Chapter 223
Elise pulled Atticus close, looking uncomfortable.
Zane barked sternly, "what are you saying? What kind of attitude is that? If you don't want to live here, pack your bags and get out!"
Aria's face turned red, hands on her hips, "Zane, I'm thinking about the Martinez family's reputation! Otherwise, who knows what the neighbors will say about us!"
Zane raised his voice, "why would they say anything about my family?"
Aria sneered mockingly, "didn't Amelia used to get kicked out by the Moore family all the time? Now it's Elise getting kicked out by the Lawson family! You can't change what's in someone's bones..."
Aria's voice stopped abruptly as Zane slapped her hard across the face, pointing at her, "Amelia is my daughter. Saying that means you're insulting me too! If you're unhappy with me, we'll go get divorced tomorrow!"
Aria covered her face, deeply aggrieved, "I'm just trying to help the Martinez family! You hit me over some ungrateful daughter? Zane, I think you've wanted to leave me for a while! Fine, let's go get divorced tomorrow!"
With that, Aria went upstairs.
Elise felt terrible, her throat tight, "Dad, I'm sorry, maybe I should..."
Zane grabbed Elise's hand firmly, "even if you don't remember the past, you're still my daughter! If you're in trouble and don't stay here, where else would you go?"
Elise looked upstairs, troubled, "but..."
Zane waved his hand, "don't worry about her! She won't actually divorce me!"
Then Zane bent down to touch Atticus's face, asking kindly, "child, what do you want to eat tonight? Grandpa will make it for you!"
Atticus was confused about suddenly having a grandpa and looked at Elise questioningly.
Elise said, "say hello to Grandpa!"
Though Atticus didn't understand, he followed Elise's instruction, "hello, Grandpa!"
Zane beamed with joy, "good child!"
Then Elise explained the situation to Zane, "right now I can't face the Lawson family. Going to Matthew's place, I'm worried Matthew will retaliate against Zander, so I can only stay here!"
Zane sighed sadly, "you're doing the right thing. You can't go to Matthew's place! As for the Lawson family, I'll go talk to them later. Now I want to ask you, what are you really thinking? Do you still love Matthew?"
Elise was silent for a moment, her eyes uncertain, "I don't know!"
Though she didn't give a verbal answer, Zane already understood Elise's feelings!
She had feelings for Matthew!
But the Lawson family had been kind to Elise, and she was engaged to Zander. What should be done?
"What about Zander? Do you love Zander?" Zane stared at her, "don't throw away your happiness just to repay a debt! There are many ways to repay kindness!"
Elise was upset and kept shaking her head, "I don't know what to do anymore!"
Zane patted her hand comfortingly, "the Lawson family won't know you're here for a while. Take a few days to calm down, then figure things out slowly!"
After dinner, Zane prepared rooms for Elise and Atticus.
Then he went out for a walk.
It was called a walk, but really he was going to find Matthew to discuss this matter.
As soon as he entered the villa, Zane saw Mia sitting on the sofa ordering the servants around!
Zane felt disgusted and frowned.
He walked into the living room. When Mia saw him, a cold smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, "what are you doing here? Amelia's gone. The Moore family has nothing to do with you anymore!"
Zane snorted coldly and asked back, "are you married to Matthew?"
Mia was startled, the smugness in her eyes dimming a bit, "whether Matthew and I are married or not is none of your business!"
"How is it none of my business?" Zane countered, "if you're not married, you're a mistress, and you still have the nerve to stay here! Besides, Matthew hasn't ended his marriage with my daughter yet, so you're still a mistress! A mistress acting all high and mighty with me—how shameless!"
"You bastard!" Mia cursed, clenching her fists.
Zane smiled instead of getting angry, ignoring Mia to ask Kaia, "where's Mr. Moore?"
Just as Kaia was about to answer, Matthew's car pulled into the yard, "Mr. Martinez, Mr. Moore is back!"
Mia's face turned pale with anger. Matthew's timing couldn't be worse—otherwise she would have given Zane a good scolding to vent her frustration!
Matthew walked into the living room, his gaze sweeping past Mia and landing on Zane's face, "I came today to discuss something with you!" Zane got straight to the point.
Matthew remembered last night's intimacy with Elise, and his attitude toward Zane became much warmer, "Kaia, pour father a cup of coffee!"
But Zane signaled Kaia not to bother, "I'll leave after I'm done talking!"
Matthew nodded, "go ahead!"
Zane glanced at Mia and snorted coldly, "outsiders can't hear this. Let's talk in your study!"
Mia's eyes widened. She was angry but couldn't vent, her face turning red, "what could you possibly have to hide?"
Zane ignored her and walked straight into the study.
"Matthew, he just..." Mia wanted to complain, but Matthew completely ignored her, acting as if she didn't exist, following Zane into the study and closing the door.
Mia stood frozen in place, her lips trembling.
Kaia and the other servants pressed their lips together, trying hard not to laugh out loud.
In the study, Matthew sat on the sofa, "what is it?"
Zane stared at Matthew as if trying to see into his soul, "I'm going to ask you something. Do you still have feelings for Amelia or not?"
Matthew looked slightly surprised and asked back, "why are you suddenly asking this?"
"Because this question is very important!" Zane raised his voice, "it's about whether Amelia can be happy in the future!"
Matthew's voice was calm yet firm, his eyes filled with tenderness, "no one can replace Amelia's place in my heart!"
Hearing this answer, a smile finally appeared on Zane's serious face, "you love Amelia, I can see that. Amelia loves you too, but the Lawson family has been kind to her. She can't be ungrateful."
Matthew's eyes suddenly brightened, catching Zane's implication—the purpose of his visit today, "I can make concessions in business to help Amelia repay the Lawson family's kindness!"
Zane nodded approvingly, "Amelia is at my place now, and your child Atticus is there too! Tomorrow, I'll go with you to the Lawson family to discuss this properly!"
However, Zane changed the subject, glancing toward the door, "what about Mia? How do you feel about her?"
Matthew answered without hesitation, "I have no feelings for her anymore!"
Zane nodded again, "that's good."
Just then, a servant's urgent voice came from outside, "Mr. Moore, Zander brought people and is making a scene outside, demanding you hand over Ms. Sinclair!"
Matthew smiled coldly, confident, "perfect timing. I was just about to talk to him about Amelia!"
A month later, on an island, outside a white building under a palm tree, Matthew and Elise—no, she had changed her name back to Amelia—sat together on a sofa, watching Luna play with Atticus in the water not far away.
"I never thought Zander would actually agree to give me up! Even more surprising that Mr. Lawson agreed too!" Amelia felt like she was dreaming.
Matthew smiled, "if Zander hadn't agreed, I would have made him spend the rest of his life in bed! I already warned him not to go after you again! As an exchange, I can let bygones be bygones, but he has to give you up!"
After a pause, Matthew continued, "as for Parker, he's an extremely rational person. With the huge business benefits I'm giving the Lawson family, how could he not agree? To him, you've become a burden. Forcing you to stay with the Lawson family wouldn't be worth it!"
Amelia snuggled closer to Matthew, her eyes full of tenderness, "thank you for everything you've done for me!"
Matthew kissed Amelia's forehead, fragments of the past flickering in his eyes, "that's what I owed you! Our new life has begun. I'm going to love you and Atticus properly!"
With that, Matthew and Amelia kissed, the sunlight stretching their shadows long and far.