Chapter 4: Adeline Scurr, If You Don't Love Uriah, I Do!

When Adeline Scurr saw Amara Lyson, frost seemed to settle across her face. Amara was her sworn rival. They were both counted among the Four Beauties of Riverhold, and their companies' businesses overlapped so heavily that they'd been locked in brutal competition. For a time, it had practically turned into a fight to the death. Their personalities clashed just as badly. Every meeting ended with sparks and barbs. Worse, Amara's villa sat right next to hers. They ran into each other constantly, and that only sharpened the resentment between them. "So this is the first love you've been pining for, Adeline?" Amara smiled lightly, her tone sweet as poison. "He's pretty handsome. You really do have good taste." As she spoke, Amara deliberately tossed Alvin Yale a sultry wink. That single glance lit a fire in Alvin's gut. Amara was just too seductive. Adeline was the classic ice-queen beauty, cold and distant. Amara, on the other hand, burned hot, the kind of woman who knew exactly how to hook a man's desires with a look. *Did she fall for me?* Alvin kept his expression steady, but his thoughts were already running wild. *If I could have both of them…* He swallowed hard, thrilled by the idea. Coming back to the country really had been the right choice. Adeline forced down her anger. "Amara, what are you doing here?" "Oh, didn't I already say?" Amara replied, still smiling. "I came to take Uriah to the hospital. Auntie isn't feeling well, and I've been worried sick. I already contacted the best doctor at First Hospital and arranged a VIP room. You don't need to trouble yourself over Auntie's health, Adeline. I'll handle everything." Swaying her slender waist, Amara walked up to Uriah Greaves. She gripped her nerves tight and put on a soft, coaxing voice. "Uriah, let's go see Auntie together, okay?" Uriah hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He got into the passenger seat without sparing Adeline even a glance. "Uriah Greaves! Get out of the car!" Adeline ground out, her teeth clenched, bitterness rising in her chest. He knew Amara was her sworn enemy. So why was he getting into her car? Before this, every time Amara tried to flirt with him, he'd treated her with open disdain. Uriah's voice stayed flat. "We already signed the divorce agreement. What right do you have to tell me to get out?" "I…" Adeline's expression stiffened. No words came. He was right. They were divorced in all but the final procedure. If he wanted to get into someone else's car, what reason did she have to stop him? "You two got divorced?" Amara blurted. The moment she heard Uriah and Adeline had signed the divorce agreement, her heart nearly leapt out of her throat. Happiness had hit her so suddenly it left her dizzy. The chance she'd been waiting for was finally here. If there hadn't been people around, tears would have spilled straight out of her eyes. She'd waited far too long for this day. She'd thought she would never get an opening. Adeline Scurr, that foolish woman, had finally made an irreversible mistake. "So what if we did?" Adeline snapped, unable to understand why Amara looked so ecstatic. *Does she like Uriah?* The thought felt ridiculous. Amara was one of the Four Beauties of Riverhold, a woman with status and pride. How could she be interested in Uriah, who had nothing to his name? "It's nothing," Amara said, her voice bright, her smile widening. "I'm just congratulating you, Adeline. Don't regret it later. If you don't love Uriah, I do." She tried to steady her breathing, but inside she was laughing with joy. Adeline was truly stupid. She had actually thrown away Uriah for a first love? She didn't know a thing about the man she'd married. Amara glanced at Alvin once, then slid into the driver's seat of the Lamborghini. With eyes full of tenderness, she looked to Uriah. "Uriah, let's go." She hit the gas. The Lamborghini howled and shot off. Adeline's chest felt tight. Ever since Uriah had signed the divorce agreement, he hadn't looked at her even once. That sense of distance, of being cut off, made a dull ache spread through her heart. *Was divorcing him… a mistake?* "No," she told herself sharply. "I love Alvin." She shoved the stray thoughts aside and drove Alvin toward the hospital. She couldn't relax until she confirmed Emily Looske was truly fine. "Adeline, I'll stay at your place tonight, yeah?" Alvin said suddenly. Adeline stared ahead, watching the open-top Lamborghini in front of them, Uriah and Amara seated together. She shook her head. "I booked you a hotel." "But I want to be with you." Alvin put on a deeply affectionate look. "I don't want to be away from you for even a moment." The line landed oily in her ears. Without meaning to, she thought of Uriah again, and irritation pricked at her. "We'll talk about it when there's a chance. This month is my Divorce Cooling-Off Period with Uriah. We should keep some distance. I don't want people talking." A wave of displeasure rolled through Alvin. He wanted to take Adeline as soon as possible. Once he had her, he could keep working on Amara too. He wanted both beauties. Still, he understood that rushing only ruined things. A duck already in hand couldn't be allowed to fly away. "Alright," he said softly. "I'll wait for you." Then he asked, curiosity rising, "What's Amara to Uriah?" Adeline shook her head. "I don't know either. After I moved to Lakeside Villa, Amara spent a fortune buying the villa next door for no reason I can figure out. She kept finding chances to 'run into' me and Uriah. I think she just wanted to target me." "I see." Alvin exhaled, relieved. "I thought Uriah and Amara had some kind of secret. Guess I was overthinking it." "And with Amara's standards, how could she ever fall for Uriah?" Adeline added, as if reassuring herself. Alvin settled completely. Thinking back to the wink Amara had thrown earlier, he grew even more convinced she had been interested in him. On the open-top Lamborghini, Amara looked visibly tense. Even so, she couldn't stop herself from asking, "Uriah… you really divorced Adeline?" "Yes," Uriah said. "We'll file at the Registry Office tomorrow. A month later, Adeline Scurr and I won't have anything to do with each other." "That's wonderful!" Uriah turned his head. "What did you say?" "A-ah, nothing." Amara hurriedly smoothed her expression and searched for safer words. "Uriah, then… where will you live after this?" "I haven't decided." "Then come live at my villa," she said quickly. "It's just me there." "That isn't appropriate." "Uriah…" Her voice dropped. "Did you forget? You saved my life." She swallowed, and the bravado in her eyes cracked into something raw. "Back then, if you hadn't saved me, I'd probably be selling myself. I wouldn't have any of what I have today…" The memory dragged her back to that night of pouring rain. She'd been locked in a cage by a human trafficking ring, about to be smuggled overseas, branded like property. Her life had been nothing but despair. Uriah had saved her. She would never forget the moment he pulled her out. Even more, he'd given her money afterward, enough to let her start a new life. Amara had fallen for him long ago. But once she learned he was married, she only dared to draw close in secret, never daring to reveal what she felt. Uriah acted as if he'd forgotten her entirely, keeping a hard distance no matter how she tried. "My villa is right next to Scurr Villa," Amara said, pushing forward. "It'll be easier for you to see Cici. If anyone bullies her, you'll know right away." She leaned in, voice turning coaxing. "Besides… don't you want to get back at Adeline?" "We can pretend we're together. We'll drive her crazy." The last words came out almost like a plea. "Let me think," Uriah said. He didn't agree immediately, but living at Amara's villa really would make it easier to keep an eye on Cici. His five-year-old daughter, Cici, was the most important person in his life. Before long, they reached the hospital. Uriah and Amara got out one after the other. Moments later, Adeline and Alvin arrived as well. "Uriah, let's go in," Amara said gently. "Auntie will be fine." As she spoke, she gathered her courage and looped her arm through his. Her heart hammered so hard it felt like it might burst. Then she lifted her chin and looked at Adeline with open provocation. "Adeline, Uriah and I can handle things here," she said sweetly. "You're so busy. You should head back first."