FLASH MARRIAGE; CHARMED BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE CEO - Chapter 88

Chapter 88: The Contract Reminder

Amelia felt a cold shiver run down her spine at Blaze’s direct question and his nerve-wracking gaze. She didn’t recall letting Pascal or Clay into her aunt’s home. So there was no freaking way they would have eavesdropped on her and reported to their boss. Or did her unsecured research on the internet prompt Blaze’s hackers? Most probably.

“Amelia, take a deep breath and stay calm. Do not anger the monster any further by arguing with him. He’s angry and will lash out at you if given the chance. Just apologize and try to mend things with him before asking him any questions.” She inwardly encourages herself. She took in a deep breath and spoke in a composed voice.

“Blaze, I know I stepped out of line by nosing around your family’s affairs and for that I’m very sorry.” Amelia slowly approached him, putting her handbag away. She observed his stiffened muscles and unwavering dangerous glare following her every move.

“Please, don’t be mad at me. I have no right whatsoever to research your family. Some things just came up and I needed to clarify a few conflicting notions.”

“What things?”

Blaze growled softly, her gentle and remorseful approach soothing his stormy rage. He took in a deep breath, inhaling her refreshing blend of citrus and lavender perfume as he slowly sat up.

“What notions?” He dropped his wine glass on the side table as Amelia pulled a stool and sat opposite him, unafraid and unperturbed by his hardened glares.

“Umm… earlier this evening, I got a call from my dad, informing me that you got my step-sister and ex arrested yesterday after beating them up. Is that true, because the last time I remembered we were in bed together?” Amelia said softly, her sweet textured voice and her shimmering eyes brimming with a mixture of curiosity and sincerity.

“Aren’t you happy that those fools were taught a tiny fraction of the punishment that awaits them? Or do you suddenly care about them after what they did to you?” Blaze replied to her question with a question. He perched on the edge of his seat, his knees touching hers as he stared deeply into her eyes searching for any trace of regret.

“Never.” Amelia scrunched her face in disgust. “I don’t care what happens to those fools. If it were up to me, I’d have them sleep in the dungeon for the rest of their lives. But since my husband’s name is being dragged in this whole mess, I need to know what really happened so that I can defend you before my father.”

Blaze felt his heart skip a beat at the way Amelia had addressed him as her husband. But all that vanished with her last statement.

“You… Defend me before your father?” Blaze chuckled bitterly, standing up and picking up his glass of wine and bottle of Scotch. “For a minute there, I thought you were hilarious.” He walked away from her towards the bar area of the villa to fix himself a stronger drink. He was trying not to lose control of his emotions by suppressing them with alcohol.

“Blaze, this isn’t funny. I need to know what happened last night.” Amelia stood up and followed him. She took a seat on one of the counter fancy stools opposite him, watching him with great admiration as he combined two strong gin like a professional barman.

“Do you care for some?” Blaze asked without looking up from what he was doing.

“Sure, as long as you answer my questions,” Amelia said with determination.

Blaze selected a less stronger bottle of martini. He fixed her drink and slid the glass to her. He watched her savour the drink like a critic before taking a sip.

“Hmm… Not bad.” Amelia took another sip before putting the glass down.

Blaze also took sips of his double dry martini, his heart filled with pure hatred and bitterness as he spoke calmly.

“Yes, I had your loser of an ex and his miserable partner taken care of yesterday for insulting my wife in public and for trailing us after we left the event venue.”

“They were following us.” Amelia’s eyes widened in alarm. But Blaze paid no heed to her reaction as he continued talking.

“And I didn’t have to waste my time dealing with maggots when I had a sexy nude beauty in my arms all through the night.”

Blaze’s lips curled up in an evil smirk as Amelia turned her flushed face away, her cheek giving off a soft pinkish-red glow. He watched the way she hurriedly picked up her drink and took a few more sips before getting all serious with her.

“Now back to the matter at hand, I think you seem to forget the conditions of this contract marriage and I may have to remind you again,” Blaze said in a deadpan tone as he picked up a single piece of document below the counter and placed it before her.

“Read condition two out loud,” Blaze commanded, his chilly voice giving no room for disobedience.

Amelia eyed the document on the table, her heart beating really fast as it fell on the second condition.

“Blaze, I already said that I was sorry.”

“Read,” Blaze spoke between clenched jaws.

Amelia clenched her left fist as she picked up the document with her right hand and read out condition number two.

“You are never to meddle in my personal affairs or those of my family. Breeching of this condition will attract penalties based on my discretion.”

Amelia dropped the documents on the counter, her blood slowly boiling with anger as she felt Blaze’s piercing gaze boring a hole through her forehead. She picked up her drink and gulped down the entire content of her glass, the alcohol in the Martini giving her the needed courage to face him.

“By now, you must know that I’m a very temperamental man and I hate people disregarding my rules especially if it is stated clearly in black and white. Not only do you disregard my instructions which are fixed to protect you from your unknown enemies and those leeches called your family, but you also compel my employees to flaunt my rules. So I ask, Mrs Amelia Anderson, do you have a problem following rules or do you just enjoy getting on my nerves.”

“Maybe if you are a little straightforward with me, I won’t have any problems following the rules.” Amelia raised her face to meet Blaze’s darkened gaze. Her heart was drumming erratically in her chest as she watched Blaze slowly move around the counter like a hungry jaguar on the prowl about to pounce on its prey.

“You think I’m not been straightforward with you?” Blaze snarled, pulling her spinning chair closer to him so that they were face to face. His strong alcoholic minty breath was so intoxicating and overwhelming. He trapped Amelia between his arms and rested both hands on the counter while leaning closer until they were just a breath away.

“Yes.”

Amelia inhaled sharply, her body trembling a little with a mixture of fear and rage as she activated defensive mode. She could feel his scorching breath fanning against her reddened face as though someone had turned up the heat in the room. Her eyes darted between his and the three-quarter-filled bottle of martini on the counter, ready to pick it up and smash it on his head if he made the mistake of manhandling her like he did the last time.

“I think you’re not being completely honest with me.” Amelia’s lips trembled as she spoke. “You knew my father and you didn’t mention it to me.”

“You never asked,” Blaze replied coldly his hard gaze, belittling.

“I don’t have to ask to know such a sensitive detail. You have no idea how stupid I felt when my father spoke about you, asking me to stay away from you.”

“Maybe you should listen to your father,” Blaze replied between clenched teeth.

Amelia bit down on her lower lips, rage seeping through her veins at Blaze’s infuriating words. But she wasn’t done asking her questions.

“Why didn’t you tell me that my father and your father were once fr…”

“Don’t!” Blaze boomed in Amelia’s face, causing her to flinch in horror. He moved away from her, turning his back on her as he clenched and unclenched his fist, raw anger seeping through his veins. He moved further away from Amelia, unable to stand his enemy’s daughter any longer.

“You are hereby forbidden to speak of my father or snoop around my family affairs.” Blaze barked his chilly words, his firm back still on her. “For flaunting my rules, you will no longer have full command of your bodyguards. They will only follow my directives and act based on my instructions. And if you break any more of the contract conditions, there will be other cruel punishments that will deprive you of your basic needs. This is your last warning.” Blaze stormed out of the villa, picking up his phone and car keys.

Amelia remained seated on the stool, her body trembling like a jellyfish out of water. Beads of sweat crowded her forehead, as her body quivered with a mixture of horror and anger. She watched as Blaze disappeared out of sight, her heart aching at his bitter words.

Now, Amelia was more convinced that there was a bitter feud between her husband and her father. If Blaze hated her father, it only meant he blamed him for his father’s death.

More than ever, Amelia was eager to get to the bottom of the truth even if she had to suffer one or two punishments from her husband.