Chapter 196 Under Relentless Pressure
Tobias didn't just shout—he moved. In a flash, faster than anyone would expect, he crossed the distance and dragged Amelia into his arms, his body rigid with a protective edge as his eyes locked on Michael.
"Michael! Don't you think you've gone too far? Coming here while none of us were home is bad enough as it is... but Amelia is still young, and you were about to kiss her?! That was calculated—you think you can use your charm to lure my sister, don't you? Kevin, Chris, Ryan—say something! You agree this is crossing the line, right?"
Amelia hadn't expected Kevin and the others to come back at this exact moment. And not alone—five of them together. Her stomach sank at the sight. She slipped out of Tobias's hold, her voice uncertain for the first time as she looked at Kevin and scratched her head lightly. "Uh... Kevin, why are you all suddenly back?"
She'd thought the house was empty. That was why she'd felt bold enough to play at a little wall-pressing game with Michael. Now, her five brothers had caught her in the act.
This was painfully awkward.
She glanced up at Michael. His face was still composed, but she guessed there was a knot in his chest. Even for him, having Chris and Ryan's eyes on him—sharp enough to wound—would rattle anyone.
Zander stood at the back, expression blank, but the weight of his presence was enough to make her wonder if he was already deciding whether to physically intervene.
Kevin finally recovered from his initial shock, taking in a slow breath.
He'd been away when he saw the Williams family press conference on the news. Vaughn's trouble was bad enough, but then he'd spotted his own sister in the crowd. He'd tried calling Amelia, but she hadn't answered. That was when he'd pulled Chris and Ryan together, heading home fast, worried she might get caught in the mess at the Williams Group.
And now... they opened the door to find her here. With Michael.
The image from a moment ago still burned in Kevin's mind. Amelia had promised him—promised—that at most she'd hold Michael's hand.
Tobias, the youngest, rarely thought about anything but Amelia. He was loud now, accusing Michael of being too forward, of having bad intentions for his sister.
But Kevin had seen the truth in that frozen moment when they'd walked in—Michael's hands were pinned to the wall by Amelia. He hadn't been the aggressor at all.
If Michael had been the one initiating, they could have thrown him out without hesitation. But Amelia had been the one leaning in... and that made it harder to justify a confrontation.
"I saw the news from the Williams family press conference and came back," Kevin said, his voice cool as he looked at Amelia. "I was planning to go with Chris to pick you up. Amelia, come with me to the study. We need to talk."
As the head of the household, Kevin wasn't letting this slide. If he caught her being intimate with Michael, there would be a lecture—no way around it.
Amelia glanced at Michael, her voice soft. "I know, Kevin... but Michael—"
"Mr. Johnson." Kevin turned his gaze on Michael, tone clipped. "I'll speak with my sister first. My other brothers will keep you company in the meantime. You don't mind, do you?"
Michael knew better than to push. The fact that Kevin hadn't outright ordered him out of the Martinez Mansion was already generous. He straightened his posture. "Not at all, Mr. Martinez. Please."
Amelia followed Kevin toward the study. Just before stepping inside, she looked back toward the living room.
Chris sat with a cool, detached expression, his eyes fixed on Michael with a measuring stare. After a pause, he said, "Mr. Johnson, have a seat."
Ryan kept a smile in place, even going so far as to pour Michael a glass of water from the kitchen. But Amelia could feel it—the smile was as cold as the water in the glass.
Zander's gaze was icy. He didn't retreat upstairs like usual. Instead, he took a seat on the sofa as if settling in to scrutinize the man in front of him.
And Tobias... Tobias didn't need explaining. From the first meeting, he'd never given Michael a warm look, always convinced he needed to be on guard. Now, seeing Michael in the house and that close to Amelia, he was pure watchfulness.
Her four brothers sat on either side of Michael, leaving him alone in the center of the room.
The scene looked like an inquisition. Amelia felt a pang of sympathy—Michael had probably faced boardroom battles with more ease than this. The pressure here was suffocating.
"Mr. Johnson."
With Kevin absent, Chris was the ranking brother. He studied Michael. "You say you like Amelia, but we brothers don't even know how you met her. Since you're here today... why don't you tell us how you two first crossed paths? Let us understand you better."
How they'd met?
Amelia's mind flashed back to that first meeting—where she'd kissed him for five straight minutes.
God. This was a trap. She and Michael locked eyes briefly, and she sent him a tiny, encouraging look.
Kevin caught it immediately. "Why are you looking at him? Chris isn't going to eat him alive."
Amelia turned her head quickly, following Kevin into the study.
For the next thirty minutes, Kevin spoke with calm but firm authority. He told her she needed to prioritize her studies. Even if she dated Michael, she couldn't let him take advantage.
By the end, Amelia wanted to defend Michael—he'd never taken advantage of her. If anything, he'd been on the receiving end.
What surprised her was the shift when she returned to the living room. Before she'd gone in, her brothers had been radiating hostility toward Michael. Now, the air was... calmer. Whatever Michael had said, it had softened Chris and Ryan's expressions, and even Tobias's glare had cooled.
Kevin was just stepping toward the living room when the doorbell rang. Amelia moved to open it.
Eric stood outside, looking like he'd run straight from a storm, dust still on his clothes and a file envelope clutched in his hand.