An Ocean Between Hearts

"Who were you talking to?" Chad's voice cut through the quiet.Still standing in the kitchen, Amelia snapped back to reality. "No one," she said evenly.That night, with Chad's soft breathing beside her, Amelia lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Sleep felt impossibly far away....The next morning, Chad frowned at the breakfast spread. "You know I don't eat this kind of stuff in the morning. Why'd you make it?"Amelia kept her eyes on her plate, cutting into a piece of steak. "It's all we've got left in the fridge."That was a lie. The fridge was full. She'd made this on purpose, prepping herself for the kind of food she'd be eating after she left.Chad didn't push it. Instead, he set his phone on the table, glancing at it every few seconds like he was waiting for something—or someone.When it buzzed, he grabbed it, his face lighting up with a rare smile. She didn't need to guess who it was.Amelia watched him quietly for a moment, then pulled out the divorce papers. She'd bee

Afraid Irina might change her mind and leave, Chad immediately ordered the servants to move her luggage into the largest guest room.Yara turned to Amelia with a smug sneer. "What are you standing there for? Go make dinner. Oh, and keep it mild—Irina can't handle spicy food."In this house, even with servants around, it was always Amelia doing the cooking.Chad was impossibly picky, his standards so high that even Michelin-starred chefs failed to impress him. Somehow, he tolerated Amelia's cooking, though he barely ate more than a few bites. Yara would sometimes join but mostly just complained about the food.This time, Amelia didn't move. She shook her head lightly and said something that froze everyone in place."I can't."Chad turned to her, frowning. In all the years he'd known her, she had never refused a single thing his family asked. Not once.Before he could say anything, Irina's eyes filled with tears. She bit her lip and looked down, her voice trembling. "This is my fa

Still trying to piece everything together, Amelia pulled into the driveway and stepped out, sketch board in hand.The second her feet hit the ground, the villa's staff practically mobbed her. Their faces screamed relief, and a few looked like they'd been one bad day away from crying."You're finally back! The house has been chaos without you. Mr. Felton hasn't liked anything we've done—he's been impossible!"Ah. There it was.This wasn't about her. Chad didn't care where she'd been; he just couldn't function without his built-in caretaker.Too bad for him. He'd better get used to it because soon, she'd be out of his life for good.Amelia gave them a polite smile and headed inside.The villa was dark, not even a lamp on. Chad was sitting alone on the couch, moonlight cutting across his face and throwing half of it into shadow. It made him look as unreadable as ever.When he heard her footsteps, his eyes snapped to hers, lingering for what felt like forever. His voice broke the s

And just as she was gearing up to leave, here came Yara and her entourage, strutting over like the mean girl squad.Amelia glanced up, suddenly boxed in.Yara's grin was all venom. "Amelia, what's it like being Chad's wife all these years, only to watch him drooling over Irina?" she sneered.She didn't stop there. "I've said it before—Chad's heart was always Irina's. You were just his rebound. Honestly, you should've taken the hint and left ages ago. But no, here you are, clinging like some desperate wannabe. Pathetic."Amelia's patience was paper-thin, her mind already on her half-packed suitcase upstairs. She didn't have time for this nonsense. Turning away, she tried to leave.But Yara and her gang weren't done."Still dreaming of your ugly-duckling-to-swan moment, huh?""If Irina hadn't left, do you really think someone like you could call yourself Mrs. Felton?""Know your place.""If you've got half a brain, you'll pack up and disappear from the Felton family for good."

Chad's head snapped up. "What did you just say?"Yara froze. She'd always been a little intimidated by Chad, but she pressed on, her voice faltering. "Amelia already divorced you. You don't even like her, so why not just get back together with Irina?""How do you know Amelia and I divorced?"Yara's nerves spiked. "Didn't you ask me to take medicine to Amelia last time?" she stammered. She'd seen the divorce papers then, assuming it was just Amelia bluffing. But with Amelia still gone, it was clear she'd meant every word.Chad's face turned stormy as the realization hit him. The divorce papers weren't some dramatic tantrum—they were real. Amelia, the woman who'd loved him so fiercely, had actually ended their marriage.The coffee cup in his hand slammed onto the table with a sharp thud.She’d gone through with it—her, Amelia, who had practically lived for him. Clearly, he'd been way too soft with her over the years. And honestly, where could she even go without him?Chad barked,