Hiding In The Devil's Bed - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Walter and Melissa hurried to the Bureau of Land Management, clinging to a desperate sliver of hope that they could salvage the property at Stonefield before it officially changed hands. That land wasn't just prime real estate. It was the future lifeline of both the Edwards and Foster families.
The moment Walter stepped out of the car, he barked. "Zachary, who's behind this? Who snatched our land?"
Zachary, who had arrived moments earlier, looked utterly defeated. "Eric won't tell me who the buyer is. I've been camping out here to find out."
Walter's jaw tightened, his words seething through clenched teeth. "Whoever it is, we'll take the land back—no matter what."
"Dad... we don't have enough money," Sandra, standing timidly behind Zachary, reminded him in a low voice.
The new buyer had paid an eye-watering $300 million in cash upfront. Even if they managed to block the sale, they couldn't come close to matching that sum.
"How much can your family pull together right now?" Walter asked, his mind racing. He was prepared to beg, borrow, or bleed to make this work. 'In three months, that land will be worth ten times this. Three hundred million becomes three billion.'
"$120 million—at most," Zachary replied, frustration and rage written all over his face.
Walter fell silent at the mention of the figure. He knew all too well the gravity of the situation.
He was aware that if he emptied every account, sold every asset, and squeezed every resource he could muster, the Edwards family might come up with $90 million. Originally, his plan was to sell Debra's inheritance for $60 million, and have the Edwards and Foster families each contribute $150 million.
But now, with this unforeseen setback, he considered letting the Foster family shoulder more of the burden to secure the deal.
Instead, the Foster family could only stretch to 120 million dollars, leaving a glaring 90 million-dollar gap. Walter was left scrambling for a solution, but the money just wasn't there. There was no way he could raise that much money in such a short time.
"Zachary, talk to your father," Melissa interjected, her tone dripping with urgency. "See if he can stretch it further. We'll cover 30%, and you guys can take 70%. Future profits will be split three to seven."
Even a 30% share would mean $1 billion for the Edwards family—a windfall that would ensure their future comfort and prestige.
"I already asked. He said no. There's no more money to give," Zachary said, shaking his head wearily.
The value of the property at Stonefield was no secret to the Foster family. Thanks to multiple insider connections in Lunova, they knew the land's price would skyrocket in just three months.
Zachary had been counting on this deal, believing it was all but guaranteed. All he needed was the money. That was why he had tried to expedite his marriage to Amelia—to tap into Debra's inheritance and secure the funds.
'Who would've thought Amelia would escape, and now the land is gone, too? If my father finds out, he'll punish me for sure—maybe even strip me of my inheritance,' Zachary thought, panic washing over him, feeling more cornered and powerless than ever.
"Mrs. Kingsley, this way, please," a polite voice suddenly called out.
Walter spun around, startled. It was Aaron. He was standing by a sleek black car, respectfully holding the door open as Amelia stepped out. She was composed and expressionless, her petite frame radiating an unshakable determination. Together, she and Aaron made their way toward the Bureau of Land Management.
Walter's stomach sank. A terrible realization dawned on him, and he bolted toward them, blocking their path. "Amy? What are you doing here?"
"Buying land," Amelia replied flatly, her icy voice devoid of warmth or hesitation.
"Buying what land?" Sandra demanded, rushing over with wide eyes, her tone frantic.
Just then, the owner of the property, Eric Brown, arrived, his cheerful demeanor lighting up the tension in the air. He greeted Aaron with a friendly smile. "Mr. Hall, it seems you've beaten me here."
Aaron nodded with the poised confidence of someone who always had the upper hand. "Mr. Brown, allow me to introduce Mrs. Amelia Kingsley. You can proceed with the handover directly with her."
Eric froze momentarily, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. However, he quickly recovered, his expression shifting to one of courteous warmth. "Mrs. Kingsley, a pleasure."
"Mr. Brown, the pleasure is mine." Amelia's frosty facade melted into a polite smile as she stepped forward with Eric, her composure like a shield as she prepared to finalize the transaction.
"Wait a minute." Sandra suddenly grabbed Amelia's arm, her voice trembling with barely contained outrage. "Was it you? Did you steal our land?"
"Steal?" Amelia's cold laugh sent a chill through the air as she brushed Sandra's hand away. "It's called a transaction. My deal with Mr. Brown is none of your concern."
"That was our land. We negotiated for months." Sandra's voice grew shrill, her finger jabbing accusingly at Amelia. "Cancel this deal immediately. Do you hear me?"
Eric, startled by Sandra's audacity, immediately interjected in a panicked tone, "Ms. Edwards, Kingsley Group has already paid in full. This transaction is final."
Sandra's indignation flared anew, and she turned to Amelia with a tone dripping with entitlement. "Fine, then transfer it to us. Dad raised you and provided for you. You owe him. Give the land to him."
Amelia's laughter was laced with disbelief, her red lips curling into a mocking smile. "Since he raised me, should I also transfer my debts to him?"
Sandra blinked, momentarily stunned. "What debts?"
"Loan sharks. Three billion dollars," Amelia answered coldly.
Sandra recoiled at the number, horrified. "Absolutely not. Your debts are yours to deal with." It was clear she expected Amelia to bear the burden of her debts while the family kept all the assets.
Her absurd logic made Eric chuckle, "Ms. Edwards, I must say, you're really something else."
Sandra faltered, stammering, "I... I didn't mean—"
"Enough." Zachary tugged at Sandra's arm, stopping her from embarrassing herself. 'Amelia lays a trap, and Sandra dives right in. How did I never notice how foolish she is?' he thought bitterly.
Walter's voice cut through the tense silence, his tone tinged with disbelief. "Amy, did you really buy this land?"
Amelia's crimson lips curved into a faint, sardonic smile as she looked directly at her father. "It was a wedding gift from the Kingsley family. They bought it for me."
Her gaze was sharp, unwavering. She knew he wouldn't let this go easily, but it didn't matter. With the Kingsley family backing her now, she had no reason to fear him.
Walter softened his tone, adopting a fatherly persuasion. "Amy, you're still young and inexperienced when it comes to managing property. Let me take care of this land for you."
Melissa chimed in, her voice dripping with false concern, "Amy, don't be rash. This is probably Mrs. Gloria Kingsley testing you. Don't ruin it. Let your father manage it. Trust me, Sandra and I have no ulterior motives."
Amelia's laugh was icy, her eyes filled with disdain. "Save your breath. It's mine, and no one is taking it from me."
Aaron, standing silently to the side, gave her a small nod of approval. "The Kingsley family is more than capable of absorbing any loss. There's no need for concern."
"Let's proceed with the paperwork," Amelia said decisively, turning toward Eric.
Afraid the deal might slip through his fingers, Eric quickly positioned himself between Amelia and Walter, his movements protective as he gestured for Amelia to follow him inside.
With Aaron and a team of bodyguards shielding her, the Edwards family and Zachary could do nothing but watch helplessly as Amelia and Eric disappeared into the building to finalize the transfer.
Sandra stomped her foot in frustration, her voice ringing with accusation. "Dad, why didn't you stop her?"
Walter, equally exasperated, let out a long sigh. "And how was I supposed to do that?" He was annoyed, but not particularly worried.
In his mind, this was nothing more than a petty stunt by Amelia to get back at Zachary. After all, the Kingsley family had never shown interest in the property at Stonefield before.
Walter's thoughts simmered as he plotted. 'Whatever belongs to my daughter belongs to me. There are still three months before the land skyrockets in value. I'll just play nice and coax Amelia into handing it over. When the time comes, the $3 billion profit will all be mine.'
Melissa, on the same wavelength, gave a performative sigh. "It's done. Let's not dwell on it any longer."
Sandra gawked at her mother, utterly shocked. "Mom, how can you say that too? You've always spoiled her, giving her the best of everything, and I never complained. But this—this is $3 billion! You can't just brush it off."
"What do you want me to do? We don't have the money to outbid her," Melissa shot back, her sharp glare silencing Sandra.
Sandra pouted, stewing in her short-sighted outrage. But Zachary, watching from the sidelines, quickly realized the motives of Walter and Melissa. A knowing smirk crept across his face as he finally composed himself.
He mused, 'Walter and Melissa's priority has always been Sandra. She's their favorite daughter. Whatever they gain from Amelia will ultimately go to her.
'And with Sandra carrying my child, everything that's hers will eventually be mine once we get married. Amelia can try all she wants to retaliate, but in the end, she's just working hard to make us richer.'
"Alright, enough arguing," Zachary said soothingly, pulling Sandra into his arms and gazing at her with feigned tenderness. "Did you forget what the doctor said?"
Sandra hesitated, her frustration momentarily faltering. "I... I just—"
"Hush," Zachary interrupted, his voice smooth and reassuring. "You're going to be a mom soon. Still acting like a child? You can't afford to get so worked up. The doctor warned us about this, remember?"
His gentleness melted Sandra's defenses almost instantly. Blushing, she nestled closer to his chest and murmured, "Alright... I understand."
By the time Amelia emerged from finalizing the paperwork, the insufferable quartet had left. She exhaled a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing as a wave of relief washed over her. The sight of them gone felt like a weight had been lifted.
With the Edwards family's precarious financial situation, Amelia was certain they wouldn't last the three months it would take for the property's value to soar. She smirked, imagining the day Walter, Melissa, and Sandra would come crawling back to grovel for her forgiveness.
"Mrs. Kingsley," Aaron began, his tone measured, though his eyes carried a trace of concern, "they'll likely try to manipulate you into handing over the property."
Amelia's red lips curved into a dismissive, almost mocking smile. "Let them try. I'm not falling for their tricks again."
Aaron's expression softened with approval. "You're remarkably bold, Mrs. Kingsley. However, I just received some troubling news..."