When the Dead Still Call novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Do As You Please

A sudden thought struck Gianna, and she quickly turned to Raymond. “Dad, don’t forget—Amelia still holds the shares. Grandpa gave them to her. Maybe she sold them? Could that be how she got the money?” she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

It was a possibility they hadn’t considered before.

Raymond’s face darkened with anger. “She wouldn’t dare!” he exclaimed sharply, his tone full of disbelief and fury.

Maxwell chimed in, “We should make her come back, retrieve those shares, and then sever all ties with her.”

Raymond nodded grimly. “Find out where she’s living now. We must track her down immediately.”

“I’ll send someone to investigate right away,” Maxwell assured him.

Emery, trying to steer the conversation away, said gently, “Stop obsessing over that rebellious girl. Gianna, focus on preparing for the charity gala this Saturday.”

Gianna nodded obediently. “Got it, Mom.”

She had actually gone out today with the gala in mind, but running into Amelia had completely thrown her off course. Now, as the sole daughter of the Nygard family, she felt the pressure to look flawless, to command attention and admiration.

Back in her room, Gianna recounted everything she had witnessed and overheard to Vincent, her voice casual but her mind racing with thoughts.

Meanwhile, chaos reigned at the Dester household. Vincent’s sudden departure during the engagement party had thrown the entire event into disarray. Amelia now wanted to call off the engagement, and it seemed she had cut all ties with the Nygards. What could they possibly do now?

When Vincent read Gianna’s message, his expression turned stormy.

“What is Amelia up to now?” he muttered under his breath.

Bentley Dester, Vincent’s father, scoffed. “Now you care? Where was this sense of responsibility when you stormed out of the engagement party? You made our family look like fools!”

Diana Dester, his mother, sighed deeply. “Vincent, what were you thinking? Amelia may be stubborn, but she is still the true daughter of the Nygards. How could you just leave the party like that?”

Vincent’s gaze hardened as he looked up, eyes cold and resolute. “She’s not the real heiress. The Nygards only recognize Gianna as their true daughter now.”

Bentley slammed his hand on the table, frustration evident in his voice. “You fool! Do you think our family cares about that? Amelia owns thirty percent of the Nygard Group’s shares. That’s what counts! If she marries into our family, those shares become ours.”

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Vincent snapped back to reality, the weight of the situation sinking in. That was precisely why he had wanted to marry Amelia in the first place.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll find Amelia and apologize. She’s always liked me. If I speak to her kindly, she’ll forgive me,” Vincent said with a confident tone.

Bentley’s face softened slightly. “It better work out.”

Initially, Vincent had planned to ignore Amelia, hoping she would reconsider her stubbornness. But he hadn’t expected her to be so resolute—cutting ties with the Nygards and disappearing.

He quickly grabbed his phone and sent her a string of apology messages, his tone gentle and remorseful, as if he hadn’t been the one to flee the engagement.

“Amelia, I was confused that day. I just realized how much I love you. Please give me a chance. Can we talk in person? I know you still care about me. Let’s start over, okay?”

But all his messages were met with silence. Amelia didn’t respond once.

With each passing minute, Vincent’s frustration grew. Finally, he tried calling her, only to discover he had been blocked. “Damn it!” he cursed, tossing his phone onto the sofa, his eyes blazing with anger. “Amelia, do you really think you can get rid of me that easily?”

***

Saturday night arrived, and the grand Starluxe Hotel in Brookhaven sparkled with a thousand lights. The most luxurious venue in the city was packed with the rich and powerful—almost every elite from high society was present.

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