FLASH MARRIAGE; CHARMED BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE CEO

Maria observed Amelia's body tense as the overly dressed woman approached them. She was about to step into the rescue when Amelia patted her on the arm and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hello, Aunt Harriet."

Amelia stepped forward, extending her right hand as Harriet opened her arms to embrace her.

She could smell the bitterness and resentment oozing out of Harriet like a suffocating perfume. She could see the piercing coldness behind those pretentious smiles. She wasn't about to allow her vengeful uncle's wife to embrace her or come close to her baby.

"What is this?" Harriet suppressed a scornful laughter, bringing her arms down. "Are we in a corporate organization?"

"It's called a handshake, Aunt Harriet. I'm sure you are aware of that." Amelia also brought down her hand, maintaining a stoic expression.

Harriet couldn't help but scoff openly.

"Don't be silly Amelia. We are family. Moreover, one good turn always deserves another. How is your husband?"

"Splendid, aunt. How is yours?"

"Mhmm...." Harriet's finger slowly balled to a fist beside her. "Exactly where you kept him, away from his wife and his children. But I bear no grudges. Karma had a brilliant way of settling scores. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your journey to motherhood. I'm sure you'll make an amazing mother."

Harriet tried to approach Amelia a second time opening her arms wider, with a mocking smile gracing her curled lips.

"Thanks, aunt." Amelia put her right hand forward, stopping her.

"Mhmm..." Harriet chuckled drily. "A guilty conscience needs no accuser."

"And it is the peculiar quality of a fool to perceive the faults of others and to forget her own," Maria replied on behalf of her daughter-in-law, unable to stand this despicable woman's spiteful remarks any longer.

Just then Senator Gregory walked into the main living room, holding an expensive bottle of wine which he almost dropped at the sight of Maria.

"And who is this supercilious clown you invited to a family gathering, Amelia? Your future nanny?" Harriet clicked her tongue, shooting Maria a disdainful look from head to toe.

"How dare you call..." Maria stopped Amelia from responding or coming close to the malicious woman with a hidden agenda.

Senator Gregory quickly recovered from his shock and called in a rebuking voice.

"Harriet!"

But Maria wasn't the type to take any form of disrespect lightly. She stepped forward closing the distance between her and Harriet.

"Let me introduce myself formally, little woman..."

Maria's cold and sharp voice sent a shiver down Harriet's spine, causing her to tremble on her knees. But she stood her ground thinking Maria was truly Amelia's overpaid nanny.

"I am Mrs Maria Anderson, the chairperson of the League of Diamonds International..."

"Ah!"

Everyone already seated in the room gasped wildly, including Harriet who knew of Maria's infamous popularity amongst the elite women's circle.

Senator Gregory came up to plead with Maria but she shunned him, her narrowed spine-chilling glare reducing Harriet to a pile of rubbish, as she spoke.

"...wife to the late ingenious Presley Anderson, mother to the chairman and CEO of Andex Groups International, proud mother-in-law to my beautiful daughter, Amelia Anderson, standing here beside me. Who exactly are you riffraff to cough in my presence? A deranged psychiatric cleaner seeking attention?"

Amelia chuckled inwardly, beaming with pride as she stared at her mortified aunt.

"I...I...I..." Harriet's twitching eyes glanced in Amelia's direction pleadingly for help. She had just recently applied to be a floor member of that prestigious group. A simple word from the chairperson could end her reputation in the blink of an eye.

Thankfully, Senator Gregory and Nana Shawls quickly came to Harriet's rescue.

"Mrs Anderson, please forgive my younger brother's wife. She doesn't know who you are and she is very sorry for insulting you."

"Please Maria, forgive her for my sake." Nana Shawl's faint but firm voice came from behind her eldest son, who quickly moved aside to reveal the old greyed-haired woman seated in the wheelchair.

Although the older woman was greatly disappointed in Amelia for bringing Blaze's mother without prior information, she maintained a calm deposition, hoping to reprimand Amelia alone later on.

"I called for a peaceful family resolution and not a battle. Please pardon my younger son's wife for her talkativeness. She doesn't mean any of those words she said."

"It's fine Nana. I'm sorry for the disturbance. It's my pleasure to be in your home." Maria said respectfully with a slight bow of her head, causing a smile to stretch across the old woman's lips.

"You are highly welcomed, my dear."

Nana Shawls' sharp eyes snapped up at her humiliated daughter-in-law.

"Harriet, I am highly disappointed in you. Apologize to the nice Mrs Anderson right now and go back to your seat."

"Mrs Anderson, please pardon me. I am very sorry. This won't happen again." Harriet said lowering her gaze.

"How about my daughter-in-law, who you insulted? Doesn't she deserve an apology too?" Maria sneered.

Harriet looked in Amelia's direction, her narrowed eyes shooting lasers. "Amelia I'm very sorry. Please pardon my unruliness."

"It's fine, Aunt Harriet. I believe you have learned not to judge a book by its cover."

"Amelia!" Senator Gregory half growled in a repressed voice.

"Hello, dad." Amelia beamed cutely.

Just then, Judith walked into their midst.

"Hello everyone. Has the drama already started without me?"

"Aunt Judith!" Amelia turned around and embraced her aunt tenderly to Harriet's humiliation.

Judith greeted everyone before they all moved into the sitting room.

"Ahem!" Nana Shawls cleared her throat as her eyes roved through the room, taking everyone's facial expression into account.

"Good morning once again, my wonderful family. Thank you all for honouring my invitation on such a short notice. I called you all here today because my heart is heavy. A lot has happened in this family that has left me baffled beyond words. We have allowed ourselves to be led astray by greed jealousy and selfishness. As a result of these, we have experienced a lot of setbacks humiliation pain and even death."

Nana Shawl came to rest on Amelia as if she was indirectly accusing her of the last statement.

Amelia shifted uneasily in her seat, her heart hammering loudly in her chest. But every now and then she, felt Maria's hand stroking hers, calming her down.

"We cannot allow this to go on any further. We have to let go of the past to embrace a brighter future together. We have to learn to forgive each other and stop the hating. Amelia..." Nana Shawls' gaze narrowed at her.

"... What your stepmother, your step-sister, your uncle and Pearl did is evil and unforgivable. But to air is human and to forgive divine. If you want me to go down on my knees and plead to you before this family I will happily do that. All I asked in return is for you to forgive them and have them released from prison. Please, my dear."

The room fell silent as the Shawl family held their breath, waiting for Amelia to object and walk out of the room as she did back in the courtroom.

Taking a deep breath to release all the negative energy in her heart, Amelia said.

"Grandma, Dad, I've thought long and hard about everything you two said and I've decided to forgive and let go."

Harriet, whose head had been lowered all this time lifted her eyes up in surprise.

"Really!" Senator Gregory exclaimed excitedly.

"This is good news!" Uncle Lazarus cheered.

"Thank you, my child. I know..."

"I'm not done talking, Nana," Amelia said l, cutting her grandmother off.

"I said I will forgive them and set them free but on these terms."

Everyone in the room frowned except Judith and Maria.