Chapter 24: Court Part 12

Amelia was in her dimly lit bedroom, the curtains drawn shut to block out the harsh afternoon sun. She sat on her plush velvet bedspread, her sweet face suddenly contorting into a scowl as she clenched her hands into tight fists. The soft fabric beneath her palms did little to absorb the force of her anger as she punched the air in front of her. "Ethan thinks he can buy me with his money," she muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "He has nothing better to offer."

She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as she licked her lips, tasting the salty tang of her own frustration. Amelia took a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of lavender that lingered in the air from the candles she had lit earlier. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing thoughts, but it was no use. The frustration that had been building up inside her for weeks was like a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.

She picked up her cell phone from the nightstand and dialed a number, her finge