The house was in disarray; someone was walking at every corner of the apartment. There was carrying of things to the kitchen, then arranging of the rooms in the house. Amelia could hardly comprehend what was going on all at once. For a secret wedding, Amelia thought her parents were doing too much. The only one who wasn't interested in anything they were doing was Ava, and she made it known by locking herself in her room.
The Afonso's had decided to move the wedding forward; there was no reason to delay it, and they wanted Mike married before his inauguration.
Amelia moved among the maids, avoiding anyone's attention including Loveth. For someone getting married that day, she felt underdressed. Her stepmother was more focused on making the Afonso's comfortable than dressing her up and making her look presentable on her wedding day. She forced a smile on whoever passed beside her, looking for her Stepmother. She might not be so interested in the wedding, but she was not going to her wedding underdressed. The door to the study was locked, but she could hear voices from it. She moved closer to it, pinning her ear to the door. It was more out of habit than curiosity. Her family had always exempted her from knowing things going on in the house, and she had taken pleasure in learning everything she wanted to know herself via eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Why is she getting married before our daughter? I think we made a big mistake recommending her to the Afonsos. Our daughter is weeping in her room. I could barely face her." Her stepmother's voice was low, and Amelia could tell that she was sad just from her voice.
She focused on hearing every word than trying to decipher her stepmother's mood.
"I know, honey. We should have continued making her a secret, I have no idea why I had made her known to the Afonso's. But, with this, I think our promise to her parents is fulfilled. They wanted their daughter married and happy. I don't know about being happy, but she will be married."
Her parents. Amelia was sure, she had misheard them. She knew her stepmother wasn't her biological mother, but her father was the one she had known since when she was young. He had taken care of her before bringing her stepmother into the family with Ava.
"I know darling. At least, we don't have to feel guilty anymore. She is finally going to have a family of her own. She was never a part of this family. If there was something I am glad of here is the fact that I will never see her face again. She reminds me of that her backstabbing mother, and her betrayal father."
Amelia heard a loud sigh, and then silence. She moved her ears closer, waiting for her father's response. She felt a tap on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. She needed to know what was happening. Which parents were they talking about? If she continues to listen, they might mention the name of those parents. She felt the tap again. She bit her lips with her teeth and clenched her hand in a fist. She closed her eyes and turn on whoever was interrupting her means of investigation only to be meant by a red-eyed Ava.
Ava stood Akimbo, "I see you still have this bad habit of eavesdropping on people. How will your husband feel if he learned of this attitude of yours?"
Amelia could hardly process what she was saying. She focused on Ava's features, trying to find the similarities between them. They might not have the same mother, but they have the same father. They had to be some similarities between them. Their attitude was definitely out of it. Her eyes moved to Ava's face; where Ava had striking blue eyes, Amelia's own was green. She had always wondered how she had green eyes when her father's eyes were brown, but she had assumed it might be her mother. She had no memories of her mother which made it difficult to verify that particular theory. Amelia's nose was pointed, while Ava's was flat. Their mouth shape was different, and their body shape was too.
Amelia shook her head; maybe, she was reading too much meaning into this. Not all siblings looked alike physically. There had to be something similar about them.
"What are you doing? Are you finally coming to your senses or what?" Ava's voice was high. She was still in her pajamas. She moved closer to Amelia. "Is all the activities going on, and the fact that you will be a Mrs soon bringing you back to your senses? You know, I can help you."
"How?" Amelia hadn't meant to say that, but she couldn't control her thoughts. The possibility that she might not be her father's daughter was messing with her head.
Ava beamed as if she had been expecting that word from her. She looked left and right and smiled when she couldn't see anyone. She pulled Amelia along with her, making her frown. Ava had always avoided holding her, but she was pulling her voluntarily. Was she planning on killing her?
She pulled her to where there was no one, then looked left and right again. Satisfied with herself, she pulled Amelia closer. "Do you know I could help you escape this?"
Amelia raised a brow. That was a word she might have appreciated some weeks ago, but with the discovery, it was the last thing she wanted. She needed to be sure she had heard her parents well or maybe her ears were playing tricks on her.
She folded her hand under her breast. "What's in it for you?"
She knew Ava would never do anything for her for free.
"Nothing" Ava shrugged. "I just want to help a sister not look miserable."
Amelia forced a smile. She had been miserable for a long time, and Ava never cared. Why did she care all of a sudden? She frowned at Ava, "Thank you, but I don't want to run away."
Ava frowned, biting her lower lips. "Amelia, please. I have a confession, and you are the only one that could help me. All this is in your hands. Do this for your sister, please. This is the first time I am asking you for anything."
Amelia nodded, "What do you want, Ava? If I can, I will do it for you." She needed to go back and see if her parents were still discussing that. She needed to know the truth.
"Of course, you can do it. You see, I am in love with Mike. Please, don't get married to him. If you renounce the marriage, no one will force you. Mike won't force you. I am sure he loves me too, but he didn't want to disobey his parents, and that's why he was going on with this marriage."
Amelia frowned. "Did he say he loved you?"
Ava nodded her head with great enthusiasm. Amelia frowned, if he loved Ava why did he say those words to her? Why did he lock the door behind them? Why had he touched her the way he did? He might not have married her for love, but he needs to learn to respect her.
"I am sorry, Ava, but my hands I tied now. I have to go through this marriage."
Ava shook her head slowly. "You are going to regret this, Amelia. You I regret this. I promise you."