Chapter 511 A Relapse
When Oscar returned home, Eleanor was the first to rush over. “Oscar, how did it go? Has the perpetrator been apprehended?” she asked nervously.
He replied, “Don’t worry, Mrs. Hutton. I’ve asked the lawyer to draft an indictment, and we’ll press charges against her officially tomorrow. With Clinton Corporations’ legal team at work, no one can go free after hurting my woman.”
With a delighted smile, she exclaimed, “Oscar, you made the right decision. It’s best if she has to serve a prison sentence for a few years. Oh, another thing! Who’s the b*tch that dared to harm Lia? How I wish I could tear her into pieces!”
When Oscar saw Eleanor’s reaction, he could not help but feel that the older woman was a little cute. Perhaps because she bore a strong resemblance to Amelia Winters, he found it hard to hate her.
“Mrs. Hutton, please don’t be angry. I’ll never let her off,” he declared.
“Oscar, I truly admire your attitude. I am very relieved to leave Lia in your hands.” Eleanor sang his praises.
At that moment, Amelia Hutton walked over and asked concernedly, “Oscar, have you eaten? Amy asked the housekeeper to keep the food in the kitchen. How about I heat them for you?”
Oscar took a glance at her before rejecting her offer. “It’s all right. I’ve already eaten. Where’s Amelia?”
“Amy’s upstairs putting Tony to bed,” she replied with a smile, suppressing the surge of emotions in her eyes.
He nodded in response before turning around to speak to Eleanor. “Mrs. Hutton, I’ll go upstairs to check on her. I’m worried that her head might still be aching.”
After Oscar headed upstairs, Eleanor shot her daughter a meaningful look as she uttered, “Amelia, don’t you forget that Lia is your sister. You’ve had a high living since you were a child, so you’d better not snatch anything from her. Otherwise, I won’t forgive you.”
Upon hearing that, Amelia Hutton had mixed feelings. My mother actually warned me, the daughter who has been with her all these years, because of another daughter she hasn’t seen for twenty-odd years. I don’t even know how to describe my feelings right now.
Eleanor did not bother to guess what was going on inside her mind. She then headed to the kitchen to prepare a glass of warm milk and brought it upstairs. As soon as she entered the room, she noticed Oscar sitting on the edge of the bed, whereas Amelia Winters was already sound asleep.
“Is she asleep?” Eleanor asked while looking at the figure lying on the bed.
Oscar gave a slight nod, so she gave the glass of milk to him. “Have some milk.”
“Thank you,” he responded as he took the glass over.
After downing the milk in one gulp, he placed the glass on the table and turned to look at her. “Mrs. Hutton, I have something to say, but I’m not sure if I should ask you.”
“You can go ahead with it.”
“Why are you being so nice to Amelia? Is it true that she isn’t related to you? I never believed that a person would be good to others for no reason,” Oscar questioned directly.
Eleanor’s expression froze.
“Mrs. Hutton, I can easily discover whatever I want to know with a little probe into the matter. I’d also instructed someone to investigate the Hutton family and found out that your eldest daughter went missing when she was little. According to her year of birth, she would be about the same age as Amelia. Am I right?” he continued.
She paled at Oscar’s statements.
“Mrs. Hutton, I’m not saying these to force you or anything. It’s just that if you have no intention to reunite with Amelia, then don’t be so kind to her. She’s over the age of requiring her parents’ affection. Hence, you should either be a stranger or stop being so nice to her. Otherwise, you’d be burdening her.”
Eleanor’s face turned utterly grim.
“Oscar, I…”
Oscar stood up and turned around. After letting out a chuckle, he said, “Mrs. Hutton, don’t be so nervous. I’m not deliberately making things difficult for you either. I just want to protect Amelia from getting hurt. I think it’s better that you treat your trip here as a vacation. As hosts, Amelia and I will do our best to show you great hospitality. As for the reunion, I believe it’s not necessary since you don’t seem sincere in doing so.”
Eleanor moved her mouth as though she was trying to say something.
She felt the urge to explain but did not know how to put it in words.
“It’s getting late, Mrs. Hutton. You two should go back and rest now. I’ll be here to take care of Amelia, so she’ll be fine.”
“Oscar, I—”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Hutton. My earlier words might sound harsh. However, it’s all because I want to protect Amelia. Please don’t take them to heart. It’s late now. I’ll get someone to send you back,” Oscar said with a smile.
Since he had signaled her to leave, Eleanor had no choice but to comply.
Upon getting into the car, she leaned against the back seat sullenly with a glazed look in her eyes, seemingly lost in thought.
Amelia Hutton was a bit concerned. “What’s wrong, Mom?”
Eleanor shook her head and heaved a sigh, looking exhausted.
After returning to their accommodation, she strode over to the window and stared at the scenery as though she was pondering something.
Amelia Hutton placed her bag on the couch before she walked toward her. “What’s the matter, Mom?”
Eleanor spoke. “He knows about it.”
“Who knows about it?” the young woman asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“Oscar. He knows that I’m Lia’s mother. He also said that I’m the most irresponsible mother because I don’t want to reunite with her. But I’m not! When Lia went missing back then, I couldn’t find her despite looking for her everywhere. I’ve also left Lia’s DNA at the police station, but there’s no news about her after all these years. If you didn’t bump into her by accident, I probably would never see her again. The relationship between the relatives of the Hutton family is quite complicated. In addition, your father and brother reject Lia, so I can’t reunite with her rashly. Otherwise, I’m afraid that they’ll disrupt her current peaceful life.” Eleanor was teetering on the brink of a mental breakdown.
Amelia Hutton turned Eleanor around and forced the latter to look at her. “Mom, please calm down. Amy already has her own life. Let’s go back to Saspiuburg, and we’ll come to visit her again when we’re free. Don’t you think it’s better not to lay bare the truth behind your relationship with her?”
Eleanor shot her a death glare before pushing her away.
“Mom, you—”
“I’m tired. I’m going upstairs to rest.”
Eleanor immediately headed for her room upstairs, leaving Amelia Hutton dumbfounded in the same spot.
The latter spat through gritted teeth, “Amelia Winters! Amelia Winters! Why is it always her! Mom, do you know that you still have a son and a daughter other than Amelia Winters? Why are you so obsessed with that long-lost daughter? Are you going to be happy only if discord or distrust happens in the family?”
She was so furious that she grabbed the things in the living room and slammed them on the ground. Crackling and creaking sounds pierced the air as she smashed the stuff.
The din caused Eleanor to come out of her room. Her face darkened when she spotted the mess inside the living room.
“Amelia, what are you doing?” She rushed downstairs and questioned her daughter with a livid expression.
Meanwhile, Amelia Hutton tidied her clothes. She felt much better after venting her anger.
“Mom, I’m not in a good mood, so I used these to take the edge off my anger. I reckon you don’t mind, do you?”
Eleanor responded angrily, “Do you think this is our house? You’ve made such a mess to the place. How should Lia explain to Oscar? You weren’t like this before! When have you become so unreasonable?”
“Amelia Winters! Why is it always her! Mom, you only have her in your mind right now. Don’t you know that I’m your daughter too? Sean and I are the children who have always been by your side all these years while she went missing for more than twenty years and never fulfilled her filial duty to you. Why do you only think about her? Why can’t you see Sean and my concern toward you? Are you going to be happy only if we’re estranged from you?” Amelia Hutton finally vented her frustration.
Her questions stumped Eleanor.
Feeling a little flustered, she spoke slowly. “Amelia, I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just feeling guilty toward Lia and want to make it up to her.”
“Make it up to her? Well, that depends on whether she’ll accept it. Although you’re doing it willingly, it might probably be a burden for her. Even Oscar knows that you’re her mother. How can she be clueless about it? She’s just pretending to be oblivious because she doesn’t want to reunite with you. Is that not the case? From what I see, it’s clearly just your own wishful thinking.”
Eleanor’s expression changed drastically.
“No, it can’t be true. Lia is such a wonderful person. There’s no way that she doesn’t want to be reunited with me.” Even her eyes were gleaming with madness.
Amelia Hutton was shocked to see the change in her gaze as she could tell Eleanor was on the brink of having an episode. Anger got the better of her that it slipped her mind her mother was in such a state from being plagued by her elder sister’s disappearance for twenty-odd years. Thus, whatever she said earlier was equivalent to rubbing salt into her mother’s wound.
“Mom, that’s not what I meant. You’ve got to calm down first.” Amelia Hutton helped Eleanor to the couch before pouring her a glass of warm water. “Mom, I only said that because I was angry. Please don’t take it to heart. I’ll clean up the floor now. Let’s visit Amy together tomorrow. Don’t get worked up. Otherwise, Dad will ground me at home.”
Eleanor finally regained her composure after drinking a few mouthfuls of water.
Amelia Hutton dared not trigger Eleanor anymore as she was afraid that the latter’s illness would act up again. If that were to happen, Eleanor would have to be admitted to the psychiatric hospital, and it would be difficult for her to leave that place again.
