"You''re Amara—the woman strong enough to recover from disfigurement in no time. How could you let something like this knock you down?"


    Amara shook her head. "At this point, it''s not a small matter anymore. Your parents would never agree to us getting married. If we force it, they might actually cut you off..."


    She wasn''t exaggerating. Most people wouldn''t go that far, but this was Edith and Nathan-they were even more stubborn than Mr. Kevin Everly.


    Keith frowned. He knew Amara wouldn''t agree so easily, but he wasn''t about to give up. "Even if they do cut me off, it''ll just be temporary. I''ll win them over again eventually-it''s nothing I can''t handle.”


    Amara frowned, suddenly struck by a strange feeling.


    Keith really was a dear friend, and he''d always cared for her deeply. But to go so far as to risk being disowned by his parents for her-wasn''t that a bit too much?


    Besides, it wasn''t as if she had to marry him. Larry had only told her to get married; he hadn''t said it had to be Keith. She could marry someone else and it would have the same effect. Why was Keith so insistent?


    A fleeting suspicion crossed her mind, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it. She looked up and asked, "Be honest-did you argue with your parents today?"


    Keith was about to instinctively deny it, but Amara reached out and lightly touched his face.


    "This p-was it your father or your mother?"


    Keith opened his mouth, but swallowed his words.


    After a moment, he said quietly, "My mother."


    Hearing this, Amara sighed. "If your mother is angry enough to hit you, then there''s no way we can get married. Let''s just let this go."


    Keith''s expression clouded over. Seeing this, Amara added, "It''s alright. There are plenty of ways to get the inheritance—it doesn''t have to be through marriage."


    "For now, just focus on patching


    things up with your parents. They''re strict, but they''re still your


    parents they brought you into this world and raised you. Don''t make things too tense between you."


    She urged Keith to go. She''d wanted to walk him out herself, but Keith insisted she stay-saying it was too windy outside and he didn''t want her to trouble herself. He left the Everly estate on his own, slowly disappearing from sight.


    After leaving the Everly estate, Liliana didn''t go home. Instead, she went to Emma''s ce.


    Now that Amara''s scandal was out


    in the open, Emma was practically glowing with satisfaction. She''d called over a few massage therapists for a day of


    vel


    pampering-massages, facials, a full spa treatment. When she saw Liliana arrive, she cheerfully waved her overe, join me fora massage. This therapist is fantastic."


    Liliana managed a strained smile and walked over to Emma, lowering her voice. “Mrs. Emma Everly, there''s something I''d like to discuss with you privately."


    Emma got the hint. She stood and waved the therapists away; they withdrew quietly and left the room.


    Draped in a bathrobe, Emma lounged back on the sofa and askedzily, “What''s going on?"


    Liliana briefly summarized what had happened during her meeting with Finnian, then said, “I get the feeling Finnian has known about Amara''s pregnancy for quite some time."


    Emma''s eyes widened in disbelief as she listened to Liliana.