Everyone in the healer community held their breaths as the car stopped before one of the leader's houses.
The remnants of the destruction the royal wolves and their armies had caused earlier were still visible because of the broken infrastructure.
Thus, Cyrus Valentino's presence was seen as a significant threat.
"Let's go," Cyrus said.
Amelia nodded and stepped out of the car, holding her dress to move quickly.
Their Nanny, Jessica, rushed to the door to welcome them, a large smile stretched on her face.
Cyrus glanced at her lazily before looking at Fabian, who nodded to the guards as they stepped forward with the gifts.
A flash of greed shone on Jessica's face when she saw around 12 guards entering the house one by one with platters containing gifts before Cyrus walked inside with Amelia.
"Amelia, my little girl, you must be looking for your sister. I didn't know you would be arriving, or I wouldn't have asked her to go to the mall. Don't worry. I'll call her right away," Jessica said when she noticed Amelia looking around.
Amelia smiled stiffly.
That wasn't the thing she was looking at.
She had planted various herbal leaves and stems throughout the house, hanging little pots as decorations near the windows to keep the air clean and healthy.
It had been only two days since she left, and yet all those things were gone, replaced by fancy things.
One wouldn't believe that their family lost a daughter to a monster in a peace treaty from the way they quickly got rid of her things and decorated it so extravagantly. Then again, she was never considered a valuable asset to their family. So, it was understandable for them to be least fazed by her absence.
However, to remove everything she once used to cherish…
Did they really have to go that far?
She hadn't gotten a chance to return home even once in her last life. Had they removed everything like that in their previous life, too?
Were they so desperate to throw her away? How come she never saw this desperation?
Or did she ignore this desperation all her life?
Amelia's gaze darkened at the thought, and her little happiness about seeing her father again left her body.
They sat on the couch, waiting for her father to arrive.
Thames Cooper rushed to the house from the laboratory as soon as he heard the king had arrived with his younger daughter.
"King Cyrus," Thames bowed out of respect, not once glancing at Amelia. It was as if she didn't exist for him.
Cyrus didn't stand from his place.
"Pardon me, but I have difficulty bowing to the same man kneeling before me two days ago and used his daughter to get out of the situation and feel guilty and free," Cyrus didn't hold back.
The smile on Thames' face stiffened before he smiled forcefully and nodded his head.
Cyrus glanced at Amelia to see if she would show any change in expressions that would indicate she was planning something, but the girl just sat there as if she wasn't sitting at her home, where she had spent her entire life, but in a stranger's house.
Her expressions were strange, but he could relate to her for some reason. To be at your home but not feel at home.
He was familiar with this feeling.
"I saw some preparations outside," Cyrus said casually.
Thames thought this was their King's way of initiating a conversation, and he immediately smiled before sitting on the sofa before him.
"Yes, King Cyrus. My daughter's results are out, and she passed with flying colors. So we have planned a little celebration," Thames said.
"What rank?" Cyrus asked.
Though he spoke like everyone else, his cold and dominating gaze forced everyone to talk while looking at their feet.
No one dared to look him directly in the eyes.
"Third, sir," Thames said.
"But you said it was first," Cyrus said.
Thames furrowed his brows. When did he say that?
"No, sir. I didn't say that –"
"I am not talking to you," Cyrus interrupted him, his gaze focused on Amelia.
Amelia took a deep breath and smiled.
"It was indeed first," Amelia said before she opened the school's website to show him the results.
Cyrus nodded absentmindedly.
"A celebration for someone who came third but not even a congratulations to someone who came first. Is this what we call a true scholar's mind? Or is that your brain particularly is in your knees?" Cyrus asked.
His words were offensive, but Thames didn't dare to retort.
He just turned to look at Amelia with a complicated expression.
Amelia was used to not being seen for her efforts and only remembered being used thoroughly by her family in her last life. Thus, his congratulations didn't matter to her.
It would be a lie to say that it didn't hurt, but she was used to it by now.
"Congratulations, Amelia," Thames said under Cyrus's pressure.
Cyrus walked out to take a call from his grandfather, who probably wanted to ensure his grandson wasn't causing a scene with the healers.
Amelia's gaze shook at the words, and she gulped, feeling a pang in her heart.
Who would've thought she always craved her father's recognition so intensely?
She was about to say thank you when Hannah rushed inside with a fake smile.
"Sister, it's you. Are you back?" Hannah said.
She deliberately arrived hand in hand with Killian, pretending to be hurt as she limped over to Amelia.
"Hannah, what happened to you? Are you alright? Macy! Bring the ointment for Hannah!" Jessica shouted, and within a second, the entire attention was shifted to Hannah.
Amelia's gaze, which had turned emotional for a fleeting second, turned hard again as she looked at her elder sister, pretending to be hurt, her hand clutching Killian's shirt.
If it had been previous times, though Amelia had helped Hannah, she would've felt jealous too and spoken about it, which would have resulted in her being called a heartless wench by her father and a pessimistic person by Killian.
However, this time, her heart didn't feel anything.
"Sister, I didn't know you were arriving. I wouldn't have gone to the mall if you had told me," Hannah said, her gaze stopping at Amelia's blue-colored silk dress that looked quite expensive.
It was so beautiful that she suddenly felt like she had it. And to get that dress…
"Have you drank anything? Why are you sitting like that?" Hannah limped towards Amelia with the glass of water. Just as she reached her, she limped forward, causing the water to spill all over Amelia's dress.
Amelia lost looking at her father, who looked at Hannah with so much concern, snapped out of her thoughts when the cold liquid dripped down her legs.
"Oh my, I am so sorry," Hannah said before she tried to clean her dress.
"Do you want to get changed? I'm sorry, Amelia. I didn't mean to," Hannah started.
"Leave it," Amelia swatted her hand away, feeling repulsed by her touch alone. This caused Hannah to stumble back and fall.
"Hannah!" Her father, Jessica, and Alpha Killian rushed forward at once.
"How can you be so heartless, Amelia?! I know you are jealous that I came with her, but did you have to hurt her? I haven't seen a person as annoying as you are," Alpha Killian roared.
"You shouldn't have done that," Jessica said.
"She always brings miseries. Fucking cursed omen," Thames said.
"Please don't say anything to Amelia. I stumbled on my own," Hannah said to resolve the matter.
Amelia just stood there, a spectator of the marvelous acting of her sister.
She would've believed that her sister meant well in her last life, but now, after knowing the truth…
Amidst their act, everyone forgot that King Cyrus was still around, and his subordinate was still standing in the corner of the hall, watching everything.
"I didn't do anything," Amelia said softly but calmly.
"You didn't do anything?! How dare you even speak before me, you ungrateful monster!" Thames raised his voice at Amelia before raising his hand, ready to strike her.
They would suspect her if she dodged his attack, but she didn't want to take the hit either.
Amelia clenched her jaws in a dilemma before closing her eyes.
Just this last time, she will take this humiliation.
The pain she expected never came, and she opened her eyes to see what stopped her father.
Her eyes widened when her gaze met with a broad back.
Someone stood before her, protecting her.
"You dare?" Cyrus asked as he sized Thames, making the man's pupils dilate before he stumbled back.
"I… didn't mean to –" Thames said before apologizing and leaving the room.
Hannah looked at the king standing before Amelia to protect her before she winced in pain to catch everyone's attention.
Cyrus turned around and looked at Amelia's wet attire before he took off his overcoat and wrapped it around her.
"The visit is over," Cyrus said, holding her hand and pulling her out of the house, making her heart skip a beat.
She was about to sit inside the car when she heard her name being called.
Amelia turned around to see Marcos running towards her.
"Miss!!" Marcos rushed to her and gave her the muffin he bought for her.
"Congratulations," Marcos smiled widely, and Amelia's eyes turned teary.
"T-thank you," she teared up before hugging the old man.
"Miss, don't cry. Stay healthy," Marcos said, and Amelia nodded before sitting in the car.
Cyrus glanced at the girl and noticed that she kept looking at the muffin as if it were a cherished possession.
He looked out the window, his thoughts complicated.