Chapter 658 Someone Tries To Harm Tony
The next day, Carter headed straight to Amelia’s office building and waited patiently at the entrance. He called her at noon, asking her earnestly if she could spare time to have lunch with him.
It did not take Amelia long to accept his invitation. After tidying her desk, she asked Jolin to follow her downstairs.
Carter did not even arch his brows when he saw Jolin. He opened the door for them courteously and gestured for them to get into his car. After that, he hopped into his car and sped off toward the restaurant where he had made a reservation earlier.
Upon reaching their destination, Carter parked his car and stepped into the restaurant with the two ladies. At the same time, he asked Jolin warily, “Ms. Wright, I wish to have a chat with Mrs. Clinton. Would you mind sitting at the dining table on the other side? I can assure you that you’ll still be able to watch over her from there.”
Jolin threw a glance at Amelia instinctively, and the latter nodded at her.
Thus, she took a seat at the fourth table away from them obediently. It was an ideal spot as she could even observe Carter’s countenance and demeanor from there.
After Amelia took her seat, she made an apology to Carter. “I’m sorry about that, but I hope you understand that Jolin is only doing that because she’s mindful of my safety.”
Carter handed her the menu and stated placidly, “I understand that Oscar cares a lot about you, but don’t you feel frustrated when someone is following you closely all the time? Evidently, you’re now a stark contrast to your usual self. I thought you didn’t like the idea of having a bodyguard by your side.”
Amelia flipped open the menu and chuckled. “Like it or not, it’s Oscar’s way of caring about me. He neither questions me about my privacy nor interferes with my decisions by making use of the excuse that he loves me. Since he only assigns someone to be by my side for my safety, I don’t wish to stir up conflict by rejecting his good intention. To me, it’s part of the indescribable romance that only a couple deeply in love with each other understands.”
A hint of sorrow flickered in Carter’s eyes, but it was more of an inexplicit relief.
He had spent a long time looking for Amelia and loved her dearly for almost eight years. Nonetheless, he realized she was leading a blissful life at the moment, and Oscar was watching over her in his unique way. In other words, he was merely an outsider unable to penetrate the duo’s circle. Thus, he had no choice but to let go of Amelia and reserve a spot for her silently in the depths of his heart. Deep down, he felt it was best to continue loving her discreetly.
Carter smiled at her and switched the topic. “The duck casserole, one of this restaurant’s signature dishes, is not bad. If I’m not wrong, it’s one of your favorite dishes, right? You can order it to give it a try.”
Flashing him a faint smile, Amelia placed an order for the duck casserole.
After ordering their food, Amelia cut to the chase. “Carter, what do you intend to tell me? Just speak your mind.”
“Ah! I can’t seem to keep anything from you.” After a pause, he asked tactfully, “Have you watched Jennifer’s online video clip?”
Amelia hesitated for a second before her lips curved into a smile again.
“My colleagues have been talking about the video clip these few days, but I haven’t viewed it. Hence, I have no idea what it’s all about,” she replied candidly.
Carter scrutinized Amelia’s countenance for quite a while, doubtful about how truthful she was. Gazing at her convincing crystal-clear eyes, he eventually heaved a sigh of relief. Undoubtedly, he was worried stiff that Amelia was the one instigating Oscar to set Jennifer up. If that were the case, he would not be able to accept it.
“What’s wrong? Why’re you looking at me like this?” Amelia could not help feeling amused and chuckled.
Carter retracted his penetrative gaze and fell into a trance while waiting for their food to be served. He hesitated on whether he should request Amelia’s help right away. If he did not do so, he feared that the situation would escalate as time went by.
Not long after that, the server served them their food swiftly, breaking his reverie.
After the server walked away, Carter scooped a bowl of soup for Amelia. The latter stated politely, “Thank you.”
“Let’s dig in and continue chatting after this,” he uttered casually.
Amelia gladly agreed, and they started eating silently. Somehow, there was an unmissable sense of awkwardness in the atmosphere. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally finished their meals in silence.
Amelia wiped her mouth with the serviette and broke the silence. “Carter, can you start telling me now?”
Carter wiped the corner of his mouth before opening it hesitantly. “Amelia, I’ve assigned someone to investigate Jennifer’s video clip and found out it was manipulated by a mastermind even more powerful than me. I can’t even delete the video clips and posts online by all means. From what I know, not many in Tayhaven are as influential as the Scotts. Unequivocally, the Clintons are one of them.”
“So, do you mean to say that the Clintons had set Jennifer up on that?” Amelia questioned with a smile. There was not the slightest bit of displeasure in her tone.
“Amelia, don’t get me wrong. I’m only wondering if Oscar had misunderstood Jennifer and blew things out of proportion when her video clip was posted online. Not to mention, I found out it was taken in the club where a celebration party was held after Tiffany’s film adaptation turned out into a big hit. Both you and Oscar were there at that time too. It couldn’t be a mere coincidence. Thus, I’ll be the mediator on behalf of Jennifer today. Could you please help to talk Oscar into letting her off?” Carter smiled bitterly and added solemnly, “Amelia, I’ve never requested you to help me with anything before this. Could you try to help Jennifer for my sake? You don’t wish to see her end up in such a pathetic state, too, do you?”
Amelia shot him a glance and suddenly let out a laugh. “Have you fallen for her?”
Her words rang out like a bolt out of the blue for Carter. Thunderstruck, his pupils constricted. Caught off guard for quite a while, he only came to his senses when he noticed the glint of ambiguousness in her eyes.
Moments later, he wiped his face awkwardly and smiled sheepishly. “Amelia, don’t pull my legs. To me, she’s just like my younger sister. If I had feelings toward her, I would have entered into a relationship with her two years ago. Don’t you know whom I’ve been deeply in love with all this while?”
Looking intently into his eyes, Amelia pointed out analytically, “Carter, did it ever come across your mind why you can’t seem to forget me? Could it be that you’re preoccupied with your guilt toward me eight years ago and the obsession of yearning for something you can’t have?”
In an instant, Carter was stunned.
The look on Amelia softened as she continued to enlighten him. “Carter, heed my words. I sincerely feel that you and Jennifer are the perfect match for each other. No doubt, it’s almost impossible for me to let bygones be bygones with her this lifetime, but it’s a different case for you. Don’t let the chance of being together with the true love of your life slip away just because you can’t stop dwelling over something else, okay? As for her video clips, I’ll try to seek help from Oscar to get the matter resolved. However, I’m sure as h*ll he’s not the one adding fuel to the fire. After all, he’ll never go hard on a woman.”
Carter cast his head down to conceal the bitterness in his eyes before replying thankfully, “Amelia, thanks a lot.”
“Don’t mention it. We’re friends. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need a hand. I’ll surely leave no stones unturned to help you,” Amelia reassured him.
Carter nodded without uttering any words.
After having their lunch, they left the restaurant. Oblivious to Jolin shooting a dagger at him, Carter embraced Amelia and mumbled, “Amelia, you’re the only woman I’ve been in love with all this while. I can assure you it’s not due to guilt or my so-called obsession, but I promise I won’t intervene in your marriage as long as you lead a blissful life alongside Oscar.”
Amelia’s body froze instantaneously.
The next moment, Carter let go of her and raised his hand to pat her head before uttering lovingly, “Go back to your office now. I’m not giving you a lift then.”
Jolin stepped forward to stand in his way and snapped coldly, “Mr. Scott, you may leave now.”
Carter nodded slightly at Amelia, who was standing behind her, and walked away.
When he was a distance away, Amelia patted Jolin on the shoulder. “Hey! He’s far away. Stop looking in his direction again. Come on, let’s go back to the office.”
Thus, the latter turned and walked back to the office building with her respectfully.
Later that day, Oscar fetched Amelia as usual after work.
After being seated in his car and fastening the safety belt, she looked into the distance through the window.
Oscar leaned closer to hold her face and kiss her passionately. Moments later, he loosened his grip and pressed his forehead against hers before asking gently, “Is something bothering you?”
Amelia’s lips lifted to a faint smile as she cut to the chase. “Oscar, stop putting Jennifer in a tight spot and take her video clips down, okay? I feel we have gone overboard this round.”
Ruffling her hair slightly, Oscar gazed at her with his obsidian eyes. “Did anyone blabber anything to you?”
Smiling demurely, Amelia explained, “Carter looked for me today, pleading with me to talk you into letting Jennifer off. Anyway, I don’t think she deserves such severe punishment since she has not made any grievous mistake. Now that her video clip has gone viral online, I feel it’s too much for her.”
Oscar’s expression darkened as he refuted, “Amelia, weren’t you aware that things might turn the other way around during the celebration party that day? If not because I had sensed something awry at that time, you might have been the one appearing in the video clip instead. They only have themselves to blame for intending to set you up. That’s why I retaliated relentlessly by posting the video online and getting others to stop it from being deleted. Apart from that, I intend to teach June and Jennifer Larson a lesson.”
Amelia cast her eyes down and contemplated a while before responding tactfully, “I’m convinced that with your protection, nothing would have happened to me that day.”
Oscar flicked her forehead and asked resignedly, “So are you thinking of letting them off the hook?”
Amelia nodded right away.
Surprisingly, Oscar replied, “Okay!”
“Oscar, am I putting you on the spot?” Amelia asked guiltily.
“Silly girl, don’t overthink, okay? Sit tight. We’re heading home now,” Oscar snapped at her jokingly and fastened his safety belt.
Amelia nodded again.
Unexpectedly, Tony was not at home by the time Amelia and Oscar reached the house. Subsequently, they could not help furrowing their brows anxiously.
Oscar called Hugo, who was assigned to fetch Tony earlier, but he did not answer the call.
“Oscar, how’s it?” Amelia asked apprehensively.
She was worried sick that something might have occurred to Tony as he was always home on time.
As the petrifying idea that something horrible might have happened to Tony came to Amelia, she was on pins and needles.
Wrapping his arms around Amelia, Oscar consoled her, “Tony could still be with Mom. Let me give her a call now.”
Amelia kept her eyes glued to Oscar as he gave the Clinton residence a call.
Soon, Olivia answered the call. “Oscar, anything?”
“Mom, is Tony still there?” Oscar asked casually.
“He’s not here. Didn’t you assign Hugo to come and fetch him at five o’clock just now? Isn’t he home yet? Oh my! Did anything happen to Tony?” Olivia asked apprehensively.
Oscar had to tell white lies. “Mom, don’t worry. Tony was being playful and hid somewhere a while ago. He’s finally shown up now and keeps grumbling that he’s hungry. Let me bring him to wash his hands and have his meal now. Ah! I wonder where he was just now. There’s mud all over his body!”
“Go ahead now! You shouldn’t let my poor Tony starve!” Olivia urged him.
After hanging up, Oscar’s face turned grim in an instant.
“Oscar, what’s the matter? Isn’t Tony there?” Amelia queried eagerly.
“Don’t worry. They might be stuck in a traffic jam, or Hugo’s phone is out of battery. I’ll get Kurt to look for them now,” Oscar coaxed her and gave Kurt a call, assigning him to trace the location of Hugo’s phone and track them down by all means.
Oscar hung up after Kurt replied respectfully. Before he received any update from the latter on the location of Hugo’s phone, someone knocked on the door.
Oscar answered the door at once, and a relatively disheveled Hugo came into sight with Tony in his arms. Startled, Amelia took Tony away from him and scanned the latter from head to toe. After ensuring that he did not sustain any injury and only had some dirt on his face, she was finally at ease.
She turned to Hugo and asked hastily, “Hugo, what happened? How did you end up like this?”
Hugo replied somberly, “Boss, Mrs. Clinton, two cars chased behind ours and intended to attack us just now. I could not drive too fast as Mr. Anthony was with me. Hence, we had no choice but to escape by getting off the car. Fortunately, Ashton and I were in sync with each other and could shrug them off. However, I stumbled and fell onto a mud puddle halfway through. Anyway, Mr. Anthony was incredibly courageous along the way and didn’t cry at all. On top of that, he even alerted me calmly about those jerks’ location from time to time. He’s indeed a chip off the old block.”
Hearing that, Amelia stroked Tony’s dainty face gently. No words could describe how her heart ached at the moment.
The grimness on Oscar’s face intensified with rage. D*mn it! How could anyone have the gut to lay a finger on my son on my turf! They’re indeed asking for it!
Amelia’s heart wrenched as she asked softly, “Tony, were you terrified just now?”
“Mom, I’m fine. I’m a brave boy, and I vow to protect you! Hence, nothing will happen to me,” Tony comforted her instead.
Amelia burst into laughter. Oh! How sweet is my Tony! Instead of bursting out crying, he was still thinking about protecting me even when he was in such a precarious state!
Feeling touched, she planted loving kisses on his cheeks and murmured affectionately, “Oh Tony, my sweetheart! I’m so thankful that nothing happened to you! Otherwise, I would have no idea what I’m supposed to do!”
