His words drew a coldugh from Amara. "What do you mean, ''given up''? I was never the one fighting for Finnian." *Except for those three years,* she added silently to herself. "It was always your son chasing after me. If anyone should be fighting, it''s him fighting for me, not the other way around."


    "Well said! Very well said!" To her surprise, Andrew pped his hands in delight instead of anger. "That''s what I like, a woman with spirit. And a beautiful one at that." His eyes gleamed.


    Amara was thoroughly annoyed and wanted nothing more than to get away from him. She turned to leave, but Andrew followed her toward the exit. "It''s a real shame, you know. You''re a hundred times better than that Liliana woman." He shook his head as if genuinely mourning a great loss.<fn4ed8> Chapters first released on find[?]ovel</fn4ed8>


    She had no idea what he found so regretful. She scoffed again and made to leave.


    Just then, the main door opened, and Emma Everly walked in, a small handbag tucked under her arm. She froze when she saw Amara and Andrew walking side by side, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What are the two of you doing together?"


    Her voice was so shrill it could have shattered ss. She pointed a finger at Amara. "Wasn''t seducing Finn and Hogan enough for you? Now you''re trying to get your ws into my husband? How can you be so shameless?"


    Amara had been on the receiving end of Emma''s tirades so many times that this time, she felt more absurdity than anger. "You''re calling *me* shameless? I think you''re the one who should look in the mirror."


    "What did you just say?" Emma was aghast. How dare she? Emma was an elder, the mother of her ex-husband, and Amara had the audacity to speak to her that way?


    Seething, Emma lunged forward to p her, but Andrew grabbed her arm. "What are you doing? Stop it!"


    As the two of them began to


    struggle, Amara''s voice cut through the chaos. "You see your husband standing next to any woman and you immediately call her homewrecker. Just how insecure are you?" she demanded. "And screaming insults at strangers... if that''s not shameless, what is? It''s not just that you have no shame; you''repletely oblivious to it."


    Her words nearly made Emma choke with rage. She opened her mouth to retaliate, but her lips trembled so violently that no sound came out.


    Seeing the madwoman had been silenced, Amara shot her a look of contempt, pulled open the door, and walked out.


    "That vile little bitch!" Emma was still


    shaking with fury long after Amara was gone. "I''ll never forgive my


    was that womanon


    parents


    Finn when he was at his lowest! Having her marry into the Everly


    family was a curse upon us all!"


    Andrew sneered. "You have the nerve to insult her? She''s a hundred times the woman you are. *You* marrying into this family was the real curse."


    "What did you say?" He was defending that tramp? Emma''s rage intensified until


    she felt she could tear Amara apart with her bare hands.


    "You heard me," Andrew said, clearly fed up. He sidestepped her and started to walk away.


    "Wait!" Emma finally remembered


    why she hade. She hurried to his side, struggling to contain her


    anger came to find you. There''s something important I need to discuss."


    Andrew stopped and looked at her coolly, his expression clearly saying, *I doubt


    you have anything important to say*.