Finnian knew his mother better than anyone else. He was well aware of the darkness in her heart and how unreasonable she could be. If Amara went to confront her, there was a good chance she would end up being bullied.
“I can handle it. At the very least, I won’t let her hurt me,” Amara said calmly.
Seeing Finnian still watching her anxiously, Amara sighed inwardly. She softened her voice and added, “This is my issue, and I want to deal with it myself. Let me try first; if it doesn’t work, I’ll come to you for help. Is that all right?”
Her gentle words seemed to touch something in Finnian.
Amara almost had to laugh. In Finnian’s mind, his mother was like some terrible monster—and honestly, he wasn’t too far off.
“I’m heading out, then.” Since Finnian didn’t object further, Amara picked up the file Will had brought and left the old estate.
After asking around, Amara found out that Emma was currently at the Star Hotel, apparently there for a menu tasting.
She took a cab to the hotel, asked a staff member for directions, and learned that Emma and Liliana were in the kitchen sampling dishes. She made her way over.
“Mrs. Emma Everly.”
Amara entered the kitchen. Seeing that only two staff members were with Emma and Liliana, she strode straight over, her gaze cold and direct.
Emma hadn’t expected Amara to come looking for her. She instinctively glanced at Amara’s stomach and curled her lips into a faint smirk. But then, remembering Finnian’s feelings for Amara, her mood soured again. “What do you want?” she snapped.
Amara stared at Emma for a moment, then suddenly slapped the folder down on the table with a sharp crack. She spoke each word with deliberate clarity: “Why are you always coming after me? What have I ever done to you? Or are you just bored and looking for someone to pick on?”
To Emma, this was outrageously disrespectful.
Besides, Emma probably didn’t want her there anyway. Being called out in front of others was humiliating, and Emma likely didn’t want Liliana to see it.
As expected, Emma seemed satisfied once Liliana left. She dropped all pretense, pointed at Amara, and snapped, “You want to know why I’m after you? It’s because you keep seducing my son! If you weren’t always leading him on, do you think I’d be treating you like this?”
A cold smile appeared on Amara’s lips.
Ordinarily, that accusation would have made her furious. But, for some reason, she suddenly found Emma simply absurd, despicable, and, above all, pitiful. She couldn’t even get angry—instead, she laughed.
Emma’s eyes bulged. “What are you laughing at?”
“I’m laughing at how pathetic you are,” Amara sighed. “You’re always accusing me of seducing Finnian, but if you bothered to ask around, you’d know I’ve never led Finnian on, never chased after him. In fact, it’s your son who keeps coming to me.”

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Under the Veil I Rule (Amara)