Amethyst's Scandal

CHAPTER 4

SIX YEARS AGO...

Lake Como, Italy

Amethyst St. Clair's POV

My life was a mess right now.

My parents just died.

My younger sister runway from home and she just turned eighteen.

My Granddad is using private investigators to trace Ruby's location right now but they fear that she already left the country before we discover that she's missing. My poor sister, couldn't accept that our parents were forever gone.

Everything was a mess. I thought miserably.

At twenty-two, I just graduated from university and now it's my responsibility as the eldest to look after my younger sisters since our parents were gone. Sapphire, the second eldest was still in the university while the twins, Ruby and Emerald were still in high school.

I stared at the calm lake spread in front of me with envy when my heart raged with storms. I just arrived at the villa owned by the St. Clair family in Lake Como this morning. I decided to take a break from the New York limelight and hide here.

Our Upper West Side mansion was mobbed by paparazzi day and night upon the sudden death of our parents the paparazzi had also somehow known that Ruby runaway. Every tabloid's headline was about us speculating what had caused our parents' death and why the rebel Ruby escape New York.

I knew being a member of the St. Clair family my life would always be in the public eyes. The world wanted to know what was going on inside the private life of the famous gem dealer of New York City. But can't a person deserve a private moment to mourn for her parents?

While I am here I want to forget that I am Amethyst—a St. Clair scion. I wanted to be somebody else. I want to live my life for a moment like I was not born a St. Clair but to a more normal family than ours.

"Oh! Signorina." The trusted middle-aged housekeeper exclaimed as she brings my breakfast to the garden. "Why are you sitting on the lawn? You're going to ruin your pretty dress. Please, sit on the chair and eat your breakfast. I know you must be tired from your flight, yes?"

"I'm fine here," I told her while sitting on the lawn under the shade of the tree, hugging my knees while keeping my eyes fixed on the lake before me.

"Signore St. Clair just call he asks me if you arrive safely. I assure him that yes you are. Come now eat your breakfast, I promised the Signore that I will take good care of you while you are here." The kindhearted housekeeper pulled me gently to my feet and urge me to sit on the wrought iron table in the beautiful garden overlooking Lake Como.

"I hope he's not bullying you, Mrs. Gatti." I gave the housekeeper a weak smile. The effort of smiling makes me want to burst into tears again.

"Signore St. Clair is just concerned about you." Mrs. Gatti poured some tea and serve me the bountiful breakfast on my plate. "Is there any news about Signorina Ruby?"

"I'm afraid no traces of her until now."

"Poor child." She sympathized, her eyes filled with worry. "People thought of her as a wild and reckless child but the truth is she has a vulnerable heart. Those green eyes that held defiant in their profundity had hidden her insecurities."

"You knew Ruby very well," I remarked with a smile that made me feel my face would crack at the effort while forcing myself to sip my tea when the truth I have no appetite but I don't want to hurt the feelings of our lovely housekeeper when she prepares all of this for my arrival.