Chapter 423: A Little Closer

They continued toward the Lamborghini. Stan’s arm stayed around her waist, steady and unselfconscious.

After a few steps Amelia found herself leaning into him almost without deciding to, the contact no longer startling. The cool night air moved against her face; the residual heat of his side against hers felt quietly right.

"You always seem to appear exactly when I need something," she said, voice light. "It’s becoming a pattern."

Stan glanced down, the playful glint returning. "I already told you. You don’t need taxis when I’m around."

"Convenient for you."

"Very."

She shook her head, but a small smile remained. The short distance to the car felt easier than it should have.

When they reached it, Stan opened the driver’s door and slid in. Amelia walked around to the passenger side and settled into the seat. The interior still held a trace of his cologne. Before he started the engine he looked over at her, expression softer in the dim cabin light.

"Ready?"

She met his eyes. "Yes."

The engine came to life with a low, controlled growl. As the Lamborghini eased into the evening traffic, the city continued moving around them the way it always had, distant engines, the soft rush of tires on asphalt, the occasional murmur of passersby. Yet Amelia felt different.

For the first time in a long while she did not feel as though she were moving through the world alone. Something had shifted. Quietly. Irrevocably. She no longer felt the need to analyze it or question where it might lead.

She simply allowed herself to feel it: the cool night air against her skin through the partially open window, the residual warmth where his arm had rested around her waist, the quiet comfort of having him beside her.

Stan had gradually become someone she could rely on, not only for information or protection, but for the smaller, steadier things.

His presence made ordinary moments feel less heavy. She loved the way he reached for her without hesitation. She loved the way the city lights looked different when she was not facing them alone.

She did not guard her heart as tightly now.

And for the moment, that was enough.

.....

Stan started the engine. The Lamborghini responded with a low, controlled growl and eased out of the parking spot, sliding into the evening traffic as though the streets themselves made way. Soft city light washed across the windshield in shifting bands of gold and white. Amelia settled into the passenger seat, the residual coolness of the night air still clinging to her skin, and for a short while neither of them spoke. The earlier moment outside lingered between them in quiet comfort rather than tension.

Stan glanced sideways. "So, which hotel are you staying at during your stay?"

"Wanhai’s HYTV Hotel."

She answered evenly, then glanced at him and quickly looked away. A faint color rose along her cheeks. Stan’s mouth curved. He understood at once. Amelia knew perfectly well that Wanhai was under his control and that HYTV was one of its subsidiaries. Choosing that particular hotel in Inksea had not been an accident. She had done it deliberately, a small, private way of supporting something connected to him. The sudden shyness under his gaze only confirmed it. He found the entire thing endearing.

"So, Amelia..." His voice stayed light. "Is what I’m thinking right?"

She opened her mouth, considered pretending she did not understand, then closed it again. Pretending would only make the situation worse. After a brief hesitation she gave a small, meek nod.

"Yes..."

Stan’s smile widened. "Did you really book HYTV because I’m a major shareholder of Wanhai?" He let the question hang for a beat before adding, softer and more teasing, "You really love me that much? Enough to go out of your way for something this small?"

Amelia’s face heated. She kept her eyes on the dashboard for a moment, feeling strangely exposed. The decision had not felt grand at the time. She had told herself the hotel was convenient, well-located, luxurious enough for a short stay. Yet the real reason had been simpler and more personal: it was his. Supporting something of his had simply felt natural. Admitting that even to herself still made her want to look anywhere but at him.

Stan noticed the deepening color in her cheeks and eased off. If he pushed any harder she might actually fold in on herself. His tone softened.

"Don’t worry. Even if it’s nothing to you, it actually means a lot to me. I’ll always be happy if my love supports me in any way she can."

The two words landed with unexpected force.

’My love.’

Amelia’s thoughts stuttered. She already knew how he felt. He had said as much earlier. Yet hearing him call her that so casually, alone in the quiet cabin of the car, was different. The phrase settled into her chest and refused to leave.

She silently repeated it once, almost testing the shape of it. How could two ordinary words dismantle her composure so thoroughly? She tried to remind herself that he had said affectionate things before, that she should be used to it by now. It did not help. Every time he spoke like this her carefully maintained defenses weakened a little further.

Stan watched the reaction and could not resist.

"My love is blushing."

Amelia turned toward the window at once, pretending sudden fascination with the passing storefronts and streetlights. She was not annoyed. Quite the opposite. She loved hearing him say it. She simply had no idea how to contain the soft, unsteady feeling it produced.

The Lamborghini continued through familiar streets. Amelia recognized the route almost immediately. Of course he knew exactly where HYTV Hotel stood. The hotel sat beside the HYTV Restaurant, a place that carried older memories for him, the confrontation with Zane that had eventually drawn Logan into the mess, and the night Zack’s girlfriend had nearly been assaulted by Damien inside the same building. Tonight those associations remained distant. Inside the car the atmosphere was peaceful, almost private.