Chapter 92
โAre you hungry?โ Landon suddenly remembered that he hadnโt yet taken Amelia to the cafรฉ he had bought and converted from her old house.
Amelia wasnโt in the mood to eat. Every time she tried to calm down, all she could hear were Rachelโs frantic words, โYou have to find him. You have to bring my husband back to me.โ
All she wanted was to find William and bring him to Rachel.
โMr. Kingsley has bought a cafรฉ for you, Mrs. Kingsley. Why donโt you go check it out?โ Aaron suggested.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. โYou bought a cafรฉ in Pinecrest?โ
โYeah,โ Landon replied with a simple nod.
Amelia studied him in confusion. A small cafรฉ didnโt seem like something heโd invest in. She wondered what he was really after. โAlright, letโs go see it.โ
โOkay.โ The driver turned the car around, and in less than thirty minutes, they arrived at Kea Lane. The place was oddly familiar yet strange at the same time.
Amelia pushed Landonโs wheelchair, moving together with him from behind.
To keep a low profile, they wore hats, masks, and sunglasses, concealing their faces completely. Aaron and the others were also in disguise, trailing behind at a distance.
After the renovation, Kea Lane hadnโt really taken off and was very quiet, even in broad daylight. The cafรฉ at the end of the street was deserted, with not a single soul in sight.
โThatโs it,โ Landon said, pointing to the cafรฉโStarlight Cafe.
โYou really bought this place? It doesnโt even look like thereโs any business here,โ Amelia said with doubt. She couldnโt shake the feeling that it was a bad investment.
โThis place used to be your old home,โ Landon said softly.
Amelia froze as though struck by lightning and stood motionless in shock.
โItโll be transferred to your name soon, but itโs a shame it canโt be your home again,โ Landon added regretfully.
Amelia let go of his hand and wandered into the cafรฉ in a daze.
The dozing barista snapped to attention. โMiss, what can I get you?โ
โAnythingโs fine,โ Amelia replied, removing her sunglasses and taking in the space.
The place was about 430 square feet, with a sleek, modern design that didnโt even hint at its former life. But this was her childhood home and also where Debra had died.
A wave of sorrow hit Amelia, making her tear up.
The barista, noticing her distress, gently offered, โMiss, let me bring you a cup of coffee. Itโs on the house. You can sit by the window. Itโs sunny there.โ
โSure,โ Amelia murmured, walking toward the seat by the window.
Diana once said that Debra loved sitting in the sun, so her husband made sure to open a window in the sunniest spot.
When she was bored, Debra would hold Amelia and sit by the window, soaking up the sunlight. Amelia wondered if she was sitting in the right spot.
Amelia closed her eyes, soaking in the sunlight. As memories flooded back, she thought she saw a beautiful woman with long hair sitting by the window and humming a soft tune.
Little Amelia lay curled up in her arms, peacefully asleep. It was a harmonious and beautiful sight. Anyone who saw them would have thought, โWhat a loving motherโdaughter duo.โ
Tears welled up in Ameliaโs eyes, and before long, they were streaming down her cheeks.
Landon wheeled himself over to sit across from her and just watched her quietly. Beneath his sunglasses, his gaze was soft and calm.
Amelia wasnโt sure how long it had been, but eventually, she managed to compose herself.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Landon again and remembered that she had just left him standing in the street. โLandon, I didnโt mean to leave you.โ
โNo biggie,โ Landon said, knowing exactly what she was about to say and waving it off.
Amelia leaned back in her chair, letting out a long sigh. โActually, I passed by here the day before yesterday, but I didnโt realize it was my childhood home.โ
โBefore leaving Pinecrest, Walter used some underhanded tactics. This place has changed hands several times, so finding the original owner isnโt easy,โ Landon explained.
โThank you for going through all this trouble,โ Amelia said.
โYouโre my wife. This is the least I can do for you,โ Landon said, removing his mask to reveal his handsome face.
Amelia looked at him, her voice tinged with sadness. โDiana always said that even though my mother wasnโt mentally well, she still took great care of me. She was a good mother.โ
โI figured.โ Landon nodded. โYour mother was very clever. She protected you and William for twenty years with just a will.โ
โYes, she was very smart.โ Amelia clenched her teeth. โThatโs why I canโt let her down. I need to find the evidence and send the person who hurt her straight to hell.โ
It was hell, not prison. Just taking away their freedom wouldnโt be enough compensation for the loss of Debraโs life. Amelia wanted Walter and Melissa to be so miserable that they wished they were dead.
Landon saw the resolve in her eyes and knew she had gotten over her sadness. He snapped his fingers, signaling for the waiter to bring over coffee and dessert.
โTry this, the desserts here are not bad,โ Landon said, sliding a crepe cake toward her.
โThanks.โ Amelia took a sip of coffee and a bite of cake.
She ate elegantly, but there was something in the way she ateโit almost seemed like she was taking out her frustration as if she were gnawing at someoneโs bones.
Landon let out a quiet laugh, waiting for her to finish eating before he said, โLetโs head back to Norava right away.โ
โArenโt you here to look at property in Pinecrest?โ Amelia asked, tilting her head in confusion.
โYour matters are more important,โ Landon replied, smiling softly.
Ameliaโs heart skipped a beat like something had struck her deeply, sending waves of emotion through her. โSo, he is here for me and nothing else,โ she thought.
โLetโs go. Weโll come back next year,โ Landon said.
โMmโhmm.โ Amelia took a deep breath, snapping a few photos to remember the moment, and then reluctantly turned to leave.
This time, she didnโt leave Landon behind. Instead, she pushed his wheelchair slowly, enjoying the quiet stroll as they walked out of Kea Lane.
Not long after they left, Daniel arrived.
โExcuse me, whereโs the owner?โ Daniel asked, looking tired. His shoes were covered in a layer of dust, evidence of his rushed journey.
Clearly, he had come straight from Sapphire Estate without taking the time to freshen up.
โSir, the property has changed hands. The new owner is Amelia,โ the barista said.
Daniel paused, then shook his head. โNo, Iโm asking about the previous owner.โ
โOh, the previous owner is Brock who lives next to the famous big oak tree. He recently sold the place at a high price and is over there playing poker now.โ
Daniel quickly walked toward the tree, where a group of old men were playing poker, shouting and laughing happily. None of them looked like the person he remembered.
โMr. Zuckerberg, your wife is still young. She wonโt be interested in those crass old men,โ Danielโs assistant, Alaric Gray, chuckled.
Daniel clenched his fists. โBut the man said the emerald ring came from here.โ
โMaybe Mrs. Zuckerberg needed cash and decided to sell it off to live by,โ Alaric sighed. โBut Mr. Zuckerberg, she is too smart to sell off her things at her current place of residence.โ
โThatโs true. Once an antique is exposed, it would only attract attention and trouble,โ he thought.
Danielโs expression darkened as he processed this. After a moment, he nodded. โYouโre right. Letโs go.โ
Zachary, who was in Norava, received word that Amelia had returned to the city and got so excited that he almost jumped out of bed. โSheโs finally back.โ
โZachary, take it slow with the revenge. You need to focus on getting better first,โ Pamela advised, trying to calm him down.
โRevenge?โ Zachary chuckled darkly. โMom, sheโs tied to the Kingsley family. Anyone who goes after her is going to end up dead.โ
Pamela froze and trailed off, โSo, you meanโฆโ
โI want her on her knees, begging me for mercy,โ Zachary said with a twisted smile.