Chapter 10

Amelia Reed was the sister to Lila's husband, Robert. Both families had long envisioned her marriage with Ethan as a way to strengthen their business alliance. However, Ethan had no interest in it as he didn't love her.

Amelia on the other hand was a 25-year-old who behaved more like a spoilt teenager, oblivious to Ethan's lack of interest in her. She was delusional and pursued him with relentless passion, convinced that he would eventually accept her.

"Did you miss me?" Amelia chirped, her voice bursting with delight as she jumped into Ethan's arms, wrapping herself around him. She giggled as her body wiggled with childish energy.

Ethan's face remained bland, his tone indifferent as he mumbled, "Hey." He hardly looked at her, his face contorting slightly with discomfort.

Amelia turned to Melinda, her high-pitched voice slicing through the air like a sharp bell. "Oh, hello!" she gushed.

Tilting her head, her wide eyes stared at Melinda like a curious child.

"Ethan, you didn't tell me you had a second assistant? She's so cuteee!" Her words dripped with condensation, her baby-face smile hiding the subtle insult.

Melinda's lips pressed tightly together, her face twisting in quiet disgust. She had faced a fair share of condescending jabs but Amelia's brand of belittlement was something else. Seemingly harmless at the surface yet deeply hurtful.

Robert, sensing the rising tension stepped in with a forced smile. "Alright! since we're all here, let's head out to the beach together, shall we?!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Let's go partyyyy!" Amelia squealed, her voice echoing through the lobby as she danced towards the entrance, Robert walking behind. Lila trailed after them but Ethan's voice stopped her immediately.

"Lila," he called, his tone sharp and cold.

"Yes," she snapped as they locked eyes.

"Why is she here? I don't remember extending an invitation to her."

Lila's eyes narrowed, her voice cold, "Last I remembered, it's not your birthday, is it? And I can't recall you being in charge of the invitation process, were you?" The air between them sizzled with hostility as they stared at each other.

Then Lila leaned closer, her voice calm yet fierce, "You don't seem to grasp the severity of this matter. Amelia isn't just some girl, she's crucial to this family's future. She will be your wife and you need to accept that." 

Ethan let out a cynical laugh, his voice filled with disbelief. "Oh so now you choose a wife for me? The audacity you've got. Since when do you dictate who I marry?" he muttered as his jaw tightened, his eyes fixated on Lila.

Lila exhaled in frustration, her tolerance clearly thinning out. 

"I'm not picking a wife for you, Ethan. This isn't about feelings, it's about what's best for the family. You know how much our legacy relies on this alliance. Marrying Amelia isn't a choice, it's a necessity!"she uttered, her tone low yet firm.

She then paused, her gaze intense, then she continued, 

"Why am I even telling you this? You already know this! The marriage is happening. Whatever this little fling is…." she waved her hand dismissively, her tone sharp, "…It better not be anything more than a joke." 

Ethan moved closer to Lila, his expression stern as his gaze locked unto hers with a fierceness that dared her.

"I'm not marrying Amelia. I never wanted to and I never will. Now, I'm going to tell you what I told father. There are other ways to strengthen our ties with the Reeds. You're married to their son for fucks sake. Heck, if that's not enough for them, they can forget it"

Lila's expression remained stiff, her voice cold and rigid as she spoke. "Amelia saved your ass, Ethan. That girl is your biggest fan! I love you Ethan but I'll do anything to protect this family's legacy. You're getting married to her." 

With that, she gave him one last stern look, and stormed out. Melinda stood frozen, her mind racing as her face went pale with shock. Her legs felt so weak she had to sit on a nearby cushion. Her heart sank as she struggled to process what she just heard.

Ethan approached her, squatting down so their eyes were leveled. For a brief moment he stared at her as tears dropped from her eyes.

"I'm not marrying Amelia" he voiced out calmly. 

"So you're promised to someone else and I'm here risking my marriage for you?" Melinda cried out, her tone heavy with pain as her eyes searched his for answers he didn't seem to have.

"I'm not marrying her," Ethan repeated firmly.

"Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into" Melinda blurted out as she buried her face in her hands, her shoulders trembling as she wept.

"C'mon Melinda, don't do this. You've got nothing to worry about, it's you I want. Let's go join the others okay?" Ethan said in a bid to calm her down but Melinda wasn't having it.

As Ethan reached out to dry her tears, she caught his hand, her little fingers tightening around his. Her voice was gentle, barely a whisper but it carried weight that rendered him speechless.

"What did you sister mean," she began, her eyes locked on his, "when she said Amelia saved your ass?"