Chapter 134 Ask for Trouble, Pay the Price (2)
Amelia had dressed casually for school that morning—an oversized black T-shirt and shorts, the kind of outfit chosen for comfort rather than appearance. She had not intended to make a statement. In fact, she had spent the night at the shop with Belle, knowing they would change into their work clothes once they arrived to open for business.
Wearing those outfits on the way over would have been impractical, and more importantly, it would have drawn attention she did not want. Amelia had never been fond of making a spectacle of herself.
Rachel, however, seemed to see her casual look as a gift-wrapped opportunity. She moved closer, her tone dripping with faux warmth, playing the role of the concerned sister for the crowd. It was an act so polished it almost deserved applause, and it made Amelia's stomach turn.
The moment Rachel finished speaking, voices rose from the onlookers.
"No wonder Rachel is so admired... she is so generous, so kind."
"Exactly. A custom piece from The Thorn Birds costs a fortune, but she is willing to put family above money. That is class."
"As if a country-born illegitimate girl in River City could ever get a sponsor. Rachel's question was basically a polite way of pointing out the obvious."
"Hey, where's Ryan? Shouldn't he be with his sister?"
"Rachel came with Yvette. I heard Ryan avoids female celebrities to keep rumors at bay."
Rachel had timed her words perfectly. With so many eyes on them, Amelia could not openly contradict her without looking petty. In one stroke, Rachel had managed to undermine Amelia while painting herself as magnanimous—a masterclass in public image.
Amelia did not take the bait. Or rather, she could not be bothered. Trading barbs with Rachel in front of cameras would only turn them into a sideshow, and Amelia had no interest in being anyone's entertainment.
She pulled her hand free, her gaze cool. "Are you done? Because I am going inside now."
The crowd did not appreciate her composure. Murmurs turned sharp.
"Rachel came over to be nice, and this illegitimate girl acts like she is too good to respond."
"Exactly! Rachel does not even look down on her for being a bastard child, and Amelia cannot be bothered."
"It is jealousy, obviously. Same father, but one is a heiress and the other is a nobody—of course she is bitter."
"Poor Rachel... imagine having such an arrogant sister. She must suffer at home."
Rachel's eyes glistened instantly, her expression softening into something fragile. She looked like a girl trying not to cry, pulling her hand back as if wounded.
"Amelia, I was only trying to check on you. I did not mean anything bad. If you find me annoying, I will just talk less around you."
Standing beside her, Yvette's lips pressed into a tight line. On the way here, she had heard Rachel mention the Martinez family's illegitimate daughter—emphasizing how Amelia supposedly made a habit of lingering around Ryan to catch his attention. Now, seeing her in person, Yvette decided Rachel was right. Amelia had the look of a temptress, the kind of sly beauty that seemed calculated.
So young, and already scheming... shameless. With her background, Ryan would not give her the time of day.
Yvette was ready to speak up in Rachel's defense when another voice cut through the crowd—sharp, scornful.
"Amelia, it is bad enough you bully Rachel at home. You cannot even pretend in front of strangers? No manners at all."
Heads turned toward the newcomer. Striding forward in a crisp white skirt suit and eight-centimeter stilettos was Anna, her expression cool but her eyes glinting with contempt.
Anna had long been popular online. Born into privilege, beautiful, and accomplished, she was the envy of many. More than that, she was capable—young, yet already managing the sprawling Williams Group. She was the embodiment of the modern independent woman.
She stopped beside Rachel, her gaze on Amelia edged with barely concealed hostility. The last time they had crossed paths at The Thorn Birds, Amelia had humiliated her, dismissing her as someone "conditioned by society's stereotypes about women." The insult had festered in Anna's mind, souring her mood for days.
Anna did not know why Amelia was an Elite VIP at The Thorn Birds, nor why her account held thirty million dollars. But she was certain of one thing: a seventeen-year-old from the countryside could not possibly earn that kind of money on her own. If it was not Michael pulling strings for her, then Amelia must have climbed her way up through someone powerful—by selling herself.
And to think she had dared to lecture Anna about independence. Laughable.
Agreeing to attend the celebration with Rachel had been strategic. Anna wanted a chance to put Amelia in her place.
"Rachel, do not take it personally when Amelia acts cold," Anna said, her voice smooth but her words barbed. "You asked if she had a sponsor—of course she is embarrassed."
The crowd leaned in, sensing drama.
"Honestly, people on different levels cannot really talk to each other. She has spent most of her life in the countryside—what would she know about approaching business owners or writing a sponsorship proposal?"
"Today's fair? I bet she is running a little booth on the field, selling handmade trinkets."
Anna tilted her head, feigning thought. "Then again, maybe she did get a sponsor. But who is to say the money came through... respectable means?"
Her eyes flickered with implication. "After all, she has had a mysterious fortune before—one even the Martinez family could not explain."
Respectable means? Mysterious fortune? The crowd rippled with whispers. Was Anna suggesting that the Martinez family's illegitimate daughter earned money through something indecent—and kept it secret from her father's household?
Disgust rolled through the bystanders.
Belle, already tense from the press of bodies, shrank further. Seeing two women cornering Amelia, she reached for her hand, her voice barely above a whisper. "Amelia... maybe we should just go..."
"Wait."
The single word cut through the noise. Heads turned again, curiosity spiking. Reporters craned their necks, cameras lifting.
When they saw who had spoken, the crowd shifted, a ripple of surprise passing through them. The media's eyes lit up, energy surging. Today's trip to Prestige High was turning out to be worth far more than they had expected.
Because in addition to Ryan, Yvette, and Anna... someone they had not anticipated had just arrived.