Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 71

The older generation really does know how to play the game—they’ve been around the block enough times to know how to throw down when it counts.

Amelia was so mortified she wanted to sink into the floor, but she could only force herself to stand tall, trying to channel the air of a dignified wife to cover up the soul-crushing embarrassment.

Violet, catching sight of people gathering, suddenly burst into tears.

After all, she was the one who’d come between a married couple—arguing would just make her look even worse. Sometimes retreating is the smartest move you can make.

She tried to hold it in, but the tears just wouldn’t stop. As soon as she started crying, she wiped her eyes with a stubborn little hand.

“Grandma, I—I didn’t…” Her voice caught, pitiful and trembling. “Daniel and I are sincere—feelings are complicated, you know that. You’ve been through this, you must understand. Sometimes you just can’t control how you feel.”

Grandma Edith snorted. “Understand? The only thing I understand is that you’re full of nonsense!”

“Look at you, playing the sympathy card after breaking up someone’s marriage. By your logic, cheating is just ‘falling helplessly in love,’ and being the other woman is just ‘following your heart.’ Darling, your morals are so shattered, they’re not even worth sweeping up.”

Violet was so stunned by the verbal smackdown she almost forgot to cry. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a tall figure entering the room and looked up at Daniel with pleading eyes. “Daniel…”

Grandma Edith turned and scoffed again when she saw her wayward grandson. “You think just because Daniel’s here I’m going to hold my tongue? I’ll scold you both to your faces!”

“I am your grandson, you know,” Daniel said, placing a steadying hand on his grandmother’s shoulder. “Come on, Grandma. Getting this worked up isn’t good for you—if your blood pressure spikes again, we’ll be right back in the hospital.”

Grandma Edith shot him a glare. “Just seeing you is enough to raise my blood pressure!”

“Then don’t look,” he teased, ruffling her silver hair like she was a child. “Be good, let’s go back and rest.”

He glanced at Amelia, signaling her to help lead Grandma Edith out.

“I’m not going anywhere! Not until we’ve cleared the air, I’m staying right here!” With her age, her status, and her frail health, Grandma Edith’s stubbornness was practically invincible—no one could move her if she didn’t want to budge.

The curious onlookers at the door had already been politely ushered away by an assistant. With no outsiders left, Violet managed to stem her tears, turning to Daniel, her voice quivering with accusation.

“Daniel, I was just resting in my room, and Grandma barged in and started yelling at me. I didn’t even do anything, but I got the full treatment… She might be your elder, but that doesn’t mean she gets to be so unreasonable.”

Grandma Edith gave a sharp laugh and took Amelia’s hand. “I’m not here to be reasonable; I’m here to stand up for my granddaughter-in-law. Don’t like it? Hit me, then!”

The old lady was on a roll. Violet looked to Daniel, eyes shimmering with hope that he’d step in to defend her.

Daniel just shrugged. “What do you want from me? I’m lucky if Grandma doesn’t chew me out on the regular. I wouldn’t dare talk back.”

“…”

Violet was left speechless.

Daniel’s words were at least vaguely comforting, but they did nothing to cool Grandma Edith’s temper.

She patted Amelia’s hand. Amelia, silent since entering the room, hadn’t uttered a word.

“Daniel, I want an answer from you right now, in front of me,” Grandma Edith said, fixing him with a steely gaze. “Are you going to cut things off with that vixen and build a life with Amelia, or not?”

Daniel said nothing. The pause made Grandma Edith’s heart clench, and she added, “I know you and that Scott girl had a bit of a thing when you were kids. Look, we’re not heartless—we’ll take care of her, make sure her leg heals. But you’re not to get involved, and you’re not to see her again. Can you do that?”

Before she could finish, the old lady suddenly clutched her chest and slumped back, struggling to breathe.

Amelia sighed and tucked the blanket around her. “I’ll get the doctor.”

Amelia had finally figured it out: whether Grandma Edith’s symptoms flared up depended entirely on her own mood. If there were an award for faking illness, the old lady would have a trophy case full of little gold statuettes by now.

First a headache, then chest pains—if they kept talking, she’d probably start complaining about her back and knees next.

After calling for the doctor, Amelia quietly slipped out of the room.

Daniel was waiting in the hallway, tall and composed. When he saw her, he reached for her hand.

Amelia didn’t resist, letting him lead her into the lounge.

“Still upset?”

He brushed a hand gently down her cheek. “You’ve yelled at me, Grandma’s yelled at me—if you want to hit me, no one will stop you. Still not satisfied?”

She lowered her lashes and stayed silent, so quiet and docile that he almost couldn’t help but kiss her. Instead, he pulled his hand back and stuffed it in his pocket, grinning with lazy mischief. “Fine, if you’re still mad, take it out on me. I’ll sit here and let you scold me all day. You and Grandma are both my queens.”

The joke fell flat.

Amelia looked down for a moment, then slowly raised her eyes.

As she met Daniel’s increasingly hopeful gaze, she spoke, clear and steady: “Daniel, let’s get a divorce.”