Chapter 470

Chapter 470

Amelia had also told Evelyn not long ago that she would no longer tolerate Sandra. If there was a next time, she wouldn't let Sandra off the hook.

"By the way," Shawn suddenly lowered his voice, "Seraphina has another fashion show next month. Can you..."

"Proceed as planned." Amelia nodded. "I'll recover as soon as possible and personally follow this project."

Seraphina shook her head. "No need. I can handle it. After all, it's not my first time competing alone."

She paused, then added stiffly, "Your family needs you more."

Amelia looked at Seraphina with some surprise.

This ice queen who lived for her career and never cared about other people's personal matters was actually saying something like this?

"I need to go with you. I'm worried," Amelia said.

Shawn glanced at his watch. "We should go too and let Amelia rest properly."

He turned to Seraphina. "I'll get the car. Wait for me downstairs?"

Seraphina nodded. After Shawn left, she paused for a while and then removed a small box from her bag and placed it in Amelia's hand.

"This is a blessing pendant I got from a church when I was shooting a commercial in Thalassia. They say it really works. You... can put it on Sirius."

Amelia was stunned for a moment. As she looked at the delicate charm, her heart was filled with warmth.

Seraphina now was so different from when they first met.

"By the way, I'm planning to go to the company next week. I want to take everyone on a team-building trip to have some fun before starting the new work. When you get back, tell everyone and see where they want to go and what they'd like to eat," Amelia instructed.

Seraphina agreed. After returning, she discussed it with the company staff. When everyone learned Amelia was coming back, the work group chat was full of chatter.

Everyone said they didn't know where to choose, so Amelia provided several options for everyone to vote on.

After deliberating, they decided on a hot spring resort in the suburbs for the team-building activity.

This was the company's first group outing after the flu. Amelia was excited and full of energy, hoping to use this opportunity to relieve everyone's long-accumulated stress.

A few days later, Amelia arrived at the company looking radiant.

Estella and others prepared a rather dramatic welcome ceremony for her, with balloons and flowers everywhere, all-round cheers, and enthusiastic applause filled her ears.

At first, Amelia was calm and composed, but as she took in the familiar faces and their joyful smiles, she became emotional.

Truly, if she had run away like Sandra and abandoned everyone at the company, how could she possibly have such a cohesive team?

"Ms. Tudor is finally back! I missed you so much. Thank you for coming back!" Estella was the first to rush over, hugging Amelia so hard she almost knocked her to the ground.

Katelin, Virginia, and others also quickly rushed over, surrounding Amelia.

That afternoon, Amelia took everyone to the pre-booked hot spring resort hotel and also allowed everyone to bring family members.

Several girls went to the hot springs first, then they sang, danced, and played mystery games. After everyone was exhausted, they went into a private room to share some drinks.

"Ms. Tudor, Seraphina has already had three glasses of whiskey."

Hatty leaned close to Amelia's ear and whispered, "She's always been devoted to work and usually doesn't drink at all, right?"

Amelia casually looked toward Seraphina in the corner.

The usually aloof Seraphina now had flushed cheeks, holding her fourth drink, staring at Shawn who was surrounded by a group of female artists in the distance.

Seeing that look made Amelia's heart skip a beat. She had never seen such complex emotions in Seraphina's eyes before.

"I'll go check on her." Amelia got up and walked through the noisy crowd.

"Seraphina." Amelia gently pressed down on her hand holding the glass. "Slow down. This drink has a strong aftertaste."

Seraphina turned her head, looking at Amelia with hazy eyes, and said groggily, "Ms. Tudor."

"What's wrong?" Amelia couldn't help asking. She felt something was very off between her and Shawn.

Seraphina waved her hand. "Nothing, Ms. Tudor, I..."

She couldn't finish her sentence because she suddenly dry-heaved and almost threw up.

"Seraphina, you've had too much. Let me take you back to your room." Amelia tried to help her up.

"I'm not drunk!" Seraphina suddenly raised her voice, causing several nearby people to turn and look.

She grabbed Amelia's wrist, her voice suddenly dropping again. "Ms. Tudor, I feel so bad on the inside, but I... I don't know why."

Amelia quickly glanced at Shawn. He seemed quite alright, still chatting loudly with Estella and the others, completely unaware that his fiancée was in a bad mood.

Hold on, though. Hadn't Seraphina always claimed that "emotions are the most useless investment"?

"What's going on with you two?" Amelia was puzzled.

Seraphina smiled bitterly. "I don't know either. I just know I feel uncomfortable inside, and I don't know what's happening. Ms. Tudor, do you think I'm stupid?"

"You like Shawn." Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"No." Seraphina was startled and instinctively denied it. "Impossible. How could I possibly like him?"

"You're jealous."

Seraphina shook her head in a daze. "Impossible, impossible, still impossible..."

Shawn seemed to glance over at that moment, and Seraphina immediately avoided his gaze and forced a smile.

"Take me back to my room." Seraphina's voice was already slurred.

Amelia was about to help Seraphina up when she realized she couldn't lift this 5-foot-10 tall woman.

Shawn quickly walked over at that moment. "Let me."

With a complex expression on his face, Shawn looked at Seraphina, sighed, and bent down to scoop her up in his arms.

Seraphina was completely drunk and didn't struggle. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck—clearly a gesture of dependence.

Shawn carefully adjusted his position to make sure her dress wouldn't expose her, then walked toward the elevator.

Amelia silently followed them, helped press the elevator button that took them upstairs and opened the door of the bedroom.

Shawn gently placed Seraphina on the bed, took off her high heels and covered her with a blanket; he moved quite gently.

"Do you need me to stay and take care of her?" Amelia asked knowingly.

Shawn shook his head, his gaze never leaving Seraphina's sleeping face.

"She doesn't like others seeing her unguarded. Even while asleep, she's still that aloof, invincible Seraphina."

There was a helpless self-mockery in his tone.

"What's really going on with you two?" Amelia couldn't help asking. "You blocked sulfuric acid for her. Logically, you guys should have gotten closer."

Shawn finally looked up and there was a bitter smile on his lips. "I think I've been wrong all along. I shouldn't have forced it, shouldn't have become a burden to someone else."

"What?" Amelia looked shocked. What was this fool overthinking now? It clearly wasn't like that this time.

"I love her." Shawn said it very calmly. "And because of that, I can't continue this ridiculous contract relationship. She deserves real love, not a business transaction. She'll have to leave me to have a chance to find someone she truly likes."