CHAPTER 4.

Betrayal is inevitable—it always happens, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. Let's go back to Amelia.

Amelia's father was the love of her life, and he had died. That day, she, her brother Ethan, and her cousin Aiden went to their grandparents' house. But their grandma wasn't around—she had gone to meet Amelia's mom, who was crying profusely.

Amelia was playing with Ethan and Aiden when their grandma returned, sitting down and crying. When they came out to the parlor, her grandma told them she had very bad news: Amelia's dad had died that day. At first, she couldn't quite understand that her father was truly gone. But when she saw Ethan and Aiden crying, she joined in too.

Her mom, her brother, and Amelia were shattered. She remembered vividly that all of them went to the village for her father's burial. Greg, Harper's husband, drove them. They arrived in the evening, and other family members came too. But when they got there, they were treated terribly. They were put in a shabby place, and—to make matters worse—they insisted that Ethan bury their father alone.

Then they called out to her mom. A crowd gathered, and people started insulting her. Some said they should shave her head, others said they should burn them all alive, and some even suggested rituals—all because they blamed her mom for her dad's death. Eventually, they decided to perform a ritual. As tears rolled down Amelia's cheeks, she ran to her mom, hugged her tightly, and tried to be strong for her. They all cried together. Thankfully, some people pleaded on their behalf. The ritual was done, Amelia's mom was declared clean, and they were allowed to leave.

When they got home, they began a new chapter of their lives by moving to their grandpa's house. Amelia's dad had been her first love, and his loss broke her heart. She missed him deeply. She never got the chance to truly know the wonderful man he became, but he remained in their hearts.

That's why Amelia became afraid to express her feelings face-to-face—she feared losing people. She never knew if someone would like her back. The more people she let into her life, the more chances someone to walk right out—just like her dad had, although not by choice.

Amelia and Ethan started school at St. Andrews Catholic, where they met Mason Ifeanyi. He had three siblings: the eldest, Emilly Ifeanyi; then Michael; and finally Chloe—two brothers and two sisters in all. Mason became friends with Ethan, while Amelia bonded with Chloe.

At first, Mason and Amelia weren't close, but she and Chloe quickly became best friends. They did everything together. Eventually, Amelia and Ethan transferred to Abide Montessori School. Though they no longer attended the same school, they still saw Chloe often since their grandparents' house was nearby.

One morning, Scarlett woke Amelia up for school. Still sleepy, Amelia got ready—prepared her uniform, bathed, ate, and got dressed. She and Ethan headed off to school, met new friends, studied, played, and did homework. It was fun—but Amelia missed Chloe.

One day, she went to school feeling excited, but her mood was ruined during break time by a girl named Violet. Amelia couldn't even recall what Violet had said, but it made her very upset. She vented to Debbie, her classmate and friend, who listened—but later betrayed her. Debbie turned out to be friends with Violet. Eventually, they apologized, Amelia forgave her, and they became friends again. Debbie and David were twins, and Amelia had a brief crush on David—but it faded over time. They all finished their Primary 6 exams successfully.

Now, let's look at Levi Chukwudalu's journey. He was Amelia's uncle, the second child of her grandparents. Levi and Scarlett attended the same primary school. He later completed secondary and tertiary education on his own. A very intelligent and hardworking man, he worked as an Education Officer. Eventually, he fell in love with Delilah Ozioma, a student of Amanda's fashion design school. They got married, and Delilah became part of Amelia's family.

On the other hand, two years later, Amanda began preparing for her wedding to Elijah. The family made all the necessary arrangements. On the wedding day, Amelia, just seven years old, was excited—but a little heartbroken that she wasn't picked as a little bridesmaid. Still, she was overjoyed for Amanda. The wedding was blissful, and Amanda got married. However, the marriage didn't last long due to issues with her mother-in-law.