With Keith gone, only Amara and Finnian remained in the private dining room. Amara sank into her chair, feeling exhausted, sad, and incredibly angry.


    She looked up at Finnian, her eyes welling with tears.


    "Finnian, do you just have to mess up my life? I''ve finally found some happiness, and you can''t stand it, can you? Do you have to destroy it? You keep saying you like me, but I think you actually hate me."


    Amara had lost some of herposure, mainly because she was so furious with Finnian.


    While Finnian hadn''t been wrong about Edith, who was he to dictate her life?


    Besides, Finnian was such a hypocrite. He was with Liliana but kept showing up in her life, iming he wanted her to be happy while actively sabotaging her marriage ns.


    She was seething with resentment, so she said those things deliberately to hurt him.


    And her words did wound Finnian deeply. How could she say he hated her? It hurt more than a p.


    He knelt down, taking her hands from herp and looking up at her. "How could I hate you? I just... I just want what''s best for you."


    "I just don''t think you''re suited for the West family. You won''t be happy with Keith unless he cuts ties with his parents, but can he do that?"


    "And even if he could, would you be at peace with yourself if you were with him?" Amara knew, of course, that Keith would never cut ties with his parents.


    While they were controlling, they had still raised him and hadn''t caused him any real harm.


    They were the kind of parents you''d want to keep your distance from, but not cut offpletely.


    Finnian enveloped her soft hands with both of his, rubbing them gently. His voice was full of sympathy. "I know you like Keith now and feel like you can ovee anything as long as you''re together, but you have to consider the reality of the situation."


    "Please, think about what I said. You and he are not a good match."


    Like Keith? Like hell she did!


    She just wanted a marriage certificate from him so she could get her shares in the Sullivan family. business. But she couldnt say any of that, so she just red at Finnian fiercely.


    For a long time, Amara had always been somewhat cautious around him. But now, she dared to re at him.


    For some reason, Finnian felt a strange sense offort. He looked up at Amara, a faint smile touching his eyes.


    Why was this man smiling at her? It made no sense to Amara, and it only made her angrier.


    *Knock, knock, knock.*


    Someone knocked on the door. Finnian stood up and said, "Come in." Dorian entered.


    Dorian nced at the empty table. Looked like things fell apart before the food even arrived.


    A smirk yed on his lips. "You two haven''t eaten, have you? Come over to my ce. Elysia is home too."


    Amara wasn''t in a good mood and wanted to


    talk to Elysia, so she.


    headed to Dorian''s home el


    agreed


    The three of them then


    ntent


    Once there, Elysia took Amara to her bedroom, and they closed the door to talk.


    Amara recounted everything that had just happened. Elysia''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Keith''s parents are that unreasonable? No wonder he never wants to go home. What are you going to do now?"


    Amara pondered for a moment.


    "Well, it''s a good thing my marriage to Keith is fake. When he gets married for real someday, his future wife is going to have a terrible time with his parents But I am worried that this willplicate things for us now."