Chapter 26 Why Is He Looking At Me Like That
Amelia POV
The house felt... weird.
Not bad weird.
Just... tense weird.
Like something had shifted and no one wanted to say it out loud.
The reporters were gone.
Dominic made sure of that.
Very quickly.
Very efficiently.
Very... intimidatingly.
And now everyone was acting like everything was normal.
Except it wasn't.
Because the internet still thought I was secretly married.
And Noah had just told everyone he wanted me to be his mom.
And Dominic had looked at me in a way I was trying very hard not to think about.
So yeah.
Not normal.
At all.
I was in the kitchen pretending to be busy.
Which really meant I was holding a cup of tea and staring at it like it had answers to my life problems.
It didn't.
Very disappointing.
"Are you going to drink that or just emotionally stare at it?"
I jumped slightly.
Ryan.
Of course.
"I am thinking."
"Dangerous."
I gave him a look.
"You are not helpful."
"I am very helpful," he said proudly. "For example, I have decided that you and Dominic would make a great couple."
I choked on my tea.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Absolutely yes."
Clara walked in at that moment.
"What are we arguing about?"
"Nothing," I said quickly.
Ryan pointed at me.
"She is in denial."
"I AM NOT IN DENIAL."
Sophie walked in behind Clara.
"Oh this sounds interesting."
"It is not interesting," I said. "It is false."
Ryan leaned casually against the counter.
"You are living in his house."
"Yes."
"You are raising his child."
"I AM NOT RAISING HIS CHILD."
Noah's voice came from behind me.
"Yes you are."
I froze.
Slowly turned around.
He was standing there.
Very calm.
Very confident.
My traitor child.
"...Noah."
He walked over and grabbed my hand.
Like he always did.
"Stay."
My heart did that thing again.
The soft, melty thing.
Which was not helpful right now.
Sophie made a noise behind me.
"Oh my god."
Clara whispered,
"This is actually happening."
Ryan looked way too entertained.
"This is better than television."
I pointed at all of them.
"You are all making this worse."
"No," Ryan said. "We are enjoying it."
Before I could respond...
The room went quiet.
I didn't even need to turn around.
I already knew.
Dominic.
I slowly looked up.
He was standing by the doorway.
Watching us.
No.
Watching me.
And suddenly I forgot how to breathe properly.
Why does he look like that.
He wasn't smiling.
He never smiled.
But his expression was... different.
Focused.
Intense.
It made my heart beat faster.
Which was annoying.
Ryan broke the silence.
"Perfect timing."
Dominic didn't look at him.
"Leave."
Ryan blinked.
"Rude."
Dominic didn't repeat himself.
He didn't need to.
Ryan sighed dramatically.
"Fine."
He stood up.
"Come on everyone. Let's give them their very serious not-married conversation."
"I hate you," I whispered.
He grinned.
"I know."
Clara dragged Sophie out with her.
Sebastian followed quietly.
And just like that...
It was only me.
Dominic.
And Noah.
Who was still holding my hand.
Of course.
Dominic looked at Noah.
"Noah."
Noah looked up.
"Come with me."
Noah shook his head.
"No."
I blinked.
Oh no.
Dominic raised an eyebrow.
"Noah."
Noah held my hand tighter.
"No."
I panicked slightly.
"Maybe we can all just..."
"Noah," Dominic said calmly.
Something in his tone changed.
Not harsh.
But firm.
Noah hesitated.
Then slowly let go of my hand.
My heart did not like that.
He walked over to Dominic.
But he looked back at me before leaving.
"Stay."
"I'm staying," I said softly.
He nodded.
Then Dominic took him out of the room.
And suddenly it was just me.
And him.
Alone.
This was fine.
Totally fine.
I picked up my tea again.
Why was I holding tea again.
I didn't even remember making it.
Dominic walked back in a few seconds later.
And closed the door.
Oh.
That felt very serious.
I immediately started talking.
"Okay before you say anything I just want to clarify that I did not marry you and I also did not plan any of this and I did not know there were cameras and I definitely did not mean to accidentally become your fake wife on the internet..."
"Amelia."
I stopped.
My name.
He said my name.
Not Miss Carter.
Amelia.
My brain froze.
"...Yes?"
He was looking at me.
Very closely.
Like he was trying to figure me out.
"You didn't do anything wrong."
Oh.
I blinked.
"Oh."
I was not expecting that.
"At all?" I asked.
"No."
"Not even a little bit?"
"No."
I relaxed slightly.
"Okay good because this is already stressful enough."
A small pause.
Then I said,
"For the record I still think the internet is being very dramatic."
He almost smiled.
Almost.
I noticed.
Of course I noticed.
And now I couldn't stop noticing.
This was bad.
Very bad.
He stepped a little closer.
Not too close.
But close enough.
My heart started acting weird again.
"We need to handle this carefully."
"Handle what."
"The media."
"Oh."
Right.
That.
I nodded quickly.
"Yes. The media. Very... media."
Why am I talking like this.
His gaze didn't move from my face.
"They will keep watching."
"That's... not comforting."
"No."
I shifted slightly.
"So what do we do."
A pause.
Then he said,
"For now... nothing changes."
I blinked.
"...Nothing?"
"No."
"So we just... ignore it?"
"For now."
That sounded suspiciously calm.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"You are very calm about this."
"I am not."
"Oh."
"You just talk more."
I gasped.
"I do not talk that much."
He raised an eyebrow.
I paused.
"...Okay maybe a little."
There was a small silence.
But it wasn't awkward.
It felt...
Strange.
Comfortable.
Which made no sense.
Then I said without thinking,
"They think I'm your wife."
"I know."
"And Noah's mom."
"I know."
I looked at him.
"You don't seem concerned."
"I am."
"You don't look concerned."
He stepped a little closer again.
And now he was definitely too close.
"You worry enough for both of us."
My heart completely lost control.
Why does he say things like that.
I looked away quickly.
"Someone has to."
Silence.
Then I glanced back at him.
And he was still looking at me.
Like that.
That look.
That intense, focused look.
Why is he looking at me like that.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I blurted out.
I froze.
Oh my god.
Why did I say that out loud.
He didn't answer immediately.
Which made it worse.
Then quietly he said,
"Like what."
I panicked.
"Like... like you're thinking something."
"I am."
"Oh."
That did not help.
"What are you thinking?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Another pause.
Then he said,
"You're different."
My heart skipped.
"...Different good or different bad?"
A small pause.
Then he said,
"Different."
That was not helpful.
At all.
But somehow...
It made my chest feel warm.
And nervous.
At the same time.
I looked down at my tea.
Which I still hadn't drunk.
"This is very confusing."
"Yes."
"I don't like confusing."
"I know."
I looked back up at him.
"How do you know?"
"I've met you."
I blinked.
"...That's fair."
Silence again.
But not uncomfortable.
Just...
Heavy.
In a way I didn't understand.
Then suddenly the door burst open.
Ryan.
Of course.
"I give you five minutes and no one is arguing. Disappointing."
I stepped back immediately.
Because yes.
Distance.
Important.
Ryan looked between us.
Then smirked.
"Oh this is worse."
Sebastian stood behind him.
Calm as always.
Clara and Sophie peeked from behind them.
Ryan crossed his arms.
"So."
"No," I said immediately.
"Yes," he said.
"No."
"Absolutely yes."
I covered my face again.