Chapter 56

There was a loud sound of something crashing disturbed me as my eyes snapped open and saw the maid cleaning my room. She accidentally pushed the vase near the door and it broke. She had a distressed look on her face as she picked up the broken pieces. "What's going on?" Veronica walked in as she the vase was broken and then back at me. I was doing my work when I slipped to slumber on the recliner. "What are you doing? You broke my vase!" Veronica exclaimed as she looked down at the maid who looked as if she was on the verge of crying. "Veronica," I sighed as I called her and she looked at me. Her rage subsiding and she crouched down next to the maid trying to see the face of the made who was in distress. "What? Are you crying?" Veronica looked amused all of a sudden. "Over this vase?" she looked even more amused as she picked one of the pieces and looked back at the girl. "What? Was it your friend?" she asked and the maid finally looked up at her. "I-I am sorry," she whispered and that was when Veronica put her hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "Who cries over a broken vase? Now, clean this all up and bring me food. I am hungry," she said and the maid's eye widened as she nodded and smiled up at Veronica when she stood up and made her way to me. "You looked angry, to be honest. Anyone would cry," I told her and she rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You know the price of that vase? She broke a rare Ming dynasty vase from China. Who would not be angry? I thought you were the one who broke it so I was going to ask you to pay back," she told me a smirk and that made me roll my eyes at her. "Don't throw it away. Just gather it and put it in a bag. The vase can be reconstructed. I will have it sent back to China," Veronica told the maid who nodded and got up. "Ma'am you can deduct my salary to compensate for the vase," the maid said and Veronica looked back at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. I knew she was going to have fun putting the young maid on the line. I shook my head to tell her not to do that but she didn't listen. "Okay, as for the price, no salary for you for twenty-seven years," Veronica told her and immediately turned and walked out of the room leaving a visibly shocked maid in the room. I chuckled as I shook my head at them. "She is kidding. Don't worry about that," I told the maid who looked as if she would pass away any second. As soon as I told her, she held her chest and took a sigh of relief as she crouched down to pick up the pieces while I got back to work, picking up the laptop. Its been so many days since I came I to Pretoria and a week since I told Veronica how I felt for her. She is yet to let me know how she felt for me and actually I didn't mind. Her behavior told me something else. It was as is she wanted to tell me that she wanted to be with me. The beeping of my phone got my attention and I checked the Id find it was Mr. Ron my dad's secretary. Why is he calling me? "Hello?" I couldn't believe what I just heard as I picked up my things and packed my stuff as fast as I could. "What's wrong?" Noah came running into my room. "Amelia. She got in an accident. He tried to reach you but couldn't. we have to go back to New York, now" I told him and he nodded running out of the room probably for packing. Anxiety filled up in me as I thought about Amelia. Noah told me that she returned back to New York, two days and she had an accident while she was going to our company. Why is this happening with me and my family? First, it was mom and then it was Amelia. Ron couldn't tell me the exact thing that happened to Amelia since he with dad and mom but as he got the news he called me first and told me that I need to reach Amelia as soon as possible. Sweats formed on my forehead as I thought of it again and again and wore my coat as I held my bag and was just about to drag it with me when Veronica came running into my room and directly into my arms as she held my shoulder. "Ace, what's going on? Where are you going?" she asked as she held my shoulder staring up at me worriedly. There was a brooding feeling in me that wanted to reach New York as soon as possible. If it wasn't Veronica then I would've not wasted my time. "I have to go back to New York," I told her and pulled my luggage out of the room as she followed me and one male servant came forward taking the bag from me, helping me take it towards the door. "But why? Why are you in such haste?" she asked and I stopped a little to tell her everything as fast as I could. "My sister, she got herself in an accident last night. I need to reach back to New York as soon as possible," I told her and saw as her eyes widened and she nodded. I turned around and walked towards the door when Noah came in my sight struggling with his bags. "The jet is ready," he told me and I nodded. "Wait! I will come with you," I heard Veronica and looked back at her. "I'm sorry Veronica. I know have a lot of work pending and that was why you came back to Pretoria. Don't worry, I will call you as soon as I know the situation and if possible, I will try to get back before I rejoin the office. Alright?" I asked and held her face. She had a doleful expression but nevertheless nodded and I leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Take care then," she whispered. "You too," I told her as I took the steps down from the porch but looked back at her to see her eyes glistening and red. My heart ached to see her that way but all I did was give her a little wave as she replied with the same. "Take care of Amelia," she shouted and I nodded before sliding into the car while the driver drove us back to the airport. ~ I felt my legs trembling, as I stood right before the door of Amelia's room in our parent's house ready to face the truth. It seemed as if I had no courage left in me to watch the one I loved the most in pain. It happened when I saw my mother after the car accident. I felt like losing my consciousness as I thought about the day. And here I was, again. As soon as I opened the door ready to witness the worst only to find my sister sitting on her couch in the room with her legs raised up on the table before her as she read a magazine. "A-Amelia?" I muttered as I saw her totally safe and sound. Her hair was up on curls and her face masked with a green colored cream. "Oh hi! bro," she gave me a toothy grin as she looked my way and slammed the magazine on the table getting off as she made her way to me. "I missed you so much," she said and threw her arms over me for a hug as I stood there in shock. But as she hugged me, my senses got back as I held her hand and made her stand before me. "What the hell is this Amelia? Do you think this is funny?" I was filled with rage as I yelled at her. The whole fourteen-hour flight made me so anxious and I could hardly close my eyes for a second. I was terribly worried about Amelia and here she was, perfectly fine and normal. "What?" she asked as she pouted. "Are you kidding me? Do you think this is funny? I was told by Ron that you had an accident. Do you know how worried I was? I couldn't blink my eyes for fourteen hours in the damn flight and look at you!" I yelled at her and she narrowed her eyes at me. "Oh really? Then think how I would have felt when I heard my brother is getting engaged and I have not been introduced to my sister-in-law yet. Serves you right!" she screamed back putting her hand on her waist. "What?" I managed to say even though I was confused as hell. "Don't act as if you know nothing. Dad told me about your engagement with that Kinsley girl. This is not fair! I should be the one to know about your fiancee first!" she whined and all I did was stare at her in shock as if she had two heads in her body. What the hell is she talking about?