“Ms. Edwards, you’re quite audacious,” Aaron frowned as he stared at the trembling Amelia on the bed, but his reprimand died on his lips when he noticed something unusual. Landon’s body, particularly his lower half, appeared to have stirred and had a tent in his pants.

Aaron’s eyes widened with surprise. Unable to continue his scolding nor mask his excitement, he immediately grabbed his phone and dialed, his voice filled with urgency. “Dr. Coleman, come here right away.”

Amelia leapt off the bed in a panic. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to offend. I had no choice—Zachary is trying to drag me into surgery, but I’m not even sick.”

Aaron shot her a skeptical glance. “You’re not sick?” The question escaped his lips as he puzzled over her claim. Why would someone force a healthy person into surgery?

“That’s right. I’m perfectly fine.” Amelia’s eyes brimmed with tears as memories of her last life overwhelmed her. “Zachary never loved me. He’s been lying to me all along. Everything he’s done was just to take control of my shares.”

The revelation sent a ripple of disbelief through Aaron’s otherwise stoic expression. Zachary was known across Norava as a man deeply devoted to Amelia. The idea that he would orchestrate such a scheme of a needless surgery was nothing short of shocking—a scandal straight out of a dramatic soap opera.

Aaron furrowed his brow, feeling a flicker of sympathy—but that was all it was, just sympathy. The Kingsley family was already neck-deep in turmoil. He had no idea when Landon would wake up, and Amelia certainly had no place here.

“Ms. Edwards, you need to leave,” Aaron said firmly.

“I can’t,” she protested, trembling with desperation. She didn’t dare leave.

She knew Zachary all too well. He must have the entire hospital surrounded by now. The moment she stepped out of Landon’s room, she’d be captured.

Clinging to a sliver of hope, she pleaded, “Mr. Hall, please, just let me stay a little longer. Or… could you call the police for me?”

Aaron’s face hardened. “I’m sorry, Ms. Edwards, but I work for the Kingsley family. My responsibility is to look after Mr. Kingsley, not to create trouble for him.”

She continued, “Mr. Hall, please—”

“Ms. Edwards, leave,” he repeated, cutting her off.

Amelia bit her lip, her mind racing. She figured if she stalled long enough, the situation might shift in her favor.

Before she could muster another plea, footsteps approached. “What’s going on, Mr. Hall?” a woman’s voice asked nervously. Just then, Landon’s doctor Ryan Coleman arrived, accompanied by a regal woman in her late forties, whose air of authority and elegance was impossible to miss.

Aaron threw a glance at Amelia before ushering the newcomers aside for a hushed conversation. Recognizing her precarious position, Amelia wisely covered her ears to feign ignorance.

A few moments later, the woman approached with a warm, almost disarming smile. “You must be Ms. Edwards. I’m Gloria Kingsley, Landon’s mother.”

Amelia’s heart clenched at the unexpected introduction. “Mrs. Kingsley, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she stammered, forcing a shaky smile.

Her thoughts churned. She seems kind… Could she be my chance? Could she save me?

“I’ve just talked to Aaron. I understand you’re in a bit of trouble, right?” Gloria’s voice was gentle but probing.

The dam of Amelia’s emotions broke as she clutched at this lifeline. “Mrs. Kingsley, please, I’m begging you. Call the police for me.”

Gloria’s smile softened, but her words carried an unsettling weight. “Amelia, surgeries like these require immediate family consent. Your parents signed the paperwork, didn’t they? That means they won’t protect you. Even if you get the police involved and escape today, what about tomorrow!”

Each sentence felt like a dagger twisting in Amelia’s heart. She clutched her chest, feeling a wave of heartache that threatened to shatter her.

My stepmother and stepsister are cruel enough, but my father is my flesh and blood. How can he just stand by and watch me get schemed against? She then clenched the front of her dress as despair engulfed her.

Her thoughts kept spiraling. Even if I somehow escape the hospital today, what then? They will never let me go. And I’m alone, isolated, with no one to turn to. How long can I keep trying to fend for myself?

“Ms. Edwards,” Gloria said with a smile after a moment, her tone thoughtful, “I might have a solution, but it depends on whether you’re willing…”

Amelia’s head snapped up. “What is it?”

“Marry my son and become a Kingsley.”

“What?”

Amelia was taken aback, her mind racing to process the unexpected offer.

Gloria’s poised expression didn’t waver as she explained, chuckling. “Even though my son is currently in a coma, there’s no telling when he might wake up.

“And even if he doesn’t, our family has enough wealth and power to ensure you’ll live comfortably. With our protection, do you think Zachary would dare lay a finger on you?”

Amelia’s mind raced as she weighed her options. With no other path to safety, she finally nodded, her voice steady with determination. “Alright. I’ll do it.”

“I won’t allow it.” Landon’s deep, growling voice reverberated in her head, sharp and commanding.

Startled, Amelia shivered, her heart hammering. She turned quickly toward the bed with guilt in her eyes. Is he awake?

Landon lay there, completely still, his face calm and untouched by the turmoil around him, seemingly lost in his dreams.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. Why do I keep hearing his voice?

Gathering her courage, she asked hesitantly in a low voice, “Did any of you hear Landon speak just now?”

“No, of course not,” Gloria replied, shaking her head, her brows drawing together slightly in bewilderment.

Everyone around her looked utterly baffled, unsure of what was happening.

“Ms. Edwards, comatose patients don’t talk. You’re likely imagining things,” Aaron said, his tone cautious, as if trying to reason with her. He figured Amelia must be in shock, confused by the situation.

Amelia frowned, trying to make sense of it all. It was strange to her that only she could hear Landon’s voice. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a strange comfort in the idea.

“Have the doctor come in and check on Landon,” Gloria instructed Aaron before turning to Amelia with a warm but decisive tone. “Ms. Edwards, let’s have your identification information so we can get your marriage paperwork started.”

“Wait… now?” Amelia blinked in rapid confusion. “How on earth can I marry someone who’s in a coma?”

“Don’t worry about the formalities,” Gloria said breezily. “Aaron will handle the paperwork. In the meantime, you’ll come home with me. It’s time you got familiar with your new home.”

“Oh… okay,” Amelia responded, still reeling as she trailed behind Gloria.

Noticing Amelia’s hospital gown, Gloria paused, took off her coat, and gently draped it over her shoulders.

“Mrs. Kingsley, thank you…” The warmth and soft fragrance of the coat enveloped Amelia, and for a fleeting moment, her eyes stung with unshed tears. If only I had my own mother… She would have fought for me, protected me no matter what, just like Gloria is protecting Landon.

“From now on, we’re family. Call me Gloria,” Gloria said with a kind smile.

The lump in Amelia’s throat grew heavier, and for a moment, words eluded her.

“It’s okay, take your time,” Gloria comforted her, mistaking her silence for shyness. She reached for Amelia’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze as she led her out of the room.

Just as they reached the doorway, an unmistakable growl from Landon echoed in Amelia’s head, “Amelia, stop right there!”

She froze mid-step, her blood running cold.

Gloria looked at her with concern. “Amy, what’s wrong?”

Amelia’s voice trembled as she asked, “Did… Did you hear something just now?”

If she had chalked up the earlier voice to stress-induced hallucinations, this time it felt far too real to dismiss.

“No, nothing,” Gloria replied, glancing around with confusion. “Aaron, did you hear anything?”

Aaron shook his head firmly.

The hospital had gone to great lengths to ensure Landon’s recovery, assigning him to a secluded, quiet room. Aside from the four of them, the place was completely empty.

“Amelia, take me out of this hospital!” The voice in her head grew sharper, angrier, practically vibrating with frustration.

At last, a bizarre realization dawned on Amelia. This wasn’t a hallucination—she could hear Landon’s thoughts.

Oh my goodness. Is this for real? Have I gained some supernatural ability in this new life? She tried her best to keep her expression neutral while silently celebrating. This is fantastic. With this golden ticket in hand, those scumbags Zachary and Sandra don’t stand a chance.

“Amelia, are you listening?” Landon’s voice in her head was practically roaring now. He sounded livid, his fury unmistakable.

What Amelia didn’t realize was how desperately Landon clung to this newfound lifeline. He had spent far too long lying in a hospital bed, trapped in his own body, treated like an inert shell by everyone around him.

No one else was able to understand the turmoil swirling in his mind. But now, he finally had someone who could hear him, someone who might be able to help. He couldn’t let this chance slip away.

And as the head of the Kingsley family, he had unfinished business to settle—including dealing with his conniving cousin, Patrick Kingsley, who had hit him with his car and left him in this state.

“Maybe we should take him home,” Amelia suggested aloud, throwing Landon a bone.

Gloria’s expression stiffened in shock, her maternal instincts kicking in. “Absolutely not. Landon needs round-the-clock medical care. He’s staying here until he recovers.”

“Of course…” Amelia replied, sounding appropriately resigned for him to hear. Internally, though, she smirked, See? It’s not that I don’t want to help you. It’s that your mother won’t let you go home.

Amelia still felt the lingering shock of her rebirth, and now, out of nowhere, she had a husband. It was all happening so fast—one minute she was barely keeping her head above water, and the next, she was caught in the whirlwind of a high-stakes drama that felt like an emotional roller coaster.

Fine. Let Landon stay here. I don’t need a husband—I need the Kingsley family’s protection. Men? Amelia’s lips curled into a bitter smile. After what Zachary put me through, I’ll never trust one again.

“Amelia!” Landon’s voice echoed in her mind, each word sharp and filled with venom. You ungrateful jerk. The nerve of you, burning bridges after getting what you want. Damn you!

Amelia pretended not to hear, her gaze unwavering, hiding her amusement behind a blank face. After all, no one else could hear Landon’s thoughts but her. This was her little secret, and she intended to make the most of it.