Chapter 165 Chapter 165

Chapter 165 Chapter 165
(Still Flashback)

"Ha ha ha!"
Unable to hold it back any longer, Kai burst into laughter, filling the garden that had been peaceful moments before.

Clutching his stomach, which ached from laughing too hard, Saga looked at Ezra with a mocking grin.
"So your charm doesn't work on Amelia after all."

Amelia, who had been smiling a moment ago, suddenly froze when she saw Kai laughing so freely.

For a few seconds, she couldn't look away.
The man looked completely different. Not cold, not rigid, and not arrogant like he usually appeared.

"Wow... he's actually handsome when he laughs."
The compliment remained only in Amelia's thoughts.

"Hey! Look over here, not at Kai!"
Ezra snapped his fingers right in front of Amelia's face, startling her out of her daze. "He's your future brother-in-law!"

"Ck! What's your problem?" Amelia brushed Ezra's hand away irritably.

The three of them fell silent at the same time when they heard the sound of a car engine entering the yard.

"Who is it?" Ezra immediately turned around and peeked through the window curtain.

"I think it's Sister Kiara and Dad," Amelia guessed.

"Shhh!" Ezra pressed a finger to his lips, signaling Amelia to stay quiet when he saw Kiara stepping out of the car in tears.

"What's going on?" This time, Kai frowned as well.

"Quiet," Ezra whispered, glaring at Kai and Amelia.

A moment later, footsteps approached from the front porch.

"Go straight to Amelia's room! Change your clothes and wash your face!"

Harri's voice could be heard clearly from outside.
"Don't tell anyone! I don't want your marriage to Kai to be canceled."

"But Dad..." Kiara's voice trembled between sobs.

"Don't argue!" Harri snapped. "Get rid of that baby and marry Kai!"

"Hah!" Amelia instantly covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes widened in shock.

Kai and Ezra exchanged glances. Both of them had heard every word Harri had just said.

"But what if Kai finds out?" Kiara asked with a trembling voice.

"If you don't tell him, he'll never know."
Harri's tone softened.

"Just do as Papa says. Marry Kai. You'll have everything. You'll live a happy life." Harri paused briefly before continuing.

"Kai is Orlav's eldest son. He's obviously the one who'll inherit the entire family business. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dad..." Kiara nodded obediently.

"Go in through the back entrance and head straight to Amelia's room. They're probably having lunch in the dining room right now." Harri continued giving instructions.

"I'll go in through the front to distract them."

Unfortunately...
Harri had no idea that three heads were peeking from behind the curtain, listening to every single word of the conversation without missing anything.

Ezra immediately grabbed Amelia's hand and pulled her away from the living room when he saw Harri starting to enter the house.

Kai deliberately stayed behind. He wanted to see just how far Harri would go to lie to him and his family.

"Kai!" Harri looked startled the moment he stepped into the living room. "You're here? Where are your father and mother? I thought you were all having lunch." His voice sounded nervous.

"They're out back looking at Uncle Jordan's vegetable garden." Kai answered casually as if he knew nothing. "I'm about to join them too."

Without showing any emotion, Kai walked out of the living room and followed Amelia and Ezra.

•••

In the backyard garden, Jordan and Arlo were chatting while walking around the plantation area.
Meanwhile, Miranda and Maura were busy picking fresh vegetables to take home.

On the other side of the garden...
Amelia and Ezra sat side by side on a long bench beneath a mango tree.

And as usual...
The two of them were arguing again.

"It'd be funny if we got married at the same time as Kai and Kiara." Ezra raised an eyebrow with a mischievous grin.

"You're crazy." Amelia made a face as though she wanted to throw up.

"Who would ever want to marry you?"

SMACK!

A hand landed directly on the back of Ezra's head.

"Aww!" Ezra immediately grabbed his head.
"What the heck, Kai? You're so annoying!"
he complained while glaring at Kai.

"Serves you right."

Amelia immediately laughed in satisfaction.

"Want another one?"

She picked up a small branch lying beside the bench.

"Here, should I use this stick too?" Amelia raised the branch high as if she were genuinely about to hit Ezra.

"My God..." Ezra looked up at the sky with a pitiful expression. "You're so cruel, my angel baby."

"Baby... baby..." Amelia stood up and raised the stick even higher.

"My God..." Ezra immediately pressed his palms together as though begging for mercy. "Okay... okay... I won't call you baby anymore."

Amelia finally laughed. "Sorry. I was just joking."
She tossed the branch away.

"Apology accepted." Ezra nodded wisely. "I accept your apology wholeheartedly."

"Ezra, come help carry these!"
Miranda's voice called from the middle of the garden.

"Coming!" Ezra shouted back.
Before leaving, he pointed at Kai.
"Don't flirt with my angel!"

With lazy steps, Ezra walked toward his mother, who was standing among the tomato plants.

The moment Ezra left, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Kai stared at Amelia for a long time. Too long.
Long enough to make Amelia uncomfortable.
"What's wrong, Brother?" Amelia asked in confusion.

"What do you think..." Kai finally spoke. "Can every problem really be solved with just an apology?"

The question made Amelia fall silent.
For some reason, she felt that Kai was talking about her family.

Kiara was clearly in the wrong, and Amelia had personally heard her father planning to cover everything up with lies.

"It should be." Amelia answered softly.

"Should be?"
Saga repeated, his gaze sharpening.

"Um..." Amelia thought for a moment.
"Everyone makes mistakes."
"Even if the damage can't be undone, at least apologizing means they're admitting they were wrong."

Kai continued staring at her without blinking.
"What if they don't apologize and choose to lie instead?" he asked again.

His gaze became even sharper, as if he were interrogating her.
But Amelia returned his gaze without the slightest fear.

"Maybe it's not that they don't want to apologize." She answered calmly.
"They just haven't yet."

Kai fell silent.
"'Not yet' and 'never' are two different things, Brother."

A brief silence settled between them.

Kai stared at the girl before him for a long time.
This girl is pretty brave, he thought.
Then, without realizing it, another question slipped from his lips.

"Don't you feel like we've met before?"
Amelia frowned.

"When?"
She thought for a moment.

"I don't think we have."
Kai smiled faintly.

So it was true...

Amelia didn't remember him.
"Maybe we did meet once," he said softly.

"But you forgot."

•••

Two weeks passed after that day.
Yet there was still no apology.
No admission of guilt.
Neither from Kiara nor from Harri.
In the end, Kai decided to tell his parents everything.

At first, Osvar and Miranda refused to believe it.
But after hearing Ezra's testimony, since he had also overheard the conversation firsthand, they no longer had any reason to doubt the truth.

Osvar was deeply disappointed in Harry.
He even intended to withdraw every investment he had made in AdiJaya's company.

But Kai refused. Because there was one thing he wanted.

Amelia. He wanted Amelia to become his wife in Kiara's place.

Miranda, who adored Kai and secretly liked Amelia far more than Kiara, immediately supported her eldest son's wish.

In fact...
Miranda pressured Osvar into granting Kai's request. No matter what it took.
Amelia had to become their daughter-in-law.