CHAPTER THREE
1335 Words
Amelia's POV
"Amelia!" I heard Aaron shout behind me.
I paid him no heed as I walked over to my car as fast as I could. My vision was swirling, and my legs felt like jelly. I wanted to just lie down and sleep.
"Amelia, please wait!" He shouted, racing up to me.
"I have to go back home!" I said in reply. "My mother is waiting for me!"
He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. I turned, staring at him. "You can't drive, please. You don't have to go."
And what? Stay here? Have his girlfriend humiliate me? No. I'm not going to do that. I have to leave this place right now that my dignity is still intact.
Oh, my goodness. What exactly was I even thinking? I didn't stop to think that maybe he could have a girlfriend or be married. Has being away from society dulled my brain or what?
"Sir! There's a woman at the gate!" The butler rushed up to Aaron from inside the house. His voice was frantic as he relayed his information.
"That's my freaking ride." I said, my voice was starting to slur. It was getting harder to stay on my feet.
"Let her in," Aaron said.
I turned to the gate. And surely, as it opened, Cara walked into the courtyard. I smiled upon seeing her. She looked even better now—tall and well-built. Her hair was cut into a neat bob. She was dressed in a smart gray suit.
"Boss!" She called out, waving at me. I waved back.
"As you can see," I turned to Aaron. "I have a ride. So no thanks, I'm done with you now."
He sighed. "You're drunk, Amelia."
"I can take care of her." Cara announced. She walked up to me and bowed, winking at me so Aaron didn't see. It made me giggle for some strange reason.
"Have a wonderful night, Aaron." I said with a lazy wave to him. Cara walked over to my car and held the door open.
"Call me when you get home," Aaron said.
I nodded, but I wasn't sure I had heard him. I got into the front seat, and Cara got in not long after.
"Thanks for coming," I said to her, resting my head on the window.
"It's nothing. Where do you want to go now?"
I yawned, covering my mouth. "Hotel. Any five stars close by?"
Cara started the engines. "Quite a few."
"Take me to any one of them."
"Yes boss." She said and drove out of the courtyard. Goodbye, Aaron, may we never meet again.
Boss. I liked the sound of that. Prior to this moment, Cara and I hadn't talked about our relationship. Having her call me boss felt very satisfying.
My phone rang. I groaned, fishing it out of my handbag. "Who the heck is it again?!" I asked no one in particular as I took the phone out.
My heart did a flip when I saw who it was.
Grandma.
I picked up the call, bringing it up to my ears. "Where are you, child?" She asked, her voice panicking.
"On my way to a hotel." I replied calmly. "Is anything the problem?"
"Come back home immediately! It's a matter of urgency and topmost privacy!" She commanded and hung up.
Damn it. For grandma to call me, sounding frantic, something must have gone wrong. She was always so calm, nothing ever moved her.
"Change of plans, Cara." I said to her. "We're going to the Jenkins estate."
****
The Jenkins estate. Acres of land are featured in every architectural magazine and TV show. The Jenkins empire, as it had been called often. Driving up to the imposing, seventeen-foot-tall gates reminded me of a lot of things.
I hadn't hoped to return here like this. I hadn't wanted to return ever again.
"Wow," Cara said, whistling lowly. "It doesn't even compare to the pictures."
The bodyguards stationed outside halted the car. Cara and I got out. My eyes focused on Charlie standing in front of them all.
"Welcome home, miss Amelia." He said with a bow. All the guards bowed too.
"I'm not home." I replied. "Where is grandma?"
"Right this way," Charlie replied.
The guards tried to stop Cara as she stepped forward. "She's my bodyguard." I warned. "Let her go."
"Yes, miss."
Cara and I followed Charlie inside. I kept my eyes on the butler's back, not wanting to look around. I do not want to spiral down the hole of my memories.
From what I remember, Charlie was taking me to my father's wing of the house. The estate was more like a massive conjunction of smaller houses. Everyone had their own wing, and the general wing was in the center of the house. I had always wondered why we had so many rooms if we were such a small family. Father had explained that it was for the parties, and when our extended family came visiting.
The only extended family I had seen was Grandma.
Charlie led us to my father's room. The giant mahogany doors were thrown open, revealing the inside. My breath hitched in my throat as I saw the scene presented before me. Our family doctor and Grandma are beside him.
"Wait out here," I said to Cara.
"Yes Boss." She replied, stepping back to the side.
My father, first off, was lying on his bed, hooked up to wires, machines, and monitors. The rhythmic beeping of what I believed to be a heart monitor was the only sound in the room. I took wobbly steps over to him, a wave of nausea hitting me out of the blue.
He looked so frail. The strong man I knew him to be was gone. He looked pale and drained of life. As he lay in that bed. His blue eyes had lost their color and spark.
"Amelia," he croaked, his eyes searching my face. "What are you doing here?"
"What kind of question is that?!" I heard Grandma snap. "Your daughter came to visit you, and you're asking a stupid question?!"
I turned to her. "Grandma, please, it's okay."
"No, it's not." She implored, clicking her tongue in disappointment. She still looked as I remembered. Her face is kind, and she looks even younger than I remember.
"What is she doing here?!" A loud voice that I painfully recognized shouted from the door.
I turned to see Cecelia. The queen of bitches herself. "Hello, sister." I said, "Bet you thought I'd rot in jail, huh?!"
Her eyes were wide with anger. "You damned girl! How dare you show your face here after what you have done?! You don't belong...."
"Shut up!" Grandma shouted, making me jump. Cecelia gasped in shock.
"But grandma..."
"Do not call me that!"
I smiled smugly to myself. I'm so grateful for Grandma. No matter what, she would always side me.
Cecelia huffed in anger. "I'm leaving!" She cried.
I spotted the diamond ring on her finger. I remembered that ring. When Christopher wanted to get me a ring, I told him I wanted that one. He got a smaller one for me, telling me that size didn't matter.
Alas, it's on Cecelia's finger. I guess size did matter after all.
I glared at her. "Jump off a cliff while you're at it. Homewrecker."
"You're just jealous that your husband divorced you because you're a filthy criminal!"
A shoe came flying at her, hitting her square in the face. I laughed, covering my mouth.
"Get out of here, you b*tch!" Grandma said. She was already preparing to toss her second shoe at her when Cecelia bolted out of the room, wailing about her nose. "Do you see what your foolish mistake has caused?!" She said to father.
"That's enough, mother, please." My dad replied. "Amelia, come closer."
"Yes father." I leaned in closer to him.
"I'm dying, Amelia." He said gravely. "The time has come for you to take over."
- Writer
