CHAPTER FIVE
Amelia studied, Gloria Lin. The woman looked so young, so innocent, almost like a delicate flower. Amelia couldn't help but see a reflection of her younger self in Gloria's wide, trusting eyes, the Amelia who had been completely blindsided by Michael Vick.
Michael's face hardened when Amelia spoke. Was this a threat? From her? How… interesting.
Gloria, meanwhile, was completely lost. She tugged at Michael's sleeve, her voice soft and a little hesitant. "Honey, I think we should go inside. Grandma and Grandpa have been waiting." She glanced at Amelia, then back at Michael, a silent question in her eyes. It just felt silly, standing there, wasting time on someone who wasn't even family.
Michael gave a curt nod and followed Gloria through the grand entrance, their figures disappearing behind the heavy huge doors.
Once they were gone, Stephanie turned to Amelia, her expression that of concern and exasperation. "I think you should just go home, Lia."
Amelia let out a long, slow sigh. "Right."
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Hours later, after a quiet dinner with Sheila and the triplets, Amelia found herself back at the Brunswick mansion. She'd expected Michael and Gloria to be long gone by now, but the moment the taxi she had boarded crunched onto the gravel drive, she saw him. He was standing near a sprawling rose garden, the evening sun casting long shadows behind him.
Seeing her again seemed to ignite something in him. Before she could even take another step, he was there, his hand clamping around her arm. He yanked her behind the vibrant flower bushes, the thorns scratching at her clothes.
"How much more shameless can you be? Have you completely lost your mind?" His voice was a low growl, tight with controlled fury.
Amelia gasped, reeling from the sudden aggression. His grip was a vise, digging into her flesh, and a sharp pain shot up her arm. For a terrifying second, she wondered if he'd snapped. She twisted, trying to pull away, her voice strained. "What the hell is fucking wrong with you, Michael?!"
Her body felt small and vulnerable against his. He was pulling at her with such force that she felt like her arm might tear from its socket.
Michael froze. A curse word. From Amelia. He actually blinked, his grip momentarily loosening as he stared at her, a slight surprise in his eyes. "Amelia… you've really changed. You're even swearing now."
A bitter laugh escaped Amelia. "And what's wrong with me saying a few curse words, Michael? You're the one who turned me into this mess. Shouldn't you be proud of yourself? Congratulations, Mr. Vick, you're now the son-in-law of the Lin family. If you hadn't divorced me back then, you probably wouldn't have gotten to where you are today, would you?"
She had carried the weight of everything – the gossip, the whispers, the blame of what she didn't even do for so long. So what if a few curse words slipped out? It was none of his business.
Michael rubbed his temples, a frustrated sigh escaping him. "You chose not to terminate the pregnancy, Amelia. Your situation right now has nothing to do with me. Don't pin everything on me!"
"That doesn't excuse you and your family slandering me, ruining my damn reputation!"
"I never said you cheated, did I?" Michael retorted, his voice rising slightly.
"That's my point, Michael! You never said it, but you certainly didn't deny it!" Amelia's eyes blazed, wishing she could just tear him limb from limb. He hadn't directly accused her, no, but he'd let his family paint her as barren, as a cheat, tarnishing her name and making her the target of everyone's scorn.
"You need to leave. Right now. I'm warning you, if you try to cause a scene here, I won't go easy on you." His voice was low and menacing.
"You need to stop with this delusion that you have the right to tell me what to do!" Amelia shot back, her voice dripping with disdain. "We're not married, Michael. I don't have to do what you say anymore. If you're so scared I'll make a scene, why don't you just give me back the house? It's what you owe me! You don't even need it anymore, and I have responsibilities to take care of."
She was currently renting a cramped apartment for herself and the triplets, and the rent was a constant, suffocating weight. Getting the old house back would be a lifeline, a chance to breathe. She truly hated him for taking it from her.
"I'm sorry, but that's not happening," Michael said, his jaw set. Even though the house meant nothing to him now, giving it back to her felt like admitting he'd made a mistake, something he couldn't afford to explain to Gloria.
Amelia's gaze was ice cold. "Then I guess you should wait for your precious wife to hand you divorce papers. If I can't live well, you shouldn't either." She pushed past him, heading straight for the main entrance. After all, Mr. Brunswick's appointment was almost due.
Michael watched her, his mind racing. She was going inside, he was sure of it. To tell them everything. He was married to Gloria Lin, and her grandparents had never fully approved of him – a divorced man with no real background. If Amelia went in there and spilled the beans, who knew what would happen? He rushed forward, blocking her path before she could even reach the first step. "You can't go in there!"
"Why can't I? Do you own this building now?"
Before she could react, Michael grabbed her arm again, pulling her, dragging her away from the mansion. "You fucking asshole! Let me go!" Amelia yelled, struggling against his painfully tight grip.
"No… I knew all along you came here because of me. You think someone like you can just waltz in here acting like a nurse? Dream on. You want a place to stay, right? I can make that happen, but why are you making such a fuss by trying to ruin me?" He had to admit, she had a certain audacity, trying to get close to the Brunswicks. But this self-taught 'nurse' would surely be found out, and Michael couldn't risk her showing up in front of his in-laws like this.
Amelia couldn't believe it, he was actually offering her a place to stay. But now wasn't the time. Not like this, he could be toying with her situation just to get her out of the Brunswick home. As Michael dragged her further, her anxiety mounted. She twisted, her anger finally boiling over. With a little unexpected strength, she pulled free, her hand swinging back.
SMACK!
The sound cracked through the entire air. Michael's head snapped to the side, a bright red mark blooming on his cheek. In the sudden silence that followed, a cool, calm voice cut through the air.
"Mrs. Thomas?"