Chapter 71 Chapter 71
Amelia
I hurried toward my dad, my chest pounding with panic. “Please… get the kids out of here right away,” I begged, my voice tight with desperation. “I will come by the house later and explain everything to you.”
If Maxwell saw the kids now, everything I had fought for could be lost in an instant. I could lose my children, my chance to take back the company, and everything I had worked so hard to protect. I couldn’t let that happen not after coming this far.
“Why?” my dad asked, frowning, his eyes flicking toward Maxwell and Harrington as they approached. “You don’t want me to meet your husband on paper? The one who’s obviously going to ruin us and destroy you with his schemes?”
The kids’ voices called out, faint but persistent. I turned and saw them trying to open the car door, running toward me. Panic flared in my chest. I quickly guided my dad toward the car, holding him steady. “Hello, my girls,” I said softly, smiling through the worry as they reached for me.
“Don’t worry,” I told them, keeping my hands firm on the door to stop them from climbing in. “I will come see you this evening. I promise.” I bent slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to each of their heads through the window, trying to convey all the love and reassurance I could.
Then I turned back to my dad, my face pleading. “Please… trust me. I’ll come tonight.” He looked at me for a long moment, then sighed, the weight of the situation settling over him.
Just as he was about to get into the car, Maxwell and Harrington stepped outside. Harrington’s voice cut through the air, sharp and loud. “Oh, Mr. Davis! Are you here to congratulate me on my victory?” he shouted, striding forward with that self-satisfied smirk I hated so much.
“Ignore him, please, Dad. Just go,” I urged, my voice tight with urgency. My father hesitated for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he shot a sharp glare at Harrington. Maxwell was already walking toward us, his presence calm but intimidating.
Finally, my dad got into the car and started driving away. The kids’ voices rang out, high and excited, “Love you, Mommy! See you tonight!” My chest tightened as I watched the car disappear, and only then did I let out the breath I had been holding.
Harrington stepped closer, a smug grin plastered across his face. “Your father didn’t even bother saying hello to his successor, must be mad at your failure and incompetence,” he jeered, laughing as if he had just delivered the funniest joke in the world.
“Leave us,” Maxwell said sharply, his tone so cold and commanding that Harrington’s confident smile faltered. “Now,” Maxwell added, and without another word, Harrington turned and walked back into the building, his pride visibly cracked.
Maxwell then turned to me, his eyes serious. “The kids in the car, who are they? Were they calling you ‘Mommy’?”
My stomach clenched, but I forced myself to stay calm. I searched for something plausible to say. “They are our neighbor’s children,” I explained, keeping my voice steady. “Their parents are hardly ever around, so my parents help babysit them since they spend most of their time at home. They call me ‘Mommy’ sometimes because they think I look like their mother. Sweet kids,” I added, letting out a light, fake laugh.
Maxwell’s brow furrowed. “Why did your father rush off? I was planning to meet him and introduce myself.”
I swallowed and lied smoothly, keeping my tone casual. “He came because he heard the news and was upset with me for allowing Harrington to become CEO. Besides, the girls have a game later today, and he needed to get home to prepare for them. I promised to be there this evening before heading home to talk to him.”
Maxwell studied me for a moment, his gaze sharp as if he could see right through my words, and my heart thumped in my chest.
He studied me for a long moment before speaking. “I would like to come with you,” he said slowly, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. “I want to meet your father not because I suspect him but i just to meet him and your mother. And it would be nice to watch the girls play too. I don’t have anything else planned this evening.”
I froze, my mind spinning. I hadn’t expected him to talk about meeting my parents, not now, and certainly not before I had a chance to prepare. My eyes widened as I tried to form an excuse. “My parents… they are not exactly friendly when it comes to meeting my potential boyfriend. Now imagine them meeting you—my husband on paper,” I said nervously, scratching my head. “I think it would be better if you meet them after all of this is settled.”
Lucien gave me a confident, almost playful look. “I have dealt with worse,” he said, winking. “I know how to charm my way into people’s lives. Don’t worry, I will be fine. Come on, let’s go home and prepare for the evening.”
With that, he gently tugged me toward the car.
Back at home, I paced my room, my mind racing. I needed a way to stop Maxwell from coming to the girls’ game with me. Pretending to be unwell crossed my mind, but he might see right through it, after all, I had been strong and healthy just minutes ago.
Frustrated, I grabbed my phone and called Adele. I told her the plan, she was supposed to call me immediately when I was about to leave, claiming she had fallen on the stairs at her house and needed my help right away. I could only hope Maxwell would believe the story and not insist on driving me there himself.
When the time came, my phone buzzed with a message from Maxwell: “I’m downstairs waiting. Hurry up.” My heart leapt. Adele hadn’t picked up, and panic set in. I tried calling her repeatedly, five minutes passed, and there was still no answer.
Finally, with no other choice, I headed downstairs, dropping another urgent message for Adele, hoping she would see it in time.
Maxwell was already at the bottom of the stairs, smiling that charming smile I hated and loved all at once. “Come on,” he said, his voice light. “Let’s go watch the game and meet your parents.”
I kept my eyes glued to my phone, silently praying for Adele to call as we stepped outside the house.