She was going to lose the baby anyway. What was the point of taking prenatal vitamins?

She kept her eyes glued to the floor, falling silent after her rejection.

Finnian took a step forward. “Do you genuinely not want these things, or do you just not want them because they’re from me?”

The distinction was vital to him. He waited tensely for her answer.

Before Amara could speak, Keith sauntered over, dripping with sarcasm. “Obviously she doesn’t want anything from you. You already knew the answer, Mr. Everly, so why ask just to humiliate yourself?”

The words struck a nerve. Finnian turned to Keith, his expression turning deadly, his gaze predatory.

“I am speaking to Amara. Who the hell are you to interrupt?”

The blatant disrespect hung heavily in the room.

Before Keith could react, Amara’s temper flared.

She stepped squarely in front of Keith, glaring at Finnian. “You’re completely out of line.”

“Keith is my friend, and this is my lounge. He can say whatever he wants, and you have no right to police him. As for you…”

Amara paused, her voice turning frigid. “No one wants you here, Mr. Everly. Please leave.”

She hadn’t raised her voice or used a single curse word, but the rejection hit Finnian like a physical blow.

Whenever he clashed with Keith, Amara always, without fail, took Keith’s side. She truly seemed to despise him.

Even though she was carrying his child, even though he had sworn his feelings for Liliana were purely out of gratitude-she still pushed him away. Did she really hate him that much?

Hearing Amara’s defense, Keith practically glowed with smug satisfaction.

He stepped closer, eyeing Finnian provocatively. “Did you hear her? Ama doesn’t

want to see you, and she doesn’t want your gifts. Get the hell out.”

He desperately wanted to drop the bomb about the abortion just to twist the knife in Finnian’s chest.

But he couldn’t. If Finnian found out, he would move heaven and earth to stop it. He had to swallow the secret.

Finnian’s face contorted slightly, his dark eyes locked onto Keith with lethal intensity, looking ready to throw a punch.

Sensing the escalating danger,

Amara grabbed the bags from the

table shoved them into Finnian-

hands, grabbed his wrist, and forcefully hauled him toward the door.

“Just go. I really don’t need this,” she demanded. “Thanks anyway.”

Finnian dug his heels in at the doorway. “Amara, do you really loathe me this much?”

His voice was laced with raw hurt. Amara’s eyes immediately dropped.

Refusing to budge, he pressed on. “Why have you been so incredibly cold to me lately? Just give me a reason.”

“If I did something wrong, I’ll fix it.”

He had asked this same question a hundred times. Every time she heard it, a tremor of sorrow rippled through her.

But she was a proud woman, and she wouldn’t spell it out, Besides since she had completely given up on a future with him, dissecting the past was pointless.

“There is no reason. I gave up on us a long time ago. I’ve told you this repeatedly. If

you insist on a reason, that’s it. Now please, leave.”