Under the Veil I Rule
Chapter 171

Keith chuckled softly, saying, "Well, you owe me a little something in return. I don't feel like heading back tonight. It's been days since I've been home, and it's just too quiet there. I'm crashing here."

"No way, go back to your own place," Amara insisted sternly, giving him a gentle pat after finishing up bandaging his latest injury.

Even though she was renting a two-bedroom place, the study didn't have a bed, and the sofa was way too cramped for someone to crash on. No way was she going to share her bed with Keith. Sure, if push came to shove, they could squeeze in for the night, but his place was just across the hall. It was literally a stone's throw away. So, she shooed him off back to his own apartment.

With a resigned sigh, Keith headed home to sleep.

The next morning, Amara didn't roll out of bed until ten. After a quick wash and a simple breakfast, she was out the door, heading to the shooting set.

Just as she stepped out of her apartment complex, she spotted a sleek black car parked at the curb. She walked on, pretending not to notice, but then the driver's side door swung open and Will stepped out, approaching her with a respectful nod. "Mrs. Everly, Mr. Everly wants to have a word with you. Could you come with me?"

"I'm not going," Amara replied, her expression flat as she kept walking.

Finnian wanted to talk, and she had to listen to him? Why?

After everything that happened yesterday-first that unsolicited kiss on the hotel rooftop, then the scuffle with Keith outside her building-Amara had enough reasons to be upset with him. She definitely wasn't in the mood to see him.

"Mrs. Everly, please, just come with me. Mr. Everly... he won't do anything to you."

The events of the previous day had reached Will's ears. Knowing his boss had pulled such stunts with Amara, he felt more than a little embarrassed, and yet, here he was, stuck having to bring her to his boss.

Even when he uttered those words, what he felt was merely to disappear right there and then.

"How can you guarantee he won't try anything?" Amara almost laughed at the absurdity.

"And even if he's all talk, why should I jump to his beck and call?"

Amara had always put on her most patient face with the Everly family but this was the last straw. She finally understood the old saying, "Give an inch, and they'll take a mile."

Was it her own soft demeanor that made Finnian think he could keep pushing her around?

"Uh, Mrs. Everly, that's not what I meant." Will stammered, caught off guard.

She used to be so gentle, and now she was actually standing up to people?

Not that he minded this new side of her, but it only made him feel as if he'd never truly known her.

"Mr. Everly genuinely wants to talk things out and replace a solution. Could you please reconsider?" Will pleaded as he tried to intercept Amara once more, his face imbued with discomfort.

With a look of exasperation, Amara halted and claimed, "I said no. Now move aside!"

She sidestepped around Will, determined to leave.

Just then, the door of another car nearby swung open with a bang, and

a tall figure strode over, grabbing

Amara's wrist and attempting to

lead her to the car.

"Let go of me!" Amara exclaimed, staring at the man who'd suddenly appeared.

What was going on? Was Finnian really nearby, in that car?

If so, why didn't he come to speak to her himself instead of sending Will?

Trying to see the silver lining, maybe he was feeling a bit ashamed after his actions yesterday.

"Come on, we need to talk," Finnian said as he shoved her into the car, his behavior dominating.

Amara instinctively resisted, but after last night's drama, facing Finnian now made her a bit hesitant.