“It’s on the second floor!” Gloria called out.
Gloria led Kayla to her room. After more than twenty years, her room still looked exactly the same as before, not a speck of dust anywhere. Kayla’s eyes grew misty as she asked softly, “Mom, did you really believe I’d come back?”
“I really did believe it, at least at first. I cleaned your room every day, waiting for you to come home. But as the years went by, my hope started to fade. But then Landon would always say you’d come back.
“So your dad and I held on too. In the end, it just became a part of our lives—and now, finally, you’re home.”
Gloria let out a sigh. No one but her knew just how hard those twenty years had been.
“Mom, thank you…” Kayla said softly.
Kayla rummaged through her old stuff, hoping something would jog her memory. But still, nothing came to her. Thinking too hard just made her head ache.
“Kayla, don’t push yourself. The past is the past. We should focus on the future now,” Gloria said gently. “You’re my daughter, no matter what.”
“Thank you, Mom,” Kayla replied.
Over the years, Kayla had tried more than once to remember her past, but every time, it ended in failure. This time was no different—when nothing came back to her, she just let it go. The chip in her brain couldn’t be taken out, so she’d never get her memories back. The only silver lining was that Landon had only just gotten the chip when he was able to take Brian’s medicine and get his memories back.
“Kayla, your brother has always been thinking about you. And your sister-in-law is a wonderful person too…” Gloria said.
“I know, Mom. I’ll make sure to get along with them,” Kayla replied.
“And… what about Landen?” Gloria asked hesitantly.
She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but she could more or less guess. Her precious grandson wouldn’t be able to come back for a while.
“Let’s leave it to fate,” Kayla said calmly as she sat down on the bed. “Mom, I’m not like you. I don’t have that kind of ob…”
Gloria hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.
‘Is there really any mother who doesn’t care about her child?’ Gloria thought to herself. ‘Kayla must have suffered so much for things to get so distant between her and her son… with Landen.”
“No matter what, we’ll work through it together,” Gloria said as she lay down on the bed, patting the spot beside her. “How about I sleep with you tonight, just like when you were little?”
“Okay!” Kayla agreed happily.
Chapter 233
She curled up next to Gloria, her posture exactly the same as it had been before she turned seven. I guess some things never really change, Kayla thought to herself.
Meanwhile, in the next room, Landon lay on the bed, marveling aloud, “There’s nothing like being home. Even the air feels warm and cozy…”
“Yeah, I feel the same way,” Amelia replied.
Amelia dug out his pajamas and tossed them over to him. “Go change. I can’t stand the clothes you’re wearing.” She had nothing but disdain for anything Monica ever bought for him.
“These were from Tuff. I got rid of everything Monica ever bought me,” Landon said as he caught the pajamas and started changing.
After just a few days apart, he looked noticeably leaner, but his muscles were even more solid and defined. Amelia watched him change without the slightest hint of embarrassment, her eyes fixed on him the whole time.
“Just gonna look? Not even a little touch?” Landon teased, unable to resist.
Amelia boldly let her hand wander over his body. “Well, I can do more than just look.”
“Here, touch right here,” Landon said, guiding her hand to his left chest. “Feel that? It’s beating for you.”
“I feel it,” Amelia replied.
Amelia pursed her lips, a mischievous smile playing on her face. “Landon, you’re so shameless now! Back when you were in a coma, you were such a gentleman.”
Landon chuckled at the memory. “If I could do it all over again, I’d let you have your way with me as much as you war…”
“Naughty!” Amelia said, giving him a playful swat. She quickly withdrew her hand, not daring to get too handsy anymore. Under her silk nightgown, her pregnant belly was really showing now.
Landon pulled Amelia onto his lap, one arm around her waist and his other hand on her pregnant belly. “If I’m counting right, our little one is about five months along now, yeah?”
“Yup,” Amelia replied coolly.
“Is it still giving you a hard time?” Landon asked.
“When we were in Dreicean, my morning sickness was pretty bad, but it slowly got better. Now I can eat and sleep just fine,” Amelia replied.
“Thanks for going through all that,” Landon said softly.
“How did you end up getting caught?” Amelia asked.
Landon held her close and said, “Aiden started scheming against me from the very beginning. I was already under his control before I even made it to Ausposh.”
“What?” Amelia blurted out in shock. She stared at him, wide-eyed. “Isn’t there security and a ton of people at the airport? How could something like that even happen?”
“It was exactly because there were so many people that I had no choice but to play along,” Landon said, frowning. It was the biggest Waterloo of his life—just thinking about it still pissed him off.
Chapter 233
That bastard Aiden had been in cahoots with Patrick from the start. They set a huge trap for him.
“And then?” Amelia pressed, not letting it go.
“After we got off the plane, they took us to one of the Kington Gang’s branches and locked us up. Aaron and I tried to break out, but halfway through, he got caught. I had no choice but to offer myself in exchange for him,” Landon explained.
“Aiden took me to the Kyle Villa, and I saw you every single day. He kept saying all sorts of nasty things, and even taunted me, betting that you’d domp me for him,” Landon continued.
Amelia was fuming. “That psycho! Honey, you better not believe a single word out of his mouth…”
“Of course not! I could see the longing and sadness in your eyes. Even when you couldn’t see me, I was worrying about you day and night,” Landon said firmly.
“Then Monica showed up and took me away from the Kyle family. But she wasn’t any better. She implanted a chip in my brain to make me forget my past.
“She even told me we’d grown up together and had promised ourselves to each other a long…” Landon continued, his frown deepening.
Landon’s frown just kept getting deeper as he spoke. It was obvious he still couldn’t let go of the fact that he’d been under the thumb of a woman he despised.
Amelia suddenly remembered that day at Monica’s place, when Monica had tried to force herself on him and he’d said he just wasn’t interested. Her dark eyes flashed with mischief as she glanced at a certain part of him. “So, you really can’t get it up anymore?”
“Huh?” Landon froze for a second, then realized what she meant. His handsome face flushed bright red.
Amelia felt a tiny pang of regret, but she quickly covered it with a grin. “Good thing I’m already pregnant, huh…”
‘What kind of ideas are running through your head?’ Landon thought, both exasperated and amused.
“Come on, your husband is in his prime! There’s no way I can’t get it up,” Landon teased.
Amelia’s face was already as red as the evening sky, or like a boiled shrimp. Everyone says a little time apart makes things even sweeter for couples, and she definitely felt that way. But he’d just gotten back from a warzone, covered in scrapes and bruises, and she was pregnant. It really wasn’t the best time to get frisky.
“Honey, do you miss me?” Landon whispered in her ear, his breath making her tense up. “Honey, why won’t you answer me?”
Amelia nodded shyly. “Yes…”
“The day you left Monica’s place, it was like I was possessed—I couldn’t stop thinking about you, I missed you like crazy,” Landon said softly.
“After everything with Monica, I realized what I felt for her wasn’t love at all—it was just gratitude.”
“All I wanted was to rush back and be with you...” Landon whispered his longing in a low, gentle voice.
Even though he wanted to tease her, what he really wanted was to comfort her heart. She’d been on edge, worrying about him day and night. He knew he had to let her recover before they could get frisky again.
Chapter 233
Amelia rested her hand on her pregnant belly, and after a long moment of hesitation, she whispered, “The doctor said it’s okay now…”