Amelia's outfit above.

Changing my last name was something I argued severely on. My parents wanted me to but I refused. Like what was the point?

It's not like I got married to the love of my life. But then after going through some shit with the lawyers that took part in creating this whole marriage, it turned out that I had to take Adam's name for everything to be sorted.

I followed Dr Sloan's advice. I decided to start 'living' and stop staying in my room all day.

Right now, I'm at the mall and I have gone to almost every store.

I bought lots of clothes, shoes, makeup and literally all the nice things that my eyes caught.

This is the first I'm out shopping at the mall alone and I have probably never shopped as much as I did today. I usually get annoyed when Nicole even mentions it but today, I've realised how fun it is.

I head to the food court to get a frap from Starbucks. I turn around to see if Cooper is nearby. He must be hungry because we've been here for hours.

I don't see him so I pull out my phone and dial his number.

"Mrs Black?" He suddenly appears out of nowhere.

I yelp in surprise. "Oh God! You scared me!"

"I'm sorry ma'am."

"Hmmm." I glare at him. I haven't started liking him yet. I still don't trust him

"Are you hungry?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "No, ma'am."

"Are you sure? There's Burger King over there." I point at the direction.

He smirks. "Fine, if you insist."

I roll my eyes and we walk over to Burger King. He places his order and we find a place to sit, facing each other.

"So tell me about you, Cooper." I say after taking the first sip of my frappaccino.

He smiles and leans back against his chair. "What would you like to know?"

"What got you into the kidnapping business?"

Since he's my bodyguard, I have to learn how to trust him and the only way to do the is by getting to know him.

"The money." He answers simply and I frown.

"What did you do before then?"

"I was a professional computer hacker and a street fighter. I also used to work at a private security company then I worked as a spy for this Italian mafia."

My eyes widen. "Wow.....so all your previous jobs were illegal?"

"Except the security company."

A message from Nicole appears on my phone screen so I pick it up.

💕Brandon Scott just texted me! OMG! I'm freaking out.

I instantly smile.

Text back, I actually like him!

Nicole was actually good with Brandon but they had a falling out after the kiss between she and Ian that X released.

X.....

"Where did Jamie find you?" I turn my attention back to Cooper, a former employee of X.

"He didn't, Lucas did."

"Where?"

He shrugs. "I'm very popular in the hacking business. He needed someone who would track your phones and locations so he found me."

"And you agreed to send stupid text messages to an innocent group of friends?" I ask, feeling angry.

"Rich."

"What?" My frown deepens.

"Innocent group of rich friends. It was all about the money for me. I didn't care about anything else."

Wow! Times like this are when I'm suddenly grateful for my parents wealth. The things people do for money........God!

"Jamie must have offered to pay you a lot."

"Yeah." He replies.

A lady comes and brings his food then she leaves.

"And Adam offered triple?" I whisper, wondering how much that was.

He smirks. "He did."

Gosh!

I cross my arms. "So if an enemy who wants to hurt Adam or I comes an offers triple of what you are being paid now, what would you do?"

"I would tell Mr Black." He says without hesitation.

I look at him skeptically.

"I am very loyal to your husband."

I stare at him again. He's kind of hot to be honest but totally not my type. He's got way too many tattoos. He has dark hair though, something that I'm into and nice grey eyes.

"You weren't loyal to Jamie." I speak as I take my eyes off him and sip my frap again. I'm a very slow eater.

"I didn't know Jamie was X till I started working for Mr Black. He didn't give me any reason to pledge my loyalty to him." He says in his rough voice. One that I found scary the first time I saw him. I still do, honestly.

"And Adam did?"

"Yes, your husband is a very generous person."

Here it goes again. I need one person. That one person that will tell me something bad about Adam Black.

"So street fighter huh?" I throw in.

He nods.

"And Italian mafia? I didn't know that things like that actually exist in real life." I smile.

"You grew up in a world full of unicorns and rainbows. You have no idea how crazy it is out there."

I'm suddenly taken back. "Don't talk to me like that. I'm your boss."

"I'm sorry." He apologises even though I know there's really nothing to apologise for.

What he said is the truth but somehow, I want to change that.

After we finished, Cooper and another bodyguard help me with my shopping bags and put them at compartment of the car.

****

"You have a guest, Mrs Black."

"Okay, thank you."

I walk to Adam's office and I see the door slightly opened. I push it and my eyes widen at the sight in front of me.

"You have no balance." Adam tells Colton with a hint of amusement in his tone.

They are both on different hover boards going around the office. Colton keeps slipping from his though.

I clear my throat. "Hey, guys."

Adam doesn't do anything to acknowledge my presence. He just keeps going around the office on the hover board, with his head looking down at his phone.

"Hey." Colton looks at me and goes off his.

"Hey." I walk over to him and we hug.

"How are you?" He asks, fixing my hair.

"So good." I grin then look at Adam. "Hey, hubby." I tease.

He looks at me. "How was shopping?"

"Great, I had so much fun." I reply.

"I didn't see any charges from the card I gave you."

See charges? Okay, I shouldn't be surprised since he probably has control over the account.

"I used mine." I tell him, biting my lower lip.

I get so nervous around him. I think I'm imitated by him. I mean, he's scary.

"The one I gave you is also yours." He points, frowning a bit.

"I will use it next time."

He nods his head and continues going around the office. He's wearing black skinny jeans and an over sized navy buttoned up. The first three buttons are undone so I catch a glimpse of his hard, muscular chest. So freaking sexy.

I turn to Colton who is looking at me with a surprised expression on his face.

"What?" I chuckle.

"You went shopping? By yourself?" He asks in shock.

"Yes and I really had fun." I tell him, also feeling surprised.

Colton and I have grown closer over the past two months. He didn't go with the guys because of Emily and since he has graduated, he had to take over his late father's oil and gas company. He's now a very busy CEO but he still hangs out with us which is great.

He keeps staring at me in surprise till he finally pulls out his phone from his pocket and calls Nicole through FaceTime.

"You won't believe who just went shopping by herself." He says with shock in his tone.

"Who?" Nicole smiles.

He tilts the phone and shows her my face.

She gasps dramatically and I laugh. "Who are you and what have you done to my best friend?" She says.

I roll my eyes. "Guys! I'm just trying out things. Living, like the therapist advised."

"Got that but you should have invited me along." Nicole pouts.

"Next time." I assure her.

"There's going to be a next time!" She practically yells.

"Can you guys keep it down or go somewhere else?" Adam's voice rudely interrupts.

'Is that Adam?' Nicole mouths.

I nod my head. "Bye." I hang up and give Colton back his phone.

"Should we go outside?" I ask him.

"Sure."

We leave Adam's office and go to the outdoor sitting room. Honestly, this is like the coolest house ever. There's basically everything. A spa, a music room, a waterfall, the coolest pool ever, a gulf course and lots of other things.

"Nice view." Colton comments as he stares at the green fields.

"Yeah, it's pretty great." I reply and take a seat.

He also sits, draping his arm over the couch. "So therapy, huh?"

I shake my head. "Tell me about it."

"But it's doing you good." He smiles.

"Yeah, I guess."

"So is Adam giving you a hard time? We haven't spoken since he came back."

"No, he's been nice actually though sometimes he acts like a jerk." I pout.

Colton laughs out loud. "He's a great guy, Amelia. One of the best people I know."

"You know everyone keeps saying that but he hates me. He's never going to show me that side of him."

"You sound so sure." Colton chuckles and I shrug. Even if he doesn't hate me, I'm hundred percent sure that he doesn't like me and to be honest, I don't need nor want him too.

"I am. We had a pretty rough first encounter and I believe 'first impressions matter'."

"Yeah but-"

"So how's everything with Em?" I interrupt not wanting to prolong the conversation.

He rolls his eyes but answers my question anyways. "We're having a fight."

"Why?" I frown. That's so unlike them.

He shakes his head. "I'm not sure you're the right person to discuss this with."

"Why not?"

He sighs and looks me in the eyes. "It's about Liam. She gets so pissed when I talk to him."

I let out a laugh. "Are you serious?"

None of my girl friends talk to Liam anymore. They're all mad at him and I kind of feel bad about that. I don't want to be in the middle of their friendship with him but it's their choice.

"I don't fucking know how what to do!" Colton exclaims frustratedly.

"I'll talk to her." I offer. This isn't fair on Colton. He's been best friends with Liam since they were little boys. He can't just stop talking to him.

"Don't do anything that'll make you uncomfortable, Milly."

"It won't, trust me."

"Okay." He smiles gracefully and leans his head against the couch. "Do you ever wonder what our lives would be like if Lucas hadn't paired you with Liam?" He asks.

"Not really." I admit.

"We wouldn't be here."

The first day of my third year in Hardwood changed my life. It was the day that Lucas Henley announced that we would be paired with the fourth year students, the day he paired Liam and I but if I can remember correctly, the day before that, I met Adam Black.

My pupils dilate in realisation. Why?

Why had I met Adam the day before I was partnered with Liam? My first encounter with Adam wasn't planned. I bumped into him but Liam was a plan, Jamie's plan.

Actually both brothers were planned to be in my life. It wasn't destiny or fate. It was a fucking plan. My life is a plan!

Even if Liam and I hadn't dated, I would still end up here, Married to Adam.

My heart beats races in fear. Will I ever have the chance to choose something for myself? Everything had been composed right from the beginning. Does my choice even matter?

I close my eyes at the thought of something happening between Adam and I in the future. I'm madly attracted to him but in my heart, I know I love Liam.

As much as I try to ignore it, I know there's a possibility of something growing between us but I know can't fall for him. I won't.

I see it in his eyes, Adam Black does not have the time for a silly emotion like love. He's been there and was hurt badly. He is cold and straightforward, he'll never want me.

All I can do is, pray hard to God to prevent me from falling for him. I genuinely hope that it doesn't happen.

Fuck! What has my life turned into?

If this is something twisted love story then I fucking want out. If there's ever a chance of me falling in love again then I want it to happen by chance not because someone planned it.

The last year has been the most interesting and fucked up year in my life. I wish it hadn't happened but then again......

"I'm happy that it did."

"What?" Colton looks at me confused.

"I'm glad that Henley paired Liam and I even though it wasn't for a good cause. The kidnapping, the breakup. Everything was fucked up but at least one good thing came out of it." I say with a smile.

"Yeah." He smiles back in understanding. "I'm glad that I got to be friends with you and the girls and I got to be with Emily."

"You two are so cute. When are you going to propose?" I wink.

"Not yet." He shakes his head with a smile. "But I want to ask her to move in with me."

"Oh my God! You totally should!" I squeal excitedly then check my phone. The first message I see from Hannah.

I told Bobby the truth about your marriage. He's on his way to your house.

****

Bobby arrived shortly after the text I got from Hannah. I don't know why she thought that she could go around telling everyone. She obviously knows the truth because her parents are members of the council.

"You lied to me."

"Why did you ask Hannah?"

Bobby rolls his eyes. "You're not a good liar and you looked like shit when I saw you at the party."

"Thanks." I roll my eyes.

We're sitting at the pool area in Adam's house. Colton left after having dinner with us. I hope he and Emily sort things out.

"I just can't believe that you couldn't trust me enough to share. I thought we are friends."

"We haven't hung out in a while, Bobby. What happened..." I sigh, "It's not something that I like to talk about."

"Yeah, I'm sorry." He says. "I just want you to know that you're here if you need me or someone to talk to."

"Thank you, I really appreciate that."

"You know it wasn't hard to believe that your relationship with Liam wasn't real."

"Why?" I frown.

"Unlike Colton and Emily, you two were always with your group. No one has ever seen the two of you spending time alone. It was weird." He scrunches his face.

****

😭