The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 206

Amelia stood frozen, a bitter laugh echoing in her heart at her own foolishness.

Fabian had always cared only for his son; she, his daughter, had never mattered. He wasn't worried about something happening to her he was worried that if something did, he'd lose the hefty dowry the landlord had promised.

"I'm telling you, I won't marry him! I want to finish school!" Amelia screamed, her voice raw as she glared at Fabian and Cindy.

Fabian took a drag from his cigarette, his tone dripping with contempt. "School? What's the point? Girls end up married sooner or later. What good is a degree? You'll graduate and make peanuts-barely enough to support yourself."

"But that man's almost forty! I'm only eighteen!" Amelia's voice trembled. The idea of marrying, especially to a man twice her age, was unbearable.

"So what? He's loaded," Fabian shot back without missing a beat.

Amelia let out a shaky laugh, but her eyes were resolute. "If you want money for my brother's treatment, take out a bank loan or ask the family for help. But I am not getting married."

Fabian exploded at her words, cursing under his breath. "A loan? Asking for money? We'd still have to pay it back! Don't be ungrateful, Amelia. The landlord's family is rich—you'll be living the good life, eating well, dressed in new clothes. You should be thanking me for this."

her, greed gleaming

Cindy, her mother, desperation etched across her face. "Mom, please, I don't want to

was still her daughter, after

started, but the look Fabian

been afraid of Fabian. Now, she could only gaze at Amelia helplessly. "Amelia, the landlord's offering sixty thousand dollars, and they'll sign the house over to your brother. I know it's hard on you, but think about it. Their family has

doing this for

as her mother spoke. "For my

twisted her lips. "I'm a person, not something to be bought and sold. How could

they'd thrown her into the fire, but she'd always clung to a shred of hope that, maybe, they'd choose her just once. Now, even that hope was

across the face, his words venomous. "You owe me for

the hair, dragging her toward the

as she heard the lock click shut, pounding on the door with both

barked from the