Marry My Billionaire Second Husband - Chapter 205

Chapter 205: Best Day Turned Worst
“I…” Amelia trailed off. “I never knew,” she admitted.

“Yeah, we figured,” Ronan replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “When you first joined us, it seemed like you didn’t even remember him. I thought maybe it was because the ordeal happened so long ago― it had to be at least two decades back, right? But then we realized it’s more than that.”

“I don’t remember this one bit,” Amelia said.

If it was something so intense as calling the cops and attempting to rescue a fellow kidnapped child, Amelia doubted she would forget such a thing even if she was a child when it happened. That would’ve been a core memory growing up.

“Your brain might’ve rejected and erased the memory,” Ronan said. “It’s not impossible― fairly common, even. It might’ve been such a traumatic memory that you just forgot about it naturally.”

Amelia numbly nodded. That made sense. There were bits and pieces that she saw in flashes. However, it didn’t form a clear image of what exactly happened. Maybe she was starting to remember it again after the memory was triggered, but to know the full story, she would still need to speak with Matteo.

Maybe if she brought up the specifics, he would be more willing to share the information.

“Miss Kentwood?”

Amelia and Ronan looked up at the same time as Amelia’s name was called out. A nurse stood a short distance away, her hands holding a clipboard.

“You may visit Mr. Hawthorne now if you wish,” she said.

Amelia needed no telling twice. After thanking the nurse, she and Ronan rushed to Horace Hawthorne’s room. She stood at the doorway with the nurse, the latter’s hand on the door handle.

“He’s awake,” the nurse said, “but due to the stroke, the lower half of his body is currently immobile. He’ll need to stay in the hospital for observations, and we will be conducting physiotherapy if needed down the line.”

“Thank you,” Amelia said again.

“You’re welcome, Miss Kentwood.” The nurse smiled. However, the smile dimmed when she looked around. “Is Mrs. Hawthorne not…”

Assuming she was referring to Annalise, Amelia resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

“It’s just us for now,” Amelia said. “If she comes back, please don’t let her in.”

The nurse said nothing for a couple of seconds. Only after a moment did she nod in agreement. “Understood, Miss Kentwood,” she said. “But do try to make the visit short. Mr. Hawthorne needs his rest.”

Amelia and Ronan nodded obediently, and the nurse left shortly after opening the door for them.

“I’ll wait for you outside,” Ronan said, to which Amelia nodded.

Horace Hawthorne had his eyes closed as he lay in bed. The monitors around him were beating periodically, the smell of antiseptic strikingly strong. At the sound of the door opening, he cracked his eye open just the slightest. When he noticed it was Amelia at the door, his eyes opened a little more.

“Amelia…” Horace Hawthorne called out, his voice much weaker than usual.

Amelia felt her heart scrunch painfully. It may not be her fault that her grandfather landed in the hospital, but it still happened at her wedding. It was supposed to be the start of a new life. Yet, it had ended so disastrously that she wished she hadn’t held the wedding in the first place.

“Grandpa…” she trailed off, rushing to sit down beside his bed. “How are you feeling?”

“How are you feeling?” he countered.

He shakily tried to raise his hand, but even though it was such a simple movement, Horace Hawthorne faced great difficulties. In the few short hours he had been in treatment, he seemed to have aged decades.

“I’m sorry, Amelia,” Horace murmured under his breath. “Emmeline―”

“It’s fine,” Amelia said.

She forced a smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. It was a lie, of course. How could it be fine after the way Emmeline bulldozed her way through? However, this was the least of her worries right now, and shouldn’t be something her grandfather kept on his mind as he was recovering.

“Don’t worry about it for now, Grandpa,” she continued. “Just focus on recovering.”

“I will provide you justice,” Horace Hawthorne promised. “Emmeline and her mother will be removed from the Hawthorne ancestry. They will not be inheriting a dime of the Hawthorne wealth in the event I pass.”

As much as it should’ve felt like a balm to her heart that her grandfather was keeping to his promise, his statement only made her feel worse.

“Grandpa―”

“Your father was right,” Horace said with a sigh. There was a brief moment of silence before he spoke again. “I have been shielding Emmeline for too long. She has grown up sheltered and pampered and cannot take no for an answer. This time, there needs to be consequences, or else she will never learn. I cannot protect her forever.”

Amelia’s hand was in his, and she could feel the wrinkles across the back of Horace Hawthorne’s hand. He patted her twice, using all his strength just to perform this small action.

“I will speak with my lawyer as soon as possible,” Horace promised. His frown deepened. “But as for the child…”

There it was.

“If Emmeline’s child is indeed Matteo’s, what will you do?” Horace asked. “A good man needs to take responsibility for his actions. I know you deeply love him, but if he is the cause of this mess…”

“I believe in Matteo,” Amelia firmly said. “That will not change. I plan to stand by him and whatever decision he makes.”

“Good, good,” Horace said. “I will need to speak with the family doctor. Emmeline… She has disappointed me this time, truly.”

There was a sudden knock on the door, catching Horace and Amelia’s attention. When it cracked open, Ronan peeped through.

Horace immediately slowly let go of Amelia’s hand, and Amelia brought the blanket further up Horace’s body the moment he did.

“Go,” Horace said. “I ought to have some rest. I’m feeling a little tired.”

She nodded and leaned down to press a kiss on her grandfather’s forehead. “Rest well, Grandpa,” Amelia said. “I’ll come visit you when you wake up.”

With that said, she followed Ronan back to the hallway.

“Is there something wrong?” Amelia asked the moment they were outside.

Ronan’s expression was grave as he gestured to the television playing in the sitting area. There weren’t many people there, mainly just the nurses and doctors on duty.

Amelia turned just as she heard the words.

‘As of today, Matteo Montgomery will step down as the CEO of X’el International. His half-brother, Aiden Montgomery, will be taking his place as the new CEO.’