LOGIN“Evie, I need to talk to you about something.”Amelia sat down beside her daughter on the couch, keeping her voice gentle.Evelyn blinked up at her, her hands folded neatly in her lap. “What do you want to talk about, Mommy?”“Things have been a little unsafe lately, so I was thinking you could stay home from school for a while and have a private tutor teach you here. How would you feel about that?”Amelia chose her words carefully, trying not to let her worry frighten Evelyn.To her surprise, Evelyn didn’t answer right away. Instead, she tilted her head and asked, “Is this important to you, Mommy? If it’s what you want, then I’ll do it.”Warmth filled Amelia’s heart, followed by a pang of guilt. She gently stroked Evelyn’s hair. “I want to know what you think. I’ll make the final decision based on how you feel. This is your education and your life. I shouldn’t make every decision for you.”Evelyn lowered her eyes and thought for a few seconds. When she looked up again, she se
Amelia inhaled deeply, steadying herself before meeting Christopher’s eyes. “Honestly, this isn’t the time to be talking about any of this.”After everything that had happened between them; the misunderstandings, the danger, and finally the truth, her priorities had changed.Right now, her safety and the Bloom family’ plans mattered far more than whatever remained between them.Christopher lowered his gaze, his lashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyes. “I don’t have a choice. I have to make sure you and Evie are completely safe. Keeping her home for now is the safest option, even if it isn’t fair to her.”Amelia rubbed her aching forehead, the tenderness beneath her fingertips a reminder of how tense she had been for days.She wasn’t unreasonable. She knew what mattered most.She looked at Christopher and chose her words carefully. “I’ll work with you. If keeping Evie home and following your security plan is what it takes to keep us safe, then that’s what I’ll do. But I
Christopher took the report card, and a faint smile touched his lips as he looked over the grades. “Evie’s doing very well. I’ve already contacted a private school in the city. It has excellent academics and tight security, and it’s closer to home. We can take Evie to visit next week.”Amelia nodded. As she watched Christopher study the report card so carefully, a complicated mix of emotions stirred inside her.Christopher remained calm. “Evie is extremely bright. Given everything that’s happening, we may want to pull her out of school for a while and hire a private tutor. She’s already mastered everything taught at the middle school level.”Amelia froze and looked up at him in disbelief. “How do you know that?”Christopher’s voice was low and steady. “She’s always learned quickly. Even when she was little, she was ahead of Nathan. But she’s too thoughtful. She was always trying to spare his feelings, so she would intentionally miss a few questions on every test and let him ran
Amelia answered, “Alright. I’ll wait for you at home.”She had barely stepped out of the office building after ending the call when a message from Winona came through.[I don’t have dinner plans tonight, so I’m coming over to mooch a meal and see Evie!]Amelia stared at the message, hesitating.Winona still didn’t know about her recent conversations with Christopher. If they ran into each other, Winona would probably get the wrong idea.After thinking it over, she texted Christopher. [A friend is coming over for dinner. Come half an hour later.]His reply came almost immediately. [Okay.]When Amelia got home, she helped Evelyn finish her homework, then made a few simple dishes.She had just finished setting the table when the doorbell rang. Winona walked in carrying a bag of fruit and started talking before she had even taken off her shoes. “I could smell dinner from the hallway. Your cooking keeps getting better!”Evelyn ran over and wrapped her arms around Winona’s leg. “W
Christopher continued, “All I want is for you and Evie to be safe. That’s enough for me. I won’t ask for anything else.”His own life and health came second.Amelia knew Christopher might be speaking sincerely, but the wounds from the past were still there. Years of being misunderstood and neglected couldn’t be erased by a simple promise to protect her.She said nothing more. She only gave a slight nod, silently accepting his offer.As Amelia looked over the pages detailing the dangers surrounding her, she knew her relationship with Christopher had just become complicated all over again.After leaving FutureDrive, Amelia sat in her car, replaying their conversation again and again.Everything Christopher had said about their misunderstandings, the ways he had protected her, and the truth about their past had become hopelessly tangled in her mind.When she returned to Nova Nine, she went straight to her office, but she couldn’t focus on the documents in front of her. Her fingers
Amelia stared at the documents spread across the desk, her fingers hovering over the pages without touching them.It wasn’t that she didn’t understand.She looked at Christopher, wanting to say something but having no idea where to begin.Everything he had told her led to the same painful conclusion. They had loved each other, but they had missed their chance.The air between them grew tense and awkward.He was still doing all of this for her, and Amelia didn’t know how to respond. There was no simple answer.She looked up at Christopher. Her lips parted, but she swallowed the words before they could come out.Should she thank him?Thank him for protecting her all these years and for investigating the people who had been watching her?The words felt too cold and formal.Should she tell him she hadn’t asked for any of it?But he had already done so much. The files were right in front of her, and the surveillance footage left no room for doubt.They sat across from each other
Nicole froze at Christopher's actions, then she turned and saw Amelia standing there in the living room.Seeing her "husband" so intimately close with another woman, Amelia had no idea what to make of her own feelings. Her chest felt tight, and her throat constricted. She wanted to say something, b
Amelia stared at the message on her phone and let out a cold, derisive laugh.Christopher sure knew how to care for Nicole, as if she could never face even the slightest injustice.If he hadn't sent that message, Amelia might have completely forgotten that he even existed in her contacts.She did
Josephine already held a grudge against Amelia, and now seemed determined to make her pay for it."If you have things to deal with at home, take care of them first. Don't come here to embarrass yourself and hold everyone back."At that moment, Selena Warren stepped forward. "Enough. Let's just foc
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







