8 years earlier:

Amelia skipped with happiness. Her father Nicholas Advent had bought presents for Amelia and her mother Elana. She got a ruby earring while her mother got a tiara studded with diamonds encircling a huge piece of sapphire.

For the past few days, Elana had been edgy and sad. Amelia failed to know the reason behind her mother's moodiness and was starting to worry. But now, father's gift will cheer her up, thought Amelia.

She went to her father's study and heard angry voices.

"Get out of my house," shouted Nicholas Advent.

"Please, you have to understand, I love -" pleaded Elana.

"Love? This is not love, Elana!"

"Please, Nicholas!"

"Don't you ever call me that!"

"Please... Don't divorce me. I can't leave."

Amelia heard a loud thud as her father angrily banged on the table.

"Please have mercy, you know my father. I cannot... Please."

"You should have thought about that when you failed your duties as a wife."

The door was ajar and Amelia watched in shock as her mother fell to her knees, clutched her father's feet and begged.

"Please have mercy. Please don't divorce me, please... I can't leave."

Nicholas wrenched his feet, Elana fell to the floor completely broken. Without a backward glance Nicholas left. No one noticed Amelia as she stood frozen in the dark.

Mrs. Dennis, their head maid came after a while to get her mother.

"Lord Advent has agreed not to divorce you, but you are not to return to the dutchess chamber or speak to him ever again."

Mrs. Dennis helped the sobbing Elana up and took her away.

Amelia removed her ruby earrings and flung them to the floor before going to her room. Her father was not the man she thought he was.