Patrick was quite pleased. “You secured a reservation here? Impressive.”

“Do you come here often?” Amelia asked tentatively.

“I wish I could, but I haven’t had the chance. It’s hard to get a table here, and I haven’t been back to Norava much in the last two years.”

“Well, make sure to come more this time.”

“Thank you.”

Patrick truly wasn’t being modest. He tasted every dish.

Amelia still felt apprehensive and didn’t dare to eat.

Patrick raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you have some?”

“I had a big lunch, so my stomach isn’t feeling great,” Amelia replied, holding her water cup.

“Then have some chicken soup. It’s easier on the stomach,” Patrick said as he personally served a bowl of chicken soup to Amelia.

After Patrick touched the bowl, Amelia was even less inclined to drink it. “Sorry, I don’t want any.”

“Amy, what are you afraid of?” Patrick teased as he looked at Amelia.

Amelia thought to herself, ‘I’m afraid of you, you pervert.’ But she couldn’t say that out loud, so she merely chuckled and replied, “Nothing. But please don’t call me Amy. Just call me Amelia.”

“As you wish,” Patrick agreed readily, then raised his wine glass. “Cheers, I’ll drink wine, and you can drink water.”

Amelia clinked her water cup with Patrick’s. As for the food on the table, she still didn’t dare to take a bite. Facing such a pervert, Amelia knew she needed to be extra careful.

Patrick showed no concern for Amelia’s tension. It was merely part of his plan. The more often such scenes played out, the more relaxed Amelia would become.

Aaron and Brooke stood to the side, nervously watching Amelia’s demeanor.

Suddenly, someone barged in. “Amelia, I’m going to kill you.” Sandra, disheveled and wielding a fruit knife, rushed in.

Brooke immediately subdued Sandra.

Amelia assessed Sandra and impatiently asked, “What’s wrong with you again?”

“My baby is gone. Zachary abandoned me. Are you satisfied?” Sandra accused, her voice piercing and filled with rage. She looked disheveled, full of resentment, like a ghost from a horror movie.

Amelia stared in shock at Sandra’s abdomen. “How could this happen?”

“It’s all your fault for showing the birth certificate to the Foster family. They didn’t want me because I’m an illegitimate child,” Sandra screeched, her eyes full of hatred.

Amelia furrowed her brows, thinking, ‘I know Pamela would never accept an illegitimate child as Zachary’s wife, but would they give up on the baby for this?’

“Amelia, you caused all of this.” Sandra struggled fiercely, trying to lunge at Amelia to hit her. “You got Mom and Dad sent to prison, you made me despised by the Foster family, and you caused me to lose my child. Amelia, I’m going to kill you.”

Aaron and Brooke held Sandra tightly on either side.

Amelia wondered, ‘Sandra has always been healthy. In the past, she fell down the stairs and didn’t miscarry, so why did she lose the baby after just a bit of stress? Could it be that…’

“Did Zachary force you to abort the baby?” Amelia asked.

“Of course not. He loves me so much.” Sandra’s teeth clenched. “It’s you. I lost the baby because you made me angry. You are the real culprit.”

“You are not that weak. How many times have you pretended to be in pain before?” Amelia still felt something was off about Sandra’s miscarriage.

Amelia thought, ‘The more the Foster family looked down on Sandra, the more she should have fought to keep that child. Even if there were signs of miscarriage, she would have done everything she could to protect the baby.’

“Amelia, you killed my baby. I must kill you.” Sandra practically wanted to devour Amelia alive.

Brooke restrained Sandra, not hurting her until Amelia gave the order.

Just then, Patrick, who had been watching, suddenly stood up and walked toward Sandra. He raised his hand and delivered several hard slaps, causing Sandra’s cheeks to swell and blood to seep from the corner of her lips.

Sandra looked at the man, who bore some resemblance to Landon, in terror and trembled, asking, “Who are you? How dare you hit me?”

“I am Patrick,” he said, his gaze cold and filled with a terrifying aura.

Though both exuded an undeniable presence, Landon radiated righteousness, while Patrick emanated an evil aura.

Amelia frowned, “Patrick, this is my personal matter. You don’t need to intervene.”

“No one can bully you in front of me.” Patrick kicked Sandra in the abdomen.

“Ouch,” Sandra cried out in pain as she fell to the ground, clutching her stomach. After having just undergone a dilation and curettage procedure, Patrick’s kick nearly took her life. She writhed in agony, trembling as cold sweat poured down her face.

Seeing Patrick’s brutality made even Amelia feel a chill for Sandra. “Patrick, stop.”

“Get lost,” Patrick said to Sandra, his voice low but chilling to the bone.

Sandra immediately clutched her abdomen and staggered away.

Amelia swallowed nervously, thinking, ‘Patrick is truly twisted and violent.’

Patrick pulled out a wet wipe to clean his hands. By the time he turned around, he had relaxed, looking completely different from the maniac who had just assaulted Sandra. “Amelia, if she bothers you again, just hit her back.”

Amelia felt goosebumps rising in her arms. She didn’t want to be in the same room with Patrick for another minute.

“Amelia, are you really not going to eat?” Patrick asked.

“My stomach hurts,” Amelia replied in a low voice.

“Well, let’s call it a day then.”

“Okay.”

The dinner concluded without any of the dangers Amelia had anticipated. She secretly instructed Aaron to take a little of each dish from the table to check whether Patrick had spiked anything.

As they prepared to part ways, Patrick smiled enigmatically, “Amelia, I was delighted with your hospitality. However, you now owe me another favor.”

Amelia stood frozen in place.

“Goodbye,” Landon said meaningfully as he waved and drove away.

Finally, Amelia could relax. She told Aaron, who had just finished packing up the meal, “No need for testing anymore.”

“Are you sure?” Aaron asked.

“Today’s food should be fine, but who knows about next time?” Amelia answered. She realized that Patrick was setting up a scheme, using today’s safe situation to lower her guard. She thought, ‘Damn it, I could have repaid Patrick’s favor this time, but that idiot Sandra just had to barge in.’

“Wait, how did Sandra end up here?” Amelia stopped and asked Aaron warily.

“Pamela was eating nearby. Sandra originally came after her but saw your car and ran over madly,” Aaron explained.

“Okay,” Amelia sighed in relief. “Tell Wesley to check Sandra’s hospital admission records to see if she had a natural miscarriage. I suspect Zachary is behind this.” The shadows of her past forced surgeries resurfaced in Amelia’s mind, and she unconsciously clenched her fist.

“Got it.” Aaron nodded. “Mr. Kingsley said he sent you messages. You should reply to him quickly.”

Startled, Amelia hurriedly took her phone out of her bag to find dozens of missed calls and unread messages from Landon.

[Don’t eat his food.]

[If he forces you, use the ring against him.]

[Have you finished? When are you coming back?]

[Amelia, reply to the message.]

These messages chronicled Landon’s transition from calm to anxious.

Amelia thought, ‘So he cares about my safety this much?’ She was in a flying mood, feeling like all the stress and anger caused by Patrick had faded away.

“Mrs. Kingsley, are you hungry? Should we eat something first?” Aaron asked.

“No, I want to go home.” At that moment, Amelia felt an overwhelming urge to return.