Chapter 896 Guarded
“Go ahead and eat. This might be the last time you get to eat this.” Eva felt much better after airing her thoughts. She was even in the mood to joke.
James fixed his intense gaze on the woman and felt increasingly frustrated. It was as if he had lost something that was his all along.
Eva passed a fork to the man and said, “Finish it as a favor to me. Our boss wants me to go to Hawen to train the new batch of employees, and the training will last two years. As that place is currently a restricted area, we won’t be able to contact anyone other than during the festive seasons. Previously, I was still unable to decide if I should go, but this is now the perfect opportunity for me to forget you.”
James took over the fork. Looking at the sumptuous food in the lunchbox, which had instantly become unappetizing, he started eating.
Just earlier, he had been telling Eva to get lost. However, now that she was finally going away, he found himself feeling even more uncomfortable. However, he tried to rationalize internally that it was because of the abrupt nature of the woman’s departure that resulted in his discomfort and that the feeling would be gone after a while. As such, he should be happy that he had finally gotten rid of a nuisance.
Soon, James finished all of the food in the lunch box.
Eva took the fork from him and cleaned up before saying, “I shan’t disturb you any further. I’m going off now. I’m not sure if we will see each other again after I leave for Hawen, so I shall give you my blessings in advance. I hope that you will find the woman of your dreams soon. From now on, I won’t be pestering you anymore.”
James looked at Eva with a complicated expression.
“What’s wrong? Are you missing me already? If you ask me to stay, I might change my mind and not leave,” Eva said with a cheeky wink.
Even though she sounded casual, she was, in fact, feeling extremely nervous. She was fervently hoping that James would suddenly realize his feelings for her and ask her not to go. However, that was obviously just her wishful thinking.
“Going to Hawen sounds like a good opportunity for you. I hope that you will find true love soon. We will be friends forever,” James said, pretending to be relieved.
The smile on Eva’s face faded slightly when she heard that.
“Sure. The next time you see me come looking for you is when I’ve found someone I want to marry. I’ll get going now.” Eva picked up the lunchbox and waved goodbye to James blithely before she quickly left his office.
As James stared at the woman’s departing figure, he could not help but feel an immense sense of emptiness in his heart. He was unable to make sense of the discomfort that he was feeling. However, he shook it off quickly, thinking that his mind was just playing tricks on him.
When Eva went back to the neighborhood where Amelia was staying, she returned the lunchbox, which she had already washed, to her cousin.
“Amelia, I intend on heading to Hawen to train the new batch of employees. I’ll be there for two years, but I’ll be back to visit you during my vacation time.”
“You’re going to Hawen? What about James…” Amelia asked, feeling slightly shocked.
“I’ve already laid it out with him at the hospital just now. He doesn’t love me and asked me to get lost. I don’t want him to end up hating me, so I’ve decided to let go and stop pestering him. I’ve been pursuing him for two years, but he still has not fallen in love with me. That means it’s impossible between us. I’ve already agreed to relocate to Hawen. Busying myself with work might help me forget James. After all, life still goes on without him,” Eva replied softly.
Amelia patted her cousin’s head and said, “I’m glad that you were able to come to a decision.”
“I already booked my air ticket on the way back just now. My flight is at five p.m. this evening, so I should leave now. I can get my daily necessities in Hawen when I’m there.”
“Eva, you don’t have to be in such a rush.”
“Amelia, I’m worried that I would change my mind if I don’t leave soon. It took me a lot of determination to decide to let him go. That’s why it’s better for me to leave as soon as possible.”
Hearing that, Amelia stopped talking.
She personally drove Eva to the airport. When they arrived, Eva hugged her cousin with tears in her eyes and said, “Amelia, take care of yourself. I’ve given you a lot of trouble in the past, but I’ve grown up now, and I’ll take care of myself. I’ll call you when I’m free.”
Amelia returned Eva’s hug, feeling reluctant to part with her cousin.
After one year apart, she realized that Eva had matured a lot, and it was the result of the woman’s unrequited love. Suddenly, she found herself missing the confident and quirky girl who was always dressed in punk fashion. However, that girl had disappeared forever.
Amelia sighed silently. Most people would mature with the passage of time. However, there would always be some who lived in a carefree manner regardless of their age. Those were the people who were well-protected from life’s harsh realities.
If it was possible, Amelia hoped that Eva would also meet a man who would shield her from life’s perils.
“Take care of yourself while you are there. Come back here to work after you’ve recovered from your pain. If you like training others, I’ll ask Oscar to make arrangements for you to be a trainer.”
“All right. Amelia, when I return, I’ll introduce my boyfriend to you. When that day comes, you and Oscar have to help with my wedding arrangements, yeah?”
“I’ll be waiting for that day.”
The two women chatted for a while longer before Eva went through the airport security check. Shaking her head, Amelia turned around and left. Unexpectedly, she saw James outside the airport.
“Oh, James, you’re here.”
The man walked over and said, “Amelia, it’s been a while. I heard that you and Oscar had gotten back together again. Congrats!”
Amelia let out a chuckle before replying, “Thanks! I have to go now as I have something to attend to. You should hurry in if you’re here to send someone off.”
James stopped Amelia from leaving and gazed at her with a complicated look in his eyes.
“Amelia, don’t you blame me?”
“Why would I blame you? Perhaps, you and Eva are just not fated to be together. It might not be a bad thing that Eva is going to Hawen. At least it’ll be easier for her to start anew there. You don’t have to feel guilty about it.”
James could not help but laugh out loud when he heard that.
“Amelia, you’re indeed different from everyone else. I found it a pity that you and Oscar got divorced previously. As such, it was a surprise to know that the two of you still ended up together. It feels almost too surreal.”
“I think so too.” Amelia looked at James and continued, “James, you’re actually here to send Eva off, aren’t you? I don’t think you really dislike her that much. Sometimes, it’s better for us to come to terms with our own feelings. Don’t wait until it’s too late for regrets. Eva is a wonderful girl. Other than the fact that she can be too carefree sometimes, she doesn’t have any major flaws. Besides, she loves you wholeheartedly. It’s such a pity that you were unable to reciprocate her love, even going so far as to stomp on it. Forget it. It’s all in the past now. It doesn’t matter what your feelings for her are; I just hope that you won’t appear in her life again. I see her as my younger sister and hope to protect her from getting hurt. You are not good enough for her. She deserves a man who loves her wholeheartedly too.”
When James heard that, there was a slight change in his expression as his eyes darkened.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he caught up with Amelia and stopped her from leaving.
“Amelia, please apologize to Eva on my behalf. Even though we can’t be lovers, we can still be friends.”
“James, you have nothing to apologize to her for. From now on, both of you will lead your own separate lives and never cross paths again. I just hope that you don’t bother her again.”
James hesitated for a second before he agreed to that.
Nodding politely, Amelia got into her car and drove off.
James pressed his lips together after Amelia sped off into the distance. There was a slight uneasiness in his heart. In truth, he did not know why he came to the airport. He just could not help but come here after receiving Eva’s text, telling him that she was leaving. However, he did not go into the departure hall in the end.
James felt a sense of loss, knowing that Eva had finally left. However, he tried to comfort himself that he was feeling that way because he was not used to the woman’s absence after having her chattering around him for so long.
When Amelia returned home, Oscar was already back.
“I’m home,” Amelia said smilingly while walking toward the man.
Oscar wrapped her in his arms before planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
With a gentle gaze in his eyes, he explained, “Recently, someone has been spreading rumors, trying to defame Clinton Corporations’ products. As such, the company’s upper management had gathered for a meeting which only just ended.”
Amelia frowned when she heard that. However, she had faith in Oscar’s abilities. The fact that he had shared the situation with her meant that it wasn’t a difficult issue for him to handle.
“Have you found out who’s the one defaming our company?” Amelia asked.
“Don’t worry. I know what to do. It’s most likely a competitor from the same industry. Of course, it could be Noah’s doing as well. It’s possible that the Walker family has resorted to extreme methods after being driven into a corner by me,” Oscar replied with a smile.
“It’s good that you have confidence, but don’t hesitate to tell me if you need my help. As the director of Royce Technologies now, I can assist you in certain aspects.”
“My wife will always be my perfect partner. So when are we getting our marriage certificate again?” Oscar asked as he stroked her hair affectionately.
“That depends on your performance. Did you forget how you broke my heart in the past? I must judge your performance before I decide on that, or I’ll be embarrassed to divorce you again. A third time will be too much, and if we divorce again, I won’t come back to you anymore,” Amelia said in a plausible tone.
Upon hearing that, Oscar tightened his arms around her and promised, “That won’t happen again. I will not let anyone trick me into hurting you and our child again. Believe me. You’re the only one for me in this life.”
From the bottom of her heart, Amelia trusted Oscar’s words. She knew he could protect her and Tony. However, she also knew her position as an executive would naturally attract jealousy from others, who would then do everything they could to ruin things for her.
After all, those who carried treasures would always attract hungry wolves.
“Oscar, I believe you can protect Tony and me. I’m just messing with you to make you treat me better. Forget it. I’ll stop torturing you with that. Let’s get remarried tomorrow. I’m tied to you for the rest of our lives, so I should stop insisting on these superficial vanities. It’s meaningless.” Amelia smiled.
Oscar could not stop his lips from curling up when he heard that. His mood instantly brightened.
She would always indulge his occasional mistakes, which gave him even more reason to love her.
“Honey, it’s my biggest blessing to make you my wife.”
Amelia wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled sweetly at his words.
“Welkin Group’s chairman’s sixtieth birthday is happening tomorrow night. He’s holding a banquet and inviting many representatives from the business world. Why don’t you come with me?” Oscar suggested.
Amelia drew circles on his back with her fingers.
“Oscar, aren’t you scared of people making fun of you for always going back to your exes when you showed up with the Walker family’s daughter not too long ago and now with me, who you’ve divorced two times?” Amelia deliberately teased him.
Hearing that, Oscar squeezed her even tighter.
“Don’t worry about that. Everyone in the industry knows Isabella tricked me, the arrogant Oscar Clinton. I wouldn’t have bounced back from that if you, the ex-wife, hadn’t stayed by my side all this while. So, if I bring you as my plus one to the banquet, no one will have negative things to say about that. Instead, they will see you as a woman who’s incredibly loyal and righteous,” said Oscar.
Amelia left his embrace and blinked at him, not knowing what he meant.
“The world knows I was set up, and they made you claim all the credit. Since you chose to stay by my side against all odds, you deserve to be respected for that. I want everyone to know you’re precious to me, and I won’t trade you for anything in the world,” Oscar declared as he caressed her cheek.
Meeting the man’s intense gaze, Amelia suddenly chuckled. Oscar, who had recovered his lost memories, was still the same man she had long known.
After learning that he had done so much for her without her knowing, she could finally remarry him without any regrets.
“Oscar, it didn’t occur to me that you’re so adorable. Since you’re so lovely, why don’t we get remarried early tomorrow morning? But then, this will be the last time I agree to this. If you let me go again, I will never come back to you,” warned Amelia.
Pulling her into an embrace, Oscar had her lean against his chest to hear his irregular heartbeat as he said, “Amelia, things will be different this time. I will never let anyone hurt you and Tony again.”
Amelia leaned into his embrace and nodded softly.
The next day, the couple went to City Hall and collected their marriage certificate. They were among the rarest to be married thrice and divorced twice. Thus, the staff member at the City Hall could not resist taking another glance at them when processing their marriage certificate. Taking in their good looks, the staff member believed the two did make a great couple, and it would be a pity if they did not get back together.
After getting their certificates, Oscar took Amelia to a newly opened farmstay and had lunch together before returning to the Clinton residence.
“Did you get remarried?” Olivia smiled as she stared at the ring that Oscar had put on his finger again.
“Amelia and I collected our marriage certificate this morning,” said Oscar with a smile.
Amelia had a blissful smile on her face as well.
“Focus on building a happy life together since you’re remarried now. Don’t let any issue get in your way again. Now that Steph isn’t here anymore, my poor health won’t be able to cope with the thought of you two getting in trouble again,” said Olivia as the look in her eyes dimmed a little.
The smile vanished from Amelia’s face as she said, “Mom, once everything has settled down, why don’t we go on a family trip together? So many things have happened lately, and all of us are feeling somewhat down. I think it’s a good idea for us to get some fresh air.”
After giving it some thought, Olivia decided not to reject Amelia’s kindness and said, “Sure. It sounds great to go on a family trip once we settle everything.”
“That’s decided then.”
The couple stayed at the Clinton residence for nearly two hours before leaving. They left Tony behind to keep Nolan company. With the kids playing and laughing at home, Olivia could finally distract herself from the pain of losing her daughter.
Oscar took Amelia to get her hair done and fetched the dress he had prepared for her before heading to the banquet together.
The couple instantly became the center of attention as soon as they arrived at the venue.
Wearing a red dress, Amelia looked exceptionally alluring and beautiful with her gorgeous face and sexy curves.
Meanwhile, Oscar’s sophisticated tailored suit highlighted his tall and well-built figure. Standing together, they certainly looked like a match made in heaven.
Oscar led Amelia through the crowd, completely ignoring the gazes lingering on them.
“Old Mr. Yarbrough, I brought my wife, Amelia, here tonight. We wish you a blessed birthday, and may you be gifted with the greatest joys and the most blissful life,” Oscar said politely as he handed the gift to the butler standing behind Darryl Yarbrough, the chairman of Welkin Group.
Darryl glanced at Amelia before laughing heartily at Oscar. “You didn’t have to prepare a gift. I’m happy enough to see you here. Anyway, I assume you’ve reconciled with Amelia, haven’t you? I talked to your mother over the phone this evening, and she told me to look after your wife. It’s a relief for us elders to see you two getting back together again.”
Oscar smiled and said, “I was careless and got tricked by someone despicable, which was why we ended up divorced. But now, things are getting better. She is working at Royce Technologies. I heard Welkin Group has an upcoming project in collaboration with Royce Technologies, so I hope you can look out for my wife and not let things get too tough for her, Old Mr. Yarbrough.”
“Look at you. It seems like you came to celebrate my sixtieth birthday, but what you had in mind was to lure me into supporting your wife. I’ve yet to unwrap and accept your gift. Oscar, where are your manners?” Despite his choice of words, Darryl burst into hearty laughter.
“Well, Old Mr. Yarbrough, I can’t help but speak up for my wife when you’re such a wise and generous man. Any benefits you can offer her are appreciated.”
Rolling his eyes, Darryl said, “Amelia, you must help me teach him a lesson when you have the time. How dare he try to get so greedy with an old man like me?”
Hearing that, Amelia gave Darryl a warm smile and said, “Old Mr. Yarbrough, here I was hoping you could teach him a lesson for me.”
Upon hearing that, Darryl was startled for a moment, and he laughed out loud after processing her words.
The three continued talking until the butler led Darryl elsewhere to socialize with other guests.
Amelia took Oscar’s arm as they walked toward the food area. Unexpectedly, a man walked over to them with a woman on his arm. That woman had delicate facial features, but upon a closer look, she slightly resembled Amelia.
“Mr. Clinton, what a coincidence. I’ve heard stories about you and always wanted to meet you in person, but I didn’t get the chance to do that as you’re too busy. I guess it must be destined for us to meet here.” The man raised his eyebrows, glancing brazenly at Amelia. “Mrs. Clinton, you do look like my plus one. Anyway, my plus one here is a rising star in the entertainment industry, and she has starred in quite a few TV dramas. Her name is Rory. Do you perhaps know her?”
When she heard the familiar name, Amelia could not help looking at the celebrity named Rory. She did resemble Amelia in appearance and way of styling. Moreover, her eyes seemed rather familiar to Amelia, as though she had seen them somewhere before.
Rory. Rory Sanders. Are they related? Amelia was reminded of the scene where she saw Rory a year ago. At the time, Rory already looked different. Hence, Amelia believed it would not be impossible for Rory to alter her appearance again through cosmetic surgery.
Something clicked in Amelia’s mind that made her think the Rory standing before her might turn out to be the Rory Sanders she knew.
Ever since Isabella’s scheming, Amelia had grown wary of any woman who tried to approach them. After all, she had to be extra careful so that these women would not get the chance to ruin her precious marriage again.
With that, she looked at Rory with a trace of wariness in her eyes.
