Ch. 601..610

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 601

No Hard Feelings

Crystal looked at the leather bag on the table and felt suddenly uneasy.

Crystal did not touch the leather pouch. “What is this, Mrs. Hisson?”

“Take a look, Crystal,” Kate said, echoing Terrence the night before.

Under Kate’s discerning gaze, Crystal opened the leather pouch reluctantly and emptied its contents out onto the table. Her face paled at once at the sight of the photos and documents scattered before her.

“Mrs. Hisson, I-I…” Crystal bleated with trembling lips as she picked up some of the photos.

“The old man had you investigated. As you know how much Derrick means to him, you should also understand how important it is to him that his grandson marries the right girl. Sending someone to investigate you is only inevitable. Lo and behold, these are the first things he finds out about you. Could you help me understand?” Kate looked at her with an enigmatic half-smile.

Crystal’s mouth went dry. Despite feeling disoriented, she improvised quickly. “I can explain, Mrs. Hisson. The men in the photo are all my friends. We’re close, you know, and have been for years. Sometimes we even forget about social conventions given how close we are.”

“I like you very much, Crystal. I really do want you to be my daughter-in-law. My only condition is that she remains clean for my son.”

Crystal hurriedly raised three fingers to swear an oath. “I promise you that I only have Derrick in my heart, Mrs. Hisson. Though I have many friends of the opposite sex, I’ve always kept a safe distance from them and had never crossed the line. Despite saving myself for Derrick, he has never reciprocated my feelings for him. As if that’s not bad enough, Derrick is openly in a relationship with another woman. You have never given me an explanation for this, Mrs. Hisson. I never know what to tell my parents who have asked me several times about my status with him. I am not getting any younger, and I have moved away from my family in Beshya to be with him. I hope you can provide a satisfactory answer to my parents. It has been difficult for me too, you know.”

Kate’s eyes narrowed as her expression soured. “Are you threatening me, Crystal?”

“You know that’s not what I meant, Mrs. Hisson,” Crystal said quietly. “I’ve never felt the connection I have with Derrick with any other men. It’s also my dream for things to work out with Derrick, but he only has eyes for other women. If I’m not going to be made an honest woman any time soon, I think I should be free to explore my options, shouldn’t I?”

Crystal had been doing a good job of suppressing her true nature. If she had not been caught off-guard by the photographs, she would not contradict herself so soon. Kate’s impetuous accusation had sparked her temper.

“I never knew of this thorny side, Crystal,” Kate sneered. “You have always been gentle and docile.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Crystal said, deciding to put everything out in the open. “I’m just tired of being led on, that’s all. All I want from you is a clear answer. Do you know how bad it looks on me to be chasing a man this shamelessly? To tell you the truth, my parents are getting angry.”

Kate lapsed into thoughtful silence.

“I don’t know who took these photos,” Crystal continued, “but I can confidently tell you that I am not involved with any of them. On the other hand, Derrick’s involvement with other women essentially makes me the third wheel. Do you know how embarrassing that is? Don’t you think you owe me and my parents an explanation?” Sitting up a little straighter, Crystal pressed her advantage. “Look, Mrs. Hisson, I didn’t mean to come off hostile. It isn’t easy being a victim of the circumstances. I regard Derrick as my future husband, but the Hissons had gone back on their word by allowing him to date other women. My parents have given me an ultimatum. Either marry Derrick or return to Beshya.”

For a long time, Kate did not move or speak.

Thankfully, the waiter’s arrival soon after with the food broke the awkwardness between the two women.

“Here you go,” the waiter said as he set down the food. “Enjoy your meal, madam, miss.”

Even after his departure, the atmosphere between the two remained strained.

After a quick glance around, Crystal spoke first. “I would like to apologize to you for speaking out of turn, Mrs. Hisson. I hope you can forgive me. I also understand that Derrick’s actions are out of your control. The pressure my parents placed on me caused my embarrassing outburst.”

Kate’s frostiness melted a little.

Crystal pressed her momentum by serving the older woman before continuing, “Have a taste, Mrs. Hisson. I hope you find it pleasant on your palate.”

Kate graciously accepted her apology by accepting the morsel served to her. After several bites, she found it surprisingly tasty.

“Help yourself, Crystal.”

Crystal obliged. In an instant, the atmosphere between the two dissolved into something more cordial.

After the two of them finished their meal in silence, Kate wiped her mouth with a napkin before clearing her throat. “To be honest, Crystal, the reason why I show you the photo is that I hold you in higher regard than Tiffany. I did it in the hopes that you would completely cut off contact with other men. Though I can’t explicitly order you to, I just want you to be careful not to be photographed by the media as we Hissons hold our reputation dear.”

Crystal glanced down to conceal the flash of rage across her eyes. When she raised her head again, her eyes shone with nothing but tender filiality.

“I know that, Mrs. Hisson,” she said gently. “After marrying Derrick, I will remain by your side. While my husband works, I will learn how to tend to a garden from you and spend our days shopping. If Derrick encounters any difficulties at work, I will be there for him.”

Her meekness completely eradicated Kate’s doubts brought on by the existence of the photographs.

The women left the restaurant hand in hand and headed for the mall. At a fashion boutique, they spotted Amelia, Tiffany, and Tony who also happened to be out shopping that day.

Tiffany was helping Tony with trying on clothes when she caught sight of Kate and Crystal.

After a moment’s hesitation, she decided to put the shirt back on the rack.

“Mrs. Hisson,” Tiffany greeted politely while ignoring Crystal who had Kate’s arm in hers.

Kate only had eyes for Tony. “This must be Tony,” she said with a broad smile. “I haven’t seen you in so long! You look even more handsome than when I last saw you, my dear.”

Tony glanced up and smiled particularly sweetly. “Hello, Mrs. Hisson.”

Kate bent down and beckoned Tony over before kissing him soundly on each cheek. “You give kisses like Mr. Pretty, Mrs. Hisson,” he said coyly. “I love receiving kisses from you.”

Kate was completely mollified by his words. After squeezing him tightly and planting several more kisses on his face, she trilled, “You are delightful, Tony! When my son and your Aunt Crystal get married, you will have lovely cousins just like you to play with and for me to dote.”

Tony wrinkled his nose. “But Mrs. Hisson, isn’t Mr. Pretty with Tiffy? Mommy said that if you marry someone, you will be together for a lifetime. Mr. Pretty belongs with Tiffy, not any other wicked ladies.”

Both Kate and Crystal’s faces fell.

“Who told you that Mr. Pretty is with Tiffy?” Kate asked with a supreme attempt at patience.

Tony looked at Kate like she was a simpleton. “You’re so silly, Mrs. Hisson,” he said crisply. “Mr. Pretty is with Tiffy all the time, isn’t he? They have even kissed. I have seen it several times. Only people who like each other can kiss. Mommy also said that a man must be responsible for the girl he kisses. Do you want your son to be a bad guy who kisses girls and abandons them?”

Kate was completely stunned. “My child,” she said instinctively, “do you know what it means to abandon someone?”

Tony wrinkled his little nose proudly. “Of course I do. I learned that word from watching TV when I was two years old. Not only have I memorized them, but I also understand it. Mr. Pretty would be very mean person if he abandons Tiffy.”

Amelia hurriedly held her son and glanced up apologetically. “The child didn’t mean what he said, Mrs. Hisson. Please don’t take any of it to heart.”

Despite being a little angry, Kate was cognizant enough not to pick fights with a child. However, she noticed that Tony was smarter than she gave him credit for. It’s like he knows that I am a bad mother for breaking up my son’s hard-earned happiness with a girl of his choosing. Is Tony really smart enough to understand the true meaning of marriage and love?

She shook her head, trying to shake off the feeling that she was losing her mind to even think that a child who was barely even three years of age was mocking her for being cruel and domineering.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 602

Benjamin Is Here

“No issue. Since he’s still a kid, I won’t take his words to heart. Anyway, kids tend to speak in a way as instigated by their parents. Thus, I hope you’ll take note of that,” Kate mocked with a subtle smile. She was born to be a beauty, and no words could describe how stunning she looked when she smiled. On top of that, she did not look like a woman who was already more than sixty years old. Unequivocally, her breathtaking beauty was irresistible to everyone.

Meanwhile, Amelia also smiled placidly.

Throwing Crystal a glance, Kate uttered ambiguously, “Crystal, let’s go. I don’t wish to have my mood spoiled by someone else. My temples start to throb whenever I see her.”

Crystal held onto her arm and uttered gently, “Mrs. Hisson, let’s go.”

When they walked past Tiffany, Laura derided, “Tiffany, I hope you’re even more competent in getting more investments for Derrick. If so, it’ll be a lot more fun for me. Don’t you know I have a preference for more challenging things?”

The next second, she strutted off with her nose in the air with Crystal.

Tiffany only retracted her gaze from their retreating figures when they were finally out of sight.

“Tiffy, are you all right?” Tony’s mellifluous voice sounded, breaking her reverie.

Tiffany regained her composure and pinched his cheek lightly with a chuckle. “I’m fine. I think that outfit suits you. How about you try them on?”

Tony nodded in agreement.

Tiffany chose one set of suits and two sets of casual wear for him. He stepped into the fitting room alone to try on the outfits without the two women’s assistance.

In the meantime, Amelia and Tiffany were seated on the couch specially prepared for shoppers. Gazing at Tiffany, Amelia commented resignedly, “Evidently, Mrs. Hisson still has a prejudice against you.”

Tiffany shrugged her shoulders and looked as if she was oblivious to it.

“Well, what can I do? My family background, education background, and looks are incomparable to Crystal Halliwell. If I were in her shoes, I would certainly choose the most qualified woman for my son. But undeniably, when it comes to relationships, couples know best if they are meant for each other. Others’ preferences might not be ideal for us,” Tiffany mumbled matter-of-factly.

Flashing her a faint smile, Amelia tried to cheer her up. “Stop overthinking. Again, I wish to emphasize that you’re good-natured and treat elders with filial piety. Time will reveal a person’s true nature. I believe it’s just a matter of time before she notices your virtue.”

“I hope so.” Tiffany smiled bitterly.

After that, they shopped for quite a long time in the mall and bought quite a few outfits for Tony.

When Tiffany was about to send Amelia and Tony home, the latter received a call from Dominic. Moments later, Tiffany overheard her reply, “I’ll head to the hospital now.”

After hanging up the call, Amelia stated grimly, “Tiff, can you turn around the car and head for the hospital?”

“What happened?” Tiffany asked in bafflement.

“I have no idea. My dad only urged me to go straight to the hospital without mentioning anything. I wonder why too,” Amelia responded.

Without hesitation, Tiffany turned the car around and headed for the hospital, as requested by Amelia. She knitted her brows along the way there, feeling puzzled.

When they reached the hospital, Amelia carried Tony and stepped into the elevator anxiously with Tiffany.

Shortly after, they were outside the ward. Dominic opened the door for them when Amelia knocked on it.

“Dad, did you call me because something happened to Spencer?” Amelia cut to the chase.

Nonetheless, Dominic only threw her a complicated glance. He moved aside and instructed, “Get in first.”

Perplexed, Amelia had no choice but to enter.

The moment she stepped into the ward, someone came into view unexpectedly.

She turned to look at Dominic. However, he avoided having eye contact with her and explained in embarrassment, “Mr. Hutton came all the way from Saspiuburg; he wished to see you. So I guess you should talk to him.”

Amelia twitched her lips without uttering any words.

“Mr. Hutton, it’s been a long time since we last met in Beshya! I thought you’ll not show up in front of us again. It never occurs to me that I’ll meet you here again. Apart from your tyrannical deed in Beshya, are you thinking of making a scene on others’ turf too?” Tiffany scoffed, her arms crossed on her chest.

Even so, Benjamin only shot her a glance.

Meanwhile, Dominic’s face fell. Pulling her aside, he lambasted, “Ms. Winters, how could you be so rude toward Mr. Hutton? Where are your manners? Even though you’re Amelia’s best friend, don’t you think you’ve to mind your manners?”

Flustered, Tiffany snickered. How ironic that a father would take an outsider’s side rather than his own daughter!

At the thought of that, she could not help feeling sorry for Amelia.

“Mr. Winters, I wanted to apologize to him too, but I’m allergic to scumbags and b*stards. You could just disregard your daughter’s feelings merely because he was your benefactor, nonetheless, I can never be as cruel as you!” she sneered, her arms remaining crossed on her chest.

In an instant, Dominic blushed crimson.

Temper flaring, Melanie piped up, “Tiffany, we actually quite like you since you are Amelia’s best friend. However, Mr. Hutton is our honorable guest as he has traveled all the way here to visit my son. Not to mention, he’s my life savior. Thus, I hope you’ll mind your words.”

Hearing that, Tiffany was utterly speechless.

Amelia pulled her sleeve slightly and turned to look at Benjamin. “Mr. Hutton, Tiff is used to speaking straight from the shoulder. Not to mention, there’s a dispute between us in Beshya previously. Hence, she might still dwell on the past and tends to act impulsively for my sake. Please accept my sincerest apology on behalf of her.”

The latter only nodded placidly and turned to gaze at Tony in her arms.

“So he’s your son?” Benjamin queried. Right that instant, he could feel a ripple of indecipherable warmth flowing through his heart. Surprisingly, he could not resist having a soft spot for the toddler. In fact, he felt the latter’s nose resembled his. Nevertheless, he was reluctant to accept that it was due to biological inheritance.

“Yes, he’s my son. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve seen him before in Beshya. But you might not be able to recognize him now as he’s grown taller,” Amelia replied with a hint of aloofness in her tone.

“I think he looks a bit like me,” Benjamin commented subconsciously without shifting his gaze away from Tony.

He only came to his senses seconds later and realized his slip of the tongue.

After clearing his throat wittingly, he changed the topic. “Ms. Winters, can I have a private conversation with you?”

Amelia cut to the chase. “Mr. Hutton, feel free to speak your mind here.”

Furrowing his brows, Dominic reprimanded, “Amelia, how could you be so blunt? After all, Mr. Hutton is your f-elder. Since he wishes to have a word with you, why can’t you go out and have a chat with him elsewhere?”

Amelia’s lips contorted into a snicker, but it faded within seconds.

“Mr. Hutton, there’s a new coffee shop next to the hospital. If you don’t mind, we can have a chat there,” she suggested.

“I have no objection to that.” Benjamin nodded.

Thus, Amelia handed Tony to Tiffany and requested, “Tiff, can you bring Tony with you? I’ll look for you after having some words with Mr. Hutton.”

Staring at her indignantly, Tony asked, “Mommy, can’t you bring me along with you?”

“Tony, listen to me. Stay with Tiffy for a while. I’ll go and join you in about half an hour’s time, okay?” Amelia reassured him.

“All right. Mommy, don’t take too long, okay?” Tony replied reluctantly.

Tiffany only nodded at Dominic and Melanie placidly before leaving with Tony in her arms. She noticed that Amelia did not let Tony greet her parents after they stepped into the ward earlier. Inevitably, she doubted if Amelia was caught off guard by Benjamin’s presence or if she was doing so deliberately so that Tony would not be closely acquainted with the Winters family.

Right after Tiffany left with Tony, Amelia asked Benjamin, “Mr. Hutton, would you mind waiting for me outside? I need to have a word with my parents.”

The latter nodded.

After he strode out of the ward, Amelia turned to look at Dominic and Melanie nonchalantly. “Dad and Mom, I guess this is what you’ve been looking forward to, right? I’ve had enough of playing along with you all this while. Let’s cut ties with each other after Spencer’s recovery. After all, there’s no point in having a maternal family that never considers me a member. I guess it’s best if we don’t cross paths with each other again in the future. With that, nobody will be disrupting your peaceful life.”

The next second, she turned and walked away.

When she was about to reach the door, Dominic’s voice sounded. “Amelia, sorry for everything. I never intend to hurt you too. We have no choice but to think on behalf of our family.”

Amelia smiled bitterly and uttered sorrowfully, “I understand that you’re thinking solely for the sake of the Winters family. But sadly, you never consider me as a member of the family, do you? Regardless of anything, I’m still an outsider, right?”

Next, she turned to open the door and stepped out. When the door slammed behind her, it seemed to imply that she had cut off all ties with the Winters family.

Dominic let out a deep sigh as he asked Melanie, “Do you think we are too selfish?”

The latter was rendered speechless.

Seconds later, Dominic added, “Sigh, we’ve never really cared about her since she’s young. Now that she requests to have no trucks with us in the future, I bet it’s for the best. From now onwards, she won’t be distressed about having cold-hearted and self-centered parents like us!”

Melanie snorted. “Don’t overthink it. The pressing issue on hand is to have Spencer recover soonest possible. If he can fully recover, I’m willing to do anything, even if it meant getting down on my knees before her. But I won’t admit she’s my daughter so long as Spencer is still not cured. Not to mention, she is now married to an heir of a prominent family. Who knows, she might be the one giving you the cold shoulder and refusing to admit her familial bond with us!”

Dominic only heaved a sigh again without uttering any words.

Gazing at Spencer nonchalantly, Melanie seemed to be scheming in her mind.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 603

Troubling Disposition

Amelia and Benjamin came to a cafe near the hospital and ordered two cups of coffee. When their beverages were served, Amelia asked for some sugar.

“Ma’am, here are some sugar as requested.”

“Thank you.”

She scooped a small teaspoon of sugar and added it to her cup. While stirring, she asked, “Mr. Hutton, I wonder about your purpose for traveling such a long way by air to see me. May I know what you would like to discuss with me?”

He scrutinized her and admittedly thought that she looked almost identical to his wife. In fact, they would pass as a pair of twins. Unfortunately, he loathed seeing that face. It kept bugging him as though some unforgettable humiliation would soon be brought to light.

“You look a lot like my wife,” he stated.

“It’s an unexpected honor to be Mrs. Hutton’s look-alike,” Amelia paused her action for a split second and responded magnanimously.

“Ms. Winters, I flew all the way here from Saspiuburg, so I ain’t going to beat around the bush. I believe you have probably discovered the fact that you’re my daughter. To tell you the truth, I have only a son and a daughter. I don’t intend to add any new family member,” Benjamin cut to the chase.

A gracious smile remained plastered on Amelia’s face, and there was no trace of sorrow or anger on her expression. She looked like she was listening attentively to an elderly telling her a story.

“I admire your honesty, Mr. Hutton. Yet, I don’t appreciate your hostility toward me.” She added, “As what you’ve seen, I’m doing very well even without your support or the backing of the Winters family. I have a husband and a son who love me very much. So, I’m not bothered about reuniting with a blood kin. Instead of viewing you and Mrs. Hutton as my long-lost parents, you lot are more like strangers to me. We don’t share a bond. Hence, I’m not keen on claiming my birth parents. Mr. Hutton, please rest assured that my identity as Mrs. Clinton doesn’t stir up a need in me to covet the little wealth that the Huttons possess.”

Pursing his lips, Benjamin gazed at her intently.

He had rehearsed this meet-up for at least a million times on his way here, but he did not expect her to reject him without an ounce of respect or tact.

“I’m delighted to hear this from you, Ms. Winters. I do hope that you’d make your stance clear to my wife and stay consistent in your decision. I don’t wish for you to give her any false hope. Yes, she wants to reconcile with you very badly, but she already has two children. There’s really no need to gild the lily. Thus, your cold and heartless rejection would be the best answer to her.”

At that, Amelia’s lips curled into a smile. A contemptuous look flashed across her eyes.

“Mr. Hutton, I doubt you’ve ever really made an effort to pay the slightest attention to what your wife really wants,” said Amelia.

Benjamin’s expression changed as he was taken aback by her frankness.

“If I were you, Mr. Hutton, I wouldn’t set this relationship of ours in stone. After all, truth be told, I’m indeed your daughter. Additionally, I’m married to the heir of the Clinton family, who is way richer than the Huttons. As a businessman, aren’t you an expert in weighing the pros and cons? Don’t you want to recognize me as your legal offspring? Conversely, you acted otherwise. I’m not sure if you’re playing hard to get or am I really that unlovable?” As she stirred her cup of coffee, she got what she wanted to say off her chest in a mocking voice. Smiling, her words were nothing but the truth despite how harsh they might have sounded to Benjamin.

The latter was so enraged by her comments that he smirked in response. His hawk-eye glared at Amelia, who in turn returned him with a casual gaze. She was not fearful of the way he judged her.

Suddenly, Benjamin applauded and burst out laughing. “Ms. Winters, you’re much cleverer than I thought. Yes, I’m a businessman who prioritizes profit. Given the chance, I’d choose to make a new friend instead of an enemy. If it was someone else, I’d be dying to butter the person up. However, I won’t act like that in front of you because I don’t like you. Or else, I wouldn’t have tried so hard to send you away.”

Amelia’s smile grew even brighter than before.

“Great, this is perfect! You’re indeed a visionary with a wicked soul, Mr. Hutton. Even a vicious tiger would not eat its cubs, but my own father would hurt his daughter at all costs,” she derided.

Benjamin took out a check and placed it in front of Amelia. “This is ten million. Being Oscar’s wife, I know that you aren’t short of money. Anyhow, I hope to compensate you for what you had to go through all these years. It’s also a way for me to overcome my guilt. Take this, and we shall officially cut off ties with each other.”

Amelia’s grin became more pronounced when she saw the multiple zeros written on the check.

She took it up and fidgeted with it. “How generous, Mr. Hutton! Ten million is an amount that a regular family could only dream of. They might not even earn anything close to it even if they were to work for three generations. I thank you for this, but I’m disgusted by it at the same time. Initially, I don’t plan to have any connections with the Huttons. You really shouldn’t have involved the Winters, and neither should you humiliate me by flashing your money. I’m a rebellious child, you know. The more someone wants me to refrain from doing something, the more I want to go against his will. Who knows? I’ll get close and intimate with Mrs. Hutton when I see her one day. No, there are no specific reasons for me to do that, but I just want to annoy the h*ll out of you.”

Malice burned in Benjamin’s narrowed eyes.

Subsequently, Amelia tore the piece of check apart. She rose to her feet and grinned. “I have other matters to attend to. Please excuse me, Mr. Hutton.” She turned around and left, but stopped in her tracks and turned back after taking a few steps forward. “By the way, Mr. Hutton, I forgot to inform you something. I’m not as close to the Winters family as you think. So, there’s no need for you to waste your precious time on them. Judging from how cold I am toward my birth parents, one can only imagine how I would treat my foster parents who aren’t my blood relations.”

Benjamin’s gaze was fixated on her as she stormed off and disappeared from his sight after turning the corner.

“Amelia, since you’re not heeding my advice, I shall not keep you alive. Your existence is my utmost humiliation. You’ll never understand this dreadful sense of mortification,” Benjamin spat out those words through his gritted teeth.

He then whipped out his phone and dialed a number.

“Caleb, keep an eye on Amelia. When the time is right, abduct her. I trust that you know what to do thereafter.”

“No worries, Mr. Hutton. I know exactly what to do. One thing though, we noticed that there are several bodyguards protecting her everywhere she goes. They don’t look too easy to handle. I’m afraid it’s quite a challenge to kidnap her,” a hoarse voice uttered over the phone.

“That’s your problem. As an assassinator, I don’t think you need to take advice from me on how to kill a person.” Having said that, Benjamin hung up.

Unbeknownst to Amelia, a murderous intent brewed within her father. As soon as she left the cafe, she called Tiffany because she knew that Tiffany was playing at a nearby park with Tony.

She went over to meet them, only to see that Tony was happily leading a group of children in games.

“Tiff,” Amelia called out.

Tiffany turned and asked, “Finished chatting?”

Amelia nodded.

She strode across, smiling. Her eyes were focused on Tony, who was over the moon. “It seems that Tony is getting on quite well with other children.”

“He’s very open-minded and cheerful. Coupled with his level of maturity, he fits the description of a leader among other kids.” Tiffany had nothing but praises for the boy.

The two ladies sat on the long bench. “How was the discussion with him?” Tiffany asked.

“How else could it be? He kept telling me not to drag Mrs. Hutton into this. Additionally, he also revealed that the reason for sending me away back then was because he hated me to the core. Seemingly, I’m not popular among the elders. My biological father doesn’t like me, and neither does my foster parents. I wonder if I’m destined to be the unwanted child,” Amelia said casually while playing with her hair.

“Are you sad?”

“In the past, I might be sad. But now, I can’t think of a reason to dwell in sorrows.”

“Good! That’s the Amelia that I know.”

Amelia shrugged her shoulders.

Right then, her phone rang. She took a peek at the screen and saw that the caller was Jolin.

She picked it up. “Hi, Jolin.”

“Mrs. Clinton, I have been informed by Charlie via a call that someone is tailing you. He and the others are settling it at the moment. I’m going to you right now. Please bring Mr. Anthony somewhere crowded. I’m worried that Charlie would be outnumbered by the people who are following you around,” Jolin reported accordingly.

Instinctively, Amelia scanned her surrounding, but she did not see anyone suspicious. “I’ll wait for you at the hospital.” It’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Sure, I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Upon hanging up, Tiffany asked, “What’s going on? Did something happened?”

“Jolin claimed that someone is following me, but the bodyguards are looking into this. She’s on her way here, and she wants me to bring Tony to somewhere crowded. Let’s not wander around anymore.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Instantly, Tiffany leaped from the couch and took Tony away from his playmates. “Come on, darling, we’ve got to go.”

The trio quickly shifted to a place where there were more people. Tiffany even asked the security guards at the hospital for support by claiming that someone was stalking them. The bodyguards were well aware of Amelia’s relationship with the Director. Hence, in a split second, five to six security guards showed up in their midst.

Amelia was dumbfounded. “Tiff, it’s not necessary to raise a ruckus. Those who don’t know might think that something untoward has happened.”

Tiffany hugged Tony tighter and said, “I’m just being prepared. Don’t you know that you have a troubling disposition? When you’re not getting hit by a car, you’re being stalked. You should have more bodyguards protecting you at all times. I’m thinking five to six may not be enough.”

Amelia was rendered speechless. Then again, she did have a better sense of security to having an increased number of bodyguards around her, especially when she was traveling with a child.

“Sit down, Amelia. Don’t overthink things. You have me to take care of both you and Tony.”

Amelia chuckled.

“Tiff, don’t be so anxious as if you have ants in your pants. See, you scared Tony.” Amelia stretched out her arms and carried the little boy. “Tell me, Tony, how did you feel when you were playing with the other children today? Happy?”

“I was happy! They’re quite obedient. I loved being their big brother, and I thoroughly enjoyed being a leader!”

“Whoa, that’s my boy! I’m impressed at how you demonstrated your leadership skills at such a young age. Come over here, and let me kiss you as a reward.”

Amelia gave him a peck on the cheek whereas Tony returned her with two sweet kisses.

The mother-and-son duo found much delight in fooling around with each other. The fear they had earlier on gradually disappeared.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 604

Mom Cares For You Too Much

“Mrs. Clinton.” When the five security guards saw Jolin running toward Amelia, they had their guards up and glared at her as though she was a ferocious beast.

“You’re here, Jolin.” Amelia glanced at Jolin, and then she updated the security guards politely, “Thank you everyone for your support today. This lady is here to pick me up. Everything is fine now. Please accept this little token of appreciation and go have a drink tonight.” As she spoke, she reached into her purse, whipped out about six hundred, and stuffed the notes in one of the men’s hands.

The guard wanted to return the money, but was rejected by Amelia. “It’s not easy to do what you guys do day in and day out. My older brother is still hospitalized. When I’m not around, please keep a lookout for my parents in case they need anything.”

With that said, the guard had no other choice besides accepting her kind gesture.

Then, Amelia, Tony, and Tiffany left with Jolin.

“Are you all right, Mrs. Clinton?” Jolin questioned.

“I’m fine. Jolin, what exactly happened when you said that someone was following me?”

“When Callum and gang were watching you in the dark, they noticed that there was a black car tailing you from behind. Initially, they wanted to attack the men in the black car discreetly, but their plan was busted by the other party. So, I instructed Callum to chase after them. I don’t have all the details yet as of now,” Jolin explained everything truthfully. “Mrs. Clinton, please rest assured that I won’t leave your side at all henceforth. As for Mr. Anthony, Boss has arranged for Hugo and Kurt to protect him. They are the crème de la crème in the entire organization. With them around, nothing bad will ever happen to Mr. Anthony.”

“Hugo and Kurt are allowed to resume their duties?” Amelia asked. She had not seen them in forever, and she was curious about their updates. Back then, the death of Jean got blown out of proportion. She vaguely heard a rumor that some members requested Oscar to punish both Kurt and Hugo severely. The members put all the blame on those two; had it not been for them, they would not have lost a colleague whom they had worked with for over a decade. However, Amelia did not follow the news thereafter.

“Yes. Boss has reprimanded them, and they have also served their punishment. No one voiced their objections anymore.”

Amelia did not bother pursuing the matter by asking more questions such as what the punishment was and if the two handled it well. She never crossed the line when it concerned Oscar’s work. After all, she did not want to be so nosy, to the extent that her actions would hurt her relationship with Oscar.

Thereafter, Jolin personally sent them all back to the neighborhood. As soon as the four of them got out of the elevator on their floor, Amelia saw a figure outside of her apartment, curling up like an abandoned little puppy. The person looked up when she heard the elevator doors closing. Amelia was shocked to the core when she realized who it was.

“Mrs. Hutton, why are you here?” she dashed over and asked. This couple seems to be toying me around. First, the husband wanted to have a chat with me. Now, his wife is here outside of my house, acting like a pitiful soul. What are they hiding up their sleeves?

There was a twinkle in Eleanor’s eyes when she saw Amelia appearing in front of her. She tried to get up as soon as possible, but the pins and needles due to prolonged hours of squatting down caused her to stumble forward. Luckily, Amelia got hold of her in the nick of time.

“Mrs. Hutton, are you okay?” She was concerned.

Eleanor shook her head and grabbed Amelia’s hands. Feeling aggrieved, she said, “Lia, I’m not going to force you anymore. I mean it. I just wanted to see you. Could you consider the fact that I’ve missed you for more than two decades and stop changing your phone number? I’m literally going crazy in Saspiuburg for missing you so dearly. When my husband was away, I seized the opportunity and sneaked out to see you without letting anyone know.”

Baffled, a myriad of questions swirled in Amelia’s head. When did I change my number? Anyhow, she seems to have lost a lot of weight. Those dark circles under her eyes accentuated her sunken cheeks which used to be fuller. Her frame, too, now seems to become smaller and frail.

Amelia felt so sorry that Eleanor looked so awful. She could not imagine what terrible experience the latter had to go through within a month to be in such a dreadful state. She had a long list of questions to ask, but the words fell dead on her lips. She figured what Eleanor truly needed at that moment was a shower and a good night’s rest. Otherwise, she might collapse in her arms the next minute.

“Let’s head in, Mrs. Hutton. We’ll talk about this later, okay?” Amelia suggested softly.

Delighted, Eleanor tightened her grip on Amelia’s hands. “Lia, you’re not mad at me anymore?”

Amelia smiled politely and responded, “Is there any misunderstanding between us, Mrs. Hutton? I was never angry at you.”

Feeling relieved, Eleanor followed her into the house.

“Have a drink, please.” Amelia served her a glass of water.

As Eleanor received the glass, her gaze was fixated on Amelia. She had not seen her daughter for a month though it felt like an eternity to her. Among her three daughters, the eldest went missing at a very young age. She had lived miserably for over twenty years. She had not gone a single day without missing her beloved daughter. Now that they were reunited, she wanted to channel her misery into love and shower them on Amelia incessantly in order to make it up for what she had missed in the past.

“What’s wrong, Mrs. Hutton? Why are you staring at me like that?” Feeling uneasy, Amelia averted her gaze.

Tears welled up in Eleanor’s eyes. In a quavering voice, she said, “Lia, I’ve missed you so much. Could you inform me in advance if you were going to change your phone number in the future? I couldn’t find you, and it made me so worried. I don’t know if anything has happened to you.”

Her words sowed a greater doubt in Amelia. Yet, she did not ask Eleanor any further. Conversely, she requested Tiffany to prepare some food for Eleanor.

After Tiffany left for the kitchen, Amelia called Tony over to greet Eleanor. “Mrs. Hutton, I think there must be a mistake. I have never changed my phone number. Perhaps you dialed the wrong one?”

Eleanor took out her phone, scrolled down her contact list, and showed it to Amelia. “Isn’t this your number?”

Amelia took a quick glance and immediately knew what the problem was.

“Mrs. Hutton, the numbers are incorrect. I’m not sure if you entered them wrongly or it was intentionally edited by someone else.”

“It’s incorrect?” Eleanor was dubious.

Then, Amelia recited her phone number while Eleanor crossed-checked them against what was saved in her phone.

Suddenly, she recalled the reactions of her husband and children when she told them that the number was not in service. Finally, she connected the dots and understood what had transpired.

“I see, so this is what happens. Hmph! How dare they hide this from me all this while!” Eleanor exclaimed angrily.

Right then, Tiffany came out of the kitchen with a bowl of pasta, and she was greeted by Eleanor’s dazed look.

Seeing so, she shot Amelia a look. What’s wrong with Mrs. Hutton?

Amelia shook her head.

“Mrs. Hutton, I’ve cooked some pasta for you. Why don’t you have something to eat first before continuing the conversation?” Tiffany offered.

Snapping out of it, Eleanor picked up the cutleries.

The smell of pasta made her feel so hungry. Instantly, she emptied the plate without any hesitation.

“Tiffany, your culinary skills are fantastic! This dish is definitely on par with those made by the chefs at the five-star hotels.” Eleanor sang praises to Tiffany after cleaning her mouth with a napkin.

“I’m glad that you liked it, Mrs. Hutton.”

Eleanor smiled.

Subsequently, Tiffany collected the dishes, washed them, and kept them in the cabinet. When she was done, she dried off her hands before walking back out.

“Mrs. Hutton, did you and your husband plan for these back-to-back meet-ups? He was here right before your visit.” Tiffany asked as she slumped into the couch.

Shock and disbelief filled Eleanor’s eyes. Subconsciously, the hand resting on her thigh moved slightly while her lips trembled in trepidation.

“He’s here in Tayhaven?” Eleanor queried with a heavy heart.

Tiffany purposely showed a surprised face and blurted, “You didn’t know about this, Mrs. Hutton?”

Eleanor’s fists coiled taut, and her face turned pale.

“Don’t think too much, Mrs. Hutton,” Amelia added, wanting to ease the embarrassing situation.

Eleanor stared straight into Amelia’s eyes and held her hands, asking, “He came to see you?” Amelia could not wrap her head around Eleanor’s expression, but nodded her head in response nonetheless.

Benjamin had repeatedly stated how much he hated Amelia. Hence, she also did not plan to cover up for him. Their hostility toward each other was mutual.

Letting out a wry smile, Eleanor shared disappointedly, “I thought that he has turned over a new leaf. Who would have known that he was just putting up a show in front of me? The entire family was keeping me in the dark!”

“Don’t get all worked up, Mrs. Hutton. Mr. Hutton did not say much to me. I’m fine, so please don’t let this episode bother you,” Amelia consoled her.

Eleanor could no longer hold back her tears. She patted the back of Amelia’s palm and said in between sobs, “I’m so sorry, Lia. I really didn’t think that he would treat you in this awful manner. I feel so bad about it.”

Amelia kept a faint smile on her face upon hearing that.

On the other hand, Tiffany could not hold her tongue.

“Mrs. Hutton, I’m not trying to sow discord between you and your husband. However, he has gone overboard this time. Do you know what did he do? He gave Amelia a check that’s worth ten million on the condition that she leaves you completely. I don’t think the amount matters to Amelia. The point is his action is a downright humiliation to Amelia!” Tiffany told the story as it was, and that got Eleanor turning grim.

“Lia, is that true? Did he really offer you ten million? Did you accept it? Are you planning to disown me?” Feeling extremely anxious, Eleanor bombarded her daughter with a series of questions.

“Mrs. Hutton, please, could you let go of my hands first? You’re hurting me.” Amelia tried to suppress the sharp pang felt.

Returning to her senses, Eleanor released her grip. “Sorry, sorry. Is it very painful? Oh no, I’ve bruised you.”

Amelia shook her head awkwardly. “No worries, Mrs. Hutton. Relax…”

At that, Eleanor’s eyes brimmed with tears and became even redder.

“I’m really sorry, Lia. I care too much for you that I’m scared to death if you ever choose to cut off ties with me. I’ve been searching for you incessantly for two decades. I’ve never stopped wondering and worrying about you. Now that I know you’re leading a good life, I’m beyond relieved. However, I still wish to stay by your side and make it up for the years that we’ve lost. I want to give you all of my love. Would you give me a chance to be your mother, please?” the panic-stricken Eleanor pleaded.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 605

Whole Family In Tayhaven

Despite the awkwardness, a glimpse of warmth flashed across the depths of Amelia’s heart. At least my biological mother truly loves me.

“Mrs. Hutton, you don’t look so well. Why don’t you take a rest first, and we’ll discuss it again after you wake up?” Amelia suggested.

Disappointment flashed across Eleanor’s eyes. “Are you still unwilling to acknowledge me as your mom, Lia?”

Amelia fell silent at her question, not knowing how to explain.

“Mrs. Hutton, it’s not that Amelia refuses to accept you, your husband is the one refusing to accept her! Do you think she can live a peaceful life if she does acknowledge you as her mom?”

Eleanor didn’t respond, for she knew it was the truth.

“Mrs. Hutton, I hope you don’t blame me for speaking so bluntly. Amelia isn’t suitable for a life with the Hutton family. The main obstacle is your husband’s attitude,” Tiffany said straightforwardly.

Eleanor lowered her gaze at the frank remark.

Amelia glanced at Tiffany before she told Eleanor. “Mrs. Hutton, you must be tired. Why don’t you head upstairs and take a nap? Let’s talk after you’re well-rested.”

Eleanor nodded hesitantly.

After Eleanor went upstairs, Tiffany shrugged as she sat on the couch. With her chin resting on her hand, she questioned, “What are we going to do now, Babe? I see Mr. and Mrs. Hutton had sunk their claws into you.”

Amelia was teasing Tony in her arms when she suggested, “Are you tired, Tony? Let’s bring you upstairs for a nap, okay?”

“Okay,” Tony answered with a yawn as he rubbed his eye with his fist.

Amelia carried Tony up the stairs and into the room. She gently laid him down on the bed and coaxed him to sleep.

After Tony had fallen asleep, only then did Amelia answer Tiffany. “Tiff, let’s go with the tide. I’m not scared of trouble, but I don’t want to get involved with the Hutton family’s affairs.”

“Are you going to keep Mrs. Hutton around you?”

“Do you have any better ideas?”

Tiffany went silent at her question.

“See. Even you can’t come up with a good idea. What else can I do?”

“Should we give Mr. Hutton a call and ask him to take his wife back?”

“She’s only human. She can just take another flight back.”

Tiffany fell silent again.

A soft smile played on Amelia’s lips as she assured Tiffany, “Tiff, let’s just go with the flow. Her existence doesn’t repulse me.”

Tiffany shrugged, agreeing with Amelia’s suggestion.

Eleanor’s departure had triggered a bomb in the Hutton residence.

Amelia Hutton stopped her nervous pacing when she saw the maids rushing to the living room. “Did you find my Mom?”

“We’ve searched everywhere, Ms. Hutton, but we still couldn’t find her.”

“Well, continue searching then! What are you standing there for?”

“Yes, Ms. Hutton.”

The moment Sean stepped into the house, Amelia raced to him as though he was her lifeline. “Sean, how was it? Did you find her?”

“Mom had taken the eight o’clock flight to Tayhaven this morning,” Sean answered with a solemn look.

Stunned by his response, Amelia merely stared at him in disbelief.

“No, you must be wrong, Sean. Mom told us she would never go to Tayhaven. Why would she go there?”

Sean pursed his lips at her question.

“No, wait. Dad is at Tayhaven too. If Mom knew we lied to her, this might break the Hutton family apart.” She paused at that horrible thought briefly. “I’m going to Tayhaven. I can’t let Mom meet with Amelia Winters anymore.”

“Stop right there. Where do you think you’re going?”

Amelia halted and shot a confused look over her shoulders at Sean. “What’s wrong?”

“Let Mom and Dad settle it. Even if we manage to pressure Mom to come back with us this time, we can’t force her forever. Furthermore, that woman is her daughter. We can’t blame her for wanting to meet her daughter,” Sean reasoned.

Amelia eyed him as though he was a stranger instead of the brother she knew.

“Sean, what’s wrong with you?” asked Amelia.

“I just think that the woman is her daughter, and you can’t blame Mom for meeting her own daughter.”

“Have you gone mad, Sean? Dad doesn’t even like her. If Mom recognizes her, our family will break apart.”

“Even if Mom doesn’t acknowledge her, our family will break apart all the same.”

Amelia held her head frustratingly as her temper exploded.

“Ah! Sean, you can be open-minded, but I can’t. I don’t want our family to break apart. My tenacity was to blame for their reunion. I don’t want this mistake to go on.” Once the words were out of her mouth, Amelia dashed out the front door.

Noting her desperation and guilt, Sean followed behind her worriedly.

“Amelia!”

The minute she was secured in the driver’s seat, she immediately pulled out of the driveway and raced to the airport. Filled with worried for her, Sean got in his car and chased after her.

Once they reached the airport, Sean immediately grasped onto Amelia.

She struggled fervently as she demanded, “Let go of me! I want to go to Tayhaven and bring Mom back!”

“Calm down, Amelia!”

“How am I supposed to calm down?”

“I’ll fix this.”

Amelia had finally calmed down at his assurance. With hesitance in her eyes, she asked, “Are you planning to go to Tayhaven, Sean?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there for a few days, so I need your help with the company.”

“Bring me with you. Don’t reject my request, or else I’ll go there myself,” Amelia said determinedly, not giving Sean an option.

Knowing her obstinacy well, Sean conceded resignedly.

On the spot, they bought flight tickets and flew to Tayhaven.

After touching down, Amelia instantly called Benjamin. The phone rang for a long while before he finally picked up.

“Dad, where are you? Mom is also in Tayhaven. Sean and I came here to find her, so we want to meet up with you.”

After Benjamin rattled his address to her, she replied, “All right, Dad. Sean and I will head there right away.”

Upon hanging up her phone, Amelia said, “Sean, let’s go to City Views Apartment, Block B. Dad’s currently staying on the tenth floor.”

Amelia and Sean quickly hailed a cab to get there.

They spotted Benjamin smoking a cigar by the window the minute they entered the unit.

Amelia called out, “Dad.”

Benjamin answered without turning his head, “You’re here.”

Licking her lip nervously, Amelia went up to him and asked reluctantly, “Dad, Mom is also in Tayhaven. I think she went looking for Amelia Winters. Do you want to come with Sean and me to go look for her?”

Benjamin didn’t respond and continued staring out the window.

“Dad…”

Suddenly, Benjamin turned around and threw the lighted cigar at Amelia. He accused furiously, “If it wasn’t for you, do you think your mom would reunite with that b**ch? Your stubbornness broke our family apart. Are you happy now?”

The cigar hit the back of Amelia’s hand, causing her to yelp at the pain at the burning sensation.

Sean went up to her and took her to the bathroom, swiftly placing her burned hand under the running water.

After a while, Sean asked, “Is it better now?”

Amelia nodded her head listlessly.

“Let me help you out.”

Once they stepped out of the bathroom, they saw Benjamin seated on the couch.

Feeling a slight dread, Amelia sat on the couch furthest away from Benjamin. “Dad.”

“Is your hand okay?” Benjamin questioned.

“It’s fine.”

“I hope you don’t take my earlier action to your heart. I just lost my temper.”

“I won’t”

They both fell into a dead silence, turning the atmosphere awkward and tense.

“Dad, Mom went to find Amelia Winters. What’s your plan?” Sean asked.

A glint of ruthlessness flashed across Benjamin’s eyes as his knuckles had turned white from how hard he clenched his fist. I had pleaded with Amelia multiple times to stay away from Eleanor, yet that woman continued to challenge my patience. She’s digging her own grave.

“Sean, I need you to go get your mother. She’s not that happy to see me at the moment,” Benjamin said with a darkened expression.

“Okay.” Sean agreed instantly.

Amelia cast a careful glance at Benjamin. “Should I go with Sean, Dad?”

“You stay here and don’t go anywhere.”

A crestfallen look crossed Amelia’s face.

“Are you still mad at me?”

“Yes.”

She shot to her feet and bowed at him respectfully. “Dad, I’m sorry. I was reckless. I thought Mom would be happy once she met her daughter. That was why I did the DNA test between her and Amelia. I didn’t expect things to derail.”

Benjamin scoffed at her explanation.

An uneasy feeling gripped Amelia. “Dad, don’t be like this. I’m upset over this too.”

Benjamin rubbed his forehead and said resignedly, “Go now, Sean. Try your best to get your mom back.”

“All right, Dad.”

Sean patted Amelia’s head comfortingly. “Listen to Dad, Amelia. I’ll be back soon.”

After Sean left, Amelia and Benjamin were the only ones left in the unit.

She licked her lips to curb her nervousness, confused as to why she was so anxious.

“Amelia, do you know why you’re named as such?” Benjamin inquired suddenly.

Amelia stared at him alarmingly like a meerkat.

“That was because of your sister, Amelia. After she went missing, your mom considered you her replacement and couldn’t stop calling her name. So we decided to change your name to Amelia.”

Amelia’s expression turned dour. She lowered her head, hiding the gloom in her eyes.

“In your mom’s heart, you’re just a stand-in for her daughter. Are you willing to become another person’s substitute?” Benjamin asked.

Cruelty filled Amelia’s eyes at Benjamin’s instigation.

Clenching her fists, she questioned, “Dad, why are you telling me all this?”

“You have broken two decades of peace and quiet of the Hutton family. I just want you to know you’re nothing to your mom once Amelia Winters returns,” Benjamin said mercilessly.

Amelia lifted her head and asked with a malicious expression, “Dad, will Mom really treat me like that?”

“She would even divorce me, her husband of thirty years. What’s more, you.”

“I can’t let that happen. I won’t let her treat me like that. I’ll go look for her.”

“Stop right there.”

Amelia halted her furry footsteps.

“Sit down.”

Amelia obediently sat down.

“Let’s talk after your brother return. That Amelia Winters is much harder to deal with than what I expected. She has a sharp tongue and is stubborn to the core. A tough nut to crack.” Benjamin narrowed his eyes.

Amelia nodded her lowered head, concealing her expression. No one knew what she was scheming.

Benjamin took out another cigar and lighted it. Before long, the smoke from the cigar formed a blurry screen between the two. They sat in silence in the smoke-filled room. A crack had formed in the relationship between the two closest family members due to Amelia, leaving them distant like strangers.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 606

Sense Of Crisis

After asking his subordinate to find out Amelia’s address, Sean bought a lot of toys and supplements to visit her.

Amelia was a little surprised to see Sean when she opened the door. She remembered Sean and thought he was polite because he brought some gifts to her house.

“Hi, I’m Sean Hutton. We met once in Beshya. I wonder if you still remember me? I just found out that my mom had flown to Tayhaven this morning. Hence, I guess she is probably here. I’m a little worried about her, and so I decided to fly to Tayhaven to visit you,” Sean said politely with an elegant demeanor.

Amelia turned sideways and replied, “Please come in.”

After nodding at Amelia politely, Sean entered her house with the gifts.

“Ms. Winters, since I’m not sure what kids usually prefer, I’ve bought some random toys from the shopping mall. I hope you don’t mind,” Sean said.

Amelia took the gifts from Sean and thanked him courteously. “That’s very kind of you.”

After secretly glancing around the duplex, Sean thought the decorations were simple but heartwarming. Although it wasn’t extravagant compared to a villa, he loved the feeling of home.

Given the Clintons’ influence and wealth, Sean initially thought Amelia and Oscar would live in a villa. It was beyond his expectation that they lived in an ordinary neighborhood with good security. The guards would have stopped him from entering if he didn’t make a call to the developer, who happened to be his friend.

After a while, Amelia pointed at the couch and said, “Please be seated and make yourself home. Would you like to have soft drinks or tea?”

“Just water, please. Thank you,” Sean responded courteously and sat on the couch.

After pouring a glass of water for Sean, Amelia sat on the couch in front of him. “Mrs. Hutton has been sleeping upstairs for quite a while. I think she’s exhausted.”

“My mom must have troubled you a lot. I’m so sorry.”

“Not at all. Mrs. Hutton is friendly and warm.”

With that, Amelia and Sean fell silent. Even though they were blood-related, they didn’t live together since they were young and behaved like strangers.

“Ms. Winters—”

“Just call me Amelia.”

Sean flashed her a gentle smile and said, “My sister is also called Amelia. Since you two have the same name, I somehow think that you’re my younger sister. Moreover, I feel a sense of warmth when you’re talking to me.”

“Well, I think I’m older than you.” As Amelia chuckled heartily, the atmosphere became warmer.

After sizing Amelia up secretly, Sean thought she wasn’t as annoying as he had always expected.

Perhaps due to blood relations, Sean unknowingly regarded Amelia as her elder sister. After all, Amelia was more mature and considerate compared to his younger sister. He couldn’t help but question his previous judgment.

At first, Sean thought of using Amelia because she had the backing of the Clintons. Now, Sean thought it was good to have a kind and considerate elder sister like her.

When Sean let out a sincere smile, Amelia also felt the kindness exuded from him.

Clasping his hands, Sean gazed at Amelia and said, “I suppose you know who you are now. If you don’t mind, I’m willing to treat you as my elder sister. However, it might take some time before that happens because of past grudges of the previous generation.”

Amelia put on a faint smile and responded, “Won’t you be worried that Mr. Hutton might be irritated and rip the right of inheritance of you?”

“I’m worried. After all, everyone covets power and status. However, because I’m a man, I have to strive to make a name for myself,” Sean said confidently.

After sizing Sean up secretly, Amelia felt that Sean was gentlemanly, mature, and well-mannered. As such, he had made a good impression on her. Deep down, she didn’t mind having a younger brother. Instead, her only worry was that Sean didn’t wish to acknowledge her due to pressure from the elders.

“You’re right. A man should make a name for himself to prove himself worthy,” Amelia agreed.

With that, they looked at each other and grinned.

After a while, Amelia said from the bottom of her heart, “Mr. Hutton, I think my life will be a lot more interesting if I have a smart and rational brother like you.”

“Well, same goes to me.”

When the two were having a great time, Eleanor came downstairs. Her expression turned grim once she saw Sean.

“Sean, why are you here?” As Eleanor came downstairs in a hurry, she almost sprained her ankle and fell from the stairs.

Sean quickly stood up and rushed toward Eleanor to support her. “Mom, are you all right?”

Ignoring his question, Eleanor grabbed his hand and asked nervously, “Sean, what do you want to do to Lia? I’m telling you— no one can hurt her as long as I’m here.”

Sean couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. Mom, are you bewitched? Why do you put your guard up against your son? After all, your daughter has gone missing for over twenty years!

“Mom, am I such a person in your eyes?” Sean asked calmly.

At that moment, Eleanor came to her senses and realized that she had overreacted.

“Sean, I didn’t mean that. I’m just worried that you—”

“You are worried that Dad sent me here, right?” Sean finished the sentence for Eleanor.

A mix of emotions flickered across Eleanor’s face.

“Mom, Dad did send me here to persuade you. Nonetheless, Dad and I love you and don’t wish to see you get hurt. Since you’ve run away from home, all of us are worried about you. Can you not leave without a word anymore?”

A sense of guilt flashed across Eleanor’s eyes. However, she soon felt disgruntled after recalling what they did to her in the past.

“Sean, tell your dad that I’m not going back. I’ll get a lawyer to apply for a divorce. Since he has fooled me, the trust between us exists no more. As such, I think there’s no need to maintain the marriage,” Eleanor said with a cold expression.

Once Eleanor finished, the smile on Sean’s face faded lightly.

“Mom, I know that you’re upset with Dad. However, can you please tell me why? Throughout the month, I couldn’t see what Dad had done wrong. I mean, he deserves to know the reason, doesn’t he?” Sean argued calmly.

“He secretly changed Lia’s number on my phone and met Lia behind my back. I can’t tolerate that my husband has become a two-faced man. Go home and tell your dad that our marriage is over!” Mrs. Hutton spread her arms and exclaimed emotionally.

Sean took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

“Amelia, can you give Mom and me a minute? I wish to talk to her,” Sean asked Amelia.

“I’ll go upstairs to check if Tony is awake,” Amelia got it and quickly went upstairs, leaving Sean and Eleanor in the living room.

“Mom, can we go home instead of arguing about it now? Here is not your home. Besides, staying here is not a long-term solution, right?” Sean patiently persuaded Eleanor.

“Sean, are you stopping me from reuniting with my daughter?”

“Mom, I didn’t mean that. Instead, I merely think you should do it step by step. Pushing her too hard will only scare her away.”

Eleanor lowered her head and went into deep thought.

“Mom, please go home with me first. After all, she lives here and won’t go anywhere. We should look at the bigger picture and do it slowly. By then, I think she will eventually accept you.”

After a while, Eleanor heaved a sigh and responded, “Sean, don’t try to persuade me anymore. I won’t leave.”

Sean came up to Eleanor and added gently, “Mom, can you please go home with me? Dad and Amelia are worried about you.”

Much to Sean’s surprise, Eleanor brushed his hand off and retorted, “They wouldn’t have lied to me if they are indeed worried about me.”

Helplessness glinted in Sean’s eyes. He never thought that Eleanor would refuse to heed his advice when she was riled up.

Meanwhile, Amelia came downstairs while carrying Tony. “Tony, you can call him Mr. Hutton.”

After fixating his gaze upon Sean for a while, Tony was shocked as though he had discovered something new. He said curiously, “Mommy, Mr. Hutton’s eyes look just like yours.”

Amelia instinctively turned to Sean and realized that it was true. Sean’s brimming eyes were indeed similar to hers.

“Mommy, who is he?” Tony asked.

“He’s Mrs. Hutton’s son.”

Blinking his eyes, Tony said in a cute voice, “Mommy, all of you look like each other. Are you family? I learned from some TV programs that only family members look like each other.”

The three adults were all dumbfounded.

Sean was the first to react. He carried Tony and asked, “Little boy, do you want me to become your uncle?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“It’s because your eyes look like Mommy’s. They are just like the moon in the sky. Mommy has said that anyone with this kind of eyes is kind-hearted. Hence, I have no choice but to accept you as Mommy’s relative.”

Sean chuckled upon hearing it. He didn’t expect that Tony’s rationale would be that straightforward.

“Boy, for these words, I will be your uncle.”

“I’m Anthony Clinton. I’m a man now. You can call me Tony, but please don’t call me little boy.”

“Sure, Tony.”

Since Sean enjoyed chatting with Tony, he unknowingly stayed in Amelia’s house for a long time. It was already six in the evening when Sean checked his phone.

“Mom, I’ll go home for now and see you again tomorrow.” Sean bid Eleanor farewell. Then, he gazed at Amelia and said, “Amelia, please take care of my mom. If it’s possible, please persuade her not to get a divorce from my dad. After all, they have married and supported each other for several decades. The Hutton family will be broken apart if they are separated. Thank you so much.”

After that, Sean left Amelia’s house. Since Eleanor was worried that Amelia would overthink it, she said, “Lia, don’t listen to Sean. My relationship with his dad has come to an end. Both of us will suffer if we insist on staying together.”

Amelia smiled and replied, “Mrs. Hutton, don’t overthink it. I won’t interfere in your marriage. Besides, an outsider like me does not have the right to do so.”

“Lia, you’re not an outsider but my daughter.”

Since Amelia didn’t want to dwell on the matter, she changed the subject of the conversation. “Mrs. Hutton, you must be hungry. Molly has prepared dinner and put the food in the microwave. Oscar is attending a meeting and should come home in half an hour’s time. We can have dinner together when he’s back.”

Meanwhile, a hint of disappointment flashed across Eleanor’s eyes.

“Mrs. Hutton, have a seat and try some fruits. I’ve asked Molly to tidy the guest room for you. You can stay here for a few days.”

“Lia, are you tired of me?”

“Mrs. Hutton, don’t overthink things. You’re always welcome to drop by. However, I do not wish to be the person who destroys your marriage.”

Eleanor’s expression darkened, and mixed feelings overwhelmed her.

A moment later, Amelia gestured for Tony to keep Eleanor company, hoping to divert her attention.

Sean, who returned home empty-handed, bowed before Benjamin.

“Did your mom refuse to come home?” Benjamin asked calmly.

“Dad, I’m sorry. I couldn’t persuade Mom to come back.”

“I knew it.”

“Dad, what do you plan to do next?”

“Since Eleanor is my wife, she has to be with me no matter what.”

“Dad, I’ve rarely seen Mom so determined in doing something. Hence, I think it’s best not to push her too hard.” After giving it some thought, Sean added, “Besides, I think Amelia isn’t as annoying as we used to think. She’s pretty easy-going and considerate.”

“What do you mean? Are you going to disobey me too?”

Sean fell silent.

“You may leave now. Anyway, it’s getting late. Order three sets of food for us.”

“Understood.”

After Sean called the restaurant to order three sets of food, the deliveryman arrived very soon.

Sean placed the food neatly before knocking on the door. “Dad, let’s have dinner.”

Not long after the family of three had the tasteless dinner, Benjamin wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, “I’m full.” With that, Benjamin pushed his chair back and went upstairs.

Watching Benjamin walk upstairs, Amelia lost her appetite. She heaved a sigh and asked, “Sean, how is Mom now?”

“She didn’t want to come back.”

“I knew it.”

“Let’s eat first and don’t overthink it.”

However, Amelia put down her spoon and grumbled, “How can I have the appetite when our home has become like this?”

“Amelia, this is the matter between Mom and Dad. You shouldn’t interfere in it.”

“Since it all happened because of me, how can I turn a blind eye? Dad is giving me the cold shoulder now. Besides, he has cut more than half of my allowance on my card. If this persists, he might just cancel my credit card.”

When Amelia spoke, Sean put down his spoon and stared at her in annoyance.

In the meantime, Amelia knew that she had misspoken and quickly explained, “Sean, I didn’t mean that. I’m only worried about Mom and Dad.”

“Eat up. I won’t let anything happen to them.”

“Sean, can I go with you tomorrow? I haven’t seen Tony for quite some time.”

“I’m sure visiting Oscar is your motive, right?”

Amelia shrugged.

“Amelia, you’d better watch yourself.”

“Sean, didn’t you agree that I should be with Oscar?”

“Well, I just suddenly think that you two are not the perfect match. I mean, you’re indeed not good enough compared to Amelia Winters.”

All of a sudden, Amelia felt a sense of crisis.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 607

Tension Between Mother And Daughter

Each of them went to bed with an ax to grind.

The next day, Amelia Hutton brought all sorts of items to Amelia Winters’ place. After walking out of the elevator, she stood in front of the condo unit and knocked on the door.

Oscar, who was drying his hair with a towel, came to answer the door. Amelia Hutton was mesmerized by his sexy looks when water droplets rolled down his cheeks.

Oscar’s face instantly stiffened when he saw her. “Come in.”

Amelia Hutton still could not keep her eyes off him. She lifted the breakfast in her hands and said in a gentle voice, “Oscar, I bought breakfast. Wanna try?”

Oscar glanced at the breakfast and tried to distance himself away. “No thanks. Molly has prepared breakfast for me. I’ll have to get back to work after this. You came to pick Mrs. Hutton’s, right? You can leave after having breakfast with her.”

A glimmer of disappointment flickered in Amelia Hutton’s eyes, but she soon pulled herself together.

““Where’s my mom?” She looked away and asked calmly.

“She’s in the room. Make yourself at home. I’m going upstairs to change.” Oscar turned around and went upstairs.

As Amelia Hutton watched Oscar walk away, she looked at his back and swore that one day, she would win him over. You’ll eventually realize I’m the one for you.

After changing his clothes, Oscar walked down with Amelia Winters while carrying Tony in his arms. Eleanor followed right behind.

Upon seeing Amelia Hutton in the house, Eleanor froze for a bit before shooting daggers at her. “What are you doing here?”

Amelia Hutton stood up and grinned. “Mom, I brought some things to visit you because Sean told me you refused to go home.”

“I don’t need anything. Go back and tell your father not to come up with funny ideas. My lawyer will be arriving at nine o’clock this morning, and we’ll discuss the divorce later,” Eleanor said icily.

Amelia Hutton tightened her grip on the gifts she brought and said, “Let’s not air our family’s dirty laundry here, Okay? We can talk this through when we get home.”

“Why? Are you embarrassed? Lia is the one whom I care about the most. I was too naive to think that the things I did could protect her. Apparently, I was wrong! You people are heartless creatures.” Eleanor shot daggers at Amelia Hutton and inched closer. “Tell me, did you change Lia’s number on my phone?”

Amelia Hutton’s eyes glistened. She responded with a sigh and acted innocent. “What are you talking about, Mom? I don’t understand a word.”

Eleanor expressed her disappointment. “You still want to keep lying to me? You want to drive me crazy, huh?”

Amelia Hutton panicked but tried pulling herself together. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Please come home with me since you’ve met Amy now. Let’s not disturb them anymore, okay? We miss you, Mom.”

“Just go. I don’t want to see you now. You’re my daughter, but you used me. How can I not be disappointed? I can’t believe this is the kind of daughter I’ve raised.” Eleanor waved her hand, thinking Amelia Hutton was a let-down. “I’ll go to the hospital later. Please leave.”

Amelia got anxious and held her mother’s hands. “You have to trust me, Mom. I didn’t do it! I wouldn’t have brought you to Beshya if I didn’t want you to reunite with Amy, would I? I bet it’s all a misunderstanding.”

Eleanor pried her hands off.

Looking at the tension between the two, Amelia Winters went up and said, “I’m sure you’re hungry. Why don’t we have breakfast first? We’ll be sending Tony to his grandparents’ house after this, so you two can have a heart-to-heart talk here.”

Eleanor looked at her and asked, “Lia, is Tony afraid of me? Why don’t you let me take care of him? I promise I’ll be gentle.”

“Sorry, Mrs. Hutton. Tony’s grandma misses him a lot and has been asking us to send him over,” Amelia Winters apologized.

The disappointment on Eleanor’s face was palpable.

Oscar stepped in and said aloofly. “Eat something first, Mrs. Hutton. Amelia and I will have to get to work soon.”

Eleanor hid away her disappointment and said, “All right, come. Grab some breakfast first. I thought of making something nice for Lia but didn’t expect Molly to wake up so early.”

Amelia Winters filled a bowl of soup for Eleanor and said, “We can’t expect you to do all the hard work since you’re our guest. By the way, Molly is a good cook. Try it!”

Eleanor knitted her brows and took over the soup. She replied with a wry smile and drank the soup as she did not want to upset Amelia Winters.

Amelia Winters and Oscar did not enjoy their breakfast since there were two outsiders in the house.

After breakfast, Oscar grabbed his coat, bade Eleanor farewell, and left the house with Amelia Winters.

“Did they disturb you, Oscar?” Amelia asked.

Oscar gently stroked her head and smiled. “Why did you say that?”

“I notice u didn’t eat much just now. Shall we stop by a bakery and get some buns for us?”

“Up to you.”

“I want it too, Mommy,” Tony asked while looking at Oscar and Amelia.

“Sure. I’ll get the bodyguard to buy you some buns when you’re on the way to grandma’s, okay?”

“Okay!”

After handing Tony over to the bodyguard, Oscar ordered Hugo and Kurt to protect Tony in secret.

“You decided to let Kurt off?”

“I guess I shouldn’t lock him away when he had received the punishment he deserved.”

Amelia chuckled. “Are you doing this for me?”

Oscar caressed her hair and changed the subject. “Come on. Let’s go. We don’t want to be late for work.”

Amelia smiled and did not pursue the matter further.

Before dropping Amelia off at her office, he unfastened her safety belt and gave her a peck on the lips. “Don’t overthink. If you don’t like the Huttons, I’ll think of ways to send them back to Saspiuburg.”

Amelia nodded.

“I’m gonna go up now. Drive carefully, okay?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Amelia then got out of the car. She took the elevator, got to her office, and dived into her work.

Meanwhile, over at the condominium, tension continued to escalate between Amelia Hutton and Eleanor.

“This is not the right place for now. Please come back to Saspiuburg with us, Mom,” Amelia advised.

Eleanor gave her a puzzled look and asked, “Why did you change Lia’s number on my phone?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve never touched your phone, for goodness sake! How could you simply blame me? For all we know, Amy might have changed a new number!” Amelia was still trying to defend herself.

Eleanor lowered her eyes and went into deep thought.

“I know you missed your long-lost daughter, but you’ve not met her for more than two decades. Do you think you know her well?”

Eleanor kept mum after what she said sank in.

“You barely know Amy, yet you chose to trust her more than the daughter you raised since young? How could you do this to me? Don’t you care about my feelings?” Amelia tried manipulating Eleanor’s emotions.

Initially, Eleanor wanted to retaliate, but she decided to put it to rest. “I don’t want to argue with you, Amelia. I’ll need to go to the hospital now. Let’s talk about it later.”

Amelia stood up from the couch and exclaimed, “Wake up, Mom! That daughter of yours doesn’t even want to acknowledge you as her mother. Can’t you tell?”

“That’s enough, Amelia.” Eleanor’s frustration kicked in.

“I’ll do everything I can to wake you up from your illusion,” Amelia retorted. “You said you’re disappointed in me. But don’t you know that I’m disappointed in you too? How could you do this to the Hutton family? How could you do this to Sean and me?”

Upon hearing that, Eleanor got even more irritated. She grabbed her bag on the couch and said, “You should leave now. I need to go to the hospital.”

Amelia refused to give in and followed right behind her.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 608

Crushed By Guilt

After going down the stairs with Eleanor, Amelia grabbed her hand and whispered, “Stop it, Mom! Let’s just go back, okay? Dad is really mad this time!”

Eleanor brushed her arm off. “You head on back.”

“Mom, I’m begging you… We’ve been together for almost thirty years! Are you seriously going to choose Amelia Winters over me?” Amelia pleaded as she followed beside her.

Eleanor paused in her tracks for a brief moment before carrying on.

Infuriated, Amelia shouted angrily, “Mom, must you make me hate Amelia Winters?”

Eleanor stopped in her tracks this time, much to Amelia’s relief.

She then grabbed Eleanor’s hand and said, “Come on, let’s head back for now.”

Eleanor gave Amelia a conflicted look and squeezed her hand as she said, “Amelia, I love you the most, and I believe you understand me best in this family. I know you’re not like your autocratic father. You’ll support me no matter what I do, right?

“I can support your decision on everything else, but not this one. You can either come back with me, or I will get in between Amelia Winters and Oscar. The choice is up to you.”

Eleanor simply slapped her hard across the face in response.

Amelia rubbed her cheek in pain as she glared at her with tears in her eyes.

“I can’t believe you hit me again, Mom! Fine! I see how it is! You only want that other daughter of yours, right? Well, guess what? You’re not my mom anymore! I’m done with you!” she cried out before running off.

A glint of guilt appeared in Eleanor’s eyes when she saw Amelia running away. She held up her hand and attempted to call out to her, but the words were stuck in her throat.

Eleanor let out a huge sigh as she watched Amelia disappear into the distance. She then quickly walked out of the neighborhood and took a cab straight to the hospital.

Dominic and Melanie were surprised to see her show up at the ward. “Excuse me, madam. Who are you?” Dominic asked after a brief pause.

“Hello, you two must be Lia’s adoptive parents. I’m her biological mother, and I’ve been searching for her for over twenty years. I happened to bump into her in Beshya a while back, and I was glad to see that she has been raised incredibly well. I came here today to properly express my gratitude to the both of you.”

Dominic and Melanie exchanged shocked glances upon hearing that.

“You’re Mrs. Hutton?” Dominic asked after regaining his composure.

A hint of confusion appeared in Eleanor’s eyes. “You’ve heard of me?”

Noticing that Dominic was starting to panic, Eleanor continued, “I never mentioned anything about my husband’s last name, so why did you call me ‘Mrs. Hutton?’“

Dominic simply lowered his gaze as he tried to come up with something to say.

“Mind answering my question, Mr. Winters?” Eleanor pressed on.

Dominic looked up at her as he replied, “Please don’t get the wrong idea, Mrs. Hutton. You see, your husband came by some time ago. He told me about his relationship with my daughter, and he also said you’re her biological mother. That’s how I figured out that you’re his wife.”

The look in Eleanor’s eyes turned gloomy instantly.

“My husband was here?”

“Yes.”

“Did he mention anything else?”

“He praised us for raising Amelia well because of how polite and gentle she is. He also told us how he had thought about reuniting with Amelia, but couldn’t bring himself to separate us from her.” Dominic then started wiping his tears as he continued in a shaky voice, “Mrs. Hutton, please don’t take our daughter away! We may not be related by blood, but we have always loved her like our own! Please don’t take her from us!”

Eleanor had a conflicted look on her face as she stared at him in silence.

Casting all of his ego and pride aside, Dominic knelt down on the floor and pleaded with tears in his eyes, “I know that the Hutton family is wealthy, and that it would be best for Amelia to reunite with you. However, we did go through a lot of pain raising her, so please don’t take her away from us!”

Eleanor bent over to help him to his feet, but Dominic refused to get up. He even grabbed her by the hand as he continued to beg, “Please don’t take Amelia away! Mr. Hutton told me that you two already have a son and daughter!”

Eleanor glanced at him and said softly, “I have been investigating Lia, and I have also secretly visited her hometown. The neighbors told me that you two weren’t particularly nice to her. I came here today to thank you two for not actually abusing her.”

Dominic’s expression tensed up upon hearing that, and he stared at her in disbelief.

“Will you please stand up, Mr. Winters? We’re similar in age, so people might think I’m bullying you if they see you kneeling like this!” Eleanor said while pulling harder on his arm.

Dominic had no choice but to do as told and got back on his feet.

“Have you calmed down yet, Mr. Winters?” Eleanor asked.

Dominic nodded.

“I heard your son has been hospitalized. Is his condition improving yet? I contacted a team of specialists that I found in Saspiuburg. I could have them take the next flight here if you’d like,” Eleanor continued.

Melanie stepped forward and pushed Dominic aside as she asked, “Really? You know specialists who can treat him?”

Eleanor nodded.

“Please get them to come over! You can have Amelia back if you can get Oscar treated! We won’t object to it at all!” Melanie pleaded anxiously.

Eleanor frowned in displeasure upon hearing that.

She didn’t like how Melanie had just given Amelia up like she meant nothing at all.

I’ve heard rumors about the Winters family not treating my daughter well, but I didn’t think it was this bad. Her attitude is making me really uncomfortable…

With that in mind, Eleanor replied, “I can have them come over, but I would appreciate it if you’d refrain from treating my daughter like trash. You two have raised her for over twenty years now, so you should at least love her like your own. Please do not make light of her value like that. Just so you know, she means the world to me.”

Melanie simply stared at her in confusion as if she didn’t understand what she meant by that.

Eleanor walked up to Spencer’s bed and glanced at him as she made a phone call. “Hello, Dr. Fleming. Remember what I told you about my friend in Tayhaven whose son is suffering from cirrhosis? Yeah, his condition is a little serious. Could you please come over?”

After a brief pause, Eleanor continued, “Thank you in advance, Dr. Fleming. I’ll treat you all to a meal when you guys arrive in Tayhaven. All right, we’ll talk further when you get here.”

After that, Eleanor hung up the phone and told them, “Dr. Fleming and his team will be taking the afternoon flight today. They’ll come over to the hospital as soon as they land in Tayhaven and discuss your son’s treatment with his doctors here.”

Melanie stepped forward and asked anxiously, “Mrs. Hutton, is my son really going to be okay?”

“Sorry. I’m not a doctor, so I can’t promise you anything except for the fact that these doctors will do everything they can to treat him.”

Melanie felt a little disappointed, but nodded helplessly anyway.

Eleanor then pulled out a credit card from her purse and handed it to Melanie. “Mrs. Winters, please accept this as a token of appreciation for you two raising my daughter. You will need a lot of money for your son’s treatment, so I’m sure you’ll be able to put this money to good use.”

After hesitating for a bit, Melanie was about to take the card when Dominic rushed over and rejected the offer. “Mrs. Hutton, I appreciate your kind offer in our time of need, but we can’t accept your money. After all, we haven’t exactly done our best job as Amelia’s parents.”

However, Melanie quickly snatched the card over and protested, “Nonsense! We provided Amelia with the best we could and even got her into university! Giving us this credit card is the least she can do to repay us! We’re going to need a lot of money for our son’s treatment, and we can’t be relying on Amelia to pay for everything!”

Dominic tried to take the card away from her, but Melanie clutched it tightly against her chest.

The look in Eleanor’s eyes turned icy-cold as she watched from the side. It pained her to see how unfairly her daughter had been treated by the Winters family.

While the two of them were still fighting over the card, Eleanor left the ward and took the elevator downstairs. She had a conflicted feeling in her heart as she wandered aimlessly along the sidewalk.

I can’t imagine how terrible Lia must’ve felt growing up without the love and care of her parents… The fact that she became such a polite and mature person today shows just how much pain she went through in the past…

Eleanor teared up at the thought of that. Her heart was filled with so much guilt that it felt like she was being crushed to death by it.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 609

The Ugly Truth

After wandering the streets near the hospital for a while, Eleanor saw Melanie coming out of the hospital.

With a cunning glint in her eyes, she quickly ran up to Melanie and called out to her politely, “Mrs. Winters!”

Melanie stared at her cautiously as she responded in kind, “Oh, hello, Mrs. Hutton! What are you still doing here?”

“May I treat you to a meal, Mrs. Winters? Lia and I have been separated for over twenty years, so I don’t really know much about her. Would you mind telling me about her over lunch?” Eleanor then put on her most sincere expression as she continued with reddened eyes, “I know I was a little rude in the ward earlier, but I was just worried about my daughter being mistreated by her adoptive family. You’re a mother too, so I’m sure you can understand where I’m coming from here. Will you give me a chance to make it up to you?”

For some reason, Melanie found herself moved by Eleanor’s statement and nodded in response.

Eleanor then brought her over to a relatively fancy café and ordered a huge amount of food. “Here, feel free to order anything you like!” she said while handing Melanie the menu.

“The food you’ve ordered is enough for the two of us. Wouldn’t want to end up wasting food by ordering more than we can finish.”

“All right, then.” Eleanor handed the order chit over to the waiter and said softly, “Please serve up the food as soon as possible.”

Melanie tugged nervously at her sleeves after the waiter had left. Eleanor’s grandeur gave her a lot of pressure and made her feel self-conscious about her own appearance. On top of that, she was also feeling a little guilty about her inappropriate behavior in the ward earlier.

“Relax, Mrs. Winters. I’m really grateful to you for being Lia’s adoptive mother, so let us just have a casual conversation about her childhood,” Eleanor said in a gentle yet authoritative voice.

Noticing a hint of awkwardness and guilt in Melanie’s eyes, she continued,

“Could you tell me how Lia made it into your household? I spent a really long time searching for her, but couldn’t find any information on her whatsoever. I got so worried that I kept dreaming about her all the time. In my dreams, she was starving as she wandered the streets all by herself in tattered clothes, completely exposed to the harsh weather. The anxiety got so bad that I ended up in a psychiatric hospital a few times. Thanks to a psychiatrist’s continuous guidance, I was somewhat able to keep my emotions in check…” Eleanor started sobbing uncontrollably as she went on.

It wasn’t until Melanie’s arms began to twitch slightly that Eleanor realized she had lost her composure.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to get so emotional. Being a mother yourself, I’m sure you can understand how I feel!” she said with a forced smile.

Melanie simply shook her head in response.

“Being Lia’s adoptive mother, you provided her with everything she needed and kept her from wandering the streets like a beggar. I may have heard unpleasant rumors about how you two treated her, but now, I realize that can’t be true. After all, she is well educated and even found herself such an amazing husband! I’m really grateful to you for everything you’ve done for her!” Eleanor added.

“P-Please don’t say that!” Melanie replied with a look of shame on her face. Providing Amelia with the basic necessities was all she really did for her. Not only did Melanie not care about Amelia, but she was also extremely cold toward her. In fact, it wouldn’t even be an overstatement to say that they were practically as distant as complete strangers.

“No, I really am grateful to you. Thank you for raising her so well. I can’t imagine how life would’ve been for Lia if you two didn’t adopt her!”

“But… Wasn’t your husband the one who handed her over to us?” Melanie asked in confusion.

Eleanor froze upon hearing that.

“What did you just say?”

“Your husband had someone bring Amelia over to us back then. The person told us that you two didn’t like her, and that you two would offer us a huge amount of money to look after her. We were told that we only needed to provide her with the basic necessities, so we didn’t really care that much about her. Our relationship with Amelia has been rather distant the whole time, and it has been almost ten years since I last saw her,” Melanie replied.

After a brief pause, she continued, “Mrs. Hutton, I don’t know why you two decided to send her over back then, but why are you acting like you don’t know anything about it? Why not just admit that you two didn’t like her? My husband and I have never lied to anyone about how we mistreated her, so how about you stop being so pretentious?”

Eleanor was trembling all over when the waiter served up their food and drinks.

“Please enjoy your meal, ladies.”

With both her hands clutching her glass tightly, Eleanor felt the cold sensation of it seep through her skin and spread through her body.

The veins on her neck bulged, and her lips smacked against each other as she tried to calm herself down by taking deep breaths.

“Are you all right, Mrs. Hutton?” Melanie asked worriedly when she noticed her unusual response.

“D-Did my husband really have someone bring Lia over to you?” Eleanor asked in a shaky voice.

“Yeah! Don’t you already know that, though?”

Eleanor let out a wry chuckle as the ugly truth crushed whatever resolve she had left in her.

“Enjoy your meal. I need to get going now,” Eleanor said as she ran out of the café.

Moments later, a sinister grin spread across Melanie’s face as she mumbled to herself, “Sorry about that, Mrs. Hutton. My husband may be a kind-hearted and honest man, but I will do everything I can to protect my son. Your husband won’t come after mine if your family is plunged into chaos.”

Of course, Eleanor was oblivious to her schemes as she had already run all the way down the street by then.

She pulled out her phone and tried to call Amelia Hutton, but her hands were trembling so much that she missed the button thrice in a row.

She even tried holding her trembling hand with the other, but it was of no use at all.

“D*mn it! Why are you doing this to me?” she cried out helplessly in despair.

The passers-by gave her weird looks, and a few of them even stepped forward to ask if she needed help.

Eleanor politely shook her head and carried on walking as she continued trying to call Amelia Hutton.

“Amelia, where is your father right now?” she asked the moment the call got through.

Amelia gave her an address.

“Tell him to wait there for me. I’ll go see him right away!” Eleanor said and hung up the phone immediately after.

She then stopped a passing taxi and read the address out to the driver. “Please hurry, mister. I’m in a bit of a rush.”

“All right,” the driver replied and drove her to that location as quickly as he could.

“Here, keep the change,” Eleanor said while handing him a hundred upon arrival.

She then quickly entered the building, took the elevator upstairs, and rang the doorbell.

It was Amelia Hutton who opened the door.

“Where’s your father?”

Noticing something off about her expression, Amelia grabbed her by the arm and asked, “What’s wrong, Mom?”

Eleanor shot her a vicious glare and raised her voice as she repeated, “I asked you a question, d*mn it! Where is your father?”

The look in Amelia’s eyes turned cold when she saw how hostile Eleanor was toward her. “As you can see, I’m the only one here right now. Dad and Sean went out to visit an old friend, so you can make yourself at home. I’m going to take a nap.”

Eleanor glared at her coldly as she shouted, “Hold it right there!”

“What else do you want, Mom?”

“Where have your father and brother went?”

“I don’t know,” Amelia replied and stood there for a few seconds in hopes of hearing Eleanor apologizing to her, but that never happened.

Feeling disappointed, she turned around and went into her room.

Eleanor waited until she had closed the door before letting out a huge sigh and slumping weakly against the sofa.

I shouldn’t have gotten the children involved in the conflicts of my generation… Now, my beloved children are all becoming more and more distant, and it’s all my fault. I never wanted any of this to happen, but I just couldn’t keep my temper in check.

She was still struggling to come to terms with the fact that her husband was the main reason behind the disappearance of her eldest daughter.

Her mind was in a total mess, but she knew for a fact that her relationship with her husband was surely coming to an end.

Too Much to Bear My Love Chapter 610

Let Her Leave

Eleanor ran up to Benjamin the moment he came in through the door with Sean. She then slapped him hard across the face before they even realized what was going on, leaving them both frozen in shock and confusion.

“Benjamin, I actually thought you had some humanity left in you despite your cruel behavior, but I was wrong! Even a f*cking animal has more humanity than you do!” Eleanor shouted through clenched teeth.

Fearing that Benjamin would hit her back, Sean quickly stepped between them as he asked, “What’s gotten into you, Mom?”

“Go to your room, Sean! This is between me and your father! I don’t need any of you kids getting involved in our conflict!” Eleanor ordered aggressively.

Sean frowned as he tried to talk her out of it, “Calm down, Mom. We’re a family, remember? We can talk about this! There’s no need to make things awkward like this—”

“Go to your room, Sean! Don’t make me say that again!” Eleanor cut him off angrily.

Unsure of what to do, Sean fell silent on the spot.

“Go to your room, Sean. I’ll see what your mom has to say to me,” Benjamin said coldly with a frown.

Sean hesitated for a bit, but did as told anyway.

The look in Benjamin’s eyes had turned gloomy when he rubbed his cheek, but he forced himself to remain calm as he asked, “Mind explaining what this is all about, Eleanor?”

“Why did you do it? Lia was so young at the time! How could you just hand her over to someone else? I’ve missed her so much over the years that I nearly went crazy!” Eleanor asked with a conflicted look on her face.

Benjamin froze when he heard that. He knew exactly what she meant, but decided to play dumb and asked, “What are you going on about, Eleanor?”

“Drop the act, Benjamin! I know the truth! You were the one who sent Lia away back then! Even a vicious tiger would never eat its own cubs, but you just gave your daughter away like she means nothing at all! Do you have any idea how much Lia has suffered over the years?”

“She went missing on her own. I did have my men go search for her, but they weren’t able to find her. I can’t believe you’d go as far as suspecting me just over someone else’s baseless accusations, Eleanor. We have been married for over thirty years. Does our marriage not mean more than a stranger’s words?” Benjamin replied calmly.

“Stop lying to me! If there’s one thing I regret doing the most, it’s marrying you!” Eleanor shouted at the top of her lungs.

Benjamin’s expression grew icy-cold instantly. “What did you just say to me?”

“I said, I regret marrying you! I wouldn’t have to suffer for so long if I had married someone else instead! The mere sight of your face disgusts me to no end!”

Benjamin stepped forward and grabbed her by the wrist as he threatened, “I dare you to say that one more time.”

“It won’t make a difference even if I say it a hundred times more! You disgust me!” Eleanor snapped back at him stubbornly.

“Eleanor, you’ve been throwing a tantrum for a few days now. It’s time to stop this nonsense. Come on, let’s go home,” Benjamin said while giving her hand a squeeze.

Eleanor tried to brush his hand off with all of her might, but his grip was ridiculously firm.

“Let go!”

Benjamin pulled her into his arms. “I told you, I won’t let go of you ever again. Now, now… Stop this nonsense and come home with me, Eleanor. I promise I won’t do anything to her.”

Eleanor summoned every ounce of strength she had in her to shove him off.

“You’re crazy!” she shouted while storming toward the door, only to see two bodyguards standing outside after opening it.

“Bring her to me!” Benjamin ordered while sitting down on the couch.

“Sorry about this, Mrs. Hutton,” they mumbled as they forcefully dragged Eleanor back toward him.

Noticing how Eleanor was still glaring daggers at him, Benjamin cleared his throat and said casually, “Eleanor, you’ve already thrown your tantrum and lashed out at me. It’s about time you put an end to this nonsense and come home with me. You know how much I hate it when you bring up divorce like that, don’t you? We have become one through marriage, so you can forget about leaving my side ever again. I don’t like Amelia Winters, and I will never allow her into our household, so you can forget about her before I really get mad at you.”

Eleanor was so overwhelmed by a mixture of hatred and anger that she turned around and walked off without saying a word.

She then made her way up the stairs and went straight into Sean’s bedroom.

“Hey, Mom,” Sean greeted her when he saw her.

“I’m leaving this place. Help me pack my bags.”

Instead of bombarding her with a ton of questions, Sean simply replied, “Okay.”

Eleanor stared at him in confusion and suspicion. “Aren’t you going to try and stop me?”

“You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you? As your son, I’ll support whatever decision you make. But, are you sure you’ve thought this through?” Sean asked with a helpless smile.

“Yeah, I have.” Eleanor replied with a nod after a brief pause.

“You will cut ties with us even though Amelia Winters doesn’t intend on reuniting with you?”

Noticing no response from her, Sean walked up to her and continued, “I won’t stop you from divorcing Dad, but you should remember that I’m the only son of the Hutton family. Keep in mind that you will lose a son and a daughter if you choose to leave us. Saspiuburg isn’t that far away from Tayhaven, but I don’t think we’ll ever be seeing each other again if you leave.”

“Sean, are you threatening me?”

“That’s not what I meant, Mom. I’m just asking you to make a choice between us and Amelia Winters.”

“Are you going to force me too?”

“You’re wrong, Mom. I’m just reminding you that it’s not worth giving up on this family over a daughter that has gone missing for over twenty years. Maybe you should think carefully about this before you decide on leaving. If your final decision is still to leave us, then I will go against Dad’s wishes and get you out of here,” Sean said as he walked out of the bedroom, leaving Eleanor rooted to the spot.

After what seemed like forever, he came back into the room and asked, “Have you made up your mind yet, Mom?”

Eleanor simply looked up at him without saying a word.

“Dad isn’t around, so you can leave anytime you want,” Sean added.

Eleanor gave him a strange look as she made her way toward the bedroom door.

Sean stepped aside to let her pass, but she stopped in her tracks all of a sudden.

“Mom, you should leave if you’ve already made up your mind. Dad says he’ll respect your decision and deliver the divorce papers over to you in person the day after tomorrow. You will no longer be associated with the Hutton family in any way from here on, and neither Amelia nor I will call you ‘Mom’ ever again,” he said gently.

A hesitant look appeared in Eleanor’s eyes upon hearing that, but she walked out of the house anyway.

“Dad, are you really going to just let Mom go like that?” Amelia asked Benjamin as the two of them came out of the other room.

“That daughter of hers is all she cares about right now, so it would be pointless to forcefully keep her around. She’ll start to miss us once she has spent enough time with Amelia Winters.”

“What if Mom doesn’t plan on coming back at all?”

“I won’t let that happen.”

Where the heck does Dad get his confidence from? He keeps claiming that he won’t let this family fall apart, and yet look what has happened now! Amelia thought to herself as she stared at Benjamin.

“I have an appointment with someone, so I have to get going now.”

Amelia waited until Benjamin had left before making her way to Sean’s room.

“Sean, aren’t you going to do anything about Mom?” she asked.

Sean narrowed his eyes and replied calmly, “You saw how things were. Mom doesn’t want us to get involved at all. We’re nothing compared to that long-lost daughter of hers.”

A look of hatred flashed past Amelia’s eyes upon hearing that. “If you and Dad won’t do anything about it, then neither will I! Mom has forgotten about me ever since she found that other daughter of hers anyway!” she exclaimed and stomped her feet angrily before returning to her room.

Sean too, made his way back into his room and glared coldly at the scenery outside the window.

After what seemed like forever, he grabbed his coat from the bed, took the elevator downstairs, and drove off as quickly as he could.

Pulling up outside Clinton Corporations, he adjusted his suit and entered the building with confidence.

The lady at the front desk blushed a little when she saw a handsome man standing in front of her. “Excuse me, Sir. Do you have an appointment?” she asked in a gentle voice.

“My name is Sean Hutton, and I’m here to see Mr. Clinton. Could you give him a call and tell him that I have arrived?” Sean replied in an equally gentle manner.

“Sure thing, Sir. Please wait a moment.”

The receptionist then called up the secretary on the top floor and passed on the message. Moments later, she hung up the phone and told Sean politely, “This way, Mr. Hutton. Just take the elevator straight to the top floor, and someone will show you the way to Mr. Clinton’s office.”

“Thank you very much.”

“You’re most welcome, Sir.”

Sean then took the elevator to the top floor where a woman named Linda was waiting for him.

“Please follow me, Mr. Hutton,” she said respectfully the moment the elevator door opened.

“Thank you, Miss.”

Linda simply nodded in response and escorted him to Oscar’s office. “Mr. Clinton is in a meeting at the moment, so please have a seat while you wait.”

She then brought him a cup of coffee as he sat down in a chair. “Here, have some coffee, Mr. Hutton. I can fetch you some books and magazines if you feel bored.”

“Thanks, but that won’t be necessary.”

“All right.” Linda then stepped out the door and closed it behind her.

Wow… I have to admit, Oscar really has some good taste when it comes to decorating his workplace… Sean thought to himself as he glanced at the simplistic yet luxurious-looking decor around him.