Chapter 2
After hanging out with Alexander for so many years, Amelia got that he was always chasing some kind of thrill.
No matter how well he played the good boy in front of others, he couldn't hide that wild streak.
When other kids were still into kiddie games like hide-and-seek, he was already skateboarding and getting himself banged up.
In college, when someone set foot in a bar for the first time and felt a bit lost in the chaos, he'd already flown across the ocean and started a rock band with some random dudes he met a few days earlier.
Later, he ended up in the hospital again after a skiing accident.
After getting countless calls from the hospital, James finally had enough and told him to go abroad for grad school and come back to take over the family business.
So, Alexander vanished, and the next thing they knew, he was racing cars in a velodrome.
He was up for anything crazy, except he had zero interest in women.
Because of that, Amelia always thought she was special to him.
No matter how wild he got, he never forgot about their marriage. Alexander must still want to marry her.
Every time she thought about it, Amelia felt all warm and fuzzy inside and accepted their arranged marriage. She even hoped Alexander would come to marry her soon.
But now, walking in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone, Amelia felt like a complete fool.
This place was dead, and there were hardly any hotels around. After trudging through the heavy rain for miles, she finally found a halfway decent hotel.
She walked up to the front desk, shivering, and pulled out her phone. Her hands were red and numb from the cold.
"Hi, do you have any rooms available?" she asked.
Her hope was crushed when the receptionist said, "I'm really sorry, but we're fully booked tonight. Maybe try somewhere else?"
A clap of thunder boomed outside, making Amelia shiver even more. It was freezing, and getting here had been a struggle.
She could feel her body temperature dropping, and with her already weak health, she might pass out if she went back into the rain.
She was debating whether to ask if she could crash on the hotel sofa for the night.
Just as she was figuring out how to say it, a familiar voice called out, "Amelia?"
She turned around instinctively. A handsome guy with a tall, elegant vibe walked up to her.
Recognizing the face, Amelia searched her memory for a few seconds before hesitantly saying, "Are you Henry Anderson?" The moment she said it, she felt a bit rude.
Even though Henry wasn't the favorite in the Anderson Family and couldn't be openly acknowledged, he was still older than Alexander, and she should show respect. Calling him by his full name like that felt off.
Amelia felt pretty embarrassed. They hadn't interacted much, and every time they did, Alexander was around.
She gave Henry a slight nod. This was the first time they were alone together. If he wanted to blame her, it would make sense.
But Henry, seeing Amelia soaked to the bone in the middle of the night, frowned. "What are you doing at a hotel this late? How did you get so wet? Aren't you worried about catching a cold?"
After running around all night, Amelia felt a lump in her throat and wanted to cry at his concern.
She was so worn out that even a bit of kindness from a stranger could make her break down. Let alone from someone she kind of knew.
"Alexander got into some trouble tonight and ended up at the police station. I just bailed him out and haven't had a chance to find a place to stay," Amelia said. She never planned to lie to him, especially since Alexander's antics were no secret. No point in covering for him.
Amelia looked down, appearing obedient. Sure enough, Henry had already figured it out. He nodded and asked, "Why didn't Alexander stay with you? Did you come here alone in this heavy rain?"
That question hit Amelia hard. Even this guy she barely knew understood not to let a girl walk alone in the rain. Alexander, who'd been with her for years, didn't get it. It was absurd.
"He and his girlfriend had already booked a hotel. All the rooms there were full, and there was no place for me," Amelia said, her voice low, almost on the verge of tears. "I spent too much time outside, and I couldn't go back to the dorm. We couldn't all stay together, so I thought I'd come here to see if there were any available rooms."
Henry looked surprised. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "His girlfriend? Wasn't his girlfriend always you?"
The arranged marriage between their families was no secret. Everyone assumed Amelia would marry Alexander.
They'd never denied it, and everyone thought they were already together.
They were childhood sweethearts, and with the engagement, it seemed natural they'd end up together. But he didn't expect to see this situation tonight.
Amelia didn't know how to answer his well-meaning question. Was it always just her wishful thinking?
She forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "No." Then she added, in a stiff tone, "Never. We've always been just friends." The word "friends" tasted bitter.
Henry saw her discomfort and didn't push further. But he couldn't take his eyes off her.
His intense gaze made Amelia look down. She didn't dare meet his eyes. Those eyes were the most beautiful ones she'd ever seen, deep and seemingly endless.
If she stared too long, she felt like her soul would be sucked away.
Feeling awkward, Amelia quickly coughed a few times to cover her unease. "The arranged marriage was just a joke by his parents. It can't be taken seriously. He's always seen me as family."
"So have I." As she said this, she couldn't even describe the pain in her heart.