Chapter 12: Come inside?

Even during vacation, Amelia and her team remained on standby.

When her direct superior, Maddox, called, Amelia stood straight in front of the French windows in the living room, her posture crisp and alert.

“Amelia, how’s Mr. August?” His tone was relaxed—casual, almost chatty.

“Thank you for your concern. Grandpa’s in good health,” she answered smoothly.

“That’s good to hear. I’ll be sure to visit him when I’m back this time.”

“I’ll pass along your regards.”

After a brief pause of polite small talk, the line went quiet for a few seconds before Maddox asked, “Amelia, have you heard what’s going on with the Ravensdale and Kensington families?”

Amelia’s gaze shifted to August outside, peacefully trimming the hedges. Her brow arched just slightly. “Did something happen to them?”

In his office, Maddox waved off the staff waiting nearby and waited for the room to clear before continuing.

“Amelia, you really haven’t heard anything?”

Her smile deepened. “If there’s something you want me to know, just say it.”

Maddox let out a dry laugh. “It’s nothing urgent. Enjoy your vacation. I’ll have someone else deal with it.”

“Understood, sir.”

The call ended shortly after.

Amelia remained standing at the window for a long moment, her frustration gradually melting away, soothed by the quiet, warm scene unfolding in the garden.

When the anger finally faded, she headed outside and leaned against the cherry tree.

“Grandpa,” she called softly.

August turned and waved her over.

Amelia walked up and gently took the pruning shears from his hands. “You’re off-duty today. Maverick and I can handle the rest.”

Maverick gave a silent nod beside her.

August looked at the two of them, a smile creasing his weathered face. “Alright, then. I’ll leave it to you two.”

The garden wasn’t small, and they had their hands full that day—pruning, fertilizing, watering, clearing the trellises, and cleaning up everything afterward.

Jacob tried to call for help, but August stopped him with a wave.

“Let them handle it,” August said.

Jacob simply nodded, brewed a cup of tea, and quietly handed it to him. August took the cup and said nothing more, watching silently from the side.

By the time dusk fell, the garden had been completely transformed.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Maverick let out a quiet sigh. “It looks good.”

The calm rustling of flowers and leaves seemed to settle the unease that had been creeping into their chests.

Amelia leaned back against the trellis, glancing down at the dirt on her hands and arms.

“Wait here,” she said, and turned to leave.

Maverick stayed behind, finishing up the last bits of cleaning.

When Amelia returned, she had something draped over her arms—a bundle of neatly folded clothes.

“What’s this?” Maverick asked as she handed them over.

She nodded toward the mud on his shirt. “A thank-you gift. For helping me clean up today.”

Maverick unfolded the clothes and glanced at them. He didn’t recognize the brands, but he could tell they were expensive—far more than anything he’d ever owned.

He tried to hand them back. “Captain… I can’t accept this.”

“Don’t like them?”

“No, it’s not that.” Maverick hesitated. The man who usually towered over her now seemed a little smaller somehow, his shoulders drawn in.

After a second, he retracted his hand and quietly said, “Thank you, Captain.”

“It’s not just about today,” Amelia added. “Grandpa really likes you. This is nothing, really.”

Maverick had been the last to join their team. Barely settled in the barracks before he was pulled into intensive field training.

And as for Amelia—the captain with a no-nonsense attitude and the occasional sharp-witted jab—he didn’t know her all that well.

His eyes lingered on her now, longer than they ever had before.

Noticing, Amelia met his gaze. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Maverick shook his head, lips twitching slightly as he looked away.

She didn’t stop watching him.

“Maverick,” she said calmly, “some things don’t go away just because you avoid them.”

After a long silence, he nodded. “I know, Captain.”

She stepped forward and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Go change. Dinner’ll be ready soon.”

“Our Amelia’s really grown up,” August said warmly, standing at the edge of the garden.

Amelia turned when she heard his voice, smiling. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“I’m old. Can’t sleep much these days,” he replied, stepping into the garden with his cane. “Just wanted to see how things were coming along.”

She reached out and took his arm, gently leading him farther in. “Then come inspect the results. If there’s anything you don’t like, I’ll fix it.”

They walked a few steps, August looking around slowly.

“Looks good. Very good,” he nodded with satisfaction.

Amelia didn’t speak. She just watched him quietly, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips.

Catching her look, August laughed. “What’s that look for? You’re definitely up to something.”

“I should be asking you that,” she said calmly. “Aren’t you going to explain, Grandpa?”

August pretended to study a blooming flower. “Explain what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She stepped in front of him, blocking his view. “Really? You sure about that?”

August’s chuckle faded, replaced by a slow sigh as his smile disappeared. “So… you figured it out.”

“I wasn’t completely sure,” Amelia replied, “but you’ve been acting off today.”

“You don’t want me getting involved with the Ravensdale and Kensington mess, do you?”

He turned toward the row of potted plants nearby, leaning a bit heavier on his cane. “Those bastards in the alliance have been comfortable for too damn long. It was only a matter of time before something blew up.”

He tilted his head back and sighed again. “I just didn’t think it would happen this soon.”

His voice dropped, barely louder than the evening breeze. “It’s time they paid for what they’ve done.”

The weight in his words settled into the silence between them.

Amelia stood there, unmoving—until the bark of a dog echoed through the yard.

They both turned as the sound grew closer. A girl and a dog trotted in through the gate.

August’s face lit up instantly, his arms opening wide. “There’s my girl!”

Audrey dropped the leash without hesitation and ran into his embrace. “Grandpa, I missed you so much!”

He smiled and ruffled her thick, curly hair. “And who’s this little rascal back from running wild?”

Audrey giggled and twirled in place. She wore a layered skirt from a local boutique and shiny silver earrings that chimed with each turn. Her curls bounced and the evening light seemed to wrap around her like magic.

The dog barked joyfully and spun in circles around her, as if joining the dance.

It was a picture-perfect moment—the Langley estate glowing under the night sky.

But Audrey, not one for much activity, got dizzy quickly. To steady herself, she grabbed the dog’s scruff and plopped down onto the grass.

Seeing her on the cold ground, August leaned forward and tapped her head. “You’ll catch a chill sitting there. Come on, up you go.”

Audrey looked up at him with a mischievous spark in her eyes. “Guess who I saw just outside the gate?”

August humored her, raising a brow. “Who did you see?”

She frowned, struggling for the right words. “That guy… my sister’s fiancé..”

Amelia appeared right then, walking up while brushing dirt from her hands. She pressed a palm gently to the dog’s head and looked at her sister, expression unreadable. “Who did you say was outside?”

Audrey stood quickly, taking a small step back as she looked her sister up and down. “Liam.”

“Audrey. What did Mom say?”

Audrey pouted, voice mock-innocent. “Bro Liam.”

Amelia didn’t argue. She simply nodded. “You stay here with Grandpa. I’ll go see what he wants.”

With that, she pushed the dog aside, stepped around her sister, and headed toward the front gates.

......

It was another dark night, cloaked in the quiet hush of dusk.

Liam, waiting beside the car, turned his wheelchair slightly when he saw her walking out.

Amelia approached, her steps unhurried. “When did you get here?”

“Just now,” Liam answered, looking up at her.

“You ran into Audrey, didn’t you? My sister. You must’ve seen her just now.”

“I did,” he said simply.

......

Not long before, a girl and a dog had stepped out of the car.

Audrey immediately spotted Liam in his wheelchair. She didn’t need an introduction to guess who he was.

And Liam, noticing her face—so much like Amelia’s—understood who she was too.

The dog on Audrey’s leash caught sight of Liam, tugged excitedly, and tried to run toward him.

“Come back. Behave!” Audrey scolded.

The dog stopped and slinked back with its tail down.

Liam had smiled at her, and Audrey returned it with polite courtesy—just enough.

"A little early,” Liam admitted now, changing his answer under Amelia’s skeptical stare.

She didn’t challenge him on it. Instead, she changed the subject. “So why are you here?”

And she noted—he didn’t try coming in. Standing out here like this... it almost looked like he was trying to make himself look pitiful.

“I sent you a message,” he said. “You didn’t respond. I figured I’d come by and check in.”

Only then did Amelia remember—she hadn’t touched her phone all day, busy working in the garden with Grandpa.

“I left my phone inside. I’ve been helping Grandpa all day—didn’t really get a chance to check it.”

Liam watched her as she spoke, his gaze fixed—quiet, intense.

In his eyes, there was room for no one else. Not even the dirt smudges on her clothes or the tangles in her half-loosened hair could pull his attention away.

And knowing she’d come out to see him in this state only made something inside him tighten—a strange warmth.

Amelia met his gaze and saw the quiet hunger there. “Want to come inside?” she asked.

Liam shook his head. “Grandpa’s waiting for me at home. I won’t stay. Tell August I said hello.”

She nodded.

As he struggled to get back into the car, Amelia’s eyes lingered on his legs.

When he was finally seated, the driver folded the wheelchair and tucked it into the back.

Amelia stepped a little closer, her voice softer as she asked, “Liam, after you left the restaurant yesterday… did you go straight home?”

Liam’s hand paused, just for a second, before laying the blanket over his lap. He smoothed it out casually. “Yeah. Straight home. Why?”

She looked at him for a long moment, then finally smiled—faint and unreadable. “No reason. Nothing happened.”

Liam nodded.

Then his voice dropped lower. “My susceptible period’s not over yet. If it gets bad… can I come to you?”

The shift in topic was abrupt—too fast.

Before Amelia could catch herself, the words were already out of her mouth: “So you see me as what? A dose of fucking symptom relief?”