Chapter 280 Frustration
After dinner, Olivia said to Amelia with a serious expression, “Go with me for a walk outside in a short while, Amelia. It’s been a while since we last chatted together. We should talk tonight.”
Amelia subconsciously glanced at Oscar.
Catching her look, he placed his silverware down and commented, “Amelia has been taking care of Tony for the past few days, Mom, and she’s not feeling very well. You can talk to her anytime, so it doesn’t have to be today.”
Olivia’s expression instantly turned grim as she gave her son a warning look. “I’m merely asking my daughter-in-law to go for a walk. Is there a problem with that? I know that you care about your wife very much, Oscar. What’s the matter? Are you afraid that I’ll harm her?”
“That’s not what I meant, Mom.”
“It’d better not be.”
“Mom, Oscar didn’t mean it like that. He’s just worried that my unstable mental state would scare you,” Amelia quickly intervened.
“It won’t. You’re both underestimating me,” Olivia replied, seemingly hinting at something.
In the end, Amelia did as she was told to and accompanied Olivia for a walk in the courtyard.
While glancing at her, Olivia spoke directly, “I heard from Oscar that you’re both getting a divorce, Amelia. Is this true or just a joke?”
Amelia was stunned for a moment, for she had never expected Oscar to have told Olivia this matter. Furthermore, he did not tell her in advance; thus, she was caught off guard.
Amelia’s eyes flashed slightly as she licked her lips, thinking of the words to say next. She finally replied with a slight stutter, “Mom, this is the result of our discussion. I think the divorce will be good for both of us. There is another woman in his heart, and I have always been her substitute due to our similarity in look. Since she has returned, it would be shameless of me to occupy the title of Mrs. Clinton.”
Hearing this, Olivia glanced at her. “Do you really mean it?”
Amelia was at a loss for words.
Olivia grabbed her hand and patted it. “Although you’re my daughter-in-law, Amelia, I’ve always treated you as my daughter. I’m older and have more experience in life, so I’m telling you that whoever a man keeps in his heart and whoever he’s with are not important. As long as he comes home in the end, that’s all that matters. A smart woman wouldn’t haggle over her man’s flings. Nothing else matters as long as you’re the one by his side in the end. Only the stupidest woman would dwell on the man’s past mistakes.”
Amelia listened without replying, but she could not help feeling forlorn. Never would she have expected the gentle and gracious Olivia to utter such words in encouraging her to turn a blind eye to her husband’s infidelity.
Olivia seemed to have sensed her thoughts as she then added, “Don’t blame me for these unpleasant words, Amelia. Although the world places great importance on gender equality, it’s still mostly biased toward men. Many women would choose to forgive their husband’s infidelity. Now that you have Tony, shouldn’t you consider his feelings before deciding on the divorce? Aren’t you afraid that he’ll hate you for making him grow up in a single-parent environment at a young age?”
Amelia’s heart lurched upon hearing that.
“Don’t deny my words so quickly, Amelia. I can tell that you and Oscar love one another. He merely made a mistake that all men would make at some point. As long as his heart is still with you and he apologizes for his mistake, just forgive him. Don’t give him up because of this small mistake,” said Olivia, taking advantage of Amelia’s hesitance.
Amelia’s lips twitched as she felt her throat ran dry.
“Mom, our problem is not as simple as you see it. You may think that it’s not unforgivable for a man to cheat, but I can’t tolerate my lover’s betrayal. You can call me melodramatic or even stubborn. And it’s not like I don’t care about Oscar having Cassie in his heart, but I’ve always known that I’ve no right to ask him, as our statuses aren’t equal right from the beginning. Even if you treat me like your daughter, don’t you discreetly think that I’m marrying out of my league? Because of that, I should endure Oscar’s infidelity without complaint,” she said as she glanced at Olivia.
Taken aback, Olivia could not help sparing Amelia a few more looks.
“You’re determined to get this divorce, aren’t you?”
“I’ve never had the upper hand in this divorce. I know that if this family is adamant, even if I’m divorced, I would be made to leave in disgrace at the end.”
“Why did you insist on the divorce when you’re aware of the consequences?”
Amelia could only smile wryly in response.
“You’re aware that once you’re divorced, not only will you not get a single share of our asset, but you won’t get custody of Tony as well,” Olivia declared.
Amelia became anxious upon hearing that.
“I don’t need anything else, Mom, but I must have Tony. I gave birth to him after much difficulty. I can’t live without him.”
“He’s the first grandchild and legitimate heir of the Clinton family. If you get a divorce, he must remain here,” Olivia replied adamantly.
The atmosphere turned cold as soon as she said that.
Feeling gloomy, Amelia immediately thought of changing the topic. “Let’s head back, Mom.”
Olivia stopped her as she said seriously, “Amelia, I sincerely treat you as if you were my daughter, so don’t let me down. Don’t blame me for my ruthlessness should you insist on the divorce. Tony is the eldest grandson, so there’s no way you can have him. Besides that, you won’t be allowed to visit him after the divorce. You need to think carefully and consider whether you’re able to bear the consequences.”
Amelia stared at Olivia with mixed feelings.
“Must you pressure me like this, Mom?”
“I never wanted this either. I just want this family to be well. I won’t feel good if any of you were having a bad life, so don’t be stubborn. I’ll side with you if you argue with Oscar, but you shouldn’t have thought about divorce. We are a prominent family in this city, and there has never been any case of divorce within this family. The men in our family take relationships very seriously,” Olivia advised earnestly.
Within the family, Olivia was the last person who wanted them to divorce as she truly liked Amelia. However, the divorce involved the custody of her grandson, and she would not allow anyone to take him away.
Amelia was also hurting inside. The pressure she felt from the divorce was already overwhelming. Coupled with the threat by Olivia, it made her realize that it was extremely difficult to obtain custody of Tony.
She clutched her head as she choked out, “Mom, divorce is a matter of two people. If Oscar insists on it, can you please give Tony to me? I’ll be left with nothing except Tony after leaving this family. I don’t wish to leave this place in utter embarrassment.”
Olivia merely stared at her in response.
Seeing this, Amelia began to cry.
“If possible, I also don’t wish to divorce, Mom. It’s just that I’ve been under enough pressure over the years. I don’t want to be someone else’s substitute anymore.”
Olivia grabbed her shoulders to force Amelia to look at her.
“No one will be able to force you to leave if you don’t want to, Amelia. As long as you know your place and remain in this family, you’ll still have your noble status. The wealth and glory you enjoy is surely every woman’s dream. With all of this, so what if you’re a substitute?”
Amelia stared at her in shock.
Olivia took a deep breath before continuing in a harsh tone, “I really like you, Amelia, so don’t force me to act ruthlessly toward you. If you insist on the divorce, Tony must remain in this family. As for you, you can never step into this household again. You must think through this.”
Shocked, Amelia stumbled backward.
Her pale lips parted as she said, “I’m tired, Mom. I want to go back and rest.” She hurriedly left after saying that.
Olivia stared at her back as she ran away and heaved a deep sigh.
If possible, I also wish that I can have a harmonious relationship with Amelia as her mother-in-law. I said those words in the hope that she would be discouraged, forget the thought of filing for divorce, and stay in the Clinton family. I wouldn’t allow her to have Tony otherwise. As the first grandson of the family, he must remain here. In the future, he’ll receive proper education and take over the family business as its qualified successor when he grows up.
Olivia would not give in on matters of principle.
If Amelia would not relent, she would rather not have such a disobedient daughter-in-law.
Amelia rushed into the bedroom. Oscar, who was there changing his clothes, noticed her pale complexion and the panic in her eyes. He quickly went over to her and asked in a worried tone, “What’s the matter? Are you feeling ill? Why do you look so pale?”
Amelia shrieked like a frightened rabbit, “Don’t come closer. Don’t force me.” Her voice sounded shrill due to her state of panic.
Oscar’s face turned grim as he uttered seriously, “Did Mom say something unpleasant?”
Triggered by those words, Amelia uttered, “I just want a divorce, so why is everyone taking turns to reprimand me? It’s as though I’ve committed a grave sin. You are the one who did the wrong thing and have another woman in your heart. I’m leaving this marriage without taking anything, and I only want Tony. Why are you all still dissatisfied and pushing me to a corner?”
The panic of losing her eyesight, the helplessness in resisting the Clintons, and the fear of losing Tony’s custody were all pressing her, and she was suffocating from the stress. Having reached the point of breakdown, she could not help but vent it all out on Oscar.
Hearing this, he pressed his lips together in a thin line.
“Calm down, Amelia. No one can take Tony away. You are his mother. It is only right for him to follow you. No one will take him away from you. I can assure you,” Oscar said, softening his tone to comfort her.
