Chapter 7

AMELIA'S POV 

My heart shattered in pieces as Ethan’s words cut through me like a blade. 

I just stood frozen, my eyes stinging with tears I fought to hold back. My lips trembled, but I forced a smile, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from spilling. 

“That’s….. actually very wrong of you, Mr. Caldwell,” I said, my voice quivering despite my efforts to stay composed.

Ethan, on the other hand, seemed to notice my pain. The way his words wounded me only widened his cruel smile.

 “Am I? Then please prove me wrong, Mrs Harper. How old was the late Edward Harper when you married him?” I met his gaze, staring into his eyes with tears blurring my vision.

 I wanted to scream at him to stop, to beg him not to hurt me like this.

 For eight years, I’d built walls around my heart, convincing myself I was immune to hurtful words.

But Ethan? One word from him could unravel my soul. Ever since we crossed paths again, he’d held that power over me.

“If I recall correctly, Edward was sixty-five when he died, which means you married him at fifty-seven,” Ethan pressed, his voice sharp and unrelenting.

“ Please, that’s enough,” Lucas, my assistant interjected, his tone firm as he noticed the tears brimming in my eyes.

I offered Lucas a weak smile, then sighed.

 “Please excuse me, I need to touch up my powder,” I said, turning away before anyone could respond.

 As I glanced back, I caught Victoria’s mocking smile, her eyes glinting with triumph.

 My gaze drifted to Ethan, and my breath caught.

 His eyes, which were once so warm and comforting, now held nothing but hatred.

 I sucked in and hurried toward the bathroom.

I walked around for a moment, disoriented, before I realized I didn’t know where the bathroom was. Stopping a waiter, I asked for directions, and he pointed me toward it. I rushed inside, locked the door, and set my purse on the sink. Then I broke down. Sobs wracked my body as Ethan’s words and that icy look in his eyes replayed in my mind. It wasn’t just what he said, it was the betrayal.

 Once, when Victoria hurt me, I could run to Ethan. 

He’d wipe away my tears, turn my pain into laughter. 

But now? The one person who always made me feel safe was the one tearing me apart. 

Who could I run to now? Who could make this better? In that moment, I remembered the little girl with nothing but Ethan by my side, the man who made everything brighter. 

I didn’t understand it then, and I don’t know why it's always when you have nothing, happiness feels so real, but when you have everything, it slips through your fingers like sand? Staring at my reflection in the mirror, my mascara spread down my face, I looked like a ghost of myself.

 I hadn’t cried like this in years. Edward never let me cry, he always tried to make me happy. 

But deep down, I knew he could never give me the happiness I always craved. Edward had made me who I am today, molded me into a better woman, left me his wealth. But if it weren’t for my need for revenge, I wouldn’t have wanted any of it. 

His fortune brought me nothing but fake friends here, just like in Georgia.

 The moment people heard the name Amelia Harper, they circled like vultures, eager to bask in my wealth’s glow.

Even Victoria Caldwell, of all people, could tolerate me now. She’d given me an office in her company, named me her director.

Wow! Money was everything to her, wasn’t it? But I hadn’t forgotten the pain she caused me, the insults, the sorrow. 

My mother, Eleanor Rose, was dead because of her. I’d lost so much, but now I'm back.

 I might not reclaim everything Victoria took from me, but I’d make damn sure she lost everything, too. 

It all came down to one tiny, devastating secret one that could tarnish her reputation and bring down the Caldwell Enterprise and Inc., and Victoria with it.

But first, I needed Ethan back. I needed to win his trust, his love, so when I made my move, he wouldn’t hate me. 

He wouldn’t be disappointed. I had to make him see me again, the way he used to. But how? He hates me now.

 I could see it in his eyes, in the way he looked at me tonight, colder and wicked than ever. 

Why had he attacked me like that, in front of everyone, in front of her? Victoria’s mocking smile flashed in my mind, and my heart broke all over again. 

She must’ve been thrilled to see Ethan turn against me. But no, crying wouldn’t fix this. It never had. 

Edward used to say crying was never a solution, and he was right. 

My solution was clear: I had to find Ethan, explain everything, make him understand why I’d done what I did. 

But the problem is would he even listen? Would he let me explain? There was only one way to find out. I sighed, splashing water on my face. 

Grabbing a paper towel, I dabbed at my skin, then fixed my makeup, mascara, powder, and my signature red lipstick. Then, I stared at my reflection again.

 This was the Amelia Harper I’d built over the years, the one the world knew. Running a hand through my hair, I packed my makeup kit into my purse and turned to the door. 

As I opened it, two women walked in, eyeing me like I was their rival. 

I flashed them a practiced smile and stepped out. “He was rude,” a voice said from the shadows. 

I stopped, glancing to my right.

 “He shouldn’t have made that comment or asked such a ridiculous question. But I’m not surprised. Ethan’s always been like that hitting people where it hurts most. No matter how strong you think you are, he gets to you. You know exactly what I’m talking about, don’t you, Mrs. Harper?”

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice sharp. 

I didn’t like how he spoke about Ethan, even if all he said was true . 

No one badmouthed my man like that, no matter how much he’d hurt me.

“Forgive my ignorance,” he said, stepping into the light. I stifled a gasp.

 He was tall, as tall as Ethan, with platinum blonde hair falling in short fringes over his forehead. 

His dark hazel eyes seemed to pierce through me, and his pink lips looked almost too perfect. 

His chiseled face was striking, and I found myself staring. In all my life, I’d only ever called one man handsome, but this one might just make the list. 

He wore a black tux, like most men here tonight. Noticing my gaze, he smiled. “I’m Julian Pierce,” he said, extending his hand. 

“And don’t worry, unlike Ethan Caldwell, I know how to talk to a woman.”