CHAPTER SEVEN - SECOND HEARTBREAK

Amelia's POV

By the time I arrived at the office, my desk was clear and devoid of any work I thought I had left behind yesterday. But that was the least of my worries.

A bouquet sat on my desk, white lilies and pink peonies. Next to it was a small white carton box tied with a pale ribbon. My name was scribbled on a tag in messy handwriting.

Any rational human being would have confirmed who sent the items, but then I caught a glimpse of the pale pink, slightly smudged frosting. I lifted the lid and inhaled. Cranberry. My cravings got the better of me, especially since I hadn't eaten anything since that morning.

I devoured the cake, relishing the sweet taste on my tongue. All that remained was stained icing, but then I thought about the sender. There was only one person in this building who knew the type of cake I loved.

Jeremy.

Stupid pregnancy hormones.

"What would he think of me?" I instantly regretted not sending the bouquet and the cake back to their owner as soon as I set my eyes on them.

A knock snapped me out of my food trance. Jeremy stood by the door, accompanied by a young man dressed in a similar tuxedo.

"May I come in?" he asked, already halfway inside.

"Miss Amelia?" Jeremy cleared his throat, a nervous smile set on his stupidly handsome face.

"Yeah, you may."

He stepped in fully, along with his companion. "This is Drew. He's going to represent me in my absence for the next six months."

Jeremy's next words made my heart race. What the hell? Why would he need a six-month representative? He wasn't incapacitated, nor was he allergic to his tasks as the CEO.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked.

"I'm returning to New York, Miss Amelia. I have..."

"What? A family to return to? Why is leaving Japan so important to you, Jeremy? Are you seriously leaving without a chance to be part of your child's life?"

My chest heaved with unspoken emotions. I suddenly realised I didn't want him to leave. All of my actions had been a way of playing hard to get, hoping he would beg me to stay.

Jeremy's eyes darkened, an expression that led me to believe he was hiding something.

"I'm sorry, Amelia. I want nothing more than to be in our baby's life, and it hurts."

"Then why can't you stay?" I demanded.

"I... I just can't."

Three words spoken softly, yet they felt like knives twisting my heart. And the pain... it was overwhelming. What cruel fate was this?

I stalked forward until I was just inches away from him. "Jeremy, look at me. I forgive you. You don’t have to go. Please... stay." Tears blurred my vision as I raised my hand to his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my palm. I took his hand and guided it to my belly.

"Do you feel that? It's our baby, Jeremy."

Jeremy snatched his hand away. "Stay safe, Amelia."

"Jeremy, if you leave, it's over."

"I'm sorry, Amelia." He walked to the door and left. The silence that followed was deafening. A single tear slipped down my cheek. I staggered forward, and strong arms gripped me, steadying me.

I sincerely hoped this was a terrible nightmare and that I would wake up to Mum, Claudia, and Nana smiling down at me. I reached for my arm, pinching it slightly and winced in pain.

It was real. I had just gotten my heart broken again. This time, Jeremy had a chance to fix things, and he simply walked away.

Rejection stings. The pain clawed at my heart, threatening to rip it out. My vision blurred with unshed tears. I sniffed, wiped my eyes with my arm, and stood straight. There was no use crying. The cake and flowers were his final parting gift.

"Are you okay, Miss?" someone asked.

"Y... Yeah. I just need to get out of here and clear my head. He broke my heart once, so it’s no big deal. This is the second time he’ll do it." I let out a bitter laugh as I grabbed my bag from my desk. "I quit." I shoved Drew aside with my elbow and left the office.

I didn’t call an Uber to take me home immediately. Home felt too suffocating. I walked instead. Clean, cool air whipped my hair back, slapping my face.

A car driving at full speed blared its horn. I didn’t move from my spot until the driver exited and walked toward me, fury evident in his steps.

"Do you want to die?" he asked.

I stared at him, unsure of how to respond, so I said nothing. Other than the loud car honks and the bustle of the street, a deafening silence roared in my ears.

"I could have run you over. You have to be more careful next time. You don’t look fine. Where are you going? I can drop you off."

"My ex-husband is a jerk," I said through blurry eyes. "He left me again. I hate him... Gosh, I hate Jeremy. And I want to make him pay." I smiled bitterly and wiped my tears.

"Did you just say... Jeremy? By any chance, do you mean Jeremy Calloway?" the man asked, one of his eyebrows shooting up.

I didn't ask how he knew Jeremy; I didn't care. I simply nodded. The man gave me a cold look and took my hands, guiding me to his car. Inside, the car was warmer than the outside world, and I inhaled the strong scent of cinnamon that filled the air.

"If Jeremy is your ex-husband, as you claim, I have an offer for you. My name is Drake Chander, and I am the CEO of Drake Media. Let's get married. I promise to treat you well and take care of you. But we have to get married."

I pressed my lips into a thin line, wringing my palms together. I had thought this man was sensible, but no. He wanted to marry a woman he had just met? Seriously?

"And I'm agreeing to your offer because...?" I trailed off, waiting for a solid reason for his marriage proposal.

"Because we both have a common goal. I want to destroy Jeremy Calloway and all his companies. I want Drake Media to be at the top. If you marry me, you will have whatever you need to make Jeremy pay for leaving you."

I blinked three times. Now this was utter nonsense. "Why do you want to destroy my ex-husband? Has he done anything to deserve such wrath from someone like you?"

"Relax, luv. You ask too many questions. Why don't we go somewhere where I can answer all of them? What is your name?"

"Amelia."

"If I tell you that Jeremy has a fiancée at the moment, what will your reaction be?" Drake gazed deeply into my eyes, and I had to look away.

I stared down at my palm, uncertain of how to respond. Sensing my hesitation, Drake continued, "He’s engaged to be married as soon as his fiancée provides his family with an heir."

"I'll do it." I nodded in approval. "I will marry you, Drake Chander. But only because I want my revenge. I want to ruin Jeremy, and you will help me, right?"

"Right." Drake grinned, a dark but fleeting smile. In that moment, I realised I had turned my back on the concept of forgiveness. If it existed, it belonged to a chapter of my life that was now closed.

This was a new chapter, with my new husband and my unborn baby.