Chapter 3

Although Simon had told Amelia not to tip the Chapmans off, as a wife, wouldn't it be more suspicious if she saw her own husband embracing another woman and did nothing?

Pulling her suitcase along, Amelia strode over in her high heels.

She wore a long trench coat over a white blouse and black trousers. Her long black hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail. Simple yet undeniably elegant gemstone earrings adorned her ears.

As she walked, the hem of her coat fluttered, revealing a pair of long, slender legs. She looked sharp and commanding. It was the perfect display for a confrontation.

It wasn't until Amelia got close that Jason noticed her. He was briefly startled, but he soon regained his cool and released Maria as if nothing were wrong. Smiling, he called out, "Mi—"

Amelia raised her hand and slapped him. She'd put all her strength into it, and a vivid red handprint immediately appeared on his face.

"Jason!" Maria cried out in alarm. Her brows knitted together as she glared at Amelia and shamelessly asked, "What do you think you're doing?"

"What am I doing?" Amelia looked at her with a mocking smile. "You must be the man-stealer. Nice to meet you, Ms. Stealer. As luck would have it, the man you were hugging so tightly is my husband. You asked me what I'm doing? Here's what I'm doing—I'm catching this cheater and his affair partner in the act, of course!"

Amelia didn't exactly raise her voice, but it was loud enough for the passersby to hear her. Quite a few people turned to look in their direction, and the looks they gave Maria were far from friendly.

How could Jason bear to let the beloved love of his life's reputation be damaged?

Frowning, he admonished Amelia, "Amelia! Don't be ridiculous! This is Maria. She and I grew up together. I came to pick you up from the airport, and she just so happened to return to the country today, too. It's been ages since we last met, so we greeted each other with a polite hug."

To defend Maria's reputation, Jason raised his voice higher than usual, clearly afraid that the people nearby wouldn't hear him and would assume that his beloved Maria was a homewrecker.

Amelia held up her phone. "Jason, should I post the video of the two of you hugging online and let everyone judge for themselves whether that was really just a polite hug between friends?"

"Amelia."

Maria wore a red dress, her makeup exquisite. Her long, slightly curled hair cascaded over her shoulders. She looked radiant and poised.

It seemed as though she'd regained her composure as well and could now look Amelia in the eye with a calm, confident expression.

"Jason and I did grow up together. We haven't seen each other in so long, so it's understandable that we got a little carried away when we met and ended up hugging each other a little too tightly.

"Besides, I've always thought of Jason as an older brother, and he's always treated me like a younger sister. Since you're married to Jason now, you should prepare yourself mentally. You need to get used to this. Isn't that right, Jason?"

"Oh, I see."

Amelia looked as though she had suddenly understood. Her tone relaxed, and there was even a smile in the corners of her eyes and the arch of her brows. She looked much like her usual self—gentle and obedient.

Jason's tone relaxed as well. "Mia, now that you know it was just a misunderstanding, apologize to Maria."

Amelia neither agreed nor refused. She stepped forward and raised her hand to cup Jason's face.

Jason didn't suspect a thing. He merely assumed Amelia had softened and regretted slapping him. After all, she loved him more than anything in the world.

But at the very next second, another sharp crack rang out, and a vivid red handprint appeared on the right side of Jason's face as well.

Amelia rubbed her stinging palm and looked at Jason's face. Now that it was perfectly symmetrical, it looked much better. It was far easier on the eyes.

Now that she'd found an outlet for her pent-up anger, her smile widened and looked even more dazzling.

Meanwhile, Maria's smile vanished, replaced by a livid expression. "Amelia! Have you lost your mind?"

This time, Amelia smiled sweetly at her. "You may have grown up with my husband, but he and I are legally married. We have a marriage certificate, and the law protects our marriage.

"I suggest you mentally prepare yourself and get used to that as soon as possible, too. If you keep behaving like you did, without showing any respect for proper boundaries, I don't mind hitting you too. I'll teach you what boundaries and having a sense of propriety mean."

Jason was still dazed from the slap. Amelia had thrown her weight into it without holding back. His ears were ringing, and he could taste the metallic tang of blood at the corner of his mouth.

The Amelia he knew was always gentle and good-natured. Even when his family deliberately picked on her, she never lost her temper, let alone lash out and hit someone.

Soon, his shock turned into anger.

He raised his hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. When he looked at Amelia, his eyes were dark. In an icy voice, he snarled, "Amelia! I specifically cleared my schedule and bought flowers to pick you up. I wanted to surprise you. How can you have so little faith in me?"

But he hadn't come to pick her up. He had clearly come to pick up Maria. He simply hadn't expected Amelia to change her flight and return early.

As for the flowers…

Amelia glanced down at the bouquet in Jason's hand.

Tulips. Of course they were.

Snorting, she looked at him mockingly and asked, "You picked them out specifically for me?"

"Who else could it be?" Jason shot back through gritted teeth, looking thoroughly exasperated.

But Amelia simply snorted. When she was still in Anverton, Gary had already uncovered the history between Jason and Maria. If she hadn't seen the results of his investigation, she might really have believed that Jason had specifically chosen tulips for her.

Ever since they had met, for every date and every anniversary, Jason had bought her tulips. He had said he thought tulips resembled her, that they matched her gentle beauty and elegant refinement that captivated him.

However, he was nothing but a filthy liar. Maria loved tulips most of all.

Jason and Maria dated in the past. But later, for reasons Amelia still didn't know, Maria had gotten together with Justin instead. Technically speaking, she was all set to become Jason's sister-in-law.

But that hadn't stopped Jason from loving her. For her sake, he had personally planted an entire field of tulips in the garden at Chapman Manor.

Later on, Maria had been responsible for Justin ending up in a vegetative state. The Chapmans nearly forced her to marry Justin and live as his wife. It was Jason who threatened to take his own life if they did.

In the end, Maria was sent abroad, and the tulips in the garden at Chapman Manor had been uprooted, leaving not a single one behind.

But after Amelia and Jason got married, they moved out to live on their own. Jason filled the garden at their new home with tulips again.

Now, whenever Amelia looked at tulips, she felt nothing but disgust. Just the smell alone nauseated her.

With the constant stream of passersby, the airport wasn't the best place to throw a fit. Even though Jason had been slapped twice now, he couldn't lose his temper.

Besides, he needed to keep Amelia appeased for the next three months so the wedding could go ahead smoothly. Only then could he get the remaining shares from Elmer and gain full control of the family business.

With that in mind, Jason deliberately sighed helplessly and softened his voice as he attempted to coax her with a mixture of helplessness and affection.

"That's enough, Mia. Stop getting jealous over nothing. I don't mind that you hit me, but since you misunderstood Maria, you need to apologize to her."

"You don't mind?" Amelia laughed as though she had just heard the funniest joke in the world, but her smile never reached her eyes. Her expression was ice-cold.

"Jason, you don't mind, but I do."

"What?"

Jason had assumed he could easily placate Amelia. She had always been reasonable and willing to compromise for the bigger picture. He had never expected her to act like a hedgehog with its quills all bristled.

"Jason, now that you have a wife and child, don't you think you should keep your distance from other women? Don't give me that bullshit about growing up together or how you only see her as your little sister. Only a fool would fall for such flimsy lies," Amelia fired back.

"Is she really your sister? Are you two related by blood? And even if she were your biological sister, at your age, you should still know to avoid unnecessary intimacy and respect boundaries.

"As for someone like Maria, who isn't actually biologically related to you, dresses provocatively, and likes clinging to the arm of a married man, well… In the old days, people would've called her a harlot. These days, I guess the more fashionable terms are homewreckers, sugar babies, or man-stealers."

Maria's face turned pale with fury. There was no trace left of the radiant confidence she had displayed moments earlier.

More and more people gathered around them, and several began secretly taking pictures.

Jason's face was as dark as night. He was afraid things would get out of hand. It would do him no good if Elmer heard about this. He needed to appease Amelia first.

With that in mind, Jason gave his bodyguards a look, signaling them to handle the surrounding crowd.

Then he stepped forward to hug Amelia, but the instant he made his approach, she caught a whiff of the scents coming off him. Other than his usual cologne, he smelled like another woman's perfume.

The smell shot up her nose, making her feel sick.

"That's enough, Mia. I can explain everything—"

"Don't touch me! You stink, and you disgust me." Amelia shoved Jason away and backed up several steps, putting as much distance between them as possible.

Jason didn't miss the disgust in her eyes. As a man, he had his pride too. And after her repeated provocation, his patience had finally run out.

"Amelia!"

Two male voices rang out at the same time. One carried Jason's cold, furious reprimand. The other voice was warmer and far more pleasant.

Amelia turned her head to track down the gentler voice. It was Simon.

Simon carried a suitcase, apparently having just gotten off a flight. His black bespoke suit highlighted his tall frame and long legs. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his straight, handsome nose, giving him an elegant and refined air.

After walking up to Amelia, he bent down a little and hugged her politely. "It's been a while, Amelia."

He must have seen what happened before, which was why he was deliberately hugging her now.

Amelia was grateful for his help.

"Long time no see, Uncle Simon."

Every man had a possessive streak. Even if he didn't love the woman, he still wouldn't let any other man touch what he believed was his. This was true of Jason, especially after Amelia had just shoved him away.

He was incredibly displeased, but after years of experience in the business world, he was able to keep his expression neutral.

"Why didn't I know that Simon Gardner is your uncle?"

Amelia replied pointedly, "Everyone has a few secrets of their own."

As she said this, her gaze swept briefly over Maria.

Jason's gaze was dark and unreadable as he quietly studied Amelia, but she didn't care what he was thinking. She turned to Simon and said, "I happen to have something to discuss with you, Uncle Simon. Let's head off together."

When speaking to Simon, Amelia looked like a completely different woman from the one who'd been standing in front of Jason moments ago. She came across as sweet and docile, like a kitten who'd retracted its claws.

Seeing how differently Amelia treated him made Jason uncomfortable. For some reason, he felt irritated, as if things were slipping out of his control.

He knew all of Amelia's relatives. There was absolutely no way Simon was her uncle by blood, so why was she calling him uncle? Where did he even come from?

Seeing that Amelia was about to leave with Simon, Jason knew he couldn't let her simply walk away.

He pinched the bridge of his nose before attempting to go after them. "Amelia!"

Hatred flashed in Maria's eyes.

Back then, Jason had only pursued Amelia to get a rise out of Maria. And if Amelia hadn't been so lacking in self-awareness, having the audacity to agree to go out with Jason, Maria wouldn't have gotten jealous. She wouldn't have argued with Justin and said she wanted to break up with him.

Justin wouldn't have gotten into the car accident that left him comatose. The Chapmans wouldn't be so resentful of her that they forced her to stay abroad for seven years, unable to return to her home country.

Jason had married Amelia only because she came from a poor family and had no powerful connections. She was obedient and easy to control. That way, once Maria returned to the country, he could easily divorce Amelia.

Despite knowing that Jason had deliberately deceived Amelia into marrying him, Maria still spent the last seven years in Messadonia constantly on edge. She feared that the act would turn real for Jason, and he'd end up developing real feelings for Amelia, who was only meant to be her stand-in.

So she had hired an investigator to secretly photograph Amelia and Jason in Candoria.

Like a sewer rat forced to remain in the shadows, she secretly spied on them. She watched him dote on Amelia, the intimate moments they shared, and how they eventually became a family of three.

They smiled with such bliss. They looked so happy.

The handsome, dashing husband, the gentle, pretty wife, and the sweet, charming son. They were the picture-perfect representation of a joyous family.

And Maria's jealousy went wild.

Jason was hers. She was the one who should be standing beside him. His love and affection should be directed at her.

Amelia was merely the thief who'd stolen her happiness.

As a result, Maria couldn't sit still any longer. She wanted nothing more than to return to Candoria as quickly as possible. She was desperate to claim her place beside Jason, drive Amelia out, and take back everything that rightfully belonged to her.

Grabbing Jason's hand now, Maria put one hand on her flat belly, her face pale and her brows furrowed. "Jason, I don't feel so good."

Jason steadied Maria before glancing back up at Amelia and Simon's retreating figures. Simon was tall and broad-shouldered, while Amelia was slender and graceful. Walking side by side, they looked like a well-matched pair.

The sight irritated Jason. He felt even more frustrated. It was as if a boulder were pressing down on his chest, suffocating him.

"Jason." His reaction only added to the ominous feeling Maria felt, but she made herself look sad and lonely. "Have you taken the act too far? Have you fallen in love with Amelia? Are you finding it hard to part with her now?"

Tears silently slid down her cheeks, making her appear heartbreakingly vulnerable.

While Amelia and Maria looked alike, the two gave off vastly different vibes.

Amelia was like water, gentle and serene. She was like a wildflower blooming deep in the forest without ever trying to be the center of attention.

Meanwhile, Maria was like the blazing sun. She was a radiant rose that demanded everyone's attention, always making sure she basked in dazzling glory.

Seeing his beloved rose cry, Jason instantly forgot about Amelia. His heart softened into a puddle.

"Mia, back at the orphanage, I told you that you're the only one who'd be my bride. I'd promised to take care of you for the rest of my life.

"I'm just worried something might go wrong with the wedding and jeopardize my chances of getting Grandpa's shares. Don't read too much into it. I hear that pregnant women need to avoid emotional distress."

Jason personally drove Maria back to the villa he had prepared for her in advance. On the way, he contacted the family doctor and asked the doctor to wait at the villa before they arrived.

Meanwhile, Amelia and Simon found a cafe at the airport and sat down. He updated her on her divorce case.

Jason was, after all, the richest man in Julesbury, and he had far too many assets in his name. Since they were conducting a private investigation, it would take some time to uncover everything he owned.

They'd made some progress with the investigations over at Messadonia, but all the photographs they'd found so far only showed hugging and hand-holding. It would take time to uncover more damning evidence of intimacy, such as the two kissing or sleeping together.

"Does this mean I have to keep putting up with this?" Amelia asked.

"You don't need to make yourself suffer." Simon gave her the divorce agreement he had prepared. "You can go ahead and throw the divorce papers in his face now."