Chapter 296: Saying One Thing but Meaning Another
Hearing this, Amelia put on an innocent expression.
"Aunt Julia, why would you ever think of me like that? Is that really the kind of person I am in your eyes? When the family has problems, why wouldn't I help? Didn't I also promise to help contact James for Uncle Reid? Just because I can't help you, you think I'm lying to you?"
After this outburst from Amelia, she practically had "I'm so wronged" written all over her face.
Julia looked embarrassed.
She had just asked what was on her mind, and Amelia came back at her with a flood of words.
Madeline spoke up, "Amelia, don't be upset. Julia didn't mean it that way."
"That's right, she didn't mean it that way! She just heard some gossip and asked casually."
Victor quickly jumped in to defend Julia too.
But then he added, "But there are rumors going around that you two have a serious relationship. I wonder if someone's trying to use you!"
He put on a look of concern that these rumors might harm Amelia, which made it impossible for Amelia to play the victim card like before.
So Amelia dropped the wronged expression and said seriously, "Something did happen between us, involving Samuel and Zachary. Since it concerns the Crawford family's private matters, I can't say much. Just know that I was nothing more than a pawn in their brothers' power struggle."
At the mention of Zachary, the Wood family members showed various expressions.
Even Victor couldn't help but believe her.
But he felt regretful inside, having wasted so much money on that golden sculpture for Amelia.
It was solid gold! Even if melted down and sold as regular gold, it would fetch quite a bit.
And he had been the one begging Amelia to accept it.
Victor felt a pang of heartache.
However, Reid and Iris were quite pleased.
Amelia couldn't help Victor, but she could help him.
His chances of inheriting the Wood family had greatly increased.
Although the Wood family didn't have much money left, sitting in Madeline's eighteenth-century chair had become an obsession for the brothers.
Victor and Reid's expressions were completely different.
Madeline saw everything but couldn't say anything.
Amelia had already agreed to help Reid and stated she couldn't help with Victor's matter. She couldn't bring it up again.
If she angered Amelia, Reid's matter might fail too.
She even lowered herself to ask Amelia if she wanted another bowl of pudding.
Amelia shook her head and refused.
"I don't really like things that are too sweet."
Then she added, "My mom said you have a habit of taking afternoon naps, so I won't disturb you. I'll take my leave now."
"Leaving so soon?" Victor and Julia wanted to keep her a bit longer, since their matter wasn't settled yet.
If Samuel would just give them a small project or two, it would be enough to support their family.
Even if Amelia and Samuel had no feelings for each other, what if?
What if Samuel just agreed?
It was just one or two projects anyway, no loss to Samuel at all, and he'd earn the gratitude of the Wood family.
The Wood family was still a well-known upper-class family, after all.
"Why don't we chat more in the living room? Mom will rest upstairs, we won't disturb her," Julia said.
But Amelia didn't even bother making up an excuse. She simply said "I'll have a proper chat with you next time I visit" and got up to leave.
Just then, Marlowe Wood came home.
Marlowe was Madeline's youngest daughter.
When Natalie left home, Marlowe was still very young.
But she remembered Natalie saying that when they were little, Marlowe was very attached to Natalie.
Marlowe appeared in a black business suit, not much expression on her face, carrying a bag of something, and walked straight toward Amelia.
"You must be Amelia? I'm your youngest aunt."
Amelia put on her fake smile again.
"Aunt Marlowe, hello."
Behind them, Reid and Victor spoke mockingly, "Marlowe, why are you here so early? Why not just come tomorrow instead?"
It was obvious sarcasm, but Marlowe treated it like barking dogs, not even sparing Reid and Victor a glance.
She just held out the bag toward Amelia.
"On my way here, I heard Natalie sprained her ankle. This is external medicine a doctor prescribed when I injured my foot before. It worked really well for me, so I went back specially to get it. After you take it home, change the dressing twice a day, and it should heal quickly."
Amelia could already smell the faint medicinal fragrance from the bag.
She could identify which herbs they were.
They were indeed excellent medicines for external injuries.
She took it and thanked her.
"I'll thank you on behalf of my mom, Aunt Marlowe."
"No need. My foot has healed up, and I won't be using it anyway."
Marlowe said to Madeline, "I still have things to do, so I won't stay for dinner. I'm leaving now."
With that, she moved even faster than Amelia, turning and walking out directly.
Madeline's face turned dark.
She hadn't seen Marlowe in a very long time.
Marlowe had finally come back once, yet she didn't even stay for three minutes before leaving.
Seeing Madeline's expression, Reid and Victor immediately added fuel to the fire.
"Mom, are you just going to let her leave like that?"
"At her age and still not married, and now she has no manners either. Aren't you going to do something about her, Mom?"
Madeline said with a dark expression, "She doesn't see me as her mother anymore! Let her go!"
Amelia raised her eyebrows slightly, said goodbye again to everyone with their various expressions, and left too.
On her way out, she saw Marlowe's car already starting to move.
Amelia quickly walked over and stopped the car.
Marlowe was driving herself. Seeing her suddenly run out, she quickly hit the brakes.
She rolled down the window, frowning, "Why are you so careless? What if I had hit you?"
"But you didn't hit me, did you?" Amelia smiled. "Aunt Marlowe, my mom often talks about you. Could you give me your contact information? When my mom's foot gets better, she'd like to chat with you."
But Marlowe refused outright.
And threw out a line, "After all these years of not looking for me, why look for me now?"
Then she told her to stand aside, stepped on the gas, and drove off.
The car's exhaust seemed to carry Marlowe's resentment.
Amelia inexplicably felt like laughing.
"What kind of attitude is that?" Byron said beside her. "The others may be fake, but at least they show you some respect. Marlowe didn't give you any pleasant look at all. You don't owe her anything! And that medicine she brought, was leftover from what she used herself—what's that supposed to mean?"
But Amelia said, "You've got it wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Among all the Wood family members, she's the only one who truly cares about my mom."
"How is that possible? Her attitude..."
"She's just upset that my mom abandoned her and ran away all those years ago. She's just being contrary."
"Let's go! Get in the car!"
"Yes."
The car drove out of the villa district, and even the wind outside seemed lighter.
The atmosphere at the Wood family was too oppressive and heavy.
She didn't go straight home. Instead, she first took care of the matter with the Wood family's building, and then returned home before sunset.