Chapter 2

Timothy seemed to look more gleeful when he saw how quiet I was. "I told you that Avery would never abandon me. You may love me, Amelia, but that doesn't mean you can use these dirty tricks to separate Avery and me!"

I smiled bitterly. The years of love and devotion between Timothy and me crumbled into nothing the moment Avery made that statement. I then said, "If you believe that Avery didn't leave you at the altar, then why don't you open up her backpack and see what's inside?"

Avery's expression instantly fell. She hurriedly said, "I'm loyal to Timothy and Timothy only. I don't need to do these pointless things to prove myself!"

I sneered, gazing into Avery's eyes. "In that case, then you wouldn't mind if everyone sees what you have in your bag, would you?"

Timothy glared at me. "Stop trying to separate Avery and me, Amelia. I'm not going to believe in your lies!"

Just then, an onlooker nudged Avery's backpack. It fell to the ground, revealing her clothes and some food she'd packed.

The wedding guests gasped in shock. Avery had clearly packed all her belongings into the backpack.

"She's packed everything from food to clothing. Was she really going to leave her fiance at the altar?"

"Hey, I'd leave the Lane kid, too, if I were her. I heard that he's impotent."

"This Avery lady is quite heartless, huh? Why couldn't she just be upfront about not marrying her fiance? This is so embarrassing for everyone!"

Avery anxiously crouched to hide all the things she'd packed, worried that the guests would see. "Don't you all know it's illegal to look through other people's personal belongings?"

Timothy's expression changed when he saw the scattered items on the floor and heard the gossip from the guests.

"Explain yourself, Avery!" he said, his voice shaking.

Avery grew pale as she stammered out, "I h-have no idea how a-any one of these things got here. You have to believe me, T-Timothy. I do love you! Amelia must've purposely packed these things into my backpack! She's jealous that you love me and is trying to plot against me!

"Think about it, Timothy. How could I have packed all these things just to hike up a mountain and gather some berries? That bitch Amelia must have snuck them in here!"

I knew that Avery would say that, so I went into our house and took out a note that Avery had left. She had written down her feelings about not wanting to marry an impotent man, and so she chose to abandon him.

I thought that Timothy would believe me this time. But he ended up tearing the note up before even reading it. "That's enough, Amelia. I know you are deeply in love with me, but I cannot let myself fall into your trap in both my lives!"

Avery held Dad's and Mom's hands and whispered something to them, which caused them to smile brighter.

I was about to say something when Dad slapped me across the cheek. "First, you throw tantrums at home over wanting to marry Timothy, then you set Avery up? You're going to stay in the basement to repent for your mistakes!"

Mom came over and pinched my ear. "You've ruined our family's reputation, you little brat!"

Avery held onto Dad's hand and cooed, "Not only do we need to lock Amelia up in the basement, we also have to starve her. We have to show her that stealing someone else's fiance is a terrible thing to do!"

I knew that there was nothing I could say to save myself now that they'd come to this conclusion.

Timothy then dragged me into the basement. I quickly bit him hard on the hand.

He hissed painfully and let go. He then glared at me and barked, "Have you gone rabid?"

I ignored him and ran over to Avery.

"If you lock me in the basement, I'll reveal your secret to everyone!" I whispered in her ear.