A wry smile appeared on Sasha's face then she said sadly, "Lucian, I don't want anything else except
for you."
With that, she stormed out of the room.
When Lucian arrived home, he found out that Amelia immediately went to the room where her mother's
portrait was after reading the note he left her. Lily had said that she tried knocking on the door but
Amelia wouldn't come out.
Lucian's heart sank and thought, 'When did this stupid woman become so obedient?'
He just wanted to remind her to not get so drunk again next time and she did exactly as he had asked.
Lucian walked straight to the door. Fortunately, he had a key with him. When he opened the door, he
saw a thin figure with her back to him, staring at the portrait on the wall, murmuring.
"Mom, I'm sorry. I got so drunk last night. As my punishment, Lucian asked me to come here and atone
for my sins. I think he just wanted to make fun of me but I don't mind coming here and talking to you."
He didn't mean to punish her. He just didn't want her to drink so much.
"Mom, you've probably seen Lucian before. He's handsome and kind. Sometimes, he can be sweet to
me too. But what touched me the most was when he asked me to come here so you don't feel lonely..."
While she sounded casual, Lucian could tell that she was just pretending.
When he thought she was done speaking, he quickly made his way over to where she was. However,
before he could even open his mouth, she continued, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I was so
upset when his girlfriend came back. I know our relationship's just a fake but I was still so sad then.
And it wasn't because I wasn't happy with the luxurious life he was giving me, it was just that I felt so
uncomfortable..."
Amelia's voice sounded soft and youthful. Lucian couldn't help but find her adorable.
Soon, a grin slowly crept unto his face, an indescribably joy filling his heart.
"Really?" A cold voice suddenly came from behind Amelia.
It was Lucian's voice. What was he doing here?
She quickly turned around to check if it really was Lucian standing behind her. When she saw him, she
slumped to the ground, a look of horror on her face. Did he just hear everything that she had said to
Iris?
'Damn it! I was so caught up in my emotions that I didn't even notice that someone had opened the
door and come in!'
"Lucian, do you have manners?" she cried anxiously.
He looked up at the black and white portrait hoisted up on the wall and whispered, "It's rude to yell in
front of your mother, you know."
Amelia was speechless. She felt so ashamed that her face turned red, refusing to get up.
"Why? Are you embarrassed to see me here?" He bent over and pulled Amelia up.
"I am not!" Amelia denied. However, as she thought back to everything that she'd said, shame quickly
overcame here. She lowered her head as she tried to wriggle herself free from him but he tightened his
grip on her.
"I'm very strong. You can't take me down," Lucian whispered in Amelia's ear. His warm voice was
smooth like butter.
She could feel her heart beat pulsing in her ears.
It was no easy task for a woman to resist a man. As Lucian held Amelia in his arms, she grew stiff and
remained unmoving. This left them in an intimate position.
"Lily told me you didn't eat breakfast or lunch. Are you on a hunger strike?" Lucian asked lightly as he
let Amelia go.
In that moment, she felt as if nothing was real. She couldn't tell if she was just dreaming or not.
Lucian, who was often distant, seemed concerned about her. If anything, he was even patient and
sympathetic.
Upon hearing this, Amelia came to her senses all of a sudden. Taking a few steps back, she said
awkwardly, "I'm not hungry."
She was obviously lying.
Since they were the only two people in the room, the sound of her stomach grumbling was pretty loud
and undeniable.
Safe to say that Amelia was pretty embarrassed.
Frowning, Lucian pulled Amelia over and said, "Come on, let's eat dinner."
He sounded very serious.
Amelia didn't refuse him. Even though she really didn't want to eat dinner with him, she was starving so
she had no choice.
"Mm, chili chicken, pickled fish..." Amelia beamed as Lily placed all the dishes on the table. She picked
up her chopsticks and said, "Thank you so much, Lily. These are all my favorites!"
"Mrs. Amelia, you don't have to thank me. Thank Mr. Lucian. He's the one who told me that you liked
spicy food. He asked me not to add too much chili though so I cooked two dishes. Please enjoy them,"
Lily said with an easy tone.
'Lucian?' She frowned and looked up—Lucian had moved his chair so he was sitting across her.
'Is he going to watch me eat?' she thought in a panic.
"Lily, could you bring me some utensils and a bowl of my own? I'd like to have dinner with Mrs. Amelia."
A low voice came from the other end of the table.
Did she hear that wrong? Did he say that he wanted to have dinner with her?
"Okay." Lily turned around and headed to the kitchen. When she returned, she was holding a bowl and
a set of chopsticks which she placed in front of Lucian. She then said, "Mrs. Amelia, I remember you
told me that you don't like eating alone because it bores you. I mentioned it to Mr. Lucian once and he
remembered! That's so sweet! He's so in love with you!"
'It looks like... Lily told Lucian what I said. I think I trusted her too much,' she thought inwardly.
However, Lily was hired by Lucian so it was no surprise that she would tell him stuff about Amelia.
Amelia only said that because she wanted Lily to have dinner with her and not because she was
complaining that Lucian wasn't keeping her company for dinner.
Not knowing what to say, she lowered her head and helped herself to the food. She hadn't realized how
hungry she was until she began eating.
"Eat slowly or you'll choke." A glass of water was suddenly placed right in front of her.
Amelia looked up and met Lucian's eyes.
His eyes seemed different as if the all coldness was gone and replaced with gentleness and sincerity.
"Thank you," she mumbled awkwardly.
Lucian let out a chuckle upon noticing the shy look she had on her face. "We're married. Why are you
being so polite to me?"
"What?" Amelia was taken aback. That was the last thing she expected for him to say.
Oh my God! Why is he acting so strangely today? He was acting and talking like a completely different
person especially when he mentioned their marriage.
Was he just being nice to her because they were about to part ways already?
"Lucian, you don't have to do this. I'm used to goodbyes. This isn't a big deal at all," she said in a
pretentiously calm way. In reality, her insides were in turmoil.
She was just afraid of the separation and having to adjust to a whole new life again.
"What are you talking about? I don't seem to understand." Lucian had a puzzled look on his face.
Lucian was acting like he didn't know anything so she just went straight to the point.
"Lucian, didn't I hear Sasha right yesterday? She's your girlfriend, right?" Amelia asked seriously as
she put her chopsticks down.
Raising his eyebrows, Lucian responded with another question, "Are you jealous?"
She was trying to have a serious conversation with him but he was dodging!
Since she couldn't understand what he was trying to get at, she decided to let it go. It didn't matter
anyway. What was important was that they ended their fake marriage already.
"Lucian, since she's back, then maybe it's time for us to end this already," she said, unfazed, trying her
best to not sound sad or upset.
Lucian's face darkened. He ignored what Amelia just said and said coldly, "If you're done eating, you
can go upstairs and write down a self-criticism review. And also, don't you ever get drunk again without
my permission!"
His tone suddenly changed—the gentleness was gone and replaced with anger. After he spoke, he
turned around and stomped off.
Left alone in the dining table, Amelia felt her heart aching.
Lucian didn't love her anyway so why was he trying to control her?
She decided to just do as he said. Maybe that was the only way she could be free. There was no point
in living like this anymore anyway.
To Amelia, Lucian's words were like the law. Whatever he told her to do, she obediently followed.
After writing the self-criticism review, she knocked on Lucian's study. With his permission, she placed
the report on the table and said emotionlessly, "It's the self-criticism review you asked for."
Lucian was flipping through some documents when he suddenly stopped. He looked up at the spiritless
Amelia and asked coldly, "I'm betting you felt terrible as you wrote that. With that in mind, why didn't
you think of your liver when you got drunk like that?"
"No one thinks that way!" Amelia replied impatiently. As soon as the words left her mouth, she
immediately regretted it.
Why did she talk to him like that? Was she trying to sabotage herself?
"This is great! You wrote sincerely and I appreciate that. I'll let it go this time but just this once," Lucian
warned after reading the report that Amelia had just submitted.
He felt as if he was a teacher scolding his disobedient student.
Amelia didn't say anything. She turned around to leave when Lucian suddenly stopped her. He said,
"It's Saturday tomorrow. You're free to go out and do what you want."
Amelia was initially upset but upon hearing what Lucian had said, she grew excited. She made sure to
not show it though in fear that Lucian would change his mind. In the most nonchalant tone she could
muster up, she said, "Okay."
Lucian narrowed his eyes as if he was suspicious of how calm Amelia was.
Needless to say, Lucian was good at bringing people down but he also knew how to make them happy.
Either way, what was important was that she had a whole day to herself! She could go out and get
some fresh air. What she was most excited about was that she didn't have to be under his watch for the
first time in a long time.
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