Chapter 507 Complaints
With a bag slung over her shoulder, Amelia Winters hurried into the private room in her high heels and said apologetically, “I’m so sorry. The traffic was awful. Have you guys been waiting for a long time?”
Eleanor’s attention had been on the younger woman entirely ever since the latter arrived, and her eyes were filled with deep affection as she gazed at her.
“We arrived not long ago, so there’s absolutely no need to hurry. Take it easy. You might sprain your ankle from running in high heels.” Eleanor rose to her feet, approached Amelia, and grabbed her hand suddenly. Like a mother who loved her child deeply, she looked at her from head to toe and commented, “You’ve gained some weight, and your complexion looks much better than when you were at Beshya. I can finally feel at ease now. After returning to Saspiuburg, I’ve been worrying all the time about your living condition at Tayhaven. I’ve been meaning to visit you, but I couldn’t find the time to do so.”
Amelia Winters awkwardly glanced at her hand in Eleanor’s grasp. They were technically strangers since their relationship had not been addressed officially, so she found Eleanor’s gesture a little inappropriate.
As though she did not sense her discomfiture, Eleanor led her to the seat beside hers and said smilingly, “The dishes will be served soon. Do eat more. You’ll look prettier with a plumper face.”
Watching them with a frosty gaze, Amelia Hutton poked at the plate with her fork to hide the discomfort in her eyes. When she looked up again, she was back to her innocent and gentle self.
With a grin plastered on her face, she asked, “Amy, you didn’t acknowledge my presence from the moment you entered the room. Have you forgotten about me?”
Only then did Amelia Winters turn toward her. “Amelia, it’s been a while. You’re getting prettier each day,” she praised, smiling.
“Likewise. When you entered just now, I thought I saw an executive. Your outfit is very sophisticated. It’s so different from the impression I have of you back in Beshya.” Amelia Hutton started flattering her without reservation.
Flashing her a gracious smile, Amelia Winters replied, “I found a job as a designer after returning from Beshya. Naturally, I must be particular about my attire at the workplace.”
“Amy, I feel like there’s an overall improvement in your temperament. You used to be gentle and slightly innocent. But now, you’re bright, innocent, elegant, and independent all at once. You’re so attractive now.” Amelia Hutton was behaving weirdly, giving out one compliment after another profusely.
Amelia Winters was embarrassed from receiving a deluge of praises.
“Amelia, you flatter me.”
Coincidentally, the waiter began serving the dishes, saving her from the awkward atmosphere.
Once the dishes were placed on the table, Amelia Winters immediately put food on Eleanor’s plate and exhorted, “Mrs. Hutton, try their foie gras. It tastes quite good, but I’m not sure if the internal organ of a duck suits your palate.”
Immersed in how her daughter was caring for her meticulously, Eleanor could not care less about the type of dish that was being mentioned. Even if Amelia Winters were feeding her poison, she would probably consume it without hesitation.
“Of course. This type of internal organ is my favorite,” she replied while smiling.
Yet, Amelia Hutton exposed her right away. “Mom, how could you forget that you’d get an allergic reaction and have rashes from eating foie gras? Do you have a death wish?”
Eleanor shot her a warning look.
Pretending not to see it, Amelia Hutton said to Amelia Winters, “Amy, you might not be aware of this, but my mom is allergic to quite a lot of food. For instance, she can’t consume chicken gizzards, bitter gourd, and sprouts. Most importantly, she must avoid fish with high protein content. If she consumes it, the worse reaction would be a skin allergy. Once, she was even admitted to the hospital. Therefore, our whole family is particularly careful with her diet.”
Amelia Winters flashed them an apologetic smile and said, “Mrs. Hutton, I’m sorry for my oversight.”
“Lia, don’t listen to her. I love eating the food that you serve me. As long as it’s dished up by you, I’m sure I won’t have an allergic reaction,” Eleanor replied. To her, Amelia Winters was like a medicine capable of curing all diseases.
While Amelia Winters displayed an awkward smile, a hint of unfathomable emotion flashed across Amelia Hutton’s eyes.
The atmosphere throughout the meal was not very jolly.
After they exited the restaurant, Amelia Winters informed, “Mrs. Hutton, Oscar and I have sent someone to clean up a condominium under his name. We’ll drive you and Amy there to have a look first. If it’s not to your liking, you can stay at a hotel.”
Holding her hand as they entered the car, Eleanor chuckled. “It’s your call. I’m here to pay you a visit, so it doesn’t matter where I stay. You still have to go to work later, so do take some rest in the car. Don’t rush about.”
The younger woman shook her head and smiled. “Mrs. Hutton, don’t worry about me. I’ve applied for a leave of absence in the afternoon. It’s such a rare opportunity for both of you to come to Tayhaven. As a host, how can I not accompany you two?”
Eleanor beamed with delight. “Really?”
Amelia Winters nodded in affirmation.
With that, she accompanied them until nine o’clock that night. During the afternoon, Oscar picked up Tony to join them. When Eleanor saw the boy, she greeted him with warmth and joy and gave him all the gifts she had prepared for him. At the sight of the pile of items, the child’s face lit up. He was evidently in a great mood.
Elated, Tony planted pecks on Eleanor’s cheeks cordially, covering her face with his saliva.
“Tony, my good boy. Granny likes you very much.” Scooping him up in her arms, she could not help but express her fondness for him.
Amelia Hutton deliberately cleared her throat and explained, “Look at how happy my mom is. Ever since she returned to Saspiuburg, she has been saying that Tony is just like her biological grandson and wants to shower him with affection. That’s why she’s so carried away now that she’s finally meeting him.”
Upon hearing her daughter’s words, Eleanor returned to her senses and sneaked a cautious glance at Amelia Winters. Only when she saw the latter did not take it amiss could she feel relieved.
It was already nine o’clock when Eleanor and Tony finally took a break from playing. If the boy were not sleepy, she would not have been able to bring herself to part with him.
Amelia Winters took Tony from her arms. By then, the child’s eyelids were drooping. With a smile, she said, “Mrs. Hutton, Amelia, I shall bring Tony back home and put him to bed. You two should rest early as well. If you’re unaccustomed to sleeping here, just give me a call. I’ll get Oscar to arrange another accommodation for the both of you.”
Eleanor grudgingly saw them off. “Lia, will you and Tony drop by tomorrow?”
“Mrs. Hutton, you’ve come to Tayhaven for vacation. As a host, there’s no reason for me to be absent. However, I have to work tomorrow, so I can only come over at night. Feel free to tour around Tayhaven with Amelia. There are quite a lot of fun activities and delicious food around here.”
“All right.”
After the family of three left, Amelia Hutton said sullenly, “Mom, they’ve left. Stop looking.”
Retracting her gaze, Eleanor shut the door and remarked longingly, “Lia has become so outstanding and pretty. Even without me by her side, she’s still living a wonderful life. It’s such a shame that I wasn’t able to accompany her throughout the years. It’ll forever be a regret in my life.”
With a surge of indescribable jealousy and disgruntlement in her eyes, Amelia Hutton took a deep breath to calm herself down so that she could avoid having another argument with her mother over Amelia Winters.
Suppressing the emotions coursing through her, she strode toward Eleanor and held her arm. “Mom, are you still not content when you have a daughter like me by your side?”
Eleanor cast a sideways glance at her and replied softly, “You’re my sweetheart as well. It’s just that I hope the both of you can get along well. I’ve owed your sister too much in the past years, and now I don’t even dare to reunite with her. As I’ve failed as a mother, I can only try making it up to her in other aspects.”
“Mom, it looks like Amy is currently living a good life. After returning to Saspiuburg, I investigated the Clinton family. They’re one of the most affluent families in the city. The Clinton Corporations has more than ten thousand employees, and almost every one of them is an elite. Besides, Oscar took over the Clinton Corporations at such a young age, and he’s referred to as a rare talent in the business sphere. With such an exceptional husband, Amy will definitely have a blissful life. I’m sure she doesn’t need any of your redresses.”
Eleanor’s eyes darkened when she heard her words.
“Mom, Amy is leading a great life right now. Can you really bring yourself to destroy the peace she has now?” Amelia Hutton asked, her words hitting a raw nerve in her mother.
With a glum expression, Eleanor murmured, “I never intended to interfere in her life. I simply wanted to have a look at her.”
“But Mom, you know Dad doesn’t like it when you come here. If he finds out about it, I’m afraid he’d create trouble for Amy. Is that what you want to see?”
A manic look flashed across Eleanor’s eyes as she glared at her daughter and gritted her teeth. “Are you planning to tell your father?”
Frightened by her sharp eyes, Amelia Hutton tried her best to calm her thumping heart as she forced a smile. “Mom, I’m doing this for you and Amy’s sake.”
“Save it, Amelia. I know your intentions. Even though I’ve found your sister, I’m not going to love you any less. Instead, you’ll gain your sister’s affection as well. Isn’t that great?”
Amelia Hutton’s face was tinged with embarrassment from being exposed by her mother.
“Mom, I don’t mean that. Never mind. Let’s just drop the topic. It’s getting late. We should wash up and get some rest,” she said.
In the end, both of them parted ways unhappily.
Amelia Hutton’s countenance turned grim after she entered her bedroom, and it was a chilling sight.
Her face was contorted with anger as she spat, “Amelia Winters, I regret making the unnecessary move of taking your hair and doing a DNA test. If I hadn’t done that, my family wouldn’t be in such a mess right now. Why must you appear? Why are you able to attract all of my mom’s attention with such ease? You own so many things, so why must you steal my mom away?”
However, it slipped her mind that she was the root of the problem. Otherwise, none of that would have happened, and they could have all lived in peace. When things did not go according to her plan, she placed all the blame on Amelia Winters.
It was a typical example of a person who would never reflect on their own mistakes after something went wrong.
