Chapter 310

Mia had no idea why Alexander suddenly burst out laughing, but she had a gut feeling that the guy standing in front of her now didn't have any love left for her.

The only reason he hadn't walked away yet was probably out of pity.

This version of Alexander scared her like never before.

It felt like she was facing a stranger, someone she never really knew.

Her hands clenched tighter, and her breathing got faster.

When Alexander finally stopped his creepy laughter, he looked back at her. "Mia, thanks for showing me what a fool I was. Being with you, I must've been out of my mind."

The sarcasm and contempt were crystal clear.

Mia's face went pale, and she instinctively took a step back.

But right now, Alexander was her only hope. The days of selling drinks at the bar were unbearable. She longed for the carefree life she once had with him.

If she had known it would come to this, she would have put up with the engagement. Maybe Alexander would have felt guilty and treated her better.

But regret was useless now. Clinging to his sleeve, she begged, "Please, Alexander, I won't ask you for money or a title. I just need a place to stay, okay? And my stuff is still at your house. Keeping them won't do you any good. If Amelia sees them..."

"Shut up!" Alexander roared, furious at the mention of Amelia.

Mia shuddered in fear.

She thought he had seen through her little scheme. The bags and makeup Alexander had bought her were still at his place and could fetch a good price.

At least Alexander could help her get through this tough time.

But Alexander just gave her a cold look. "Mia, it's because of you that Amelia and I are where we are today. How dare you bring this up?"

If Mia hadn't constantly made things hard for Amelia, even causing a scene at the engagement party, Alexander and Amelia might still be friends, even if they couldn't be together.

But was that really the truth?

Even before Mia's interference, Alexander had done many things to hurt Amelia. He had taken her love for granted.

"We're done. If you're looking to get money from a man, I suggest you find someone else. I'm not interested."

Those were the last words Alexander said to Mia.

Ignoring her desperate pleas and tears, Alexander walked away without looking back.

This place disgusted him, and Mia's presence was a constant reminder of his past mistakes.

He couldn't get away fast enough, let alone willingly stay.

The next morning at breakfast, Alexander brought up Mia with Scarlett directly.

At first, Scarlett denied everything, but as Alexander's attitude grew firmer, she finally admitted. "So what if it was me? I did it for you! If it weren't for that Mia, you wouldn't be like this. People who hurt you deserve to be punished!"

Alexander sighed heavily, his gaze fixed on the increasingly unbalanced Scarlett. "Mom, can we just let this go? They're just trying to live their lives. Punishing Mia won't bring Amelia back, and Henry's name is still on the will. Why must you take your anger out on innocent people?"

Scarlett's wrinkles deepened as Alexander scolded her. Her hands trembled as she held her plate. "But it hurts me to see you like this. I didn't do anything too extreme. They brought this on themselves!"

Alexander slammed his fork on the table, feeling utterly drained. Watching his friends fall apart because of Scarlett's actions, he realized she was just taking out her frustrations on the vulnerable because she couldn't confront James. He couldn't understand how his once gentle mother had become like this.

"Do whatever you want, but I'm asking you, please, leave Amelia alone..." Alexander pleaded.

Before he could finish, Scarlett exploded. "You're still defending that woman! Hasn't she hurt you enough? She's the reason for your suffering. I won't let her off!"

Alexander's face darkened.

"Mom!"

His tone grew sharper. They always fought when it came to Amelia.

"Please, I'm begging you. My mistakes have already brought enough punishment. We're barely hanging on as a family. If you keep this up, what if Dad really gets fed up and casts us out?"

Scarlett nearly fainted. She felt helpless. Her husband James had countless women outside and was no longer on her side. And now, with Alexander defending Amelia, Scarlett felt increasingly isolated within her own family.

But Alexander was right. In the past, no matter how bad things got with James, Scarlett would pretend they still shared a room in front of Alexander. But now, James didn't even bother pretending and had moved to a separate room.

Seeing her unspoken distress, Alexander sighed in resignation. "Mom, I'm applying to Averlake soon. Once I'm better, I'll go. Please, don't interfere in my life anymore. I'm grown up now. I can handle it."

Scarlett was shocked, feeling as though she was being abandoned. But Alexander didn't understand the situation, it tore at her heart that she was powerless to change it.

Alexander couldn't gauge how deeply his words hurt her, but he had to be firm to prevent her from troubling Amelia in his absence. "Mother, believe me, I am not joking. If I find out that you continue to trouble Amelia, then consider me no longer your son."

Scarlett shot up from her seat, pointing a trembling finger at him. "You... you dare! I am your mother! How could you say such things over a woman?"

It was heartbreaking. In Alexander's heart, Amelia clearly mattered more than Scarlett.

Alexander remained silent, not responding. Continuing this argument would do neither of them any good, so Scarlett reluctantly backed down. "Fine, I get it. You don't have to keep repeating it."

Alexander scrutinized her, ensuring she wasn't hiding any intense emotions before he left.

Meanwhile, Amelia was in her office, working. Laura brought her a coffee and tapped her head.

"Don't sit so close to the screen. If your husband comes questioning me why your eyes are strained, I won't cover for you."

***Valentine's Day Special***

Henry had never come across this word before. He couldn't even remember if this big holiday for couples was in February or March. But this year felt different. Especially since Amelia had been mysteriously busy in the small room all morning. Every time Henry tried to sneak a peek, she firmly shut him out.

Feeling a bit neglected, Henry sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through the financial newspaper with a sigh. What on earth was Amelia up to? She hadn't even given him a good morning kiss.

Mark, who was hanging around nearby, joked, "Hey, Mr. Anderson, I didn't know you were so good at reading a newspaper upside down. That's a real talent!"

Henry quickly realized Mark had been there long enough and promptly shooed him out. As the door closed, the room fell into a dim light.

"Amelia?" he called softly.

Turning around, he felt a small figure bump gently into his arms. In the dim light of the room, Amelia's eyes glimmered with anticipation as she looked up at him.

"Today marks our first Valentine's Day together, and I have a special gift for you," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

Henry was about to say he didn't need anything, but when he saw what she was holding, he froze. It was a simple photo, yet it beautifully captured a young Henry and Amelia. Taken from a hidden spot, it showed Amelia crouched in the grass, snapping a picture of Henry just behind her. This was their only childhood photo together, a treasured memory forever frozen in time.

"What's this?" Henry asked, astonished, as he took the photo from her.

They had countless photos together now, plastered all over social media. But a childhood photo held a different kind of significance.

"You won't be mad, right? Back then, I just thought we didn't have a single photo together, and you didn't seem like the type who liked taking pictures. I was afraid you'd want to reminisce about your childhood someday and wouldn't have anything, so I took it. How's that for foresight?" Amelia said, her chest puffing up with pride.

Henry gazed at her, suddenly aware that the stormy days of his youth had always harbored someone willing to hold an umbrella for him. He had merely been too stubborn to look back. But now...

In front of him was a house with both their names on the deed, and Amelia was about to become his lawful wife. They would have a happy family, and maybe... he might even become a father. Though he was uncertain of what it meant to be a good father, with Amelia's guidance, it seemed an attainable goal.

In those few minutes, many thoughts cascaded through his mind. But they all had one thing in common: he wanted to be with Amelia forever.

Seeing him silent, Amelia's breath hitched for a moment. "Do you... not like it?" she ventured cautiously, a hint of disappointment coloring her tone as she began to withdraw the photo.

Henry quickly reached out and gently held her hand, stopping her. "No, Amelia, I love it," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "This means more to me than you can imagine. Thank you."

Amelia's eyes sparkled with relief and joy. "I'm so glad," she whispered, leaning into his embrace.

Henry held her close, feeling the warmth of her love envelop him. In that moment, he knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. And that was all he needed.

Before she could react, Henry took her hand. "Amelia, I'm not great with words, but I know one thing for sure—I'll never let go of your hand for the rest of my life."

Amelia was taken aback. Outside the window, fireworks exploded in the sky, painting it with vibrant colors. How could there be fireworks now? And they were her favorite kind.

"Amelia," Henry's deep voice whispered in her ear. She turned to look at him, his gentle face glowing in the soft light. "Happy Valentine's Day."