Finnian was calm and collected, his words clear and logical, and every sentence


    was a defense of Amara. In Edith''s eyes, this was just more proof that Amara was still entangled with her ex-husband. She was about to explode.


    She whipped her head toward Keith and raged, "Did you hear that? Did you see that? Are you really going to marry a woman who''s still mixed up with her ex- husband? Doesn''t that bother you?"


    Keith was seething. His mother could dislike Amara for any number of reasons, but why did she have to keep misinterpreting everything?


    Amara and Finnian had just exined the situation so clearly, yet his mother insisted on thinking the worst of Amara. How could she be like this?


    If his mother wasn''t going to be reasonable, then there was no point in him trying to be. After all, she wouldn''t listen even if he spelled everything out for her. He stated


    tly:


    "It doesn''t bother me. I love Amara. I love her no matter what, and I''m going to marry her. You can''t stop me."


    To Edith, these words were utterly defiant. She stared at Keith in disbelief, then at Amara.


    What kind of spell had Amara cast on Keith to make him forsake his own family? If she had known this would happen, she never would havee!


    At that moment, Nathan, who had been silent the whole time, stood up. He walked over to Keith without a word and raised his hand.


    A sharp crack echoed as he pped Keith across the face.


    His cheek swelled instantly, and a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. It was a vicious blow.


    "Disgraceful son."


    Nathan stared coldly at Keith, uttered those two words, and left with Edith.


    Amara stared at Keith''s swollen face in disbelief.


    How had things turned out like this? She was heartbroken.


    She asked a waiter for a towel, ran it under some cold water, and brought the damp cloth back to press


    against Keith''s cheek. You


    should


    put this on it. It must hurt a lot."


    Keith shook his head, grabbing her wrist. "I''m not in pain. As long as you''re okay, that''s all that matters. My parents are just being unreasonable. Don''t take anything they said to heart."


    Amara closed her eyes. How could she not take it to heart?


    She remembered the way Nathan,


    and Edith had left. "You should go


    after your parents. Apologet


    them


    and try to calm them down. Don''t let them stay angry."


    Her marriage to Keith was fake. If this sham of a marriage caused a real rift between


    a father and son, a mother and son, Amara would be consumed by guilt.


    Keith frowned, ncing at Finnian, who was still in the room. He clearly didn''t feelfortable leaving Amara alone with him.


    But Amara urged him, "Go talk to your parents. They''re your real parents. Don''t let them be upset."


    Finnian didn''t understand the subtext, but Keith grasped it immediately.


    They were his *real* parents, while Amara was just his *fake* wife. He should stop worrying about the fake rtionship and focus on fixing the real one.


    Remembering the disappointed looks in his parents'' eyes, Keith sighed. "Alright, I''ll go. If you need anything, call me right away."


    "Okay, you should go."