Amara''s heart was pounding so fast, she stared down at her toes, unable to look up at him. She couldn''t tell whether she was feeling shy or afraid—maybe a little of


    both.


    Soon, Finnian left, and Amara let out a long breath. Whenever she was around Finnian, she always felt this strange tension, and only after he was gone could she finally feel at ease.


    She nced up—the sky was already beginning to darken. Turning to Keith, she said, "Let''s not stand around here anymore. Do you still have things to take care of? You go ahead. I''m going to walk for a bit."


    With everything that had just happened, Amara had lost her appetite. She said goodbye to Keith and walked off.


    She strolled slowly along the street, reying the conversation she''d just had with Finnian in her mind. Everything felt so surreal. So it had been Hogan who figured all this out.


    Well, of course-Hogan might not be the most upstanding member of the Everly family, but he was sharp. It also turned out that Liliana was never actually pregnant. What was she trying to do-fake a pregnancy and, when the time came, find some baby to pass off as her own? She would''ve fooled the entire Everly family. Liliana certainly had nerve.


    Amara also remembered that, back when she was still married to Finnian, Hogan and Liliana used to be very close-Hogan had even gone out of his way to be attentive to Liliana. But then, for some reason, they had a falling out, seemingly out of nowhere. Thinking about it now, it was probably around then that Hogan discovered Liliana was never really pregnant.


    Meanwhile, at the Star Hotel, Liliana was in a panic after learning Finnian had left.


    What on earth was going on? Was what Hogan said true? Was the baby Amara was carrying really Finnian''s? When could they have possibly slept together? And where had Finnian gone? Had he gone to see Amara? Would the two of them end up getting married now?


    All sorts of thoughts raced through Liliana''s mind. She clutched the bright red sleeve of her dress so tightly that her knuckles turned white, nearly tearing the fabric.


    "Where''s Finn? Why isn''t he here?"


    After apologizing to the guests, Emma stormed out of the banquet hall. Seeing Liliana standing there on her own, with Finnian nowhere to be seen, Emma''s anger boiled over.


    A waiter nearby exined quietly, "Mr. Everly ran outside just now. We''re not sure where he went, and no one dared to stop him...”


    Emma shook with rage, pointing at Liliana. "He tried to leave, and you just let him go? Why are you so useless? Couldn''t you have done something to stop him?"


    Liliana, already frantic, felt another wave of anger surge up at being med. For a moment, her


    expression twisted fiercely. Wh


    was Enima tosh out at


    he


    Finnian was a grown man-ithe wanted to leave, how could she possibly stop him?


    She nearly snapped at Emma, but a thin thread of reason held her back. She bit her lip hard, forcing herself to calm down before saying, "Finn left on his own couldn''t stop


    im nobody could."


    Emma''s face still burned with anger. She was just about to bark out orders when


    Hogan appeared, still dressed in his suit, hands in his pockets, his tone cold.


    "Emma, the child Amara''s carrying


    really is Finnian''s. And there''s


    something else you need to


    know Liliana was never pregnant She and Finnian never had any rtionship. She lied to all of us."