Chapter 47

I stopped to breathe in the hall when I felt like I was finally alone. I closed my eyes, resisting the urge to cry. There was only one way out of this hell: getting Alejandro the damn diamonds so I could disappear forever. As I started heading toward Richard's office, George got in my way.

"Everything okay?" he asked, looking concerned and confused.

"Yes, but George, we need to talk." There was no time like the present.

"Okay, right now?"

"Yes, I don't want to wait."

He walked me to the library for a little bit of privacy. I was anxious. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him, but it would be much worse if I disappeared on him without an explanation. We sat down on the couch, and I nervously ran my fingers up and down my arm.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, especially when I was in…captivity. I had a lot of time alone to…ponder, figure out what I want to do with my life. I…I know we have been dating for a while now and—"

"What are you saying?" he pressured as I started to hesitate. I sighed. The faster I uttered the words, the better for all parties involved.

"I don't think we should be together anymore. This relationship is not working for me. It's…it's not what I want."

"I don't understand."

"I am so sorry."

"Amelia, you…you just got back from what I imagine was a very traumatic situation. I don't think you should be making any drastic decisions right now."

"Well, this experience gave me a chance to think about what I really want, and this relationship of convenience isn"t it, George."

George got up, anxiously combing his fingers through his hair. He didn't seem sad. He seemed furious.

"You can't do this to me. Richard, he…he won't let you do this. I have plans! I…I…don't understand why you are doing this! We are perfect for each other!"

"But I don't love you."

"So what? Marriage is not always about love."

"What else would it be about, George? Business?"

He sat back down next to me and grabbed my hand. "You know that Richard and I have plans for our companies. I need to show my dad that I am serious, both professionally and personally, so this merger can happen, and I can finally get the role I deserve in his business. Do you understand that?"

I was now the one to violently get up. I didn't want to be close to him. I had sometimes doubted that he loved me, but clearly, George was not any different than Richard, using me for selfish business purposes. I felt a surge of anger that quickly made space for relief and almost happiness.

There was nothing for me to feel guilty about. I wasn't breaking his heart. I was destroying his pride and his selfish agenda, and I could not care less about those two things. It was funny that one could feel like this about a relationship after two years of dating.

"You will have to find another wife for this, George. While I thought it was fine for me to marry you even if we didn't love each other, I at least thought we would make a good team, and we were a good fit because we let each other be. But now, I don't want to marry a younger version of my stepfather."

"I think you need to slow down and really think about what you are doing," he said as he got up again.

He looked like he wanted to slap me. I took a step back, suddenly scared he would harm me.

"Richard won't let you act so stupidly. He will stop giving you money, kick you out of his house, do whatever it takes until you get back in line."

"Is that so?" I said, suddenly enjoying the exchange. This was the most honest conversation George and I probably ever had. He always had that condescending tone when I didn't agree with him.

"You doubt it? You know Richard stops at nothing for his business."

I bit my tongue. This was not the time to get angry. It was the time to be smart and enjoy my victory silently.

Richard's free days were quite limited, after all. And I had no intention of taking any money from him. I had a great job waiting for me in New York and what promised to be a great career ahead of me. I sighed, pretending to have suddenly realized what my rebellion could cost me.

"You wouldn't do that to me!"

"Yes, I would, and so would Richard." He paused and grabbed my hands.

"How about…" he said, feeling suddenly victorious, "we head back to the dinner and pretend this conversation never happened? It's normal for you to be a little confused right now, baby, but sleep on it. You will see how wrong you are. You're just confused."

I pretended to accept defeat and grabbed the hand he was offering me, a smirk on his face. I knew I had the last card to play, but I would let him think he won—for now.

We headed directly to the dining room, hand and hand, as we had noticed some of the guests proceeding in that direction. I took my usual seat to the right of Richard, with George next to me. Alejandro was seated across from me with Elena. Alejandro was not taking his eyes off me, but I chose to pretend he wasn't there and feign some interest in George"s incessant business chatter with Richard.

George was quite annoying and frankly clingy. He wouldn't stop grabbing my hand, hugging me, touching my hair. If this was his attempt to convince me to stay with him after that "romantic" plea, he had another thing coming.

Alejandro loudly scratched his throat, his eyes fixed on me. I diplomatically moved a little further from George.

"So, Rick, when is the wedding?" asked Richard, clearly trying to get George to shut up and turning his focus on his guest of honor.

"Next August," answered Elena as she caressed Alejandro's arm.

He flinched slightly. I noticed it, now that I was all too familiar with his most faint facial expressions, but he confirmed what she had said with a smile. My imagination was misleading me. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I felt like I was going to pass out.

"Amelia and I are thinking about next year as well," said George, grabbing my hand. I could have stabbed him with the daggers shooting from my eyes.

"Are you now?" asked Alejandro, a brow raised, menace in his eyes, as he glared at George"s hand on mine. I quickly removed my hand from the table.

"I am glad you guys are finally talking about a date!" said Richard. "I was starting to wonder. Congratulations to both couples! This is great!" he said as he raised his glass.

We all cheered, my cheeks feeling flushed with embarrassment, as Alejandro gave Richard a death stare. This was more than my heart could take. Alejandro seemed at the brink of blowing our cover, and I wanted to do the same.

"I need to use the ladies' room," I told George and Richard with my best smile as I slowly got up and left the room.

It was now or never, I concluded.

I headed in the direction of the bathroom, and when I was sure no one had followed me, I changed course as soon as I was out of sight. I walked as fast as I could while looking like I was taking a casual stroll, avoiding windows as much as possible so none of his guards saw me. I couldn"t afford to raise any suspicions.

My heart was beating so fast I could hear it. I kept looking behind me to make sure no one had seen me.

I snuck into Richard's office, locking the door behind me. My legs were shaking, but it had to be done. I checked to make sure Richard hadn't added any cameras. With the increase of security guards in the house, I had to be quick, and I couldn't make any noise.

I kept the light turned off, using my phone as a flashlight. I slowly moved the small plant in the corner next to the couch. It was quite a clever hiding place as the safe was actually behind the plant, with a door the exact same color as the wall. One would only know it was there if they had seen it opened in front of them. But kids saw everything.

I used to play hide-and-seek with Iris all the time, and the space under Richard's desk was one of my favorite hiding spots because Iris was always too scared of Richard to look for me there. While in my hiding spot, I had seen Richard put precious items in that safe multiple times. I had never bothered to look, but I had memorized the code for it as well. And now it was paying off.

With trembling hands, I put the code in. The door did not budge. I almost panicked and ran out, but I had to try again. I took a deep breath and slowly put in the numbers, pausing after each one. I pulled the door again, and it opened. I should have felt relieved, but all it did was make me even more scared.

But there it was—the bag of diamonds that had changed my life forever.

It was very heavy. I quickly removed the diamonds from their current bag and put them in the replacement one I had brought with me, arranging them between Kleenex so they wouldn't make any clunking noise. I added some rocks I had taken from the beach years ago to the MFG bag and put it back in the safe where I had found it. It would either buy me time or piss off Richard if he went looking for it. A win-win.

I closed the safe and put everything back where it was. I now had to find the courage to leave the room. I slowly opened the door to make sure there was no one.

The coast was clear. I closed the door behind me, walking as nonchalantly as I could, trying to act normal even if fear was gnawing at my stomach. I decided to head to the smaller library. It was far enough from Richard's office. As I was about to open the door, I held in a scream when I realized someone was behind me. Thankfully, it was Alejandro. I entered, and he followed, locking the door behind us.

"Are you following me?" I whispered with frustration.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Well, as you can see, never been better," I answered sarcastically.

I was staring into stormy eyes, his face looking contorted.

"Are you really going to marry him?"

The question took me by surprise.

"Don't we have bigger things to worry about?" I asked, defensive.

"Answer me," he demanded.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said, trying to pass by him to get out of the room. It suddenly felt like it was collapsing on us.

"Stop walking away from me," he grunted as he grabbed my arm to keep me there.

"Why do you care? Aren't YOU also getting married? I owe you no explanation about my relationship with George. None!"

"Amelia, that's what I"ve been trying to tell you," he said in a grave voice. "I'm not marrying Elena. It's all a lie."

"Really? Ugh, how can you say that? You gave her a ring! Doesn't that mean you changed your mind about being with her?"

"No, no, it doesn"t. You know she was helping me with Richard, with the plan. You know that. When I met Richard months ago, she was with me, and we played the relationship game so I could seem less…suspicious. And yes, eventually I told him we were engaged. He helped me buy the ring. I needed him to feel like I trusted him. I needed him to feel like we were bonding. He was flattered enough to even offer to host an engagement party. This was all calculated, Amelia. We are not engaged." Alejandro looked disgusted by his words.

I removed my arm from his hand, my heart pounding, reason muddled by pain and jealousy.

"You got engaged. You have a past with her. I can"t believe this means nothing."

"Might I remind you, Amelia, you are also wearing another man's ring around your finger right now? A man you also have a past with?" he pointed out as he grabbed my left arm, holding it to emphasize the ring under the light.

"Does that mean you love him? Hmm? Does that mean you already forgot about us, how I made you come, how you screamed my name?"

"Stop it," I pleaded as I felt my throat closing up.

"Tell me, mu?eca," he continued, taking no pity on me, "because as far as I am concerned, no matter whose ring you are fucking wearing on your finger, you are mine," he growled as his nostrils flared, his jawline straight. "We are both faking it, but we both know how we feel about each other. Don"t deny it."

I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. But I found the courage to use my free hand to grab the bag of diamonds from my purse and put it in his hand. He looked shocked, as if he didn't think I would have actually gone through with it. His jaw clenched, and he closed his eyes as he put the bag in his pocket.

"Don't do this. Please." His plea felt like an arrow though my heart.

"You have to go. You got what you wanted," I added with a broken voice. "Your nightmare is over."

I could not hold the tears in any longer. Alejandro pulled me toward him before I could escape. His arms wrapped around my waist as his mouth met mine, desperate, passionate, forcing my lips to part, demanding that I let him in. I fought the kiss the best I could, pushing and punching him, but he was not budging, getting dangerously close to breaking the few walls I had left to protect my heart.

I calmed down, caving in to his desire, becoming clay in his hands. I kissed him back, burying my fingers in his hair, taking all he had to offer, kissing him as if this was the last time. We both stopped to catch some air, our hearts pounding out of our chests.

My tears were taking over again as I pushed him away. He had the diamonds. It was over. I had to get away.

I left the room like the devil was behind me—and he was. I could hear him following me. The pursuit came to a halt when I almost ran into Martha, who was looking at the two of us with an extremely confused look on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking protectively at my distorted face.

"Nothing, Nana. I have to go. If they ask for me, say I left. Give this to George,"" I said as I removed that stupid ring off my finger. "And don't let anyone follow me," I said as I continued my way out of sight.

I did not turn around to see what was going on. I headed to the patio, knowing it was the quickest way to the garage. I focused on slowing my pace down, not wanting to raise any suspicions from the guards, one of whom was staring at me with interest. I grabbed my cell phone and pretended to answer a call.

"Okay, now I can hear you better. I must have a poor signal inside of the house for some reason."

I pretended to walk like someone who was a little inebriated would and laughed to my heart's content, as if I was partaking in the funniest conversation of my life. The guard dismissed me as I continued my ruse until I got to my white Audi. Whatever happened to Richard, this car was under my name, and it would remain mine. I was still shaking, but I was feeding on the adrenaline rush as I turned the car on and drove away from my childhood house, I hoped for the last time.

On the way, I stopped at a grocery store and bought a lot of comfort food and wine. When I checked into the Airbnb apartment, I opened the wine and chugged straight from the bottle. My heart was aching, and I couldn't stop the tears, but the wine would eventually help me pass out. I already had a few missed calls from Alejandro, George, and Martha.

I simply turned the phone off as I waited for the alcohol to flow through my veins and take the pain away. Iris, Chloe, and Keisha were just a few minutes away if I needed them. I wasn't alone. Despite George and Richard, I did have people who cared for me, and that was priceless.