Chapter 86

Amelia and Wyatt traded a glance brimming with quiet understanding, each lifting their glass for a toast before taking a sip.

Amelia felt her worries slip away, finding it easy to open up to Wyatt as their conversation drifted.

She told him about the pain the Flynn family had caused her, the Morrison family's two-faced ways, and all the silent frustrations that had weighed her down for years.

Sunlight spilled across a sea of golden flowers outside,painting the cabin in warmth and color, but Wyatt's attention never strayed from Amelia. With every soft confession, his heart ached for her.

Unable to hold back, he reached over, wrapping her gently in his arms, offering silent comfort.

Amelia froze for an instant, unsure, until his words soothed her nerves. "You're not alone anymore,Amelia. You've got me from now on."

Simple as it was, that promise settled into her heart,grounding her with the certainty of real support. Hours slipped by until, around three, Davin returned carrying a tablet.

"Mr. Stewart, the Morrison Group's press conference just began."

As he spoke, Davin passed the device to Wyatt, and Amelia scooted closer, watching the screen intently at his side.

At the Morrison Group.

Jaxton stood at the podium, blinded by camera flashes and pressured by the weight of so many expectant eyes.

Every instinct screamed for him to escape, but Wyatt's warning from earlier replayed in his mind,keeping him rooted in place. Eventually, he mustered the nerve to speak into the microphone. "This press conference has a single purpose-to announce the cancellation of my engagement to Amelia Flynn publicly."

A wave of surprise rippled through the crowd,reporters erupting into a flurry of murmurs and frantic note-taking.

Over the last two years, Jaxton's name had been splashed across headlines many times because of one scandal after another-each time, Amelia had been the one quietly cleaning up the mess behind the scenes.

With that history, reporters invited by the Morrison Group today had fully expected another round of PR spin,not a bombshell about a broken engagement.

Some journalists wasted no time firing off questions "Mr. Morrison, the public knows you and Miss Flynn have a long history together. And your engagement was arranged a long time ago. What caused this sudden split?"

"We noticed Miss Flynn isn't present. Does her absence signal trouble between you two?"

"Who decided to end things first-was it the Morrison family, or Miss Flynn herself?"

Every question landed with the force of an accusation,a dozen microphones thrust toward Jaxton's pale face.

Were it not for Wyatt's relentless pressure, Jaxton would have refused to break off the engagement.

Bitterness simmered in his chest as he remembered how Amelia had used her new alliance with Wyatt to force his hand. Still, he didn't dare blame her, not with the Morrison Group's stock tanking because of Wyatt. He clung to Laura's last-minute advice: since he couldn't change anything, he should at least spin the situation in his favor.

By shouldering all the blame, he might salvage some public sympathy.

The moment Jaxton owned up to the split, the tone in the room softened, exactly as Laura had predicted.

Eyes shining with carefully summoned tears,Jaxton exclaimed, "It's all on me. I want to offer a public apology to Amelia-I'm truly sorry."

Back in the cabin, Amelia glanced away from the screen, repulsed by the performance. Wyatt saw her reaction and put the tablet aside. Silence settled between them.

Just then, a shrill ringtone cut through the hush of the cabin.

Seeing the hospital's number flash across the screen,Amelia nearly dropped her phone. Panic drained the color from her cheeks after she answered the call.

Wyatt's concern was immediate. "Amelia, what's wrong?"

Words tumbled out as she caught her breath. "Please -take me to the hospital right now. My grandmother has fainted."

Without wasting a moment, she rushed for the door.Wyatt wasted no time, barking orders for Davin to bring the car around quickly.

As soon as they hit the road, Wyatt reached for Amelia's cold hand, his voice gentle. "Marc is on call tonight. He'll take care of your grandmother. She's in good hands, so try not to worry too much."

Guilt shadowed Amelia's features. "This is my fault. I should have told Grandma about this before the news went public."

News from the hospital had left her reeling: Michelle's fainting spell struck right after the televised press conference announcing the called-off engagement.

A knot of regret twisted inside Amelia. Failing to prepare Michelle for the shock now felt inexcusable,and if anything happened to her, Amelia didn't know how she could ever forgive herself.

"Davin, step on it!" Wyatt, sensing Amelia's growing anxiety, leaned forward and urged Davin to speed up.