Chapter 120: See You Tomorrow Morning at 9, at the Marriage Registry Office Entrance
Seven years ago, after William rescued her from Lon's clutches, Lon learned about William's identity and laid low for a while.
But later, he gradually stopped caring.
"Amelia, you think I don't know?"
"Mr. Brown doesn't even like you, he's just playing around with you."
"What kind of family is the Brown family? What kind of family are you? Amelia, you think you're still the rich person you used to be?"
"The Martinez family is long gone. I'm the one who kept you and your mother, otherwise you'd be out there working as prostitutes right now!"
"Starting this month, give me money every month!"
Humiliation after humiliation, demand after demand for money and possessions, getting worse each time.
Until that day five years ago. It was raining that day. She stopped by to see Beatrix, making sure Lon wasn't home before going in, but Beatrix wasn't there either.
Then Lon came back from outside, drunk.
Sensing trouble, she tried to leave, but he caught her.
He demanded money from her, but the payment for her song hadn't come through yet.
"Didn't you hook up with Mr. Brown? Didn't you say he likes you? Have him transfer money to you, now!"
"Lon, I told you, I won't ask him for money to give you. I'll earn the money myself, just wait... Ah!"
Before she could finish, Lon grabbed her hair and slammed her forehead hard against a door.
Blood instantly poured out.
"Stop pretending!"
"If you're not asking Mr. Brown for money, you must be working as a prostitute, right?"
"I'm not!" Amelia screamed and struggled.
Lon pressed Amelia's head down and spat: "You still want to act pure and proud in front of Mr. Brown? Amelia, it's been two years, and I hear he doesn't even like you?"
"Let me go!" Amelia kept struggling.
But Lon's hand pressed down hard, repeatedly slamming her head against the door and the floor.
She bit his hand with all her strength. He loosened his grip in pain, and she crawled toward the exit using both hands and feet.
But blood blurred her vision. She couldn't see clearly. She ran blindly while pulling out her phone to call someone.
"You bit me, I'll beat you to death!"
Her phone flew out of her hand from Lon's violent strike.
"Last time he came to save you, what about this time?"
"Call out? Call for William, see if he'll come save you?"
"Why are you crying? You know he won't come now, right!"
"Amelia, let me tell you, from the moment your mother married me, you stopped being part of the Martinez family and became my daughter."
"Amelia, you can never escape this in your lifetime!"
The rain got heavier. Tears and blood mixed together.
She was in so much pain she could barely breathe.
She hated that feeling of being unable to fight back, hated that she hadn't done enough.
Drunk Lon was very strong. Each time he grabbed her head and slammed it against the ground, he used great force.
She felt like she was going to die.
The last thing that appeared in her vision was a familiar figure.
And a furious voice: "Lon, I warned you!"
William saved her once again.
The number she had dialed randomly had reached William.
So he came.
He chased Lon away and picked her up.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here." That's what he said five years ago.
And now, five years later, in the seaside restaurant.
Amelia took another sip of wine, suppressing her emotions.
"He should laugh." Amelia put down her glass. "After all, he hates me so much."
Ten years in prison.
Five years ago, William gathered evidence, not just about beating Amelia, but dug up all his various illegal activities and sent him to prison.
He also somehow got Lon and Beatrix divorced.
Only then did she finally cut ties with Lon completely.
"So, you brought me here on purpose." Amelia looked at William and said, "To reminisce about the past?"
William just looked at her, at her slightly red eyes.
He shook his head.
"I just happened to book this place." He said.
Amelia nodded, forcefully suppressing her emotions.
She said: "If there's nothing else, I think we can end this meal?"
"You asked me to bring Briar, and I came."
"What else do you want?"
The sky had completely darkened.
"Let's dance." William looked at Amelia in front of him.
She was thin, her eyes slightly red, her hair tied up neatly at the back of her head. Very beautiful.
But what he saw was how she looked as a child.
That summer many years ago, countless days and nights, he was like a rat in the gutter, secretly watching their family's happiness.
Now, he also wanted to dance with her.
So he said: "Like when you were little."
William went to turn on the music, walked in front of her, and bowed in invitation to dance.
Amelia looked at his outstretched hand. She felt a bit sad.
She thought of Jasper and Beatrix again.
Those years, the Martinez family was at its peak. Jasper was the most promising candidate to become Shadow City's fourth major power.
The Martinez family...
So glorious.
Their family of three had been so happy.
She thought their family of three could stay happy like that forever.
Back then, Jasper and Beatrix were so in love, but Jasper died, and Beatrix...
She remembered when she went to find Beatrix to adopt Briar, she called Beatrix "Mom."
But Beatrix wouldn't let her call her that.
All these years, Beatrix had kept her distance from her.
Perhaps from Beatrix's side, it was a different story.
"Amelia?" William called out.
Amelia pulled herself out of the memory. She placed her hand in his palm and stood up with his help.
A waltz.
The music flowed slowly as they danced together gently.
His scent surrounded her. He held her, leading her in a gentle dance to the music.
"Many things weren't what I wanted." He said in her ear. "But in the end, this is how it turned out."
She looked up and saw him looking down at her.
"I know you've been angry all along."
William said softly: "Angry that I destroyed our marriage, angry that I insisted on staying with Isabella, and angry that Felicity targeted the Martinez family's old associates."
"Amelia."
"In five months, everything will go back to how it was. Nothing will have changed, and we'll still be the same as before."
The music stopped.
Amelia pulled her hand from his.
She stepped back, putting distance between them.
He seemed to want to say something. She turned away, not looking at him.
The same as before?
They could never go back to before.
Many things, once they happen, can never return to what they were.
Once a heart dies, it won't come back to life.
"Tomorrow morning at 9." Amelia said.
Amelia pushed down all the emotions in her heart. She steadied her voice with effort and said to him: "Bring the receipt and all the necessary documents."
"We'll meet at the marriage registry office entrance."