After running into each other at the ball, Benedict and Amelia feel an instant spark. But what happens when Benedict learns that Amelia suffers painfully in her family's estate? To what lengths will Benedict go to make sure Amelia will never be hurt...
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Benedict's POV.
When Amelia left the room, I found myself pacing back and forth as I stressed about what was being said behind that door. All I knew was that it wasn't good. Part of me wanted to slam it open and tell Beatrice to back off. Amelia always had so much pressure and weight put on her shoulders by her own family, and the poor thing had no power to stop it.
I waited a few seconds. And then a minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. My heart was in my mouth at that point and I began running my hands through my hair in an anxious manner. It was my fault. If I'd stayed away like she told me to then Beatrice wouldn't have found me here. And Amelia wouldn't be in trouble. I have to admit, finding me in her room does not look very good.
And now I was to marry that selfish, arrogant sister of Amelia's to save her from being pushed down even more, unless I found a way out of that marriage without getting Amelia punished, this was my only choice. She was already sinking down to the bottom, yet her relatives kept digging a deeper hole to bury her.
Four minutes. Five minutes. I was going mad. I opened her bedroom window, allowing the cool air to swish in to calm myself down, but to no avail. I just got even more anxious. Ugly thoughts of Amelia being beaten filled my head and I had to sit back down to try and think of something else.
Suddenly the door opened and in walked Amelia with her head hanging low and a shameful look on her face. My chest tightened at her expression and I felt a sense of anger within myself, knowing that her sister had upset her in some way.
"You have to go." She said in a low voice. She couldn't even look at me when she spoke. Her chest was raising up and down rapidly.
I so badly wanted to protest. To tell her that I was here and I was her friend and I would support her. But knowing that this wasn't her choice, I nodded. "Alright." A wave of guilt filled my mind and I approached her. I grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I'll come visit soon."
She breathed in deeply, and shook her head. "No. No, you can't, Benedict. I don't think you understand." She tightened her hand around my own. "We can't see each other anymore. Permanently." Her eyes remained on the ground as she spoke softly, almost as if not to hurt me.
This all had to be a big joke. I had gone through my own ups and downs in life, but I'd never seen someone so broken. How could one's family be so cruel to want someone to be so miserable?
"You're not serious." I scoffed. The anger began to rise but I tried everything in my power to bury it down. I wasn't the one who was supposed to be angry. "Amelia, look at me." I searched for her eyes, but she hid her face as she looked down. "Darling, if I can no longer see you... at least let me look into your eyes one last time."
"Benedict-"
"Amelia." I took her chin and gently lifted her gaze, eyes looking into mine. "I will fix this." I told her. A silent promise to get her out of this devastating family. "I will fix everything."
