Chapter 71
Mr. Harrison, Wake Up Your Wife’s Gone
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His warm body heat seeped through their clothes as his strong arm wrapped around her waist.
Amelia steadied herself and pushed Nathan
away.
She was just a little lightheaded–not actually drunk.
They climbed into the shuttle cart and headed toward Nathan’s villa.
The whole ride was dead silent.
Neither said a word until the cart finally stopped outside a small grove of trees
“Mr. Nathan, Young Madam, Lady Harrison specifically told me to remind you Lord Harrison expects to see you both first thing in the morning. You absolutely have to stay on the estate tonight.”
Seeing how awkward they were being, Orbin sighed heavily.
“Mr. Nathan, Young Madam, the old folks have been losing sleep over you two. Having you stay the night isn’t really the point–they just want you both to finally hash things out.”
The butler actually teared up. “I still remember like it was yesterday when Mr Nathan brought you home, Young Madam. You two were crazy about each other back then–how the hell did it come to this?”
“Just talk to each other.”
“Get it all out there, and everything’ll be fine.”
After saying his piece, Orbin let out another long sigh and walked away, wiping his eyes.
Night had fallen, and the estate lights were glowing.
About ten yards ahead, past the grove, was Nathan’s place on the property.
Nathan headed into the trees while Amelia stayed put.
“What’s up?” Nathan asked.
“I’m gonna head back now and come over tomorrow morning,” Amelia said.
She turned to leave, but the next second her wrist was caught.
“Amelia.” Nathan’s calm voice came from behind her. “We haven’t seen each other in forever. I think we need to talk.”
Talk?
Down by the lake, moonlight spilled across the water like liquid silver, creating ripples of light on the surface.
What was there left to say?
“At minimum, you need to explain this kid thing to me,” Nathan’s voice turned cold. “So I can actually give Grandfather and Grandmother some
answers
Amelia looked away.
That child…
After leaving Dr. Rogers‘ place, she’d been kind of a mess for a while.
Catalogue
Setting
Chapter 71.
Later, Louie mentioned that the charity auction money she’d donated was being put to use and asked if she wanted to see what they were doing with
- it.
Amelia was curious about what her tanzanite money was funding, so she said yes.
Since she’d bought little Mila’s artwork at the auction, Amelia ended up at the New York Children’s Home.
Maybe it was fate.
Or maybe the baby she’d lost wanted someone else–some other way–to stay close to her.
The tanzanite, the charity money, that random painting she’d bid on.
Everything led to Amelia meeting Mila.
Mila had been dumped at the children’s home years ago. Her biological parents abandoned her because of her medical condition.
For various reasons, Mila’s illness hadn’t been properly treated. This charity fundraiser was a lucky break.
After just a few visits, Amelia felt like it was meant to be.
So she decided to adopt Mila–get her the medical care she needed, put her in school, be there while she grew up.
Problem was, Amelia wasn’t thirty yet, which was below the legal adoption age, so she had to go through her mother.
That day, Amelia stood outside her mom’s flower shop, watching from across the street, and for the first time in years, called out “Mom.”
Her mother handled all the legal stuff after that. It would take time to get everything finalized, but the process had started.
On paper, Mila would technically be her sister.
But Amelia, her mom, and Mila all knew the real deal.
Mila wanted to go to school, so Amelia found her a private preschool in Manhattan with solid privacy policies.
Maybe because she’d been abandoned so young and had spent years in the children’s home, plus being just a little kid, Mila didn’t really know how to handle things.
So that day outside the preschool, Mila got nervous.
“What’s wrong?” Amelia crouched down, pulled off her face mask, and looked at Mila with total sincerity. “You scared?”
Mila nodded, then shook her head.
Amelia didn’t push, just waited patiently.
After what felt like forever, Mila looked at Amelia and whispered, “Mommy.”
She immediately looked down, too shy to make eye contact.
“Is that what I should call you?” Mila’s voice was barely audible.
Amelia smiled and gently touched Mila’s head.
“Whatever feels right,” she said. “If that’s too weird, you can just call me Aunt Amelia for now.”
Mila looked relieved and nodded hard.
“Aunt Amelia,” Mila said softly, gave her a quick hug, then ran toward the school building,
Amelia stood there watching Mila race to the classroom door, turn back to wave, then disappear inside.
rine paparazzi caught that split second when Amelia had her mask off.
She’d been super careful, but they still got the shot.
Since the adoption wasn’t official yet, Amelia could take Mila to school but couldn’t bring her home for sleepovers.
Wouldn’t be much longer though–usually takes about thirty business days to wrap up.
Thinking about all this, Amelia spoke up:
“That kid has absolutely nothing to do with the Harrison family.”
She continued, “She’s not going on either of our legal locuments, so she’s got zero connection to Harrison assets.”
Amelia pulled free from Nathan’s grip. A breeze hit, and the wine made her head swim again.
Amelia kicked off her heels and stood barefoot on the ground, turning her back to Nathan. “That’s pretty much it. You know enough now, and I’ll tell your grandparents the same thing tomorrow.”
“If you don’t buy it, feel free to investigate.”
“I’ve got no reason to lie about this.”
With that, Amelia pulled herself together and started walking away.
“Amelia!”
His voice called after her: “Does it really have to be like this with us?”
Amelia didn’t slow down.
She’d already made her decision.
“We had a baby once too.”
“You let her call you mommy–so what about me?”
Nathan’s voice drifted over, carrying some weird echo from being near the trees.
“Or wait,” suspicion crept into that echo, his voice going ice–cold, “maybe you planned this whole thing.”
Deliberately showing up with some kid.
Deliberately letting the paparazzi catch her calling you mommy.
So we’d have no choice but to meet here at the estate.
Amelia stopped walking.
Something was building in her chest,
Rage? Heartbreak?
Probably both.
“Amelia, I never asked you before–that year in France, during those ten minutes when I was pulled away, what the hell did you actually say to him?“
“We lost our baby that year.”
“Amelia, I was destroyed too.”
“You know exactly why I’ve been desperate to have a kid all these years.”
- Harrison Wako InYour Wife’s Gone
Chapter 71
“So Amelia, why would you use some child to manipulate me?”
Nathan’s voice stayed perfectly level.
No yelling, no breaking down.
Just that calm, steady tone.
Saying absolutely brutal things.
Emotion hit her like a freight train, surging through her bloodstream and making her whole chest ache.
How could he say something so fucking horrible…
Amelia spun around and stared at Nathan standing there in the shadows of the trees.
Maybe it was the distance, but in that moment he looked like a complete stranger.
Was this really Nathan?
Why did he have Nathan’s face but seem like some kind of monster?
How could he possibly…
She couldn’t hold back anymore. Amelia marched right up to Nathan.
CRACK!
A vicious slap landed square across Nathan’s face.
Hard enough to leave her whole hand tingling.
