Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 245

“No.”

Amelia barely got the word out before someone, quick on the uptake, pulled over a chair. “Mr. Campbell, please have a seat.”

Daniel lowered himself into the chair with unhurried ease, legs falling open, his knee brushing against Amelia’s.

She immediately edged away.

Sarah couldn’t help her disappointment that Daniel didn’t choose to sit beside her. She glanced across the table at Amelia. Honestly, even though this woman wasn’t a celebrity, her looks could easily rival anyone in show business. After years in the industry, Sarah could spot cosmetic work from a mile away—Amelia’s features were all natural. Even if she found the woman hard to like, she had to admit: Amelia was striking.

But so what? Sarah shot Daniel a look. The man already had a kid. Did this woman really think she still stood a chance?

A new round of mahjong began, and once again, Amelia’s starting hand was a disaster—the kind that dashed all hope at first sight.

She stared at her tiles, completely radiating defeat, about to discard one when Daniel spoke up: “Play the middle tile—you could go for a thirteen-orphans.”

Amelia paused. Now that he mentioned it, with this train wreck of a hand, thirteen-orphans might actually be her best bet.

But stubbornness was Amelia’s trademark, especially around Daniel. She deliberately played a different tile. “Keep your advice to yourself. I don’t need a coach.”

Everyone at the table looked over. That tone—toward Daniel? Well, maybe she didn’t know who he was, which explained her lack of caution. That had to be it.

Daniel didn’t seem offended. He just chuckled quietly. “With your plays, you’re going to lose your shirt.”

Jinx.

Amelia refused to believe him, but the tiles seemed to have other plans; she kept drawing edge tiles and winds. If she’d listened, she’d have already won with thirteen-orphans. But thanks to her pigheadedness, not only did she miss the win—she even threw out the tile that let someone else take the round.

Her frustration festered. Sarah looked downright pleased at her misfortune from across the table, and beside her, Daniel wore a silent “see what happens when you don’t listen” sort of expression.

Attacked from all sides.

Amelia might be stubborn, but she knew when to back off. As the next round started and Daniel offered advice, she actually listened this time. And wouldn’t you know it—the tiles started turning in her favor. She even managed to score a self-drawn win.

Finally, a lucky break.

Sarah, feigning closeness, chimed in, “So Mrs. Campbell likes mahjong too? We should invite her out to play sometime.”

“She’s—” Daniel’s words were cut off by Amelia’s not-so-subtle retaliation.

She stomped down hard on his polished shoe, grinding her heel in for good measure.

Daniel glanced down, tsked quietly, but in the end decided not to push his luck. If he pushed her further, she might just toss the mahjong tiles at his face.

“Forget it. She’s usually too busy. So busy, she barely has time to see me.”

The plaintive note in his voice caught everyone off guard. Was there anyone busier than Mr. Campbell?

Most just took the comment at face value, but Sarah heard what he didn’t say. If his wife was always too busy for him, did that mean he was lonely? Unfulfilled?

With Daniel’s advice, Amelia’s luck kept improving. Even if she didn’t win any money, she managed to win back everything she’d lost. If dinner hadn’t been about to start, she was sure she’d have come out on top.