CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Amelia froze. One moment Michael was practically dragging her, the next he was stepping away as if she had the plague. He really didn't want the Brunswick family, especially Billy Jim, to see him touching or manhandling her.

She slowly looked up and saw Billy Jim standing there, his eyes moving from Michael to her with a questioning look. "Stephanie's really busy right now," he said, his voice calm. "And I noticed you weren't coming in, so I just thought I'd check on you. Is everything okay? Is there a problem here?"

Michael let out a little cough, trying to act casual. He recognized Billy Jim, all right. He was Drew Brunswick's assistant, and Michael knew all about the Brunswick family. His own wife, Gloria Lin, was connected to them through her adopted father, Fortune Lin. Fortune called Samuel Fin Brunswick "Dad," but there wasn't any real family bloodline there. It was more like their parents were best friends, and after Fortune's parents died, Samuel and his wife, Mandalin, raised him.

So, even though Michael had the Brunswick family's name behind him, he knew he didn't have any real claim to their money or power, especially since the Brunswicks had their own son. And lately, Samuel Fin Brunswick had stepped back, leaving everything to his son, Drew Brunswick. But then, Drew had that terrible accident that left him unable to use his legs.

Michael had come today hoping Gloria could introduce him to her uncle, Drew. But he hadn't even gotten a real chance to talk to him, just a quick glimpse. Now, seeing Billy Jim, a polite smile suddenly plastered itself on Michael's face, totally different from the scowl he'd just been giving Amelia. "Oh, no problem at all," Michael said smoothly. "She just seemed a bit lost, and I was helping her with directions."

Billy Jim glanced at Michael but didn't seem to pay him much mind. His focus was clearly on what concerned his boss. He turned back to Amelia. "You should really come inside now," he said gently. "Mr. Drew has been waiting, and you know how he hates to wait."

With that, Billy Jim simply turned and walked away, expecting Amelia to follow.

Michael couldn't believe it. Billy Jim had completely ignored him and seemed to be personally looking for Amelia. A knot of worry tightened in his stomach. He quickly moved closer to Amelia. "Tell me," he hissed, keeping his voice low. "What does he want with you? Why is he looking for you?"

Amelia stared at her ex-husband, her expression as cold as ice. "I don't think that's any of your business, Michael," she replied, her voice flat.

Seeing Amelia's icy demeanor towards him, Michael felt even more anxious. But there was nothing he could do right then. He leaned in closer, his voice a harsh whisper. "If you dare say one word to them, if you mess this up for me, don't blame me for what happens next. You'll regret it."

Amelia just stared at him, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes. She slowly straightened her clothes, adjusting her blouse. Then, a hint of challenge entered her voice as she spoke. "Oh? I guess I'll be looking forward to seeing what you want to do then." She was genuinely curious to see how Michael would try to make good on his threat.

With that, she turned her back on him and followed Billy Jim, leaving Michael fuming, frustration boiling inside him.

He pulled out his phone, his thumb already poised over a contact. A wicked smile spread across his face, not of frustration, but a chilling one. "You have no idea what's coming, Amelia," he whispered to the empty air.

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Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Gloria Lin was chatting happily with Mandalin, Drew's mother. She smiled when she saw her husband, Michael, walk into the room. "You're back?" she asked, her voice sweet. "Where did you go?"

Michael sat down beside her, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. "Just took a little walk outside," he said casually, trying to sound relaxed.

Gloria nodded, then turned back to Mandalin. "How's Uncle Drew doing lately? I heard he hired another nurse to help with his leg?"

Mandalin sighed, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Darling, I'm really hoping he's getting better, but his legs... the doctors told us there's no hope, they just don't work. But this new nurse, she specializes in acupuncture, so we're just hoping there might be a tiny bit of hope. We just want to try everything, you know, just to see what happens."

Talking about Drew's legs always made Mandalin sad. Gloria took her hand and stroked it gently, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry too much, Grandma. I know Uncle Drew will definitely get better. We'll be leaving soon, but I should go up and say hi to him first."

As the first grandchild of the family, Gloria had always been loved and spoiled by Drew. He had always adored her.

But the last couple of years had been different, ever since his accident. Drew had become so withdrawn, he hardly left his room. He hadn't even come to her wedding. Gloria had really hoped she could introduce her husband to her uncle today.

"Sure, dear," Mandalin said, offering a small smile. "He'd be happy to see you."

Gloria Lin stood up, and Michael, ever the supportive husband, accompanied her upstairs, heading towards Drew Brunswick's room.

Upstairs, Amelia was getting ready to examine Drew's leg, but thoughts of her ex-husband kept popping into her head. She tried to push them away, and tried to calm herself down. She couldn't let that jerk mess with her concentration right now. This job was important.

Just as she was about to focus completely, a soft knock on the door startled her a little.

Billy Jim slowly went to open it. "Ms. Gloria," he greeted, a hint of surprise in his voice.

Gloria Lin and Michael appeared in the doorway. Gloria stepped inside the room and instantly spotted Amelia standing there. "Oh, she's here too!" she exclaimed, sounding surprised.

Billy Jim glanced at Amelia, then back at Gloria Lin. "Wait, you two know each other?"

Gloria laughed softly. "Not really, I just ran into her downstairs when I arrived this morning. I heard she was here for the job, for Uncle Drew's injury. Has she already been hired?"

Billy Jim nodded. "Yes, she has."

"Do you really think she can cure Uncle Drew?" Gloria asked, her eyes wide with hope. "It would be amazing if she truly could!"

Amelia looked at Gloria and offered a small, gentle smile. Gloria looked so innocent, so genuinely hopeful. It was almost like looking at her own daughter. The thought of such a lovely, kind girl being used by that jerk, Michael Vick, made Amelia feel a pang of sympathy for her.

Michael scoffed, his voice dripping with disbelief. "What do you think, babe? You really think she can cure your uncle?" His disdain for Amelia was painfully obvious.

Others might hesitate to speak their minds, but Michael was sure Amelia was just here to waste time. He figured her real reason for being here was to get back at him, not to genuinely help Drew Brunswick get better.

Gloria sighed, a little frown on her face. "Why are you always looking down on her, Michael? You need to trust her."

Drew, who had been quietly watching them, finally spoke, his voice a bit weary. "What are you both doing here?" He'd recently become fond of quiet and really disliked noise. Sometimes, he couldn't even be bothered to go downstairs for meals.

"I came to see my favorite uncle!" Gloria said playfully, trying to lighten the mood. "I got married, and you didn't even show up. Now that I'm here, you can't turn me away, can you?"

Drew glanced at her, a faint smile touching his lips. "Sure," he said, "just make sure you do it fast."

Gloria understood why her uncle was grumpy. She took Michael's hand and proudly introduced him. "This is my husband, Michael Vick. He's doing great at work, and he treats me so, so well!"

She knew Michael had always wanted to meet her uncle Drew, so she made sure to introduce him in the best light possible.

Drew looked at Michael, but his expression remained unchanged. He didn't seem particularly interested.

"You've mentioned him plenty of times already, Gloria," Drew said, a hint of annoyance in his tone. Ever since Gloria had started dating Michael, she'd been singing his praises every time she visited. She was naive and saw the world in a simple way, but Drew was different.

He didn't believe Michael was truly good, but he pretended to be. However, since his niece was happy, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

Gloria pouted slightly. Michael, seeing an opening, took the initiative to speak. "Since your uncle is looking for someone to treat his legs, I actually know a very good person I can recommend. When it comes to a job like this, it's really best to find someone who's super experienced. If you let a beginner treat something this serious, they might not help at all, and things could even get worse."

As he spoke, he cast a pointed look at Amelia, a clear message in his eyes.

Amelia's expression hardened. She hadn't even said anything bad about him. Yet, her ex-husband was so eager to push her out of the Brunswick family.

She wondered if she really held so much power over him that he was so afraid of her. After all the scandals over the years, which had cost her countless jobs wasn't enough for him, he still wanted to take this one away from her. But she wasn't going to back down. She was going to ruin him before he got the chance to ruin her.

"Before you begin, Dr. Amelia," Drew says, his eyes fixed on her with a gaze that seems to see right through her, "there's something I need to ask you. Something about... your past."