Chapter 3

Amelia sighed. She had lost count of how many times she had glanced at the elegant watch on her wrist. In total, she had been waiting for 20 minutes.

Earlier that afternoon, while enjoying her work break, Flora suddenly called her. Her friend asked to meet at a cafe later that evening. So, as instructed, Amelia went straight to the cafe after work. But she had been waiting for a long time, and her friend still hadn't shown up.

Worried something might have happened, Amelia decided to call Flora to check her location. If Flora was going to be much longer, Amelia planned to ask if she could leave.

However, before she could make the call, she heard a woman greet her from a distance, causing Amelia to abandon her plan. She looked up and soon stood up, smiling. In the next moment, she was surprised to see another person following closely behind the woman.

"Amelia, I'm so sorry I'm late."

"It's okay, no problem."

Flora unhesitatingly invited Amelia for a handshake, then embraced her and kissed both of her cheeks alternately. It was typical of her to be this friendly.

Remembering she wasn't alone, Flora glanced behind her after breaking the hug. Smiling, she then pulled the wrist of the man who had been following her so that he stood next to her.

"I also brought Ethan today to meet you."

Flora nudged Ethan, signaling him to greet Amelia, who had been standing in front of them.

"Hi, Amelia," Ethan greeted, bowing slightly. It was clear he was just being polite.

"Hi."

Amelia responded awkwardly, nodding before choosing to sit down quickly. For some reason, at this first meeting after a long separation, she felt a sudden rush of discomfort and confusion.

Ethan hadn't changed a bit. He was still as handsome as when she first met him. His good looks had once captivated Amelia, and she even dreamed of being his partner, but she chose to step aside when she found out Flora had the same feelings for him.

"Why are you two so awkward? It's like you're meeting for the first time," Flora teased after sitting down. She deliberately chose a seat right next to Amelia, while Ethan sat across from them.

"So, why did you ask me to come here?" Amelia asked, ignoring Flora's previous comment. It wasn't meant to be rude, but she was genuinely unsure how to respond.

The truth was, Amelia had always been nervous around Ethan. And now, after not seeing him for so long, that awkward feeling had only grown stronger.

"I have something to tell you."

Amelia nodded, then responded, "I also have something to tell you, Flora. But you go first."

Flora gave a faint smile, pulling her chair closer to Amelia. Once she was comfortable, she started speaking again.

"I want to talk about your request to come and seek permission for the proposal."

"Yes? And then?"

"If all goes well," Flora continued, "Ethan and I plan to visit your house the day after tomorrow."

Amelia was taken aback by Flora's words.

"The day after tomorrow?"

"Yes, Amelia. The sooner, the better," Flora replied. She was eager to meet Amelia's family. If possible, she would have brought Ethan to visit that very night. "I wanted to tell you now so your family won't be surprised when we come."

"But, Flora... actually, I wanted to ----"

"No, Amelia," Flora interrupted quickly, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence. "Please don't think about postponing or changing your mind about my request. Who else can help me if not you?"

Amelia pressed her lips together tightly, swallowing back the words she had intended to say. She had planned to tell Flora about her decision to decline being Ethan's second wife.

However, seeing the sadness and desperation in Flora's eyes, she felt a pang of sympathy. She imagined what it would be like to be in Flora's position.

"I'm really asking for your help," Flora pleaded again, this time grasping Amelia's wrist and holding it tightly. "Please."

"Please grant Flora's request, Amelia."

Ethan, who had been mostly silent, couldn't bear to see his wife continue begging. Setting aside his pride, he finally spoke up to Amelia.

Amelia thought hard. But she couldn't deny that she still loved Ethan very much. After all, she wasn't in a relationship with anyone at the moment. Moreover, seeing Flora and Ethan's continuous persuasion slowly melted her heart.

"Alright, I accept your offer to marry you and become your wife."

Flora immediately smiled broadly, happy that Amelia finally agreed to her request.

"Thank you, Amelia," said Flora. "Ethan and I will quickly prepare everything for the wedding. I can't wait to see you both officially become husband and wife."