Chapter 4 Amelia Ridley
Amelia Ridley
Amelia hadn’t had one moment to think when her father made the unexpected announcement.
Now, still feeling disoriented from her unexpected slumber, she walked through the grounds as fast as she could, trying to find her siblings, who seemingly were avoiding her.
Amelia almost tripped on her blue silk dress in the trouble of it all.
She whipped her head around when the crowd gasped as if a king and queen had arrived.
She moved past the guests to make a beeline for her mother to see what the fuss was about.
“I hope no one fell off their stilts again this year. What is everyone going on about?” Amelia asked, feeling confused.
Mother pointed to the far right of the stairs, beyond the dancers.
It was none other than the Grant family, each dressed in the finest gold-and-cream attire.
They were the Ridley family’s rival when it came to fame and wealth.
Respectfully, they were on the same playing field, with a young son named Elion, reminiscent of Kavita, with scandals that even Kavita couldn’t hold a candle to.
The one thing they didn’t have was a summer party.
Not that they hadn’t tried, but their attempts were met with failure the year their eldest son, Jamison, had to grab Elion from off the stage when he started calling everyone at the party frauds who lived to see each other’s failure.
Everyone in the city knew about it because of the unfortunate timing of Metropolitan Musings’ report of him peeing near the entrance of the Plaza Hotel after a wild night at the Cotton Club.
Some argued that he was trying to be like F. Scott Fitzgerald after that stunt.
“Why must they show up as if this were their party?” Mother scoffed, exasperated, while pacing near the bottom of the staircase by the bushes. “Mellie, go over there and thank them for coming. They shall not see us fold. Why didn’t we think of having you all dress like that in some way?”
Amelia chimed in, “Well, Mother, you have the finest-looking children in all of New York. We don’t need to be overzealous with outrageous attire.”
Mother chuckled, then whispered, “I am guessing you and Jamison aren’t back together yet.”
Jamison was the love of Amelia’s life. Even when they weren’t together.
The only reason they weren’t at the moment was because of their families’ damning rules.
For years, they would meet secretly, and if it showed up in Metropolitan Musings, they would say that they had to meet for school-related things.
Now, with Father’s desire to make history and have Amelia be the future owner of the Ridley Line, she was taken so many steps back in even having a sliver of a life with Jamison.
Mother walked hand in hand with Amelia in a slow but sultry way up to the Grant family, rolling her eyes at the same time at the nerve of them.
“Well, it looks like a flock of angels decided to join us this evening,” Mother said when she reached them.
The mother, Ella Grant, looked like a vision in the bold choice of a gold gown with cream appliqué details that shimmered, spiraling down the sides.
Ella smiled when she saw her. She had always been fond of Amelia, as she was the Ridley sister who stood out to her the most. Amelia could hold her own next to Jamison, while other girls would falter trying to get his attention.
Her skin was ice cold when she grabbed Amelia’s hand. “Amelia Rose, you are a star in my eyes, as always, my dear. What must a mother do to get you and my son married so I can have perfect little grandchildren walking around?” She glanced over to Jamison as her cheeks began to quiver.
Jamison was beautiful in a way that made Amelia feel that God had to mold men after him.
His skin was the perfect shade of honey tan, slightly lighter than hers.
The Grant family’s hair was their signature trait.
It was a chestnut blond with hints of earthy-brown hues.
He had two distinct dimples that made you want to poke them, like popping a little bubble.
Jamison’s eyes were a goldish brown, similar to Amelia’s mother, Caroline’s, which made her think that’s why she loved them so much.
When the Grant family went into the shipping industry, they became the Ridleys’ prime rivals, not for who could have the most sought-after family but for legacy and who had the empire to die for.
The Ridleys had a luxury liner for passengers, whereas the Grants did not, but they also had to compete with them in running cargo and for trade routes.
Metropolitan Musings added even more fuel to the fire with headlines: Which child would get into what college?
Who would marry off all their children first?
Which family would have the most heirs and heiresses running their family business?
It was always a battle, as it felt that—at least on the Ridley family side—they were never to court or marry anyone from the Grant family.
This was the catalyst for Amelia, as she had been fond of Jamison since they were children.
Her ache for love had spilled into her diary entries for years until love was no longer a priority for her.
Father had a lot of rules for Amelia, but not being with Jamison was the only one she had wanted to break for as long as she could remember.
Jamison, uncomfortable in his cream suit, adjusted his gold bow tie as if it were choking him.
He dared not look into Amelia’s eyes as she talked to his mother.
She could tell that everything about her made him nervous.
Their on-and-off relationship since grade school had never gone further than a simple kiss or a modest date to the movies.
Jamison was skilled at defusing awkward moments. “We know Mellie is always off on her horses, reading, or on a plane with her brothers. No one can keep up with her,” he said with slight amusement, ending with a tight smile.
Amelia felt the heat surrounding her neck. She wasn’t sure whether she should be offended or amused by his statement. She gave a brief handshake to each Grant family member.
Of course, the father, Garrison, held on for a moment too long. “Tell your father to contact me. I have a great business plan. I would love for him to participate.”
This shocked Amelia, because everyone knew her father was a hothead when it came to taking advice from other people, especially his competitors. “I will surely let him know, Mr. Grant.”
Jamison grabbed her hand as she walked away.
“Me. You. Stables. Now.”
Mother flinched her eyebrows, giving Amelia the You better go or else look.
Amelia wanted to fight back, but what use would that be?
It would create a scene and, furthermore, play into the narrative that she was unmarriageable.
His hand was heavy as he wrapped it around her wrist. They’d walked this walk many times before. Just not this exact route.
When Amelia and Jamison were no older than eleven, he was constantly getting her out of trouble, dragging her away from conflict.
She would fling herself, fist moving left and then right, at a boy’s face, all because he’d kicked a stray cat and she wanted him to feel the same wrath.
Jamison always chuckled at this as he would drag her off him.
Not because he didn’t think she could hold her own, but for the sake of the other’s well-being.
“Unhand me. You act like I don’t know how to get to my own stables, Jamison.”
He sat on the bench with his head in the palms of his hands.
She didn’t know why he looked so damn stressed.
She was the one who had been left with no word from him for months.
She’d even gone as far as scouring Metropolitan Musings for any word of him.
She felt undesired, believing what the gossip columns said about her being unlovable.
Even if it was due to their families’ rules of keeping them apart.
No one else even dared to try to compete with Jamison, who wasn’t showing effort in the first place.
He looked up at her with the purest smile in his gaze. The golden hues in his brown eyes shone bright in the moonlight.
“You know how much I love you, Mellie. Whether you believe it or not. You know how our families are, and my father has been . . . You know how he is,” Jamison said pleadingly.
Amelia wanted to roll her eyes but forced herself to look at him straight on. “Love doesn’t leave. Love listens and responds. Love would leave a letter to make sure the other person wouldn’t worry.”
He nodded, taking his time answering.
“My family has been going through a lot, and it’s something I can’t tell you about yet.
I will always protect you. Hopefully, when you do take over the company, if your crazy father doesn’t change his mind, you can make your own rules, and maybe my father won’t see you as another spoiled heiress who he would have to provide for as well.
I love you, for whatever it’s worth,” he said solemnly.
Jamison stood up, adjusting his suit before walking up to Amelia, leaving a kiss on her forehead.
“I will see you soon, Mellie.”
Before she could reply, Jamison left her.
She was all alone with her horse, Mya. And a yell.
A voice so loud that it had to be none other than Kavita’s.
From the stables, Amelia had a perfect view of the opening to the garden maze.
She dragged herself from the stables, running for the maze.
As she got closer, Amelia plummeted to the ground.
Her heel had gotten caught in a twisty vine near the rosebush, causing her to nick her hand.
There was blood dripping down her finger as she pulled her shoe free.
“Kavita!” Amelia yelled out into the maze.
Kavita and Dale Caimen had disappeared so quickly.
Amelia was confused about how they’d managed to get out of her eyesight.
Her vision began to blur slightly. The fall couldn’t have made her head feel like this.
Amelia stood, and her steps slowed down drastically as she looked left and right, wondering which way to go.
She had been through this maze thousands of times.
What was wrong with her? She dropped down slowly to the cold cobblestone ground. Heavy, slow footsteps approached.
A laugh broke out that startled her. Dale Caimen stood over Amelia with a cigarette and his gaudy briefcase.
“I see ya little trainwreck of a sister’s concoction got to you,” he said with a smug face.
Amelia had had enough of him and this party.
“Did you get your next big headline, Dale? I saw you got my sister riled up. Hope it’s enough for your readers and for you to keep a job.”
He stubbed out his cigarette.
“That’s the problem with you Ridleys—you forget where you all came from and act like you’re better than the rest of us. At least I make an honest living not surviving off Daddy’s money.”
Amelia scoffed, “You call humiliating and tormenting innocent families by putting their lives on paper ‘an honest living’? It is laughable, truly, Dale. One of these days, you are going to upset the wrong person, and it won’t be me or my siblings. We know your games.”
Dale came a step closer to Amelia. She realized this was probably why she’d heard Kavita getting upset. His whole presence was overwhelming.
“I think the truth will set everyone free, and maybe even you too. Little Miss Paris Sweetheart has been hiding more than your little promotion with the Ridley Line.”
Amelia interjected, “I did not hi—”
“Oh, spare me, Amelia. You are a liar just like your father. Don’t worry, though.
Kavita gave me something special enough by accident.
I wouldn’t trust that family of yours, who holds you in such high regard.
Looks like you aren’t the only Ridley with a damning secret.
” He winked at her, hitting her shoulder as he passed by.
Amelia bit her lip so hard that it began to bleed. Another mark for the night, along with her finger. She had kept her siblings together all this time. Now it looked like they all had their own dealings with a devil named Dale, and they had to cover it up. But first, what was it that he had on her?