Chapter 18

Amelia rushed to the police station, her heart racing with dread. But the moment she stepped into the cold, sterile space, all she saw was Jacob’s lifeless body sprawled on a gurney.

Nearby, the Kingsley family’s trusted attorney, Oscar Reed, was calmly providing his statement to the officers, his composed demeanor a stark contrast to Amelia’s growing unease.

Her face paled, and a mixture of frustration and shock churned in her chest. She swallowed hard before asking, “Did Dr. Green say anything before he died?”

Oscar shook his head solemnly. “Nothing, Mrs. Kingsley.”

Amelia’s hands clenched into trembling fists, anger flickering in her gaze. “He wasn’t the mastermind. Yet he chose to take all the blame with his death. Was it worth it?”

Aaron, standing quietly beside her, spoke gently, hoping to ease her turmoil, “Mrs. Kingsley, in some way, this does bring you a measure of justice.”

“Justice?” Amelia scoffed, her voice sharp with indignation. “The one pulling the strings is still out there. Jacob was bribed – he wasn’t the instigator. The real mastermind is the one who paid him off.”

Determined, she surged forward, intent on speaking to the police. But Oscar quickly stepped in her path, his voice measured and calm. “Mrs. Kingsley, I’ve already investigated his accounts. Over the past six months, there haven’t been any significant deposits.”

“What?” Amelia froze, disbelief flashing in her eyes. “That’s impossible.”

“It’s likely the transaction was in cash,” Oscar explained, his tone steady. “The money might’ve been hidden. Without concrete evidence, there’s no way to pursue charges.”

As Kingsley Group’s trusted legal advisor, his wealth of experience told him this was no ordinary scheme. Whoever orchestrated it was meticulous, leaving no trail. Oscar figured that if Zachary truly was behind this, then the man was far more cunning and dangerous than he appeared.

Amelia bit her lip, her frustration mounting, “Mr. Reed, isn’t there any other way?” Her voice cracked with desperation.

Her mind seethed with bitter thoughts. “Zachary and Sandra are the ones responsible for my suffering, and yet Jacob, their accomplice, is the one paying the ultimate price of death. Meanwhile, those two snakes walk free.”

Oscar’s gaze was steady but firm. “Mrs. Kingsley, this case is closed for now.”

Tears glistened in her eyes as she protested, “Mr. Reed, I’m not lying…”

The memories burned vividly in her mind – two lifetimes of them. She knew exactly what had happened.

It was Sandra, driven by jealousy and insecurity, who fabricated lies to have Amelia undergo surgery to remove her left breast before the wedding. Sandra had only done that because she feared that Zachary might desire Amelia after their marriage. And Zachary, ever eager to please Sandra, had agreed without hesitation.

Oscar exhaled slowly. “Mrs. Kingsley, the law requires evidence. Do you have any other leads we can pursue?”

Amelia racked her brain but finally shook her head, her voice low. “No… nothing else.”

“Then we’ll leave it for now. If new evidence surfaces, we’ll revisit it.” Oscar gave Aaron a pointed look.

Aaron also tried to comfort her, his tone encouraging, “Mrs. Kingsley, you’ve already humiliated them thoroughly today. Don’t let this weigh you down. There will be plenty of chances to settle the score in the future.”

Chapter 18

But Amelia couldn’t quell the storm inside her. Her jaw tightened as she thought, Zachary is truly ruthless. To manipulate Jacob into abandoning his family and taking his own life just to shield him? That’s a level of cold-blooded calculation I won’t underestimate.

I’ve taken the property at Stonefield from him today, but there’s no way he’ll let this slide. Moving forward, I need to tread carefully. I can’t afford to be careless. I don’t fear him, but I’d be a fool not to prepare for what’s coming.

The weight of the day lingered with her, dragging her mood into a somber haze. Even as the world continued on around her, Amelia found herself haunted by the events. For the rest of the day, her heart was heavy, and her thoughts refused to settle.

Landon lay stretched out under the warm sun, basking in its glow while quietly waiting for Amelia to speak to him.

In just three days, he’d grown oddly dependent on her presence. Somehow, life only felt normal, whole even, when she was around. When she left, even for a few hours, unease would creep into his chest, simmering until it boiled over into irritation. Yet today, for a long time, she hadn’t spared him so much as a word – not even the comforting distraction of her massages.

Inside, he couldn’t help but mentally call out to her, ‘Amelia, what’s wrong with you?”

Her response came, muted and heavy. “Dr. Green committed suicide to escape his guilt.”

If he was guilty, then his death was deserved. Landon dismissed it without much thought.

But Amelia, clearly not in the mood for his indifference, pinched him hard enough to make him wince internally. “He didn’t confess to anything about Zachary or Sandra,” she snapped, her tone laced with frustration.

Good, Landon chuckled inwardly at her boldness, ‘Well, aren’t you brave? You’re actually daring to take it out on me now!” Amelia shot him an irritated glare. “Good? What’s good about it? Jacob only took 700 grand. If he’d just spilled the truth and returned the dirty money, he’d have been out of prison in a few years. Instead, he threw his life away–”

“That only means he faced a threat worse than death,” Landon interrupted, his mental voice calm but firm.

The truth was, he had already anticipated this outcome the moment Amelia mentioned suing Jacob.

Though the Kingsley family had no direct dealings with the Foster family, Landon was all too familiar with Zachary’s character. The man might have looked like the picture of civility, but behind that polished veneer lay a schemer – cold, calculating, and utterly ruthless when it came to achieving his goals.

When Landon had first discovered Amelia with Zachary, he’d been stunned, wondering why she would choose such a conniving, heartless guy.

“It must’ve been Zachary who threatened him,” Amelia murmured, her words sharp as she dug her fingers into Landon’s thigh with surprising force, leaving a noticeable dent in his muscle.

Landon couldn’t help but remind her, I may not be able to move, but that doesn’t mean I can’t feel pain.

Amelia immediately released him, her expression softening with guilt. “Oh, sorry.”

“From now on, don’t meet Zachary alone,” Landon cautioned, his tone serious.

She hummed in agreement, her demeanor shifting as she refocused on massaging his legs.

The sun was generous today, warming his clothes to a cozy warmth. Her hands moved in a steady rhythm, kneading from his calves upward, her touch growing more confident and skilled with each stroke.

Landon found himself sinking into the sensations, his heightened senses savoring the soothing pressure until it lulled him into a comfortable haze. Just as he was on the verge of drifting off, a sudden jolt at his inner thigh yanked him back to alertness.

Chapter 18

“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded, his mental voice sharp with shock.

Amelia froze, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment. “Uh… I might’ve pressed a little too high by accident…” She stuck out her tongue playfully, though her sheepish tone betrayed her.

Accident? Are you sure it wasn’t deliberate? he asked in their minds, his disbelief clear.

“I was thinking about something, and my hands just… forgot to stop,” she mumbled, her eyes darting away.

Landon exhaled deeply, trying to rein in his irritation. “And what exactly were you thinking that it led your hands there?”

Amelia hesitated before admitting. “Your mom transferred the property at Stonefield to me. But don’t worry, I’ll give it back to you as soon as you wake up.” She quickly moved behind him, avoiding his gaze as she started working on his shoulders.

Landon blinked, momentarily stunned by her confession. He had no idea that the land was what had her so distracted. A faint chuckle echoed in his mind as he thought, It’s just a piece of land. If you want it, keep it.

“Don’t underestimate that piece of land. In three months, its value will skyrocket to 3 billion dollars,” Amelia declared, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. She tilted her chin up triumphantly, a satisfied grin playing on her lips. “Landon, I just made you 2.7 billion dollars in profit!”

Landon couldn’t bring himself to dampen her excitement, though inwardly, he was far from convinced. The Stonefield property had been on the market for ages, with not a single buyer willing to take the plunge.

The reason was simple. Its value just wasn’t compelling enough. The idea that it could leap from 300 million dollars to billions in a mere three months seemed, at best, wishful thinking in his eyes.

He figured she was just talking big. But still, he didn’t see any harm in it and didn’t feel the need to burst her bubble. To him, her happiness mattered more than the facts.

“Landon, why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t you believe me?” Amelia pouted, her lips forming a petulant curve as she leaned closer, her bright eyes seeking his reaction.

Landon chuckled softly in their heads, I believe you. Once we make that money, I’ll split it with you, fifty–fifty.

Amelia’s expression lit up as she batted her lashes playfully. “You said it, not me.” But a flicker of doubt crossed her mind, quickly replaced by determination. “He doesn’t really believe me, does he? Fine. Just wait. When it’s time to split the profits, let’s see if he doesn’t feel the pinch."

Little did Landon know, in just three months, the Stonefield property would indeed skyrocket to billions in market value.

“Oh, by the way,” Amelia said, shifting the conversation, “Aaron asked me to remind you to talk more about work. He’s barely holding things together.”

Landon paused, considering her words for a moment before asking, “Amelia, what was your major in college?”

“Finance and Management,” she answered, tilting her head curiously.

“Then, would you dare step in and take charge at Kingsley Group for me?”

“Wha–what?” Amelia’s eyes widened in shock, and she nearly bit her tongue.

The very thought made her nervous. Sure, she had studied finance and management, but theory was one thing – real-world experience was another. Kingsley Group wasn’t just any company.

It was a corporate giant, a beast of an organization. For a beginner like her, who had never managed more than her personal budget, the idea was daunting to say the least.

Chapter 18

“It’s simple,” Landon said, his tone calm but with a subtle edge. “You have two choices: join the board or have a baby.” He threw out the challenge not only to corner her into a decision but also to gauge her true intentions for staying by his side.

Amelia froze, her mouth opening and closing as she processed his words. Her voice trembled as she asked, “Do I really have to choose? Is there a third option?”

“No,” he thought, his mental tone final.

Then… She bit her lower lip, the conflict etched across her face. After a long moment of hesitation, she finally muttered, “I’ll join the board. But don’t blame me if I run your company into the ground.”

Her answer surprised Landon, though it also brought him a quiet sense of relief. It confirmed she was still the same straightforward, sincere girl he’d met – someone who had come to him seeking shelter, not power.

“Don’t worry,” he comforted her, a hint of amusement flickering in his mind. “You could try for years, but you wouldn’t even make a dent in my fortune.”