headquarters.


    Eric stepped forward to meet her as she approached the front desk.


    "Mrs. Amelia, you..." The thought of the situation earlier had Eric sweating buckets in panic.


    Amelia saw how the event bothered Eric''s usually calm, unflappable self so much that he was stuttering to find the right words.


    All of Lucian''s staff looked worried and at a loss on how to deal with their boss''s issue.


    "Eric! I need to see Lucian!" Amelia pleaded with Eric.


    After a slight pause, Eric gave her a small nod of assent. Eric led her to the CEO''s private lift and respectfully stepped aside to let her enter the elevator.


    Amelia did not expect Eric''s acquiescence; all along, she thought that he was one of the people who were staunchly opposed to her meeting with Lucian.


    "Isn''t Lucian busy now?" asked Amelia.


    "The CEO knows that you are downstairs, so he especially sent me to pick you up."


    Eric''s answer gave her a small feeling of happiness. "Lucian should not find out that I''ve had a lot to deal with."


    "If the receptionist hadn''t come up to report it, Mr. Lucian and I really wouldn''t have found out about it..." Lucian would not have known about Amelia''s problems because he had always ignored what reporters said.


    His cold attitude toward reporters was well known, but that did not stop them from swarming to the Zhan Group office to wait for a scoop.


    Lucian thought that they would leave if they failed to get any information from the Zhan Group. Unexpectedly, Amelia made an a


    after all that I''ve done..."


    His guilt weighed down the atmosphere inside the study, but Amelia felt that he needed to get it off his chest. She sat there, attentively listening to Nicholas.


    "Dad, Lucian and I don''t hold anything that had happened in the past against you. As long as you''re happy and safe, that''s all that matters." Her father''s precautions against Lucian in the past must be burdening him the most.


    Lucian chimed in, "Amelia''s right. I understand why you had to do those things and I do not hate you for them. On the contrary, I am grateful to you for raising me to be the person that I am today."


    The thought of his family background still caused Lucian a twinge of pain, but he had learned to get over it.


    He was not an evil person by default just because he was Edmund''s son. Moreover, he did not intend to sever the father-and-son relationship that he had with Nicholas.


    "I know that you specifically asked me not to watch the news, but I have heard about what has happened to the An Group recently. Lucian, I''m not glad about it, but I do think that the group is finally getting their just desserts. There''s divine justice in how the An Group is now reaping the evil that Edmund had sown."


    The public had always thought that the An and Zhan families were on good terms. However, given his acuity about certain things, Nicholas sensed that the relationship between the two families had become tenuous.


    Nicholas could not help but worry.


    "Don''t worry. You have devoted your entire life to the Zhan Group. I will not be taking the reins off my hands any time soon." Lucian knew how this must be weighing down on Nicholas'' mind, so he made a promise to him in front of Amelia.

 Chapter 336 Lucian Gets Injured

    "My son, I respect your every decision. You don''t have to force yourself to accept anything you don''t approve of just because you think you owe it to me as your father." Nicholas had always known that Lucian wasn''t fond of business and that he only took over Zhan Group to ease his burden. Lucian couldn''t let Nicholas run the company given his health condition.


    "You''ve always known that I''m not your biological son, and yet you''ve treated me as one all these years. It''s time I repay you. Moreover, as a husband and a father, I''ve learned that I can no longer put my interests above everyone else''s. And should Mark want to take over Zhan Group years from now, I will make it easy for him to transition into the position."


    Lucian blurted out his honest thoughts.


    Nicholas was delighted to hear all this. He beamed as he addressed Amelia and Lucian, "Mark is already two years old. You should have a second child as soon as possible!"


    "Dad... I don''t think you still need me here so I''ll be taking my leave." Amelia felt embarrassed so she wanted to escape the conversation.


    But Lucian held on to Amelia and placed his arm around her shoulder so she couldn''t step away. He then looked at Nicholas with a big smile and said, "It''s all up to Amelia."


    Without even realizing it, he put all the pressure of having another child on Amelia.


    "Father, do you wish to continue living here?" Amelia blushed as she tried to change the topic.


    Nicholas happily replied, "Since living here, I feel as though my health has been getting better eac


    tal where Lucian was confined had advanced medical equipment. In more or less two weeks, Lucian was already allowed to go home.


    Before he was discharged, the doctor gave them instructions to ensure his full recovery.


    Amelia took them to heart and made a mental note of preparing a nutritious meal for Lucian once they got home.


    "Mark hasn''t seen me in two weeks. I wonder if he''d recognize me." Lucian deliberately made the conversation about Mark to not make Amelia worried.


    Amelia only frowned. She wanted Lucian to stay in the hospital a few more days. She thought that the doctors and nurses would help him make a complete recovery.


    "C''mon, Amelia! I''m fine. The doctor already determined I''m fit to go home." Lucian could read Amelia''s thoughts before she could even say them. He put his hands around her and spoke in an innocent tone.


    "Of course. Everyone obeys Mr. Lucian''s orders," Amelia complained.


    Lucian said gently, "Mrs. Amelia, I know how uncomfortable you feel in hospitals. I appreciate how much you care for me and I appreciate you watching over me these past weeks, but please listen to me, okay?"


    Amelia was touched by his words but kept her silence for the rest of the ride home. It was only when they arrived at SJ Garden she gave her order as mistress of the house, "Go to the bedroom now and rest. You are not to get out of bed without my permission!"


    Seeing her standing there pointing a finger at him made Lucian feel like a child. Obediently, he nodded and said, "Yes. I''ll go to bed now and lie down."

 Chapter 337 Take Responsibility For The Mistake

    Amelia didn''t expect that Lucian would be so obedient. She happily helped him go upstairs while giggling secretly.


    "You get some rest first. I''ll make soup for you downstairs." She thought that Lucian deserved to have a good rest. It was her time to take care of him and perform her duty as a wife.


    But when she was about to stand up, Lucian held her hand and pleaded like a child, "Don''t leave yet. Stay with me for a while."


    Amelia looked at her hand that was being gripped by Lucian. She then smiled sweetly and replied, "I''ll just cook some soup for you. I''ll be back very soon."


    "I don''t need any soup. As long as I can see your beautiful face, I am already more than happy. I don''t need anything else," Lucian said in a soothing voice. A warm smile lit up his handsome face.


    Amelia lowered her head, feeling embarrassed. "That''s not true. I am not that powerful," she said.


    "Who said you''re not?" Lucian wrapped his arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her cheeks. "Looking at you always makes me feel good," he said sweetly.


    "By the way, Lucian, about your mother''s death..." Amelia hesitated to continue.


    She wasn''t sure if it was okay to bring up such topic. But since Lucian seemed to be in a good mood, she thought of giving it a try.


    However, Lucian immediately pulled a long face upon hearing her unfinished sentence. A cold expression flashed through his eyes. Obviously, this topic was still inauspicious.


    "Would you believe that Fannie was the one behind it?" Lucian''s eyes dimmed when he spoke. His eyes filled with sorrow in an instant.


    Amelia was stunned for a long time. "You mean mom?" she asked to co


    ed behind her.


    Maybe because of those appalling things that happened between them, Amelia felt awkward seeing the two of them.


    "Hello, Amelia. It''s been a long time. It seems that you gain some weight," greeted Jonny. He sat opposite to Amelia without even waiting for her invitation. He was wearing that same old sunny smile and he looked more relaxed.


    "You can''t call her chubby, alright? She used to be so skinny but now she looks great," Claire immediately retorted. She then turned to Amelia and gave her an apologetic look. "Amelia, Jonny just doesn''t know how to express himself clearly. Please don''t misunderstand him. I hope you are not angry," she added.


    "Well... It''s fine." It actually didn''t matter to Amelia at all. As a matter of fact, Claire''s explanation made her feel a little embarrassed.


    "Honey, you always have a silver tongue," Jonny praised Claire with a naughty smile on his face. Amelia was surprised with what she heard.


    "Honey? You two?" She pointed at the two people sitting in front of her and asked, "Have you gotten married?"


    Claire''s face flushed as she nodded shyly. She then touched Jonny''s arm with her elbow and requested, "Tell Amelia everything."


    "Here''s the thing..." Jonny started to tell Amelia the whole story.


    It turned out, they were tested by fate but eventually ended up with each other.


    But since Jonny and Claire had pretended to be a couple in the past, it was difficult for Amelia to believe that they had really gotten married for real.


    She knew that Claire loved Jonny so much. But Jonny had no feelings for her at all. So she didn''t expect that the two would end up together.

 Chapter 338 Time Is The Answer

    Jonny admitted that Claire did everything to stay with him.


    It would take a lot of money to set up a new company. And in order to cut costs, Claire took care of all the trivial tasks.


    No matter how hardhearted he was, he couldn''t bear to see a vulnerable woman suffer for him, let alone stay with him for nothing.


    "Amelia, he initially thought I had impure motives for wanting to stay with him. Only when he had nothing left and I was still around did he realize how valuable I am." A satisfied smile appeared on Claire''s face. She was a shy woman but she couldn''t help feel proud of herself for how things turned out.


    "Lucian said he had an important meeting this afternoon, so we decided to ask you out instead, Amelia."


    Amelia told Lucian that she would go out that afternoon and asked Frank to drive her there.


    "Jonny and I appreciate Mr. Lucian''s help, Amelia, as well as your tolerance. We really appreciate everything you''ve done for us and we''ll always be grateful to you both," said Claire sincerely.


    "I don''t like making promises, but after what happened, I''ve learned some important lessons. I''d like to focus on two things for the future: work hard to provide a good life for my mother and Claire, and strive to be worthy of the help that you and Lucian extended to us," promised Jonny.


    They both expressed their gratitude to Amelia and Lucian as they held tea cups in their hands.


    It was fortunate that Amelia finally met them here and this dispelled the uneasiness in Amelia''s heart.


    Only time could truly tell if they would hold on to their promises.


    When she got home that evening, Amelia told Lucian exactly what had happened during her meeting with Jonny and Claire.


    She expected Lucian to be surprised, happ


    er. She finished her food quickly and then immediately went upstairs.


    Lucian followed her upstairs not long afterwards. She was tidying up the closet when he got there. He approached her slowly and then wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "I know what you''re trying to do. But Mark is just two years old. It would be hasty for us to ask him to do all that," Lucian whispered to her in his usual husky voice.


    "I was able to eat by myself when I was just two years old!" Amelia replied and set herself as an example.


    A smile crossed Lucian''s lips at Amelia''s words. "Of course, that is to be expected. My wife is a fiercely independent woman!" he gently replied back to her.


    "But that is not the point. The point is that our son should not grow up like a spoiled kid!"


    "Do you really believe that your husband will teach our son to be a playboy?" Lucian asked with a slight smile. He was confident in the way he would teach and raise his children.


    "I''m with him every day, but he always throw himself into your arms and blame me for what he doesn''t like. And yet, you never really spend a lot of time with him! It''s just so unfair!" Amelia vented out as she folded her arms across her chest. She looked as if she had been aggrieved very badly.


    Lucian laughed heartily at her words. He then kissed her when his laughter subsided. "I really have a way to show off my charm," he proudly said.


    "Are you saying that I''m not attractive enough?" Amelia asked. It was as if the more Lucian said, the more depressed she became.


    "All right, all right. Mark is still just a little boy. How can he be naughty enough to be so against you already? Just be patient with him. He just might ask you to hold him later," Lucian calmly explained.

 Chapter 339 The Best of Us (Part One)

    Lucian was right; Mark did cry all night for his mother. Seeing how Mark clung to her and did not want to leave her arms, her unpleasant mood immediately dissipated.


    "By the way, Lucian, taking care of Mark is much more manageable for me these days. I think I want to continue managing the flower shop." Amelia broached the matter carefully the next morning before Lucian went to work. She was unsure of what Lucian would think of her plan.


    Lucian looked extremely handsome in his formal suit, so much so that Amelia felt frumpy in her pajamas. With a smile, Lucian bent over and kissed on her forehead, saying softly as he straightened up, "If you''re that bored at home, you can come with me and continue to work as my personal assistant."


    "Uh..." Amelia hesitated. She did not want to offend Lucian, but it was difficult to choose between meeting him at work every day or staying to manage the flower shop.


    Sensing her hesitation, Lucian surmised that Amelia was not completely sold on working as his personal assistant. "Fine, if the flower shop is what you''re interested in, then okay. Don''t worry, I don''t rely on you to support the family, anyway."


    Lucian tapped Amelia''s nose teasingly.


    "Mr. Lucian, th


    rk, you have lots of toys at home. That''s all you need, okay?" Sasha interjected, "But I insist. Call it a gift. You wouldn''t turn down a gift, would you?" Amelia frowned. It would be impolite for her to turn it down. Following behind Mark and Sasha, Amelia was afraid that he would ask for too many things that caught his fancy.


    "You can just call me Sasha. Michael is friend of Lucian''s, so you don''t have to be so formal with me." Sasha thought that it was too cold for them to address each other so formally, so she made the suggestion for them to become more comfortable.


    Seeing the tender smile on Sasha''s face, Amelia could not help but marvel at her beauty as a mother.


    "I''m so sorry that you have to spend money on Mark..."


    "Don''t be so polite! You know, Lucian has helped Michael a lot. I don''t even know how many toys I have to buy if we''re to calculate the actual cost of what Michael owes your husband."


    Upon hearing these words, Amelia gave an awkward smile and tried her best to treat the other woman more comfortably.


    "There is a coffee shop right across it¡ªthat''s ours. Go to have a seat for a bit!" Sasha pointed to the cafe at the opposite side of the road and looked at Amelia for consent.

 Chapter 339 The Best of Us (Part Two)

    It seemed that Sasha had something to tell her. Since it was early and she and Mark still had some time left before heading back, she agreed.


    "Madam, you are here!" The shop''s manager greeted Sasha with a bright smile as soon as she walked in.


    With an embarrassed smile on her face, Sasha turned around and said to Amelia, "I''ve told them not to call me like that. They said that Michael absolutely insisted that they do so."


    Sasha had a genuinely happy smile on her face, and Amelia could hear that same happiness in her voice.


    "Amelia, you know, when I see Mark, I get very curious about my baby. Is it a boy or a girl?" At the cafe, Amelia and Sasha chatted while Mark sat beside them, playing with the new toy that Sasha had bought for him.


    "Boy or girl, it makes no difference," Amelia said with a fond smile on her lips as she gazed fondly at her son.


    Sasha smiled, too. "Yes, I agree." Taking a sip from her non-caffeinated drink, Sasha sighed. "You know, motherhood has helped me let go of all my anger. It changed me a lot." Sasha paused for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. "That night, Michael got drunk and hugged me, cr


    d as she stepped into his embrace, "I was thinking that if we''re having a daughter, she would be called Carol."


    "Carol Zhan... I like that name. I hope she would always be happy." Amelia tested the name several times in her mouth, then she asked worriedly, "What if we''re having another boy?"


    Seeing her chagrined frown, Lucian reached out his hand to touch the center of her eyebrows, and then an evil smile appeared on his face. "Then, we''ll keep on having more babies until our daughter is born," he replied teasingly.


    "I am not... HMM!" Amelia was about to retort, but she was interrupted firmly when Lucian''s lips descended on her own.


    "You are my wife, so I''m okay with whatever you''re okay with. We can keep having babies or we won''t have more. It all depends on you." Lucian''s low voice sounded so tender in her ears that she melted into his arms.


    "Honey, I''m so lucky to have you. I feel like I''m the happiest woman in the whole world." Overwhelmed with happiness, Amelia reached out her hands and wrapped them around Lucian''s neck. She stood on tiptoe, once again trying to communicate her absolute happiness to him without words.

 Chapter 343 Thank You Note

    Hi guys. Happy ending! Thanks for staying with us the whole time. We will bring you more interesting stories.


    All these interesting stories are first released on MoboReader. You guys can download it now at https://www.moboreader.net


    Here, I would like to highly recommend some interesting ones to you.


    1, Trapped with the CEO


    When her boyfriend betrayed her, all light and joy was gone from Lola''s life. To revenge her ex, she married a Billionaire man.


    "From this moment on, I will give you what you want," he whispered in a soft voice. Lola thought that she had finally found her happiness, but she had no idea about the dark secrets that were bound to unfold and haunt her forever.


    --------------


    2, My Wife is an Aloof Beauty


    "You''re my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours."


    Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them.


    Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!


    --------------


    3, The Substitute Bride


    "I''m in desperate need of money to pay Grandmother''s medical fee. I will marry Charles instead of Yvonne as soon as I get the money."


    When her sister Yvonne ran away from the wedding, Autumn was forced to pretend to be Yvonne and marry Charles. Her only wish was to get a divorce after a year. Charles is rich and powerful. His name had been linked to innumerable ladies. He had different girlfriends for every day of a year. Neither of them had expected that they would fall in love with each other.


    --------------


    4, Vengeful Girl with Her CEO


    Separated from her family since the day she was born, Linda vowed to come back and take revenge on those who had done injustice to her.


    Brought up in a noble clan, Charles was taking reins and conquering the business world but got beaten up by a woman he had never met before.


    Stuck with an unexpected betrothal at first, love eventually brought the two hearts together.


    Pregnant, kidnapped, injured, poor Linda was tossed into a roaring river. Who did it to her? What did they want? Who was the other ''Linda'' around Charles?


    --------------


    5, My Mr. Soldier


    When her boyfriend betrayed her, all light and joy was gone from Cherry''s life. Deserted, bereft of hope, she married a man that she had barely met, but she had never expected him to be her ex-boyfriend''s uncle.


    Cherry thought that she had finally found her happiness, but she had no idea about the dark secrets that were bound to unfold and haunt her forever.


    With the help of her husband''s enemy, she ran away from her marriage, but at a cost that she had never imagined she would have to pay. Five years later, she accidentally crossed paths again with the same people that she had fled from.


    --------------


    6, Cold CEO Vs. Sweet Wife


    Growing up without a mother can be hard. For Jean Wen, life became worse when her father, Henry, brings home his mistress.


    With two half-siblings intent on causing trouble, Jean is shunned by Henry. Desperate to earn his love, she agrees to be sacrificed for familial interests. She marries a rich CEO in exchange for a land her father wants. However, her failure and added complications with her family mean that everyone abandons her. To find out the truth about her mother''s death, she even risks her life. Is it an accident? Or a murder? When her stepmother turns her back on her father, she chooses to stand by Henry''s side and save his company from bankruptcy.


    Alone in the world, Jean comes across her ex-boyfriend. Will his consideration rekindle her love toward him? Will she be able to make her marriage work? Turn the page to find out more!


    --------------


    7, The Spoiled Girl


    Emily, was a just simple girl living a simple life when one day she received a call from the police that changed her entire life. Everything that happened since then was nothing short of a roller-coaster ride.


    She soon found out that her long-time boyfriend, Jack Gu, was cheating on her with her best friend. As if things weren''t bad enough, she accidentally ended up in Jack''s uncle''s car, where they ended up ¨C doing it. Soon, Emily found herself in a tug-o-war between her ex, Jack and his uncle, Jacob.


    --------------


    8, Take My Breath Away


    "Drive this woman out!"


    "Throw this woman into the sea!"


    When he doesn''t know Debbie Nian''s true identity, Carlos Huo cold-shoulders her.


    "Mr. Huo, she is your wife," Carlos'' secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, "why didn''t you tell me earlier?"


    From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.


    --------------


    9, The Enchanted Night


    Four years ago, Cassandra had to marry a wealthy man, though she had no feelings toward him. Similarly, the man whose name was written against hers on the marriage certificate couldn''t care less about her either.


    Four years later, she was drunk on a cruise ship in Rome and the fate sent her a graduation gift, a steaming hot one-night-stand with an unbelievably hansome man.


    She had cheated on her husband! And what was worse, the unbelievably hansome man turned out to be her husband''s brother, Rufus Luo!


    What was she gonna do? How could she live with him under the same roof? What would her husband do to her after he found out the buried secret? And more importantly, how could she resist his boundless charm?


    --------------


    10, Happy Together


    "We''ll be married for only a month. After that, we''ll get divorced immediately."


    Even though their marriage had been arranged by their great-grandfathers before they were born, he believed that such a rude and noisy woman like her didn''t deserve to be his wife.


    Little did they know then that they were destined to be together. Hiram, the handsome young CEO who could never be turned on by a woman, and Rachel, the beauty who somehow brought bad luck onto all the men she went on a date with, were getting married, against all odds.


    --------------


    11, Waiting For a Girl Like You


    "You saved my life, and I owe you one. Fair and square."


    "Is this how you are going to repay my kindness? By sharing my bed? In my own house?"


    "Fine, then come to my place and share my bed. How''s that, huh?"


    People always say what the An Family is capable of is beyond imagination. However, Carla Ji has no idea it''s a nightmare only dressed like a daydream until it''s too late t


    o change anything...


    --------------


    12, Unbreak My Heart


    "A cheater and a bitch. They are perfect for each other," Ashley scoffed in her heart, a faint smile climbing up the corners of her lips. Her smile was so dazzling that no one could look away from her.


    With one swift swig, she emptied the glass of wine down her throat. Never had she imagined that this glass of wine, drugged by her own mother, would bring her to an unbelievably wealthy and handsome man and change her whole life.


    It had been a night of madness. She lost her virginity to the man she never met before. It felt like a dream that was not real, yet that very dream came to life, and was standing right in front of her when she woke up the next day.


    "Kiss me!" he demanded.


    What would happen next?


    --------------


    13, Love Crisis


    After Brian''s once beloved girlfriend leaving him, in the years follow, there is no one who can stir his heart until he meets that girl, a Waitress named Molly.


    What begins in compulsion becomes true love, and soon Molly finds herself torn between 3 entirely different men, in 3 irreconcilable lives. Yet she knows at the bottom of her heart, from the very beginning, that who is the one she truly loves.


    As their fates unfold, the turbulent saga travels around the world, from the sunny tropical island to foggy London, and to lovers'' paradise¡ªParis.


    A story of a pair of lovers, tormented by the past, driven by desires, yet still entangled in a relationship of love and hatred.


    --------------


    14, Billionaire''s Gift


    Mandy is young, beautiful, and rich. She has the perfect life and the perfect boyfriend. But one night, her whole world turns upside down--she catches her boyfriend, Daniel having an affair; she goes to bar where she gets drugged and loses her virginity to Nathan, a man who forces her to have a one-night stand with him; and her father gets arrested by the police.


    Then, she has no choice but to agree to be Nathan''s mistress for a month so that he would protect her and her family in return. But unexpectedly, Mandy falls in love with him and even agrees to be his girlfriend. However, another girl who likes Nathan is jealous and tries every means to separate them. Can Nathan and Mandy get through this? Don''t wait any more and start reading Billionaire''s Gift!


    --------------


    15, Apotheosis


    Falling from nobility, Zen Luo became a humble slave and served as a human punchbag for his former cousins. Inadvertently, he found a way to refine himself into a weapon and a legend started because of that. With a strong belief in never surrender, he strove for revenges and pursued big dreams.


    Warriors from various clans contended for hegemony and the world was stirred. Relying on the body that was comparable to a powerful weapon, Zen beat his numerous enemies on his way to the immortality. Would he succeed eventually?


    --------------


    16, Mighty Soldier King


    Former special forces soldier Peter Wang is tasked to serve as a security guard in one of Golden City''s top firms to protect his beautiful employer, Bella Song.


    As a fighter who survived the grueling life in the military, he dismissed the job as menial and simple. Little did he know, he gravely miscalculated.


    At the heart of a seemingly peaceful city, Peter found himself treading dangerously through vicious gangs and atrocious personalities while winning the hearts of several beautiful women along the way --the elusive Bella, esteemed Amelia, sweet Elaine, youthful Shelly, gentle Lisa, and more.


    Who can defeat our Mighty Soldier King?


    --------------


    17, Rebirth of Martial God


    Traversing back to the ancient Prime Martial World from modern age, Austin finds himself in a younger body as he wakes up.


    Yet, the young man he possesses was a miserable dimwit, what a bummer!


    But it doesn''t matter as his mind is sound and clear. Possessing this younger and stronger body, he will fight his way to become the God of martial arts, and rule the whole Martial World!


    --------------


    18, The Legend of Innate Mage


    "Brotherhood? Clan? It is utterly ridiculous!"


    They had been bosom buddies, almost like blood brothers. The two young talented masters of Nan Clan enjoyed great respect. However, everything was completely different now.


    Ricky Nan was not a young talented master anymore, but a jerk in everyone''s eyes. All this was Nate''s fault, despite their close friendship, right from childhood. Nate Nan, set as the successor of Nan Clan, now treated him like a stranger.


    "Father, I will take revenge for you and get back everything we should have deserved!"


    --------------


    19, Lord Of Martial Arts


    In Lothlann Continent, talent in martial arts won cultivators respect.


    Darren Chu, a mediocre talent in martial arts, was deemed a loser by everyone. His status changed when a fireball fell from the sky and hit him on the head.


    He cheated death.


    Empowered with the ability to assimilate other creatures'' talent, Darren sought to better himself and seek vengeance against those who had wronged his family, including his little sister.


    "You will kneel in front of me one day," swore the future lord of martial arts.


    --------------


    20, Ascent of Hero on the Dragon Throne


    Rocky Bai, a young and talented scholar in the field of gene study, ranked number one among his peers. While he was on the flight headed for the venue, an aircraft accident occurred right before he passed out.


    ...


    Rocky Bai is reborn!


    It is not until he saves a dragon that he becomes a spirit manipulator in the Holy Dragon Empire. To his surprise, the dragon''s saliva has a magical effect, which can cure disease and even bring people back from death.


    With the dragon, Ricky starts a new life.


    Let''s join in their adventure!


    --------------


    21, Treasure-hunting: Into the Unknown


    Zachary Zi traveled through time and space with the help of his Treasure-hunting Compass, which led him to the Olden World where he took over the body of a young man with the same name. The old Zachary''s clan was slaughtered three years ago and his fiancee had gone missing ever since. Although he managed to survive the ordeal, his injuries had taken away his ability to cultivate anymore. Will the new Zachary be able to fit into his new life?


    The Treasure-hunting Compass was a mythical artifact that could be used to release many quests. Each time Zachary finished a quest, he would receive a reward more desirable than the last. However, that wasn''t all. With the help of the compass, he also met a variety of beautiful and exotic women. Will they fall in love with him?


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------


    Right, time to wrap it up. I will still be waiting for you here. See you around guys!