Reborn Without You (Amelia and Christopher) novel Chapter 83

Chapter 83

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Chapter 83

The dinner meeting finally wound down.

Jasper hadn’t made Amelia drink too much, but she had still had more than she expected. Her chest felt heavy, her head a little fuzzy, and the room seemed to close in on her.

She hadn’t drunk in a long time, and her tolerance had dropped.

Using the excuse of going to the bathroom, she slipped out of the private room to get some fresh air.

Tania wasn’t the only one at tonight’s gathering. Several business partners had come, all interested in Nova Nine Technologies’ patents.

Of course, Jasper wanted to secure a good deal. More revenue meant more money for the research team to invest in projects.

Scientific research burned money fast. Beyond focusing on the work itself, they had to keep revenue flowing. It would be easier with government funding like Institute 511, but Jasper had chosen to strike out on his own, and that meant harder work.

The night air outside was cool. Amelia breathed it in and felt a little lighter.

“No thanks, Chris. I don’t want anyone thinking I got in through connections.”

Not far off, Nicole’s voice reached her.

For a moment, Amelia thought she was imagining it. She looked up and saw Christopher arriving with a group, including Luke and Caleb Newton.

Caleb was also a friend in their circle. He was usually tied up with company work, so it was rare for him to come out for gatherings.

“No one’s going to say that. The doors at Cloudway Technologies are wide open for you,” Luke said.

Nicole smiled, but gave no reply to that. “Chris, what do you think about me starting my own company?”

Christopher said, “You have what it takes.”

Nicole rubbed her arms. “It’s still a little chilly for early summer tonight.”

“Don’t catch a cold.”

He draped his jacket over her shoulders. His expression and tone were unexpectedly gentle.

Amelia looked away and frowned. She had imagined this moment many times before. She had fantasized about being close with Christopher like other couples, about him treating her with care. Countless times, she had stepped out in the winter wearing too little, mumbling about the cold, and he hadn’t batted an eye.

She let out a bitter little laugh. So it wasn’t that he didn’t understand. It was that he simply didn’t care. Some things depended entirely on the person.

Not wanting to face them any longer, Amelia turned and headed back toward the private room. Her heels clicked along the corridor until she ran into Jasper, who was just about to settle the bill.

Amelia raised her eyebrows. “Already done?”

“Done.” Jasper’s gaze dropped to her hand, still wrapped in bandages. His brow furrowed as he picked it up to

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Chapter 83

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examine it carefully. “I shouldn’t have let you drink so much.”

Amelia smiled. “It’s fine. I may not be much help at the negotiations, but at least I can do something. I can’t just let them get you drunk all by yourself.”

A sudden gust of night air swept through the corridor, and Amelia shivered.

The wind lifted her hair, revealing her delicate, striking features. When it died down, her hair was a little messy, and she reached up to straighten it.

Seeing that her hands were full, Jasper stepped forward and gently tidied her hair for her. Then, he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “Here, wear this. You’re fragile-don’t catch a cold.”

Amelia smiled at him. “Thank you.”

The smile was radiant. For a moment, Jasper lost himself.

Amelia was breathtakingly beautiful. She rarely smiled and seldom spoke lightly, but when she did, it was utterly captivating.

“Isn’t that Amelia?” Luke stared, frowning. “Jasper seems unusually concerned about her. Did Amelia put some kind of spell on him?”

To Luke, Jasper had always been a straightforward and upright man-certainly not one to chase after women.

Caleb’s gaze swept over neutrally, but when it landed on Amelia, he furrowed his brow.

He had never thought well of her. In his memory, she was calculating and clingy, like stubborn chewing gum around Christopher. She used her beauty to take shortcuts, and she was a manipulative and self-serving woman.

Christopher glanced in their direction, meeting Amelia’s eyes for a brief instant before looking away. He didn’t care about the subtle closeness between her and Jasper.

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