Chapter one
The Ugly Meeting
Amelia
“What is he doing here?” I said to myself as I saw the familiar man walking into the house. I recognized him as the man I had met at the airport this morning. We’d met in a not-so-palatable way. I had mistook his suitcase for mine, and he suggested that my ignorance was a scheme to steal his expensive luggage.
I scoffed; who did he think he was to speak about me that way?
“You are an ass,” I said to him, calling him a few words no one loved to be called.
We’d both said things we didn't like to each other. I hoped never to see him again and never thought I’d see him in an event so personal to the family. I could only hope he was not an important guest of my parents.
“What is he doing here?” I asked my mother, currently paying more attention to the decoration than her daughter.
My family was hosting a welcome party for me after returning home from medical school. While I told her the party was unnecessary, she reminded me that I needed to meet Henry Robinson today. There was no other way the elite in Richmond impressed each other but to throw unnecessary expensive parties.
When my mother finally looked up at the person I pointed at, she chuckled and told me that the man I had confronted at the airport was Henry Robinson.
“Henry Robinson? The man I’m supposed to marry in a few months?” Now, I had my mother's attention.
She told me Henry Robinson was the second son of the richest family in Richmond. I was being matched with him because of the family's wealth and influence. I had known I was to marry into an influential family since I was a child. I had been matched with him since my first year in medical school. I had seen his pictures a few times, but none justified how attractive he looked now.
“Have you both met before?” I wished my mother wasn’t this excited.
“Never mind,” I said and walked back to the patio where my sisters were busy gossiping about my parent's guests. I didn’t fit into their conversation because I never really got along with them.
I never had a childhood since I was burdened with the responsibility of keeping the family's name intact – of doing whatever my parents wanted, which gave me no option but to marry the asshole I met at the airport today. I wished Camille was here to cheer me on, but the young one had her own problems. So, I kept a lot of things to myself.
Mother walked into the patio a few minutes later. She yelled at us for leaving the guests unattended. She wanted me to meet someone. She stopped us when she saw the Robinson family in a corner: Troy Robinson, who I recognized as my new employer, Henry Robinson, the asshole I had met at the airport, and their mother, Mrs. Helen Robinson.
My parents and the Robinson family had been good friends since before I was born. The two families had kept strong ties to keep themselves in each other's graces and maintain the rich influence they both enjoyed from knowing each other. Mother started the introduction from the queen bee – Mrs. Robinson, who I had met a few times before now.
She had a sweet smile and pulled me in for a hug. Then, Mother showed me Troy Robinson was the man who headed the hospital I would resume at on Monday mornings. Finally, she introduced me to Henry Robinson, the son who managed the rest of the family’s enterprises. I could tell that he was a carefree, spoiled son. He wore an expensive green shirt that he hadn't bothered to tuck inside his pants. He had gum in his mouth, which he was trying hard to hide from his mother, like a punk kid. He looked around like he couldn't wait to get out of here.
Henry smiled as he stretched his hand for a shake, “Hi. Amelia, so we meet again.”
Everything in me wanted to wipe off the smile on his lips. I shook his hard hand and his thumb brushed the center of my palm. The whole room became empty when a jolt from his touch went down my spine. Everyone had disappeared, except for Henry and me, now drawing into that infinite realm of first attraction.
I quickly snatched my hand away. A second touch would mean trouble. Henry had the body of an athlete with set of ripped arms that made his shirt sleeves a bit tight. His lips were masterpieces.
They curved into a short smile anytime he spoke. My throat dried up when I watched his emerald eyes search mine. They were comforting, as if I could hold the tireless gaze till dawn. I got out of my sudden daydream of Henry’s body. None of those nice features stopped him from being the annoying man I had met earlier today.
“Yes,” I affirmed, faking a smile. That was what my parents would have wanted: to fake being happy so they could be happy.
I had heard about the arranged marriage all my life. This was an agreement my parents had with the Robinson family. It was a way to seal a long-term deal with Henry’s family and make my family rich for life. I looked over at the living room. My mother and sisters were stealing glances our way, giving me a cheerful thumbs up. They were probably wondering if Henry and I were getting along. Henry seemed to know this, too, so he was putting up a good front.
“I'm sorry about the airport,” Henry said to keep the conversation going. He had his hands in his pockets and leaned in a few times.
“No, you are not sorry. You are just putting on a show for the family and everyone at this party.”
“You are wrong, and I'm really sorry.” Henry offered to prove it. “I’ve had my bags stolen at the airport a few times, and I got paranoid when I saw you with luggage that looked like mine.”
“Nothing justifies what you did.”
“Let me make it up to you tomorrow; let's go on a date tomorrow night.”
I agreed to the date. My parents would be elated to hear about it. I was glad to see Camille walking toward us. She took me away from Henry to discuss starting our medical careers at the hospital.