Marry My Billionaire Second Husband - Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Lovebirds
“I am sure everyone present is aware that Elaine left the Hawthorne family years ago and eloped for love,” Horace continued. His eyes were bright and filled with child-like excitement as he spoke. “After several investigations, I have found that Amelia is my missing daughter’s only child.”

Then, his gaze darkened just slightly in sadness.

“It is unfortunate that my daughter is no longer with us, but that only makes Amelia’s presence here all the more important to me and to the Hawthorne family.”

Horace offered Amelia a comforting squeeze on her shoulder before stepping slightly forward, opening his arms to address the crowd below.

“Please enjoy the rest of the banquet. Wine and dine to your heart’s content!”

With that said, Horace Hawthorne led a still-bamboozled Amelia off the stage, their departure accompanied by a thunderous applause.

“Matteo, where are you going?” Emmeline called out. She desperately clawed at Matteo’s hand before he could walk too far off, her nails practically digging into his skin. “We still have to greet the rest of the guests―”

“Emmeline, what is going on?” Kelsie asked, quickly catching up to them.

Matteo’s eyes twitched in annoyance. He was so close to shaking these irritable people off his back, but he failed to sneak away unnoticed.

Caleb had followed along as well, trailing after Kelsie, his face ashen pale. Matteo wasn’t too surprised― it must have been a huge blow when he realized he had effectively divorced the heiress of the main Hawthorne branch just to go for someone less powerful. Matteo highly doubted Caleb was with Kelsie Friescent solely because of love.

“Amelia Kentwood is the surprise that your grandfather had?” Kelsie all but shrieked, her words — much to Emmeline’s dismay — all too loud.

She wasn’t even able to keep up her pretense of the elegant, perfect heiress any longer. Even though Kelsie Friescent didn’t even have a single hair out of place, she looked as frazzled as a mangy street cat after a night spent in the pouring rain.

“Grandpa has his explanations, I am sure,” Emmeline said, seemingly trying to convince herself more than to convince Kelsie. “I… I need to look for him. He must be so desperate to find Aunt Elaine that he has started to recognize the wrong people. That’s right… That must be it…”

“Please excuse me,” Matteo said, roughly pulling his hand out of Emmeline’s grip. He didn’t even flinch when her long nails left red, raw lines down the back of his hand, her nails scraping his skin roughly.

He adjusted his suit jacket before turning on his heel and leaving, ignoring the way Emmeline called out for him behind. However, she had bigger fish to fry, and at this point, chasing down Matteo was going to be the last thing on her mind.

Thank God.

Matteo eventually found Horace Hawthorne surrounded by a few leading business figures, Amelia and Ronan by his side.

While Ronan was casually conversing with the older men, blending in perfectly, Amelia awkwardly stood there, looking left and right. She was still and frozen in place, rigid like a deer caught in the headlights, and when she noticed Matteo coming over, her silent stare seemed to be screaming out pleas for help.

“Matteo,” Will Walton, Caleb’s father, greeted. His smile was bright as he nodded, his words of congratulations hanging off his lips. “Congratulations on your engagement to Emmeline, son.”

Matteo had to suppress the sneer that was threatening to stretch his lips. If Caleb Walton was trash, then Will Walton would be the landfill in which it belonged. Caleb was only a mere fraction of his father’s sleaziness, and Matteo even wondered if Caleb would’ve turned out like this if he had a proper loving home.

However, externally, Matteo could say none of that, especially when his own father was standing right behind Will, glaring at Matteo the entire time.

“Thank you, Mr. Walton, but I am afraid there are indeed some misunderstandings that ought to be clarified,” Matteo said. He then turned to look at Horace Hawthorne, then at Amelia.

The second their eyes met once more, his gaze softened, and Amelia felt her heart skip a beat. They hadn’t seen each other in so long, and yet now that they were finally face-to-face again, he looked at her as though she was the one who hung the stars in his night sky.

If it was all an act, which Amelia was sure it was, Matteo Montgomery had certainly wasted all his talents― he should be awarded an Oscar for this performance.

“I am not engaged to Emmeline Hawthorne.”

Instantly, the small crowd of men rippled into gasps. Some had their eyes wide, while Charles Montgomery looked ready to explode with how red his face had gotten.

“What on earth are you blabbering about again―”

“Charles,” Horace cut in, smiling gently at Charles Montgomery. Even though his expression was kind, his words and tone offered no room for argument. “Let the poor boy speak.”

Charles had no choice but to back down. No matter how wealthy the Montgomery family was, this was Horace Hawthorne― even if they weren’t already a powerful family, this man was previously linked to some rather shady underground businesses. His old age didn’t mean he would be any kinder than when he was in his youth.

Taking this opportunity, Matteo completely ignored his father. His eyes were still on Amelia.

Emmeline, Kelsie, and Caleb had already appeared, finally squeezing past the crowd of well-wishers just to catch up with Matteo. Seeing her grandfather, Emmeline’s eyes sparkled with hope. She needed to ask him what was going on, and if it was a prank, it wasn’t a very good one.

However, her gaze soon fell on Amelia, and the salt in the wound was the way Matteo and the hussy had their gazes locked, honey practically dripping. Emmeline clenched her jaw before marching forward, but it was just in time to hear the next words that spilled from Matteo’s lips.

“As I’ve expressed before to the public, Amelia Kentwood is the woman I will marry. She is my fiancée, not Emmeline Hawthorne.”