Chapter 40 Shelly''s Birthday Party


    "You silly, little girl..." With a tender look in his eyes, Lucian patted the top of Amelia''s head. Then he


    bent down, took off her shoes, and rubbed her ankle gently for her as if no one else was around.


    "Hey, people are watching us!" Amelia protested. But Lucian ignored her and proceeded to massage


    her. She looked around and saw that there were a lot of people looking curiously at them. Blushing


    heavily, Amelia felt so shy that she just wanted to run away and hide.


    Meanwhile, Lucian didn''t seem to be paying attention to the eyes that were on them. "How do you feel?


    Does it still hurt?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.


    It seemed as if Lucian was intent on making Amelia feel better no matter what. As Amelia watched the


    way Lucian was so worried about her, her heart couldn''t help but tremble. Feeling deeply moved, tears


    started to form in her crystal clear eyes.


    "I''m happy right now. It doesn''t hurt anymore," she replied in a soft voice.


    Upon hearing Amelia''s response, Lucian paused and looked up at her delicate face with his deep eyes.


    It was as if a wave had swept over his heart, making it hard for him to maintain hisposure.


    Amelia''s words were like a subtle way of epting Lucian into her life.


    A faint smile yed on the corners of Lucian''s lips as he savored this moment he was having with


    Amelia. The two of them looked at each other as if they were in their own little bubble. There was so


    much love in their eyes that there was no need to voice it out.


    "Lucian!" an angry voice suddenly called out, breaking the moment they were having together.


    Turning around, Amelia saw that it was Shelly.


    Shelly was very beautiful today. Her hair was put up in an elegant, side-swept bun, exposing her


    slender and smooth neck. Since it was a special asion for her, she was wearing a pair of diamond


    earrings and a ne iid with precious gems.


    From the way she was dressed, it was easy to see that she was the star of tonight''s event. As soon as


    she appeared, she drew the attention of the entire crowd. However, the expression on her face was


    sour. There was so much envy and hate in her eyes. Because of this, she looked rather ferocious than


    beautiful, and therefore reduced the guests'' mood.


    On the other hand, Amelia had an elegance and simplicity that easily touched the hearts of others.


    Everyone who looked at her was instantly drawn to her charm. The faint smile on her face was like as


    delicate as a dainty magnolia.


    Hearing Shelly''s angry voice, Lucian was stunned for a second, but he instantly regained his


    composure. "Shelly, happy birthday," he greeted naturally.


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    "Miss Shelly, happy birthday to you. I wish you many blessings," Amelia also greeted politely.


    "I don''t need your blessing!" Shelly scoffed, frowning deeply at Amelia, "In fact, you should know that


    I''m not really that delighted to see you here!"


    Even with her hostile words, Amelia still had a smile on her face. It seemed as if she was already used


    to Shelly treating her like this.


    A lot of the guests nearby were able to overhear Shelly''s angry words, which made them wonder as to


    why she was so averse to Amelia.


    "Well, it seems that Miss Shelly is still not giving up. Even in public, she dares to challenge Mr. Lucian''s


    new wife. It seems that it''s not easy to enter a rich and powerful family..." someone whispered behind


    Amelia.


    "The An family and the Zhan family have been friends for over a decade. It seemed that it was easy to


    expect that their family would get connected through somebody''s marriage. But Lucian doesn''t like


    Shelly that way. And so, he married a woman he truly loved instead."


    "I definitely understand where Mr. Lucian ising from. If I were in his position, I would also marry


    someone I wanted. Marriage is not supposed to be about business and money. I think Mrs. Amelia is


    just right for him." There were a lot of people gossiping around them. A faint smile appeared on


    Lucian''s lips. Their words actually made him somewhat happy — at least the people there understood


    the situation clearly.


    However, he didn''t appreciate the harsh words Shelly said to Amelia. Even though it looked as if


    Amelia was fine with what Shelly had told her, Lucian didn''t like the fact that there was someone being


    so rude towards his wife.


    "Well, Shelly... If that''s the case, we''ll get out of your way then,"


    Lucian said as he put his arm around Amelia''s shoulder. Then, he looked at her with a gentle and


    loving gaze, "Let''s go home?"


    Amelia had not expected that Lucian would be so straightforward like this. She immediately shook her


    head in response. "If we leave now, people might get the wrong idea," Amelia reasoned in a low,


    hushed voice, "They might think that we''re both rude and shallow. Plus, this day isn''t about us. It''s


    Shelly''s birthday celebration. The least we could do is be as cordial as possible."


    After, she slightly tightened her grasp on Lucian''s arm in reassurance. There was no resentment in


    Amelia''s voice when she exined her thoughts to him.


    Lucian smiled as he nodded in agreement. "What about your ankle? Does it still hurt?"


    "No, it doesn''t hurt anymore," Amelia said, blushing heavily. Then she bent down to put her shoes back


    on.


    But before she could do so, Lucian was already putting her shoes on for her.


    Their intimacy and sweetness towards each other made Shelly''s face red with rage. It looked as if she


    was about to blow up any moment now. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed onto Lucian''s shoulder and


    made him look at her. "Lucian, you''re here for my birthday party, aren''t you?" she willfully said with a


    small pout, "Do you really not care about my feelings?"


    There was no doubt that Shelly was an arrogant woman who was used to having her way all time. And


    so, it came without surprise that she would act this way despite the fact that there were so many people


    around.


    Her fingers yfully lingered on Lucian''s shoulder even though Amelia was just right there beside him.


    In Shelly''s eyes, Amelia was no better than a dead fish. Perhaps Shelly acted like this because she felt


    that she had a special ce in Lucian''s heart. After all, they practically grew up together.


    "Shelly, there are so many people around. Can''t you behave yourself for one minute?" Lucian sneered


    quietly, brushing Shelly''s hands off him. Then, he reached over to Amelia and put his arm around her


    waist. "Let''s sit over there, Amelia," he said, pointing to a less crowded corner, "We''ll ask a waiter to get


    a hot towel for your sore ankle."


    Shelly crossed her arms over her chest, feeling greatly insulted at how Lucian ignored her. Suddenly,


    her mood had changed. "Amelia," she called out in a trembling voice, "Today''s my birthday. Is it really


    so wrong for me to ask a childhood friend to spend some time with me?"


    Amelia was a little shocked. Seeing that Shelly was about to cry, she looked at Lucian with panic, not


    knowing how to answer her.


    "Shelly, you are the center of today''s event. Get back on to where you''re supposed to or your parents


    will worry about you," Lucian said coldly. ''What''s up with her now? Is she just changing her tactic?'' he


    thought to himself.


    Shelly''s face turned pale. She looked at Amelia with big and hopeful eyes. "Amelia, aren''t you going to


    back me up?"


    Her pleading tone made Amelia have no reason to refuse.


    "Well, you just said that Shelly''s the center of today''s event," Amelia said to Lucian, "You should agree


    to her requests." Lucian frowned deeply and didn''t say anything else regarding the matter. Instead, he


    urged for them to walk away from Shelly.


    "Let''s go sit down now. We really need to check if your ankle is still swollen," he said, gently pulling


    Amelia along with him.


    "Why can''t you just apany Miss Shelly for a little while?" Amelia asked, not expecting that Lucian


    would try andpletely ignore what she said.


    Lucian let out a deep sigh. He didn''t think that Amelia would keep pressing on the matter.


    "Do you really want me to spend time with Shelly?" he asked bitterly.


    In her heart, Amelia really didn''t want to. But when she saw Shelly''s pitiful face, Amelia thought that it


    was better if Lucian just went along with her request. What''s more, there were so many other people


    around. Amelia didn''t want to embarrass Shelly.


    ''Plus, if I don''t let Lucian go with her, she might cause even more trouble for me,'' Amelia thought.


    "Of course!" Amelia said with a smile and a nod.


    Her acting was so convincing that she almost fooled herself for a second.


    After a short silence, Lucian looked at Amelia and smiled wryly. Then he nodded, "Since this is what


    you want, I''ll do it."


    Somehow, after hearing his words, a sudden pain came over Amelia.


    She looked at Lucian''s face, her smile frozen in ce. Lucian said to Shelly in an indifferent tone, "Let''s


    go. I''ll take you back to the stage."


    "Oh, Lucian! Thank you!" Shelly pped with joy as she walked over to him.


    Amelia watched Shelly and Lucian walk onto the stage arm in arm. The two of them looked like an


    actual couple.


    Although she felt a little bit disappointed, she still wore a smile on her face and didn''t say anything else.


    She was the one who asked for this to happen after all.


    "Look at Lucian and Shelly together! They look perfect for each other!"


    "Lucian''s just too perfect. If he held up a rock, I''m sure he would make it appear valuable."


    The two girls were gossiping behind her. At that moment, Amelia looked at Lucian and Shelly getting up


    on the stage. It was as if they were way beyond her reach, like brilliant stars far off in night sky.


    A middle-aged man, who was most likely Shelly''s father, came to greet Lucian with a pat on the back. It


    was none other than Edmund An. "Thank you for attending my daughter''s birthday party. I would also


    like to thank my old friend foring. It''s an honor to have you here," he announced to the guests.


    There was a grateful look on Edmund''s face as he thanked the guests and the arrival of the Zhan


    family.


    From the corner of her eye, Amelia saw Nichs and Fannie. Amelia was a bit surprised as she didn''t


    see them when she had entered the hall with Lucian just a while back.


    Fannie was wearing her nicest jewelry as she stood behind Nichs. It was so obvious that she was


    happy to see Lucian and Shelly together.


    The woman standing next to Edmund wore in clothes. Even though her look was fairly simple, she


    was quite elegant and ssy.


    It was probably because she also had such a nice smile on her face.


    "Does he really have to single out the Zhan family like that in his little speech? Lucian''s married, isn''t


    he? Why does the An family have to be such social climbers?"


    The girl sitting behind Amelia began to murmur again.


    "Keep your voice down. Mrs. Amelia is sitting in front of us. Aren''t you afraid..." the other girl interrupted


    in a hushed voice.


    "Look at Shelly though... She''s holding onto Mr. Lucian so tightly! I''m sure those who don''t know her


    well would think she''s Mr. Lucian''s wife!" the girlined angrily.


    "Oh,e on! Mrs. Amelia has been smiling the entire time! She''s obviously not worried about Shelly


    and neither should you."


    "……"


    Amelia''s mind went nk after she heard the two girls gossiping. She tried to focus her attention on the


    stage, but her sight was getting blurry from the tears lingering in her eyes. With a deep breath, she


    lowered her head and busied herself with her phone.


    In the next second, she heard another announcement being made on the stage...


    "The Zhan family and the An family have reached an agreement ten years ago that when my daughter


    Shelly has reached twenty years old, she is to be wed with Lucian!"