Chapter 157

Edith went missing, prompting Joanna and Tyler to organize search parties throughout the night, but they were unable to locate her. Daniel also searched for her without success.

Tyler lacked Joanna’s ambition. At that moment, business deals meant nothing to him. All that mattered was his daughter’s safety. He turned on Joanna angrily. “This is all your fault! You just had to play matchmaker. Now look what’s happened to Edith!”

“Brother, have you lost your senses? What nonsense are you saying?” Joanna’s face turned pale with anger. “I practically raised Edith myself. I love her even more than Mais…”

“But you traded away Velmira for Mais!” Tyler shouted, leaving Joanna at a loss for words.

“If anything happens to Edith, our relationship as siblings is over!” Tyler exclaimed, storming off in anger. After losing his fortune and now facing the potential loss of his daughter, Tyler’s once splendid life felt like it had suddenly plummeted to its lowest point.

Joanna rubbed her forehead and paced restlessly back and forth in the living room, while Maisie watched her with a mix of emotions, feeling completely bewildered.

No one could have imagined that someone as innocent, gentle, romantic, and obedient as Edith would suddenly vanish without a trace.

Five days later, in Norava, Jonas had finally cured Amelia’s illness. A collective sigh of relief filled the air, and Kingsley Manor was alive with celebration.

“Thank you so much for this, Jonas,” Amelia said sincerely. “How can we ever repay you?”

“There’s no need.” Jonas kept waving his hands, occasionally casting significant glances at Landon, unable to suppress a secret smirk.

Amelia couldn’t shake the thought–did Jonas have feelings for Landon? She firmly believed, ‘Not on my watch!’

Amelia’s expression grew serious as she said, “Jonas, please don’t look at my husband like that. It won’t make me happy.”

Jonas shrugged and replied with a grin, “What, am I not allowed to admire him?”

‘Wait, just admiration?’ Amelia wondered. She and Landon exchanged glances, both sensing that their feelings ran deeper than simple admiration.

“Mr. Kingsley,” Jonas said earnestly, “when you meet my master’s wife, please speak favorably of me so that I may soon return to my master’s guidance.”

“So it’s you.” Surprise lit up Landon’s eyes, and his demeanor toward Jonas instantly softened. “Alright, I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you.”

“Thank you,” Jonas said with a cheerful demeanor as he packed his medical supplies and left.

Amelia asked, puzzled, “Honey, you know Jonas’s master’s wife?”

Landon nodded. “Yeah, I believe I do.”

Amelia examined the exquisite hidden weapons before her, each one laced with deadly poison. ‘Jonas is skilled in poison research, so she must be an expert too. Wait, does that mean all the poison Landon hides in his concealed weapons comes from her?’ she pondered.

“I’ll introduce you two when the time is right,” Landon said with a smile, giving Amelia’s hand a gentle pat. “So, who’s buy—”

“Buy what?” Amelia asked, confused.

“Protection.” Landon gave her a playful wink.

Amelia suddenly realized what he meant, her face flushing bright red. “You rascal!” she exclaimed. “I just got better, and you’re already thinking about that?”

“I’m not ready to be a dad yet, so we’ll need to use protection from now on,” Landon chuckled softly.

Amelia stomped her foot, her cheeks flushed. “Forget it, I’m not buying them! If you want them, go get them yourself!”

“Of course, I’ll handle that.” Landon Kingsley pulled her into his arms. “Once I’m fully recovered, we’ll have a proper wedding. I’ll ensure everyone knows that you are the woman I cherish most in the world.”

“I don’t care.” Amelia chuckled. “So what if people say I threw myself at you? Well, I definitely crawled right in!”

“It seems someone has become quite daring,” Landon teased. He pressed a kiss on her cheek and playfully whispered, “What about other places? Have they become bolder, too?”

Amelia blushed and pouted, “Landon, you’re so shameless!”

The room was filled with echoes of their passion.

As the sky grew darker, a cold wind swept in. Lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and soon rain poured down in torrents. After what felt like hours, Amelia got up and pulled back the curtains, only to see a lone figure staggering through the fierce storm.

Amelia could barely discern that it was a woman. She didn’t have an umbrella, and her clothes were already soaked. She staggered alone through the storm, swaying unsteadily. When exhaustion took over, she crouched down to rest right then and there in the pouring rain.

“How strange,” Amelia said. “Could she be struggling with mental health issues?” Amelia murmured, recalling her own mother’s challenges and finding it hard to resist empathizing, and wanted to help her.

“Honey, I’m stepping out for a little while,” Amelia called toward the bathroom before putting on a robe and heading downstairs.

“Mrs. Kingsley, where are you headed?” Ethan asked urgently.

Amelia opened her umbrella and said, “There’s a woman outside who seems a bit off. I’m going to check on her. Ethan, please bring some food and clean clothes and come with me.”

Despite the storm raging outside in the dead of night, she still felt a lingering fear of potential danger. Ethan appeared even more terrified; he even called for two bodyguards to accompany them.

The group sought refuge beneath a nearby tree. Amelia gently inquired, “Miss, are you okay? It’s coming down heavily–why aren’t you at home? Do you need an umbrella?”

The woman turned. When Amelia saw her face, she gasped in delight, “Edith? Is that you?”

“Who are you?” Edith wearily opened her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. “How do you know me?”

As Edith gazed at the breathtaking beauty before her, her feelings of self-loathing deepened. ‘How can I ever measure up?’ she thought bitterly, lowering her gaze as her heart shattered into pieces. She mused, ‘There are countless beauties in this world–what’s one less? Why am I so plain?’

“It’s you…” Amelia stared in disbelief as she approached, taking in the sight of Edith, soaked and helpless. “Edith, what happened to you?”

“Who are you?” Edith hugged herself tightly, her voice filled with apprehension as she regarded the stranger. Whether it was the chill in the air or her fear, her full-bodied frame trembled uncontrollably–she couldn’t discern which. “How do you know who I am?”

Amelia paused for a moment before softly saying, “I’m Amelia Edwards. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?”

“It’s you?” Edith exclaimed in surprise as she jumped to her feet. Realizing how plain she looked next to Amelia, she quickly dropped her gaze and began fidgeting with the soaked hem of her clothes, feeling self-conscious.

“Edith, are you dealing with something challenging?” Amelia asked gently, intentionally avoiding any reference to her disappearance.

Edith hung her head in silence, engulfed by shame. ‘She is the one Daniel has gone to great lengths to protect,’ Edith thought. ‘So she must know by now what happened between us, right?’

Someone like me…. I could never measure up to Daniel. Yet they compelled Daniel to marry me by threatening Amelia’s health. She must have looked down on me, Edith thought bitterly.

Amelia raised her umbrella to protect Edith from the downpour. “It’s pouring–why don’t you come back to my place for a while?” she said kindly.

Edith nervously wrung her hands. “I…” She wanted to say something, but the words just wouldn’t come out.

“Daniel has been desperately looking for you. Please come with me right now,” Amelia said.

Edith froze. “He’s… looking for me?”

“Yes,” Amelia replied softly. “Daniel always says you have such a kind heart, and that if I ever find you, I should take good care of you.”

Edith couldn’t hold back; tears streamed down her face like a broken dam. ‘After all the pressure my family placed on him, he still says I’m kind,’ she thought.