Capítulo 17: The Benefit

Amelie couldn't tell how long they had been wandering around the garden. The uncomfortable silence between them made every minute feel like an eternity.

She glanced at Liam, noticing that his usually bright and cheerful face was now dark and serious. It dawned on her that he, too, knew how to put on a mask when necessary.

'I guess no one can avoid this. People of our status learn to be fake just as naturally as they learn to walk or read,' she thought.

Suddenly, Liam let out a dramatic sigh and, with an obviously feigned upset voice, asked, "Miss Ashford, what do you think about me?"

Amelie stopped and raised her eyebrows, giving him a surprised look. The question caught her off guard, but she took a moment to consider her response.

"I'm not sure... Are you interested in my first impression of you or what kind—"

Liam only laughed.

"No, do you find me handsome at all?"

Amelie was dumbfounded once again. What kind of question was that?

Although she found it rather ridiculous, she couldn't help but feel flustered. His handsomeness made her way too nervous; it was unnerving and very embarrassing.

Liam noticed Amelie's pink cheeks and laughed again; his laughter made Mrs. Ashford think that he was easily amused.

He continued, "You looked too uncomfortable after seeing that woman, so I thought I'd try to cheer you up with my shenanigans."

Then, his face turned serious again, as if he were a completely different person. He turned around and examined the spot where they had met Samantha, his dark eyes scanning the area before he broke the silence once more, "So she is your husband's 'friend'? Mr. Richard Clark must be a very... strange man."

Amelie gave him a curious look. "Strange? What do you mean by that?"

Liam didn't say anything for a while, offering her only a somewhat melancholic smile. A sudden gust of wind fluttered his black hair, making it feel like they both were in a romantic movie scene.

'This... Right now... He looks even more beautiful,' Amelie thought, feeling embarrassed by her own bold thoughts. Fortunately, the wind caught her hair as well, sending her long, fair locks dancing around her face like ribbons, hiding her blushing cheeks.

Liam gently tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and smiled lightly. "One would have to be completely blind to push a woman like you away. That's why I find him strange."

Amelie's heart skipped a beat. Her entire body felt hot while her mind went completely blank.

Why would he say something like that? To him, it might be just casual flirting, something he was used to, but to her... Especially now, those words meant the whole world.

Liam resumed their walk and said in a rather endearing voice, "I hope I can hover around you during the benefit, Miss Ashford. I'm all alone here, you see; I didn't care enough to make any friends."

His emphasis on the word "friends" made Amelie feel at ease again. Finally, her face brightened, and she, too, was able to laugh.

Liam stretched his lips into a wide smile and gently touched Amelie's arm, inviting her to continue their walk.

***

The first night of the benefit was traditionally the most extravagant of all. This year, it featured ballroom dancing accompanied by live music from one of the country's most renowned musicians.

Guests could either donate money upon arrival or "pay" for a dance with a partner of their choice. They could do both, with the dance contributions adding to their initial donations.

As the event was organized by the JFC Group, Amelie and Richard, as always, were assigned the roles of hosts, greeting the guests together, side by side.

The atmosphere was charged with excitement; the setting, meticulously designed by Amelie's hired team, along with the evening's elegant concept, transported the guests back in time, evoking a sense of meaningful nostalgia. This event, like all its predecessors, was poised for memorable success.

Once the official greetings were finally over, Richard spotted Samantha in the crowd and went to her, leaving his wife completely alone.

"Sam, I asked you not to wear high heels tonight. Are you sure your leg is fine?" he asked her with evident concern.

Samantha smiled and nodded. "Of course it's fine! Thanks to your care, I was able to recover very quickly!"

Their saccharine exchange of words reached Amelie's ears, and she couldn't help but feel abandoned. Nevertheless, she knew she couldn't show it; there was no need for unwanted attention. Not tonight.

"Lily, everything looks amazing!" Elizabeth's voice brought Amelie back to her senses. "As always, you have done an incredible job with this place! You have no rivals when it comes to organizing such important events."

"Thank you, Lizzy." Mrs. Ashford offered her friend a smile, but in truth, she wasn't happy at all. For the first time in her life, she felt like a stranger in such a familiar place.

Suddenly, Elizabeth nudged her lightly and asked, "Is that who I think it is? Liam Bennett?"

As if out of nowhere, two more of her close friends appeared beside her. Emily Crane gasped and shook her head. "Gosh, such a gorgeous face! I wouldn't mind taking him as my lover. In fact, it would be a crime if I didn't!"

Lauren Weil joined in. "Do you think all the rumors about him are true? I wonder if he'll leave this hall with another one of his future ex-girlfriends by his side."

"Regardless of his reputation, he's still next in line to inherit the Diamond Group," Elizabeth added. "Imagine being the woman who inherits all that wealth with him. I honestly wouldn't care if he cheats on me as long as I have all that money and power behind me."

Elizabeth's remark was cold, but it still managed to make her friends laugh.

Amelie listened to their conversation silently while watching Liam mingle with other people in the middle of the hall. Suddenly, their eyes met, and Liam winked at her in his usual playful manner. Once again, Amelie felt flustered, her cheeks turning red and hot.

"Excuse me, girls, I should go check on the other guests," she said, smiling at her friends before stepping aside to mingle with the rest of the crowd. As she walked through the expansive venue, she couldn't help but overhear people talking about her husband's new "friend."

Amelie stopped to take a glass of wine from a passing waiter when she was approached by Mr. Godard, one of Richard's business partners. He greeted her rather casually before finally asking, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Ashford, but did you really make a joint donation with that woman?"

Amelie's eyes widened in shock. "Excuse me?"

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ENVIAR PRESENTE

Capítulo 18: A Single Dance With You Is Worth A Million

Mr. Taylor Godard was a well-known stock analyst and Richard Clark's trusted business partner. He knew money and everyone whose money was "important" enough to get his attention. Since Samantha Blackwood had now reached that level of importance, he couldn't help but take an interest in her wealth as well, regardless of its source.

"She wouldn't stop talking about it, you know," Mr. Godard continued. "All she talks about is how kind you are to her and how considerate and friendly you were to share a donation with her for the greater cause."

Amelie frowned and clenched her fists behind the long, flowing skirt of her red dress. The rising irritation began to shake her body, and she had to make quite an effort to suppress her emotions.

"This never happened… I have never made a donation together with that woman… Miss Blackwood must have misunderstood something. There must have been a mistake."

The other guests who had been standing with them simply shrugged their shoulders and walked away, disappearing into the mingling crowd.

Mr. Godard placed a new cold glass of wine in Amelie's hand and offered her a faint smile.

"Don't worry about it, Mrs. Ashford. I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding. Surely, that woman must know that making a fake donation under your name is considered fraud."

Amelie nodded, though his words did little to ease her mind. Suddenly, the host of the evening announced the beginning of the "dancing for charity" segment—anyone could "buy" a dance with their desired partner, and the money offered would be added to their donation.

Despite its seemingly cold and calculative undertone, people enjoyed the dancing and considered it both romantic and fun, especially since it gave the women a chance to see how much their husbands were willing to pay just to dance with them. The venue hall buzzed with excitement as couples made their bids, adding an air of lively anticipation to the evening.

Amelie took a seat at her assigned table and closed her eyes. Richard had always been the first to come up to her and ask for a dance; it was their little tradition and it encouraged the rest of the guests to join in.

This time, she was sure Samantha would be his partner for the evening, and Mrs. Ashford had no desire to watch her take away yet another thing that used to belong to her.

"Would you care to sell me your dance, Miss Ashford?"

Even with her eyes closed, she instantly knew who it was—only one person insisted on calling her "Miss" instead of "Mrs." She opened her eyes, tempted to correct him again, but decided against it. She didn't think she cared anymore. Not tonight, at least.

"It depends," Amelie said, looking at Liam's smiling face and narrowing her eyes. "How much are you willing to offer for this dance?"

Liam's bright smile transformed into a playful grin. "I heard Mr. Clark paid five thousand dollars to dance with that woman." He paused and glanced away, jerking his chin in the direction of the dancing couple he had just mentioned.

Amelie followed his gaze and fixed her eyes on her husband. Strangely, she felt neither surprised nor annoyed. And that was precisely what bothered her. Not feeling anything meant she was ready to give up, and that was still far from the truth.

"Then," she shifted her eyes back to Mr. Bennett, "how much will you offer for my company?"

Liam took Amelie's hand and helped her rise from her seat, his lips curling into a mischievous smile. He planted a light kiss on top of her hand and finally answered, "A single dance with you is worth a million, Miss Ashford."

Amelie's heart pounded in her ears, and her face grew instantly hot. If he wasn't fooling around, he must have been insane.

As she was lost in bewilderment, Amelie failed to notice that Liam had already led her to the middle of the hall. His large hand pressed her body closer to his, slowly moving down her back.

Finally, Amelie managed to form a coherent sentence. "A million dollars? That's how much you wrote on the check before you asked to dance with me?"

She still had a difficult time believing it, even after saying it out loud. Liam let out a quiet chuckle, clearly amused by the whole situation.

"Yes, that's exactly how much I wrote on the check, Miss Ashford. Why? Was it too little? Were you offended? You know, I can always add more zeroes after another comma––"

"Are you enjoying this that much?"

Amelie interrupted his ridiculous explanation, but Liam didn't seem offended at all. Instead, he laughed again and shifted the topic of their conversation. "Do you like how I look tonight?"

Was that another attempt to make her feel better? If so, Amelie had to admit that it was working. She decided to indulge him and responded with a chuckle of her own. Liam continued in the same playful manner.

"So you think I look funny? Damn, and I spent a fortune on this suit just to impress everyone here!"

"You should have donated that money instead, Mr. Bennett. Everyone is impressed when you simply make an appearance."

As their dance continued, Amelie was stunned by how elegantly and precisely Liam moved despite his tall and strong build. What surprised her even more was how their difference in size didn't affect their rhythm. It was as if they were born to dance together.

As if they were fated partners.

The enchanting atmosphere between them was interrupted by Liam's calm voice. "It is indeed fascinating how fast rumors can spread these days."

Amelie widened her eyes. "Are you perhaps talking about Miss Blackwood?"

Liam nodded, and Mrs. Ashford added, "Well, the rumors about your amorous adventures are quite popular too."

His only response was a rather nervous laugh. Amelie frowned. "Are all these rumors true?"

"No. Do I really look like a Casanova to you?"

To her surprise, his reply was now somewhat cold and serious, almost as if he were offended and hurt.

She didn't know what to say next, and Liam seemed to share her uncertainty. They spent the rest of the dance in silence, the playful atmosphere from earlier replaced by a more introspective mood.