Too Much to Bear, My Love Chapter 172
Once Olivia had calmed herself, she turned toward Charlie. “Is that what you want for Cassie too?”
“Olivia, we’ve been friends for so many years, so I’ll just speak my mind. Oscar has a wife, yet he still got back together with Cassie. I’m also against Cassie going to such extreme measures to try to win him back. But she’s my only daughter, and I won’t let anyone take advantage of her.”
It was at that moment when Olivia finally understood the real reason for this meetup. Charlie and Elizabeth were so hellbent on having Oscar marry Cassie that they’d never take no for an answer.
The Clintons and the Yards have been family friends for so long. Who would have thought their relationship would become strained because of their children? If the Clintons didn’t give in to their request, it might signal the end of their friendship.
Just then, Owen could sense Olivia’s inner turmoil as he tried to coax her. “Charlie, I’ve always been fond of Cassie. I’d be more than happy to have her as my daughter-in-law. But we don’t have a say when it comes to affairs of the heart. Shouldn’t we leave it to them whether to get married or not?” he reasoned.
Elizabeth scoffed at Owen. “Are you kidding? Cassie is in the ICU because of your son. Is that not enough to show how badly she wants to marry him?”
“But what about Oscar?”
Charlie and Elizabeth were stumped by that.
Owen was the voice of reason as he continued, “Charlie, I think you’re rushing things a little too much. Why don’t we wait till Cassie’s recovered before coming together to think of a solution?”
Charlie was silent, but Elizabeth was quick to respond, “Are you saying your family won’t accept Cassie? Even with the kind of relations both our families have, it’s still a no from you?”
She thought she could get a rise out of Owen, but the latter remained calm and composed.
“When it comes to any relationship, it takes two hands to clap. So, it wasn’t just Oscar’s fault that this affair even started, though men usually bear the brunt of the blame. I agree he has to take responsibility. I just think it’d be better to wait till Cassie’s discharged before we sit down together to discuss this.”
Elizabeth crossed her arms in annoyance. “Unless you agree to Oscar marrying Cassie, there’s no room for discussion,” she replied coldly.
Both Olivia and Owen were livid, but Owen still managed to keep his tone casual. “Do we have to make things so ugly? Do our years of friendship mean nothing at all?”
“It’s because we’ve been friends for so long that I’m laying all this out. My daughter is beautiful and capable. She may have many suitors, but she only has eyes for Oscar. As her mother, it’s only right that I help fight for her happiness. If Oscar gets a divorce and marries her, we can still be friends. If he doesn’t, then I never want to see any of you again.”
Elizabeth was pushy, but she had also made her stand very clear.
The room fell into an awkward silence that instant.
Charlie tugged at Elizabeth in a bid to calm her down, only to have her rudely brush his hand away.
In the meantime, Olivia tried to keep her voice gentle yet firm. “I’m laying it all out here too, Charlie. Our family has only one daughter-in-law, and that’s Amelia. We will make it up to Cassie as long as it’s within our power. But I will never agree to her becoming the Clintons’ daughter-in-law.”
“Olivia, what do you take Cassie for? A beggar?” Elizabeth yelled.
Olivia merely furrowed her brows and looked on in silence.
“If that’s the case, we’re done here,” Elizabeth said as she stood and tried to leave.
Charlie pulled her and forcefully sat her back in her chair. “Please, let’s all calm down. I’m sure we can talk about this nicely without ruining our relationship.”
“I can accept all your terms, other than Oscar marrying Cassie.” It was clear that Olivia was never going to change her stance.
Elizabeth once again slammed the table and stood up. “Fine, then there’s nothing else for us to talk about.” She threw a glance at Charlie and continued, “Let’s leave. I don’t want to stay and be snubbed by them.”
At that, Charlie was both frustrated and apologetic. He never expected things to turn out like that. “Let’s all calm down for now. We can talk about this another day,” he said solemnly before following Elizabeth out of the restaurant.
Once they were out of earshot, Owen let out a deep sigh. “Olivia, our families have known each other for generations. Did you have to sound so harsh?”
Olivia sighed in return. She sat in contemplation as she sipped on her tea.
Almost a minute had passed before she spoke up, “A woman who would threaten someone with her life. Is that the kind of wife you want your son to have?”
That left Owen speechless.
He knew Olivia was right. It was frightening how Cassie could have so little regard for her own life. She attempted suicide because things didn’t go her way, and she had no qualms about letting Oscar take the blame for it. She had made it clear that her life or death entirely depended on Oscar’s next course of action and that, was even more terrifying.
“Call Oscar and tell him to come home,” Olivia instructed.
Owen kept his conversation with Oscar short and succinct once his call went through. He ordered his son to be home in an hour so they could speak with him.
As soon as he hung up, Olivia turned to him. “Dear, I hope you can be on my side. No matter what, I will not let Cassie be my daughter-in-law.”
Owen saw the determination in his wife’s eyes and nodded.
Both the Clintons then left the restaurant and made their way home.
They had only been home for half an hour when Oscar pulled up, punctual as always.
Owen and Olivia were already seated at the sofa, their expressions grim and solemn. Stephanie was coming down the stairs in a state of drowsiness when she felt the overwhelmingly tense atmosphere. That was all the wake-up call she needed.
She swallowed hard before approaching her parents. “Dad, Mom, what’s going on?”
Olivia glanced at her without saying a word.
Meanwhile, Owen beckoned to the sofa opposite them and said, “Take a seat.”
Stephanie looked at her parents warily. “Dad, Mom, who made you angry?”
Olivia frowned as she looked Stephanie up and down. “What is this that you’re wearing? Is this how people of our status should be dressed? Go put on something decent!”
Stephanie was left bewildered as she looked down at the casual wear she was in. How is being comfortably and fully clothed not decent?
Feeling wronged, she looked at her father, but Owen only told her to listen to Olivia instead.
Stephanie had no choice but to comply.
When she came back down, Oscar had just entered the house with a very conspicuous wound next to his eye.
Her eyes widened in shock as she ran toward her brother. “Oscar, what happened to your face?”
Her outburst drew the attention of everyone else in the house.
Olivia noticed the wound right away but did not show any signs of concern like she usually would. She merely motioned for Oscar to take a seat.
“Dad. Mom,” Oscar greeted politely before sitting down.
Stephanie joined her brother on the sofa, but she was still adamant about finding out the cause of his injury.
Oscar’s expression was grave as he replied, “It’s nothing. I walked into something accidentally.”
Before Stephanie could say anymore, Olivia interrupted, “Steph, stop badgering your brother. Go out with your friends if you’re bored. Your father and I need to talk to Oscar.”
Stephanie pursed her lips in annoyance.
“Mom, I want to stay. I’m your daughter, not an outsider. There’s nothing you need to hide from me if it concerns our family.”
Olivia gave in and turned her attention to Oscar. She couldn’t hide the fact that seeing her son injured pained her.
“Oscar, is your eye okay? Shall I get the housemaid to tend to it?”
Oscar shook his head. “Nah. It’s just a small scratch.”
Being a mother meant that Olivia could never stop worrying about her children. The more she thought about her son’s injury, the more concerned she was. In the end, she got the housemaid to bring some medicine over so she could personally tend to Oscar’s wound.
Once his wound was all bandaged up, Olivia’s no-nonsense demeanor was back.
“Oscar, why don’t you and Amelia head to Anglandur? I’ve already gotten everything ready. And once she gives birth, the baby will be registered as a citizen of Anglandur.”
Even though his mother’s words were shocking, Oscar remained unfazed.
Stephanie, on the other hand, became very agitated. “Mom, are you crazy? Why does Oscar have to go to Anglandur when he’s doing well here? And if he does, who’s going to manage Clinton Corporations?”
“Your father isn’t that old. He’s still perfectly capable of managing Clinton Corporations. You can see this trip as an extended honeymoon for your brother and sister-in-law,” Olivia rebuked while glaring at her daughter.
“Are you joking, Mom? A honeymoon is for newlyweds, not for people who have been married for almost five years! Have you lost your mind?”
Owen’s face turned dark as he turned to Stephanie. “Steph, go upstairs.”
Nonetheless, Stephanie was indignant about the way she had been treated. She was about to protest against it when Owen repeated himself, this time even more sternly.
An exasperated Stephanie didn’t have a choice but to march her way back up to her room, leaving her parents and Oscar alone in the living room.
After a sip of her tea, Olivia went straight to her point. “Oscar, I’m sure you know why I’m asking you and Amelia to go to Anglandur?”
Oscar nodded solemnly.
“Since you do, I won’t beat around the bush. I want you and Amelia to leave the day after tomorrow. Your father and I will deal with the Yard family.”
“I’m not going to Anglandur, Mom. I’m not a coward. I am the reason things have gotten to this stage, so I should be responsible for it. Let me handle my affairs with Amelia and Cassie,” Oscar said resolutely.
