Chapter 2

"Amelia, it's so good to have you back."

Bianca's eyes welled up with tears as she said, "Grandma was heartbroken when she found out you were out there on your own. Now that you're back, it's time to give you what rightfully belongs to you—your home and your family."

"Of course," Amelia responded without hesitation, not a hint of modesty in her voice.

Bianca was taken aback for a moment. Why wasn't Amelia playing along?

Amelia smiled slyly and said, "Your identity, everything you have, should have been mine."

"You..." Bianca's face flushed with embarrassment, unable to maintain her composure. She twisted her hands and looked pitifully at Mabel.

Bianca said, "Grandma, it seems Amelia doesn't like me. I'll move out right away so I don't disrupt the Martinez family's harmony."

Amelia had no patience for this sentimental act, and she said, "If you're leaving, then just go. Why all the drama?"

Bianca looked embarrassed but quickly continued to cry again. "Thank you, Grandma, for being so good to me all these years."

Mabel, who had always doted on Bianca, softened at the sight of her tear-streaked face. She held Bianca's hand and chided, "What are you saying?"

Then Mabel turned to Amelia, speaking earnestly, "Bianca has been like family to us for a long time. The Martinez family can't just throw her out. From now on, you're the Martinez family's young lady, and you should treat her like a sister."

Amelia's face showed a hint of sarcasm, but before she could speak, the butler's voice interrupted, "Mrs. Helen Brown and Mr. William Brown are here!"

Everyone immediately looked toward the entrance.

An elegant elderly lady walked in first, radiating grace. Beside her, a man in a wheelchair followed, but from Amelia's angle, she could only see his veined hand resting on the armrest.

The guests looked at them with a mix of respect and pity.

Elders of the Martinez family went forward to greet them, and Amelia was about to follow when Bianca grabbed her.

Bianca's smile twisted, her eyes filled with malice. She whispered, "Do you really think you can take everything from me? Do you really think the Martinez family brought you back to enjoy a good life?"

"The Martinez and the Brown families have had an engagement arranged for a long time. But I don't want to marry that cripple. The Martinez family values their promises, so what could they do? They had to find you, the unlucky one."

Bianca added, "You should thank me. Otherwise, you'd never reach this level. Even a crippled Mr. Brown is better than most men."

With that, she shoved Amelia forward, hoping to see her fall and make a fool of herself in front of the elite guests.

Amelia, still processing Bianca's words, lost her balance and stumbled forward. Just as she was about to crash into the wheelchair, a strong hand steadied her by the waist and helped her up.

"Thank..." Amelia began to thank her savior, but the words caught in her throat.

Those eyes, which had been so intense and dangerous last night, were now calm and gentlemanly.

"Who is so reckless?" Helen asked, worried that William might have been hurt.

Ava quickly pulled Amelia aside to apologize, "Amelia just got back and doesn't know the proper etiquette yet. Please don't mind her."

Bianca seized the opportunity to play the victim, her eyes malicious. "It's my fault for upsetting Amelia. She must have been so angry that she wanted to leave."

Amelia smirked at the mother-daughter duo's performance. They were trying to paint her as rude and temperamental.

Originally, she had planned to make a brief appearance and then find an excuse to leave the Martinez Villa. But now, she had changed her mind.

She looked at Helen and smiled warmly. "Mrs. Brown, I'm sorry. Bianca was in such a hurry for me to meet you that she pushed me. I just lost my balance."

Amelia wasn't one to be easily bullied.

Helen's expression changed, and she snapped, "She wasn't in a hurry for you to meet me. She was in a hurry to get rid of William, wasn't she?"

Helen added, "She used to call me 'Grandma' and promised to take care of me. But as soon as William had his accident, she refused to marry him!"

Mabel quickly defended Bianca. "The engagement was originally for the eldest children of both families. It's not Bianca's fault. Blame it on the initial arrangement!"

Helen, unable to argue, turned her scrutinizing gaze to Amelia. As if to spite Bianca, she said, "You know, Amelia looks like she belongs in your family. She's beautiful and pleasant to look at."

Helen then glanced disdainfully at Bianca and said, "Unlike some people who are ungrateful. You should check her biological parents. Bad roots don't produce good fruit. Don't let her cause chaos in your family."

The blatant insult made Bianca's face pale with anger and shame. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Mrs. Brown, please don't be angry. You've misunderstood me."

Ava couldn't stand to see Bianca suffer and stepped forward to defend her. "Please don't make things difficult for her. Wouldn't it be better for the Martinez family's own blood to marry into the Brown family?"

The two women flanked Bianca protectively, while the true heiress, Amelia, stood on the sidelines like an outsider.

They talked about marriage without ever considering Amelia's feelings.

Amelia lowered her eyes, hiding the coldness and disappointment within.

She had hoped for family affection, but it seemed that was all it could ever be—a hope.

Bianca glanced at Amelia, her face smug before she feigned regret. "Amelia seems to dislike me. If you really don't want to marry Mr. Brown, I can take your place."

"Don't be silly. The rule is for the eldest daughter to marry. You're not the eldest, so why you wrong youself?" Mabel quickly interjected, worried about Bianca's reputation.

With someone backing her up, Bianca became even more insistent. "But I don't want Amelia to suffer. I just want to get along with her."

Mabel turned to scold Amelia, "Amelia, as the elder sister, you should take responsibility. Why are you always going against with Bianca?"

Amelia laughed coldly and deliberately asked, "Bianca, why do you think marrying Mr. Brown is a burden and a suffering? Do you look down on Mr. Brown?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense, and everyone grew anxious.

Even with William's condition, the Brown family was still the most powerful in Silverlight City. Bianca's disdain for William was an insult to the entire Brown family.

In the suffocating silence, a clear, gentle voice spoke up, "I'd like to speak with Ms. Martinez alone, if that's alright."

The speaker was none other but William, sitting in his wheelchair.