Chapter 234 Get Lost With Nothing Left
Carter licked his lips nervously. “Amelia,” he said in a hoarse voice. “You’re obviously unhappy living with the Clintons. Why are you still placing yourself in such a difficult position?”
Amelia was so furious that all she could do was laugh helplessly. She was tired of being surrounded by people who thought they knew better than she did. Cassie had thought that Amelia was not a worthy match for Oscar and had plotted for their divorce. Stephanie had thought the same and strived to ostracize and humiliate her, to the extent of attempting to involve her in an accident when she was pregnant at that time. Just when she thought she was done with all of those, Carter showed up with an idiotic declaration of love for her.
Amelia was contented with her life, as evidenced by the smile that came involuntarily to her face at the mention of her husband. She had no idea why Carter was so sure that she was unhappy being married into the Clinton family. Why do these people see the things they want to see instead of seeing what is actually there? Why are they refusing to believe what is in front of their eyes?
Somehow, her happiness was so repulsive to behold that people were hellbent on destroying her marriage with Oscar.
She hated those who thought they knew better. Under the pretext of doing things for her own good, they had intrusively meddled in her marriage and even tried to make decisions that would impact the future of her marriage on her behalf.
If everyone around her were like Tiffany, her life would not be as difficult as it was now. Amelia’s marriage was as precarious as thin ice due to the number of opinions and acts of sabotage by people who thought they knew better than she did. Every day she lived in fear of it cracking, plunging her into the icy depths of solitude within.
“Carter, I do not wish to discuss the matter with you anymore. Whether or not I am happy living with the Clintons is up to me. Your opinion is not required or wanted.” Amelia glared at him coldly. “It is possible that you did not have sufficient sleep for you to be spouting off such nonsense. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? We’ll talk further when you are in better control of yourself.”
Amelia turned to leave. However, Carter grabbed her and pulled her into his invasively tight embrace.
Amelia struggled in vain. “Carter, if you do not let go of me this instant, we will no longer be friends.”
Carter grimaced as if trying hard not to cry.
“Amelia, please don’t push me away,” he begged. “You obviously still have feelings for me, otherwise you wouldn’t have sent me those messages. I know that you do love me. Look at what you have sent me.”
As he reached for his phone, Amelia took the opportunity to shove him roughly away. “I don’t care.” Her voice shook with fury. “I have never sent you messages of any kind. You’re emotionally unstable right now. I’m going home, and so should you. I do not wish to be seen with you here and for people to get the wrong idea about us. I do not wish for my husband to have any misunderstanding.”
Carter forced his phone into her hand. “Look, Amelia. It was a message from you to me. Why do you keep denying it? If you didn’t have feelings for me, you wouldn’t send me a message like this.”
Amelia’s curiosity grew at his insistent pleas. Momentarily suppressing the rage within her, she took his phone and examined the messages, the color draining from her face the further along she read.
The message came from her number, as Carter claimed. However, the sultry and suggestive contents were definitely not written by her.
Her hand that grasped Carter’s phone shook. With some difficulty, she had managed to regain control of her own voice. “They really weren’t sent by me. How did you receive these messages?”
Carter gazed at Amelia, crestfallen. “Amelia, why are you still denying the fact that you have sent those messages to me? You still have me in your heart. Should you intend to pursue vengeance against the Clintons, you can wholly rely on me. Fear not!”
Amelia felt as if she had fallen headfirst into a very deep trap laid by a sinister enemy. With a sudden awareness of having every gesture of hers being watched, she felt the invisible hand of her foe guiding her toward a dead-end of which there was no escape.
Amelia felt dazed, she could hardly believe the cruel intent of the person who seemed to hate her that much that they were willing to go to such lengths to pin her against the wall.
With a shake of her head to regain composure, Amelia instinctively stepped backward with Carter hot on her heels.
“Carter, do not follow me.” Amelia was frightened.
Carter halted at her plea, gazing at her with an odd mixture of optimism and pain. “Amelia, I know you still love me.”
Amelia was near tears with exasperation. Out of all the people who seemed to think they know better, Carter’s behavior had rendered her the most frustrated.
“Carter, we are only friends, and will only ever be just that. If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t have done something this silly to let people misunderstand the nature of our relationship.” Amelia put on a look of grim determination. “Carter, please leave. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to even talk if there is no need to. I hope that you and Ms. Larson would be very happy together.”
At that, Amelia turned to leave.
Carter gazed frustratedly after Amelia’s departing back before sprinting after her and grabbing her by the arm again. “Amelia, you do love me, otherwise you wouldn’t be sending me a text like that. Why won’t you admit that you love me?”
Amelia looked deranged. “Carter, if you don’t stop this at once I’m calling the guards,” she warned as she flung his hand aside. “I do not wish for us to turn into strangers who would never see each other again till the end of life. I hope that you can respect me and my marriage.”
Carter gazed fixedly at her. “Amelia, you do love me,” he said seriously. “Why couldn’t you open up your heart to that possibility?”
Amelia had had enough. With both hands clutching her head in frustration, she dropped on her knees to the ground.
Carter was taken aback at the suddenness of her movement. He reached out a hand to touch her but Amelia sprang away to avoid his touch as though she was being electrocuted. “Carter, I’m begging you,” she cried. “I love my husband and child, and I love my in-laws. We have been friends for so many years, please leave me alone. Please stop telling me you love me. I do not wish for my marriage to be damaged as a result of your meddling. I do not know how the two messages were sent to you, but they were definitely not sent by me. I love my husband. Please let me lead my married life in peace!”
Carter was stunned as it finally occurred to him that the two messages he had based his entire declaration of love might just be a misunderstanding as Amelia attested.
Carter felt deeply hurt at the realization. He had been feeling so passionate and jubilant as he was driving himself over to the Clinton residence. In contrast, his dreams had been dashed with such abruptness that it felt as if he had fallen from the skies and landed with a heavy thud back onto the dullness of reality.
Carter gazed morosely at Amelia. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled with great reluctance.
Amelia breathed deeply. “Carter, please leave,” she pleaded, keeping a wary distance. “I don’t think we should be communicating with each other for a while.”
Carter grasped his hands. “Amelia,” he said, after a pause. “I think we are both victims to a plot. Somebody must have stolen your phone to send those messages to me. Please calm down, we need to discuss who it could be.”
At his behest, Amelia’s breathing resumed its normal pace.
At the sight of her obliging him, Carter felt more optimistic at the chances of Amelia listening to whatever it was he had to say.
“Amelia, I’m deeply sorry for offending you in such a manner. I was acting under the assumption that you still loved me. Unexpectedly, I was acting under a delusion. Please forgive me for what I had said earlier. I wish the best for you and Oscar. I will not interfere further in your relationship. I will still wait for the day you change your mind about me. If that day never comes, I will die with a clear conscience that I have tried.”
Amelia glanced at him but said nothing.
“Amelia, I wouldn’t defend myself if you blamed me, but I will not allow the possibility of someone around you who wishes to harm you. Think hard, can you think of anybody who has easy access to your phone?”
Amelia furrowed her brow with thought as a face materialized effortlessly in her mind’s eye in response to his question.
Her hands suddenly felt clammy at the only possible conclusion she had arrived at. “Carter,” she mumbled suddenly in a frightened voice. “You should leave now. We’ll grab coffee another day if time permits.”
At that, Amelia turned and hurried away. Carter was about to follow her again but this time Amelia had turned around before he could grab her. “Carter, I beg you not to follow me. Please leave, I can take care of myself. Don’t interfere anymore. My marriage cannot afford to go through another challenge. If you truly loved me, you will stay away from me. Can you do that?”
Carter had wanted to go up to her but found his feet rooted in place.
Amelia ran into the hall and up to the second floor without pausing to draw breath. At the landing, she collided hard with Stephanie who stood there clutching her phone.
Stephanie waved her phone with a disdainful but triumphant glare at Amelia. “Hey, Amelia, how does it feel to be sneaking around with another man? You are brazen to be doing such a thing at the Clinton residence! Do you treat Oscar as if he was dead?”
Amelia turned pale at her words, her worst suspicions being confirmed. It was indeed all planned by Stephanie. The trap she had laid had Amelia nicely ensnared within it.
“Stephanie, why would you do such a thing?” Amelia asked, trembling.
Stephanie flourished her phone as she cackled evilly. “I told you that one day you would be leaving the Clinton family in disgrace, didn’t I? That day is coming near. You have no idea how repugnant your face is to look at. I had taken plenty of photos of your little encounter with Mr. Scott. How do you think Oscar will feel when he sees these?”
Amelia’s hands were cold with dread.
She inhaled deeply as she willed herself to calm down. It would not do to react rashly to what Stephanie did.
“What do you want, Stephanie?” Amelia said with a voice of forced calmness.
Stephanie looked at her scornfully. “I want you to leave the Clintons with nothing. I want you to never appear before my brother again because you are filthy and disgusting. You are not worthy to be his wife.”
Amelia’s face turned even paler.
