“Report Amelia and Landon? Are you out of your mind? Do you think the Kingsley family is someone we can afford to provoke?” Walter snapped, his tone laced with exasperation.

“Then what are we supposed to do? Amelia latched onto that family knowing we wouldn’t dare step out of line. If we don’t act fast, she’ll claim the entire inheritance for herself,” Sandra hissed, her face dark with frustration.

The Edwards family was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Debra’s antique collection was their last lifeline, the only thing that could save them from ruin.

If they failed to secure it, not only would the family collapse, but Sandra’s cushy lifestyle would be nothing more than a distant memory. She would be left with nothing.

“We must get that inheritance,” Walter growled, his expression hardening with grim resolve. His eyes, clouded with age, gleamed with a dangerous determination.

“Does Amy know about the inheritance?” Zachary interjected, a shadow of doubt crossing his face.

Walter and Melissa exchanged a heavy sigh. “She knows about her real mother. The inheritance… well, it’s only a matter of time before she finds out about that too.”

Zachary’s brows furrowed in thought. “That complicates things. If Amy knows everything, she’s fully within her rights to claim the inheritance on her own.”

Regret clawed at him. ‘Damn it. If I’d known Amelia would uncover the truth, I wouldn’t have gotten involved with Sandra. At the very least, I could’ve married Amelia first and claimed the inheritance before any of this blew up.’

“She can’t take it. Not yet,” Walter muttered, massaging his temples. “When Debra wrote her will, she explicitly stated that both husband and wife must sign off to access the inheritance.”

Zachary’s eyes lit up with sudden excitement. “That’s perfect. Landon’s a vegetable—there’s no way he can sign anything.”

In his mind, the problem had already solved itself. As far as he was concerned, the feud between the Edwards family and Amelia was none of his business.

He was confident that if he distanced himself from Sandra now, Amelia might forgive him. And once she did, the inheritance would still fall into his lap.

Growing more pleased with his own plan, Zachary leaned forward eagerly. “Mr. Edwards, I have an idea.”

“Speak,” Sandra demanded, brimming with impatience.

Zachary hesitated, glancing awkwardly at Sandra. “But it’ll mean Sandra has to make a bit of a sacrifice.”

Sandra’s face soured instantly. “What do you mean, Zachary?”

Zachary’s gaze sharpened, revealing a cunning glint. “Amelia and I were together for a year. She has feelings for me. The only reason she’s furious now is because she found out Sandra is pregnant with my child. But if I told her it was a mistake, that Sandra already… took care of it—”

“I won’t do it,” Sandra cut in, her voice sharp and unyielding. “I will not get rid of this baby. He’s the proof of our love.”

“Sandra,” Zachary said soothingly, reaching for her hand, “I’m not saying you actually have to do it. I’m saying we lie to her.”

“Oh…” Sandra’s pout softened, though she still clung to his arm, acting all sweet and coy. “That’s fine, I guess. But you better not actually fall for her. And you definitely can’t hurt me for her.”

“Of course not, sweetheart,” Zachary chuckled, tapping her nose playfully. “Once this is all over, I’ll marry you. I promise.”

“Alright.” Sandra’s smile returned, bright and satisfied, as she snuggled closer to him.

As the sky dimmed into a soft, dusky haze, Gloria decided to celebrate Amelia and Landon’s marriage in style. The kitchen staff outdid themselves, preparing a lavish spread that would put a royal feast to shame.

She even brought out an exquisite bottle of vintage red wine, sharing it with Amelia over heartfelt toasts and laughter.

Meanwhile, the groom himself, Landon, lay utterly still and alone in his bedroom. His mind raced with a whirlwind of thoughts, countless emotions surging through him, but his immobilized body betrayed no sign of the storm within, unable to do anything about it.

What he craved most at that moment was Amelia’s presence. ‘Come back already,’ he thought desperately, ‘just sit by my side, talk to me, anything.’

It felt like an eternity before the bedroom door creaked open. Amelia finally returned, her cheeks glowing faintly pink from the wine. Relaxed by the alcohol, she moved with an unsteady, carefree sway.

She stumbled toward the bed, tossed back the covers, and flopped down beside him, her warm body sinking into the mattress with a sigh.

The faint tang of wine clung to her, teasing his senses, wearing down his already fragile patience. Landon’s mind filled with a sharp, accusatory thought. ‘On our first night as a married couple, you ditch me to drink?’

Amelia, as always, heard him loud and clear. She giggled, her voice laced with a tipsy playfulness, “I wasn’t drinking alone, okay? Your mom and I had the party of our lives.” She hiccupped lightly, then shivered and instinctively snuggled closer to him, seeking warmth.

Landon stiffened immediately. Her soft, warm body pressing against his was almost unbearable. His muscles tensed involuntarily, and a familiar, unwelcome heat began coursing through him.

He snapped, his inner voice filled with frustrated restraint, ‘Get away from me.’

“Nope,” Amelia mumbled defiantly, wrapping her arms around his neck as if claiming her territory. She nestled even closer, rubbing against him like a mischievous kitten. “Your mom said we have to share a bed. Married couples do that, you know.”

Her display of intimacy was driving him to the brink. His body reacted with an intensity he couldn’t control, every nerve alight, his desire for her igniting like wildfire. He had a boner again, which left him mortified.

But for a split second, he wanted nothing more than to pull her even closer, to claim her.

He was aroused by her, but he dared not voice his thoughts, even in the privacy of his own mind, for she could hear his every thought. He absolutely couldn’t allow himself to admit that he had unspeakable feelings for her.

Amelia, oblivious to his inner struggle, sighed wistfully against his chest, “Landon, you’re so lucky. Your mom protects you like a fierce lioness. She’s kept your family’s legacy intact. Do you know that?”

Her words instantly sobered his thoughts. A sharp edge of anxiety crept into his mind. ‘What do you mean? Did Henry and his family try something?’

“Yeah, they sure did,” Amelia answered breezily, hearing his unspoken question. “Not just once, either. They think you’re down for the count forever, so they’re circling like vultures. If you don’t wake up soon, they might actually pull it off.”

She giggled, but her words were like icy daggers stabbing into him, “So wake up already. Don’t let them get what they want.” Landon’s blood ran cold. ‘Damn it. Kingsley Group was my father’s blood, sweat, and tears. He built it from the ground up, fighting tooth and nail to survive. Where was Henry and his family then, when my dad barely had food on the table?

“They didn’t lift a finger to help. And now, when everything is thriving and they’re still leeching off his legacy, they want to take it all? Over my dead body. I will not let them destroy everything my father worked for. I have to wake up. I have to now."

He summoned every ounce of his strength, wishing for his eyes to open, his fingers to twitch, anything. But his body betrayed him again, refusing to obey.

Helpless and exhausted, he let out an internal scream of frustration before succumbing to the despair of stillness.

“Landon, your chest is so firm.” Amelia’s voice broke through his dark thoughts, light and teasing. She poked at him with her delicate fingers, exploring the hard planes of his chest. “Does practicing combat skills make your muscles this toned?”

Her touch sent shivers rippling through him, but this time, the smoldering anger and hatred toward Henry and his family provided just enough of a distraction to keep him from completely losing control.

‘Amelia, do me a favor,’ Landon’s voice echoed coldly in both their minds, sharp as a blade slicing through the silence.

“What kind of favor?” Amelia asked, her tone light and playful as she continued to poke at his chest, her fingers prodding the firm muscles as if they were her new favorite toy. The more she poked, the more fascinated she seemed.

Landon’s patience wore thin. How he wished he could swat her mischievous hand away, but his unresponsive body left him powerless. He clenched his metaphorical teeth, forcing himself to endure as he issued his next command in his mind. ‘First, stop with your hands.’

“Alright, alright,” she replied with a grin, obediently retracting her hand, though her eyes sparkled with teasing amusement.

He exhaled mentally, steadying himself. ‘Find Wesley. Bring him back to be my personal doctor. Then inform Aaron that my car accident wasn’t an accident—it was deliberate. Tell him to investigate thoroughly.’

“That’s two favors, not one,” Amelia retorted, her lips forming an adorable pout that seemed almost too practiced.

Landon was momentarily speechless. He couldn’t believe she was seriously negotiating over something that wouldn’t take her a minute to relay. His thoughts turned pointed. ‘Amelia, if you still want my protection—’

“Wrong. Until you wake up, it’s your mom protecting me,” she replied.

Their whirlwind marriage had been a gamble, with Landon needing a wife to produce an heir while still in his vegetative state.

But Amelia had no delusions about their future. His iron will all but guaranteed that he would wake up eventually, and when he did, a divorce was inevitable.

She figured that without his promise of protection, the Edwards family would become a looming threat she couldn’t ignore if she couldn’t take care of them by then. Now, with his commitment sealed, she felt a wave of relief wash over her.

“I’ll make the call right now.” With a quick tug of the blanket, Amelia climbed out of bed, completely forgetting that Landon was lying there half-naked, dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers. The night’s chill was sharp and unforgiving, making the room feel like an icebox.

Exposed to the biting air, Landon’s dormant body began to shiver involuntarily.

Realizing her oversight, Amelia scrambled to pull the blanket back over him. But in her haste, her hand accidentally pressed somewhere it definitely shouldn’t have.