Noemi kept crying while stealing glances at Nathan.
All she got was his ice–cold stare.
“Noemi, if you want experience, go work at any securities firm or fund company in the country.”
“That department has always belonged to the Viscontis.”
“You deliberately went after her.”
Nathan’s words were measured and freezing.
Noemi didn’t answer, just glared at him defiantly.
Nathan was done with her shit.
He finally got the real meaning behind that Spanish Bullfight performance, and why Amelia had looked at him like that before walking out.
She’d always been protective of the Visconti legacy. No wonder Noemi’s bullshit set her off.
Plus seeing Vivian here…
Still, even with all that, Amelia shouldn’t have dumped wine on Noemi in front of everyone.
“Cut the attitude. And,” Nathan delivered his final blow “she’s your sister–in–law.”
He left Noemi standing there alone.
“FUCK!”
Noemi swept everything off the makeup table.
Nathan walked back to his car where Vivian was waiting.
“Nathan.” Vivian looked frantic. “I should explain to Amelia that we were just talking about the Yondu Luke thing…”
But Nathan just looked exhausted.
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“What would you say?” he asked. “She doesn’t know what happened back then.”
“I never wanted things to go that way… Nathan, I swear I didn’t…” Vivian started sobbing.
Ugly crying.
“I know.” Nathan tried to comfort her, letting out a long breath. “Tonight was just shitty timing, Vivian. I’ll
deal with this.”
Meanwhile, Amelia was cruising through the city.
Streetlights blurred past, the urban landscape flowing backward.
She had no clue where she was headed.
She kept thinking about her dad.
She wanted to see Mila, but was afraid her dark mood would rub off on the kid.
Her phone buzzed.
Louie.
Amelia pulled herself together and answered.
Louie immediately went off: “I’m so fucking pissed! What the hell is Nathan’s problem? Shows you and brings his side piece?”
up
with
Amelia knew Louie was calling to rage on her behalf, worried she was keeping it all bottled up.
“And don’t get me started on Vivian–I’ve never seen someone so goddamn shameless! Isn’t she supposed to be dying soon?”
He launched into an epic rant with some truly creative profanity.
Listening to Louie’s inventive cursing, Amelia wondered if he’d taken graduate level swearing classes.
The thought actually made her laugh.
Hearing her laugh, Louie’s voice softened.
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“It’s almost over,” he said. “Just a few more days. Then you’ll be done with his ass forever.”
Amelia stared at the road stretching ahead.
“Yeah.” Her voice was steady.
After chatting a bit more, she hung up.
The car kept moving through the city’s nighttime arteries.
She still had no destination in mind.
Louie’s call had helped a little, but just a little.
It had been over three weeks since Nathan dropped the divorce bomb.
Once upon a time, her life plan was simple: build Harrison Corp with Nathan, grow the Visconti legacy, find out who killed her father.
With the Harrison family behind her and their love for each other, everything would work out. But now…
Everything had gone to hell.
Today’s drama with Noemi was just one more wave in the shitstorm.
But it still left her rattled.
She kept driving aimlessly through the city.
Eventually, Amelia found herself parked outside a hotel.
Looking up at the lit window on the third floor, seeing the silhouette behind the curtains, her emotions were all over the place.
Her mother was staying here while handling Mila’s adoption stuff.
Amelia had picked this hotel–a nice suite, comfortable enough.
But the relationship between biological mother and daughter was still cold as ice.
She knew her father’s death hadn’t just destroyed here.
Her mother had been wrecked too.
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But for all kinds of reasons, they’d ended up like this.
Buzz buzz buzz…
Her phone vibrated.
Mom calling.
Amelia hesitated, then picked up.
“Come up. I saw your car,” Whitney’s voice came through.
Amelia looked up to see the third–floor window open with a figure standing there.
“Okay,” she said.
She went up to the suite. Before she could knock, the door opened.
There was Amelia’s birth mother, Whitney Capet.
They looked at each other.
Neither said a word of greeting.
Amelia couldn’t bring herself to say “Mom.”
Whitney couldn’t say “Amelia.”
Silence as Whitney handed her house slippers.
After changing shoes, Amelia followed Whitney to the ving room.
They sat on opposite ends of the couch, not talking.
Finally, Amelia broke the silence: “Have you been to se him since you got to town?”
“Yeah.” Whitney nodded,
They both knew “him” meant her stepfather.
Her stepfather in prison.
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Ex–stepfather, actually–they were divorced now.
“I’m getting divorced,” Amelia said.
Whitney’s face didn’t change. “Okay.”
Back to silence.
The wall clock ticked quietly. After forever, Whitney said, “I’ll take care of Mila’s paperwork. After that,
don’t come here anymore.”
A polite dismissal.
Amelia studied her mother’s face.
For a long time. Then nodded. “Fine.”
That was it.
Mother and daughter, after barely any conversation, were saying goodbye.
Before leaving, Amelia emptied all the cash from her wallet and took off her necklace, leaving both by the
door.
Back in her car.
She’d thought driving around randomly might help her mood, but now she felt worse.
Night wind swept the sidewalks clean of fallen leaves. Amelia felt cold.
Fuck it.
Time to go home.
Hot bath, sleep, and tomorrow would be better.
But when she pulled up to her apartment building, there was Nathan’s black Maybach waiting.
He’d tracked down where she lived.
Even though she’d never told him.
But she knew if Nathan wanted to find something, it was just a matter of time.
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Amelia didn’t overthink it. She parked and got out.
She walked straight toward the building, but got cut off
“Amelia.” Nathan called her name, stepping quickly to block her path.
D (23)
