Under the Veil I Rule (Amara) novel Chapter 496

“Finn, I know you’re powerful, the most influential man in Wye. But even the most powerful people can’t control everything. Can you really guarantee Ms. Sullivan’s safety for the rest of her life? Can you promise that no accident will ever befall her?”

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “And remember how Ms. Sullivan wanted to travel a while back? What if she decides to go again? What if something happens to her while she’s on a trip? Can you have someone with her twenty-four-seven? Would she even agree to that?”

Amara hadn’t been planning a vacation; she had been planning to leave town to have her baby. She was having another man’s child. There was no place for him in her heart anymore. He couldn’t be by her side every moment of every day. How could he possibly guarantee her safety?

And Emma was a stubborn, petty woman. Years of battling with Andrew and his mistresses had twisted her into something paranoid and obsessive. When she said she would kill Amara, Finnian believed her.

Truthfully, he was confident he could protect Amara. The odds were overwhelmingly in his favor. But they weren’t one hundred percent. And when it came to Amara, he couldn’t afford to gamble, not even with a one-in-a-million chance of her getting hurt. Did that mean he had to let her go?

He stumbled to his feet, walked barefoot to the fridge, and pulled out another bottle of liquor. He bit off the cap with his teeth and tilted his head back, gulping it down. Then he slammed the bottle down on the balcony railing, his eyes burning red. “Go,” he said, his voice raw. “I need to think.”

Liliana’s heart clenched with jealousy, seeing him so utterly broken over Amara. She wanted to tear the hem of her dress to shreds. But hearing his words, she stood up gracefully, a serene smile on her face.

“Alright, I’ll go. Mr. Hawke will be back soon. Please, Finn, think carefully, and try to get some rest tonight.”

***

*Knock. Knock. Knock.*

The sound echoed in the silent house. “Amara, open the door!” Finnian’s voice called from the hallway.

She knew he would come. The moment their eyes had met through the window, she’d had a bad feeling. She had hoped that by turning off the light, he would see her room was dark and leave her be. But he hadn't.

Amara bit her lip. It was better to just get this over with. She got out of bed and opened the door.