Chapter 717 Absconded
When Eleanor woke up the next day, she said angrily, “Where’s Amelia? Bring her to me now!” Benjamin sat beside the hospital bed and said gently, “Now, now. Calm down. Amelia suffered from injuries yesterday and is recovering in a different ward. If she did anything to anger you, I’ll just tell her off on your behalf. You’re not in good health and cannot get too upset.”
Eleanor stared blankly into the distance for a while before her expression softened. In the end, she still ended up being concerned about her daughter’s wellbeing. “Amelia was injured? How did this happen?”
“I’ve already asked Sean to investigate the matter, but we’ve yet to find out who the culprit is,” explained Benjamin patiently. “Anyway, you’re still ill, so don’t worry about her. I think she is at fault too. So it’s good for her to learn a lesson or two. Otherwise, she’d be complaining about things to you non-stop.”
Eleanor leaned back and recalled every shameless word her daughter uttered in front of Amelia Winters in the ward yesterday.
The embers of anger within her that had died down flared to life again. The more she thought about this, the angrier she felt. She thought that Amelia was becoming more and more unruly, daring to even covet her sister’s husband.
“I need you to bring me to her ward. I have things to say to her that I don’t feel good about keeping in me. I’m also weary of lying in bed,” said Eleanor insistently. Benjamin could do little else but support her in her attempt to get up. He said, “I’ll just ask her to come over. Don’t just move around like that. It’ll make your head hurt even more.”
Eleanor nodded in response.
After Benjamin coaxed her back into bed gently, he got up and walked toward the door. He then heard Eleanor ask, “Where’s Lia? I have not seen her since I’ve been up.”
Benjamin paused. Hesitantly, he responded, “She may be going back to Tayhaven today, citing things to take care of back at home. She couldn’t make it here. So, she asked me to tell you that.”
Eleanor was stunned and started to clamber out of bed in agitation. Because she was anxious, she stumbled and almost fell out.
Benjamin turned around and saw this. He was so startled that he nearly had a heart attack. He walked over briskly, stretched out a hand to help her up, and said, “What are you doing? You’re not in full health! What if you fall down and have a concussion?”
Distressed, Eleanor simply grabbed his arm tightly and said, “What time is her flight? Where’s my cell phone? I need to call her!”
Benjamin looked at her with a helpless expression, but his words contained a measured calmness. “Eleanor, calm down. She’s not a child. She has her own family, in-laws, a husband, and a son to take care of. The fact that she’s able to take any time off to come and see you is a miracle in itself. Even if she does have kind intentions, her in-laws won’t remain silent. If you care about her, you should stop latching onto her like this.”
Eleanor was stunned and looked at Benjamin blankly.
“Your attending doctor told me that he will give you a full body examination at eleven o’clock. You should try and remain calm. I’ll go to the ward and bring Amelia over.” Having said that, Benjamin helped Eleanor to lie down.
Eleanor stared at the ceiling with wide eyes, her heart filled with bitterness.
She said absentmindedly, “No need for that. I’m a little tired now. So just leave me be.”
Benjamin looked at her with a complicated expression. He opened his mouth, meaning to say something, but decided against it and left wordlessly.
Just then, Amelia Winters and Oscar came into the ward and saw Eleanor staring at the ceiling in despair. Concerned, she knelt by the bed to ask, “Are you all right, Mom? Is something bothering you?”
Eleanor immediately turned to look at her, reeling. Her eyes then lit up as she said, “Lia?”
“Yeah, it’s me,” Amelia said gently. “Mom, are you feeling unwell?”
Eleanor feebly pushed herself up with both hands. Happily, she exclaimed, “Weren’t you going back to Tayhaven today?”
“Yes, but I thought I’d swing by the hospital for a quick visit. Something has happened that needs our presence, unfortunately. A long-term accountant of ours has absconded with public funds. The company has lost a lot of money, and we need to go back,” explained Amelia.
The news made Eleanor anxious. “An accountant ran off with funds? How much? Is it serious? How could such a thing happen?”
“Don’t worry, Mom. It wasn’t a big amount. Oscar merely needs to go back to put out the flames. This has made people anxious, naturally,” replied Amelia. “We’ll be back in a few days. You haven’t recovered yet, so I’m not just going to leave you be.”
Eleanor took her hand and said with a smile, “Then go back quickly.”
Amelia nodded.
After leaving the hospital, Amelia and Oscar hurried to the airport and boarded the plane to Tayhaven.
Just after getting off the plane, Amelia asked, “Oscar, do you want me to accompany you to the office?”
Oscar raised his hand and stroked her cheek with a smile. “No, you can head home first. Tony hasn’t seen you in a few days. I bet he misses you.”
“All right. I’ll head home, then. If anything happens, just let me know.”
“I will.”
Amelia got into the car sent over by the Clintons and the chauffeur diligently drove her home.
When Amelia left, Oscar’s face sank. He got into the car and ordered, “To the office.”
“Yes, sir.”
When they arrived at the company, Isabella was already waiting downstairs. When she saw him, she immediately greeted him and said, “Oscar, you’re back!”
Oscar merely glanced at her before striding into his exclusive elevator. Isabella followed him shyly from behind.
“Where’s my dad?”
“He’s in the conference room and asked me to wait here for you. Here’s a copy of a document that details all the money that went missing. However, the most pressing matter is that he took one of our most important project contracts. It’ll be worth a lot if a rival gets it, and the company is concerned about the losses,” said Isabella gravely.
Oscar took the document and quickly scanned through it before asking, “Have you called the police? What did the police say?”
“The police have already built a case, but the accountant was prepared. It’s like he has vanished into thin air. The police combed through his house and his hometown, but nobody has seen him since. He has two sons just about ready to start school. On top of that, his family is waiting for the man’s salary to come in, but he disappeared.” Isabella furrowed her brows. “Oscar, why don’t we have someone monitor his family?”
“Let me handle this. I’ll take this off your hands and send someone out to watch them.” The elevator had just reached its designated floor. Oscar exited first, followed by Isabella at his heels.
When he arrived at the conference room, the eyes of all the high-level executives fell on him.
Oscar walked to Owen and said solemnly, “Dad.”
“You’re here at last. Come, take a seat,” replied Owen with a nod.
Oscar sat down. Imperiously, he said, “I heard Ms. Walker mention payments and I have some kind of guess. Do any of you have good solutions?”
The senior management expressed their views, and there was a heated discussion in the conference room.
They discussed it for nearly four hours before it was over. Owen said, “Okay, that’s it for today’s meeting. We should all focus on the next project and ensure that we come up with a product before our rivals. Otherwise, our losses will be catastrophic.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
All the high-level executives left, while Oscar, Owen, and Isabella remained in the conference room.
Isabella said, “Godfather, given how Oscar has just returned, I don’t think he has had anything to eat yet. Why don’t we all go for a meal? It’s approaching nightfall.”
Oscar refused flatly. “No, I have to go back. Dad, are you going back too?”
“Let’s go together then.” Owen turned to look at Isabella and said, “Isabella, let’s do this some other time. I’ll leave with Owen.”
Isabella concealed her displeasure and said, “Okay, godfather.”
The three went downstairs. As Oscar sat in the car, Owen looked at Isabella kindly and said, “We’ll be off now. I think you should go home too.”
‘Yes, godfather.”
Owen got into the car and asked, “Oscar, how fares your mother-in-law?”
“Not too well. Her brain tumor is in the middle stage, and surgery is impossible. I guess she’s just waiting for death at this point, but she’s already hired the best surgeon in the world. So she just might have a chance.” Oscar rubbed the bridge of his nose. He sounded tired.
Owen noticed the unpleasant expression on his face and said, “You should treat your mother-in-law better. Amelia has only gotten to know her recently. If something happens, I fear she won’t take it well at all. That aside, you should worry about your health instead of keeping busy as well.”
Oscar nodded. “I got it.”
The driver first sent Oscar back home. When Oscar got out of the car, his father rolled down the window and said, “If we have nothing on tomorrow, the three of you should come over for dinner. Steph and Noah will be home as well, so it’ll be nice that the whole family can sit for a meal.”
Oscar nodded.
“Go on inside,” Owen said, rolling up the window.
Oscar watched the car speed away before turning around and entering his neighborhood.
After he entered the apartment, Amelia came downstairs to greet him. “I bet you’re hungry. Go wash your hands and we’ll eat together.”
“Where’s Tony?” asked Oscar as he removed his tie.
“He was tired after playing with his toys, so he had his meal and went to bed,” said Amelia with a grin.
Oscar kissed her on the lips and said, “I’ll go up and see him. I haven’t seen the kid for a few days and I missed him a great deal.”
Amelia shook her head amusingly.
Oscar went upstairs to see Tony before coming downstairs to eat with Amelia.
“Oscar, how are things at the office?” Amelia asked, concerned.
“We’ve filed a case with the police, and I’ve asked Hugo to thoroughly investigate that accountant’s whereabouts. His family is still in his hometown, and his two sons are so young. Maybe he is the heartless type who cares little about the mouths he has to feed, having abandoned them like this. Regardless, I will make sure to hunt him down and make him return everything he took,” said Oscar indifferently.
Amelia took a bite of food and chewed on it with a pensive expression before she spoke. “Oscar, you should be extra careful. Absconding with funds, no matter the amount is a threat to the current management and its reputation. It won’t end well.”
“Don’t worry. Clinton Corporations has been operating for so many years. If it’s going to be hurt by someone making off with a little bit of money, it would have been impossible for us to have lasted in Tayhaven for this long,” said Oscar confidently. In the next moment, however, he frowned, and his tone changed. “The problem is that he’d stolen the contract for a very important investment project that the company has poured a lot of money into. If a rival gets their hands on it, we’ll suffer tremendous losses.”
Amelia furrowed her brows, the air of malaise filling her.
“Oscar, I’m sorry.”
“Silly girl, why are you apologizing to me?”
“If you hadn’t gone to Saspiuburg with me, none of this would have happened,” Amelia said a little dejectedly.
Oscar smirked, reached out, and wiped some sauce off the corner of Amelia’s mouth. With a wry smile, he said, “What a silly girl. I don’t like hearing you apologize for anything. If I hear it again, I would have to dish out some harsh punishments!”
Amelia couldn’t help but smile.
She gave Oscar more food. “Here. Eat more. I’ll go to the company with you tomorrow to see if there is anything I can help you with.”
“Okay. When we’re done with work, we’ll go to the Clinton residence. Stephanie and Noah will be there for dinner too.”
Amelia nodded. The pair then proceeded to have a good meal without the mention of unpleasantness.
