LOGINAmelia's mind went blank. All she could think about was getting out of the parking garage and finding somewhere with people.Panicked, she ran toward the corner by the elevator lobby, barely watching where she was going.The second she rounded the corner, she crashed into someone's chest.A pair of hands caught her by the arms and steadied her. A familiar scent wrapped around her.It was Christopher.Amelia's heart was pounding so hard that it almost hurt. Still shaken, she lifted her head, her face pale. Cold sweat was beading along her forehead, the fear in her eyes not yet gone.Then she instinctively looked back.The figure that had been following her was gone. Only the empty garage stretched behind her, washed in harsh white light, with nothing moving in sight.Christopher looked down at her, his brows drawn together. "What's wrong?"Amelia's fingers were still trembling around the strap of her bag. She took a deep breath and forced her voice to stay steady. "What are you
Two nights of constant tension had left Amelia exhausted. The faint blue shadows under her eyes were nearly impossible to hide, even with concealer.She sat with her eyes closed for a moment, then pushed the car door open and stepped out, dragging herself toward the elevator lobby.The elevator doors slid open. A stranger stood inside, dressed in a black hoodie, his head lowered so his face was hidden.Amelia's heart skipped. She stopped short, hesitated for a few seconds, then forced herself to step in.The air inside the elevator felt heavy. Only the faint hum of the car filled the silence. The man kept his head down, his fingers picking absently at the hem of his hoodie. Amelia's unease sharpened by the second.She stared at the numbers changing on the panel, silently counting the floors and willing the elevator to move faster.At last, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened.Amelia stepped out at once. She had just begun to breathe again when she saw Jasper waiting by the
Amelia lay there with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling as one possibility after another took shape in her mind.The deal with Corvex Solutions had just gone through. Could a competitor be trying to scare her?Or had Samantha done something after their argument earlier?Or was she reading too much into it, and none of it meant anything?The thoughts kept circling, tightening Amelia's chest.She picked up her phone, ready to call Jasper, then saw the time. It was 2:30 a.m.She set it down again. Calling now would only wake him, and if she was wrong, she would sound paranoid.She drew a breath and walked quietly to Evelyn's room. Right now, she needed to see her little girl.The door was slightly open. Amelia pushed it wider. Evelyn lay on her side, her cheeks flushed. Her lashes rested against her skin, her breathing slow and even. She was still holding the blind box figure she had opened the night before.Amelia stepped closer and crouched by the bed, brushing a strand o
Late that night…Amelia drifted in and out of sleep. A dull buzz filled her head, like pressure building behind her temples. Each wave was sharper than the last.She forced her eyes open. The room was pitch-dark.She turned toward the window, trying to fix her gaze on the distant lights outside, hoping it would ease the pounding.Then, from the corner of her eye, she caught a tiny red light blinking in the corner of the garden below.Her heart skipped. She instinctively held her breath and fixed her gaze on it.Two seconds later, it disappeared, as though it had never been there.Amelia blinked and rubbed her eyes. Maybe she had drunk too much. Maybe her vision was off.She told herself she was just exhausted. Nothing more.The headache pressed harder, and her throat felt dry. She pushed the covers aside and stepped onto the cold floor, heading for the living room to get water.She had just reached the bedroom door, her hand hovering over the handle, when she heard footsteps.
"Mr. Langley, why don't I take Amelia home? You've been busy all day. You should get some rest."Lincoln stepped over, his eyes going straight to Amelia.He carried a small bag. Inside were the things for a hangover drink.Jasper's hand tightened on Amelia's arm. He met Lincoln's gaze, polite but steady. "No need, Mr. Spencer. I'll take her home. She's had a lot to drink. It's easier if I handle it."Lincoln paused, taking in the way Jasper had shifted slightly in front of her.He understood. Jasper didn't trust him around Amelia like this. As a friend, he was drawing a line.Lincoln let out a small sigh and didn't press it. He handed the bag to Jasper. "Then I'll leave her with you. Have her drink this when she gets home. It'll help.""Thanks." Jasper took it and guided Amelia toward the parking lot.Amelia leaned against him, catching fragments of the exchange through the haze, but she didn't focus on it. To her, it didn't matter who took her home. It was just help.What she
Amelia lifted her glass again and finished another half.For the next half hour, she barely paused.Some came to congratulate her, some to sound out potential deals, and some simply wanted to meet the woman who had carved out a place for herself in a male-dominated field.She kept the same polite smile. Her glass rose again and again, and the wine followed. Color crept into her cheeks. Her focus started to blur.Jasper had been watching from across the room. When he saw how much she'd had, he stepped in and pressed a hand over her glass before she could raise it again."Amelia, that's enough. You just got out of the hospital. Your body can't handle this."She shook her head, eyes unfocused, trying to pull her hand free. "I'm fine… It's a big day. People came to congratulate us. I can't just shut it down…""Being happy doesn't mean you ignore your limits." Jasper's voice hardened. He took the glass from her and handed it off to a server. "You've had enough. Any more and you're g
Amelia froze. She thought she must have misheard."What did you say?" she asked.Christopher spoke slowly, almost leisurely. "Your attitude toward her has been harsh, and she's upset because of it. You should control yourself and apologize."Amelia felt the air leave her lungs. What a cruel joke.
Jasper had no intention of working with Nicole.Nicole rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. With her current skills and education, she could easily carve out her own path at Nova Nine Technologies. There's no reason Jasper wouldn't want to collaborate with her. She just wanted to make
Amelia smiled and nodded, then followed Jasper toward the lecture hall.Of course, fate had a sense of irony.Nicole and Christopher were there, and so was Luke.Luke was the COO of Cloudway Technologies, and he had tagged along to stay informed about the industry.Christopher sat in the front r
"I think it's because you've been worn out taking care of the kids at home. Chris doesn't seem to care about you at all."At the mention of Christopher, Amelia pursed her lips. "He's busy with work."She didn't want to tell Dorothy about the looming divorce.In her last life, three days after Eve







