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Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 37

Outside the door, Amelia leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

Her heart felt as if it was being squeezed tight by an invisible hand, a dull ache seeping through every nerve.

She’d always known she was just a stand-in. But she never imagined that, aside from playing someone else’s part, she served such a noble “purpose.”

He married her to keep up appearances. He made her Mrs. Campbell to protect the delicate woman he truly cared for.

All the respect, the sweetness, the tenderness he gave her—it was just a show, a carefully staged act for others, a distraction to keep Violet safe and unnoticed.

All those sweet memories shattered like a mirror knocked to the ground, splintering into shards at her feet. She stood barefoot among the wreckage, every step slicing her skin open.

Suddenly her heart felt hollow—so empty it was numb.

“I understand.”

Daniel’s voice snapped her back to reality, cracking like a whip.

She turned and slipped quietly into the next room, closing the door behind her.

Daniel’s footsteps faded down the hallway.

Amelia stood motionless, pressed to the door, the strength draining out of her. She slowly crouched down, burying her face in her knees, her shoulders trembling in silence.

...

Daniel searched the house for Amelia but found only Grandma Edith in the backyard, playing with a tabby cat.

“Where’s Amelia?”

“Oh, now you can’t find your own wife? All you do is ask, ask, ask. What do you have legs for? Go look for her yourself!” Grandma Edith grumbled, annoyed that he’d frightened the cat away.

Nora chimed in, “Didn’t Amelia go upstairs to tell you and Mr. Campbell that dinner’s ready? Didn’t you see her?”

Daniel remembered the conversation in the study, his heart skipping a beat. He turned, just as Amelia appeared around the corner.

Her face was calm, betraying nothing. Catching Daniel staring, she touched her cheek, puzzled. “What’s with the look?”

He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and ruffled her hair. “Just admiring you. I swear, you get prettier every hour.”

“...”

He had beautiful eyes, their shape just right, the corners lifting in a perpetual, lazy smile. There was always a hint of mischief in them, but tonight, something deeper, more tender, shimmered there in the light.

Amelia wanted to tell him, There’s no one else here. You don’t need to keep up the act. It’s not necessary.

But she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

It was humiliating enough—no need to lay it bare.

She took her plate back. “I can feed myself.”

Daniel raised an eyebrow, but before he could reply, Mr. Campbell, clearly eager to prevent another round of sickly-sweet banter, cut him off. “Eat your dinner. Less talking at the table.”

After dinner, Mr. Campbell took Grandma Edith back to her room to rest.

On her way across the stone steps in the garden, Daniel caught Amelia’s hand. “Earlier, you asked me if I like kids. What, thinking about having one?”

His palm was warm. Once, Amelia would have cherished that touch. Now, it meant nothing to her.

She stepped forward without hesitation. “No. I’m not.”

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