Chapter 20
“Madam, watch out,” the crowd gasped in alarm. Even Aaron hadn’t expected Henry would attack Amelia in public. Amelia’s face went pale, but before she could react, a female secretary darted in front of her desk and caught the ashtray.
“Madam, are you alright?” The other secretaries were in a frenzy and they surrounded Amelia with worried looks and frantic questions.
Amelia took a deep breath to steady herself. Though her face still showed her fear, she was unharmed. She turned to look at the woman who had shielded her. It was Brooke, Landon’s bodyguard.
She was tall and athletic, exuding a heroic spirit, looking every bit like a soldier on the battlefield.
Feeling a wave of security wash over her, Amelia nodded and said, “Brooke, thank you.”
“I’m just doing my job,” Brooke replied and stepped back without so much as a flicker of emotion on her face.
Henry jabbed a trembling finger in Brooke’s direction and stammered, “Y–you’re protecting her?”
“It is my duty to protect Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley,” Brooke answered, her tone icy was enough to cut through steel.
“Well, well, you guys are amazing.” Henry slammed the door and stormed out.
d unyielding, but her sharp gaze on Henry
It was clear he had a deep fear of Brooke, though the reason remained a mystery to Amelia. She wasn’t about to question it.
Landon had assured her that Brooke would keep her safe. That was good enough for her.
Aaron, meanwhile, was sweating bullets. The last thing he wanted was for Amelia to be scared off on her first day. Wiping his cold sweat, he said, “Mrs. Kingsley, please don’t let today’s incident bother you. With Brooke around, Henry won’t dare do that again.”
Amelia nodded and instructed, “Bring me the documents that need my signature.”
“Right away,” replied Aaron.
Henry had been a festering problem in the company for a while a thorn no one could seem to remove. That Amelia had the authority to deal with him gave everyone a glimmer of hope.
But at the same time, whispers of doubt began to circulate. ‘Mrs. Kingsley has zero work experience. Can she really steer Kingsley Group in the right direction?‘
The senior executives and managers filed in one after another throughout the day, each presenting their documents for Amelia to sign. However, she didn’t sign a single one, focusing instead on forming an impression of each person.
Kingsley Group’s operations were massive, and Amelia wasn’t about to risk making a wrong call. She intended to take everything home and consult with Landon first.
By the end of the day, those who’d initially been optimistic about her leadership were scratching their heads. ‘What’s her deal? Does she even know management?‘
“I’ll review today’s documents and give you all my decisions tomorrow,” Amelia announced, stacking the files and handing them off to Aaron before calling it a day.
Not long after, rumors about her background swirling within the company. Someone had dug up her past, and the gossip spread like wildfire.
A clerk whispered, “Did you hear? CEO’s wife was engaged to Zachary before, but then she dumped him and slept with Mr.
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Chapter 20
Kingsley.”
Another clerk replied, “Seriously? So that’s how she got this position. Shame for her.”
“She doesn’t look like she knows the first thing about running a business.” Someone else joined the chat.
Another clerk uttered his guess. “Oh my, is this some scheme? Maybe she’s trying to get her hands on Kingsley Group’s secrets and pass them off to Zachary while Mr. Kingsley’s in a cona.”
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Amelia could hear every snide remark, whether whispered or spoken outright. But she didn’t care. She knew those were baseless rumors, and time would prove her worth.
“Mrs. Kingsley, are you taking these home to consult Mr. Kingsley?” Aaron asked tentatively as they left.
Amelia nodded and answered, “Actually, I’m not completely clueless about business, but I’d rather not risk burning through your boss’s fortune on day one.”
“Could I… maybe sit in on it?” Aaron asked hesitantly, a hopeful glint in his eye.
“Man, it’s been three months since Mr. Kingsley went under. I really miss hearing his voice, thought Aaron.
“Nope.” Amelia shut him down firmly.
What Aaron didn’t know and couldn’t know was that Amelia had an uncanny ability to hear Landon’s inner thoughts. She figured it was some kind of gift granted after her rebirth. But if word ever got out, she’d be labeled a freak in no time.
“Well…” Aaron sighed, holding the stack of documents like a wounded child. “Mrs. Kingsley, you’re so stingy. You’re hogging
Mr. Kingsley all to yourself.”
“Um…” Amelia wasn’t sure whether to laugh or roll her eyes. “Well, how about you take over and hog him instead?”
“No thanks,” Aaron mumbled. “Having you by his side is definitely better.”
Awkwardly, he escorted Amelia to the door, but before he could leave, a thunderous roar echoed from inside. “My grandson got married, and no one told me? Gloria, do I even exist in your world anymore?!”
The voice, though raspy with age, carried enough force to rival a hurricane. Amelia’s heart sank, and she thought, ‘Did Henry stir up trouble at home? Oops, I’ve dragged Gloria into my mess.”
Aaron said nervously, “That sounds like Mrs. Donna Kingsley. She’s no pushover.”
“Do they come over to cause trouble often?” Amelia asked, already dreading the answer.
Aaron replied, “Not often, but every time they do, they give Ms. Gloria a hard time. I bet Henry ratted you out
“They wanted a spot on the board but didn’t get it. Now I’m calling the shots. Of course Henry’s bitter.” Amelia took a deep breath and braced herself to face the trouble she caused.
Aaron grabbed her arm in a panic. “Mrs. Kingsley, maybe you should stay out of it now. Let Ms. Gloria deal with them first.”
Amelia said with a faint smile, “They’re here for me. If I hide, they won’t leave. Besides, everyone’s got a few unreasonable relatives. I’m used to it.”
“Brooke, follow her,” Aaron said.
Brooke stepped out of the car, cool and composed, falling into step behind Amelia.
With Brooke’s reassuring presence, Amelia walked in with her head held high. Sure enough, the scene inside was as chaotic as she feared. Donna, Henry, and Henry’s family were there, and poor Gloria looked pale and angry, struggling to even catch
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Chapter 20
her breath.
Seeing the scene, Amelia’s blood boiled. Five against one? That’s shameless.
“Gloria, I’m home,” Amelia called cheerfully, her radiant smile completely ignoring the tense atmosphere.
Gloria froze for a second and asked, “You’re home so early? Isn’t it still work hours?”
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Gloria thought internally, ‘Oh no, I haven’t kicked these pests out yet. Amelia’s so timid. What if they scare her off? I finally got such a good daughter–in–law. If she runs, what do I do?‘
“I missed Landon, so I came back earlier to see him,” Amelia replied smoothly, her gaze sweeping over the visitors. “Oh, we have guests?”
“Amy, look…” Gloria opened her mouth to explain but was immediately cut off.
“Gloria, shut your mouth.” Donna barked. Despite her advanced age, she was as sharp and commanding as a general. Her cloudy eyes gleamed with a menacing light. It could tell by her appearance that she was hard to deal with.
Gloria swallowed her anger and forced a smile for Amelia’s sake. “Amy, let me introduce you. This is Landon’s grandmother, Donna. That’s his uncle, aunt, and their kids.”
Amelia maintained a polite demeanor, giving a nod. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasure, my foot,” Henry snapped, glaring daggers at her. “You weren’t so polite at the office today.” His tone was venomous, but his anger seemed oddly restrained, especially when his gaze flickered nervously toward Brooke.
Amelia’s curiosity piqued. ‘Has Brooke beaten him up before? Why is he so afraid of Brooke?‘
“Amelia? Are you Zachary’s ex–fiancée?” Donna’s tone was dripping with disdain as her sharp eyes studied Amelia from head
to toe.
Amelia thought, ‘Here we go. Time to dig up my past.‘
“She was just dating Zachary, not engaged,” Gloria interjected.
“Oh, really? Funny, because I heard the Foster family claimed her as their future daughter–in–law.” Donna let out a sarcastic laugh before adding, “I also heard she had some mysterious surgery. Sounds like a setup to me.”
“You think I staged an operation just to sneak into Landon’s ward?” Amelia asked with a calm smile, her tone light yet unyielding.
“Listen, I’ve seen plenty of your type.” Donna’s voice rose, sharp and accusatory. “You’re clearly in cahoots with the Fosters, trying to worm your way into Kingsley Group and steal our company.“”
“Donna, that’s enough.” Gloria stomped her foot in frustration. “That’s a ridiculous accusation!”
Donna let out a cold laugh. “Ridiculous? I’ve got proof.”
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