THE BILLIONAIRES WIFE

0016

"Father, I will come back to visit you often," Amelia choked on her words.

Unable to bear looking at her father's expression or hearing him call her name again, Amelia practically fled from the Collins' old mansion.

She didn't stop running until her legs ached. Staring at the distant mansion, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

It was done. She had faced her father, and even Thomas. She, Amelia, could now easily call him "brother."

Amelia smoothed her hair, took out her phone, and texted Olivia, letting her know she would be back tonight.

A sleek black sports car suddenly pulled up beside her, and without looking, Amelia knew exactly who it belonged to.

She had seen it parked in front of the mansion just moments before she ran out.

Lowering her phone, she quickened her pace, determined to avoid any interaction with him. She feared her heart would betray her once again.

The faster she walked, the faster the car followed. When she slowed, the car slowed too.

Finally, Amelia stopped abruptly, gazing expressionlessly at the person inside.

The windows were tinted, obscuring her view of the driver, but she knew he was watching her.

Why had he followed? Was he making sure she was really leaving?

Thomas gripped the steering wheel tightly, his dark, intense gaze fixed on the woman outside. Suddenly, he raised a hand, as if he wanted to reach out and touch her.

But behind the closed windows, Amelia remained oblivious to his movements.

He neither rolled down the window nor stepped out of the car, and so they remained locked in a silent standoff.

Amelia resumed walking, ignoring whether he continued to follow.

His presence unnerved her, but she was determined to act as though nothing had happened, as if nothing could affect her.

"I'll drive you."

Lost in thought, Amelia hadn't noticed that Thomas had stopped the car and was now standing right behind her.

A shiver ran through her body at the sound of his voice, so cold it felt like it could freeze her.

"That won't be necessary. I can manage on my own."

Without turning around, Amelia quickened her pace. She bit her lip so hard that the taste of blood filled her mouth before she finally relaxed.

Suddenly, Thomas grabbed her arm from behind and forcibly turned her to face him.

Amelia, startled, hadn't expected him to act so directly, especially not this close to the Collins estate.

She took a step back, pulling her arm free from his grip, her voice trembling as she said, "Let go of me. If anyone sees, they'll think I'm shamelessly trying to seduce my own brother."

Her tone was sharp as she stepped back, trying to put more distance between them.

The accusations from three years ago were already more than she could bear. She refused to add another scandal to her name.

Thomas' already grim expression darkened further, his brows knitting together, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Was it really you that I saw?" His voice was hoarse as he questioned her, though the certainty in his eyes betrayed that it wasn't really a question at all.

Amelia's lips curled into a mocking smile, though her face remained innocent.

"Mr. Thomas, I only call you 'brother' out of respect for my father. From the moment you framed me, you ceased to be anything to me."

She watched as the color drained from Thomas' handsome face, a pang of guilt striking her, but she couldn't stop the words from spilling out.

"So, where I am and how I'm doing-it has nothing to do with you."

Did he think she had returned to reclaim the company?

Thomas clenched his fists, the wind lifting the edge of his black suit jacket, emphasizing the lean, powerful figure beneath. A few strands of hair fell across his forehead, shading his deep-set eyes.

In this lifetime, she was probably the only woman he would allow to berate him so bitterly. Every word she spoke was a condemnation of his wrongdoings.

But the truth was undeniable, and he had no defense. The accident wasn't his doing, yet it had occurred because of him.

Amelia shifted her gaze away from him, afraid that if she continued to look, she would drown in the emotions she was fighting to suppress.

Even though she had already lost herself long ago...

"Stay!" Thomas' voice, for the first time, was weak. He was utterly powerless in the face of her rejection. Thomas, who had always solved problems with ease-if money could fix it, he used money; if it couldn't, he resorted to force.

But how was he supposed to handle this? With money? With force?

She misunderstood him so deeply, yet he couldn't explain. If he clarified everything, they wouldn't even have the chance to remain strangers.

At least now, he was still her brother. At the very least, he was still a Collins.

"Apologies, Mr. Thomas. I'm in a hurry and don't have time for idle chatter." Amelia checked her watch coldly before turning to leave, a light breeze stirring in her wake.

Idle chatter? She considered talking to him a waste of time?

Thomas felt a surge of frustration building inside him, pressing down on his chest like a weight, suffocating him. Was she going to leave again? And for how long this time?

"Amelia..." Thomas called out to her retreating back, the coldness in his voice intensifying. "I am still your brother!"

At the very least, until I fulfill my duty, I will protect you.

Amelia stumbled, instinctively bracing herself for a fall, closing her eyes in anticipation of the pain.

But instead of hitting the ground, she fell into the warmth of his embrace, his familiar scent of tobacco and a faint, clean fragrance enveloping her.

emphasizing the lean, powerful figure beneath. A few strands of hair fell across his forehead, shading his deep-set eyes.

In this lifetime, she was probably the only woman he would allow to berate him so bitterly. Every word she spoke was a condemnation of his wrongdoings.

But the truth was undeniable, and he had no defense. The accident wasn't his doing, yet it had occurred because of him.

Amelia shifted her gaze away from him, afraid that if she continued to look, she would drown in the emotions she was fighting to suppress.

Even though she had already lost herself long ago...

"Stay!" Thomas' voice, for the first time, was weak. He was utterly powerless in the face of her rejection. Thomas, who had always solved problems with ease-if money could fix it, he used money; if it couldn't, he resorted to force.

But how was he supposed to handle this? With money? With force?

She misunderstood him so deeply, yet he couldn't explain. If he clarified everything, they wouldn't even have the chance to remain strangers.

At least now, he was still her brother. At the very least, he was still a Collins.

"Apologies, Mr. Thomas. I'm in a hurry and don't have time for idle chatter." Amelia checked her watch coldly before turning to leave, a light breeze stirring in her wake.

Idle chatter? She considered talking to him a waste of time?

Thomas felt a surge of frustration building inside him, pressing down on his chest like a weight, suffocating him. Was she going to leave again? And for how long this time?

"Amelia..." Thomas called out to her retreating back, the coldness in his voice intensifying. "I am still your brother!"

At the very least, until I fulfill my duty, I will protect you.

Amelia stumbled, instinctively bracing herself for a fall, closing her eyes in anticipation of the pain.

But instead of hitting the ground, she fell into the warmth of his embrace, his familiar scent of tobacco and a faint, clean fragrance enveloping her. emphasizing the lean, powerful figure beneath. A few strands of hair fell across his forehead, shading his deep-set eyes.

In this lifetime, she was probably the only woman he would allow to berate him so bitterly. Every word she spoke was a condemnation of his wrongdoings.

But the truth was undeniable, and he had no defense. The accident wasn't his doing, yet it had occurred because of him.

Amelia shifted her gaze away from him, afraid that if she continued to look, she would drown in the emotions she was fighting to suppress.

Even though she had already lost herself long ago...

"Stay!" Thomas' voice, for the first time, was weak. He was utterly powerless in the face of her rejection. Thomas, who had always solved problems with ease-if money could fix it, he used money; if it couldn't, he resorted to force.

But how was he supposed to handle this? With money? With force?

She misunderstood him so deeply, yet he couldn't explain. If he clarified everything, they wouldn't even have the chance to remain strangers.

At least now, he was still her brother. At the very least, he was still a Collins.

"Apologies, Mr. Thomas. I'm in a hurry and don't have time for idle chatter." Amelia checked her watch coldly before turning to leave, a light breeze stirring in her wake.

Idle chatter? She considered talking to him a waste of time?

Thomas felt a surge of frustration building inside him, pressing down on his chest like a weight, suffocating him. Was she going to leave again? And for how long this time?

"Amelia..." Thomas called out to her retreating back, the coldness in his voice intensifying. "I am still your brother!"

At the very least, until I fulfill my duty, I will protect you.

Amelia stumbled, instinctively bracing herself for a fall, closing her eyes in anticipation of the pain.

But instead of hitting the ground, she fell into the warmth of his embrace, his familiar scent of tobacco and a faint, clean fragrance enveloping her.