Chapter 192: I Am Not Your Woman
Before Felix Hays left, he mentioned a hotel. Amelia Richardson had it investigated and discovered it had once belonged to the Combat Arts Hall.
If Felix weren't connected to them, he wouldn't have been able to find out about this hotel at all.
After Amelia took over this matter, she went to investigate the hotel.
She discovered that after the Combat Arts Hall got into trouble, the hotel had already changed hands.
And it had changed hands twice.
All traces left behind by the Combat Arts Hall had been cleaned up completely, and this lead went cold.
Her focus then shifted to a jewelry store. Felix had looked into it too, but lacking resources, he found nothing and assumed it was no longer tied to the Combat Arts Hall.
But Amelia’s team was far more capable. If Celestine Jewels had any hidden ties, they would uncover them.
Though the Combat Arts Hall had long since fallen apart, Amelia still felt uneasy.
While waiting for Samuel Porter,she realized why.
Back then, when the Combat Arts Hall targeted the Shadow Operations Division, someone must have been pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Otherwise, just the Combat Arts Hall alone? They wouldn't dare do something so obvious.
In other words, the Combat Arts Hall most likely sided with the Hays family.
Amelia vaguely understood why, even though the Shadow Operations Division had no direct conflict of interest with the Hays family, the Hays family couldn't tolerate the Shadow Operations Division.
It was because the Shadow Operations Division had blocked the Combat Arts Hall's expansion, which was equivalent to cutting off the Hays family's development path.
After figuring this out, Amelia became even more determined to destroy the Combat Arts Hall completely.
Even if it wasn't about holding a grudge, she had to eliminate The Hays family's helpers completely.
Her phone rang. It was Samuel.
The drive should have taken half an hour, but only twenty minutes had passed.
"What's wrong?"
Amelia thought he had something come up and couldn't make it, so he was calling, but unexpectedly, Samuel said he had already arrived.
"So fast?"
"When I'm coming to see you, of course, I have to use the fastest speed."
Amelia's face turned red.
She was glad Samuel said this over the phone; otherwise, he would have seen her flushed face.
"I'm coming down now."
"No rush. Take it slow on the stairs. Don’t fall. I’m not going anywhere."
Her blush deepened.
"I’m not a child!"
"I like spoiling my woman like one."
"I'm not your woman yet."
"You will be in the future."
She hung up, flustered, washed her face to cool down, then went downstairs.
Outside, Samuel leaned against his car, smoking. Seeing her, he immediately crushed the cigarette under his shoe and walked toward her.
"Are you alone?" she asked.
"Jeremy drove me. I sent him back."
Poor Jeremy, left at the highway exit, waiting for his subordinates to pick him up.
Amelia didn't know any of this.
She nodded and asked, "The wind outside is too strong. Do you want to come in and sit for a while?"
"Never mind," Samuel said. "It's late at night, I won't go in."
He really wanted to go in, but he also had to consider Amelia's reputation.
Late at night, going to Amelia's house wouldn't look good for Amelia.
Natalie would also have opinions about him.
Before he married Amelia, he had to consider all these things.
Amelia didn't insist and handed him the gift box.
"For you."
Samuel's heart stirred.
"The gift you promised me last time?"
"Yes."
He opened it eagerly, eyes bright like a child. Inside lay a custom black diamond brooch
— understated, luxurious, unique.
"It’s beautiful. I really like it."
The diamond was a black diamond, understated and luxurious, with a unique design.
Samuel could tell it was custom-made.
He really liked it, looking at it over and over, saying, "It's beautiful. I really like it."
Amelia had drawn the design herself, and the jewelry store just made it according to her design, so it was one of a kind.
"Compared to your burned hotel, this is nothing."
Samuel told her, "Actually, the loss wasn't that much. Only half a floor burned. It's being renovated now."
Her guilt eased.
They didn’t linger. Samuel urged her back inside — autumn nights were cold, and he worried she’d catch a chill.
The moment Amelia turned around, she actually felt a bit reluctant to leave.
She was startled by her own emotions.
When did she start to depend on Samuel and become reluctant to part with him?
That night, both Amelia and Samuel slept peacefully.
But at Thornfield, Leonard Hays was furious.
He smashed another cup. Marlon, trembling, stood before him. Francis Hays, grim, watched silently.
It had been such a perfect plan, but Marlon had messed it up.
"Damn it!"
Leonard was so angry that his hands were shaking.
He was angry not only that Marlon was useless—the path had been completely paved for him, yet he still failed—but also that Marlon had hidden it from him after the failure.
The incident had happened half a week ago, but he only found out today when he called Samuel to test Samuel's attitude about Marlon's plan not working.
"You’d better watch yourself, Mr. Hays," Samuel had warned. "This is the first and last time. If it happens again, we’re no longer friends."
Leonard felt humiliated. Samuel’s final jab cut deep:
"If I were you, I would be too embarrassed to call me."
Leonard was so angry that he felt his lungs would explode.
But he could only pretend he knew nothing.
In front of Samuel, it was as if he were the junior.
"You bastard! When things didn't work out, you should have told me. By hiding it from me, you've made me lose all my dignity!"
Marlon's face turned pale with fear.
He had been too scared to say anything.
He didn't expect that by hiding it, he'd made Leonard even angrier.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hays. Next time I'll definitely..."
Francis pressed further. "Find a way to give Samuel benefits. We can’t keep pushing him away.
Leonard didn't want to talk anymore.
He really regretted sending an idiot to Goldenvale.
Personnel assignments were a big deal and required approval from above.
It had been so hard to get approval. He couldn't and had no way to replace him now.
He could only say his judgment was too poor—he chose the wrong person and underestimated Samuel.
Seeing his father silent, Francis spoke directly to Marlon: "Find a way to give Samuel some benefits. We can't keep pushing him away."
Marlon nodded, then hesitated.
"Samuel’s close to Ms. Richardson. The Richardson family backs the Porters.. Should we get rid of her?"
Francis shook his head. "No. The orchid incident just happened. If we target her, Samuel will know it’s us."
Francis shifted the topic. "Dad, Leo’s called twice this week. He’s suffering. Should we get him out?"
Leonard looked at Francis in surprise.
"Didn't you want him to come out?"
"He's my own brother. If he's not doing well in there, I feel bad too. Before, I suggested you not let him out for now only because he was doing fine inside. Now that Frank, that stickler for rules, is cracking down on prison problems, I can't bear to see Leo suffer in there."
Leonard was skeptical but pleased. He favored Leo, his younger son by his second wife, over Francis.
This eldest son was too much like Alton.
Sometimes he even felt Francis wasn't his son, but his father.
Leonard didn't like this feeling.
So even though Francis was sensible and clever in every way, he still felt that Leo, who was better at being charming and pleasing, was better.
"Let's do that then. I'll start arranging for him to come out right away."
Francis nodded, though a shadow crossed his eyes. He wasn’t worried about being replaced. Leo had been misled since childhood, corrupted beyond repair. His only value now was being used against Amelia.
He should be grateful that even a waste like him could one day contribute something to their grand plan.
Though waves were churning in his heart, Francis's face remained calm and composed.
"When the procedures are done, I'll personally go pick him up. So he doesn't cause any trouble before coming back," Francis said.
Leonard waved his hand: "He won't. He must have learned his lesson inside."
But a moment later, he still said: "Since you're willing to go, then go."
Francis nodded, but when Leonard wasn't paying attention, he gave Marlon a look.
It was a signal for Marlon to call him separately later.
Marlon nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Amelia confirmed Celestine Jewels was still tied to the Combat Arts Hall.
"Take over the store next to it," she instructed Byron. "Watch their movements closely."
After leaving the Shadow Operations Division, she visited the hospital.
Today, besides visiting Maeve, she also had to perform surgery on Adrian.
Adrian had been admitted to the hospital the day before yesterday for some preliminary tests.
Amelia went to see Maeve first.
She was young and recovering well. She could already get out of bed and walk around now.
Seeing Amelia arrive, she didn't hide her happiness and greeted her cheerfully.
"Let me tell you, my mom went to prison."
Amelia's eyelid twitched.
"To see Piper?"
Maeve's eyes widened in surprise. "You really can't hide anything from you."
"What did she go there for?"
"Nothing much, just to tell her that her son is in a mental hospital now. She also showed her a video of her son's time in the mental hospital."
Amelia frowned. "What video?"