Chapter 6
Because he ran into Amelia, Eric totally lost interest in the business talk and left not long after.
Jason had just returned to the hall when he saw George walking down the stairs. Glancing around, Jason asked, "Where's Sunset Stardust? Didn't she come down with you?"
"She left a while ago. Didn't you see her downstairs?"
Jason looked over at the front desk. The receptionist whispered, "Just came out of the elevator—really pretty. The one who nodded at you."
Jason froze. So Amelia is Sunset Stardust? This was unreal!
Eric, who basically treated his wife like decoration, and whose wife was always flaunting jewelry and bags on social media, turned out to be a top-tier voice actress?
So wait—Eric actually paid someone to take his wife's job... and handed it to Chloe?
Now this plot twist... spicy.
Seeing Jason's expression, George frowned and said, "That squint means you're scheming again. Who's your next target?"
Jason smirked. "Can't tell you."
'Useless jerk Eric! Who even wants the trash you gave me? Keep your money and go treat yourself or whatever! I seriously do not need it!'
The more Amelia thought about what that loser said, the angrier she got. She was scrolling on her phone when an ad for a fertility clinic popped up on her app. She paused, then tapped on the appointment link.
Just as she finished filling out the info, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen, her brows twitching. Reluctantly, she answered, "Hey, Dad."
"Where are you right now?"
She had no idea what Victor Carter was up to, so she lied, "At a personal training session. Something up?"
"Nothing major. When you're done, swing by with Eric. A friend dropped off some white truffles. His mother like that stuff, right? You two can come pick it up."
Wow. Twenty-six years of her life, and Victor couldn't even name her favorite anything. But he could easily say what her mother-in-law liked? The irony was something else.
"Sure."
Victor seemed satisfied with her answer. After a few half-hearted questions, he hung up.
Amelia picked up her Cayenne from the dealership—her wedding dowry. A little over eighty thousand. They'd given it a makeover after an accident, and you couldn't really tell it had been wrecked. But every time she thought about it, it still stung.
Probably the only thing she'd get once the divorce went through. She couldn't help but regret not driving Eric's Bugatti that day. Even if she didn't hit him in the heart, she could've hit him where it hurt most—his wallet.
To keep her story straight, Amelia even texted her trainer to add a last-minute session.
She dragged it out till almost six p. m. before heading over to the Carters'.
At the gate, she took a minute to compose herself, then rang the doorbell. It was Victoria Carter, her father's adopted daughter, who opened the door, a wide grin on her face. "Sis, what took you so long?" she chirped happily, peeking behind her. "Where's Eric?"
"He had a last-minute meeting. Couldn't make it," Amelia replied.
Victoria's smile faded fast, clear disappointment flashing across her face. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Amelia glanced at her from head to toe, noting the full-on makeup. "All dressed up tonight. Got a date or something?"
Victoria froze, avoiding eye contact. "Nah, just practicing my skills," she mumbled.
But Amelia had already walked inside without another word. Gritting her teeth, Victoria followed.
Victor had arranged for a lavish spread assuming Eric would join them. When only Amelia showed up, his expression instantly soured.
He shot her a long look, trying to read her like he always did.
Amelia kept her face unreadable. Even someone like Victor, who'd seen it all, couldn't figure her out right away. After a moment, he simply said, "Let's eat."
Amelia silently exhaled in relief. Until the divorce papers were finalized, she couldn't let Victor catch wind—or there'd be trouble.
Despite how big the Carter family dining room was, only three of them sat down to eat.
Amelia had always been distant from Victor, especially since her mother, Grace Carter, ended up in a coma after a car crash. Their relationship only slightly thawed after she married Eric, and even then, it was all surface level.
With Eric not around, the gap between her and Victor felt even wider—like they were strangers linked by blood. Oddly enough, Victoria, the adopted one, seemed more like his biological daughter.
While Amelia sat mostly quiet, Victoria kept things lively, cracking harmless jokes to lighten the mood, which Victor seemed to enjoy even when they were painfully unfunny.
Watching their easy back-and-forth made Amelia lose her appetite.
"Dad, you know I just started a new job. I've been meeting some big-deal clients," Victoria said after a few more jokes. "I was thinking... maybe it's time for a better car?"
"What do you have in mind?" Victor asked.
"It doesn't have to be brand-new—a used one's fine, just something a little more upscale." Her eyes slid over to Amelia, who kept focused on the food in her bowl, saying nothing.
Victoria had no choice but to speak up. "Sis, think I could drive your Cayenne for a bit?"
No response.
Victoria pushed on. "Come on, you barely drive it anyway. And with all the cars Eric has, it's not like you're short. Can't you let me borrow it for a while? You're not really that stingy, right?"
Amelia finally looked up. "Actually, that means you don't know me very well. I'm not great at sharing," she said evenly. "A car's kind of like a husband—you don't just hand it over."
Victoria choked on that, her face going pink, then pale.
Victor frowned. "Why would you say something like that? We're family. What's the harm in letting her use it a bit?"
