Chapter 92
“Are you hungry?” Landon suddenly remembered that he hadn’t yet taken Amelia to the café he had bought and converted from her old house.
Amelia wasn’t in the mood to eat. Every time she tried to calm down, all she could hear were Rachel’s frantic words, “You have to find him. You have to bring my husband back to me.”
All she wanted was to find William and bring him to Rachel.
“Mr. Kingsley has bought a café for you, Mrs. Kingsley. Why don’t you go check it out?” Aaron suggested.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. “You bought a café in Pinecrest?”
“Yeah,” Landon replied with a simple nod.
Amelia studied him in confusion. A small café didn’t seem like something he’d invest in. She wondered what he was really after. “Alright, let’s go see it.”
“Okay.” The driver turned the car around, and in less than thirty minutes, they arrived at Kea Lane. The place was oddly familiar yet strange at the same time.
Amelia pushed Landon’s wheelchair, moving together with him from behind.
To keep a low profile, they wore hats, masks, and sunglasses, concealing their faces completely. Aaron and the others were also in disguise, trailing behind at a distance.
After the renovation, Kea Lane hadn’t really taken off and was very quiet, even in broad daylight. The café at the end of the street was deserted, with not a single soul in sight.
“That’s it,” Landon said, pointing to the café—Starlight Cafe.
“You really bought this place? It doesn’t even look like there’s any business here,” Amelia said with doubt. She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a bad investment.
“This place used to be your old home,” Landon said softly.
Amelia froze as though struck by lightning and stood motionless in shock.
“It’ll be transferred to your name soon, but it’s a shame it can’t be your home again,” Landon added regretfully.
Amelia let go of his hand and wandered into the café in a daze.
The dozing barista snapped to attention. “Miss, what can I get you?”
“Anything’s fine,” Amelia replied, removing her sunglasses and taking in the space.
The place was about 430 square feet, with a sleek, modern design that didn’t even hint at its former life. But this was her childhood home and also where Debra had died.
A wave of sorrow hit Amelia, making her tear up.
The barista, noticing her distress, gently offered, “Miss, let me bring you a cup of coffee. It’s on the house. You can sit by the window. It’s sunny there.”
“Sure,” Amelia murmured, walking toward the seat by the window.
Diana once said that Debra loved sitting in the sun, so her husband made sure to open a window in the sunniest spot.
When she was bored, Debra would hold Amelia and sit by the window, soaking up the sunlight. Amelia wondered if she was sitting in the right spot.
Amelia closed her eyes, soaking in the sunlight. As memories flooded back, she thought she saw a beautiful woman with long hair sitting by the window and humming a soft tune.
Little Amelia lay curled up in her arms, peacefully asleep. It was a harmonious and beautiful sight. Anyone who saw them would have thought, ‘What a loving mother–daughter duo.’
Tears welled up in Amelia’s eyes, and before long, they were streaming down her cheeks.
Landon wheeled himself over to sit across from her and just watched her quietly. Beneath his sunglasses, his gaze was soft and calm.
Amelia wasn’t sure how long it had been, but eventually, she managed to compose herself.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Landon again and remembered that she had just left him standing in the street. “Landon, I didn’t mean to leave you.”
“No biggie,” Landon said, knowing exactly what she was about to say and waving it off.
Amelia leaned back in her chair, letting out a long sigh. “Actually, I passed by here the day before yesterday, but I didn’t realize it was my childhood home.”
“Before leaving Pinecrest, Walter used some underhanded tactics. This place has changed hands several times, so finding the original owner isn’t easy,” Landon explained.
“Thank you for going through all this trouble,” Amelia said.
“You’re my wife. This is the least I can do for you,” Landon said, removing his mask to reveal his handsome face.
Amelia looked at him, her voice tinged with sadness. “Diana always said that even though my mother wasn’t mentally well, she still took great care of me. She was a good mother.”
“I figured.” Landon nodded. “Your mother was very clever. She protected you and William for twenty years with just a will.”
“Yes, she was very smart.” Amelia clenched her teeth. “That’s why I can’t let her down. I need to find the evidence and send the person who hurt her straight to hell.”
It was hell, not prison. Just taking away their freedom wouldn’t be enough compensation for the loss of Debra’s life. Amelia wanted Walter and Melissa to be so miserable that they wished they were dead.
Landon saw the resolve in her eyes and knew she had gotten over her sadness. He snapped his fingers, signaling for the waiter to bring over coffee and dessert.
“Try this, the desserts here are not bad,” Landon said, sliding a crepe cake toward her.
“Thanks.” Amelia took a sip of coffee and a bite of cake.
She ate elegantly, but there was something in the way she ate—it almost seemed like she was taking out her frustration as if she were gnawing at someone’s bones.
Landon let out a quiet laugh, waiting for her to finish eating before he said, “Let’s head back to Norava right away.”
“Aren’t you here to look at property in Pinecrest?” Amelia asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“Your matters are more important,” Landon replied, smiling softly.
Amelia’s heart skipped a beat like something had struck her deeply, sending waves of emotion through her. ‘So, he is here for me and nothing else,’ she thought.
“Let’s go. We’ll come back next year,” Landon said.
“Mm–hmm.” Amelia took a deep breath, snapping a few photos to remember the moment, and then reluctantly turned to leave.
This time, she didn’t leave Landon behind. Instead, she pushed his wheelchair slowly, enjoying the quiet stroll as they walked out of Kea Lane.
Not long after they left, Daniel arrived.
“Excuse me, where’s the owner?” Daniel asked, looking tired. His shoes were covered in a layer of dust, evidence of his rushed journey.
Clearly, he had come straight from Sapphire Estate without taking the time to freshen up.
“Sir, the property has changed hands. The new owner is Amelia,” the barista said.
Daniel paused, then shook his head. “No, I’m asking about the previous owner.”
“Oh, the previous owner is Brock who lives next to the famous big oak tree. He recently sold the place at a high price and is over there playing poker now.”
Daniel quickly walked toward the tree, where a group of old men were playing poker, shouting and laughing happily. None of them looked like the person he remembered.
“Mr. Zuckerberg, your wife is still young. She won’t be interested in those crass old men,” Daniel’s assistant, Alaric Gray, chuckled.
Daniel clenched his fists. “But the man said the emerald ring came from here.”
“Maybe Mrs. Zuckerberg needed cash and decided to sell it off to live by,” Alaric sighed. “But Mr. Zuckerberg, she is too smart to sell off her things at her current place of residence.”
‘That’s true. Once an antique is exposed, it would only attract attention and trouble,’ he thought.
Daniel’s expression darkened as he processed this. After a moment, he nodded. “You’re right. Let’s go.”
Zachary, who was in Norava, received word that Amelia had returned to the city and got so excited that he almost jumped out of bed. “She’s finally back.”
“Zachary, take it slow with the revenge. You need to focus on getting better first,” Pamela advised, trying to calm him down.
“Revenge?” Zachary chuckled darkly. “Mom, she’s tied to the Kingsley family. Anyone who goes after her is going to end up dead.”
Pamela froze and trailed off, “So, you mean…”
“I want her on her knees, begging me for mercy,” Zachary said with a twisted smile.