CHAPTER 6

The glass dining table in the sunlit breakfast room was laid out with fresh fruits, coffee, and warm pastries, but the air inside the room was heavy with cold, suffocating tension.

Amelia sat quietly beside Adrian, her hands resting in her lap. Across from them sat Gloria Cross—Adrian’s mother—dressed in a tailored cream suit that looked far too formal for a casual morning. Beside her, twirling a silver spoon around her coffee cup, was Adrian’s younger sister, Claire.

For eight years, Amelia had endured the cold shoulders and sharp glances from the Cross family.

When she first met Adrian, she had chosen to conceal her true identity as a wealthy heiress, wanting to know he loved her for who she was, not her family’s massive fortune. She had introduced herself as a simple orphan with no family backing.

Because of that, Gloria and Claire had spent eight years treating her like a charity case who had hit the lottery by marrying Adrian.

"I see you didn't sleep well, Amelia," Gloria said, setting her china cup down on its saucer with a sharp click. Her icy eyes swept over Amelia’s face, lingering on the slight shadows under her eyes, and dismissed her entirely. "You really should pay more attention to your appearance. Adrian works far too hard to come home to a tired-looking wife."

Amelia forced a polite smile, keeping her hands steady under the table. "It was just a long night, Gloria. Adrian’s flight was canceled, and I was worried."

Claire let out a short, mocking laugh, setting her spoon down. "Oh, please. Worried about him, or just smothering him? Adrian is running a multibillion-dollar corporation, Amelia. He doesn't need a babysitter watching the clock every time he’s late."

Amelia felt the color drain from her face. "Claire, I wasn't…"

"And besides," Claire interrupted, her voice turning sharp and sneering, "if you spent half as much time focusing on starting a family as you do tracking Adrian's schedule, maybe my mother would actually have a grandchild by now. Eight years, Amelia. Eight years, and an orphan like you hasn't given this family a single heir. Most men in Adrian’s position would have lost their patience ages ago."

The words hit Amelia like a physical blow. The unspoken pain she carried—the silent ache of empty doctor's appointments and tears behind locked bathroom doors—was ripped open right in front of everyone at the table.

She didn't know why she and Adrian didn't have a child up until now, both of them have gone to see the doctor and they confirmed nothing was wrong but Amelia just wasn't getting pregnant. Not even a single miscarriage in the past eight years.

Her throat tightened, but before she could speak, a heavy metallic thud shattered the quiet room.

Adrian slammed his coffee mug onto the glass table, sending dark liquid splashing onto the placemat.

"That's enough, Claire!" Adrian’s voice rang out, deep, furious, and commanding.

Claire flinched, her sneer instantly disappearing. Gloria’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she remained silent.

Adrian turned his sharp gaze toward his sister, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the table. "You will not speak to my wife like that in this house. Amelia is my wife, and she deserves your respect. If I hear one more disrespectful word come out of your mouth about her or our marriage, you can pack your bags and get out. Do you understand me?"

Claire bit her lip, her face flushing red. "Adrian, I was just—"

"I said, do you understand me?" Adrian repeated, his voice dropping into a dark growl.

Claire lowered her eyes. "Yes. Fine. I'm sorry."

Amelia looked up at Adrian, her eyes shining with unshed tears. The shame and hurt that had been building inside her chest dissolved into a massive wave of gratitude.

Looking at him, her heart whispered. Look at how he protects you.

Every doubt, every lingering thought about Natalie's photo or the lipstick collar felt shameful now. Here was a man who didn't hesitate to stand up to his own family just to defend her honor. He loved her. She felt a deep, piercing guilt for ever questioning his loyalty.

Adrian reached beneath the table, finding her hand and wrapping his long, warm fingers securely around hers. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, looking into her eyes with pure warmth.

"Are you okay, babe?" he asked softly, ignoring his mother and sister entirely.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Amelia whispered, offering him a genuine smile. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me for doing what any real husband would do," Adrian murmured back, his thumb stroking the back of her hand.

Across the table, Claire scoffed softly under her breath. As she reached into her designer bag to pull out her phone, her elbow caught the corner of her unzipped side pocket. A small velvet box tumbled out, popping open as it hit the floor beside Adrian’s chair.

A breathtaking diamond bracelet caught the sunlight, glittering brilliant white against the rug.

Amelia blinked, looking down at the glittering bracelet in confusion. Claire was a university student whose trust fund allowance was strictly monitored by Gloria. There was no way Claire could afford a piece like that on her own budget.

"Claire, what is that?" Gloria demanded, her sharp eyes narrowing at her daughter. "Where did you get that?"

Claire’s face went pale. She reached down in a panic, trying to snatch the box off the floor. "It's nothing! It's just... someone gave it to me—"

Before Claire's fingers could reach it, Adrian leaned down, his movements fast and precise. He scooped up the jewelry box and the bracelet, snapping the lid shut with a loud click.

"It's mine," Adrian said smoothly, his tone instantly shifting back to its calm, authoritative composure as he slipped the box into his inner suit pocket. "I bought it yesterday."

Gloria frowned. "You bought Claire a diamond bracelet?"

"I bought it as a bribe," Adrian said with a light, easy smile, casually taking a sip of his coffee. "Claire has been bugging me for weeks about upgrading her sports car. I told her if she keeps her grades up this semester and stays out of trouble, she can have the bracelet instead. I was keeping it in my brief case until midterms."

Claire stared at her brother for a long second, her eyes wide with initial confusion before a strange, knowing smirk spread across her lips. "Right. The bribe. Thanks, big brother."

Amelia watched the exchange, a faint, lingering curiosity touching her mind, but she quickly pushed it away. It made sense. Adrian was always generous with his family, often using expensive gifts to keep Claire motivated or quiet.

"You spoil her too much, Adrian," Gloria sighed, shaking her head, though the tension in her shoulders visibly relaxed.

"She's my sister," Adrian said easily, pushing his chair back and standing up from the table. He straightened his tie and looked down at Amelia, reaching out to stroke her hair gently. "Babe, I need to head to the office early. Are you coming with me now, or do you want to finish your breakfast?"

"I'll come with you," Amelia said quickly, eager to leave the stifling atmosphere of the dining room. "Just give me five minutes to grab my purse and tablet from upstairs."

"Take your time," Adrian said, stepping away toward the front foyer to gather his leather briefcase.

Amelia stood up, offered Victoria a polite nod, and walked briskly up the grand staircase toward the master bedroom.

She walked up the grand staircase to their master suite to gather her tablet and purse for work. As she picked up her iPad from the nightstand, her tablet screen lit up, automatically syncing with the work account system connected to their home Wi-Fi network.

A small notification banner popped up at the top of her screen:

Cross Enterprises VIP Concierge Notice: Luxury Penthouse Suite Reservation Confirmed at The Ritz-Carlton for Mrs. Cross. Check-in: Tonight, 8:00 PM.

Amelia stopped in her tracks, staring down at the glowing screen.

A sudden, warm rush of happiness bloomed in her chest. A surprise reservation for tonight? A luxury penthouse suite under "Mrs. Cross"?

She smiled to herself, thinking back to how intensely Adrian had defended her downstairs. He was probably planning a romantic weekend getaway to make up for the crazy night, the canceled flight, and his mother’s awful behavior.

She grabbed her bag, tucked her tablet into her arm, and hurried downstairs to the car where Adrian was waiting in the driver's seat.

She slid into the passenger seat, setting her purse in her lap. She looked over at his handsome profile, a playful smile resting on her lips as she decided to give him a subtle opening to bring up the surprise.

"So," Amelia said softly as Adrian pulled the car out of the driveway. "Are we coming straight home after work today, or do we have any plans tonight?"

Adrian kept his eyes fixed on the road, his hands resting easily on the steering wheel. He didn't turn to look at her, nor did his expression change.

"I have back-to-back emergency board meetings tonight, babe," Adrian said smoothly, his tone casual and completely matter-of-fact. "It's going to be a long night at the office. I probably won't get home until way past midnight, so don't wait up for me."

Amelia’s playful smile instantly froze on her face.

The warmth in her chest evaporated, replaced by a sudden, icy shock that made it hard to breathe.

She turned her head to look out the passenger window, her mind spinning out of control as she stared at the passing trees.

Back-to-back meetings all night?

If Adrian was going to be trapped at the office until midnight... then who was checking into the luxury suite at The Ritz-Carlton tonight under the name Mrs. Cross?