Marry My Billionaire Second Husband - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Pathetic Stray
A few snickers ran through the office, none that Matteo could hear, but one clear sweep across the desks and Amelia could spot a few who were celebrating her demise.

Matteo turned to Emmeline, a furrow between his eyebrows. “I was actually referring to you.”

Emmeline whirled around, her face an expression of abject shock. However, Matteo had a faintly apologetic look on his face.

“Emmeline, you don’t work here,” he clarified. “I’ll meet you there after work.”

“But I don’t know where your place is,” Emmeline said, pouting. “Besides, the chauffeur has already driven the car away. I have no mode of transport.”

“Call a cab,” Matteo flatly said, sounding every bit bored. “Ronan can call you one if you’re unwilling.”

“A cab?” Emmeline repeated, scandalized. “But those are dangerous! What if they realize who I am and they kidnap me?”

From an angle Emmeline could not see, Ronan and Amelia shared a look. Even though Ronan was from a wealthy family, he depended fairly heavily on the city’s public transport. Having seen before how recklessly the Hawthorne chauffeur drove, he was willing to bet an arm and leg that it was safer taking the cab than the Hawthorne’s family car.

Maybe the Hawthorne chauffeur wanted to send the entire family to hell. That would explain his driving skills.

“In the highly unlikely event you get kidnapped, we will be able to pay the ransom,” Matteo said, easily brushing off her concerns. “And Sol City boasts a robust police force that will stop at nothing to get you back.”

“Matteo, you’re such a stick in the mud,” Emmeline complained, stomping her foot petulantly as though she was a child, her lips forming into a pout. “But I guess I should have expected this. I’ll see you later,” Emmeline said, her pout transforming into a lovely smile.

That was all the warning everyone got before she leaned up and pressed a delicate kiss on Matteo’s lips. Gasps echoed throughout the office at the blatant display of affection, and Amelia heard more than one colleague cooing at how romantic they were.

Meanwhile, Amelia’s knuckles were white from how strongly she was gripping the edge of her table.

“Just something to remember me by,” Emmeline said, before she stepped away cheerily. She turned around and let out a little gasp when she caught sight of the onlookers.

“Oh my,” She let out an embarrassed giggle. “Sorry, I got too carried away and forgot where I was.”

“A likely story,” Ronan muttered under his breath, echoing Amelia’s inner thoughts.

“It’s perfectly fine!” Aubrey chirped loudly, and her other colleagues agreed in unison. “Love is a wonderful thing!”

“Just go, I’ll see you later,” Matteo said, sounding remarkably pained.

Emmeline blew him a kiss and sauntered away, deliberately swaying her hips in a manner she thought was sexy, but Matteo found it mortifying instead.

His workers clearly had a different opinion, since many of them were ogling her figure. There was no hope for them.

“Ronan, my office, now,” Matteo ordered.

“Duty calls,” Ronan said with a shrug, giving Amelia an apologetic look before getting up. “And I’ll help you see what’s going on. Hang in there.”

“Thanks,” Amelia said woodenly.

She tried not to feel abandoned at the fact that Matteo hadn’t even spared her a second glance before going back to his office. Yet, even if she wanted to ignore this observation, it was impossible, for all her colleagues had also seen it, and they were shooting each other vindictive looks of glee.

Aubrey leaned over her desk like a viper waiting to strike.

“I guess the dog is getting replaced now, right, Amelia?” Aubrey asked smugly, popping open the box of bonbons Emmeline had given her and making a big show of popping one of them into her mouth. “Delicious… Ah, but I suppose you can’t eat it, since you’re the dog. Wait― you’re more of an abandoned stray that no one wants.”

Amelia gritted her teeth, to stop her eyes from tearing up. She should have known better than to trust Matteo’s words. All men did was lie. They weren’t in love by any means, but for him to make a fool of her like that…

“Everyone, come and take a piece!” Aubrey called out, “Mr. Montgomery’s fiancée is so generous― we’ll have good days with her helping him!”

The colleagues cheered, and they came over to help themselves to the chocolates while purposely getting an eyeful of Amelia’s misery.

Having enough of getting gawked at by people as though she was a zoo exhibit, Amelia turned tail and left.

Hopefully, Ronan would have an explanation to share.

***

“What did I just see?” Ronan exclaimed the moment the office door slammed shut. “Why did you let her sidle up to you and kiss you like that? Are you possessed, Matteo? Oh god, you are― I should have realized―”

A panicked expression crossed Ronan’s face, and he immediately plastered himself to the door, frantically grabbing at his necklace, his other hand trying to look for the nearest exorcist.

“Get away from him, you demon!”

Matteo sighed. His best friend was prone to dramatics, but he guessed he deserved that, after what Ronan had to see.

“Ronan, if I was possessed, your necklace is hardly going to exorcize me,” Matteo said tiredly. He raised his sleeve and wiped his lips. “It’s made out of cheap gray plastic, not silver. You couldn’t even kill a fish with it, let alone a spirit.”

“Who died and made you the expert on exorcisms?” Ronan scowled. “I should use this cheap gray plastic to blind myself, after that little performance. Matteo, are you out of your mind?”

“I couldn’t let her know our plans, if not she would have caused more trouble for Amelia,” Matteo said with a shrug. “My best bet was to play along with her actions.”

“Play along? She looked like she was one second away from holding the wedding in our office!” Ronan screeched, before he slumped on the office chair, defeated. “Matteo, did you invite her to your house? The very same house you’re living in with Amelia?”

“It’s just for dinner,” Matteo said wearily. “She was so insistent, I couldn’t refuse her without making her suspicious.”

“It’s dinner for now, and before you know it it’ll be breakfast and weekends,” Ronan warned. “That Emmeline is like a weed, the moment you think you got things under control, she spreads all over! What do you expect Amelia to do now?”

“It’s just a dinner,” Matteo repeated, as though saying it again would make it true. “Amelia has nothing to worry about.”

Ronan raised an eyebrow, silent judgment on his face. Matteo remembered how Amelia refused to meet his eyes just now and sighed. Perhaps she was angry.

“Could I trouble you to look out for Amelia while I’m with Emmeline? You can take her out for a nice dinner.”

“You just want her out of the house,” Ronan surmised accurately. “But I have to let you know, it would not resolve her hurt towards you even if I were to have dinner with her.”

“Why would she be hurt?” Matteo asked, sounding confused. “I did tell her what we planned. She’ll understand and come around eventually.”

Ronan could only chuckle darkly. “Your funeral. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”