Amelia realized she was getting way too deep with this conversation.
She looked at Mila and mentally kicked herself.
She wasn’t really talking to Mila–she was talking to herself.
The only way to move forward was to actually let go.
Real closure wasn’t about forgetting–it was about not giving a damn anymore.
That person and everything about him couldn’t touch her anymore.
Nothing could hurt her.
Amelia was trying so hard to get there.
God, she felt ridiculous having this heart–to–heart with kindergartener.
She figured none of this would make sense to Mila, but then the little girl suddenly wrapped her arms
around her.
Her tiny body couldn’t quite reach all the way around Amelia, but she squeezed tight.
“I’m not gonna call him daddy,” Mila said into her shoulder.
“Aunt Amelia, we’re gonna be fine.”
She pulled back slightly: “It’s like when my real parents didn’t want me. They were the wrong people. But then I found you, and you’re gonna be my mom, so that’s good, right?”
Mila looked up with those huge, serious eyes.
“When you’re done with him, you’ll find someone way better.”
“Just like I found you.”
Amelia hadn’t expected anything like that to come out of a five year old’s mouth.
Her throat tightened, and the tears she’d been holding back finally spilled over.
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She pulled Mila closer, and Mila squeezed back just as hard.
Two people who’d found each other.
They weren’t blood, but this felt like fate.
Amelia couldn’t even speak.
Yes. They were going to be okay.
Life threw curveballs, but you got through them. Everything worked out eventually.
The night air was sharp and cold.
Across town, Nathan was drowning his problems in whiskey.
The private room was dark and dead quiet except for him.
All he could see was Amelia’s ice–cold stare, her brutal words.
“Nathan, don’t make me hate you.”
On endless repeat in his head.
God knows how long later, the door opened and Tanner walked in.
Tanner took one look at the battlefield of empty bottles and froze.
Then he shut the door and dropped onto the couch next to Nathan.
“Jesus, man. What happened?” He’d never seen Nathan this wasted.
Nathan shook his head. Where would he even start?
“Something with Vivian?” Tanner tried.
Nathan went still for a second.
Vivian.
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He’d barely thought about her all day.
His brain had been completely occupied with Amelia and that kid.
“If she’s having an episode, shouldn’t you be there?” Tanner figured he’d nailed it from Nathan’s reaction.
But Nathan just shook his head.
“Is it bad? Is she…?” Tanner’s voice got tight.
“It’s not about her,” Nathan said, pouring Tanner a drink.
Tanner took it, looking relieved. “Okay, you freaked me out for a second.”
They drank without talking. Tanner didn’t push.
Nathan stared at the amber liquid under the dim bar lights.
He’d put away enough alcohol to knock out a horse, but his mind felt razor–sharp.
If anything, Amelia’s face was getting clearer.
“How’s it going with that girl–what’s her name?” Nathan asked eventually.
Tanner raised an eyebrow. Nathan kept asking about him and Quincy, which was weird.
He called him on it.
Nathan just kept swirling his ice, expression blank.
“Just wondering,” he said.
Honestly, Nathan wasn’t sure why he cared either.
Maybe Tanner and Quincy’s mess would help him figure out his own.
Tanner sighed and sank back into the leather,
“Same old drama,” he said. “I swear I don’t get her anymore.”
“Heard she’s suddenly all about her career. That was a plot twist.”
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He continued: “She spent years with me just shopping and playing princess, and now she’s Miss
Ambition?”
Nathan shot him a look.
It made Tanner squirm.
“I mean,” Tanner coughed, “turns out it’s actually useful. She’s doing luxury authentication stuff now… guess all those designer bags paid off.”
Nathan nodded slowly.
So what was Amelia up to these days?
Twenty–one days, and he knew basically nothing about her life.
Just the Mila stuff.
Tanner finally got past his awkwardness. “So what’s eating you?”
Nathan took a long sip and told him about the hospital incident.
Finally it clicked for Tanner.
Not Vivian drama–Amelia and the kid.
Tanner knew about Nathan’s whole thing with wanting children, so this tracked.
“Dude, you didn’t know she was sick. That’s not on your Tanner said. “Just… I don’t know, help with her
medical stuff going forward.”
From where Tanner sat, Nathan had actually been pretty decent with some random kid he’d just met, especially given his usual personality.
I mean…
Tanner eyed all the empty bottles.
They’d been friends for years, and he’d never seen Nathan like this.
Nathan didn’t say anything.
“Look, if you’re serious about the kid thing and adoption’s on the table, you could probably work
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something out with family,” Tanner offered, reading Nathan’s conflict. “They’d probably jump at the
chance.”
Nathan shook his head immediately.
It wasn’t the same.
He couldn’t explain why, exactly.
He wanted his and Amelia’s child. Anyone else’s just… o.
Even though Mila wasn’t their biological kid, something in his chest had just clicked with her.
Weird feeling.
The second her little hand touched his, he’d known.
Like the universe had decided.
For some reason, he thought about that deep blue tanzanite locked in his safe.
Strange how things worked out.
He definitely shouldn’t have lost it in front of Mila today.
“Alright, enough with the spiral,” Tanner clinked their glasses. “Obsessing won’t fix anything. You’ve still got the Vivian situation.”
He leaned forward: “Actually, maybe it’s good you’re staying away from Amelia and the kid right now. What would you even do about Vivian?”
“Nathan, you’ve got what, five months left? Don’t screw this up now.”
Nathan’s head started pounding again.
He just nodded.
Vivian came first.
She was running out of time.
He had to believe that once it was all over, he could explain everything to Amelia.
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She’d get it.
♡ (13)
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Chapter 94
Time flew by, and across town, Vivian had no clue about everything that had gone down. She was completely obsessed with the Elena situation.
But a whole day had passed, the Amelia–Louie drama was exploding online, and Elena still hadn’t
contacted her.
Had she missed it, or was she too proud to make the first move?
Vivian fired off a text to Elena’s number.
Meanwhile, Amelia had just dropped off Mila and was driving home when her phone buzzed.
Red light. She stopped and checked it.
Message from Elena’s number.
Actually from Vivian.
Saw the news yet? Proves everything I told you was true. This is your last shot. Work with me and I’ll have your back till the end.
The streetlight next to her was busted, crackling and strobing like a broken disco ball.
Amelia ignored Vivian’s text and scrolled to another message.
From Noemi Harrison.
Sent a few days back.
Amelia had been trying to come up with an excuse to skip Noemi’s wine thing entirely.
Something felt off about it. Like walking into a lion’s de
But just as she was crafting her excuse, Noemi had texted
You better show up to the wine tasting. Amelia, if I were you, I wouldn’t miss this, Don’t forget what I studied in France. Your family’s old business is still under Harrison Corp Get what I’m saying?
The streetlight kept flickering.
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