FLASH MARRIAGE; CHARMED BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE CEO-Chapter 384: Unsympathetic 1

Harriet's heart shattered even more as she watched the two young couples intimately express their love for one another. It reminded her of the past when Desmond was just a young man full of life, love and ambition. She had been so crazy in love with him, and they would express themselves anywhere, just like Blaze and Amelia were doing.

If only she had known that he would turn out to be a cheating wimp and a heartless jerk of a criminal, she would have never agreed to marry him in the first place.

"Ahem!"

Blaze's deep voice snapped Harriet out of her excruciating thoughts.

Harriet looked up to find them both standing before her again. 'When did they get so close to her?' She pondered.

"You have two minutes," Blaze said icily. "Make them count."

"Thank you." Harriet set the tray aside and sank to her knees.

"Please stand, Aunt Harriet," Amelia said, tone even. "I don't want a scene."

"I promise, I'm not here for drama," Harriet replied, hands clasped.

"She told you to stand," Blaze barked, his voice brutal.

"S-sorry, sir," Harriet stammered, rising to her feet.

"My love, let me handle this alone." Amelia pleaded, knowing Harriet would never be herself with Blaze present.

"Are you sure?" Blaze turned his worried expression to his pretty wife. "I promise not to interfere. You wouldn't even know I'm here."

"I'm sure." Amelia smiled at him, stroking his arm. "Just give us two minutes and I'll be with you and the others in the sitting room."

"All right, babe." Blaze softly brushed his lips over hers. "Two minutes. If you're not beside me in two minutes, I'll come get you myself."

"Then make it three minutes to accommodate my lazy pregnant movement."

Blaze pouted animatedly causing Amelia to giggle before he said. "Deal." He kissed her briefly on the lips before turning to look at Harriet with a deadpan stare.

"If I see as much as a wrinkle on my wife's face in the form of a frown, I will hunt your soul even to the gates of hell."

Harriet's body stiffened as she bobbed her head nervously.

As Blaze left, he picked up the tray of muffins to dispose of them.

Harriet exhaled as she turned to meet Amelia's gaze, her teary eyes filled with warmth and love as she assessed Amelia from head to toe.

"Pregnancy suits you," Harriet said, voice small.

"I assume you didn't ask for three minutes to talk about my body," Amelia replied coolly.

Harriet nodded quickly. "I just… wanted to say…"

She reached out, but Amelia stepped back.

"Don't touch me. Say what you came to say and make it quick."

Harriet inhaled shakily. "I know I've done horrible things. I played accomplice to a monster. But I've left him."

"Oh?" Amelia arched a brow. "You finally divorced him?"

"No. But I've emotionally moved on."

"How convenient." Amelia scoffed. "You stayed with him through murder, betrayal, and theft. But the moment he cheats, you grow a conscience?"

Harriet crumbled. "He cheated on me with Pearl of all people."

Amelia let out a dry laugh. "So let me get this straight—you forgave him for playing a role in killing my mother. You forget him when he attempted to assassinate me with the rest of your gang. You forgave him when I was replaced with my stepsister, and my inheritance was stolen. But infidelity? That's your breaking point? Wow." My Virtual Library Empire (M|V|L0EMPYR) hosts the original.

"I'm sorry…" Harriet sobbed, falling apart.

"No, you are not. You're just...pitiful," Amelia snapped.

"You're not here for forgiveness. You're here for a way out. You haven't even paid one bit for the crime you and your husband committed together. You are just seeking a soft landing."

Harriet shook her head, her whole body trembling as she sobbed bitterly.

"I can tell you this for free, I do not have any problem with my cousins. I will continue to love them for who they are and not what their parents did to me. But as for you, if you truly want my forgiveness, you should know it won't come cheaply. Every crime attracts a penalty and every broken trust attracts consequences. It isn't fair that Desmond should suffer alone when you two plotted and succeeded in destroying lives."

Amelia moved closer to Harriet, no longer afraid of her. She lifted her chin up and looked directly into her reddened moist eyes.

"If you want my forgiveness, it comes with penance. You have to pay for the wrong choices you made and for the lives you destroyed. Didn't the good book say that marriage is for better or for worse?"

Harriet nodded, sniffing.

"Good. At least you are being honest, Aunt Harriet. That is a sign of redemption. As for your penance, you will remain married to your husband."

"What!" Harriet gasped.

"Yes!" Amelia pulled backwards, her gaze steely and her mind made up. "You will love him. You will endure his downfall. You will face the shame, the trial and the prison gates with him."

From behind the hallway, Blaze—listening—smiled proudly at the fierce woman Amelia had become.

"Amelia please..." Harriet fell on her knee, both her hands raised in the air. "Do not ask this of me. Do not sentence me to that man."

"That man as you so rightly put it, is family." Amelia spat out, infuriated by Harriet's selfishness. "He may be a monster but he is my uncle and the father to my cousins. If Grandma could forgive him before her death, who are you not to forgive him? You stood by him in his days of glory and luxury. Now it is time to stand beside him in his trial period.'

"Amelia I'm begging you.."

"There is no need to beg me, Aunt Harriet. I do not encourage broken homes especially those built out of love. Your husband needs you and your children need a father. Together, you will teach your children the importance of integrity and honesty, not stolen riches.

Amelia turned away. "Those are my terms. Accept them or lose me forever."

"Please—!" Harriet reached out, but Amelia stepped beyond her grasp.

"Good night aunt Harriet." Amelia walked away without looking back