Marry My Billionaire Second Husband - Chapter 80

Chapter 80: The Brooch II
“I was?” Emmeline squeaked, her face the very picture of confused innocence, but Matteo could detect the faint hint of panic in her eyes.

To her credit, Emmeline let out a delicate sniff and crossed her arms. She recovered fairly quickly, her momentary surprise quickly melting into sadness.

“Funny you should say that, Matteo. I didn’t think you were paying much attention to my clothes, since you were spending so much effort trying to get me out of them!” She pretended to wipe a tear from her eye, but her eyes were still glassy as she looked between Matteo and her grandfather.

“Besides, if you find me so abhorrent, to begin with, I highly doubt the objectivity in your words.” She let out a sniff. “You could be framing me, just so you can protect Amelia!” Then, Emmeline looked at Horace with puppy eyes as though she was waiting for him to say something that proved he bit the bait.

Unfortunately for her, she didn’t realize Matteo had made his own investigations.

Finally, he had received the last piece of the puzzle. After Amelia moved out, he scoured his home for the hidden camera, trying to use the camera angles shown in the photos to pinpoint its position. He thought perhaps the photos could’ve been transferred wirelessly as Ronan hadn’t seen her remove anything from the room other than her clothes.

Unfortunately, he found nothing, which led him to believe the camera had to be disguised among her personal belongings and was removed quickly from the scene.

Yet, Emmeline had raised a good point. In the end, it was his words against hers, and Matteo had shown that he couldn’t care less about Emmeline’s feelings, for people to believe that he would pay attention to a tiny brooch on her jacket.

“Surely Emmeline would not do such a thing!”

“A woman leaking her own photos… no way!”

“It’s just impossible.”

The onlookers murmured to themselves, casting Matteo dubious looks.

“But how did you know that that was a spy camera?” Ronan asked with a raised eyebrow. “It’s not exactly common knowledge.”

“Well, I’m not exactly a commoner, am I?” Emmeline tossed her long blonde hair with a huff. “Of course I’m privy to such information.”

Ronan smirked. “Really? Because from the shocked faces of everyone here, including Mr. Walton and Mr. Hawthorne, it definitely isn’t common knowledge among the upper class like ourselves. Or do you think yourself better than your own grandfather?”

“Of― of course not!” Emmeline denied it immediately, a flush crawling up her neck as she puffed up her cheeks. “Don’t put words in my mouth!”

Clearly, Ronan had learned some lessons from Dimitri, for he continued his line of questioning.

“I’m just curious since you were so adamant that Amelia’s brooch was a hidden camera. You see, I am also someone who knows what this was, but that’s because my older brother was personally in charge of their development.”

Amelia blinked, surprised. Matteo leaned down and whispered in her ear, “The Sullivans dabble heavily in jewelry. This must be Dimitri’s way of expanding his company.”

Exclamations of shock echoed through the listeners.

Ronan sighed to himself. “I guess I’m going to have to apologize to Dimitri for letting the cat out of the bag. But since it’s already out, I might as well continue.”

He then turned to address the others watching.

“Gentlemen, this line of covert jewelry is from my brother’s newest line, and pieces are made by commission only. The only reason why Emmeline Hawthorne would know about it was if she went looking for something like it.” Ronan cast Emmeline a glance. “After all, why would a young woman buy a spycam?”

“Emmeline!” Horace Hawthorne’s face purpled as he registered the intent in Ronan’s words. “Why did you buy something like this?”

“I did not! Grandpa, can’t you tell he’s framing me?! All of them are! They committed the crime, but they’re trying to wash their hands off it and blame it on me!” Emmeline wailed frantically, her gaze flitting between her angry grandfather, Ronan’s smug smirk, and Matteo’s deadly glare.

The crowd seemed to be turning against her, with the businessmen casting her skeptical looks.

Emmeline let out a choked sob. “Grandpa, Matteo…” Tears welled in her eyes and trailed down her cheeks, glistening like diamonds. “Fine, if you don’t believe me, then there’s nothing more I can say!”

She turned to Horace Hawthorne and said, her voice barely even above a murmur, defeat in her tone, “I knew it. I knew you would side with her and forget about me, even though I was the one who grew up in the Hawthorne household!”

And with that, Emmeline turned around and ran off, slamming into Amelia’s shoulder as she went, her sobs trailing after her.

Amelia stumbled back, but Matteo immediately wrapped his arm around her waist, steadying her. The warmth of his hand, along with the protectiveness of his gesture, sent butterflies coursing through her stomach.

“Emmeline, come back and apologize!” Horace growled, but Emmeline did not look back. She stormed away like a bull in a china shop, causing the random partygoers to duck out of her way.

“I’ll go after her. Apologies everyone.” Kelsie gave her demure bow to everyone, not before shooting Amelia a venomous look from under her lashes. She chased after her as quickly as she could on her high heels.

“Emmeline! Emmeline! Wait!”

Caleb watched her leave, but his feet remained rooted to the ground. Instead, his eyes were still drawn towards Amelia, and he took a small step forward as if he wanted to embrace her.

“Amelia…” Caleb began, but Matteo cleared his throat loudly, an expression of polite disdain on his face.

“Why are you still here?” Matteo asked. “Shouldn’t you go after Kelsie, since she’s the love of your life?” His voice was heavy with sarcasm, even as he tugged Amelia closer to his side.

“I…” Caleb’s gaze flitted to Amelia, who merely raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, Caleb, you should go after her. I do not wish to stand in the way of your torrid romance with Kelsie Friesent,” Amelia added blandly. “Shoo. Go on. What are you waiting for?”

Caleb swallowed, a muscle twitching in his jaw. If he could have turned back time, he would never have divorced Amelia to begin with! He had lost access to a gold mine! Now, Amelia had fallen right into the hands of Matteo Montgomery, and Caleb didn’t have the resources to snatch her from him… yet.

A dark look crossed his face, but then his father spoke.

“Son, don’t bother with her,” Will Walton declared with a hearty laugh. “Let the women have their girl talk. What say we spend some time together, have some good old father-and-son bonding? I got a few girls that might interest you.”

Disgust welled up in Amelia’s gut as Caleb’s father thumped him on his back and dragged him away by the shoulders. Caleb shot one last look in Amelia’s direction, and if Amelia didn’t know better, she would have thought he was pleading with her to save him.

Preposterous. Now that she knew better, she merely smiled and watched him leave against his will.

“If there’s nothing else, I would like to leave with Amelia now,” Matteo declared.

“Wait!” Horace Hawthorne exclaimed, holding out a hand. “Where are you going? The party has just started!”

The corner of Matteo’s lips lifted, and his gaze turned immeasurably gentle when his eyes met Amelia’s own. “Home, of course. Amelia needs to move back in.”