LOGINThe moment Amelia's warm hand closed around Christopher's cold one, his entire body went still.Almost instinctively, his fingers tightened around hers, holding on.Her warmth seemed to seep into him, slowly easing some of the tension in his body.Amelia looked up at him with a gentle smile. "It'll get better."There was nothing elaborate about it. Just three simple words.Christopher looked at her smiling face, and the turmoil inside him slowly settled.To him, she was everything good in the world, and it had been a long time since she'd smiled at him like that."I'll come with you from now on," Amelia said softly. It wasn't a question.Christopher's grip faltered, and his fingers loosened slightly. "You don't have to force yourself."He knew how hard the treatments were to watch. He didn't want her going through that with him, especially if she was only doing it out of pity or obligation.Amelia looked at him. "How am I forcing myself? You're the one who never says what
Something tugged at Amelia's heart, leaving her with a strange mix of warmth and sadness.She looked at Christopher's calm expression and suddenly remembered what he told her the night before. "I want you to be safe."His concern for her had never been just words."What about you?" Amelia pushed aside her emotions and grew serious. "How are you doing? Have you been getting treatment this whole time?"Christopher's expression dimmed slightly, but he didn't avoid the question. "Jessica's going to set up another treatment session for me soon."He paused before adding quietly, "ECT. Electroconvulsive therapy for severe depression."Amelia's breath caught. She stared at him, unable to hide her concern. "ECT? Isn't that a little..."She trailed off. She knew the treatment could take a lot out of a person, and the thought of Christopher going through it worried her."I'm not as stable as I seem," Christopher said calmly, almost as if he were talking about someone else. "Some
"Okay. Be careful, Mommy." Evelyn nodded, then seemed to remember something. "Is Daddy taking you?"Amelia paused, then smiled and nodded. "Yeah.""That's great!" Evelyn practically bounced with excitement. "Mommy, you have to get along with Daddy, okay? I really like him."Amelia smoothed her daughter's hair, warmth spreading through her chest. "I know. I will."Amelia went downstairs and got into Nigel's car.As they drove through the city, Amelia leaned back and watched the streets pass by outside. She felt both excited and uneasy.She didn't know if this trip to the hospital would bring her and Christopher closer or if the distance between them would stay the same.They soon arrived at the hospital. After Nigel parked, he said to Amelia, "Mr. Zephyr is already inside waiting for you. I'll take you to him."Amelia nodded and followed him inside.Jessica's office was on the third floor. As soon as they reached the hallway, Amelia spotted Christopher waiting outside in
Christopher spoke quietly, but his words seemed to hit Evelyn harder than she expected.Evelyn froze. So did Amelia.She turned to Christopher, clearly surprised. She didn’t expect him to say something like that to Evelyn, especially so openly.Evelyn's eyes immediately lit up, and a mix of emotions crossed her face. After a moment, she smiled. "Daddy, come see my room. I have a bunch of toys I want to show you.""Okay." Christopher smiled and let Evelyn take his hand and lead him away.Amelia watched them go, warmth spreading through her chest.Then she got to her feet and made her way unsteadily toward the bathroom.After washing up, the dizziness eased a little, though her head still felt heavy.When Christopher and Evelyn came back out, they found Amelia standing outside her bedroom, still looking a little pale."Mommy, you need to go to bed."Evelyn hurried over, took Amelia's hand, and led her into the bedroom.Christopher followed them in. Once Amelia was settled in
Amelia 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
Christopher left with Nicole and Alfred for the conference room, and not once did he look at Amelia.It was as if they were strangers who had never known each other. Maybe he hadn't even noticed she was there. But even if he had, he wouldn't have spared her a glance. That was the truth of what th
Amelia sneered inwardly.The entry code had long been changed, and coming back now was nothing short of self-humiliation. The marriage wasn't over, yet in this house, she was already little more than a guest.Amelia hummed and didn't bother explaining anything to Anna. Her mind was focused on the
Gift?Amelia felt nothing but irony.In her last life, she had painstakingly prepared a painting of the Endless Rivers and Mountains, a prized piece from her mother's private collection. Richard had dismissed it outright, even openly questioning its authenticity.Now, she would rather burn it tha
Amelia opened the car door and stepped out, then the driver got in and drove away without a word.She looked at the brooch in her hand, clutching the little box tightly, feeling a weight in her chest. Getting the brooch back gave her a sense of closure.She carried the brooch upstairs.Winona loo







