Chapter 205: Amelia, Can I Kiss You?
"Amelia..."
In York's arms, Amelia heard William calling her name.
She turned her head and saw William standing there, his lips pressed tightly together.
Behind him was the endless darkness of night. His lips were pressed tight, his eyes full of sadness.
No anger, no other emotions—just sadness.
A tear rolled down from the corner of his eye.
He blinked, as if trying to control his emotions, but it seemed he couldn't.
His brows furrowed, he took a deep breath and looked down at the ground.
Only after noticing her gaze did he look at her again.
"Does it really have to be this way?" he asked, his voice carrying a tremor that others couldn't detect.
Amelia didn't answer directly. She just moved the hand he was gripping tightly.
"Let go of me," she said.
But he still wouldn't release her.
As she tried to pull away, one of his tears fell onto the back of her hand.
"You're hurting me," Amelia said, no longer looking at him but turning back to York instead.
Since she had already made her choice, she wouldn't turn back because of one of William's tears.
She had made her decision many days ago.
York forcefully grabbed William's hand and pried his fingers open one by one.
William kept looking at her.
But she just turned away without looking back.
Until the last finger was forcibly pried open by York, Amelia pulled her hand back.
William wanted to do something more, but York had already shielded her and waved to someone nearby.
This was outside the Jenkins Villa, and York's people were everywhere.
At York's command, someone immediately came over to restrain William.
"Let's go," Amelia said softly to York without looking at William.
"Okay." York nodded, then gently rubbed her wrist, which had turned red from William's grip. The two of them walked toward the nearby Bentley.
The Bentley was parked not far away. York went around to the passenger side, opened the door for Amelia, and held the door frame to prevent her from bumping into it.
"Amelia."
Just as Amelia was about to get into the passenger seat, William's voice came again.
She instinctively looked up toward William.
"Isabella and I aren't what it looks like from the outside."
His voice carried over from afar: "I need time, just over four more months..."
But Amelia had already looked away and sat down in the passenger seat.
York closed the car door for her.
Then he walked around and opened the driver's side door.
He thought for a moment, then smiled gently at Amelia and said, "Wait for me a moment."
"Okay." Amelia nodded.
Then York closed the car door again and walked back to William's side.
The two men looked at each other.
York took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the tears from William's face, and tucked it into William's pocket.
"She's my girlfriend now," York said seriously, without smiling. "If you want to cry, go find Isabella. Don't cry in front of my girlfriend."
"York!" William's eyes were red as he tried to rush forward, but he was held back by the Jenkins family's people and couldn't move at all.
"You've been saying for a long time that you have many difficulties, that you need time," York said calmly, looking at William.
He said seriously, "I don't care how many difficulties you have—none of them are reasons for you to hurt her."
William continued to struggle.
York remained unmoved by his actions.
"William, you have no idea what you've actually done."
"Bidding against her for the tanzanite, helping Isabella hurt her again and again at The Sound of Heaven, constantly bothering her—these are just a few insignificant things among all the things you've done."
"William, even now, you still don't know what you've lost."
"Just wait."
"When you find out everything you've done, I think you won't feel wronged anymore."
"Because you'll realize that everything is exactly what you deserve."
After saying all this, York didn't look at William again and returned to the car.
"I'll take you home," he said to Amelia with a smile.
Then York started the car, and the Bentley quickly disappeared into the night.
The Jenkins family's people waited a while before releasing William.
William immediately headed back to his car to chase after them.
The Jenkins family's people blocked him again.
"Mr. Brown, it's no use. Mr. Jenkins has arranged people at every place Ms. Martinez might go. If you go there looking like this, you'll just be stopped again."
"Mr. Brown, I suggest you calm down first."
The voices of the people nearby reached him, but William couldn't calm down at all. He started his car and immediately left.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
The Bentley was speeding along the road.
Neither Amelia nor York spoke.
The car was completely quiet.
It wasn't until a red light appeared ahead that York stopped.
The car was dimly lit. He looked at her beside him, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
His lips still seemed to carry the warmth from when she had kissed him—that soft touch made his heart race.
Finally, his gaze fell on her wrist, the one William had grabbed. It was still slightly red.
He felt a bit guilty.
Earlier she had said she would handle everything herself, so he hadn't interfered too much.
He thought William at least cared about her in his heart and didn't expect William to use such force.
Thinking this, he reached over, took her wrist, and gently rubbed it.
Amelia looked at York and sighed softly.
Just as she was about to say something, the red light turned green. He reached out to cup her face and said, "I know you want to talk to me. Let's wait until we get to your place, okay?"
Honking sounds came from behind, urging them on.
Amelia nodded.
The car drove all the way to the building where Amelia rented her apartment, and York parked the car.
Neither of them got out.
York took a deep breath and spoke first.
He said, "What just happened, I can treat it as..."
"I'm serious." Before York could finish, Amelia had already spoken.
He turned to look at Amelia, who was looking at him.
Amelia smiled helplessly. She didn't know why people always seemed to doubt what she said.
"It wasn't to make him angry," Amelia said. "If I wanted to make him angry, why would I kiss you?"
"You should know that back in the studio, I was already planning to agree."
"It was just that you told me to think it over carefully, so I delayed it a bit."
"Even if I waited until tomorrow morning, my answer would still be the same."
Amelia frowned slightly, looking into York's dark eyes.
"Or..." she said hesitantly, looking at him, "have you changed your mind?"
"How could I?" York said immediately. "Amelia, I like you. I wish you'd agreed sooner."
He spoke urgently, afraid she might suddenly change her mind.
He just felt that happiness had come too suddenly—he couldn't quite believe it.
Amelia couldn't help but laugh.
Only then did he realize she was teasing him on purpose.
York laughed too and reached out to pinch her cheek.
She glared at him.
But York didn't let go of her face. He just stopped pinching and held her face instead.
He unbuckled his seatbelt.
He leaned toward her, quickly closing the distance.
Her face was right there, so close he could feel her breath, could see her long, slightly trembling eyelashes.
Extremely close.
His heart beat like a drum, and his voice carried a hint of suppressed huskiness.
"Amelia, may I?" he asked.