Chapter 87

Landon smiled faintly at her words.

“I’ll be staying in Pinecrest for a few more days. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out,” Daniel said, but before leaving, he cast a sharp, warning glance at Landon.

“Got it,” Amelia replied, feeling a warm sense of comfort. Though they’d only just met, Daniel gave off the vibe of a caring older brother. He was warm, steady, and reassuring.

She watched Daniel walk away, her gaze lingering far longer than it should have. Finally, Landon’s sharp knock on the table broke her trance. “Amelia, sit down.”

“You are so annoying,” Amelia snapped, reluctantly turning away and dropping into the chair. She glared at Landon, her anger simmering. He’d seriously threatened to air their bedroom affairs in public, which was extremely shameless of him.

“Amelia, come back home with me.” Landon’s tone softened, almost pleading.

Getting rid of Daniel had put him in a perfect mood, one that matched the bright, cheerful atmosphere of Sapphire Estate.

“Landon, you can speak and write just fine now. You don’t need me anymore,” Amelia said sternly. “This is the perfect time to get divorced.”

“I can’t walk yet,” Landon countered unapologetically.

Amelia pressed her lips into a thin line. “Plenty of people use wheelchairs. That’s not an excuse.”

“If Henry finds out I’ve recovered this much, he’ll definitely try to kill me again,” Landon said bluntly.

Amelia’s heart clenched for a moment, but then she scoffed at herself and forced herself to relax. “That’s your family’s mess, not mine. Deal with it yourself.”

“We agreed to wait until I fully recovered before we divorced,” Landon said, staring at her cold eyes as his heart dropped. She was determined to leave him, completely indifferent to his life or death. He wondered, ‘Is it because of Daniel?’

Amelia froze for a moment. She thought, ‘Did he really think there was something between me and Daniel? How absurd! What does he take me for? But since he’s already misunderstanding, why not go along with it and finally get rid of him?’

Amelia hesitated for a moment, then finally said, “I already have someone I like. Please, stop wasting my time.”

Landon narrowed his eyes as they turned gloomy. “Amelia, what did you just say?”

“Daniel’s a good guy,” she exclaimed. Maybe it was the intensity of his stare, or perhaps she just wasn’t good at lying, but either way, her voice sounded shaky as the words left her mouth.

“Oh, he’s great,” Landon scoffed. “But do you even know who he is?”

Of course, Amelia had no idea. Few families could rival the Kingsley family in the region, and for Landon to treat Daniel with such respect meant he came from an influential family, one that even the Kingsley family couldn’t compare to.

“It doesn’t matter who he is. What matters is that the feeling is mutual,” Amelia said, trying her best to sound calm, even as the tips of her ears betrayed her, turning red.

Landon studied her reaction and quickly saw through her. He mocked, “Amelia, your lies just come naturally to you now, don’t they?”

“Uh…” Amelia felt her face heat up as she thought, ‘He didn’t buy it?’

“If Daniel were standing here right now, would you dare say that to his face?” Landon asked.

Amelia bit her lip in frustration, choosing to avoid the question. Instead, she fired back, “We’re just in a business partnership. What’s the point of you clinging to me like this?”

“Who’s clinging to whom?” Landon shot back with disdain. “Amelia, before I fully recover, you don’t even think about leaving me.”

Amelia was furious. “If you don’t trust me, then don’t work with me. Don’t you have such basic common sense as the CEO of Kingsley Group?”

“And can’t you keep to yourself? You brought another man’s handkerchief home. Do you seriously expect me to tolerate that?” Landon shot back.

“I dirtied it, so I brought it home to wash it before returning it to him,” Amelia snapped.

“It’s a damn handkerchief, Amelia. Do you think the Kingsley family can’t afford to replace it?” Landon retorted.

On his way to Sapphire Estate, Landon had thought about apologizing to her. But as soon as they talked, the tension flared, and the words he’d planned to say stuck in his throat.

“All you care about is money. Daniel helped me deal with Jonas,” Amelia shouted, her voice shaking with anger as she stood up. She thought, ‘He is impossible to reason with.’

“Stop right there,” Landon shouted. He thought, ‘Is she really going to walk out on me again? Does she have any idea how hard it was for me to get here in a wheelchair? I nearly tipped over a couple of times even.’

Amelia froze and turned back to look at him suspiciously. She didn’t understand why he insisted on coming here if it was that tough for him. A man with his standing could easily have sent someone to drag her back, so she wondered if he had come because he wanted to bring her home himself.

“Amelia, I’m sorry for what happened last night,” Landon said, his face flushed with discomfort as he finally acknowledged his harsh actions. ‘I didn't even know Jonas had followed Amelia to Pinecrest, but my biggest regret of this was giving Daniel a chance to play the hero.’

Amelia heard his thoughts, and she calmed down, but only just. Even so, not knowing the full story wasn’t an excuse for his baseless accusations. His apology didn’t change the fact that he didn’t trust her.

“Amelia…” Landon’s grip tightened on the armrests of his wheelchair as he nervously watched her. He thought, ‘I have apologized, so will she forgive me?’

“You don’t trust me,” Amelia said, shaking her head. That was the real issue. Whether or not she forgave him didn’t matter. “Landon, we’re done.”

Her unwavering resolve shocked him. He hadn’t expected her to be so firm that she wouldn’t even accept his apology. It felt like a stab to his chest, the pain sharp and relentless.

Amelia studied him, trying to read him by listening to his thoughts, but something had changed. It was as if a black cloud had settled over him, and she couldn’t hear anything.

She frowned, ‘Could it be that I can’t hear him that well anymore because he can now speak?’

But she didn’t realize it wasn’t that her abilities were fading but that he’d never experienced this kind of heartache before—pain so raw it left him disoriented and lost. He was hurting, confused, and unsure of what to do next.

“Landon, since you’re not saying anything, I’ll take it as you’ve agreed…” Amelia said.

“Wait,” Landon finally said.

He lowered his gaze and, almost in a whisper, asked, “Tell me your terms. What will it take for you to stay?”

Hearing that, Amelia chuckled in disbelief, “Landon, after everything, you still think I’d stay for money or status?”

“The grave and belongings of Debra,” Landon reminded her flatly.

Amelia froze, her face paling.

“I can help you find Debra’s grave,” Landon offered.

Amelia shut her eyes briefly and shook her head. “I can find it myself.”

“If I don’t sign the divorce papers, you’ll never be able to remarry or claim her belongings,” Landon threatened.

“Landon,” Amelia’s voice rose in anger. “Could you be any more despicable?”

“Stay, and I’ll go with you tomorrow to claim the belongings,” Landon said, lifting his head slowly, his gaze calm and unwavering as he looked at her.