Chapter 1 Tattoo

Inside the VIP ward of Kretol City Hospital.

Amelia Flynn reclined on the white sheets, her attention fixed on a video playing across her tablet, sarcasm evident in her eyes.

A raging fever had landed her in the hospital, but her fiancé, Jaxton Morrison, was busy spending time with someone else at a luxury hotel.

The video clip captured the grainy shadows of a hotel hallway, yet there was no mistaking the woman next to Jaxton-Amelia's half-sister, Dayna Flynn.

Amelia put away the tablet and turned to look at the person before her, her gaze cool. "What if I say no to getting a tattoo?"

Clayton Dobson, Jaxton's assistant, wasn't surprised by her reaction. If he were in her position, he would also find it hard to accept the situation.

What kind of man spent the night at a hotel with a woman and then asked his fiancée to cover for him?

The Morrison Group was at a critical juncture, and as the heir, Jaxton being caught in such a scandal had already affected the company's stock prices.

For the family's sake, a public statement from Amelia, Jaxton's fiancée, seemed the only way to patch the damage.

Though the video blurred Dayna's face, the tattoo on her waist, Jaxton's initials, stood out as plain as day.

Acting strictly on Jaxton's instructions, Clayton had come to persuade Amelia to get the same tattoo as Dayna's.

By doing this, they could spin the narrative online and bury the brewing scandal.

With a look that mingled sympathy and resignation, Clayton said softly, "Miss Flynn, this is what Mr. Morrison wants. If you don't cooperate, there might be issues with Mrs. Davis' treatment next week..."

He left his sentence dangling, but Amelia understood him perfectly. This was Jaxton's threat.

Jaxton was using her grandmother, Michelle Davis, as leverage to threaten her.

Michelle required special treatment every week, and in all of Kretol, only the renowned doctor, Marc Chapman, could provide it.

Amelia didn't know how Jaxton had convinced Marc to treat her grandmother, but with him using her grandmother to threaten her, she had no choice but to comply.

Several minutes slipped by before Amelia turned to lie on her stomach.

Nearby, the tattoo artist arranged his equipment with quiet efficiency.

Nothing about the anesthesia worked for Amelia due to her special condition.

By the time the tattoo artist finished his work, sweat clung to Amelia's skin, soaking the thin fabric of her hospital gown, while her face looked pale.

"I'm sorry you had to endure that, Miss Flynn."

Clayton's words came as he approached, snapping a quick photo of the fresh tattoo on her waist. Then, he sent the photo to Jaxton.

After receiving Jaxton's reply, Clayton finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He nodded to the tattoo artist, who quickly left the room without a sound.

"Try to get some rest, Miss Flynn. I will come pick you up in the evening," Clayton said to Amelia.

Not bothering to wait for a reply, he left the room.

Only then did Amelia allow herself to open her eyes.

A dull ache pulsed at her lower back as she struggled upright and made her way into the bathroom.

Catching sight of the new tattoo-an exact match to Dayna's-in the mirror, her eyes grew cold, and her chest felt heavy.

Hours slipped past, and by seven that evening, Amelia found herself escorted by Clayton to the Morrison Group's press conference.

When she arrived, she found that Jaxton was already there.

Spotlights caught Jaxton's striking features, his perfect posture, and the tailored suit he wore.

As Amelia's gaze fell on the suit, a shadow of sadness crossed her eyes.

A month of effort had gone into creating that piece for him. Two years ago, she'd stitched and shaped every detail of that suit by hand, pouring her heart into it.

She still remembered Jaxton's joy when he had received it.

Yet, in just two years, the suit remained the same, but Jaxton had changed completely.

"Miss Flynn, what's your response to the recent scandal as Mr. Morrison's fiancée? Do you have something to say about it? You-"

Shock silenced the reporter mid-question, his attention caught by the scene unfolding in front of him.

Without warning, Jaxton drew Amelia close and lifted her shirt just enough to reveal the new tattoo.

Cameras flashed as the tattoo-identical to the one from the scandalous video-came into full view.

Feeling the unwanted touch, Amelia was repulsed. As she looked up, she could even see the hickey on Jaxton's neck.

A shudder of disgust rolled through her body, and she pressed her lips together to keep it from showing.

"Amelia, why don't you tell everyone what happened last night?"

Jaxton sounded gentle, but his gaze was full of ridicule toward her.

Frustration simmered within Amelia, yet thoughts of her grandmother made her hold back.

She forced a polite smile and said, "It's all a big misunderstanding. The woman in the video with Mr. Morrison was me."

One of the reporters said, "Oh, so that's what happened! Looks like your relationship is quite stable. Should we be expecting a wedding soon?"

Hearing that, Jaxton pulled Amelia into an embrace, his eyes shining with fake tenderness for the cameras.

After a while, his phone rang, the name "Dayna" lighting up the screen. When he saw it, he immediately let go of Amelia.

The reporters, fortunately, had already begun to disperse. Otherwise, this would have raised their suspicions.

Even from a distance, Amelia could hear Dayna's soft, aggrieved voice and Jaxton's soothing words.

Refusing Clayton's offer of a ride, Amelia left the event and made her way to her apartment by herself.

Night fell over the city as she sat alone by the window.

After a while, she retrieved her phone and dialed a number.

Three rings echoed before the call connected, but there was only silence on the line afterward.

Had it not been for the faint sound of breathing, Amelia might have thought no one was on the other end of the line at all.

After a while, she drew a shaky breath and finally found her voice. "Does your promise to me still stand?"