Aher being away from the office for two days, a mountain of work had piled up. Aaron watched the newly reinstated Amelia with gratitude, expert rushing about to help wherever he could.

June took the opportunity to delegate her gift shopping task to him. “Aston, could you help me pick up some pregnancy essentials and prenatal vitamins?

Aaron’s face it up instantly “Really, Mrs. Kingsley?” He wondered, ‘Mis. Kingsley is pregnant This is incredible news. Mr. Kingsley is going to be a father

“Don’t worry, I’m very understanding. Buy the best, most expensive things you can find.” Amelia waved a dismissive hand, feigning magnanimity. She could handle one woman who might be carrying Landor’s child, heck, and she could harelle three

After all, being Landon’s wife was a job in itself, one that paid a cool two million dors ba /bday. She’d not only visit Landon’s mistress; she’d also be her personal maid for the rest of her life at that rate.

“Yes, Mrs. Kingsley, I’ll get right on it. You take bcare/b, Mrs. Kingsley, and I’ll try to lighten your workload from now on.” After saying that, Aaron bhurried /bout.

Amelia stared after him, dumbfounded. ‘Wait, does Aaron think I’m the one who’s pregnant? This is getting ridiculous! Then, another thought struck her. “Wait a minute bDoes /bAaron even know about Landon’s other woman?‘

Amelia had to hand it to Landon, He’d kept this whole thing incredibly tight–lipped. The fact that he trusted her with this task spoke volumes about his confidence in her. And she certainly wasn’t going to let him down, especially with a two–million–dor daily rate.

“Mrs. Kingsley, Mrs. Foster is here to see you,” her secretary announced through the inte.

Amelia’s expression turned icy. She only knew one Mrs. Foster–Pam, Zachary’s bmother/b. After all this time since I came back, she’s finally decided to show her face?” she thought to herself with a sneer.

“Send her in,” Amelia said coldly.

“Yes, Mrs. Kingsley,” the secretary replied. A momentter, she ushered Pam in

As always, Pam exuded an air of arrogance. Clutching her Hermes bag, she stood with her bchin /bheld high, expecting Amelia to greet her first. But Amelia remained seated at her desk, her expression icy and silent.

The silence stretched, bing increasingly awkward. Pam cleared her throat. “Amy, long time no see. How have you been?”

“I’ve been great,” Amelia replied, her bface /bradiant. And she truly was

Pam thought, ‘bBeing /ba wealthy man’s wife really does make a difference. The finest clothes, the best food, everything top–notch. Even her demeanor has changed. Amelia used to be so meek around me, but now she carries herself like she’s the one in chargeb.” /b

“Amy, I truly never imagined things would escte to this point between you and Zachary, I’ve always considered you like ba /bdaughter to me,” Pa. sighed theatrically, settling into a chair without waiting for an invitation,

“Mrs. Foster, did youe here for something specific?” Amelia asked, bcutting /bstraight to the chase.

Aflicker of awkwardness crossed Pam’s face, “Well, I’ve already given Zachary a stem talking to about yesterday’s incident. I was bhoping /byou could be the bigger person and, well, let it bgo/b.”

“I did let it go,” Amelia bsaid /bwith a chilling smile. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have walked out of that hotel room.”

“But you’ve ruined his career.” Pam’s voice fose, her displeasure evident.

Amelia’s eyes lit up. “Oh Is he impotent now?”

“Bringing Matthew back wouldpletely undermine Zachary, wouldn’t it?” Pam asked, keeping her voice even despite the resentment simmering

beneath the surface,

Amelia’s eyebrows arched thoughtfully, Zachary had a younger half brother, Matthew faster, born out of wedlock. She’d met himat

life–a pleasant, unassuming young man.

Though Matthew was raised under Pam’s name aftering back to the Foster family, he’d had a tough upbringing Ahar High school, he was shipped off to some faraway state to manage construction sites,

Only when Zachary officially took over the family business was Matthew allowed to return to forma

By then, Amelia’s life had taken a turn for the worse. The Fosters treated her like a pariah. Matthew, however, often brought her small gifts, offering a bit offort amidst the hostility.

On one asion, Amelia had a braging /blover in the middle of the night. Zachary was busy fooling around with Sandra, and in the end it was Matthew that rushed her to the hospital. And now, in this lifetime, he was back early.

“Amy, you need to stop Matthew froming back” Pam Insisted.

“Me?“Amelia scoffed. “What does your family bdrama /bhave to do with me?”

Pam’s face hardened. “You know exactly how Matthew ended uping back.”

Amelia couldn’t help but bugh/b. All she did was give Zachary a good beating. She hadn’t even contacted Matthew. Suddenly, it dawned on ber–Landon must have been the one pulling the strings.

A wave of warmth washed over Amelia. Whether Landon did it to save face or genuinely for her sake, she was thrilled that Zachary was getting what bhe /b

deserved.

“bAmy/bb, /bZachary is a man with bbig /bambitions and ba /bpowerful ego. If you take away his inheritance, it would be like taking his life. Please, I’m begging you, for the sake of how I’ve treated you bin /bthe past… Pam trailed off, waiting for a response from Amelia.

“Treated me well? bSeriously/b?” Amelia retorted. “Every time I went to Foster Vi, you had me ving baway /bin the kitchen, doing all the dirty work, and then you’d criticize everything I did. Every time I gave you ba /bgit, you’d pick it apart. That’s your idea of treating me well?”

Pam was speechless for a moment. “I was just trying to train you,” she stammered, regaining herposure. “To teach you how to be the bdy /bof the

manor.”

“What kind ofdy of the manor scrubs toilets, mops floors, and deesundry?” Amelia shot back with a sneer. Her expression hardened. “Pam, stop with the charade. I know you’ve always looked down on me. From the very beginning, the wife you had in mind for Zachary was her, not me.”

Pam froze, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. Amelia knew everything.

“And another thing,” Amelia continued, her voice icy. b“/bbI /bhaven’t used Kingsley bGroup /bto pressure Zacharyb, /bBut since you brought it up. Fll make sure it happens.” She issued amand to her assistant. “From now on, Kingsley Group will cease all dealings with any party that coborates

Fosters”

Pam’s face was drained of color. She rose to her feet, staring at Amelia in disbelief. “How dare you?”

Amelia merely shrugged “I dare do anything. The Fosters and I… We’re long past the point of caring about each other.”

“But you and Zachary… You have feelings for each other, Pam eximed.

Ameliascoffed, “Any feelings I had for him died the moment he tricked me onto that operating table. Now all that’s left is hate.”

Amelia’s words were like ba /bp in the face, shattering Pam’s hopes. With a clenched jaw, she pulled out a heart–shaped red diamond bpendant /bfrom her purse.

“Fineb,/b” she spat. “Then I guess you don’t want Debra’s things either?

The heart–shaped diamond pendant, etched with intricate designs, hung on a red cord, fashioned into a ne. It looked incredibly familiar,

08:12 bWed/bb, /bb4 /bJun

Amelia’s beyes /bwere glued to the diamond, her mind reeling. A hazy mininory surfaced a small child, clutching the pendant with a mischievous “Mommy, is this your heart? Don’t sell it. Give it to me, okay?”

It was Debra’s. Amelia had loved it, and that was the only reason Walter hadn’t pawned it off years ago.

“This was Debra’s pendant.” Pam stated, her chin held high, a renewed sense of power radiating from her. She wants me to go easy on Sandra ” ollir. “Melissa gain it to me as a pesca offering /li/ol

“Amelia,” she continued, her voiceced with a threat, “call off your dogs. And make sure Matthew doesn’t set foot back in Norava. Or else I’ll destroy it.” “You wouldn’t dareb,/b” Amelia roared, lunging from behind her desk to snatch the diamond pendant. It was the only remaining piece of her mother she had left, and she was desperate to get it back,

Pam, taken aback by

ck by this uncharacteristic outburst from the usuallyposed Amelia, retreated hastily. “Amelie,e any

closer and I’ll smash iet

Amelia froze, her eyes, bloodshot and furiousb, /bfaxed on Pam’s hand. “Give it back to me.”

-sign a document guaranteeing Zachary’s inheritance rights, and it’s yours,” Pam bsaid/b, a triumphant smirk spreading across her face

*They all say how formidable Amelia has be, but it seems I was right all along, Pam thought smugly. “A mere trinket and she’spletely at my

mercy

Amelia took a deep breath. Of course, she couldn’t just stand by and watch her mother’s heirloom be destroyed, but she wasn’t the same pushover she used to bbe/bb. /b