CHAPTER TWO

Amelia’s POV

Sirens blared in the distance.

"The ambulance is here!" someone yelled.

I stood frozen as paramedics rushed in, taking Isabel from James and securing her onto a stretcher.

"Will she be okay?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

James turned to me slowly, his eyes void of warmth.

I felt sick.

As the ambulance sped away, I stood in the middle of the chaos, a ghost among the living.

And then my parents arrived.

"Amelia?" My mother's voice was soft, but the look in her eyes wasn’t. It was the same wary, searching gaze James had given me.

"Mom, I didn't—" She held up her hand. "We just want to know the truth, dear. Did you and Isabel have a scuffle?"

I shook my head furiously. "No! I would never—"

Dad placed a firm hand on my shoulder, his expression unreadable. "We believe you, Amelia. "But I wasn't sure if he meant it.

That night, James refused to let me accompany him to the hospital.

"You need to stay here and rest," he said flatly before walking out the door.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the scent of him still lingering on the sheets.

How did we get here?

My fingers traced the empty space beside me, recalling the morning when he had made love to me right in this very bed. Had it meant nothing? Was I just a means to an end, a pawn in my mother’s grand empire?

Then I heard it.

The front door slammed shut, heavy footsteps echoing through the house.

James.

I sat up quickly, ready to rush downstairs—to make him listen, to beg him to believe me.

But then, in a voice barely above a whisper, I heard it.

"I want a divorce."

Everything inside me shattered

----

"I want a divorce! I can’t stand this any longer, Mom. James roared, and then I realized his mom was in the living room with him.

"No son, you can’t make such a joke; quit that," she cried, raising both her hands up and taking a few steps away from him.

"She didn't kill the baby! She can't do that to Isabel!" I stood still upstairs watching the both of them talk through the window.

“Of course she can do that to her," James scoffed. "You really never get things right, do you? You caused all these, Mom, you did; you forced me into all this mess. Remember how you used your influence to force me to marry Amelia, huh? And to make it even worse, you still condone her; you support her. “ He paused.

“I knew from day one that she was up to no good, but to you she was the perfect angel. Now see how that angel of yours has hurt Isabel and killed her baby!" His eyes darted around quickly.

"You really are a pain. Good for nothing to the point that you're even barren."

He had always used every opportunity to compare me to Isabel, but this was a whole different level. His words stung me, but I couldn't say anything.

I moved my head back, wondering if he’d already seen me. I couldn’t decide whether to go down to them or stay back up here; my ears were bleeding. Tear after tear trickled down my cheeks. I couldn't help it.

"I've had it up to here with her!" James roared, raising his hands to his neck. "This charade is over!!"

My world was crumbling, and I wasn't given the chance to grab its bricks. His words were like bombshells dropped on my head one after the other.

"Please, James," she whispered to him, her eyes fixed strongly on his. "She didn't do it. Believe me.”

"Well, it really doesn't matter anymore, Mom. I'm calling this false marriage off."

"At that moment I saw something more like a compromising glare in James’s mom's eyes, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Well then, the marriage... would be dissolved, if that would make you happy," she said, locking eyes with him. I’ll fly her abroad, where she can start a new life so you never have to see her face again.

“That’s fine.” After a long silence, I heard him say.

"My lawyer would be here as soon as possible," he said with a tone of finality and shut the door behind him.

I closed the curtains quietly, my legs feeling a bit wobbly. I staggered to the bed. I sat down, and more tears poured down my cheeks. I didn’t realize he hated me this much, I sobbed; he doesn’t even want to see my face anymore.

I heard a knock on the door; I quickly wiped my face and tried to amend my face.

James’s mother walked into the room. "My pumpkin dear, are you crying? I’m so sorry about all of these, my darling, but perhaps you should have been more careful. Isabel had nothing against your marriage for you to kill her child. You didn’t have to hurt her like this.”

I looked up to her, my ears registering strange words. Was she the one, or was I just hallucinating?

"I’ve agreed to the divorce, but do not worry about all these, pumpkin. I'd send you out of the country, where he'd never see you again.

Remember how you used to dream of studying arts abroad? So I’ll arrange for your acting career; that'll do you good. You'll come back to this city much later after you’ve learned your lessons," she said, wiping my eyes gently and letting go of me.

“Thank you so much, Mum," I muttered.

I watched as she headed to the door, moving out and closing it behind her.

I quickly rushed to the door, bolting it and locking it. Unable to control it, I sobbed real hard, my head hurting me badly.

What had I done to deserve this? The passionate nights together, the kisses, and the millions of dollars spent on vacation all meant nothing to him?

Wiping my eyes, a picture on the table beside my bed caught my attention. I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand and headed to the table, picking up the frame.

was in the photo holding hands with my ever-attractive James with our parents around us.

As I gazed at the old photograph, memories came flooding back. My parents and James’s parents were the best of business partners. Together, they built a wealthy empire from scratch.

I remembered the stories my mom used to tell me about how they started with nothing, but through hard work, they became two of the most successful businesswomen in the country.

As I grew older, my parents began to make plans for my future. She arranged for me to marry James, the son of a family friend, in a union that would strengthen our family's business ties. But what I didn't know at the time was that James was secretly in love with someone else. The thought sent a pang of sadness through my heart.

Just as I was lost in thought, a strange rumbling sensation began to stir in my stomach. At first, I thought it was just my emotions getting the better of me, but as the sensation grew stronger, I realized that something was amiss.

I rushed to the toilet, my hand covering my mouth as I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. I threw up, the contents of my stomach spilling out into the toilet bowl. As I stood there, catching my breath, I realized that the stomach upset wasn't just due to my emotions. Something was wrong, something that would change everything.

I stood there, frozen in shock, as the truth began to dawn on me. Could it be? I thought to myself.