Chapter 9 Despite Doing All Intimate Things
Jeffrey was a bit surprised.
But actually, this was what he had hoped for.
He had called Amelia over partly with this consideration in mind.
He was just one of the children in the Adams family, while William was the helmsman of the entire Brown Group.
If it wasn't necessary, he didn't want there to be too intense a conflict between the two sides.
However, Amelia agreeing so easily was indeed beyond his expectations.
He had originally been prepared to find Amelia and persuade her privately.
With this thought, Jeffrey frowned and studied Amelia carefully, trying to figure out what she was thinking at the moment.
But the large sunglasses Amelia wore hid all her emotions behind them, and Jeffrey couldn't read her.
"Let's go through the process."
Amelia didn't explain in front of the other two. She lowered her eyes slightly, looking at the fine hardwood desktop in the Adams Group office. The surface had circular growth ring patterns, but her heart remained completely calm.
"My song will be fully represented by the Adams Group, going through the agency process."
After speaking, Amelia looked toward Jeffrey.
Jeffrey immediately understood and waved over the relevant staff to handle the handover with Isabella.
Isabella looked at Amelia, a flash of contempt passing through her eyes.
"Quiana's decision is really peculiar," Isabella said, her words carrying an implied mockery of how Amelia had insisted she wouldn't sell, but ended up agreeing anyway.
Amelia just smiled without explaining, then stood up and left the office.
Walking down the corridor, Amelia got herself a cup of coffee.
Jeffrey caught up with her.
"Amelia," Jeffrey called out to her.
Amelia turned around and nodded slightly: "Mr. Adams."
Jeffrey's expression was complicated. After thinking for a moment, he finally spoke: "Why?"
Amelia smiled.
She looked at Jeffrey's conflicted eyes and said: "Did you hear what she said? She's going to participate in 'Voice of Heaven.'"
Jeffrey didn't understand. Based on the information he had, he nodded and said: "Yes, I heard Isabella is going as a guest, not a contestant—something like a judge."
The smile on Amelia's face deepened.
She put down the coffee in her hand and said: "So, Mr. Adams, don't you find it exciting?"
Jeffrey was very confused.
"William and I have already processed our divorce papers, but we still need to wait 30 days for the cooling-off period before we can get the divorce certificate."
Amelia explained to Jeffrey: "The reason he gave me was so he could register his marriage with Isabella."
"Isn't she going to use it as her title track? Someday, everyone will know that I wrote this song. Isn't that interesting?"
Amelia looked at Jeffrey's face as understanding dawned on him, and smiled.
She said softly: "I'm waiting for that day to see their expressions."
"You're doing this to get revenge on them?" Jeffrey asked again.
Amelia didn't answer immediately, just picked up the coffee beside her.
The bitter taste of the coffee went from her mouth to her heart.
"No," she said.
"I originally just wanted to have nothing more to do with them and focus on my own work." Amelia looked at the trees outside being gently blown by the wind.
"It's just that they forced the sale, running into trouble themselves, so I..."
"Why not take advantage of it?"
Jeffrey listened to Amelia calmly saying these things, his expression complicated.
The Martinez family used to be influential in Shadow City. They were all around the same age, so they had known of each other's existence since childhood.
You could even say there was some affection between them.
Not to mention that Amelia, who had once made a name for herself in Shadow City, was the secret crush of many men.
But after the Martinez family fell from grace, not many people remembered Amelia anymore.
That's just how realistic relationships between people are. If it weren't for what happened back then...
Jeffrey's eyes shifted elsewhere at this thought, not letting Amelia notice anything unusual.
"The divorce is for the best." After about three seconds of silence, Jeffrey finally said this.
Amelia looked at Jeffrey gratefully.
"Thank you," she said sincerely.
"It's mutually beneficial," Jeffrey also smiled.
This wasn't false either.
The three children of the Adams family were competing for ultimate control of the Adams Group.
Of course, whoever achieved the best results would be in charge.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jeffrey promised Amelia he wouldn't tell anyone about their cooling-off period, then went to handle other matters.
Later he still had to discuss matters related to "Voice of Heaven."
Amelia stood alone.
Holding her coffee, she looked at the trees outside being blown by the wind.
She didn't know how much time had passed.
The sound of footsteps came.
A familiar shadow first invaded Amelia's space.
She knew it was William.
So she pulled up her mask and turned her back to his direction.
"Why would you do this?" Before Amelia could leave, William's voice came from behind her.
Steady, calm, carrying the sense of dignity that time and power had accumulated in him.
Coming with the wind was also the familiar scent of his woody cologne mixed with tobacco.
"From your composition and lyrics, one can see literary cultivation. You're a very talented person. Why would you make things difficult for someone who's about to die?"
Hearing William's words, Amelia felt somewhat sad.
Amelia slowly turned around and looked up at William, who was watching her with slightly furrowed brows.
"Am I," Amelia looked directly into his eyes and said softly, "very talented?"
A flash of confusion passed through William's eyes.
"Yes," he responded.
This was an objective fact.
But Amelia laughed.
Talented?
A scene from a year ago flashed through her mind—their wedding night.
He had lit a cigarette in their bridal chamber and said to her:
"Amelia, Grandpa's condition isn't very good. I'm worried about him."
That day he said: "Put aside those little projects of yours in the industry for now, and help me take good care of Grandpa and Grandma."
The curling smoke was like his attitude at the time.
Light, uncaring.
Back then, she had said she could balance caring for the elderly and her work as a songwriter.
But he had frowned.
"Amelia, our Brown family doesn't need you doing this kind of public-facing work."
In the end, she had agreed.
She told herself that Finn's condition really wasn't good and needed her attention.
But deep in her heart, she knew clearly that what he said...
Was it that he didn't need her in public, or had he never taken her work, her "talent," seriously?
He had never explained these things to her.
Even though they were husband and wife, even though they had done the most intimate things in the world.
William looked at the woman before him.
There was always something familiar about her, as if he had seen her somewhere before.
But looking at her chest-length hair, her fashionable yet tasteful outfit, and those high heels that showed off her leg lines perfectly, he felt he had no impression of her.
Suddenly, he felt a bit irritated.
Because inexplicably, he felt the woman before him was somewhat like Amelia.