Chapter 14 I Am Not Good at Lying
Kevin snapped back to reality, his eyes darting to Rachel, who was crumpled in his arms, her face contorted in pain. "What's wrong? Your heart hurts?"
Rachel clung to Kevin, her hand pressed to her chest, tears welling up in her eyes. "Kevin, I think my condition's acting up. What should we do?"
Kevin took a deep breath, his focus entirely on Rachel.
When Rachel was eight, she had a severe fever that left her with myocarditis. While not typically severe, the condition could cause irregular heartbeats and shortness of breath at its mildest, and at worst, it could lead to heart failure or even shock, endangering her life.
The Martinez family had always employed a private doctor to care for Rachel, ensuring she hadn't had a relapse in years. But now, out of the blue, the condition seemed to have returned.
This was no joke. Kevin's demeanor immediately turned serious and concerned.
"Alright, Rachel, don't move. I'll take you to the car to rest. If it doesn't get better, we'll head straight home."
With that, Kevin scooped Rachel up in his arms and made his way towards the back exit of the venue.
In truth, Rachel wasn't experiencing a relapse. She was simply furious with Amelia and didn't want Kevin's attention on her, so she pretended to be ill. It was a tactic that worked perfectly.
Cradled in Kevin's arms and seeing his anxious expression, Rachel's eyes reddened even more. "Kevin, it really hurts."
She clung to Kevin's neck, pressing herself closer to him, appearing even more fragile and pitiful.
Amelia couldn't be bothered to expose Rachel's act. If Rachel were really having a heart attack, she wouldn't be reacting this way. But since they were playing the part of concerned sisters, Amelia felt obliged to follow and show some concern.
However, just as they reached the backyard, Jenny, who had been chatting with other guests, suddenly joined them.
"What’s going on? Rachel, are you not feeling well?" Jenny pulled Amelia behind her and approached Rachel.
Rachel sniffled and obediently said, "Mom, I'm fine. It's just my heart acting up. Kevin's taking me to the car to rest."
"Your heart?" Jenny's breath hitched. "How could this happen? Why are you suddenly having an episode?"
Before Rachel could respond, Jenny turned her head sharply and glared at Amelia.
"Rachel hasn't had an episode in years, and now it happens just when you return? Did you upset her?"
"And who allowed you to dress so flamboyantly for the party? Where's the dress I picked for you?"
"You even went to the Williams family and told them you planned a piano performance. This was all your scheme, wasn’t it?"
"A daughter of a whore is a whore. So young and already so scheming. You clearly need more discipline!"
As Jenny launched her tirade, Michael, seated in his wheelchair nearby, frowned, his gaze growing darker.
Eric, impeccably dressed, leaned down to whisper in Michael's ear.
"Mr. Johnson, as I suspected, it seems Mrs. Martinez doesn't welcome Miss Martinez's return."
"I reviewed the surveillance from the area where you encountered Miss Martinez last night. A man dragged her into an alley. Five minutes later, he emerged with a rope, but Miss Martinez didn't follow."
"I suspect someone from the Martinez family sent him to harm her, but he failed, and she met you afterward."
Eric glanced towards Amelia. "Mr. Johnson, should I step in to help Miss Martinez?"
"Not yet," Michael replied, his eyes narrowing. "I want to see how she handles this."
Jenny's anger only grew as she continued her rant. She raised her hand, ready to slap Amelia.
Jenny had long wanted to hit Amelia. The thought of Amelia being Robert's love child with Rupert, the woman who must have seduced Robert, filled her with rage. She wanted to tear Amelia's face apart and spit on her.
But as Jenny's hand swung down, Amelia merely tilted her head slightly, causing Jenny to miss.
"You dare to dodge?"
Jenny was momentarily stunned, then clenched her teeth in fury. "You really don't know your place!"
Just as Jenny prepared to strike again, Amelia spoke up. "Mrs. Martinez, remember that Mr. Williams wants to meet me after the party?"
Jenny paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Amelia's emotionless face.
"If I meet Mr. Williams with a swollen face, he'll definitely be concerned."
"I'm not good at lying. If he asks, I'll have to tell the truth."
"You..."
Jenny's words caught in her throat, her raised hand freezing mid-air. She had been so focused on venting her anger that she'd forgotten about this.
Vaughn had been eager to meet Amelia after the party. If he saw her with a swollen face, he'd immediately ask who hit her and stand up for her. After all, Amelia was now recognized as Quentin's fiancée. Hitting her was akin to slapping the Williams family in the face.
"Mom!"
Kevin took a deep breath. "Talking is one thing, but you can't just hit someone. Especially here at the Williams Mansion!"
"The piano performance was a misunderstanding, and Rachel's discomfort has nothing to do with Amelia. Why are you blaming her for everything?"
Kevin remembered Amelia telling him how the Martinez family disliked her. Her expression had been heartbreaking. It was no wonder she felt that way when Jenny was willing to hit her even here, showing no respect.
Kevin realized that Amelia, new to the city, was alone and unfamiliar with everyone. Jenny and Rachel had no blood ties to her, and Jenny resented her because of Rupert.
If he didn't protect Amelia, who would? Her life in the Martinez family would only get harder.
Kevin set Rachel down and spoke coldly. "Rachel seems fine. Mom, if you're worried, take her home. The driver, Knox, is outside."
"As for Amelia, I'll take her back to the auction. You and Rachel can join us if you're okay."
With that, Kevin grabbed Amelia's hand and led her back inside.
"Wait, Kevin!"
Rachel hadn't expected things to turn out this way. Just moments ago, Kevin had been so concerned about her, but now he was walking away with Amelia without looking back.
Rachel panicked, calling out to him, but Kevin didn't respond.