Chapter 632 Cut The Ties
After lunch, Oscar was about to return to his office after sending Olivia off. Unexpectedly, Isabella tagged along with him shamelessly and called out, “Oscar!”
Oscar halted in his tracks and turned to utter grimly, “Isabella Walker, heed my words. Don’t ever think that you can do as you like in the office just because you are now the goddaughter of the Clintons. I hope you can at least try to prove yourself by contributing to the company. What’s the point of having a high educational qualification if you’re just a good-for-nothing employee?”
Unfazed by his words, Isabella chuckled. “Oscar, I believe I’ve put effort at work. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have appointed me as the director, would you? Since Aunt Olivia has announced to everyone that I’m her goddaughter, I’ll mind my manners. From now onwards, we are considered siblings. Thus, I hope you can trust me, putting aside all the prejudice against me. Let’s try to get on well with each other, okay?”
Looking intently into her eyes, Oscar stated, “I hope so.”
After that, he turned to step into the building without sparing her another glance. Isabella stood rooted to the spot as she gazed at his retreating figure till it was gradually out of sight. “Oscar, even though you’ve remarried, I’m convinced I’ll still be able to snatch you from that woman. As long as you’re still alive, it’s just a matter of time before you become mine!” she hissed, laughing slyly as she strutted into the building on her heels.
Moments later, she brought various types of documents to the top floor. After stepping out of the elevator, she headed straight to the secretary’s office and asked courteously, “Yuliana, is Mr. Clinton in his room? I’ve brought quite a few copies of documents for his signature.”
The latter led her to Oscar’s room and knocked on the door. “Mr. Clinton, Ms. Walker is here.”
“Let her come in!” Oscar’s voice sounded from the room.
Isabella entered with a stack of documents and stated formally, “Mr. Clinton, these are the proposals on the projects we’re collaborating with Garnerland Technology and Yendall Technology. Please take a look and place your signature if everything is fine for you.”
Oscar took the documents from her and roughly scanned through the copies. After ensuring everything was fine, he signed them accordingly.
Shortly after, he handed Isabella the signed documents and complimented, “You’ve done well this round. I predict our company will gain a profit of approximately forty-six percent. Anyway, I hope you can keep it up to prove your competency at work to me.”
In an instant, Isabella’s lips curved into a smile. The former’s words had seemingly cheered her up.
“Mr. Clinton, thanks for your compliment. If there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work first,” she replied courteously with a smile.
Oscar only nodded without uttering any words.
Meanwhile, Isabella turned to walk away swiftly, bottling up her emotions.
Deep down, she had made up her mind to come up with a different approach. Instead of clinging to Oscar, she decided to take things step-by-step by impressing him with her competence at work gradually. Hmph! I’m sure Oscar will be impressed by me via our frequent interaction at work! Sooner or later, I’ll win his heart!
On the other hand, Oscar was unaware of what was playing in Isabella’s mind. He was more than happy when the latter seemed to be enlightened and stopped entangling him. Feeling relieved, he buried himself in his work the whole afternoon.
By the time he received Amelia’s call, it was already six in the evening. She asked him not to fetch her as she would go straight to the hospital.
“Wait for me a while. I’ll go over to fetch you now. Let’s go to the hospital together,” Oscar told her.
“Okay! Give me a call when you get here. I’ll grab some time for my design drawing while waiting for you,” Amelia replied casually.
“Okay!” After hanging up, Oscar strode out of his office right away. Coincidentally, Isabella stepped out of the elevator adjacent to the one he was in at the same time as him.
“Oscar!” she called out to him at once.
When Oscar turned instinctively, she shrugged her shoulders, pretending to ask mischievously, “It’s past office hours. I don’t have to call you Mr. Clinton now, do I?”
“It’s up to you,” Oscar replied indifferently.
Isabella kept a formal distance of a few inches from Oscar while walking abreast with him. “Oscar, a great idea pops into my mind. I’m thinking of discussing with you the launch of the new products for the coming season. Do you have time now?” she asked warily.
“I’m busy now. You can bring it up during our meeting at nine tomorrow morning,” he responded nonchalantly.
Isabella had no choice but to flash him a faint smile. “Okay! That sounds fine too.”
After a pause, she stated casually, “You seem to be in a rush. I’d better don’t interrupt you then. Bye!”
Oscar only nodded placidly and walked away.
After he hopped into the car and sped off, Isabella trailed behind him in her car.
Soon, Oscar received a call from one of his bodyguards observing everything discreetly. “Boss, Ms. Walker is trailing behind you. Do you need us to do something?”
“Yeah, just go ahead.” After hanging up, Oscar stared at Isabella trailing behind his car through the rear-view mirror. He could not help snorting inwardly. Pfft! A leopard never changes its spots!
Meanwhile, Isabella was overconfident and did not sense anything amiss. After Oscar made an abrupt turn at a corner and stepped on the accelerator, she was about to make a turn too. Nonetheless, a car appeared out of the blue in front of her, blocking her way. Subsequently, her car almost collided with it, scaring the daylight out of her. Fortunately, she managed to stop it at the eleventh hour with her emergency brake. Flustered, she unbuckled her seat belt and was about to confront the reckless driver. However, the car sped away with a swoosh.
Isabella gaped at the car speeding away. A surge of fury welled up from within her. Damn it! What a day! I’ve had enough when Oscar hardly spared me any gaze. Even a reckless driver is getting on my nerves now. How could he have the guts to block my way!
She managed to jot down the car plate number before the car was out of sight. After that, she made a call to get someone to check on it. Nonetheless, she was informed that nothing could be traced about the car owner. In other words, the car owner could be purchasing the car with a fabricated ID card, or it could be a stolen car. Since there was still a record for the car plate number, they could only deduce that the car owner had bought it with a fake ID card.
“Sh*t!” she cussed, blowing a fuse. Nothing seems to be on the right track today! Even an unidentified driver dares to step on my toes!
At the same time, Oscar’s bodyguard, the so-called unidentified reckless driver, gave him a call and updated him, “Boss, I’ve shrugged her off.”
“Okay! I got it.” After hanging up, Oscar headed straight to fetch Amelia and reached the hospital after a short while.
“Dad, Mom,” they greeted Dominic and Melanie the moment they stepped into the ward.
Dominic’s eyes lit up. “Ah! You’re here!”
Amelia handed him the exquisitely packed food. “I requested Oscar to help me get these from the restaurant earlier for you and Mom. Please dig in while it’s still hot.”
Dominic took over from her at once, gesturing to Melanie to take it from him.
In the meantime, James was checking on Spencer. Thus, Amelia asked him with great concern, “James, how’s Spencer doing?”
After a brief examination, he flashed her a smile. “He’s recovering a lot faster than expected. As long as he continues to have a good rest, I presume he’s able to be discharged two weeks later.”
Hearing that, Amelia heaved a sigh of relief.
After catching a glimpse of his watch, James told them, “Oscar, Amelia, stay here for a chat with Mr. and Mrs. Winters. I’ve to get going to check on the other patients. See you later.”
Amelia and Oscar took a seat on the sofa next to the elders. Looking at Dominic munching the food, Amelia reassured them, “Dad, Mom, since Spencer is recovering well, you don’t have to worry anymore.”
After swallowing a mouthful of food, Dominic raised his head to look at Amelia earnestly. “Amelia, your mom and I are very grateful to you. If not for you, we won’t be able to afford such a large sum of medical fees, and I bet he can only endure till his last moments. We shouldn’t have misunderstood you previously and hurt your feelings with our oppressive words. I apologize for everything.”
After saying that, he gave Melanie a nudge.
The latter raised her head awkwardly with a hint of embarrassment written all over her face.
“A-Amelia, I’m sorry. I tended to act impulsively before this, as I was caught off guard by Spencer’s critical condition. It’s my fault. Just vent your anger at me if you feel like it,” she stammered sheepishly. Evidently, it was unbearable for her to exercise restraint in the face of Amelia.
Amelia felt a ripple of warmth flowing into her heart. At least Dominic and Melanie did not turn a blind eye to all her sacrifices to the Winters family.
“Mom, please don’t say so. Regardless of anything, you’re still family to me. I’ll never blame you for anything. After Spencer recovers, Oscar and I plan to buy you and Dad a new house in our hometown. You can move there with Spencer after that. It’s an ideal place for his recuperation, too,” Amelia stated gently.
The hint of inexplicit complex emotion in Melanie’s eyes intensified as time elapsed. At the same time, a surge of guilt started welling up from within her. It never crossed her mind that Amelia would repay a grudge with a favor despite her oppressiveness toward her previously. Instead of harboring a grudge against her, Amelia was even making perfect arrangements for them.
Undeniably, she had hardly showered Amelia with love since the latter was young. In fact, she had been treating her with utter indifference. It never occurred to her that when they were in deep water, and whilst the other members from the Winters family kept a distance away from them, Amelia would be the only one giving them a hand. Thus, she could not help feeling suffocated by the intense guilt.
“Amelia, I’m sorry.” At the thought of that, she let out a deep sigh before breaking into tears.
Nonplussed, Amelia asked incoherently, “Mom, please don’t cry! Did I say anything wrong?”
After crying her eyes out for a while, Melanie wiped her tears away in embarrassment and lowered her head. After a sniffle, she mumbled, “I tend to overthink and was easily swayed by emotions as I grow older. Amelia, I’m grateful that you are not blaming me. Don’t worry. After Spencer recovers, your dad and I will leave this city with him. We won’t trouble you again. I know you must have had it rough since you are married to an heir of such a prominent family. Hence, we should stop crossing paths with you so we won’t put you in a tight spot again.”
“Mom, don’t get me wrong! I never mean that!” Amelia uttered apprehensively.
“Amelia, I don’t mean that too. I only feel that we shouldn’t bother you again. After Spencer is discharged, let’s cut ties with each other,” Melanie stated resolutely.
Amelia was rendered speechless.
In the end, she did not even realize how she dragged herself out of the hospital. She could only recall how she forced herself into replying to Melanie briefly with the word “okay” before the atmosphere in the ward tensed up. When she eventually came to her senses, she had already stepped out of the hospital.
Oscar was worried stiff as he caught sight of Amelia, who had seemingly fallen into a trance. Wrapping his arms around her, he consoled her, “Try to think positively. After cutting ties with them, all your disgruntling moments in more than twenty years will come to an end. With that, nobody will be able to hurt you by exposing your pathetic past again.”
After regaining her composure, Amelia smiled bitterly. “The Winters family still ends up giving up on me.”
Unequivocally, she had overestimated herself. She used to think she was tough and would not mind about it.
Her longing for her adopted parents’ attention throughout the years seemed to have transformed into a bone-deep persistence. It seemed she would never stop brooding over it as long as they did not give her any compliments.
“You still have me and Tony,” Oscar murmured to her reassuringly.
Amelia embraced Oscar tightly, feeling the soothing warmth of his body. In a split second, it was as though the frigidness enveloping her in the ward moments ago was gone.
She mumbled sorrowfully, “Oscar, how could they give up on me without a second thought?”
“It’s because they are not worthy of being your parents,” Oscar consoled her.
Amelia heaved a silent sigh. “Since they’ve given up on me, what’s the point of dwelling on it again.”
After quite a while, she pulled herself together and said softly, “Let’s go back now. Tony is still waiting for us.”
At the sight of Amelia low in spirits, Oscar’s eyes darkened. As he raised his head and turned to look in the direction of the hospital, he doubted if he should teach an insolent Melanie a lesson.
Nevertheless, he dismissed the idea as he foresaw Amelia would be distressed if she tended to know about it. He walked her to the side of the passenger seat, opened the door, and helped her in. After that, he moved to the other side and hopped in the driver’s seat before speeding off.
