Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 109

Amelia had imagined every possible scenario that could unfold between them because of the divorce, but nothing—absolutely nothing—prepared her for this.

The look in her eyes was like a blade, and Daniel flinched, turning away. “It’s not like I’m holding you prisoner. I just want you to spend one day with me.”

“I don’t want to spend another second with you!”

She tore herself free and frantically searched her bag for her phone. It had been in there the whole time—she hadn’t taken it out. Now, it was just gone.

Phones don’t disappear on their own.

“Give it back. Give me my phone!”

She realized it started the moment they got in the car—he’d locked her phone away, probably so she couldn’t try to leave halfway. He’d cut off her contact with the outside world, then lured her back home with the promise of a “farewell dinner.”

Fury surged up from her chest, burning hot behind her eyes. Blinking back angry tears, she hurled her bag at his chest. “I said give me my phone!”

The contents of her bag scattered everywhere: lipstick, loose change, a battered notebook, keys.

Daniel closed his eyes and didn’t dodge, letting the odds and ends hit him. His voice was hoarse. “If you’re still angry, go ahead, hit me again. Keep going until you’re not mad anymore.”

Her rage was so intense she could barely keep from crying. It wasn’t until now that Amelia realized: she didn’t know Daniel at all.

Daniel—he was never the good man she thought he was. He was the kind of person who would do anything to get what he wanted, no matter how low he had to stoop.

Bracing herself against the hall table, Amelia turned away, trying to force herself to calm down.

Daniel knelt on the floor, quietly gathering up the spilled items and putting them back in her bag. Maybe he felt there was nothing left to hide, because his voice lost its earlier tension and turned flat, almost casual.

“Go take a shower, get some sleep. You’ve got nothing to do tomorrow, you can sleep in as long as you like. The day will be over before you know it.”

“And what if I insist on leaving?” Her voice was cold as a blade. “Daniel, if you let me walk out now, I won’t hate you for this.”

Daniel froze, but didn’t move to protect himself. He just stayed there, kneeling.

After a long moment, he looked up at her. “Why aren’t you doing it?”

Amelia hated herself for hesitating. She squeezed her eyes shut, defeated, and let her arm fall limply to her side. The ornament dropped onto the hallway rug with a dull, heavy thud.

Daniel zipped up her bag and stood, taking her hand. He seemed almost pleased. “I knew you couldn’t do it.”

A bitter smile twisted Amelia’s lips.

That’s why she could never win against Daniel.

He knew her—knew her soft spots, her compassion, her reluctance to truly hurt him. He knew she would follow him home, unguarded, because deep down, she still trusted him.