LOGINAmelia was still a little unsteady, but her mind felt surprisingly clear.She could feel the warmth of Christopher's hand through her sleeve, see the hesitation in his eyes, and hear her own heart pounding in her chest."I want to know what you're thinking."Amelia looked up at him. Her lashes were still slightly damp, but her gaze was steady and stubborn.The alcohol had stripped away her usual restraint, and the questions she had kept buried for so long finally came out.Christopher's grip on her arm tightened slightly.He looked down at her, his face half-shadowed beneath the streetlights. His expression was hard to read."I want you to be safe."The words were simple, but there was no hesitation in his voice.Amelia froze, her eyes suddenly stinging.After years of misunderstandings, distance, and conflict, hearing him say so plainly that he simply wanted her safe hit her harder than she expected.Some of the hurt and uncertainty she had carried for so long seemed to eas
Amelia looked up at Christopher, her emotions tangled.For a moment, she couldn't quite collect herself. She didn’t expect him to come so quickly, much less step in so openly to protect her.It had been a long time since she had seen this side of him.She studied his face and realized he really had changed.After everything that had happened between them, neither of them seemed as guarded as before. Christopher had become much more direct about how he felt and where he stood."Christopher..."He looked at her. "Are you okay?"Amelia nodded. "I'm fine."Once he was sure she wasn't hurt, Christopher turned to his men. "Take them to the police. Find out who they are, too. I don't want to see them causing trouble in this city again.""Got it, Mr. Zephyr."The bodyguards immediately stepped in and restrained the men. No matter how much they struggled or begged, they were dragged outside.Their shouts gradually faded, and the bar finally fell quiet again.Another bodyguard chec
The call connected almost immediately, and Christopher's low, steady voice came through the phone."Hello? What's wrong?"The moment Amelia heard his voice, the tension in her chest eased slightly. Somehow, he had become the person she instinctively turned to when things went wrong.She took a breath, gave him the address, and said, "Can you come here?"Her voice was soft and slightly slurred."Stay where you are. I'm coming now," Christopher said. "Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?""No, I'm not hurt. They just won't leave us alone, and Winnie's really drunk...""Don't worry. I'll be there in ten minutes. Until then, don't provoke them." His voice stayed calm and steady. "Keep the call connected. Don't hang up.""Okay." Amelia gripped the phone and kept it pressed to her ear.When one of the men realized she was calling for help, his expression turned ugly. "Call whoever you want. Neither of you is going anywhere tonight!"One of the men reached for Amelia's pho
"I get it."Amelia spoke softly as she picked up the glass of water on the table and handed it to Winona."Drink some water first. And don't keep all of this bottled up."You didn't do anything wrong. They're the ones who ignored how you felt and pushed you aside."No matter what happens, I'm here for you. If you need to vent, complain, or just talk, call me anytime."Even if no one else understands, I'm on your side."Winona took the glass and drank a few sips. She slowly calmed down, though her eyes were still red.The two of them stayed in their corner booth while Winona talked through everything that had happened at home and why something about Chloe didn't sit right with her.Amelia listened patiently, occasionally chiming in and agreeing that Nella's favoritism was obvious.Neon lights glowed across the bar while loud music filled the room, creating the kind of atmosphere where it was easy to lose track of time.Before long, more drinks covered the table as they switche
Winona realized she couldn't stay in that house any longer. As she headed downstairs, she happened to overhear Nella's words.Gripping her car keys, Winona walked straight out of the house.Just as she stepped outside, Nella’s voice came from behind her."You're being ridiculous! We only asked you to give up one room. Did you really have to make such a big deal out of it? "We've spoiled you too much. You only ever think about yourself!"The words hit hard, leaving a dull ache in her chest and tears burning behind her eyes.She didn't turn around or argue. She got into the car, stepped on the gas, and drove away, leaving the suffocating atmosphere of the house behind.In the rearview mirror, the home that held more than 20 years of memories grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared from sight. For the first time, it no longer felt like home.She had no idea where to go. Her place felt empty, and going back to her parents' house was out of the question. She drove around
Winona watched the scene unfold, growing more irritated by the second.She knew that no matter what she said, her parents would only see her as the unreasonable one.They were so caught up in finally finding their long-lost daughter that all they could think about was making up for everything Chloe had missed. They hadn't stopped to consider Winona's feelings at all."Fine. She can have it."Winona took a deep breath and forced down her anger. "She can stay in my room. I don't care anymore."She was done arguing with her parents, and she was tired of Chloe standing there looking like she had been wronged.If no one cared how Winona felt, there was no point fighting over the room.Nella's expression immediately softened. "That's better. We're family. Sometimes, we have to compromise for each other."Chloe smiled as well. "Thanks, Winnie."Winona ignored her. Without another look at her parents, she turned and headed upstairs.Instead of going to the guest room, she went stra
Christopher said, "I'm skipping breakfast."Amelia said nothing.In the end, to avoid drawing Dorothy's attention, Christopher got into the car with her.He settled into the passenger seat and spoke as if it were natural. "Take me to the company."At 6'3", he was a giant in Amelia's compact car.
Evelyn's heart skipped a beat.For a moment, she almost wanted to go. Christopher never acted like this.Whenever they came to visit Dorothy, Nathan was always there too. He would cling to Christopher and always be the one in his arms.But now…Evelyn bit her lip, then turned quickly and wrapped
If Amelia came back, Nathan's life would be so much easier."Nathan," Amelia said, looking at him with a deep breath. "If you need anything, go talk to your new mommy."Nathan stared at her, dazed, and didn't say a word.Amelia was already back, yet she still said things like that. Deep down, he
The teacher lowered her eyes to the score sheets. "I am pleased to announce that the first-place winner of the math competition is Evelyn Zepyhr!"A look of quiet pride spread across Amelia's face. Evelyn was so excited she nearly jumped for joy."What do you mean?" Nicole frowned at Christine. "W







