Filed to story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
Benjamin’s attitude had improved. He didn’t demand an explanation from Liam about the affairs between Liam and Amber, and didn’t ask about Flossie or Leia either.
Liam was delighted. He carried the unique desserts he had bought at the local market for Flossie and Leia to enjoy. Upon arrival, he found that they were not in the room.
“Weird. Where did they go?” Liam looked around, but found no sign of Flossie and Leia. He casually asked a servant, but the servant stammered and insisted on not knowing anything.
Anxious, Liam kept looking for them in the fort. Coincidentally, he ran into Amber, who just came back from the orchard.
Generally, Amber didn’t have much to do in the fort except study with a tutor, make clothes, or head to the orchard to check the growth and harvest of the trees.
“You’re back, Liam.” Seeing Liam, Amber she in a friendly and polite manner.
Liam frowned; he disliked how polite she had become. It made him feel like they were distant. Although they weren’t that close, they almost got married. He couldn’t get used to how she was suddenly treating him like he was a stranger.
“What a coincidence! I want to talk to you.” It was unknown whether Liam did it purposely or not. He approached Amber and grabbed her wrist. “Do you know where my sister and Flossie went? I looked around, but no one knew.”
‘Aren’t they in the room?” Amber looked around. “I was busy sewing my wedding gown today and only came out in the evening. I wanted to invite them for a stroll in the orchard, but they might not want to see me. Plus, Ms. Ellsworth’s legs are still recovering, so I didn’t disturb them. I thought they were still in the room.”
“No, there’s no one in the room. I looked everywhere in the fort except for the orchard. I couldn’t find them.”
Liam looked at the large and dense orchard behind Amber. It resembled a tropical forest. “Did you see them in the orchard?”
Based on his understanding of Leia, she must have gone to the orchard for some fun. She probably climbed a tree to pick fruits, so it was very likely that they were in the orchard.
“I didn’t see them just now, but this orchard is huge. Maybe they’re in another area,” Amber said.
She was telling the truth. When she arrived, Mateo had already taken Flossie and Leia away. He had also ordered the others to keep it a secret. Naturally, she was unaware of the conflict that happened in the morning.
‘I’m not familiar with this orchard. If it’s okay with you… Can you lead the way?” Liam asked, having decided to look for Flossie and Leia in the orchard.
“Uh…” Amber looked like she was being put in a difficult position. She found it impudent for a man and a woman to be alone in the dense orchard at night.
“What’s wrong? Is it inconvenient?” Liam frowned, puzzled. He felt that Amber was purposely avoiding him after expressing her desire not to marry him and making Mateo her groom instead.
Before, she would always put on her favorite dress and stand at the entrance of the fort, looking eager no matter how late Liam and Benjamin returned from their work.
Usually, she would carry a small bamboo basket containing the tea she brewed and dessert or food she had painstakingly prepared. When Liam returned, she would excitedly welcome him and inquire after him.
Lately, she no longer did that. When Liam occasionally ran into her in the fort, she would bow indifferently at him and quickly brush past him as if they were merely acquaintances. They seemed distant.
Honestly, Liam found it unfamiliar. He couldn’t get used to the fact that Amber wasn’t fawning over him and that they were growing apart.
Although he never felt that they were ever close with each other…
“Yes, it’s inconvenient.” Amber found it hard to meet Liam’s gaze. She kept her head low, summoned up her courage, and whispered, “I’m about to marry Mateo. It’s dark, and the orchard is dense. If we go in there alone, people will gossip about it. So, I think…. We should be careful.”
“You’re turning me down?” Liam raised his brows.
He couldn’t get used to it at all. He recalled that she had always obeyed him; she had no independent thoughts, just like a puppet. She would neither refuse him nor everyone else.
Yet now, she was expressing her refusal and the need to stay prudent. It filled Liam with inexplicable discomfort. “I’m sorry.” Amber lowered her head more and bit her lip uneasily. “I think it’s not proper for us to go in there alone. It’s unfair for you, me, and Mateo. If you want someone to guide you, I can ask Mary to help you.”
Mary Beck was Amber’s servant. She grew up with Amber and was very familiar with the fort. Besides, she knew the orchard well. She could lead Liam into the orchard to look for Flossie and Leia.
“I want no one else but you,” Liam said, his gaze intense. Although he spoke calmly, he sounded assertive.
It was the first time he was so overbearing with Amber. Shocked, she looked up into his eyes, but seeing the dominance in them made her quickly look down.
“Why me? I’m busy. I don’t have to serve you!” she complained.
“Oh?” It was the first time Liam saw such a reaction from her, as if the puppet finally came alive. It knew how to express itself.
However, he wasn’t angry. Instead, he grew interested.
“Tell me what you’re busy preparing for. Let’s make a deal. Help me find them. When you do, I’ll help you with your things. What do you think?”
“No, that’s unnecessary!” Amber rejected.
Amber hurriedly turned Liam down. “You can’t help with my affairs. I can handle it.”
“Well, tell me why I can’t help you,” Liam pressed.
“I… I want to sew a wedding gown. And there are a lot of details that I need to add.” Amber became competitive for no reason, and added stubbornly, “Your words aren’t absolute. Yes, your business is important, but so is mine!”
“Oh, you want to sew a wedding gown. I can help you with that…” Liam said, relaxed. “Maybe I didn’t get to tell you that I went to a small country in Southeast Aeos when I traveled around the world. I got to know a great sewing master. The pictures he sewed looked real like paintings! I found them interesting, so I learned from him. My sewing skills are probably better than yours. I can help you with that.”
*Really? You can sew?” Amber was full of surprise and admiration. Her eyes lit up. “I can’t sew well. I want to learn from a great master too! If you can do it, can you teach me?”
“Of course!” Liam promised. “Can you help me find them now?”
“Oh, sure.” Amber turned and glanced at the dense orchard. She knew it was impudent for the two of them to enter the orchard alone, but she couldn’t resist her heart’s desires. Blushing, she agreed.
Besides, they were just going to look for Flossie and Leia. Liam was the most prudent gentleman Amber had ever met, so it should be fine.
Liam had teased and kissed her that day, and had been far from a gentleman. Even so, she was still willing to trust him. Essentially, he was still a polite gentleman. He would never take advantage of her.
“That’s my good girl!” Liam patted her head, finding her simple and gullible.
He wasn’t tricking Amber into the orchard to do indecent things to her. He had lied about learning how to sew from a master, and wasn’t acquainted with any sewing master. At most, he bought one or two sewing artworks from a market selling small items.
They walked into the depths of the orchard in the evening.
The orchard in the fort covered a large area. It generally provided food for the villagers to eat or sell, and was considered a conventional business.
Under special circumstances, it became a combat home base. Many of Benjamin’s enemies would advance there and try to snatch away Benjamin’s force. However, they would become lost in the dense orchard and return defeated.
Hence, that place looked like an orchard but came with a crucial combat status in the fort. Benjamin would usually gather his soldiers to train there.
Liam insisted on Amber leading the way because he inexplicably wanted to conquer her. He hoped she could act like she used to in the past, when she could see no one else but him.
His second reason was rather selfish. Amber was Benjamin’s daughter. If he accidentally barged into a prohibited area in the orchard, he would be safer with her around.
While walking, they arrived at an orange grove. For an unknown reason, the fog became heavier, they couldn’t see the path ahead of them despite the lantern.
Amber swallowed, and slowed down. “Liam, the fog’s too heavy. Why don’…we go back?'”
Liam walked ahead of Amber, then turned to glance at her. He faked a smile and asked, “What’s the matter? Are you worried that I might take advantage of you?”
“No, of course not!”
Amber quickly shook her head and pushed her scarf up. It had fallen a little.
“I just find it improper,” she answered softly.
She looked like a typical woman from Southeast Aeos, petite and with a small face. Her skin was tanned, and her facial features weren’t very distinct. She was charming and reserved, exuding a girlish pureness.