Chapter 57

Landon felt like the ultimate fool. "Damn it. She's been seeing another man while married to me, and even had his child," the thought burned through him like acid. His chest heaved with barely contained rage as the reality of her betrayal sank in.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Amelia asked innocently, placing her delicate hand on his chest. He's breathing so heavily; I hope it's not a heart condition, she thought to herself.

"Get your hands off me," Landon roared in his mind.

Amelia flinched and yanked her hand back, startled by his outburst. "What's wrong with you? Are you feeling sick?"

"Well done, Amelia. Well done!" Landon glared at her, taking deep breaths to control his rage. How could you be so heartless? Taking advantage of someone in a vegetative state who can't even defend themselves. And here I was, always putting you first.

"What's wrong?" Amelia asked, completely confused. "Are you angry? Are you mad at me?"

Landon let out an internal scoff and turned his head away, closing his eyes.

"Hey, be reasonable here. I already agreed to help you visit your old friend. What more do you want from me?" Amelia furrowed her brows.

Landon whipped his head back around, his anger flaring. "That's completely different," he started.

"What do you mean?" Amelia grew even more bewildered. What nerve did I hit to make him this angry? Come on, count himself lucky. Good luck finding another wife as understanding as me.

"Amelia, get out." Now Landon's voice was ice cold, each word dripping with venom.

The hatred in his voice was so palpable it sent chills down Amelia's spine. He's not joking, she thought, panic rising in her chest. But why? What's really going on?

"From this moment on, you are no longer my wife. Get out of here," Landon growled, his words like a death sentence.

Amelia stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock. The candlelight caught her face, throwing dancing shadows across her features as she blinked in disbelief.

Even in his rage, Landon couldn't help but notice how breathtaking she looked. But he reminded himself that beneath that stunning exterior was a woman who had betrayed him, a woman whose heart was no longer his.

"Can't you hear me? I said get out of Kingsley Villa," Landon roared again.

Amelia, frustrated by his refusal to answer her questions, finally snapped. "Fine," she retorted, "I'll get out. I'm leaving right now." And with that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the room.

The door slammed shut, leaving Landon alone in the dimly lit room. The silence was so profound that he could hear his own ragged breaths.

A crushing sense of defeat washed over Landon. He had once been at the top of his game, the golden boy who had it all. Now, due to an orchestrated car accident, he had fallen into the gutter. As if dealing with his injuries wasn't enough, he also had to face his wife's betrayal.

"This is too much, Amelia, too much," Landon raged internally. But it was pointless. Amelia was already gone, leaving him stranded in a sea of silence. His joys, his sorrows, his anger–no one could hear him now.

Landon grabbed his phone to text Aaron about throwing Amelia out, but his hand suddenly went numb. His fingers twitched uselessly, and the phone slipped from his grasp, hitting the floor with a hard crack.

"Fantastic," Landon thought bitterly, "now I can't even contact anyone!" He was practically losing his mind with rage. The emotional rollercoaster of the day had pushed him to his limit. The rage kept building until his vision blurred, and then everything went black as his body finally gave in to exhaustion.

Meanwhile, Amelia hadn't actually left. She sat alone in the downstairs living room, trying to figure out exactly what she'd done to make Landon so angry.

The house staff brought her fruit and snacks, treating her with their usual warmth and courtesy. Her favorite TV show played in the background, filling the quiet space.

Amelia pressed her lips together. She truly loved it here. Everyone was so kind, and she could live with an easy mind without constantly looking over her shoulder. She didn't have to worry about people plotting against her while she slept. This place felt more like a real home than Edward Villa.

During her time with the Kingsleys, Amelia felt as if the wounds from her past life were finally beginning to heal. Each day here filled her with renewed hope and confidence for the future. The thought of leaving so soon made her heartache.

Yet, Amelia knew her stay wouldn't last much longer. Given Landon's temperament, it was only a matter of time before he ordered Aaron to kick her out.

"I'll miss this place so much," Amelia thought wistfully. She had arrived with nothing, and she would leave with nothing. Once again, she would be all alone in the world.

"Here's your progesterone, Mrs. Amelia." Emma handed Amelia the medication.

Amelia's heart sank. "Just leave it," she said quietly.

"Of course." Emma set down the pills and a glass of water and then left the room.

Amelia stared at the progesterone, her brows furrowed. Ever since she'd handed over that pregnancy test, Gloria had insisted on a nightly dose.

Amelia couldn't actually take it. Every night, she'd have it brought to her bedroom and then discreetly dispose of it in the bathroom. "What am I going to do tonight?" she wondered. "I can't exactly go back to the bedroom. Can I really take this to the bathroom without looking suspicious?"

After a moment's thought, Amelia picked up her phone and texted Landon: Since I'm leaving anyway, I guess there's no need to keep up the fake pregnancy act anymore?

But there was no response. Amelia waited a while before sending another message: Mr. Kingsley, just say the word, and I'll be out of here faster. But Landon still remained silent.

He's not saying anything, which means he's fine with it, Amelia thought to herself. Perfect. Time to drop this act.

With a heavy heart, Amelia took one last look at the place that had been her home since her rebirth. She stepped into the night, leaving behind everything she knew.

The trees lining the suburban streets whispered in the wind, their shadows dancing on the ground beneath the streetlights.

Moths darted around the streetlights overhead, making Amelia think of her own desperate attempts to hold onto a life that was slipping away.

Though spring was fading into summer in Norava, and April nights were typically mild, Amelia felt a deep chill settle into her bones. Landon had been right–now that she was no longer his wife, she was nothing. She had no home, no car, no family to lean on.

Apart from her personal belongings, Amelia only had a few thousand dollars left over from her time as a member of the Edwards family.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. Wait... Money! Amelia thought. There was money in her account–a whole 100 million dollars, to be exact.

That massive sum had been transferred from Kingsley Group, originally intended for Edwards Group acquisition; Landon had later dismissed it as "pocket money" for her.

Wait… Should I return this money to him? Amelia wondered, her heart racing with possibility as she checked her phone.

The screen showed nothing–no messages, no missed calls. Landon hadn't mentioned the money, nor had he sent Aaron to handle the transfer. Perfect.

–she thought with a smug smile.

Amelia believed that to someone like Landon, a hundred million dollars was probably pocket change. But for Amelia, this was completely different. With it, she could finally start living the luxurious life she'd always dreamed of.

Amelia's spirits soared with each step as she walked, her feet practically dancing across the ground. Once she left the gated community, she headed to Norava's most luxurious hotel.

Amelia treated herself to fine wine, coffee, and grilled delicacies. Later, she lounged in the bathtub, gazing through floor-to-ceiling windows at the glittering nightscape spread out below. For Amelia, it was a perfect evening of indulgence.

Little did she know that her disappearance had thrown the Kingsley family into complete chaos.

"What? Amy didn't come home all night?" Gloria's shriek only darkened Landon's already gloomy expression. Damn it, he thought, this is a mess.

"Mom..." Landon tried to speak, but his voice failed him completely.

While repeatedly trying to call Amelia, Gloria fired questions at him in rapid succession. "Did you two have a fight? Do you know where she's gone? Why is her phone turned off?"