Prologue:

Amelia:

"It's unbelievable how restless you are! Can you just stay still for once, Amelia Earhart? Or I swear I'll drown you with my own hands, you little devil.”

My sister Ailan's voice sounded loud and desperate in my mother's private room on the second floor of the Miller Mansion in New York.

I couldn't help it. It was the first time I had ever worn makeup at fifteen, and honestly, I don't know about you women of the world, but for me, this mascara and eyeliner is the devil's work, designed to torture unsuspecting women who are obsessed with styling and makeup. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop my eyes from blinking and tearing up. This made me try to wipe away the tears, thus increasing Wendy's anger.

"It's totally impossible! Mom, I give up. Your daughter is a man in a woman's body. Look at her; she looks like a panda," Wendy complained to my mother, the Goddess Miller. She was there, supervising everything and seeing that her and Ailan's influence over me, their little sister, wasn't working.

This was definitely unfair. She was all-powerful and no one could stand up to her. That's why I chose Ailan to do my makeup for my birthday. It was all because of Penelope, the stupid cheerleading captain at my high school who challenged me to dress like a woman for my fifteenth birthday: dress, heels, makeup, the whole outfit.

You might think this wouldn't be difficult for a quinceañera, but you'd be wrong. I love jeans, dungarees, loose shirts, and men's sportswear, especially hoodies. I hate high heels, skimpy T-shirts, and, above all, dresses and skirts, both long and short.

Logically, as a Miller heiress with examples of beauty in my home, like my sister and mother, it's almost a sin. But that's how I truly feel comfortable. I think that when my parents created me, they made a miscalculation. Instead of a handsome heir, I was born: a tall, attractive woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes who hates dressing in a feminine way in accordance with her gender—or at least that's what the customs say.

"It's true, Roy! Just like you said, Amelia is going to dress up as a beggar with a clown face." The childish voice of my twelve-year-old brother, Marcus—or Robin Hood, as the Miller siblings called him—was the last thing I needed.

"Mommy!" I said, pouting with an exaggerated childish complaint. It wasn't cute for a young girl who was turning fifteen today.

"Norman Miller, can't you control your children?

We're busy. This is hard enough as it is without those delinquent Miller troglodytes making it worse." My mother's direct and firm voice had the expected effect.

A few seconds later, my father appeared at the door to my mother's room. He was holding one of each of my brothers' ears, and they were clinging to him. The stupid boys were whimpering and begging my father to let them go.

"Ahh, Dad, Dad!" said my brother Roy, aka King Arthur, bent over completely, clinging to my father's hand to avoid being pulled away.

It was almost ridiculous to see an eighteen-year-old boy who was almost as tall as my father crouching down and whining like a child over his father's punishment.

On the other side of my father, held by the ear, was Marcus, the youngest of the Millers and known as Robin Hood. He just moaned, trying not to resist too much. He, like all of us Miller brothers, knew very well that when our mother scolded or complained to our father about our mischief, he carried out her sentence quickly and without compassion. Resisting would be stupid.

"Speak or be silent forever, you damn delinquents," my father said in a low, serious, precise, and direct tone to the two hooligans before letting go of their ears, which were already red.

"Sorry, Amelia. I'm sure you're beautiful," the two idiots said in unison, bowing their heads. My father had clearly told them what to say if they didn't want to suffer the consequences of bothering one of his princesses.

Ailan and I smiled, which helped me relax and allowed my sister to finish her work. At first, I was afraid to look in the mirror. But when I saw my mother's happy face, my sister's proud smile, and, above all, the look of terror and concern on my father's and my two brothers' faces, I knew I must look stunning.

"Roy, you have extra work to do. My God, how I wish this day had never come! It's bad enough with Ailan, my sister, but now my baby, my dear Amelia, my sweet, quiet princess. How could I not have noticed?..." My father's words trailed off pitifully as he kept his eyes fixed on me.

"I know, Dad. Unfortunately, it's a Miller's duty to his family," my brother Roy interrupted with a huge sigh of resignation and exhaustion.

"Me too, Dad," said Marcus, standing up and trying to look taller than his twelve years.

"Welcome to Miller custody and protection, Amelia Earhart. You're already a beautiful woman and a headache for those three over there. Enjoy it,” Alan whispered in my ear, pointing to my father and my two brothers.

My mother, on the other hand, just shook her head with resignation, showing that she was used to the Miller men's extreme drama and overprotectiveness.

Perhaps their reaction encouraged me to go out with confidence that night. If they reacted that way when they saw me, maybe Angus Blake would notice me too. Maybe he would see me as a real woman, like many of the girls he dated in high school, including Penelope Carrigan.

The problem with expectations is that they are just that—expectations. They never have to come true. That is something I was soon to discover that very night. It was a lesson I would learn well for years to come and which would be my only way of life for many years.

Angus.

"Are you sure this is what Amelia told you she wanted for her birthday, Betty Boo?" I asked my eleven-year-old sister, Connelly, who had always been best friends with the Millers' youngest daughter, despite their age difference.

"Yes, you know it! This is the fifth time you've asked me. Amelia has wanted to become a physical therapist ever since our school visited the spinal cord injury hospital in New York. She'll love a book on human anatomy,” said my annoying little sister as she put on her makeup.

"Why are you putting on makeup? You're only eleven. You know Dad won't let you go to the party looking like that," I said, seriously taking the lipstick out of her hands.

"First of all, stupid big brother, it's gloss. I'm hardly wearing any makeup. And second, I already asked Mom for permission. Who do you think is going to win between those two?" said the smart aleck, smiling brightly and cheekily, just like my mother used to do when she got her way.

"You two are incredible!" I said, handing her back the lip gloss.

"I will definitely never fall in love with a beautiful or seductive woman. They're only good for passing the time, like that stupid Penelope Carrigan. They cause more problems than they're worth. You can't get anything out of them. Just look at how my father and my Uncle Norman are dominated by their wives: my attractive mother, a former top model with a temper to match, and my Aunt Yvaine, the goddess Miller.

No, thank you. I'm busy enough taking care of my sister and my fake cousins, the crazy Ailan and the calm, unproblematic Amelia.

Of course, at the time, I had no idea that hours later, I would have to swallow my words, one by one, without anesthesia or preparation. Like anything unexpected, it had consequences that I would pay for in the worst way possible, especially for someone as confident as me.

Author's note: If you're not familiar with the stories of the Millers' parents and two older siblings, I recommend reading those first. They are my best and most popular novels. Start with “The Night You Became the Mother of My Children,” the story of Norman and Yvaine Miller. Then read “Promises Between Ice and Fire,” the story of Kimberly and Jason Blake; “The CEO's Contract Mistress,” the story of Roy, the first of the Miller twins; “You're Mine, Heiress!,” the story of Ailan, the second twin; and finally, “The Awakening of the Miller Warrior,” the story of Amelia and the two Blake children, Angus and Connelly. These novels are available on the best platforms: Hinovel, Manobook, Sueñonovela, Buenanovela, and Joyread. Thank you for helping to make my novels popular. Greetings to everyone!