Chapter 6

The next morning, after breakfast, Amelia went to find Sierra. Although Sierra lived in the small house at the back of the villa, the place was hardly small at all. Its furnishings were elegant, and Amelia's room was right next to hers. While they talked, Amelia noticed Sierra coughing nonstop. Concerned about her health, Amelia asked, "Grandma, are you feeling unwell?" After taking her medicine, Sierra smiled wearily. "Old age always comes with its share of ailments. I probably don't have much time left. I don't even know if I'll live long enough to see you get married." At this point, she brought up Amelia's engagement to Tobias. "Your mother left this world far too early, but she had already made arrangements for you. The Brooks family is one of the most prominent in Haurtland. If you could marry into that family, you'll enjoy a life of wealth and privilege." Then, she sighed. "I'm not sure if the Brookses will be willing to honor this engagement, though." Amelia immediately thought of Tobias and clenched her jaw. In her previous life, she'd been utterly blind, fooled by Tobias' polished veneer. She'd cured his legs and used her medical skills to expand his network, completely unaware that she was being used as a stepping stone for his ambitions. "Fret not, child." Noticing her frown, Sierra thought she was worried the Brooks family might not acknowledge the engagement. So, she gently reassured her. "Even if it costs me my life, I will see this marriage through for you!" Amelia had no intention of marrying into the Brooks family, but Sierra's words still made her nose tingle. She'd always been the kind of person who, when shown even the slightest hint of kindness, would give her all in return. Since Sierra had chosen to protect her, she was now the closest family Amelia had. Amelia couldn't bear the thought of losing her. If her memory served right, Sierra had passed away only two months after Amelia returned to Shelwick in her previous life. At the time, she had a nagging suspicion that something was off, yet blinded by her trust in Diana, she never suspected the latter. Now, however, her instincts screamed that Sierra's untimely death had everything to do with Diana. With that thought in mind, Amelia abruptly clapped her hands and said cheekily, "Let's not talk about that right now, Grandma! When I was in the countryside, I studied medicine under a very skilled traditional medicine practitioner. Why don't you let me check your pulse?" After hearing that, Sierra exchanged a knowing smile with her personal housekeeper, Yvonne Simpson. "Sure. Let's see how many years I have left." Believing Amelia was only acting on a whim, they humored her and let her take Sierra's pulse. Amelia took a deep breath, placed her fingers on Sierra's wrist, and closed her eyes to feel her pulse. A moment later, her eyes flew open, and her heart lurched. Sierra wasn't ill at all; she'd been poisoned. In Amelia's previous life, Sierra had passed away only two months after she returned to Shelwick. Back then, she'd sensed that something was wrong, but because she trusted Diana too much, she'd never considered the possibility that Sierra had been poisoned. Her father, Zachary Stevans, was selfish and self-serving, yet he'd always cared deeply about Sierra. He would never have done such a thing, which meant Diana was the prime suspect. "What's wrong?" Noticing the look on Amelia's face, Sierra coughed violently before asking, "What did you notice?" Amelia hurriedly plastered a smile on her face and scratched her head. "I don't really know what I'm doing, so I can't really tell. But your pulse feels so strong that I'd wager you'll live another 50 years, Grandma!" At the moment, Sierra only pitied Amelia at best. If Amelia recklessly claimed she'd been poisoned, it would only do more harm than good. Besides, the Stevans had a family physician, and it was obvious that Gideon was deliberately hiding the truth. If Amelia tore away that veil now, there was no guarantee Sierra would believe her, whereas Diana would certainly silence her. If she wanted to save Sierra, she would have to bide her time and map out a proper plan. Sierra was amused. "I can live another 50 years? Wouldn't that make me an old witch?" Though she jested, she was clearly pleased. Even if the elderly spoke lightly of death, deep down, they feared its arrival. Amelia sat beside her with a goofy smile, looking like an innocent, harmless little rabbit. … Before long, the sun had dipped low. Zachary was away on a business trip for a few days, so Amelia didn't see him at dinner. Sierra was the last to arrive at the table, holding an invitation in her hand. Diana's eyes narrowed slightly when she noticed the Brooks family's distinctive seal stamped in silver on the card. However, she schooled her expression and asked with feigned curiosity, "What's this, Sierra?" Sierra set the invitation on the table and solemnly explained, "It's from the Brooks family. Mrs. Brooks Senior will be celebrating her 80th birthday tomorrow. I'll be taking Mia with me. You two may join us." As soon as her words fell, Diana's eyes flickered. She couldn't believe Sierra was actually planning to take that disgrace of a woman to the 80th birthday party of Tiana Moore, the matriarch of the Brooks family. Was she planning to use the banquet to finalize Amelia's marriage? As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Diana clenched her fists tightly. Her greatest fear had come to pass. This marriage must never fall into Amelia's hands. Amelia observed Diana's reaction and had an inkling of what was going through her mind. Pretending not to notice, she kept her head down and ate quietly, despite her racing thoughts. In her previous life, she'd clearly failed to leave a good first impression on Sierra. When she learned about the engagement, she'd even thought Winter was more suited to marry into the Brooks family. Consequently, she never had the chance to attend Tiana's birthday banquet. But now, she'd returned to settle old scores. Being able to get close to the Brookses this soon was nothing short of ideal.