<b>“</b><b>It’s </b>on the second floor!” Gloria called out.
Gloria led Ka to her room.
After more than twenty years, her room still looked exactly the same as before, not a speck of dust anywhere.
Ka’s eyes grew misty as she asked softly, “Mom, did you really believe I’de back?”
“I really did believe it, at least at first. I cleaned your room every day, waiting for you toe home. But as the years went <b>by</b>, my hope started to fade. But then Landon would always say you’de back.
“So your dad and I held on too. In the end, it just became a part of our lives–and now, finally, you’re home.”
Gloria let out a sigh. No one but her knew just how hard those twenty years had been.
“Mom, thank you…” Ka said softly.
Ka rummaged through her old stuff, hoping something would jog her memory.
But still, nothing came to her.
Thinking too hard just made her head ache.
“Ka, don’t push yourself. The past is the past. We should focus on the future now,” Gloria said gently. “You’re my daughter, no matter what.”
“Thank you, Mom,” Ka replied.
Over the years, Ka had tried more than once to remember her past, but every time, it ended in failure.
This time was no different–when nothing came back to her, she just let it go.
The chip in her brain couldn’t be taken out, so she’d never get her memories back.
The only silver lining was that Landon had only just gotten the chip when he was able to take Brian’s medicine and get his memories back.
“Ka, your brother has always been thinking about you. And your sister–inw is a wonderful person too…” Gloria said.
“I know, Mom. I’ll make sure to get along with them,” Ka replied.
“And… what about Landen?” Gloria asked hesitantly.
She didn’t <i>know </i>exactly what had happened, but she could more or less guess. Her precious grandson wouldn’t be able <b>to </be back for a while.
“Let’s leave it to fate,” Ka said calmly as she sat down on the bed. “Mom, I’m not like you. I don’t have that kind <b>of </b>ob
Gloria hesitated, wanting <i>to </i>say something but holding back.
‘Is there really any mother who doesn’t care about/her child?‘ Gloria thought to herself.
‘Ka must have suffered so much for things to get <i>so </i>distant between her and her son,’ she sighed inwardly.
with Landen.”
“No matter what, we’ll work through it together,<i>” </i>Gloria said as shey down on the bed, patting the spot beside <b>her</b><b>. </b>“<b>How </b><b>about </b>i <b>sleep </b><b>with </b><b>you </b>tonight, just like when you were little?”
“Okay!” Ka agreed happily.
<b>She </b>curled up <b>next </b><b>to </b>Gloria, her posture exactly the same as it had been before she turned seven, I guess some <b>things </b><b>never </b>really change, Ka thought to herself.
Meanwhile, in the next room, Landony on the bed, marveling aloud, “There’s nothing like being home. Even the air feels warm <b>and </b>cozy
“Yeah, I feel the same way,” Amelia replied.
Amelia dug out his pajamas and tossed them over to him. “Go change. I can’t stand the clothes you’re wearing”
She had nothing but disdain for anything Monica ever bought for him.
“These were from Tuff. I got rid of everything Monica ever bought me,” Landon said as he caught the pajamas and started changing.
After just a few days apart, he looked noticeably leaner, but his muscles were even more solid and defined.
Amelia watched him change without the slightest hint of embarrassment, her eyes fixed on him the whole time.
“Just gonna look? Not even a little touch?” Landon teased, unable to resist.
Amelia boldly let her hand wander over his body. “Well, I can do more than just look.”
“Here, touch right here,” Landon said, guiding her hand to his left chest. “Feel that? It’s beating for you.”
“I feel it,” Amelia replied.
Amelia pursed her lips, a mischievous smile ying on her face. “Landon, you’re so shameless now! Back when you were in aa, you were such a gentleman.”
Landon chuckled at the memory. “If I could do it all over again, I’d let you have your way with me as much as you war
“Naughty!” Amelia said, giving him a yful swat.
She quickly withdrew her hand, not daring to get too handsy anymore.
Under her silk nightgown, her pregnant belly was really showing now.
Landon pulled Amelia onto hisp, one arm around her waist and his other hand on her pregnant belly. “If I’m counting right, our little one is about five
months along now, yeah?”
“Yup,” Ka replied coolly.
“Is it still giving you a hard time?” Landon asked.
“When we were in Dreicean, my morning sickness was pretty bad, but it slowly got better. Now I can eat and sleep just fine,” Amelia replied.
“Thanks for going through all that,” Landon said softly.
“How did you end up getting caught?” Amelia asked.
Landon held her close and said, “Aiden started scheming against me from the very beginning. I was already under his control before I <b>even </b>made it to Ausposh.”
“What?” Amelia blurted out in shock.
She stared at him, wide–eyed. “Isn’t there security and a ton of people at the airport? How could something like that even <b>happen</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
“It was exactly because there were so many people that I had no choice but to y along,” Landon said<b>, </b><b>frowning</b>.
It was the biggest Waterloo <b><i>of </i></b>his life–just thinking about <b>it </b>still pissed him off.
That bastard Aiden had been in cahoots with Patrick from the start. They set a huge trap for him.
“And then?” Amelia pressed, not letting it go.
“After we got off the ne, they took us to one of the Kington Gang’s branches and locked us up. Aaron and I tried to break out, but halfway <b>through</b><b>, </b><b>he </b>got caught. I had no choice but to offer myself in exchange for him,” Landon exined.
“Aiden took me to the Kyle Vi, and I saw you every single day. He kept saying all sorts of nasty things, and even taunted me, betting that <b>you’d </b><b>domp </b>me for him,” Landon continued.
Amelia was fuming. “That psychol Honey, you better
not belie
a
single word out of his mouth…”
“Of course not! I could see the longing and sadness in your eyes. Even when you couldn’t see me, I was worrying about you day and night<b>,</b><b>” </b>Landon said firmly.
“Then Monica showed up and took me away from the Kyle family. But she wasn’t any better. She imnted a chip in my brain to make me forget my past.
“She even told me we’d grown up together and had promised ourselves to each other a longt
“Landon continued, his frown deepening
Landon’s frown just kept getting deeper as he spoke.
It was obvious he still couldn’t let go of the fact that he’d been under the thumb of a woman
he
Amelia suddenly remembered that day at Monica’s ce, when Monica had tried to force herself on
him
despised.
and he’d said he just wasn’t interested.
Her dark eyes shed with mischief as she nced at a certain part of him. “So, you really can’t get it up anymore?”
“Huh?” Landon froze for a second, then realized what she meant. His handsome face flushed bright <b>r </b>
t red.
Amelia felt a tiny pang of regret, but she quickly covered it with a grin. “Good thing I’m already pregnant, huh…”
‘What kind of ideas are running through your head?‘ Landon thought, both exasperated and amused.
“Come on, your husband is in his prime! There’s no way I can’t get it up,” Landon teased.
Amelia’s face was already as red as the evening sky, or like a boiled shrimp.
Everyone says a little time apart makes things even sweeter for
couples, and she definitely felt that way.
But he’d just gotten back from a warzone, covered in scrapes and bruises, and she was pregnant.
It really wasn’t the best time to get frisky.
“Honey, do you miss me?” Landon whispered in her ear, his breath making her tense up. “Honey, why won’t you answer me?”
Amelia nodded shyly. “Yes…”
“The day you left Monica’s ce, it was like I was possessed–<b>I </b>couldn’t stop thinking about you, I missed you like crazy,” Lon <b>said </b><b>softly</b>.
“After everything with Monica<b>, </b>I realized what I felt for her wasn’t love at all–it was just gratitude.”
“All I wanted was to rush back and be with you..
Landon whispered his longing in a low, gentle voice.
Even though he wanted to tease her, what he really wanted was <b>to </bfort her heart.
She’d been on edge, worrying about him day and night. He knew he had to let her recover before they could <b>get </b><b>frisky </b><b>again</b>.
<b>3/4 </b>
11:18 <b>Sun</b><b>, </b>27 Jul ?U
<b>Amelia </b>rested her hand on her pregnant belly, and after a long moment of hesitation, she whispered, “The doctor said it’s okay now..
A