Chapter 49
“Oh, you’re really asking for it, Sandra,” Amelia was furious. Just as she was about to fight Sandra to the bitter end, a Ferrari pulled up to the villa.
“Mrs. Gloria, long time no see.” Elizabeth stepped out of the car. Her tight, high-slit dress hugged her curves perfectly, exuding a sultry elegance. The faint fragrance she wore seemed to linger wherever she went. Despite her age, she was still captivating. Not just men, even women couldn’t help but steal another glance.
Gloria subtly signaled Amelia to mind her words and greeted Elizabeth with a polite, business-like smile. “Elizabeth, what brings you here?”
“I’m here to pick up Ms. Edwards,” Elizabeth replied with a flirtatious smile. Her gaze slowly drifted toward Amelia. “Oh, you’re here too, Mrs. Amelia. I didn’t even notice earlier.”
Amelia swallowed her anger and responded coldly, “Ms. Young.”
She pondered, ‘Elizabeth was involved in yesterday’s fiasco at the Young family’s party. Her plan didn’t work on me and backfired on her instead. Logically, she should be furious and ashamed. But from the looks of it today, she seems pretty pleased with herself. Could it be that Zachary’s youth and vigor have made her feel proud instead of shamed?’
“Well, since both Mrs. Gloria and Mrs. Amelia are here, I’ll get straight to the point.” Elizabeth’s smile deepened, seductive and confident. “I’m here to pick up Ms. Edwards.”
Gloria hesitated for a moment before asking, “Elizabeth, since when did you start associating with the Edwards family?”
“Yesterday,” Elizabeth replied, throwing a suggestive glance in Amelia’s direction. “Mrs. Amelia knows all about it.”
Amelia, who prided herself on being sharp-tongued in this lifetime, was momentarily at a loss for words. She couldn’t believe someone could be this brazenly shameless.
“Mrs. Amelia, do I have your permission?” Elizabeth asked with a sugary tone.
Amelia took a deep breath and forced a reply through clenched teeth. “Of course.”
“Thank you so much,” Elizabeth said, flashing a charming smile. With a sway of her hips, she strolled toward Sandra. “Ms. Edwards, shall we?”
Sandra didn’t like Elizabeth–after all, Elizabeth had spent last night with Zachary, making her a rival and a threat. But given her current predicament, she had no choice but to follow Elizabeth.
“Mrs. Gloria, Mrs. Amelia, goodbye,” Elizabeth called out with a wave before driving off, as carefree as ever.
With a worried tone, Gloria explained, “Amy, it’s not that I didn’t want to stand up for you. Devon and the Kingsley family have some ties, and I couldn’t afford to offend Elizabeth…”
“I get it,” Amelia replied calmly. “Sandra’s pregnant. I really couldn’t do anything to her today anyway."
“It’s good that you understand,” Gloria smiled reassuringly. “I heard about what happened yesterday. Sandra’s days won’t be easy moving forward.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“As Henry’s mistress, Elizabeth actually came to pick someone up on Zachary’s behalf. She’s clearly set her sights on Zachary.”
Amelia had already suspected as much but hearing Gloria say it out loud still left her stunned. Amelia wondered, ‘If she’s already Henry’s lover, how does she dare to seduce Zachary too?’
Gloria, as if knowing what Amelia was wondering, said, “Henry’s family was sent abroad by Landon. So, maybe Elizabeth feels lonely.”
Chapter 48
“No wonder Henry didn’t show up today.” Amelia nodded in realization, but an unsettling feeling gnawed at her. She mused, ‘Landon’s protective streak is really something. He strategizes everything for the sake of his so-called reputation. I wonder, will his future wife feel happy, or will it just wear her out?’
As they walked back inside, Gloria looped her arm through Amelia’s and pretended to ask casually, “Amy, who’s Lanny?”
Amelia’s heart skipped a beat, and she replied, “I don’t know any Lanny. That’s just something Sandra made up.”
“You guys are sisters. How could she go around ruining your reputation like that? She’s awful.” Gloria’s tone was full of empathy, though a trace of doubt lingered in her mind. She wondered, ‘With Landon being the way he is now, can a wife truly be expected to stick around?’
Amelia understood that Sandra’s nonsense earlier had already planted seeds of suspicion in Gloria’s heart. But Amelia honestly didn’t know any “Lanny.” ‘Let them investigate all they want then,’ she thought.
“Oh, right. It’s been a while since you and Landon started sharing a room. How’s it going?” Gloria asked, her voice a mix of anticipation and nervousness. She hoped Amelia was pregnant but feared the baby might not be Landon’s. The thought left her torn.
“I… I don’t feel anything.” Amelia dropped her gaze, fiddling with the fruit in the bowl. She sighed inwardly, ‘We haven’t even done anything–how could I possibly be pregnant?’
“Go take a test,” Gloria insisted, pulling out two pregnancy tests. “Use tomorrow morning’s first urine and test twice.”
“Gloria…” Amelia said with a mix of frustration and amusement. She mused, ‘She’s already prepared pregnancy tests… Is she really that eager for a grandchild?’
“It doesn’t hurt to check,” Gloria reassured her. “If you’re not pregnant, we’ll figure out another way.” Hearing that, Amelia shuddered involuntarily. She definitely didn’t want to experience the effects of that kind of drug again.
“It’s getting late. Go take care of Landon,” Gloria urged.
“Alright.” Amelia reluctantly took the pregnancy tests and returned to her room. Sandra’s earlier outburst had completely soured her mood, and her face was still cold as she walked in.
Landon sat on the bed, his expression blank. He glanced at Amelia briefly before typing a message to Aaron: [Investigate Amelia’s past. I want to know who this “Lanny” is.]
She placed the pregnancy tests on the bed with a sigh. “Landon, what do we do now?”
Landon lifted his eyes slightly and asked inwardly, ‘What do you think?’
“We haven’t even, you know, done anything. How could I be pregnant? But your mom said if I’m not, she’ll come up with another idea.” Amelia felt the weight of it all. “Landon, maybe you should hurry up and get better.”
Landon’s eye twitched slightly as he thought indifferently, ‘Do you think I don’t want to recover?’
Amelia asked, “Uh…well, do you have any ex-girlfriends? A childhood sweetheart, maybe?”
‘Why?’ Landon asked warily in his mind.
“If you’re into someone, maybe she can have your child,” Amelia suggested.
Landon’s gaze turned icy in an instant before he questioned inwardly, ‘What did you just say?’
“Landon, if you can’t recover, you’ll need to have a child,” Amelia sat on the edge of the bed, speaking earnestly. “There’s no way it’ll ever be us, so get a woman you like to have your child.”
Amelia. Landon’s inner voice carried a sharp edge. But inside, his emotions were tangled–a strange mix of sourness and bitterness.
Amelia sighed, “Don’t get mad yet. I’m serious. When I was drugged last time, I almost tore your clothes off…”
Her ears flushed red as she avoided thinking about that wild night. “I know you don’t think much of me, so I won’t push it. But we still have to deal with your mom.”
Landon’s chest heaved twice before he closed his eyes and admitted inwardly, ‘I don’t have a woman I fancy.’
“Huh?” Amelia was stunned. She couldn’t help but wonder, ‘The ridiculously handsome, brilliant, and loaded Mr. Kingsley? The guy who, back in high school, practically drowned in caramel macchiatos girls brought him? He has no one he likes?’
“So,” she stammered, “what about someone who’s at least kind of easy on your eyes?”
Landon kept his eyes closed as he replied in his mind, ‘No.’
“Okay, then… Anyone you could see yourself getting closer to?” Amelia pressed. She thought, ‘Surely, he’s got someone. He’s twenty-seven, for crying out loud. Even if he’s picky and hasn’t found his soulmate, he must have physical needs.’
But Landon’s inner response remained firm. ‘No.’
Amelia stared at him in disbelief and pondered, ‘No one? Like, seriously? Unless…’ As one possibility struck her, her eyes widened in shock, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
Landon slowly opened his eyes, gave her a weird look, and asked inwardly, ‘What’s with that expression?’
Amelia quickly put her hand down and shook her head. “Oh… Uh, nothing.” Landon narrowed his eyes, feeling that something was definitely off about her.
She cleared her throat and said, “Landon, no matter what, you still have a duty to carry on the Kingsley family’s name. If it really doesn’t work out, just hire a professional. You won’t have to do anything; just donate the sperm, and they’ll handle the rest.”
Amelia was already mentally making a list of where to find the right woman for the job.
It took Landon a moment to process her words before his anger exploded. He questioned inwardly, ‘Amelia, what on earth is going on in that head of yours?’
“I’m thinking about the baby.” Amelia looked at him with what she thought was genuine sympathy. “Once you have a child, you’ll be free to live however you want–now and in the future.”
Her subtext was clear–Landon could fool around with his boyfriend however he liked. If he were up for it, she wouldn’t mind being his wife in name only, acting as a cover for his “love.” Naturally, she wouldn’t do it for free.
Landon fumed inwardly, ‘Amelia, you are…completely irrational.’ His handsome face turned red with anger, and his only working hand flailed in the air. Amelia thought he was going to hit her and scooted away slightly.
“Relax. I didn’t mean anything offensive. By the way, is it Wesley?” she asked, lightly resting her fingers on her chin as if deep in thought.
Amelia reflected, ‘Wesley is always so polite and proper. But he looks at me with this disdainful glare, like I’ve ruined Landon’s life.’
She glanced at the box of supplements again and thought, ‘I’m at the office most of the day, and Wesley only visits during the day. Spending long hours alone with Landon under the guise of being his doctor… Oh, so that’s why Landon’s been looking so drained.’
Amelia opened the box of supplements and prepared a dropper full for Landon. He was on the verge of losing it, yelling internally, ‘I’m fine. I don’t need this stuff.’
“Your health determines the child’s quality, so be good and take the medicine,” Amelia coaxed him softly, her mind spinning with plans to convince him to have a child and get herself out of this nightmare scenario where his mom might drug her again.
Chapter 48
Since Landon’s lips couldn’t move freely, Amelia managed to press the dropper into his mouth. Just as she was about to squeeze the liquid in, he suddenly turned his head sharply to the side.