Chapter 197 Break Them Up
Faced with Julie's furious outburst, York just pulled out a smile.
"I'll get lost. I won't be following you around this week - Mr. Crawford's side is really busy and needs me back to help. But if you're still not gone after a week, I'll come find you again. When that happens, don't blame me for not being gentle with you."
With that, York turned and left.
Julie was both angry and helpless, just staring hard at York's retreating figure.
An employee daring to speak to her, the employer, like that?
Julie always treated people beneath her status as less than human.
As the only daughter in her family, she was used to being pampered and had never learned to respect others.
York's words and actions had thoroughly enraged her.
But the next second, Julie's anger dissipated.
One week - that was just enough time for her to attend that event.
Julie smiled.
Though she'd been insulted, York was gone, and no one would be watching her anymore. She could freely arrange her own plans.
This was a good thing!
Julie wasn't angry at all anymore, in fact she felt lucky.
Normally, if York suddenly pulled something like this and left, she might have found it strange and been more careful.
She might have even abandoned her plan to avoid falling into someone's trap.
But today, after being provoked twice by Amelia and Faith, her rationality had been scattered.
All that remained was her determination to see the plan through.
Meanwhile, after leaving, York called Amelia.
"Ms. Richardson, I've withdrawn all the people openly watching her, as you instructed."
"Thank you."
"It's my duty. Mr. Crawford told me to follow all your arrangements."
"Then continue watching her secretly, just don't let her notice."
"Yes."
Amelia hung up and glanced at Faith in the passenger seat removing her makeup. She asked curiously, "Why not wait until we get back to take it off?"
Faith's eyes flickered, and she stammered, "The makeup feels sticky on my face. Better to remove it early and feel fresh."
But what she was really thinking was that Byron had said she looked better without makeup than with it.
She must be crazy.
Byron's casual comment, and she'd remembered it all this time.
Faith didn't tell the truth, but Amelia guessed part of it.
That playful Faith had grown up and had her own secrets now.
Amelia wasn't upset - in fact, she was happy for her.
But Amelia thought further ahead.
Faith's grandfather was a good person, but her father was quite snobbish.
He might not accept Byron.
The solution would have to come through Faith's grandfather.
But soon, Amelia thought of a good idea to make Faith's grandfather like Byron.
After dropping Faith off at Shadow Operations Division, she didn't go straight back but found Byron to talk privately.
"What are your thoughts about Faith?" Amelia was always direct with her own people.
Byron's face turned red immediately.
The person who usually spoke his mind freely was now stammering.
Amelia shook her head helplessly. "Byron, if you like her, you like her. If you don't, you don't. Give me an answer, and I'll help you figure out the rest."
The heat faded from Byron's face.
He lowered his head and said very seriously, "I like her."
Amelia raised an eyebrow, not surprised, just asking, "When did this start?"
"Faith's first year at Shadow Operations Division. That time I came back from a mission with an injured arm."
Amelia remembered this.
People from the Combat Arts Association had come looking for trouble. Byron had fought them to protect the others at Shadow Operations Division.
He ended up injuring his left hand, tearing two tendons.
Later Amelia had reconnected them for him, but even after healing, his left hand wasn't as flexible as before.
Fortunately it was just his left hand, so it didn't affect his daily life.
"After you reconnected the tendons, she took care of me the whole time."
Byron looked out the window and said, "She cried and asked if it hurt. When I saw her tears, my heart suddenly started racing. That's when I knew - I had fallen for her."
Amelia became a bit lost in thought.
Because someone had also asked her "does it hurt?"
It was Samuel.
She had mentioned how Isaac's dog had bitten her before, and Samuel asked if it had hurt at the time.
Her heart had been caught off guard, softening completely.
"I understand how you feel," Amelia said.
Byron looked surprised.
"You understand?"
"Yes."
Byron suddenly remembered what Faith had told him.
He looked at Amelia with surprise and asked, "Amelia, do you have someone you like?"
Amelia froze, not expecting Byron to suddenly ask this.
She cleared her throat and said, "We're talking about your situation right now, don't change the subject."
But in fact, she was the one changing the subject.
Byron did return to talking about Faith.
"I do like her, but I also know I'm not good enough for her."
"I'm an orphan, no parents, and my only brother is dead too."
"She's different. She's the Monroe family's eldest daughter. From birth, her family gave her shares in the family business. She makes at least several million dollars a month, never has to worry about food or clothing."
"If I were with her, I'd just be dragging her down."
"She doesn't know how I feel yet, so please just pretend you don't know either."
Amelia's brows furrowed tightly.
"Byron."
Byron looked at her, confused.
He heard Amelia say, "Faith is indeed excellent, but you can't measure whether someone is worthy of another person just by money. If we really had to measure by money, don't forget - you've been with me, building from nothing to now. Every month, forget several million dollars - your spare change is more than several million. You're excellent too."
"But my work can't even see the light of day."
"What's wrong with our work? We earn money with our own skills. Sure, there are some gray areas, but when businesses get big, whose family doesn't have some gray areas? Besides, those gray operations were all cleaned up after we moved to Goldenvale."
"But the government still doesn't recognize us."
"They will recognize us," Amelia said. "And that day won't make us wait too long."
She believed that once Micah won, he would recognize Shadow Operations Division.
Byron wavered.
Amelia said patiently, "Don't just give up directly. Be brave. No matter how big the difficulty, where there's a will there's a way - it can always be solved."
Byron suddenly clenched his fists.
He took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, Amelia. I know what to do now! I can't feel sorry for myself. I'll fight for it. Unless Faith doesn't like me, I won't give up."
Amelia smiled.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Amelia said.
Faith pushed the door open, carrying a tray.
"Amelia, are you done talking business? I made chicken soup - want some?"
Amelia nodded, inviting Faith to come eat with them.
"Okay."
Faith divided up the soup from the pot.
Amelia's sharp eyes caught that Byron's bowl had no scallions.
Byron didn't like scallions.
She curved her lips slightly, a faint smile in her eyes.
Byron himself didn't notice, just kept saying how good Faith's cooking was, how delicious it tasted.
After finishing the three bowls of soup.
Amelia suddenly spoke up. "Byron, I have something I need you to do soon. Spend this time learning cooking from Faith and me."
Byron looked slightly surprised.
"Cooking? I can only make instant noodles."
"You'll learn. With the two of us as your teachers, you still can't learn?"
Byron nodded. "Whatever you say."
Amelia asked about Shadow Operations Division's recent arrangements for a while before leaving.
On the drive back, she had the car window open, wind rushing in, making her more clear-headed than usual.
The words she'd used to encourage Byron today seemed to apply to herself as well.
Maybe she should be braver with Samuel too.
He was worth her being brave one more time.
If she misjudged someone again this time, she'd consider it bad luck and never open her heart again.
But she couldn't be like Byron, admitting defeat before even starting.
Amelia gripped the steering wheel tightly, her mind made up.
Meanwhile.
Rosevale Manor.
Samuel received another phone call.
That day, he and Amelia had received calls one after another.
Amelia's was good news - the Hays family's Leo was going to be released.
But his was bad news.
It was a call from Stanley.
At the time, he'd only said, "Stay away from Amelia. The plan has changed."
His heart had been in turmoil then, but his face had only shown a slight frown.
He didn't want Amelia to notice anything.
So when Amelia asked him about it, he'd just brushed it off vaguely.
Now, Stanley was calling again.
This time it was a video call.
Samuel looked at Stanley on the phone screen, his eyes somewhat cold.
"What is it?"
"Still about last time. The engagement with the Richardson family can't continue. You can start distancing yourself from her - no need to keep dealing with their family like I told you to."
Stanley had long known that Samuel and Amelia were close.
But he'd always thought Samuel was getting close to her following his instructions.
He didn't know that Samuel's heart already belonged to Amelia.
Samuel's throat bobbed as he swallowed, only saying, "What's the reason?"
"You don't need to know too much. Just do as I say."
Samuel looked at him deeply, didn't defy him, just said, "Suddenly distancing myself would seem strange. I'll do it gradually."
"That works too. No rush."
Stanley hung up.
But he didn't know that Samuel was just stalling.
Directly defying him rashly might put Amelia in danger.
Stanley was even more ruthless than he was.
Better to placate him first, keep him from suspecting anything, while secretly investigating the reason.
"Jeremy!" Samuel called out.
Jeremy quickly entered the study from outside.
"Mr. Crawford, what do you need?"
"Look into who my father has been in contact with recently. Check his call records too - the more detailed the better."
Jeremy was shocked.
Samuel was actually investigating Stanley?
But he quickly recovered.
"Yes, Mr. Crawford!"
Just as he was about to leave, Samuel suddenly asked, "Do you think Amelia and I are a good match?"
Jeremy froze again.
But he quickly smiled and said, "A perfect match - practically made for each other."
Samuel smiled too.
His usually cool lips curved into a smile with human warmth.
Yes, he and Amelia were a perfect match. No one was more suited for each other than they were.
So no matter who it was, he wouldn't allow them to tear them apart.