Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 127

Amelia watched as the heat in Daniel’s blue eyes vanished in an instant, his expression turning colder with every flicker of the firework’s glow. He let go of her and turned away, pulling out his phone to answer a call.

She couldn’t see his face anymore—only the broad line of his shoulders, shadowed against the night, his gray sweater looking suddenly stiff and severe, as if all warmth had been leached out of it.

He stayed on the call for a long time. The blue fireworks faded, leaving only the echo of their light, before he finally turned back to her.

“A friend from Elm City just arrived. I need to step out for a bit.”

The night breeze tousled his hair, and Amelia found herself thinking of that last anniversary—how he’d left the movie theater, claiming something urgent at work, when he’d really gone to see Violet.

He had lied to her.

But did it even matter anymore? They were getting a divorce. Lies were the least of it.

Still, the bitterness twisted her lips. She meant to say, “Alright,” but what came out instead was, “A friend from Elm City? Have I met them?”

She couldn’t let it go. Even now, even at the end, she refused to just swallow it.

She’d rather Daniel be blunt with her than keep up the charade. She wasn’t stupid—she wouldn’t let him lie to her again and again.

Once was enough. This time, she would tear that mask away, leave him nowhere to hide.

Daniel’s gaze was unreadable in the half-light. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “Someone you don’t know.”

“You could introduce me,” she said, trying to sound casual, though her hand curled tight at her side, nails pressing into her palm until it hurt.

Daniel hesitated. “It’s not a good time. Be good and wait for me at home, okay?”

She let her hand fall, and with it, the last stubborn shred of hope. Every time she tried to hold onto her pride, it only left another cut. She forced a smile, eyes crinkling. “Sure.”

He walked away.

Downstairs, the house was alive with laughter and noise—the clatter of board games, the TV blaring, fireworks and firecrackers stitching together a tapestry of celebration. Amid all this joy, two people slipped out of the old house. No one noticed.

It was New Year’s Eve, and the roads were nearly empty. It would’ve been easy to spot someone following, but Amelia kept her distance, careful not to let Daniel see the black car trailing him.

He stopped at the hospital. Amelia watched the lights of the inpatient building, a wry smile curling her lips.

The bodyguard—still wearing sunglasses indoors, as if the darkness was part of the job—shook his head. “Sorry, we’ll have to let her know you’re here first.”

Amelia wondered what kind of VIP had shown up tonight. Whoever it was, it seemed they knew Violet, which meant her flowers probably weren’t getting delivered anytime soon.

She was still trying to figure out what to do with the bouquet when Daniel strode out of the hospital room.

“What are you doing here?” The set of his shoulders was imposing, blocking her path completely.

Amelia looked at him, calm and unwavering. “Why shouldn’t I be?”

She wasn’t in the mood to play games anymore. “You told me you were meeting a friend. Turns out, that friend is Violet in a hospital room. Given our situation, you could’ve just told me the truth—you didn’t have to lie.”

Daniel’s jaw clenched, his emotions shadowed and complex. He lowered his voice, trying to soothe her. “Please, just go home. I’ll explain later.”

Amelia drew a shaky breath, trying to tamp down the hurt, but it bubbled up anyway, her eyes shining under the harsh hospital light. “Daniel, there is no later for us.”

A flicker of pain crossed Daniel’s face. He opened his mouth to speak, but behind him, one of the bodyguards called, “Mr. Brown.”