Three days later, in the afternoon, Ashley was in her room organizing her business plan when the sound of a car engine came from outside. She looked out the window and saw a brand new Mercedes-Benz pull up at the farm's entrance.
The car door opened, and a slender, well-dressed young woman stepped out. She had long, wavy blonde hair, wore a Chanel suit, high heels, and exuded the aura of a city elite.
"Amelia?" Ashley muttered quietly, recognizing the visitor.
This was Amelia Grace, her so-called "sister"—the adopted orphan of the Taylor family who had received a good education in the city and was now a successful lawyer.
Downstairs, Ashley heard her mother's surprised voice: "Amelia! What a pleasant surprise!"
"Catherine, Mom!" Amelia's voice was sweet and warm. "I heard Ashley was back, so I came to see her."
Ashley took a deep breath, adjusted her clothes, and walked downstairs. Her memory of this adopted sister was vague, but the memories of her past self told her that Amelia had always been the family's "pride"—smart, outstanding, and well-behaved, the "perfect child" their parents often spoke about as "the other family's child."
"Sister!" Amelia immediately opened her arms for a hug as soon as she saw Ashley. "You look so much better!"
Ashley returned the hug but remained cautious. With her business intuition, she knew that this unexpected visit was definitely not just out of concern.
"How did you know I was back?" Ashley asked.
"News travels fast," Amelia said with a smile, "And I heard you divorced that jerk? That's great! You should have gotten rid of him long ago."
Her words sounded caring, but Ashley noticed that Amelia's eyes quickly scanned the room, as if she was observing something.
"Yes, it's over," Ashley replied simply.
"So, what are your plans now?" Amelia continued, "If you want to go back to the city, I can help you with some job opportunities."
"Thanks, but I want to stay here for now."
For a moment, Amelia's expression showed a hint of barely perceptible disappointment, but she quickly regained her sweet smile. "That's fine. It's good to rest at home for a while."
Just then, Lucas walked in from outside. He had been helping Jack fix the farm tools and still had some dirt on his clothes.
"Lucas," Ashley introduced, "This is my sister, Amelia. Amelia, this is Lucas, our new helper."
Amelia's eyes landed on Lucas, and a hint of surprise flashed across her face. Even though Lucas was dressed simply, his aura and appearance were still impressive.
"Hello, Lucas," Amelia extended her hand. "I'm Amelia Grace."
Lucas politely shook her hand. "Miss Grace, it's a pleasure to meet you."
His manner was still elegant and poised, but Ashley noticed that when he looked at Amelia, there was a flicker of unease in his eyes.
"Lucas, why don't you go take a shower? It's time for dinner," Ashley said.
Lucas nodded and left the living room. Amelia's gaze followed his figure, her expression thoughtful.
"He's quite special," Amelia remarked. "He doesn't seem like an ordinary farm worker."
"Yes, he's very smart," Ashley didn't reveal any more information.
At dinner, the family gathered around the table, and Amelia naturally became the center of conversation. She talked about her life in the city, her work achievements, and various social activities.
"I recently took on a big case," Amelia said. "It's a legal matter regarding a large merger, worth over fifty million dollars."
"Wow, such a big case!" Ben exclaimed.
"Yes, the client trusts me a lot," Amelia said with a proud smile. "They told me I'm one of the best young lawyers they've ever worked with."
Jack and Eric also praised her achievements, but Ashley remained silently observant. She noticed that Amelia, while speaking, often steered the conversation toward business and finance, as if probing something.
"By the way, Ashley," Amelia suddenly turned to her, "I heard you're considering starting a business?"
Ashley's heart skipped a beat. "Where did you hear that?"
"News travels fast in this small town," Amelia smiled. "Someone said you've been around Walmart and other stores, even visited Mr. Chen's factory."
It seemed that Amelia was very well informed, and Ashley mentally noted this.
"I'm just gathering market information," Ashley responded simply.
"If you really want to start a business, I can help," Amelia suggested. "I have many resources in the city, including investors and partners."
"Thank you, but I want to start small for now."
Amelia nodded. "That's fine, taking it slow is a good approach. But if you ever need legal assistance, don't hesitate to reach out."
Lucas had been quietly eating, but Ashley noticed that he would occasionally glance up at Amelia, and his vigilance seemed to be increasing.
"Lucas, what do you think of Ashley's business plan?" Amelia suddenly asked.
Lucas raised his head. "I think it has great potential. Ashley has a keen business instinct."
"Really?" Amelia's eyes sharpened. "You know something about business?"
"A little basic knowledge," Lucas answered cautiously.
"So, what do you think the biggest challenge is to doing business in this town?" Amelia pressed.
Lucas pondered for a moment. "The competition is fierce, resources are limited, but the biggest challenge is finding a balance between tradition and innovation."
His answer surprised Amelia. "That makes a lot of sense. What kind of work did you do before?"
"I don't remember," Lucas replied simply.
"Amnesia?" Amelia's tone held a touch of skepticism. "That's rare."
"Yes, it is," Lucas calmly responded, but Ashley could feel the tension in him.
After dinner, Amelia suggested staying overnight at the farm, and Catherine welcomed the idea. But Ashley found it odd—Amelia rarely stayed at the farm, preferring city life.
"I just want to spend more time with the family," Amelia explained. "Especially with Ashley, we haven't had a proper chat in a long time."
Late at night, Ashley was in her room organizing the materials she had gathered during the day when Amelia knocked on the door and came in.
"Still awake?" Amelia, dressed in a silk nightgown, looked graceful.
"I'm just organizing some materials," Ashley closed her laptop.
Amelia sat down at the edge of the bed. "Ashley, I want to have a serious talk with you."
"About what?"
"About your future." Amelia's expression became serious. "You know, I've always considered you my real sister. Even though we're not related by blood, this family has given me everything."
"I know," Ashley nodded.
"So, I want to see you do well." Amelia continued, "That Eugene was indeed a jerk, but the divorce has given you a chance to start over."
"I will."
"But," Amelia's tone became somewhat worried, "I think the choice you're making now might not be wise."
"What do you mean?" Ashley furrowed her brows.
"That Lucas," Amelia said directly, "He's very suspicious. An amnesiac man suddenly appears in your life—doesn't that seem too much like a coincidence?"
Ashley's heart skipped a beat. "What are you implying?"
"I'm a lawyer, I've seen many cases," Amelia's expression turned serious. "Some people use amnesia as an excuse to hide their true identities. Maybe he's a fugitive, or maybe he has other motives."
"I don't think so," Ashley said firmly.
"Ashley, you're too kind." Amelia took her hand. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again. If you really want to start a business, I can help you. I have many resources in the city, much better than struggling here in this town."
Ashley looked at Amelia, her suspicion growing stronger. This concern from her adopted sister seemed sincere, but her intentions didn't seem pure.
"Thank you for your concern," Ashley said. "But I have my own judgment."
Amelia's expression flashed with displeasure but quickly returned to a gentle smile. "Alright, I'm just worried about you. But if you change your mind, you can always find me."
She stood up. "I'll go to bed now, I have to leave for the city early tomorrow."
After Amelia left, Ashley fell into deep thought. Her intuition told her that her adopted sister's appearance was far from coincidental, and her doubts about Lucas weren't merely out of concern.
What was more important was that Amelia seemed to know too much about her business plans.
Outside, the night breeze blew gently, and the farm was eerily quiet. But Ashley knew, beneath the calm, there were currents stirring.
In the next room, Lucas wasn't asleep either. He sat by the window, looking out at the night, his mind filled with blurry images.
That woman, Amelia, gave him an inexplicable sense of danger. Though she appeared friendly, his instincts told him that she couldn't be trusted.
What was even stranger was that when he saw her, he felt a strong sense of hostility, as if they had a conflict before.
But he couldn't remember, he couldn't remember anything.
The only thing he knew for sure was that he had to protect Ashley. No matter what Amelia's intentions were, he wouldn't let her hurt Ashley.
The night deepened, and the farm fell into silence. But everyone had their own concerns, preparing for the coming storm.
Tomorrow, Amelia would leave, but the impact she brought was just beginning.
A battle over family, trust, and truth was about to unfold.