Falling For The True Heiress

Camila’s hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel when Amelia mentioned Daniel.

Daniel...

For a moment, she had completely forgotten about him.

Maybe it was because she had spent so long convincing herself she loved him...

When deep down...

She never really did.

Her mind drifted back to a memory from months ago.

~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~

"Lia."

Camila pointed across the street. "I heard a new café opened over there."

"They said the coffee is really good."

"Want to try it?"

Amelia followed the direction of her finger before smiling.

"Sure."

Without a second thought, Amelia reached for Camila’s hand and intertwined their fingers before leading her across the road.

"Let’s go."

Camila looked down at their joined hands.

A smile slowly spread across her face. She liked moments like this.

Those little moments always made her feel... special.

Halfway across the road, Amelia suddenly stopped.

"Ouch."

Camila bumped lightly into Amelia’s back.

She rubbed her forehead with a small pout.

Amelia immediately turned around. "Oh no. I’m sorry."

She reached out and gently rubbed the spot Camila had bumped before bending down and blowing on it as though that alone could make the pain disappear.

"Does it still hurt?"

Camila looked into Amelia’s worried eyes and smiled.

She shook her head. "No."

"It doesn’t hurt anymore."

Amelia smiled in relief.

"Good."

Only because you’re the one touching me, Camila thought.

Amelia took Camila’s hand again and led her into the café.

"Come on."

They chose a table beside the tall glass window overlooking the street.

A few moments later, a young waiter walked over with a menu in his hands.

"Good afternoon. What would you like to order?"

Amelia looked up. For a brief second, she froze.

Camila followed her gaze.

The waiter was tall, handsome, and wore a warm smile that would probably make anyone feel comfortable.

Camila’s fingers slowly tightened beneath the table.

Amelia smiled politely before ordering their drinks.

That simple smile made something twist painfully inside Camila’s chest.

He’s handsome...

What if Lia starts to like him?

Her eyes lingered on the waiter for a moment before she quietly lowered them to the table.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind.

What if one day Lia smiled at someone else the way she smiled at me?

No.

She didn’t like that thought. Not one bit.

Before Lia could ever fall for him...

I’d date him first.

That way, Lia would never have the chance to fall for him.

Camila looked at the waiter once more before lowering her gaze.

~~~~~ End of Flashback ~~~~~

"Oh..."

Camila blinked.

"D-Daniel?"

She had almost forgotten about him.

She quickly looked back at the road and nodded.

"He’s doing well."

Amelia nodded softly and turned her gaze toward the window.

The car fell quiet again.

Only the soft hum of the engine filled the silence between them.

Camila glanced at Amelia from the corner of her eye.

The sunlight filtering through the windshield fell gently across Amelia’s face, making her seem even more beautiful.

A small smile tugged at Camila’s lips.

I love you, Lia...

She held those words deep inside her heart, knowing she couldn’t say them out loud.

A few minutes later, the car pulled into the parking lot of the convention center where the book launch was being held.

Camila parked the car and turned off the engine.

Amelia unfastened her seatbelt, opened the passenger door, and stepped out.

Camila picked up her bag before getting out as well.

She locked the car with a press of the key fob, then walked over to Amelia’s side.

They headed toward the entrance of the convention center.

Amelia looked around in surprise before turning to Camila.

"This is... much bigger than I imagined."

Camila smiled.

"I told you."

"Your favorite author has a way of making every event memorable."

Amelia smiled softly and looked toward the entrance again.

The two of them walked inside together.

Camila reached into her handbag, took out two white invitation cards, and handed them to the security guards standing at the entrance.

After checking the invitations, the guards stepped aside.

"Please, enjoy the event."

They walked into the exhibition hall.

The entire venue buzzed with excitement.

Morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the spacious hall with natural light that blended beautifully with the warm glow of the crystal chandeliers above.

Rows of neatly arranged seats stretched across the hall, all facing a magnificent stage decorated with elegant white and gold floral arrangements.

A giant LED screen stood behind the stage, displaying the cover of the bestselling novel beneath the words—

OFFICIAL BOOK LAUNCH

To one side of the hall, long tables displayed stacks of freshly printed books waiting for the author to sign.

Nearby, members of the event staff carefully arranged gift bags, bookmarks, and refreshments for the invited guests.

The atmosphere grew more lively with every passing second.

Readers chatted excitedly as they found their seats.

Journalists adjusted their cameras, hoping to capture every important moment.

Television crews carried out final microphone checks.

Publishers, literary critics, influencers, celebrities, and business leaders mingled throughout the hall, exchanging greetings as they waited for the ceremony to begin.

Amelia slowly took everything in.

She had attended business conferences, charity galas, and corporate banquets before.

But somehow...

This felt different.

There was an excitement in the air that couldn’t be described.

Everyone seemed to be waiting for the same person.

The mysterious author who had captivated millions of readers around the world.

Just as Amelia and Camila were about to head farther into the hall, a sudden wave of screams erupted from outside.

The noise was so loud that conversations inside came to an abrupt stop.

People turned toward the entrance one after another.

Even the guests who had already settled into their seats stood up, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening.

"What happened?"

"Is she here already?"

"Quick! Move aside!"

Amelia frowned and instinctively looked toward the entrance.

Outside, a black Toyota Highlander slowly came to a stop.

Two black Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans pulled in behind it, forming a small convoy.

The doors opened almost at the same time.

A tall young woman stepped out.

Amelia recognized her immediately.

Melissa.

She was the woman who handled everything related to the mysterious author.

A young man stepped out from the passenger seat and walked toward the rear door.

Amelia didn’t recognize him.

Melissa quickly opened a large black umbrella while the young man pulled open the rear passenger door and extended his hand.

A slender hand rested lightly in his.

A second later...

The owner stepped out.

The screams outside instantly became deafening.

"Shadednight!"

"Look over here!"

"We love you!"

"Please look this way!"

The rapid flashes of countless cameras lit up the entrance one after another.

Amelia found herself staring at the woman beneath the umbrella.

She couldn’t see the woman’s face clearly yet.

But...

Something about her figure felt strangely familiar.

She frowned.

Why does she look so familiar?

As if sensing the crowd, the woman slowly lifted her head.

The moment Amelia saw her face...

Time seemed to stop.

Her eyes widened.

Her breathing hitched.

"...Sylvia?"

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