Chapter 56
Amelia’s POV
65
555 vouchers
The morning sun spilled across Brixton Park, brushing everything in a soft gold. The second day of the outreach was already in full motion. Tents were lined up in neat rows, doctors moving briskly from one stand to another, and the buzz of chatter from locals queuing for checkups filled the air.
I stood under one of the canopies, adjusting the collar of my white volunteer shirt as I checked the blood pressure monitor on the table. My hair was tied back, but a few loose strands kept falling onto my face. I brushed them away with the back of my gloved hand, sighing. It was already shaping up to be another long, hot day.
“Dr. Garcia,” came Edmund’s voice behind me, smooth and rich as always.
I turned, and there he was, Edmund Montgomery in a white shirt rolled up to his elbows, dark slacks that somehow made him look like he’d stepped out of a magazine shoot instead of a medical outreach. His sunglasses hung from his collar, and there was a tiny bead of sweat glinting at his temple. He looked so… human like this. Not the billionaire CEO everyone worshipped, not the man whose name could buy an entire hospital, but a man helping organize a free clinic in a public park.
“You’ve been on your feet for hours,” he said. “Take a break before you faint on me.”
I chuckled. “You sound so dramatic. I’m fine, Edmund.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re pale.”
“I’m always pale.”
“Then maybe I should start making that my concern,” he said casually, eyes scanning the crowd before landing back on me again. “Come on. There’s coffee in the van. And water. You need to hydrate.”
I sighed and reluctantly followed him toward the service van parked at the edge of the park. The whole walk there, people greeted him, some with admiration, others with lust in their eyes. He nodded back, smiling politely, but there was a certain calmness about him today that softened his usual commanding aura.
“Thank you,” I said when he handed me a bottle of water.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said, leaning casually against the van. “You might be the one saving lives here, but I’ve been coordinating logistics since six a.m.”
I laughed softly. “Oh no, poor CEO doing hard labor. What’s next, you’re going to tell me you lifted boxes too?”
He smirked. “Actually, I did. Ask the staff.”
I looked at him, pretending to be skeptical, and then he started laughing, really laughing. The kind that made the corners of his eyes crease slightly. It was the first time in a long time I’d seen him look… carefree.
It did something strange to my chest.
23:04 Tue, Feb 3
Chapter 56
“Fine, fine,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll believe you, but only because I don’t want to argue.”
55 vouchers
He took a sip from his coffee cup, then glanced down at me. “You’ve been good at avoiding arguments lately. I almost miss the way you used to talk back.”
I blinked at him. “Excuse me?”
“Yeah.” His lips curled into a grin. “You used to roll your eyes every time I gave an order. Now you just nod and walk away. It’s kind of boring.”
“Maybe I grew up.”
“Or maybe,” he teased, “you’ve realized I’m usually right.”
I laughed, shaking my head again. “You haven’t changed at all, Edmund Montgomery.”
“And you have,” he said quietly.
The teasing in his voice dimmed, replaced by something softer, something that made my heart skip a beat. I turned away quickly, pretending to focus on the volunteers arranging medical supplies a few meters away. “You should probably go check on the setup for the immunization stand,” I muttered.
“I already did,” he said simply.
“Then–then check the pharmacy tent.”
“Already done that too.”
I exhaled sharply, finally turning back to him. “Then what are you standing here for?”
He smiled faintly. “Maybe I just enjoy your company.”
I froze for half a second. There it was again, that dangerous softness in his tone, the one that reminded me how easily he could break through my walls if I wasn’t careful.
I cleared my throat and turned back to my bottle of water. “You should probably go enjoy someone else’s company, then.”
“Too late,” he murmured, pushing off the van. “You’re stuck with me for the day.”
By noon, the heat had thickened, and the park smelled faintly of grass and sunscreen. Kids were laughing near the pediatric tent, while a small group of nurses handed out hygiene packs to mothers waiting for free checkups.
Edmund and I moved from one section to another, reviewing logistics, helping wherever we could. To my surprise, he didn’t just stand around giving orders. He actually got involved, lifting crates, distributing bottled water, even helping a little boy who scraped his knee near the first–aid area.
Every time I looked at him, it was like peeling back another layer of the man I thought I knew. The more I saw, the harder it was to ignore the warmth tugging at my chest.
23:04 Tue, Feb 3
Chapter 56
65
$5 vouchers
At one point, while reviewing the registration list, our hands brushed accidentally. I felt it immediately, the spark, the tension. He looked up too, his gaze locking with mine for a moment too long.
I pulled my hand back quickly. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” His voice was low, almost a whisper.
I tried to laugh it off, but my stomach was already fluttering in that annoying way I hated. I focused on the clipboard instead, pretending like I didn’t feel the weight of his gaze on me.
Later that afternoon, we stood under a large tent where the senior volunteers were holding a short debrief. Everyone seemed tired but pleased. The turnout was even higher than expected.
“I’m proud of everyone,” Edmund said as he addressed the team, his tone firm yet kind. “You’ve done incredible work. Let’s make tomorrow even better.”
Applause broke out around the tent. He caught my gaze briefly and smiled before stepping down from the small platform. My chest warmed again.
We walked side by side back toward the main path, chatting lightly about the next day’s plan. I was laughing at one of his sarcastic comments when a strange shift in the air made me look toward the park’s entrance.
A sleek black car had just pulled up. The kind of car that didn’t belong anywhere near a public outreach. Heads turned as the driver stepped out and hurried to open the back door.
And then she stepped out.
Vikki Montgomery.
Every inch of her screamed wealth and confidence. from her fitted beige dress to the diamonds glinting on her wrist. Her heels clicked sharply against the pavement as she walked toward us, sunglasses perched on her head, lips painted a deep shade of red.
My stomach dropped.
The laughter around us died instantly. Whispers spread through the crowd as cameras–God, there were reporters here too–swung in her direction.
Edmund froze beside me. “What the—” he muttered, his face hardening.
She didn’t give him a chance to finish.
“Darling!” Vikki’s voice rang loud and clear across the park.
Every head turned to us.
She walked straight up to him with the grace of someone used to being the center of attention. “Surprise,” she said sweetly, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek before wrapping her arm through his. “I thought I’d come to support my husband.”
The word husband hit like a slap.
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Chapter 56
:
65
1.55 vouchers
My breath caught. My chest tightened painfully as the sound of murmurs filled the space around us.
Edmund stepped back slightly, his jaw tense. “Vikki, what are you doing here?”
“I told you,” she said, her voice dripping with fake innocence. “I came to support you. You didn’t tell me you were hosting such a big event in Brixton.” Her eyes flicked to me briefly, sharp and assessing, before returning to him. “How thoughtful of you.”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral.
The crowd was watching.
Edmund’s expression darkened. “You should’ve called first,” he said evenly, though his voice carried that undertone of warning I’d come to recognize.
“Oh, come now,” she said, smiling for the onlookers. “I wanted to surprise you.”
She turned to the nearest reporter, flashing a charming grin. “Please, don’t mind us. I’m just thrilled to see the wonderful work my husband is doing for the community.”
Click. Click. Cameras flashed.
And I stood there, frozen, caught in the storm of their perfect public image, my heart pounding so loudly I could barely hear anything else.
Edmund’s hand brushed mine discreetly, a silent reassurance, but I stepped back before anyone could notice. My throat felt tight. I couldn’t breathe properly.
“Dr. Garcia,” someone called from the medical tent. “We need you!”
“Coming,” I said quickly, my voice barely steady. I didn’t wait for Edmund’s response. I turned and walked away, my chest heavy, my pulse racing.
But as I reached the tent, I glanced back one last time.
Vikki was still standing close to him, smiling for the cameras, her hand possessively looped through his arm.
And Edmund… Edmund was staring at me.
His eyes said what his mouth couldn’t.
But it didn’t matter. Because the message was already clear.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
