Chapter 97

Laura arrived with the intention of offering an apology to Amelia, but pride tied her tongue.

When the room grew quiet, Santos broke the silence and stepped forward. "Amelia, I am sorry. It's my fault for not raising my son well."

Amelia knew she could not simply forget what Jaxton had done, yet she knew she had also hurt him. Maybe,in their own way,they were even. 2

So,the moment Santos finished speaking, she met his gaze and answered him without hesitation, "Santos,this isn't on you. Jaxton made his own decisions. You shouldn't have to take the fall for his mistakes."

His cheeks grew hot at her words, but with the staff depending on him, he gathered his resolve and glanced over at the man settled on the sofa. "Mr.Stewart, I hope you'll show some mercy to the Morrison Group."

Unaware of Wyatt's quiet maneuvering against the Morrisons, Amelia instinctively looked over at Wyatt for answers. Picking up on her curiosity, Wyatt leaned closer and told her about his actions against the Morrison Group.

Suddenly,it dawned on Amelia why Santos and Laura had turned up at her door. The realization made her gaze turn mocking. Just then, a gentle heat blossomed in her palm.

"I won't allow anyone to harm you. Those who do will pay dearly." Wyatt clasped her hand, making it plain where his loyalties lay.

For the first time in ages, Amelia let herself bask in affection. Wyatt's promise settled around her heart like a soft blanket.

Even though marriage bound them together, their union was still a secret from the world. Without thinking, she tried to slip her hand free, but his grip only tightened.

Across the room, Laura and Santos watched them with conflicted feelings. The air between them grew thick with questions neither dared to ask aloud.

After weighing his words, Santos finally spoke up. "Mr.Stewart, the Flynn family might not have your influence, but they are still a respected family.Amelia is Mr. Flynn's daughter, and I'd ask you not to embarrass her like this in front of everyone." Both Santos and Ricky suspected that Wyatt's interest in Amelia was only due to her beauty, thinking he was not serious about being with her.

Something in his defense softened Amelia's stance towards Santos.When Wyatt noticed that, the frost in his eyes began to thaw, but he still said to Santos coldly, "Whatever happens between Amelia and me is none of your business. The Morrison Group situation stands as it is. Jaxton has made his choices, and as his family, it's up to you to clean up the mess he left behind."

"Mr. Stewart, I haven't come here to beg for myself or Jaxton," Santos said.

Wyatt was about to ask them to leave by raising his hand,but Santos' words stopped him short,making him withdraw his hand. The bodyguards standing at the entrance quietly stepped aside.

Wyatt's expression didn't go unnoticed, and Santos hurried to make his case. "There are thousands of people working for the Morrison Group, most with families to feed. If the company falIs apart, their lives will unravel in an instant."

Years spent navigating corporate battles had made Wyatt a master at reading people, and he recognized the sincerity in Santos' tone. Having studied business management at university,Amelia grasped the full weight of what Santos had said. She knew how quickly a company's downfall could ripple out to hurt countless employees.

A gentle touch from Amelia landed on Wyatt's hand,prompting him to meet her eyes. In a soft, measured tone, she said, "Let's end the matter here. Jaxton's mistakes shouldn't affect innocent people."

Worry crept in after she spoke. He had done everything for her sake, yet here she was, seeming to take the opposing side.

Her anxiousness didn't linger long before his reply broke the tension. "Since Amelia is saying that,I'll let this go. But Mr. Morrison, I want you to accept one term."

Relief flickered across Santos' face for just a moment before he asked, "What is it?"

"Jaxton needs to step down as the CEO. With someone like him running things, the Morrison Group will end up in ruins eventually," Wyatt replied.

Laura looked ready to protest, but Santos' sharp look kept her silent.

Santos didn't share Laura's frustration. Instead, he kept his composure because he understood Wyatt's point. Jaxton had neither the temperament nor the talent to lead a company.

His mind made up, Santos nodded his agreement.

In a sudden gesture, Santos took out a card and set it gently on the table before Amelia. "This is ten million dollars, Amelia. Please accept it as my way of saying sorry."

Ten million was a generous offer, especially given how much strain the Morrison Group's finances were under.

Laura wanted to say something to protest, but she stayed quiet when she saw Amelia hand the card back.

"Santos, your kindness means a lot to me, but I'd rather you kept the money. I want nothing further to do with Jaxton," she said.

Accepting the money would only complicate things,and she had no intention of letting that happen.

Santos understood exactly what Amelia meant, so he let the matter drop and instead offered a quiet reassurance. "He won't trouble you again. That's my promise."