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Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 31

But he just wasn’t that person.

Daniel’s kindness had once made Amelia believe she might have replaced his first love, but the moment Violet returned from abroad, reality hit her like a whip named “first love,” snapping her wide awake.

She didn’t know how long it would take to truly move on from this relationship, but she was trying—trying to step back, inch by inch, from the mirage that had been their love.

That night, Amelia barely slept. Memories slipped into her dreams, replaying themselves on a loop.

She saw herself eating ice cream on a hot day—despite knowing better—and then doubling over with cramps during her period. Daniel had teased her mercilessly for her lack of self-control, but after he’d finished, he’d always end up rubbing her stomach, fetching a hot water bottle, and coaxing her to drink something sweet to ease the pain.

She remembered when he was on a business trip abroad. There was a time difference, but he would still video call her every night. She’d listen to the soft scratch of his pen across paper as he worked, letting the sound lull her to sleep.

Even after she drifted off, he never hung up. He would simply stay there, quietly keeping her company across an ocean.

When Amelia woke in the morning and saw the call had lasted all night, she found it absurd. What could be so fascinating about watching someone sleep?

Amelia showed up at the lab the next morning with heavy circles under her eyes.

Worry about Ella lingered in her mind. She wanted to ask Emily how Ella was doing, but Emily hadn’t shown up for two days.

On the third day, Emily finally arrived. When Amelia brought up Ella, Emily smiled as if nothing were wrong. “It’s fine. She’s old enough—think of it as the world teaching her a lesson. You’ve already done plenty for us. Don’t worry about it, okay?”

Amelia managed a smile of her own, but she couldn’t set her mind at ease so easily. That afternoon, she decided to visit the university.

Senior year meant the students’ schedules were light. Amelia had already checked the timetable; there was only one statistics class that afternoon. She found the classroom, scanned the room, but didn’t spot Ella.

Maybe she was late. Amelia took a seat in a quiet corner to wait.

In the front row, two girls were whispering. Amelia, catching Ella’s name, leaned in a little closer.

She dialed Emily instead. Emily’s forced cheerfulness was obvious. “She just feels like the job market’s tough right now. Even a master’s degree doesn’t guarantee a good job. Besides, she’s got an internship at a big company. It’s a good thing.”

As if that could be true.

Wrongly accused, misunderstood by her classmates, forced to give up everything she’d worked for—how could that possibly be “good”?

The suffocating feeling grew heavier as Amelia walked toward the parking lot—just in time to see Violet getting out of a car.

The wind whipped between them as they locked eyes. Violet waved her hand, dismissing her driver, then maneuvered her wheelchair closer, her satisfaction barely concealed.

“You don’t look so good, Amelia.”

Amelia’s nails dug into her palm. She tried to hold it in, again and again, but she just couldn’t anymore. Her hand shot out, and she slapped Violet across the face.

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