Chapter 159
Amelie reached for the backseat door to grab the shopping bags, but Gabriel gently caught her hand before she could.
“I’ll carry them inside,” he said firmly.
“They’re not even heavy,” Amelie replied with a soft frown.
“Still, I’m not letting you carry them,” he countered, closing the door. “Come on, let’s go in p>
They walked together into the house and paused in the living room.
Just as Amelie was about to speak, Gabriel turned toward her. “I need to head out for a bit,” he said.
“Where are you going?” she asked, brows knitting in concern as she studied his face.
“Just some work,” Gabriel replied vaguely, glancing at his watch.
Before Amelie could question further, Albus appeared with a respectful bow. “My Lord, My Lady p>
“Have one of the servants take these bags upstairs,” Gabriel instructed.
Albus nodded. “Of course p>
“You should head to bed now,” Gabriel said to Amelie, his tone softening as he looked at her.
“Hmm,” she hummed in response, deciding not to press him about the mysterious ’work p>
“Amelie, please go on up. I’ll send someone with your things right away,” Albus added politely after Gabriel left, motioning toward the staircase.
“Did Kate have her dinner?” Amelie asked.
“Yes, the princess ate earlier and has already gone to bed,” Albus replied.
“Looks like we’re the only ones keeping you up,” she said with a hint of guilt.
“Not at all, My Lady. As the house butler, it’s part of my duty to stay alert most of the time,” Albus reassured with a kind smile.
She gave him a small nod before heading upstairs. Once in her room, Amelie sat on the edge of the bed, poured herself a glass of water from the jug on the nightstand, and took a few sips.
A soft knock at the door interrupted the quiet.
“Madam, shall I come in?” a maid asked gently from outside.
“Yes, please,” Amelie responded.
The door opened and the maid entered, carefully carrying the shopping bags. She placed them neatly on the table.
“Thank you, and sorry for disturbing your rest,” Amelie said sincerely.
The maid blinked in surprise at the kind words, then offered a small, respectful bow before quietly exiting the room.
“He still doesn’t tell me everything about his work,” Amelie murmured, a sigh leaving her lips as she stood up. She walked to the washroom to freshen up. Afterward, she slipped into a comfortable nightdress and tied her hair back loosely.
Returning to the room, she sat at the table and began unpacking the shopping bags. But before she could finish, a soft buzz came from her purse resting on the bed.
Frowning slightly, she reached over, picked it up, and retrieved her phone.
“Flora?” Amelie whispered. A furrow formed on her brow, making her wonder why she called. “I told mom to tell Flora not to disturb me p>
As the call ended, Amelie tried to return to her work, but the phone rang again almost immediately. Reluctantly, she answered and held it to her ear.
“Why are you calling me now?” Amelie asked in a cold voice.
Flora’s voice trembled with remorse. “I’m sorry… please, just forgive me. I regret what I did every single night.” She swirled the glass in her hand, which still had some alcohol in it.
Amelie’s expression softened slightly, detecting her unsteady tone. “You sound drunk. Are you somewhere outside right now?” Her concern seeped through despite her cold words.
Flora let out a weary sigh. “It’s a bar… a decent one, at least. I just don’t feel right at home anymore. Mom and Dad don’t talk to me like they used to. And now, with you not here either, it’s unbearably lonely p>
Amelie’s patience wore thin, and she was about to end the call when Flora’s voice broke. “Everyone in the pack hates me now. I’m paying for my mistakes,” she sobbed.
Amelie caught every word. “You should’ve asked Gabriel to kill me too, Amelie. What’s the point of living like this? But I begged him to spare me, I guess I was too afraid to die. Just like Alex, who got poisoned… maybe I should have met the same fate. I’ve ruined everything, and there’s no fixing any of it,” Flora confessed, her tears flowing freely.
“Don’t say that,” Amelie said firmly. “Go home. Wait, I’ll send a driver to bring you back. Your parents may be angry, but they love you. They’re hurt, yes, but it’s not the end. You just need to give them time,” she urged, hoping to reach her through the despair.
“What about you? Mom told me if Amelie doesn’t forgive me, she won’t either,” Flora said bitterly. “Amelie, why would you choose to keep the child of a man who once tried to take your life p>
Amelie’s voice was steady but the coldness in it persisted. “I don’t owe you an explanation p>
Flora’s tone softened, but the pain was still there. “Fair enough. But won’t the pup remind you of Alex p>
Amelie cut her off. “Let’s not go down that path. Tell me, where are you right now p>
Flora sniffled, wiping away her tears. “At a bar. I’ll book a cab soon. You don’t need to call at home. You know, Zander lectured me earlier. He has become the Alpha of our pack. His words stabbed me, but they carried truth. He warned me against my immoral behavior. But I ignored him. Alex was his best friend, so he knew a lot about him,” she mumbled.
At this point, Amelie wasn’t even interested in what Flora had been blabbering. She simply put the phone on speaker while returning to the sofa chair to empty the bags, hearing Flora’s ranting.
“Amelie, I’m sorry for everything,” Flora again apologized in the end and hung up the call.
Amelie simply stared at the screen and shook her head.
Looking at a photo frame with a baby’s face, Amelie’s eyes lit up. “Where should I keep it?” she murmured, checking for a perfect spot in the bedroom.