Karma Doesn’t Sleep: The Revenge Queen Rises novel Chapter 6

Amelia was so overwhelmed, she almost started crying right there.

“Daddy,” Timmy said quietly. His gaze flicked to Amelia in her wheelchair. He seemed to realize who she was, but his hands nervously twisted his shirt, and he just stood there, lost.

Penny, on the other hand, couldn’t take her eyes off Kristen. Her whole face lit up with excitement.

“Mom—” She started to call out, but Kristen gave her a tiny shake of the head, just a little warning smile. Penny didn’t really get it, but she clamped her mouth shut and behaved, just like that.

“Are Penny and Timmy here?” Amelia tried to keep her voice steady, even as her heart was breaking. She opened her arms to them, forcing a smile. “It’s me. Mommy. Come here, let me give you a hug, okay?”

But Penny didn’t come closer. If anything, she shrank back, looking a little scared. Only Timmy hesitated, then slowly stepped toward Amelia until he was right in front of her.

He reached out, gently touching her cheek, like he had to make sure she was real.

“Are you really Mom?”

“Yes, sweetheart. I’m your mom.” Amelia’s voice was soft and shaky with emotion.

She wanted so badly to just pull Timmy into her arms, to hold him tight and never let go. But she was scared she’d frighten him. To Timmy and Penny, she was just a stranger they’d never known, someone who’d been asleep for five years.

Clive spoke up then, breaking the tense silence. “It’s late. Timmy, take your sister upstairs and get ready for bed. I’ll explain everything about your mom after school tomorrow.”

Timmy looked at Amelia again and again, torn, but finally took Penny’s hand and started up the stairs.

Amelia couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “Timmy, can I have a hug?”

Her voice was so soft, almost desperate, and a tear slipped down from under her sunglasses.

Timmy stood there, uncertain, about to turn back—when Clive’s voice came down, stern and final. “Timmy, go to your room. Now.”

He put a hand on Amelia’s shoulder, speaking quietly to her. “Give them time. The kids have never known you. They’ll need a little while to adjust.”

A cold, hollow feeling spread through Amelia’s chest.

Clive was doing this on purpose. He didn’t want her to get close to her own children.

“Of course I do,” he said, sounding sure of himself. “Your favorite is tulips, because that’s my favorite. You always liked what I liked.”

He looked at her like that was the most normal thing ever. “You’ve always been like that, Amelia.”

Amelia gave a small, hollow laugh. “Yeah, I always have.”

Always making his preferences her own. Always putting him first, herself dead last.

How stupid she’d been!

As soon as the door closed, the fake smile disappeared from Amelia’s face.

She didn’t believe for a second that Clive was going to his study.

With effort, she swung her legs off the bed, braced herself against the wall, and slowly forced herself to stand. Every step toward the window sent sharp pain shooting through her, sweat breaking out on her forehead. The short distance felt endless, but she made it, inch by inch.

Finally, when she reached the window, she looked down—and saw, in the moonlight, Kristen and Clive standing together, arms wrapped around each other.