Page 14 of Grumpy Bossy Billionaire Enemy

We went on and on, breathing through our mouths. When I felt Amelia's legs collapsing around me, I made us release together. Amelia’s head hit the pillow. She sighed heavily from the pleasure that had swept into her.

****

Mother's house was always full: there was always an ongoing construction, a new decoration my mother thought would make her house look more elite. The mansion had always been an eyeful. The air spoke of fine flowers and naturally-scented candles. Soft, ever-playing classical music echoed from the corners of the house. The grand piano sat a few steps from the dining room. The rich brown wood of the furniture spoke of nothing but elegance. The crystal, dangling chandelier made the light circle around the furniture.

When Mother was closer to sixty, she had developed a habit of antique and art collections. She started with a prize Van Gogh painting from an international auction she had attended with an old friend. Since then, she couldn’t stop turning her living room into a mixture of ancient and modern elegance. Mother’s mansion had made it to the front page of Vogue magazine twice, and a few more magazines lobbied to have her accept their invitation.

She'd retired from being a medical doctor a long time ago, so she only wanted to focus on the growth of the hospital now run by my brother. My business path made me more accessible to her than Troy is. She often called me to be her companion. In addition, she made a lot of the company's decisions and often told me beforehand. Today, she was making a decision that would affect my future. Ultimately, it would affect my relationship with Amelia.

“Your marriage with Amelia is canceled.” Mother’s words hit me like a cold wind.

“What!” I hoped that I heard her wrong the first time, but she repeated herself and told me that the two families were drifting apart. Amelia’s father’s quest to take a good number of shares in Amelia’s name scared Mother too much. Her business instinct told her that Amelia's family planned to take over the hospital once the marriage happened. She was serious. I had to break things with Amelia because the business relationship between the two families was breaking off. This would have been great news to me a few weeks ago. I’d have been joyful to marry the lady my parents had matched with me. Now nothing saddened me more than knowing I wouldn’t see Amelia anymore. Mother seemed to notice my dampened face.

“Is there a problem?”

“I can’t do that,” I replied. “I can’t dissolve the engagement.”

I never thought I’d ever say that out loud. I couldn't afford to lose Amelia. I couldn't afford to make her dissolve the growing love I had developed for the young woman. Two families determining my relationship was the last thing I had ever wanted. Mother frowned. She didn't quite understand why her indifferent son had suddenly decided not to cut the arranged engagement off.

“Are you falling in love with Amelia?”

I bit my lower lip. Who wouldn't I fall in love with such an amazing soul as Amelia? She was the perfect woman. I felt crazy and unapologetic about falling in love with Amelia. I stuttered as I tried to speak. She'd lectured us endlessly on taking marriage as transactional and never about love. However, I was building my first marriage and, hopefully, my last, on the love of a woman I had been matched with.

The look on Mother's face was not anger but disappointment. “I'm sorry, Mom. I can't end the engagement.”

“The decision is not yours to make.” Mother’s voice grew cold. “You didn’t decide in the first place, so now you have no say about any of this.”

“You are serious about this!” My jaw dropped as Mother confirmed her decision. “There is nothing that can change your mind about who I spend the rest of my life with?”

“Whoever you marry has to greatly benefit the family,” Mother emphasized. “Amelia's family is of no use to this family anymore.”

“You don’t understand!” I protested.

“Oh, I think I understand,” Mother started. “I understand that she has been warming your bed for the past few days. You may have lost your common sense while falling in love with her.”

The shock on my face made Mother feel more powerful. “I'm your mother,” she insisted smugly. “I know everything about you…to the last detail.”

I know that Mother keeps her tabs on us to ensure we stay on the right track in business and our personal lives, but I never knew she'd find out that I'd been sleeping with Amelia.

“Grow up, Henry, and embrace reality.”

Mother always thought that love was a concept far from reality. I’d shared that school of thought with her until a few weeks ago.

"I can't," I retorted. she looked surprised at my stupidity. “You're going to have to find another way.”

I left her house, holding the steering of my car with a tight grip. My mind trailed back to Amelia. Her presence always made the atmosphere better; it always made me better. I couldn't accept the reality of losing Amelia because of some stupid family duel. I dreaded losing Amelia more than I dreaded losing my life.

Chapter seven

The Call Back

Amelia

I still couldn’t believe what my parents had said about my engagement with Henry. “It’s been called off? By whom?” I questioned.

I should have a say in the decision if my engagement was called off. My parents were serious about their decision.

“By Mrs. Robinson,” Mother spilled. “She wants to back down from our deal.”

---