Chapter 67


    “Don‘t trouble yourself, Mom. I can take care of myself. I‘ll be back in half an hour,” Amelia protested geni


    ally.


    Seeing that Amelia was resolute, Olivia reluctantly agreed.


    After Amelia had left, Olivia‘s face resumed its vexed expression. “Did you see Steph‘s behavior just now


    ? She has no manners and doesn‘t behave like ady at all.”


    Ever the mediator, Owen


    said, “All right, let‘s not get all worked up. Steph has disliked Amelia all along. We‘ll invite Amelia over les


    s often to prevent such squabbles from happening again. It puts you in a difficult position as well.”


    Olivia bristled and snapped back at Owen, “What are you talking about? Amelia‘s part of our family. Alon


    g with Oscar, she‘ll be the owner of this house in the future. What do you mean by inviting her over less o


    ften? Besides, the two of you are always so busy with your own lives. Who do I have to talk to other than


    Amelia? Or would you prefer I leave with her?”


    Bemused, Owen replied, “Don‘t get hysterical, Olivia. I just don‘t want an outsider to drive a wedge betwe


    en your daughter and yourself. You wouldn‘t want Steph to hate you, would you?”


    Olivia was silent.


    “Let‘s eat. The children can handle their own affairs,” Owen said kindly.


    Olivia once


    again resumed eating. By way of soothing his wife, Owen said, “When Steph is back, you can talk things


    out with her. Steph has been spoilt since she was young and must be


    feeling jealous now that your attention‘s shifted to someone else. I can understand why she‘s objected so


    strongly to Amelia‘s presence here.”


    Olivia nodded.


    Amelia


    had wandered to the little artificialke within the Clintons‘ grounds. Drawing nearer, however, she notice


    d a tall, slender figure already standing there. It was none other than Stephanie.


    Amelia hesitated. She considered retreating soundlessly back the way she came, but Stephanie


    had already turned in Amelia‘s direction as she approached. Their gazes


    met.


    It‘s the sh of the titans!


    The thought sprung unbidden to Amelia‘s mind.


    Stephanie‘s eyes gleamed with hatred. She marched over, eximing, “Amelia, you‘re really something!


    Not only have you seduced my brother, but you‘ve also managed to get my mom under your thumb. You


    must be pleased with yourself.”


    Amelia gazed at Stephanie for a moment, then said serenely, “Steph, I‘ve always treated you like family. I


    don‘t know what I did to make you hate me so much, but I‘ve constantly been trying to win you over. I ho


    pe you can give me a chance.”


    Stephanie folded her arms across her chest. “Amelia, do you know what it is that I hate most about you?


    You‘re clearly a gold digger, yet you‘re constantly ying the victim to gain sympathy. It annoys me to no


    end.”


    Amelia walked over to the side of theke. She took a deep breath, then turned and said, “Steph, if I reall


    y wanted to get rid of you, I have a thousand and one other ways to turn your own mother against you. It‘


    s up to you whether you choose to believe me or not.”


    Stephanie sneered, “Are you threatening me?”


    Amelia shook her head. “I‘m not. I rather hope that we can coexist in peace. Your mother is very kind to


    me, and I don‘t want to make things difficult for her. I hope that you‘ll stop throwing a tantrum whenever


    we meet.”


    Derisively, Stephanie said, “And what if I refuse?”


    “I‘ve checked. There are cameras installed in every corner of the Clinton residence. Thiske is the only


    ce on the


    grounds without any. If I threw myself in right now and used you of pushing me in, which one of us do


    you think your family will believe?” Amelia said.


    Enraged, Stephanie shouted, “Amelia, are you really low enough to stoop to such underhand tricks? Are


    you really asking to be thrown into theke? I‘ll grant your wish and push you in for real. It won‘t matter w


    hat my parents think as long as you drown to your death. They‘ll find a way to cover it up for me.”


    Stephanie looked at Amelia, daring her to reply.


    Amelia was slightly taken aback. She‘d never imagined that Stephanie would be reckless enough to eve


    n speak of killing her out loud.


    “Stephanie, it seems that you‘re not just a spoiled rich girl after all, you‘re also a foolish woman who is far


    more confident in yourself than you have any right to be.”


    Stephanie said disdainfully, “Coward! I just said that to frighten you. Do you think that your devious ns


    will work? Even if you do get thrown into theke, my parents will only be mad at me for a few days. Do y


    ou think you‘re really that important to them?”


    Amelia retorted, “Why don‘t you ask your mother just how important I


    am to her? Or don‘t you already know the answer?”


    Provoked, Stephanie cried, “You…”


    Amelia had walked away, but she turned back and gave the former a sidelong nce. “Stephanie, if I we


    re you, I wouldn‘t do anything to humiliate me in front of your mother. It only makes her feel for me more.


    If you


    truly want to sabotage someone, do it more subtly. Your incessant whining only makes you look like a sill


    y b*tch yapping away.”


    With her arms akimbo, Stephanie replied vehemently, “Amelia, if you continue to incite me like this, don‘t


    me me if I knock you over and cause a miscarriage!”


    “Push me then, please, if you don‘t mind your parents packing you off overseas and your brother cutting


    off all ties with you forever,” Amelia replied. “Mr. Clinton‘s going to divorce me soon, anyway, and I can‘t t


    ake my child with me.”


    Stephanie‘s chest heaved as she gnashed her teeth


    with rage. “Amelia, has anyone ever told you that you‘re absolutely despicable?”


    Amelia merely shrugged. “Thanks for thepliment, but no one‘s actually ever told me that.”


    Stephanie drew her hand back in a swift motion, fully intending tond a p on Amelia‘s face. However,


    her hand was caught in mid–


    air by Amelia. Thetter brandished her swollen belly in front of Stephanie, saying, “Watch yourself, Step


    h. Your mother‘s looked forward to this grandchild for the longest time. If anything


    happens to him, you‘ll be stuck overseas while I get to stay right here. Within a few years, you‘ll find your


    self working for your own money.”


    Stephanie wrenched her hand away from Amelia‘s grip. She leaned in and said, “Amelia, don‘t be so sha


    meless. Try to enjoy it while itsts. Cassie‘sing back. It‘s time for you to scamper back to wherever


    you belong.”


    Amelia shrugged again. “Don‘t


    worry about me. Even if I get divorced, your brother will be giving me a hefty sum nheless.”


    “You shameless gold digger,” Stephanie snarled. “You make me sick. You‘d better get out of my sight bef


    ore I make you.”


    She then swaggered off.


    Amelia watched her retreating figure for a while, then raised her eyes toward the starry night sky. She sig


    hed heavily.


    That was how the maid found her after a long time.


    Amelia followed her back to the house where Olivia was waiting. She dashed forward and sped Ameli


    a, saying, “What in the world were you doing? It‘s gotten sote!”


    “The moon was lovely tonight. I was so caught up watching its reflection shimmering in theke that I mu


    st have lost track of time somehow. I‘m sorry to have worried you,” Amelia said apologetically.


    Olivia said indulgently, “Now that you‘re pregnant, you shouldn‘t be wandering off by yourself. If you want


    to take a walk tomorrow, let me apany you at least.”


    Amelia


    returned her smile. “Mom, I‘m going back to work tomorrow. I feel bad for taking half a month‘s leave whe


    n I‘m merely a new employee. If it weren‘t because of Carter, I‘d have been fired long ago.”


    Olivia furrowed her brows and made as if to speak. Amelia quickly continued, “Mom, I rather like this job.


    Besides, if I don‘t go to work, I‘d only be letting my thoughts run wild all day.”


    Olivia had no choice but to agree. However, she chided, “Amelia, you can go ahead to work, but don‘t he


    sitate to resign if it‘s taking a toll on you. If you‘re bored, I can always get Oscar to give you a sinecure at


    Clinton Corporations. Don‘t tire yourself


    out.”


    Amelia said gaily, “Don‘t worry, Mom. I know my limits; I‘ll take care of myself.”


    VON


    UW


    Olivia nodded in approval.


    “I‘m a little tired now. I‘ll head upstairs first to rest,” Amelia said.


    “Go ahead then. I noticed that you didn‘t eat much for


    dinner. If you get hungry in the middle of the night, I‘ll get the maid to prepare a light supper for you,” Olivi


    Amelia nodded.


    She slowly walked up the stairs. The moment she entered the bedroom, she received a call from Oscar. A


    Cassie‘s voice on the other end of the line.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    OIC


    “Amelia, Oz has gone to take a shower. He‘ll be staying over at my ce tonight. He asked me to call and


    be careful over at the Clintons‘. Be sure not to slip and fall, or you‘ll squash that lump inside of you for sur


    Amelia‘s fists clenched. Her reply, however, was breezy. “Ms. Yard, did you call me just to show off?”


    “I‘m sorry. I don‘t have that much time on my hands. I just wanted to tell you that in my eyes, you‘re nothin


    Amelia almost flung her phone aside in anger. She forced herself to take a deep breath, however, and sw


    “That‘s not your area of concern. Even if I go to those seedy ces as you say, I‘ll bring Oz with me.”


    “That‘ll be nice. Ms. Yard, if you have nothing else to say to me, I‘ll hang up now,” Amelia said. The exhau


    up with her.


    “Wait,” Cassie said urgently.


    “Anything else I can help you with, Ms. Yard?” Amelia inquired sarcastically.


    “If you know what‘s best for yourself, divorce Oz now. Don‘t hang around and wait to be chased out, thoug


    “Don‘t you worry about me, Ms. Yard,” Amelia replied easily. “Your position as the Clintons‘ daughter–in–


    law is more precarious than mine. His mom loves me, and it so happens that you‘re not in her good books


    “You..”


    “Ms. Yard, allow me to wish you and Mr. Clinton a good night. Treasure it; I‘m afraid you won‘t be having t


    hung up the phone.


    She threw the phone aside, feeling her strength utterly drain from her. Tears gathered in the corners of he


    She wasn‘t as upset about her misfortune as she was over the fact that so few people cared. Her own hus


    When Cassie had gotten pregnant, not only


    did the Clintons not shame her for it, but they had actually rallied in her defense. Amelia had always scorn


    life would be far more dramatic than some exposés.


    No one envied the rich man‘s wife for her role. Over the years, the pride and self confidence that she had


    Another sigh escaped her. She was at aplete loss. At that moment, it seemed as if the path aheady


    Amelia copsed onto the bed, fully dressed, and closed her eyes. Amidst her