Chapter 160
Amelia drove swiftly toward the Kingsley Group, her grip tight on the wheel as unease churned inside her. Brooke, understanding her well, remained silent, simply observing her to avert any potential mishaps.
Edith, feeling puzzled, whispered, “Amy, what are you doing?”
“Carlo’s clearly up to something,” Amelia said. ‘That excuse about doing business with me–what nonsense. The Hughes family’s antiques always sell. He doesn’t need me to buy them back. It just doesn’t add up,’ she thought.
“I have to tell Landon about this!” Amelia gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.
Edith blinked, still perplexed. ‘At home, Amelia was gentle and easygoing, but when trouble arose, an icy determination emerged instantly. Someone who could confront a toxic father and a scheming stepmother is no delicate flower–so is she running to her husband now?’ she pondered.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Amelia asked, glancing at Edith as they waited at the red light.
“I thought you were an amazing heroine,” Edith whispered. “I’ve heard all about your story–you’re truly impressive.”
Amelia chuckled helplessly. “Landon and I promised to always be honest with each other. If I don’t tell him and go to investigate Carlo on my own, he’ll start to worry.”
‘And he’ll get mad, too,’ Amelia thought. ‘When he’s angry, he always takes it out on me in bed–in the most exhausting way.’
“Ohh…” Edith said, her voice tinged with envy. Her only relationship had been with Daniel–he was always going through the motions, never truly invested. She had no understanding of how marriage was meant to function.
Amelia said gently, “You’ll understand in time, Edith.” She chuckled, feeling the tension that had been building inside her ease significantly thanks to Edith’s interruption.
Amelia thought, ‘Landon always said to take urgent matters slowly. I shouldn’t and mustn’t rush.’
Upon arriving at Kingsley Group, Amelia was the first to step out of the vehicle, and she asked Brooke to take Edith home. “Honey,” Amelia said as she entered, “Carlo approached me today with a business proposition–he wants to sell back the antiques he purchased from my mother years ago.”
Landon set his work aside, narrowing his eyes.
“Carlo…”
“Before coming to see me, he visited Walter Edwards in prison,” Amelia said as she pulled out her phone. “Honey, is this him?” Even though she was very agitated at the mall today, she still managed to take a discreet photo of Carlo.
“That’s him,” Landon said, studying the photo carefully. “We previously investigated him–he was located overseas and was completely uncooperative.”
“I have a suspicion that he has ulterior motives–this isn’t just a business matter,” Amelia reflected. “For now, though, I’ve agreed to repurchase my mother’s engagement gifts and instructed him to collect the payment from you.”
“Clever girl!” Landon said with a warm smile. He looked at his beloved wife, a gentle smile softening his chiseled features. He patted his lap, inviting her to sit with him.
Amelia settled onto his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and nuzzled her forehead against him. “Honey, you need to be careful around him,” she murmured.
“Please be careful as well,” Landon said softly, gently brushing his fingers against Amelia’s smooth cheek, grateful that she had chosen to confide in him so quickly.
“Yeah,” she replied. Listening to Landon’s calm heartbeat, Amelia began to feel at ease. No matter how daunting the issue, everything seemed manageable when Landon was by her side. She felt fearless now.
Landon asked, “Was Edith there?”
“Yes,” Amelia replied.
“Did Carlo recognize her?” Landon asked.
“He seemed to recognize Edith,” Amelia said. “He even asked if she had any antiques to sell.”
“Just as I suspected.” Landon opened a drawer and retrieved an investigation report two months ago.
[Basile Twain, Joanna Meyers’s highly trusted driver, suddenly resigned twenty years ago and left the capital. His current whereabouts remain unknown.]
“They even bear a slight resemblance…” Amelia examined Basile’s photo, her suspicions intensifying. Turning to Landon, she inquired, “Honey, do you think Basile could actually be Carlo?”
“We’ve already checked into it–they’re not the same person. However, they might know each other,” said Landon.
“If Basile sent Carlo here, how am I still alive?” Amelia asked. ‘Joanna was ruthless–she had already driven Catherine to madness and death. There’s no way she would leave someone like me alive,’ she thought.
Landon said, “The person who led us to that abandoned warehouse in Rosemill to search for William last time was none other than Basile.”
“What?” Amelia felt her heart skip a beat.
‘So that last incident was entirely Joanna’s doing! Basile never actually quit–he’s been working for Joanna from behind the scenes all along! Then what about Carlo? What’s his true agenda?’ Amelia wondered.
“My team is already tracking down Basile. Once we locate him, you’ll get all the answers you need,” Landon said, a sly smile crossing his face. His instincts told him they were getting closer to uncovering the truth.
“By the way, when do you plan to inform Daniel about Edith staying here?” Landon asked.
Amelia paused and sighed. “Let’s hold off for a little while longer. Edith is just beginning to recover–she’s not ready to return just yet.”
“You two get along well–looks like you’ve already become friends,” Landon murmured affectionately, nuzzling her cheek.
Amelia’s eyes sparkled as she glanced at him and asked, “Honey, do you know why I don’t have any friends?”
“Why?” Landon asked.
“Growing up, I was always told that all I needed was my family–that friends weren’t necessary. Yet, when I found myself helpless on that operating table, I realized there wasn’t a single person I could turn to for support,” Amelia explained.
Hearing this, Landon felt a sharp pain in his chest. He swallowed the words that were about to warn her to keep her distance from Edith.
People need more than love; family and friends are also essential components of a fulfilling life. However, when the day arrived that the Kingsleys and the Meyers found themselves truly at odds, he hoped she wouldn’t be too heartbroken.
The golden hues of dusk enveloped the world as Giovanna sat in a café on Kea Lane, Pinecrest. Carlo was pinned down by two men in black, forced to his knees. She leisurely savored her coffee and asked, “Who sent you?”
“What are you talking about?” Carlo pretended not to know.
Giovanna scoffed and threw the coffee in her hand directly into Carlo’s face. She sneered, “Are you pretending to be dumb with me, Carlo? How many lives do you think you have left?”
Carlo shook the coffee off his face with an angry jerk. “Ms. Hughes, you brought me all the way here for just one question? How on earth am I supposed to answer that?”
“So, you know I’m from the Hughes family? Good.” Giovanna flashed a razor–sharp scalpel. “Now, tell me who had you buy those antiques?”
“It’s a decent man,” Carlo said through clenched teeth, his gaze warily fixed on the scalpel in Giovanna’s hand. “Ms. Hughes, you don’t need to press me. He means no harm to Catherine–neither do I.”
“A ‘decent man’?” Giovanna sneered. She skillfully twirled the scalpel between her fingers.
Carlo stared at her hand, swallowing hard, terrified that one wrong move could send the blade hurtling toward him.
‘The Hughes family has sent their most formidable young mistress–are they planning to reintegrate Amelia back into the family? Ah, poor me, the hired hand who went to great lengths for Catherine’s material well-being, yet I can’t even take credit for it!’ Carlo thought.
“Ms. Hughes, I’m just doing a job for someone,” Carlo explained. “Someone asked me to assist with buying and selling antiques, and I only earn a commission from the deals–nothing more.”
Giovanna leveled a cold, unblinking stare at him. Then, with a swift flick of her wrist, she plunged the scalpel into the tabletop. The blade caught the light of the setting sun, flashing like gold. Carlo’s heart skipped a beat–his body so tight with tension, he felt he might faint.
“I want to see that man!” Giovanna commanded authoritatively.