Chapter 2

"You're still in the mood to organize a party? I'm surprised to see you being so carefree," Amelia exclaimed in feigned surprise before putting on a worried expression.

"I heard your father's illegitimate son just landed another massive business deal for the company. A lot of people have been comparing the two of you behind your back, and they've been saying some pretty nasty things. Want me to repeat them for you?"

Amelia didn't give Howie any chance to refuse. She cleared her throat and warmed up her voice.

Then her expression turned cold and mocking as she said contemptuously, "Howie is a good-for-nothing who's only capable of wasting his life away on frivolous things. He's a complete loser who has no accomplishments to speak of.

"He can't even hold a candle to his father's illegitimate son. If one didn't know better, one would think he's the illegitimate son instead."

As soon as she finished saying that, she put on a concerned expression once more, her gaze guileless. "Now, now, why the sour face? Don't be mad. This is just what I heard from other people. I was only repeating what they said so that you'd be aware of it. You won't hold it against me, right? I'm only saying this because I care about you."

Everyone knew that Howie's half-brother was his sore spot. No one was allowed to mention him. He'd rage at anyone who did.

Howie was so furious that he looked like he'd swallowed a fly, but he had to hold himself back out of consideration for Amelia's relationship with Jason.

Forcing a smile, he said, "That's why I'm gathering the guys to help me come up with a game plan, Amelia."

"What good will it do to have them come up with a game plan for you? You need to be the one putting in the effort," Amelia advised earnestly, looking like she was exasperated by his failure to apply himself.

"Otherwise, that illegitimate son will climb all over you sooner or later. He'll walk all over you, throw his weight around, take your family's fortune, kick you out of the house, and leave you begging on the streets."

Amelia's words were far too harsh. Howie's expression became even uglier. His teeth ground together with an audible crunch, and Amelia did not doubt that, in that moment, he wanted to kill her.

She sneered inwardly. After all, he was indeed a good-for-nothing loser. She was just hitting him on the head with the truth.

Seeing that Howie was about to lose it, Jason snapped warningly, "Mia!"

"Oh, alright. I know the truth hurts, but I'm only worried about you. You're Jason's best friend, after all."

Amelia immediately put on a smile again, looking like someone who'd never harbor any sort of malicious intentions.

"Tell you what, let Jason have a few drinks with you tonight. I'll even cancel his curfew. How's that? I'm being extremely thoughtful and generous, right?"

Howie remained silent. He didn't feel any thoughtfulness or generosity from her. In fact, he strongly suspected that Amelia was insulting him, mocking him, and making fun of him on purpose.

Yet Amelia's eyes were bright and her smile sincere. Her tone was gentle, and her demeanor was pleasant as well. She looked every bit the kind and easygoing person who was understanding and considerate of others.

Nothing in her behavior suggested she'd done it deliberately.

Even if Howie wanted to explode, he couldn't, and that only made him feel worse. On top of that, he even had to thank Amelia for her thoughtfulness, and that thought aggravated him even more.

"Thanks, Amelia. You're as kind as you are beautiful," he said begrudgingly.

Amelia's eyes curved as she smiled. It looked like she was in an excellent mood. "You're right about that."

Howie cursed in his heart before leaving with some documents.

"Mia, you really don't mind if I go out drinking tonight?" Jason reached out to hug Amelia, his handsome, deep-set features as affectionate as ever when he looked at her.

Amelia suppressed her disgust and smiled sweetly. "Of course. Howie is your best friend, after all."

Jason could drink as much as he wanted. It'd be even better if he gave himself alcohol poisoning and dropped dead. That way, she wouldn't have to go through the effort of planning for a divorce. She'd be his widow and inherit his massive fortune.

Even if he didn't drink himself to death, it didn't matter. At least it would kill his sperm.

She could just wait for the day Jason became completely infertile!

Just as Jason was about to wrap his arms around her, Amelia smoothly picked up the folder she'd brought with her and smacked it against his face with a loud slap, pushing him away without changing her expression.

She turned around and sat down in the chair in front of the desk, ordering him in a coquettish tone, "Hurry up and sign this. I'm leaving on a business trip this afternoon, and I need this document signed urgently."

The business trip was just an excuse, of course. There was no way she was going to keep working herself to the bone for Chapman Group.

Even though the folder hit him in the face, Jason didn't get mad. The amount of force Amelia applied had nearly knocked his nose sideways, but he simply assumed that she was merely throwing a bit of a tantrum—that she didn't actually want to let him go drinking, so she used this opportunity to take it out on him a little.

He let out a low chuckle, took the folder, and returned to his executive chair.

"I won't forget your reminders, darling. I'll try to keep my drinking to a minimum, and I'll be home early, too, so don't be mad."

As he spoke, he opened the folder and read through the document line by line, word by word.

Time trickled by. There was one last page to go before he reached her resignation letter and the resignation acknowledgment form.

Amelia pretended to check her watch in a show of impatience before deliberately complaining, "That's enough. Don't you trust me? I prepared these documents myself. When have you ever seen me make a mistake in my work? I checked them at least ten times. Hurry up and sign them. I'm in a hurry."

Jason looked up and smiled at her, his expression affectionate. "I know. My wife is the best. I'm almost done. I won't delay your trip."

Although he said that, he reached to turn to the next page instead of flipping to the back to sign the document.

At that moment, Amelia finally realized with sorrow that he didn't trust her at all.

What was she supposed to do now?

If she weren't afraid of arousing Jason's suspicions, she wouldn't have had to secretly trick him into signing the resignation acknowledgment form.

Just then, Jason's phone started ringing. The name on the screen was Mylo Vemaria.

The name was very familiar to Amelia. She remembered seeing Jason receive calls from this person several times in the middle of the night.

Whenever it did, he would always say there was some kind of emergency at the office in Messadonia that he needed to handle in person. Then he would leave on a business trip right away.

Amelia had never once suspected that Jason was cheating on her, just as she had never believed that pigs could fly or that the sun could rise from the west.

Besides, the person in charge of the office in Messadonia was indeed someone named Mylo Vemaria. She had always thought it was some foreigner.

But at this very moment, she figured out the true meaning of the name.

Mylo Vemaria, when rearranged a little, could also be read as My Love, Maria.

The truth hit her without any warning, in the most merciless and cruel fashion.

Amelia felt as though she had been struck by lightning. She sat rigidly in the chair, barely able to maintain the expression on her face. Her nails dug into her palms. Her heart hurt with every breath.

"Why aren't you taking the call?" she asked.

"It can wait. No one is as important as my wife," Jason declared, but even so, he grabbed his pen, flipped to the last page, and signed his name without hesitation.

He could lie to her without breaking a sweat. The sweet nothings rolled off his tongue as easily as breathing.

It was obvious that from the moment he saw the incoming call, he didn't care to read the document anymore. All he wanted was to get it signed and get Amelia out of the office as quickly as possible, so that he could talk to his true love.

Resisting the urge to throw up, Amelia grabbed the folder and confirmed that the resignation acknowledgment form had been signed before walking off without any hesitation.

She went straight to the office of the HR director, Kent Conway.

"Why the rush? Next Tuesday? It's already Friday today," Kent exclaimed.

With a smile that crinkled her eyes, Amelia explained, "Mr. Chapman wants it to be a secret to prevent any disruption in the research department. I'd appreciate it if you could expedite the paperwork, Mr. Conway. I'll come back next Tuesday for a complete handover."

Kent nodded. "Don't worry about it. You can trust me to handle this matter appropriately."

With her resignation settled, the next thing Amelia had to do was consider new employment.

She returned to her office. After composing herself, she called Liam Grady, a friend of hers who had been her senior in college.

The moment Liam answered the call, he remarked teasingly, "Well, look who it is! What made you remember to call me?"

"I quit my job, Liam. Can I come work for you? Please take me in!" Amelia said sweetly.

"What? You quit your job?"

He didn't believe for a second that Amelia would ever leave Chapman Group. Back when she'd graduated, their professor, George Quinn, had threatened to cut all ties with her in an attempt to stop her from leaving.

However, Amelia had been blinded by love. She gave up the promising opportunity offered to her by a national institute to work for Chapman Group, which had only just started dabbling in the field of artificial intelligence.

She had helped Jason build the company up from the ground up before turning it into a pioneer in the industry.

Now, Chapman Group was a leading company in several fields of AI, including AI-powered smart homes, smart appliances, and medical technology. They were far ahead of other domestic companies.

Even if Amelia couldn't be fully credited for the success, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was responsible for at least 80% of it.

Liam clicked his tongue. "You're just joking with me, aren't you? It's very mean of you to trick your friend like that, you know."

"On the contrary, Liam, I would never!" Amelia declared, sounding indignant and innocent. "Where are you now? I'll come and see you. We can talk in person."

Liam still didn't believe her.

When he had first met Amelia, she'd seemed like such a docile young woman. She'd been wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, her long dark hair cascading down her back. Her eyes crinkled when she smiled, and her voice was always gentle. She gave the impression of being incredibly easygoing.

But once someone got to know her better, they'd come to the startling realization that it was all an act. In reality, her harmless demeanor was a mask for her shrewd and sly nature. She could easily get up to no good without ever showing it.

Jason was probably the only exception to such treatment from her. Whenever it came to him, she couldn't be more sincere.

Convinced that Amelia was joking, Liam replied, "Sure. I'm in Anverton. Why don't you come here to meet me?"

…

They met at a cafe in Anverton. The smell of the freshly brewed coffee wafted in the air. Liam looked a little dazed as he stared at Amelia, who sat across from him.

"You seriously came all the way to Anverton to see me?"

"I really did quit my job."

Amelia showed Liam a photo of her resignation letter and the signed resignation acknowledgment form on her phone.

When he saw Jason's signature, his brows went up. "Don't tell me Jason is after my company's trade secrets and sent you over as a corporate spy."

Amelia knew she'd have a hard time convincing Liam it was true if she didn't explain her reasons. After all, for Jason's sake, she had even been willing to throw away a bright future without a second thought.

"Liam, I'm getting a divorce. I'm embarrassed to say this myself, but Jason never genuinely loved me. He's been lying to me all along. He loves someone else."

As Amelia spoke, she began to laugh. But as she laughed, tears began to fall.

Liam had never seen Amelia like this before. Her tears spilled out of her reddened eyes seemingly uncontrollably, and her smile made her look heartbroken.

As a single man who had never been in a relationship, Liam immediately panicked. He cursed Jason while trying to comfort Amelia, so anxious that he started sweating.

"Please don't cry. I'll take you in. I'll take you out for a good dinner. I'll buy you whatever you want."

After scrambling to calm Amelia down, Liam suddenly remembered something and asked, "Why don't you reach out to Professor Quinn? He's always had high regard for you and was very proud of you. He'd be thrilled if you asked him for a job."

Amelia lowered her head in shame.

"I can't bring myself to face him. Back then, I stubbornly insisted on doing things my way, and Professor Quinn became so upset that he got sick. I send him a gift every Christmas, but it always gets sent back to me unopened.

"I also heard that he took on a new protege last year—a young prodigy who's only 20 years old. Have you met him, Liam?"

Liam had indeed met their professor's latest protege, but after seeing how dejected Amelia looked, he brushed it off, saying, "Eh, he's just a kid. He's smart, but he can't compare to you."

Amelia knew he was trying to console her, but her mood remained low. "Since Professor Quinn has already found a new protege, I'm sure he no longer considers me his protege."

"Stop stewing over these unimportant things. You're wasting brain space." Liam patted her on the shoulder, his tone bold. "From now on, stick with me and do one thing—work your butt off. Once you've produced results, I'll take you to Professor Quinn, and you can beg for his forgiveness then.

"He might have a sharp tongue, but he's a big softie at heart. I'm sure he'll forgive you. But before that, you need to have something to show for yourself, got it?"

Liam took Amelia straight to the mall, where she went on a massive shopping spree to vent her feelings, but she used Jason's credit card, of course.

Amelia even snatched Liam's credit card from his hand, saying, "Jason and I haven't divorced yet. If I don't use that scumbag's credit card, I'd be wasting my status as his wife. Come on. I'm buying you a birthday present."

After a pause, Liam reminded her, "My birthday has already passed."

"There's still next year, and the year after that, and even the next few decades. Are you telling me you're never celebrating your birthday again?" Amelia retorted.

…

At that moment, Jason was at a private clubhouse, attending the drinking session Howie had arranged with a few friends. When his phone kept buzzing, he picked it up with one hand and checked it, all the while holding his drink in the other.

Howie clinked glasses with Jason and noticed Jason's phone screen, filled with rows upon rows of notifications about his credit card being used. None of the transactions were small by any means.

"What the hell? Amelia's such a spendthrift!" Howie cursed. "She sure doesn't hold back when it comes to using your credit card!"

As if he hadn't heard Howie, Jason turned his screen off and kept drinking, his expression unchanged.

Howie clicked his tongue. "You're not going to do anything about it?"

"She's buying things for me."

Every time Amelia went on a business trip, she brought back gifts—for him, for Ryan, and for the family.

Though it was the first time she did it using his credit card.

…

Amelia had planned to stay in Anverton a few more days, but she ended up getting a call from her son, Ryan.

"I miss you, Mommy. It's the weekend tomorrow. Can you come back to Chapman Manor a little earlier to see me?"

From the moment Ryan was weaned, he had been sent back to Chapman Manor to be raised by Elmer Chapman, Jason's grandpa.

From Monday through Saturday, Ryan was even busier than Amelia and Jason were. He had far too many things to learn. Sundays were his only day off, when he could rest and spend time with his parents.

At the thought of seeing Ryan, Amelia smiled and agreed to his request. She changed her flight and returned to Julesbury.

After the plane landed, Amelia was walking through the crowded arrivals hall when she suddenly stopped.

Not far away, Jason was giving a dazzlingly beautiful woman a tight hug.

It was Maria. She was back in the country.