Chapter 6

If this were before, such gossip would have left Amelia utterly mortified, her heart aching unbearably. But now, as she listened to these words, her heart remained calm and still, as if they were discussing someone entirely unrelated to her. Feeling only exhaustion, she turned to Matthew quietly and said, "I'm going to the restroom." She stood up and left the noisy hall. She had just reached the corner of the hallway when Sierra caught up with her. "Ms. Caldwell!" Sierra stood in her path, wearing a feigned look of sincerity. "Can we talk? Matt and I are truly in love with each other. I know it's not right, but I can't control my feelings… Please, let us be together, won't you?" Amelia pressed a hand to her temple, exhausted. "It has nothing to do with me whether you're truly in love or not. I don't have time to watch your performance." She tried to walk past her, but Sierra seemed greatly provoked. With a thud, she fell to her knees, grabbing the hem of Amelia's dress. Tears spilled down her face, making her look especially sympathetic and pitiful, and her voice was loud enough to attract the attention of everyone around. "Ms. Caldwell, it's all my fault! I was the one who fell for Matt first! Every mistake is mine! You can hit me and yell at me, but please, don't drive me away from him! I really can't live without him!" Amelia was stunned by the sudden display. Before she could react, a powerful force slammed into her from the side, shoving her away hard. With a loud bang, her temple crashed into the cold wall. A sharp pain shot through her, and warm blood began to trickle down. She pressed her hand to her forehead as her vision darkened. Matthew's furious roar rang in her ears. "Amelia Caldwell! What did you do to Sisi again?" Amelia looked up and saw Matthew carefully helping Sierra from the floor, his face full of heartache, as if Sierra were some fragile treasure. But the look he gave Amelia was one filled with disgust and anger, as if she were a filthy piece of trash. "I've only just stepped away for a moment, and you couldn't resist bullying her? How can you be so cruel, Amelia?" Matthew's voice was as cold as ice, every word laced with sharp sarcasm and accusation. "I'm warning you. If I see you bullying Sisi again, I won't forgive you!" Without even glancing at the blood on her temple, he wrapped his arm around the still "sobbing" Sierra and walked away without a backward glance. Gritting her teeth against the searing pain in her forehead, Amelia watched the two embracing figures leave, unable to say a single word. As her eyes flicked up, she happened to meet Sierra's smug and provocative gaze. She suddenly found it all utterly absurd. A small, bitter smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, but it only pulled at her wound, leaving her with nothing but a heart full of desolation. Sierra really didn't need to do any of this because Amelia truly was going to leave soon. By then, whoever Matthew wanted to be with would have nothing to do with her anymore. … A few days later, the fifth anniversary of her marriage to Matthew arrived. Because every past anniversary had been ignored like any other ordinary day, Amelia assumed this year would be no different. She prepared to go out as usual, only to find Matthew unusually well-dressed, wearing a perfectly tailored suit, hair meticulously styled, standing tall and elegant at the door, as if waiting for someone. In that moment, Amelia's heart skipped a beat, and a ridiculous thought crept into her mind. She wondered if he could be… waiting for her. But the thought lasted only a second before reality cruelly shattered it. Sierra, dressed to the nines and looking like a princess, bounded down the stairs joyfully. She affectionately linked arms with Matthew and said, "Matt, I'm ready. Let's go!" The cold lines of Matthew's profile softened the instant he saw Sierra, and he hummed softly in response.