Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 296

Violet was starting to lose her composure. “Amelia, I came here to apologize, sincerely. Do you have to be like this?”

“Is there a law that says if you apologize sincerely, I have to accept it? This is just how I talk. If you can’t handle it, then leave.”

Amelia wasn’t about to coddle her. She slammed her foot on the gas. Violet’s hand hadn’t fully withdrawn from the car window and she stumbled, thrown off balance by the sudden movement, then fell hard onto the pavement.

She raised her hand and saw her palm was scraped and bleeding.

…

It was the weekend, but Daniel was still at the office, poring over financial statements. When he saw Violet’s name pop up on his phone, he didn’t even hesitate—he declined the call.

She tried again. He ignored it, getting annoyed, and finally switched his phone to silent.

After finishing another report, Daniel noticed his screen light up again. He assumed it was Violet and didn’t bother to look, but then something made him glance over. This time, the number on the display was one he knew all too well.

He snatched up the phone, suddenly impatient, though when he answered his voice was cool and measured. “Yes? What’s going on?”

Amelia hadn’t wanted to make this call, but after Violet cornered her at the entrance to her building—and with Ruby there, too—she couldn’t let her guard down.

“Do me a favor and keep your *porcelain doll* on a leash. Tell her to stop bothering me. I have a temper, and I can’t guarantee things will end well.”

With both Violet and Amelia calling, Daniel quickly put two and two together. “She came looking for you? She didn’t give you any trouble, did she?”

Amelia didn’t answer. She just tossed out, “Handle your people,” and hung up.

Listening to the dial tone, Daniel gave a helpless little laugh. “Guess she really does have a temper.”

He swiped back to his home screen and saw a message from Violet—a photo of her scraped palm, followed by a long, rambling paragraph about how she’d tried to apologize sincerely to Amelia, and on and on. He didn’t bother reading it. Instead, he just forwarded the photo to Amelia.

*This your handiwork?*

Amelia snorted when she saw the picture. Of course Violet ran to complain.

A line of little kids in matching yellow hats snaked down the path, their bright clothes and beaming faces drawing smiles from everyone who passed. The whole zoo seemed to light up with their springtime energy.

Ruby pressed up against the wooden fence, eyes wide as she watched the raccoons scamper about. Suddenly, a voice called out, “Ruby?”

She turned her head and saw a woman who looked a little bit like her mom.

But something was different. Her mom always felt warm and gentle. This woman was smiling, but the smile didn’t feel real—it was the kind of smile that made it hard to like her.

“Who are you? How do you know my name?”

Violet crouched down to Ruby’s level. “I’m a friend of your mom’s, so I know you.”

Ruby tilted her head, skeptical. “But Mom never mentioned you.”

“Well, your mom can’t tell you about every single friend, right?” Violet said. “You know Daniel, don’t you? We’re all friends.”