Chapter 835 Attacked
With a scoff, Kate began to behave like an uncivilized shrew. “Look over here, everyone! This woman here is the best friend of Tiffany Winters, who used to be my daughter-in-law. After she divorced my son, she hired someone to hit my future daughter-in-law with a car, and the poor girl was just one-month pregnant! How could someone be so heartless as to lay a hand on a child!”
Amelia grabbed onto Jolin, who was about to stop the commotion. “Let her keep going, Jolin. I want to see just how shameless the lady of the Hisson family can be.”
Jolin nodded and continued to protect the former, who then recorded a video of Kate’s outburst and sent it to Derrick along with a text message: Derrick, your mother is throwing a shameless fit at my workplace. Don’t blame me if I end up humiliating her even though I’m younger.
Derrick’s call came shortly after the message was sent.
Yet, Amelia rejected it and phoned the police instead.
A while later, both the police and Derrick showed up at the same time.
“Mom!” the latter called out sternly.
Two police officers made their way over to Kate. “Ma’am, you’re hindering a company’s operations. Please come to the station with us.”
Kate swiftly evaded the officers’ attempts at holding her before glaring at Amelia, who was currently being shielded by Jolin and Shane. “I’m just here to expose the true colors of this woman and her friend, officers. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. If you want to arrest someone, you should be arresting that b*tch Tiffany Winters instead! She tried to kill my grandchild!”
“You can report to us if someone really does want to kill your grandchild, ma’am, and we’d be sure to investigate. But for now, we’d appreciate your cooperation. Please follow us.”
Yet, Kate grabbed onto Derrick’s hand and declared haughtily, “I’d like to see any of you try and lay a finger on me.”
The officers tried even harder to apprehend her, only to be stopped by Derrick, who then dialed a number right in front of them. “Hello, Mr. Finnegan. This is Derrick Hisson. There’s been a misunderstanding between your subordinates and my mother, and they’re asking her to drop by the police station.”
After the person over the line had spoken, Derrick passed his phone to one of the officers. “Your chief wants to speak to you.”
The officer took the phone, and his expression took a turn after he listened to what the other person said. “Yes, Chief.”
Then, he hung up and turned to Derrick solemnly. “Sorry about that, Mr. Hisson. We’ll be going now.”
Both officers then said a few words to Amelia before leaving the scene.
“You’ve gone too far, Amelia Winters!” Kate exclaimed while tidying her disheveled outfit.
Amelia’s lips curved upward. “You just put on quite a show for everyone here today. What an eye-opening experience.”
“You!” Kate screamed in exasperation.
“That’s enough, Mom. How much longer are you going to keep this up?” Derrick stepped in.
The older woman could only stare at her son in disbelief.
“Mr. Hisson, please take your mother with you. This is my workplace, and I don’t want anyone mistaking my friend for a vile and heartless woman. She was your wife for about a year, so I’m sure you know what kind of person she is. Your mother claiming that she hired someone to hit Ms. Halliwell with a car is considered slander, and I can certainly file a lawsuit if I were to bother.”
“I’ll take her away right now,” Derrick responded grimly. “I hope you’ll keep this incident a secret from Tiff.”
Amelia shrugged. “Of course. I wouldn’t want her to hear about such outrageous accusations against her.”
The man nodded.
Kate glared at the woman upon hearing that.
Then, she left with a huff, a grave-looking Derrick following closely behind.
“Are you okay, Mrs. Clinton?” asked Jolin.
Amelia nodded before turning to Shane.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Franklin. I’ve caused you some trouble again.”
Shane shook his head. “You can go home and rest if you’re not feeling well,” he replied magnanimously. “You always finish your work ahead of time, so it doesn’t matter if you leave earlier too.”
“It’s okay. I don’t need the day off. Let’s get back to work.”
As the three headed back upstairs, Amelia threw herself back into work for the remainder of the afternoon.
When the woman was done in the evening, she thought of paying Tiffany a visit.
Thus, she told Oscar not to pick her up, instead asking Jolin to take her to Tiffany’s place.
Upon arriving at the neighborhood, the two women took the elevator up to Tiffany’s apartment and knocked on the door, only to receive no response.
With a furrow of her brows, Amelia dialed her friend’s number. It turned out that Tiffany was having dinner with a few screenwriters and would likely be home late.
“Don’t drink too much,” Amelia reminded. “Give me a call if you can’t drive after you’re done. I’ll get someone to pick you up, okay?”
“Got it.”
They exchanged a few more words before ending the call.
After Amelia had left, another car came speeding over and stopped at the entrance of the neighborhood. Lowering the window, Derrick peered out at Tiffany’s apartment, which remained dark.
“Is this where you live now, Tiff?” he muttered to himself.
The man waited outside the neighborhood for a long while before Tiffany finally returned. He then hastily got down and hopped in front of her car, forcing her to stop.
Tiffany alighted her vehicle with flushed cheeks.
Derrick grew worried the moment he saw her dazed expression, and he strode over to grab onto her two hands. “Were you drinking, Tiff?”
The woman began to struggle, only to be held more tightly. “Let go,” she ordered in a slurred voice while glaring at him.
“Tiff! Don’t you know how dangerous it is to drink and drive? What if something happened to you on the road? What would I do?”
Tiffany shoved him aside. She hadn’t felt anything unusual while making her way home despite having had quite a few glasses, but now that Derrick was berating her, her head began to spin. Perhaps the warm breeze had also helped the alcohol kick in.
“Who the hell do you think you are, Derrick? You have no right to tell me not to drink! Don’t you dare show up again, or I’ll punch all your teeth out!” the woman replied while swaying.
Derrick tried to close in on her, but she continued to avoid him like the plague. “Derrick! Will you only be happy after driving me out of Tayhaven?”
The man stopped in his tracks and stared at her in anguish. “Do you really hate me that much, Tiff?”
Tiffany couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. “Go home. There’s nothing between us anymore.”
Of course, Derrick would never know how much willpower it took her to not throw herself into his arms and tell him how much she missed him. Every single night, she dreamed of no one else but him.
I’m the one who wanted the divorce, and now I can’t even get over him. I’m so pathetic.
Just as she turned around and was about to return to her car, Derrick pulled her by the hand.
“Crystal’s been hit by a car, Tiff. The child inside her is gone too, so… Will you please consider coming back to me?” Derrick proposed vaguely.
Hearing that, the woman turned around and stared at him in bewilderment. “How did the accident happen? Did you do that to her? Did you seriously kill your own child?” she blurted.
“It wasn’t me.”
Yet, Tiffany retracted her hand and shook her head. “You’re a complete stranger to me now, Derrick Hisson. I saw you as a noble and unapproachable man who was actually very kind and generous to the people he cared about. The Derrick I know would never try to harm his own child. I don’t know who you are anymore.”
With that, she hastily got back into her car and drove into the neighborhood.
Derrick remained frozen in place, his lips curving into a bitter smile as the warmth of Tiffany’s hand continued to linger in his.
He had thought that he would have another shot with her by telling her that Crystal’s baby was gone, only to end up causing a huge misunderstanding. Is this karma? Well, forget it then.
As Derrick hopped into his car and drove away, a different car arrived and stopped outside the neighborhood. Then, a slender figure emerged out of the vehicle and removed her sunglasses. Under the bright lights, it wasn’t hard to recognize this woman as none other than Jennifer Larson.
“Who would’ve expected you’d be here, Tiffany? I thought you’ve left Tayhaven,” she commented with a smirk. “My plans to approach Amelia through you would’ve been ruined if you had left.”
Then, she returned to her car and drove off.
Amelia had a good sleep that weekend for once, but as soon as she washed up, headed downstairs, and sat at the dining table for breakfast, a knock came on the door. “Ms. Larson and Mr. Scott are here, Mrs. Clinton,” announced Molly after she went to get the door.
Amelia frowned slightly but got up anyway. “Why, hello, Carter and Ms. Larson! What brings you here?” she greeted with a smile.
Jennifer beamed. “Just call me Jennifer, Amelia. It’s thanks to you that I’m now with Carter. He’s told me so much about you, and I feel bad about how much I’ve misunderstood you in the past. The weather seems lovely this weekend, so I thought maybe you’d want to come to Galbur Mountain with us. I heard they’ve built a huge pavilion there for the swans. Just imagine how pretty the view would be!”
Just as Amelia was about to respond, Oscar walked downstairs with Tony.
The little boy trotted over to his mother and clung to her leg. “Good morning, Mommy.”
Amelia bent over to pick him up and planted several kisses on his cheek. “You’re awake. Did you cause your daddy any trouble?”
Tony returned the kisses. “No. I was a good boy,” he replied sweetly.
A conflicted expression flashed in Jennifer’s eyes as she watched the mother and child interact with each other. An urge to seize the boy surged within her, but just as she took a step forward, Carter grabbed her by the hand. She then turned around to see him staring at her.
Suddenly, she realized what she had been just about to do and broke out in a cold sweat.
Jolting back to reality, the woman coughed sheepishly. “Tony looks so adorable, Amelia. Do you mind if I give him a hug?”
In response, Amelia put the boy down. “Say hi to Ms. Larson, Tony.”
The child gazed at Jennifer with a tilted head, as though trying to discern if this woman was up to no good. He then walked over to her and beckoned her to come closer. Puzzled, Jennifer bent over to meet him at eye level.
Then, Tony wrapped his arms around her neck. “You look so much prettier than before, Ms. Larson, so I won’t hate you today. I’ll be sure to like you if you stay kind like this.”
An inexplicable feeling surfaced within Jennifer’s heart as she felt the boy in her arms and caught a whiff of his milky scent. It was at that moment that she suddenly couldn’t stand the thought of harming him, but her malice returned as soon as she recalled all the pain her mother had gone through.
“You’re such a handsome little boy, Tony, so I’ve decided to like you!” the woman exclaimed, suppressing her true intentions.
Tony chuckled in response.
Amelia invited the couple to have breakfast with her. When they were done, Jennifer repeated the suggestion she had brought up earlier.
Amelia gave it a thought. “Sure. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had the time to take Tony out. It’s a good day today, so having some fun outside doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”
Thus, she began preparing everything they needed and covered Tony in sunblock to protect him from the harmful UV rays. “Shall we drop by the supermarket to get some food for a barbecue?” she then asked.
“Don’t worry about that,” Jennifer remarked with a grin. “Carter and I got everything ready last night. I’m sure Tony will be thrilled.”
Amelia nodded.
“How about getting Tiffany to come along, Amelia? You’re practically inseparable,” Jennifer suggested as the child and four adults headed downstairs.
“I’ve already called her. She’ll make her way over on her own. Let’s go.”
They went in two separate cars.
Tiffany was already leaning against her car and waiting for them when they arrived at Galbur Mountain.
Dressed in a casual white T-shirt along with a pair of jeans and white sneakers, she looked much younger than she usually did. One would easily think she was in her early twenties if it weren’t for the dark circles underneath her eyes.
Amelia couldn’t help but crease her brows as she saw how pale her friend looked. “Did you not sleep well last night, Tiff? You don’t look so good.”
“Yeah. I drank a bit too much. I’m fine, though. Let’s go! It’s been so long since I last came to Galbur Mountain. I wonder what it looks like now.”
Since she didn’t seem to want to talk about it, Amelia didn’t ask anymore questions.
After buying their entrance tickets, Tiffany dragged Amelia to one side and whispered, “Why are we suddenly hanging out with Jennifer? It’s not like we’re that close to her.”
Amelia remained smiling despite her eyes looking slightly cold as she gazed in Jennifer’s direction. “Rather than let her pull some tricks in the shadows, we may as well keep a close eye on her like this. I’d like to find out what she’s actually up to.”
Tiffany shot her friend a glance. “So, that’s what you’re up to, Babe!”
Amelia merely flashed her a faint smile.
As a mother, she would never allow anything dangerous to happen to Tony, and the fact that Jennifer was suddenly approaching them was more than enough to rouse suspicion within her. It doesn’t take a genius to grow suspicious of what she could be up to, but for now, I’m going to play dumb and slowly draw out her true intentions.
Meanwhile, Jennifer thought she was doing an excellent job of concealing her true motives. Little did she know that as she carried out her scheme, others were watching her every move.
After making a trip around Galbur Mountain, Tony wanted to use the bathroom. When Tiffany offered to take him there, Jennifer decided to go with them.
As the two women walked side by side with the boy in Tiffany’s arms, Jennifer’s phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Derrick.
She gasped in shock not long after answering her phone. “What? Derrick fell from the fifteenth floor? How is he doing now? Is it serious? Is his life in danger? Say something! Don’t just stammer like that!”
After a long pause, the woman continued, “Okay. I’ll drop by the hospital right now.”
As Jennifer hung up and turned around, Tiffany came running back to her while still holding onto Tony. “What did you say, Ms. Larson? D-Derrick…” she stuttered, gulping several times in panic. “Is he okay?”
Jennifer shook her head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t really get anything out of the person who called. All I know is that Derrick fell down and dropped his phone before being taken to the hospital. Don’t ask me why his phone is still working; I have no idea, and neither does the one who called.”
Tiffany felt her limbs go numb, and she nearly dropped Tony. “No. That can’t be. How could anything ever happen to Derrick?” she mumbled. “I have to go see him. Which hospital is he in?”
Jennifer tried to take the child from her, only for Tiffany to snap back to reality and take a step back while holding him tightly. “What are you trying to do?”
“You looked terrified, so I just wanted to help you hold him,” Jennifer explained, concealing her impatience. “I didn’t think you’d be so…” Sensitive.
She couldn’t bring herself to say that word out loud.
Meanwhile, Amelia rushed over after noticing the commotion. “What happened, Tiff?”
Tiffany remained unsettled. “Quick, Amelia! Take me to the hospital. Something’s happened to Derrick.”
“Calm down. We’ll go now. Which hospital is he in?”
“Principal General Hospital.”
With that, the whole group exited Galbur Mountain and hopped back into their respective cars, Tiffany joining Oscar’s family this time.
Yet, the bridge they had to take snapped as soon as Oscar drove over it and arrived at the other side, leaving Jennifer and Carter stranded on the opposite end.
Carter immediately unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped out of his car. “Amelia!”
Jennifer smiled wryly as she saw how frantic the man looked.
Look at you, Carter. You keep telling me that you’ve moved on from her, but now you’re panicking over her? I guess I still can’t take her place, huh?
A few cars quickly surrounded Oscar’s vehicle as soon as the bridge fell apart.
In response to that, the bodyguards who had been following Oscar’s family from the shadows hastily jumped into the water and swam their way across to the other side of the bridge.
Oscar stared at the surrounding cars calmly before unbuckling his seatbelt. “Wait inside here with Tony, Amelia. Don’t be afraid. Just keep talking to Tiffany, and I’ll be back before you know it.”
Amelia gripped his hand tightly. “Be careful, Oscar. Don’t do anything rash. Tony and I still need you.”
Oscar flashed her a warm smile.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
The man opened his door and jumped down. After he did so, Amelia stared out the window while holding onto the little boy.
“It’s okay, Babe,” Tiffany assured, taking her friend by the hand. “Oscar will be just fine. He’s got you and Tony.”
Amelia placed a hand over Tony’s eyes. “I’m not afraid. I trust him,” she answered calmly.
Despite saying that, the woman could no longer remain collected the moment she saw someone point a gun at Oscar. Tiffany immediately stopped her from getting out of the car. “Don’t go there, Amelia.”
Amelia turned around to face her, but as soon as she faced the other way again, she found a gun pointed directly at her. “Get out,” the voice ordered.
The woman’s pupils dilated as she hugged Tony even more tightly, but soon, a dark silhouette tackled the assailant to the ground. After about ten seconds, the silhouette stood up, and Amelia sighed with relief upon realizing it was Jolin.
