Chapter 288 Reaching An Agreement
After comforting Amelia, a maid knocked on the door and reported, “Mr. Clinton, Ms. Amelia, Mrs. Clinton wants you to go downstairs for dinner.”
Amelia looked at the door and pursed her lips reluctantly.
Oscar glanced at her before raising his voice to answer. “I’m not well. Bring our meal up.”
The maid grunted in acknowledgment and left to do as told.
Amelia stared at him silently.
Stretching his hand out, Oscar patted her head in a comforting manner and said, “If you don’t wish to head down, we’ll just stay here.”
Amelia’s eyes glistened. He could read me so well.
Oscar’s understanding had moved her. She was afraid she’d lose herself in his love and care. Even after they got a divorce, her memories would be full of him.
She avoided Oscar’s touch and slept on her side. “Oscar, you should head down for dinner. I’m not hungry. I need to take a nap.”
Looking down at his empty palms, Oscar felt extremely disappointed.
“You should eat before that or it won’t be good for you.”
Amelia’s lips twitched before she said, “Oscar, we’re about to get a divorce. Do you think it’s normal for us to act like a loving couple?”
Glancing at her side profile, Oscar said in a domineering but gentle voice, “As long as you’re still my wife, I have the right to do this. Or do you dislike me getting close to you?”
Amelia responded with silence.
Soon, the maid delivered their meal. Under Oscar’s insistence, Amelia finished some meat and soup. After her meal, she felt a little drowsy.
“Go to bed if you’re sleepy,” Oscar said tenderly.
Lying in bed, Amelia felt sleepy, but her mind was rather clear. As she wanted to avoid Oscar’s passionate gaze, she pretended to fall asleep.
She remained still for some time, so Oscar thought she was asleep. He bent down and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Don’t worry. I’m here, so no one can hurt you. We’ll get a divorce, and you’ll get Tony’s custody. I’ll make sure you get everything you want,” he vowed solemnly.
Having said that, he straightened his back and left the bedroom.
When the door shut with a click, Amelia’s eyes snapped open as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Oscar, please don’t be so nice to me. What should I do without you?
Amelia gazed at their photo on the shelf which they had taken not long ago in a daze. She looked so happy as she was beaming and leaning on Oscar’s sweetly while he had wrapped his arms around her waist tenderly. His chin was resting on her shoulder. The affection in his gaze was no mistaking. It was obvious that they were a loving couple in this photo. Unfortunately, it was short-lived—it was soon going to wither before it could blossom.
After leaving the room, Oscar went to Olivia and said firmly, “Mom, I need to talk to you and Dad.”
Olivia looked up and rejected his request. “If you want to talk about Tony’s custody, I have nothing else to say. I won’t change my mind. Your divorce has nothing to do with me, but Tony must stay with us.”
Oscar repeated, “Mom, I need to talk to you. Let’s go to the study.”
Since he insisted, Olivia hesitated for a while but nodded her head eventually.
In the study, she folded her arms in a distant but firm manner.
“Oscar, I’ll be frank with you. She’ll only get Tony’s custody only if she walks over my dead body.”
Oscar shot her a conflicted look. “Mom, I thought you adore Amelia? You used to remind me to show her more concern instead of burying myself in work. Why are you acting this way?”
Olivia glowered at him. “It’s all your fault! My reaction is because of both your actions. If you hadn’t messed around with Cassie, and if Amelia turn a blind eye to your affair to keep your marriage, would I need to act as the bad cop? You have caused this trouble, but I had to pick up the mess after you. What a disgrace,” she scoffed.
As anger caught up to her, she panted heavily before huffing. “Oscar, you have no idea how much you’ve disappointed me. Though you didn’t love Amelia back then, at least there was no talk about getting a divorce. Thus, I can close an eye on your affairs out there. But, you ended up getting a divorce. Ah, this is really upsetting. Fine, I won’t interfere in your business. You can get a divorce, but Tony must stay with us.”
Oscar pressed his lips together in a thin line as his expression hardened.
“Mom, this is just a joke. I wouldn’t want to divorce Amelia,” he explained.
Olivia, who was initially fuming, stared at him incredulously. “What do you mean?”
“Mom, getting a divorce is just part of my plan. I’ve never considered letting Amelia and Tony leave. They are my family, and Amelia will be my only wife,” Oscar stated firmly.
Olivia was utterly confused as she stared at him as though she had never known him at all.
“What do you mean?” she repeated as she couldn’t grasp what he meant.
Thus, Oscar revealed his plan briefly.
Upon hearing his words, Olivia flew into a fit of fury.
“B*stard! Oscar, you’re already thirty years old! Why are you so childish? What do you mean by your marriage is a mistake? No matter why you got married in the first place, you’re already married. After five years, you claim it’s a mistake and decide to pursue Amelia again? Have you gone nuts? How infantile! Do you think marriage is a joke?” she fumed.
Oscar’s back was straight as he said, “Mom, Amelia has always been upset about my past relationship with Cassie. Someone had set me up to have sex with her. No matter what happened to make me cheat on her physically, our relationship will no longer be the same. Hence, I shall end our relationship before starting all over again. That way, she will no longer doubt my love for her since there was no conflict of interest standing in our way.”
Olivia fell silent as she gradually stopped heaving.
“Mom, it is all my fault, so please stop blaming Amelia. She is suffering. Don’t forget the blood clot in her brain could cause her to lose her eyesight at any moment. Do you want that to happen by increasing her stress level?”
Olivia gazed at him briefly before letting out a long sigh.
“Oscar, I really don’t want to interfere in your relationship, but your plan is too reckless. Has the possibility of Amelia not accepting you occur to you?” she asked. Her question hit the nail on the head.
A hint of distress flashed across Oscar’s gaze at her question.
“I believe Amelia was the one who asked for a divorce, right?” Though it was a question, Olivia was pretty sure about it. “Don’t deny it. You’re my son. Once you fall in love with someone, you won’t fall out of love easily. Your one-night stand with Cassie gave Amelia an excuse to ask for a divorce. I don’t know why she insists on filing for a divorce, but I assume it’s related to her eyesight. That was why I acted as the bad cop and used Tony to make her stay. I have no idea that you have such an unreliable plan in mind.”
Oscar stared in the blank without speaking.
Exhaling sharply, Olivia said, “Oscar, you might be right in your bold attempt, but age is catching up with me. I think you can’t take risks in love. However, I guess you’re right. There have always been uncertain risk factors in your relationship. Perhaps pursuing her after your divorce will be best for both of you. Well, I shall stay out of this. Just promise me I’ll get to see Tony often after the divorce.”
Finally, Oscar could heave a sigh of relief.
“Mom, thank you. I’m not as magnanimous as you,” he said sincerely.
“I’ve been kicking up a fuss for the past few days. You must be full of reproach instead of respect for me.” Olivia shrugged it off. “Amelia must feel bad after how I reprimanded her.”
“She won’t take it to heart. She has always been filial and polite to her elders.”
Olivia nodded in agreement.
“Oscar, I hope you’ve made the right decision,” said Olivia. “But let me remind you of one thing. If Amelia rejects you after your divorce, I’ll resort to legal action to get Tony’s custody. The Clinton family heir can’t be living away from us.”
Oscar was confident. “Mom, Amelia’s mine, and mine alone. I won’t let her end up with someone else. I believe she still loves me.”
Perhaps Oscar’s confidence was the reason he was caught off guard by Amelia’s sudden disappearance. He was in anguish for two whole years while looking for her and buried himself in work to numb his feelings.
He pushed himself to his limits in the two years and worked nonstop. Though Olivia used to adore Amelia, she soon grew to hate the latter. Even after Oscar was reunited with Amelia, the old lady didn’t bother expressing her delight.
In her opinion, Amelia didn’t love Oscar and wasn’t considerate at all. When they were about to get back together, she stood in their way in secret and objected to their relationship.
Back to the present day, Olivia finally gave in for now. “All right, then. I have nothing else to say. I hope you won’t let me wait too long.”
“Mom, don’t worry.”
Olivia nodded without a word.
“What about Dad?”
“I’ll tell him about it. We have the same opinion. Since I said yes, he won’t make things difficult for you. Just stop horsing around from now on. You’re already thirty. She can forgive you once, but repeated offenses will only annoy her.”
“Mom, I won’t. I’ve never acted willfully in my life.”
“That’s why your dad and I flew into a fit of rage. Your dad even thought about dismissing you as his heir.”
However, Oscar remained silent, saying nary a word.
“He did that out of anger. Clinton Corporations expanded rapidly because of you. Don’t forget that he’s a businessman, so no matter how mad he is, he won’t joke around with the company. Besides, you’re his only son. Who else will take over? Stephanie? She spends her days partying. Clinton Corporations will certainly be doomed,” Olivia revealed.
“Mom, I don’t mind,” came Oscar’s reply. Though Clinton Corporations was huge, he could establish another corporation single-handedly and bring it to greater heights.
He was capable and had confidence in himself.
With that, Olivia didn’t say anything else.
As they had reached an agreement, Olivia was no longer mad at Amelia. She may have said that but she was still displeased at Amelia’s inconsideration.
She couldn’t fathom why Amelia insisted on getting a divorce.
