Chapter 2

At 2 am in the morning, Joy was startled awake by a loud knock on her door. Slowly and cautious, she grab her base ball bat from beside the bed. She tiptoed through the darkened apartment.

Her pulse quickening with even step peering through the peep hole of the door, her heart skipped a bit. Amelia stood there disheveled and barely recognisable, her hair was tangled, clothes rumpled and there was a stain of wine at the chest part of her gown that looked like dried blood

Joy threw the door open in gasp. "Amelia what happened to you? Why do you look this way." Amelia manage a lopsided grin brushing a strand of hair from her face, her dimples flashed briefly before disappearing in a weary expression.

"I just need a place to crash, do you mind?" Still stunned, Joy ushered her inside "off course, you look like you have been through hell, what happened?" She shrugged off the question and disappeared into the bathroom.

30 minutes later, she emerged looking slightly more put together, though the weariness in her eyes betrayed the truth. Joy handed her a steamy mug of chocolate, keeping her own glass of red wine as she cast a long glare at her as if she was studying her friend.

"So" Joy began, her voice cautious but probing. "Did you have another fight with Fedrick?" Amelia wrapped my hands tightly around the mug. The warmth soothing against her cold fingers. She remained silent for a moment before she finally answered.

Amelia's tone was light but her words heavy. "Something like that" Joy's expression hardened as she place down her glass of wine and leaned forward. "What did that jerk do this time around? No let me guess, something awful as usual?" Amelia forced out a smile, unwilling to feed Joy's growing anger but Joy wasn't about to let it go.

"Fedrick Bennett" she spat the name like it left a bitter taste in her mouth. "That guy does not deserve you. You saved his life once and now he treats you like you are nothing and Lyra, do not even get me started on her." Amelia began to wonder as Joy continued.

Memories of the very first time she met Fedrick drifted through her mind. It was long before their engagement when she was still a teenager. After loosing her parents, she had spent summer at her grandmother's house in the country side lonely and grieving.

She had felt like the world had nothing left to offer her. That summer, Fedrick had been there to he was recovering from a heart condition and their path crossed one faithful day when Amelia came to his rescue during a medical emmergency.

Then, he looked her with so much gratitude, promising he will never forget her. So when Fedrick grandfather, Andrew proposed a marriage years later, she assumed it was Fedrick that wanted to. She thought it was destiny but 4 years of cold indifference had shattered that illusion.

The boy who once made a promise now barely acknowledge her existence. Joy's voice brought her back to the present. "Amelia, are you even listening?, why are you smiling right now? Have you finally lost it?"

Amelia shook her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "No I am not angry anymore" she said quietly. Joy starred at her with an unreadable expression written all over her face.

"You are not angry? After everything that bastard has done to you? After what he and that leach Lyra had put you through?" Amelia sighed. "Last night, I realised something, I am tired, I have wasted 4 years of trying to be someone I am not, hoping for something that was never real"

Joy went silent, the weight of her words sinking in. She swirled the wine in her glass her expression unreadable. Then she asked "so what now, are you really going to to divorce him? Are you just letting Lyra win?"

Amelia chuckled softly, setting her mug on the table. "Win what? To everyone else, I am probably the intruder in their perfect love story, the third wheel. Let her have him, I don't want him anymore. If Lyra thinks my left overs are worth fighting for, that's her problem."

Joy's jaw dropped, letting out a loud laughter and carried her glass in mock celebration. "Cheers to that, let her have the mess."

Meanwhile, Miles away, Fedrick stepped into the empty Bennett mansion, the air was cold and uninviting matching his mood. Ava, the house keeper hurried to take his coat as he walked through the door. "Sir, welcome home" Ava said hesitantly. "Would you like me to prepare something for breakfast?"

Fedrick shook his head on disapproval. After a week of business trip, and 10 hours of flight, food was the last thing he wanted. "No thank you" he replied curtly, knocking off his shoe, his gaze drifted to the dining table, it was set and untouched.

The house felt strangely quiet " where is Amelia, he asked, his tone casual but expectant "still sleeping?" Ava hesitated, her hands fidgeting nervously. "She is not home sir" her voice low, barely above a whisper. "She has not been home for a week"

The words hung in the air, heavy and disquieting. Fedrick expression darkened, a sudden chill setting over his features. He turned away without another word, his mind racing.

While he brooded in silence, she spent her week rediscovering myself.

For 4 good years, Amelia had moulded my life around Fedrick's routine and preference, she had adopted early mornings even though she love staying up late. She had given up spicy food, her favourite indulgence, because Fedrick could not handle it.

Amelia had traded novels, sitcoms for Opera and Art galleries trying to match his taste of eyebrow but now she was done pretending. She spent her days doing whatever she wanted, Indulging in spicy street food and laughing till her cheeks hurts. She stayed out late with friends, danced without any care in the world and let herself be free.

One morning after a particular late night, Amelia was jolted by her phone ringing unnecessarily. Groaning, she reached for it her head still foggy with sleep, without checking the caller ID I answered.

"Who is this?" The voice on the other end bold and sharp, sending an Involuntary shiver down her spine. " Where are you?" She froze recognising Fedrick's voice instantly yet beneath the icy, there was something else, was it anger? Concern? She could not tell and she didn't care.

She curved her lips into a slow smile, she remained calm and indifferent. "Where I am do not concern you anymore Fedrick, not today, not ever again. For the first time in years Amelia felt free.