Chapter 162 Five Brothers at My Back
Robert spoke with the conviction of a man delivering an irrefutable truth, his tone heavy with self-importance. "Rachel is, after all, one of River City's most recognized socialites. Everyone knows she's the jewel of the Martinez family."
"If she ends up in prison, and word gets out that she tried to push Ryan into an episode so he would kill Amelia… what do you think will happen to our family's reputation?"
He paused, his voice dropping lower, as if the next point was even more critical. "And more importantly, hasn't Quentin from the Williams family always had feelings for Rachel? The plan was to arrange an engagement as soon as she turned eighteen."
"Now that Rachel's been taken away by the police, how exactly are we supposed to explain this to the Williams family? That engagement will fall apart. And when it does, their orders and business deals with us will disappear right along with it."
At first, hearing Robert argue against Rachel's arrest, Amelia thought perhaps he genuinely cared for her. But as his words unfolded, the truth sharpened in her mind—he didn't care about Rachel's fate at all. What he cared about was the family's image, and the lucrative link to the Williams name.
In one word: profit.
Since Amelia had returned to the Martinez mansion, her interactions with Robert had been minimal. The first time they met, he had barely looked at her before announcing he was leaving for an out-of-town project inspection. The impression he left was of a man indifferent to the daughter he hadn't seen in seventeen years.
He was all polished manners and cold calculation, a man whose mind was nothing but a ledger of self-interest.
Suddenly, as if struck by a revelation, Robert slapped his thigh. "Right! Rachel may be gone, but doesn't Amelia still have a formal engagement to Quentin?"
"Vaughn told me before that he wouldn't interfere in the children's affairs, that he'd let things happen naturally."
"Now that Rachel can't marry him, sending Amelia to the Williams family works just as well. The alliance will be intact."
Michael's appearance at the dessert shop on the school's anniversary, and his quiet confession to Amelia, had long since been scrubbed from the internet. Robert remained blissfully unaware of Amelia's connection to Michael, his mind fixated on securing the Williams partnership.
Jenny stared at him, shock widening her eyes. "Do you even hear yourself? You think the Williams family is some place that accepts anyone you send? You want Amelia to marry into their family—have you even asked her what she wants?"
"Vaughn likes Amelia, doesn't he?" Robert replied, as if the matter were obvious. "If I tell him she's to marry Quentin, why would he object?"
The words were revolting. In Robert's eyes, which daughter went didn't matter, nor did her willingness. What mattered was that the marriage alliance went through.
Amelia's feelings were not turbulent—she had inherited the original Amelia's memories and emotions, and she knew that deep down, the girl had harbored a faint hope that her father might care for her. If the original Amelia had been here to hear this, she would have been devastated.
To Robert, she was nothing more than a pawn in his game of alliances.
Amelia remained in the shadowed corner of the living room, unmoving.
A voice suddenly cut through the air behind her, sharp with fury. "Dad, are you out of your mind?"
She turned slightly, startled to see Kevin and Chris standing behind her.
Kevin stormed forward toward Robert, his anger radiating like heat. Before Amelia could react, she felt a sudden warmth drape over her shoulders.
"You're dressed too lightly. You'll catch a chill." Chris's face was as composed as ever, his voice cool. As he spoke, he slipped his coat over her, the fabric falling all the way to her thighs.
She glanced up at him. "Chris… how did you…"
"We heard what Dad said the moment we walked in." Chris straightened, meeting her gaze. "Do you remember what I told you the last time you were hurt at the Williams mansion, when I bandaged you in my room?"
Amelia blinked, looking up at her tall brother.
"I told you—you're my little sister. A brother's job is to protect his sister, to stand up for her."
"So stop trying to be so strong all the time. If you're in pain, say it. If you've been wronged, let it be known."
Something in Amelia's chest softened. She understood what Chris was telling her, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "Chris…"
"Good girl." He reached out, ruffling her hair gently. "Don't be afraid. You don't have to swallow your grievances or face them alone."
"You have brothers. You can be the most spoiled little sister in the world if you want." He took her hand. "Come on, let's go."
"Go where?" she asked, puzzled.
"To watch Kevin tear into Dad," Chris said, deadpan. "The moment Dad suggested marrying you off to Quentin, Kevin's rage meter hit maximum. He's been charging up ever since."
"When Kevin goes off, he doesn't hold back. You don't get to see that kind of full-power scene every day. Don't miss it."
Amelia almost laughed, thinking he was joking.
But as they stepped into the room, she saw Kevin pointing a finger straight at Robert's face, his voice a whip crack. "Are you even human?"
"We've been treating Amelia like the treasure of the family, protecting her, cherishing her. And you? You want to throw her in Rachel's place and marry her off to the Williams family? What do you take her for?"
"She's barely back, and you vanish to chase your projects. You've never made up for being absent as a father, and now you come home just to sell her off?"
"If that's the kind of father you want to be, then don't bother coming back. From now on, she doesn't have a father—she's got five brothers who love her, and that's enough!"
Kevin had, in one breath, stripped Robert of his title as father.
Robert hadn't expected his conversation with Jenny to have been overheard by his sons and Amelia. A flicker of unease crossed his face. He tried to summon the authority of a parent, but before he could speak, Kevin's words crashed over him like a wave.
This was pressure.
Amelia was taken aback. Kevin's outburst had drawn Ryan, Zander, and Tobias down the stairs.
At first, they didn't know what was going on. But the moment they heard Robert planned to marry Amelia into the Williams family, their expressions shifted instantly.
Zander and Tobias were younger, not prone to explosive anger. Ryan, however, cast Robert a glance, his smile thin and mocking. "Amelia's the youngest in the family, and you're in such a hurry to marry her off."
"If you're so eager to forge alliances with other families, why not arrange something for the five of us too?"
"Find me a rich heiress, and I'll announce my retirement from the entertainment industry on the spot. Deal?"