Chapter 222 Actually, I Am a Demon Hunter
The Martinez family had already agreed to take Amelia home. Tobias was partly joking and partly serious. when he announced that this time, he would be the one to carry her to the car.
But Amelia's eyes shifted, her face fell slightly., as if a thought had caught hold. she stared intently onsomething in the distance.
Following her gaze, the others noticed a man standing near one of the hospital's stone pillars.
He wore a pale, buttoned-up shirt with a high collar, black casual trousers, tall and lean, waving a slender, angularbuild that still carried a certain grace.
His face had sharp, refined features. sharp yet gentle features framed by a quiet, self-contained air that made him seem almost uninvolved in the surrounding noise.
Lon was watching them, his expression was cautious.
Kevin caught the change in Amelia's gaze and leaned closer. "Who's that, Amelia? A friend of yours?"
"No,"she answered after a shaky breath. She wasn't sure why Lon had come, but she offered an explanation. "He's my riding instructor from today's equestrian class. Maybe he heard I was at Central Hospital and came to check on me."
Kevin nodded, studying the man for a moment. "Riding instructor... He does look like the refined type."
To Kevin, a teacher visiting an injured student seemed perfectly normal. He suggested, "Why don't you wave him over? Let him come say hello."
Amelia shook her head gently. "No need, Kevin. There are so many of us here... He might feel awkward. I'll go talk to him myself. You all head to the car first."
They agreed easily enough, but Michael's gaze narrowed as he looked toward the man by the pillar.
Lon's eyes were locked on Amelia—too focused, too intent.
It wasn't the kind of look an ordinary teacher gave a student.
Could it be that after just one class, this man had developed a more-than-professional interest in her?
Michael knew better than anyone how magnetic Amelia's presence could be.
He himself—someone who had never been drawn to any woman—had been attracted the first time he saw her. It stood to reason others could feel the same.
A flicker of unease tightened in his chest.
"I'll go with you," he said casually, stepping closer to her wheelchair.
"No," Amelia refused without hesitation. "I'll handle it."
Michael's lips pressed together, but he didn't push. He knew Amelia—if she wanted to go alone, she had her reasons.
Sensing his concern, she glanced up at him. "I'm just going to say hello. I'll be back in a moment."
He nodded, voice low. "Alright." But the tension in his brow didn't ease.
Amelia glanced toward her brothers, confirming they weren't paying attention. Then she reached out, her fingers squeezing the back of Michael's hand. She whispered, "Michael, bend down."
He blinked but obeyed, leaning in.
The next second, her lips brushed softly against his cheek.
The gesture was discreet enough to escape her brothers' notice—but not Lon's.
There was a subtle shift in Lon's expression.
Amelia's fingers tugged playfully at Michael's ear, her smile warm, voice soothing. "Be good. Wait for me in the car."
The kiss seemed to calm him.
"Alright."
Michael drew in a slow breath and straightened, turning toward the parking area.
But as soon as he walked away, Amelia's smile faded. Her gaze sharpened as she wheeled herself toward Lon.
She stopped in front of him, wearing a polite smile. "Mr. Ramos. What brings you here?"
Lon didn't answer right away. His eyes flicked over her cheek, then down to her injured leg.
The visible scrapes, the thick plaster cast around her calf—he inhaled deeply. "Is your leg badly hurt?"
"Not too badly," Amelia said evenly. "Just a minor fracture in the lower leg. The doctor says with the cast and proper rest, I should recover in two or three months."
"Two or three months..." Lon's breath caught.
He had never intended for her to be injured.
All he'd wanted was one final test. If she truly wasn't Rosie—the kind of rider who could control a horse beyond normal limits—he would have stopped the animal before she lost control.
But the fall had been sudden.
By the time he reacted, she was already airborne, crashing hard to the ground.
Her pained words—''It hurts''—had lingered in his mind, replaying even after Zander led her away. The memory weighed heavily now.
Seeing her in a wheelchair, knowing his test had caused this... Lon felt guilt settle in his chest like stone.
"I'm sorry," he spoke softly, yet firmly.
He had come to apologize. And, in truth, to let go of his suspicions.
Amelia understood, though her expression held a trace of polite puzzlement.
"Mr. Ramos, this is the second time you've apologized to me. I fell because the horse suddenly lost control. That's not your fault. You don't need to blame yourself."
Her calm dismissal only deepened his guilt.
Because he knew exactly why the horse had lost control.
"It's on me," Lon admitted. "I was the one who picked that horse for you. Maybe it wasn't trained well enough.
"And I saw you taking off your helmet before dismounting. That's against safety protocol, and I didn't warn you. That's my mistake too.
"I've already spoken to the school. Your medical expenses will be covered by me.
"I'll be leaving River City tonight. I won't be returning to Prestige High School to teach riding.
"So I came today to apologize... and to say goodbye."
Amelia's eyes flickered.
She could understand him quitting—he had only come to Prestige High to test her. Now that the matter was settled and she was injured, she wouldn't be riding for months.
But leaving River City tonight... That felt rushed.
"Mr. Ramos is leaving tonight?" she asked lightly, as if just curious. "Something urgent?"
"There is," he said, watching her closely.
"My real job isn't teaching riding."
Amelia blinked, stunned . "Then what do you do?"
"You probably won't believe me," Lon said, his gaze steady. "I'm a Demon Hunter."