Chapter 3 Nice to Meet You, Rachel
"Is that really Amelia?"
Kevin couldn't believe his eyes.
The girl who had been standing in front of him just moments ago, with messy hair and dirt-streaked clothes, was now transformed. Amelia had taken a shower and looked completely different.
Her golden hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, still damp and glistening with water droplets. She had swept her bangs back, revealing a flawless, beautiful forehead.
She wore a white knee-length slip dress that exposed her slender neck and arms. The dress was cinched at the waist, accentuating Amelia's slim figure and long legs.
Kevin had always thought of country folks as sun-beaten and rugged, but Amelia's skin was smooth and delicate.
And her face—small and dainty, with a slightly pointed chin, forming a classic heart shape. Her nose was high and straight, her eyebrows naturally dark, and her lips a natural, rosy red. Her almond-shaped eyes were clear and bright, like they held stars within them.
"Kevin?"
Amelia's voice snapped Kevin out of his daze. She waved a hand in front of his face, feigning innocence.
Robert was handsome, and Rupert was strikingly beautiful. It was no surprise that their daughter, Amelia, would be attractive.
However, Amelia had never used skincare products and spent her days exposed to the elements, making her skin rough and tanned despite her good features.
So, during her shower, Amelia had used nearly all of her remaining spiritual energy to improve her skin condition.
Humans, after all, are ninety-nine percent visual creatures.
There was no denying that a captivating face and figure are the best tools to close the gap with strangers.
Sure enough, Kevin was staring at Amelia, barely able to speak. "You... finished your shower?"
"Yeah, Kevin," Amelia nodded, hesitating a bit before speaking again. "But I don't know how to use the hairdryer in the bathroom, so my hair is still dripping."
Kevin followed her gaze.
Amelia tilted her head slightly, causing a drop of water to fall from her hair, down her chin, and onto her delicate collarbone, disappearing into her soft skin.
Her eyes were so innocent, like a doe unaware of the world's harshness.
She seemed to trust Kevin like a brother, even though his earlier attitude made her hesitant to get too close.
"Bring the hairdryer here," Kevin said suddenly, not sure what he was thinking.
"What?" Amelia blinked, as if she didn't understand.
"I said, bring the hairdryer here. I'll show you how to use it," Kevin said, trying to stay calm.
"Okay, thanks, Kevin." Amelia smiled suddenly, her eyes and mouth curving in a way that made her look genuinely happy about Kevin's offer.
Her pure and bright smile made Kevin's heart race inexplicably.
Was this really the same Amelia who had been so dirty just moments ago?
With her looks and demeanor, she could easily rival the so-called noble women of River City. She didn't seem like she had grown up in the countryside at all.
Comparing her to Rachel, Amelia wasn't far behind at all.
Amelia quickly brought the $5,000 high-end hairdryer from the bathroom.
Kevin had her sit next to him and showed her which buttons to press and how to operate it. But Amelia seemed completely unfamiliar with such gadgets and couldn't get the hang of it.
"Sorry, Kevin, I'm just too dumb," Amelia bit her lip, looking down in disappointment, as if blaming herself for wasting Kevin's time.
Seeing her like this, Kevin took the hairdryer from her hands. "Don't worry about it. I don't have anything else going on right now. I'll dry your hair for you."
"Really? Thanks, Kevin!"
Amelia's eyes lit up, and she immediately turned around to sit in front of Kevin, exposing her slender, beautiful shoulders and back to him.
Kevin lifted a lock of Amelia's hair and turned on the hairdryer.
The warm air blew through her hair, filling the air with a faint scent of shampoo, even his fingers were tinged with the fragrance.
For a moment, Kevin thought having Amelia as a sister might not be so bad.
But then he remembered why Amelia had come to River City—to get engaged to Quentin, essentially stealing Rachel's boyfriend.
Even though Rachel wasn't related to the Martinez family by blood, she was the sister Kevin had watched grow up and cherished the most.
How could he let Rachel suffer while treating Robert's illegitimate daughter kindly?
With that thought, Kevin's earlier hesitation vanished.
His expression turned cold again, and he abruptly turned off the hairdryer and placed it on the table.
"Kevin?"
Amelia seemed startled by the sudden noise and quickly turned to look at Kevin.
"It's dry enough," Kevin said coldly. "Have a servant show you around. I have things to do."
"Okay, I won't bother you then, Kevin." Amelia stood up immediately.
As she was about to leave the couch, she "accidentally" stepped on the water that had dripped from her hair onto the marble floor. Her foot slipped, and she fell backward, screaming in fright.
"Careful!"
Kevin reacted quickly, instinctively wrapping an arm around Amelia's waist and pulling her into his arms before she could hit the floor.
Amelia seemed genuinely frightened, clutching Kevin's shirt tightly and burying her face in his chest. "Kevin..."
At that moment, the front door opened.
A servant's voice announced, "Mr. Robert Martinez, Mrs. Jenny Martinez, Mr. Tobias Martinez, and Ms. Rachel Martinez, you're back."
Robert, Jenny, Rachel, and Tobias walked in and immediately saw Kevin holding Amelia close, looking quite intimate.
Everyone froze for a moment, staring at each other.
Amelia's lips curled into a barely noticeable smile.
"Dad, Mom, you're back," Kevin said stiffly, quickly letting go of Amelia.
He straightened up and said, "I brought Amelia back. Amelia, these are my parents, Rachel, and Tobias."
Amelia quickly stepped away from Kevin's embrace and looked at the four people standing by the entrance.
Robert frowned, and Jenny's face looked displeased. Tobias furrowed his brows and put an arm around his sister Rachel.
Rachel's smile froze as she met Amelia's gaze, her expression turning to one of disbelief.
Amelia smirked inwardly.
Was Rachel's disbelief because she saw Kevin, who had always doted on her, holding the supposedly unwanted Amelia?
Or was it because Rachel thought Amelia should have been left for dead in some alley, yet here she was, standing in the Martinez family living room?
Without hesitating, Amelia walked up to them.
"Dad," she addressed Robert first.
Then she turned to Jenny. "Ms. Jenkins, hello. I'm Amelia. I'm very grateful that you agreed to take me in after my mother passed away."
Next, she looked at the tall, handsome Tobias. "You must be Tobias. Kevin just introduced you to me."
"And Rachel." Amelia extended her hand to the still-stunned Rachel with a sincere smile that held a hint of mystery. "Nice to meet you, Rachel."