Chapter Twenty Five: Pervert Nature

"You're ruining this moment."Maxwell said to Jonah with an angry tone.

Jonah retaliated, stating, "I am concerned about Amelia's safety. I have no trust in you."

Maxwell stood up suddenly, stating, "That is enough! Go away immediately."

However, Jonah kept on sitting down, his gaze fixed on Maxwell's. "We will only settle this once."

Amelia's heart was racing as the tension between the two men quickly increased. She had wished to steer clear of a conflict, but now, it appeared unavoidable. She touched Jonah's arm in an attempt to soothe him. "Jonah, I beg you not to escalate the situation."

Jonah stated firmly, "I won't leave you alone with him. Not when I am aware of his perverted nature."

Maxwell's anger sparked in his eyes as he retrieved his phone from his pocket. With a sneer, he lifted the screen showing the implicating video, “Just to jog your memory of where you belong.”

Amelia was left breathless, watching the video as it served as a clear indication of Maxwell's control over her. However, Jonah stayed calm, keeping his eyes fixed on Maxwell's without any sign of hesitation.

Jonah said in a steady voice, "That doesn't scare anyone. "Remove the video. Now.” Jonah said to Maxwell ignorantly.

Maxwell chuckled, a rough, acerbic noise. "What's the alternative? Will you cause a commotion? Go on, I am confident that the police would be ecstatic to witness this.”

Jonah's jaw tightened, yet he stood his ground. “Maxwell, you are timid and insecure. Concealing oneself with threats and extortion. That's enough for this evening."

Amelia's thoughts raced as she tried to come up with a solution to calm the situation. She had to prevent the situation from worsening; the results could be catastrophic. "Both of you, please stop," she begged, her voice starting to crack. "We can discuss this rationally.”

However, both men were not paying attention. Amelia was worried about the possible consequences of Maxwell's arrogance and Jonah's unwavering resolve colliding.

Looking around the restaurant, she observed the inquisitive glances of the other diners. This was spinning out of hand.
Right as the tension peaked, a nervous waiter came over.

"Are things okay here?" he inquired, glancing between Maxwell, Jonah, and Amelia.

Maxwell said, his teeth clenched, "We're alright. It is just a small miscommunication."

The waiter paused, then agreed and left, but kept looking back at their table. Amelia was aware that they had to depart before the situation deteriorated further. Standing up, she spoke with a strong voice. “Jonah, I need to have a talk with you. Follow me.”

Jonah gazed at her, his face showing mixed emotions. "Amelia..."

Once more, she pleaded, her eyes begging. “Please, just come with me.”

Reluctantly, Jonah nodded and rose, taking her hand as he led her towards the exit. Maxwell observed their departure, his face showing a blend of anger and exasperation.

Amelia stopped walking on the sidewalk and let go of Jonah's hand. The crisp evening breeze was biting on her skin, reflecting the tightness in her chest. She looked at Jonah, her eyes filled with frustration and anger.

"Jonah, are you out of your mind?" she asked, her voice shaking with both fear and anger. "You can't simply create situations like that abruptly! You've only managed to make things even more difficult!"

Jonah's facial expression changed from worry to bewilderment. “I was trying to keep you safe, Amelia. Maxwell didn't have the authority to—"

"Jonah, no," she interrupted, her voice getting louder. "You were acting careless and childish! Do you believe that you can fix everything by rushing in without a strategy? This is not a movie filled with action scenes. This life belongs to me! You can be okay with ruining yours, but not mine too.”

Jonah's expression became stern. "I couldn't just watch as he manipulated you without doing something. Amelia, I have feelings for you. I simply canno_”

Amelia snapped that whatever it is he feels is not about doing risky grand gestures. "It's all about careful consideration and choosing wisely. Your actions tonight were self-centered. You didn't consider the repercussions for me, for us."

Jonah tried to protest, but Amelia raised her hand to silence him. "No. It is necessary for you to pay attention to what I say. I cannot allow you to make things even more complicated. Maxwell already holds excessive control over me, and tonight you just provided him with additional leverage. Jonah, he had the option to contact the police. He had the potential to destroy it all!"

Jonah felt a heavy burden from the weight of her words on his shoulders. Looking away, his face showed a pained expression. “I'm sorry Amelia. I just wanted to help.”

"Well, you didn't," Amelia said sharply. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "I need you to stay away from me. Don't call me, don't text me, don't try to see me unless I reach out first. Do you understand?"

Jonah's eyes widened in shock. "Amelia, you can't be serious. We can figure this out together."

"No, Jonah. This is something I need to handle on my own," she said firmly. "You've done enough. Please, just respect my wishes." She requested.

Tears welled up in Jonah's eyes, but he nodded slowly, the realization of her words sinking in. "If that's what you want." He said to her with a shaky voice.

"It is," Amelia said, her voice softening just a little. "I need to protect myself, and right now, that means keeping you at a distance."

Jonah swallowed hard, his jaw tightening. "Okay. I'll stay away. But if you ever need me, for anything, I'll be there.”

He felt his heart ache listening to her sound so cold to him. He hated how he ruined everything. Watching her leave and going back to the table with Maxwell broke him into pieces and he hated every bit of it.

“You should have just killed him when you had the chance.” A sinister voice echoed in Jonah's ear in reference to Maxwell.