Ch. 771..780

Chapter 771 Using Stephanie

Soon, Oscar instructed the HR department to fire Isabella. The manager of the HR department brought two guards to escort Isabella out. “Ms. Walker, you’re no longer an employee of the company. Please hand in your work ID card before you leave.”

There were mixed emotions on Isabella’s face. She clenched her fists tightly, her cheeks burning. She had never been so humiliated as she was that day. It was obvious that Oscar was trying to abash her in front of the whole company so that she would resign from the company willingly.

Naturally, she wouldn’t do as he wished. She had entered the company to get closer to Oscar, and she had been doing everything with the goal of becoming his woman. Since her goal had not been achieved yet, there was no way she would accept her bleak fate and leave the company willingly.

“Mr. Floyd, I haven’t done anything wrong nor did I harm the company in any way. As such, I strongly object to Mr. Clinton’s decision of dismissing me like this. I won’t accept it. Even if you want me to leave, I will need to go up and question his decision myself first. I will always be Mrs. Clinton’s goddaughter whether I’m working in the company or not. So I hope you’re wise enough to not stop me.” Isabella narrowed her eyes, her attitude was even more arrogant than that of the manager.

The manager of the HR department, Carlton Floyd, was a smart man. As such, he dared not offend Isabella, considering the latter was still Olivia’s goddaughter. He had to take into account their relationship before making his move. Otherwise, if Isabella said something in front of Olivia, he reckoned he would lose his job as the manager of the HR department.

“Ms. Walker, I won’t object if you want to talk to Mr. Clinton, but can you please give me your work ID card first? I believe you will be more welcome by Mr. Clinton if you visit him in your private capacity,” Carlton said.

Isabella rolled her eyes at him angrily before shoving him away and heading upstairs.

“What are you still waiting for? Didn’t you hear what Mr. Clinton ordered? Escort any unauthorized personnel out of the company right now.” Carlton shouted at the guards who were standing by the side.

Upon receiving the instruction, the guards rushed over and stopped Isabella.

Isabella’s face became even more sullen. She flushed under the intense gazes of other employees. Back when I was still the director, Carlton always sucked up to me. Yet, he dared to send others to stop me now. This guy is getting so full of himself!

“Mr. Floyd, what do you think you are doing?” Isabella said through gritted teeth.

Carlton smiled apologetically. “Ms. Walker, I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. I was ordered by Mr. Clinton to collect the work ID card from you. You are the goddaughter of Mrs. Clinton, so you’d still be able to come to the company in the future whenever you like, right?”

Isabella knew that if she didn’t give the work ID card to Carlton that day, she wouldn’t have the chance to see Oscar. After weighing the pros and cons, she tossed the ID card angrily to the ground.

“There you go.” Isabella said angrily, “You’re such a lackey, so eager to please your master.”

Carlton was unfazed by her insult. He bent over and picked up the work ID card before saying to the guards, “You guys can escort Ms. Walker out now. It’d be bad if we disturbed the other employees at work.”

“Carlton Floyd, what exactly do you think you’re doing?” Isabella glared at him and dodged away from the two guards. Seeing how they were approaching her unrelentingly, she got angry and gave them a slap each. She growled, “Don’t you dare touch me, or I will sue you for harassment. Even if I don’t work here, you petty guards can’t afford to mess with a big shot like me.”

The two guards stopped and looked at Carlton hesitantly.

Carlton couldn’t help but feel a little helpless. If it were someone else who got fired, he would simply get the security guards to throw that person out no matter how vicious the tantrums that person was throwing. However, the person who was throwing a fit right at this moment was Isabella. Seeing how close the relationship between the Walker family and the Clinton family was, Carlton knew he had to act carefully as he was now treading on thin ice.

“Ms. Walker, Mr. Clinton has dismissed you from your post. I’m sure he has his own reasons for removing you from the company. If you disagree with his decision, I suggest you wait for him to calm down first before coming back to the company afterward. Instead of making a fuss in the company now, I think it will be better if you ask him yourself then. Don’t you think so?” Carlton tried to make his tone as gentle as possible.

He didn’t want to annoy Isabella. Otherwise, she would throw endless tantrums in the company, and he was sure that by then, he would be dismissed from his post as the manager too.

Isabella immediately calmed down when she heard that.

She turned around, went back to her office, packed up some of her things, and left. The two guards followed behind her all the way when she cursed angrily, “Are you guys mutts? Stop following me, and buzz off!”

The two guards stopped in their tracks.

Feeling dejected, Isabella left the company. She returned home full of anger and frustration. When she saw Stephanie lying on the couch with her bulging belly, eating fruit and watching dramas, the fire burning within her blazed stronger.

There I was being humiliated by Oscar in the company, while Stephanie is making use of her status to enjoy her life in my house. This is simply unbearable!

Well, isn’t Oscar trying to make a big deal out of this? I guess it’s time for me to cut loose and wreak some havoc then. She decided she would send both the Walker family and the Clinton family into chaos. With Stephanie, the troublemaker here, she reckoned Oscar would not have the energy to take care of the matter about the photos.

The more chaotic the situation became, the greater the chance of Oscar returning to the Clinton residence. When the time comes, she would seize the chance and drug his food again. Then, she would find a psychiatrist to hypnotize him. By then, he would be mine and mine only.

Her mood instantly brightened up when she thought of how after she and Oscar got together, she would be able to drive those who used to talk behind her back out of the company.

With a simple plan in mind, she walked toward Stephanie.

“Stephanie.” Isabella smiled gently.

Stephanie glanced at Isabella. She was getting lazy ever since she was pregnant. Her belly also looked bigger than those of other pregnant women.

“Why are you home so early today?” Stephanie asked.

Isabella walked over to help her up. She then said, “You’ve been pregnant for several months now, and your belly is getting bigger. Why don’t you ask the maid to accompany you for a walk? It won’t be easy for you to give birth if you go on like this.”

Stephanie pursed her lips and said disgruntledly, “Look at my waistline! I’m almost as fat as a pig now. Noah is busy with work and doesn’t care about me at all. If it weren’t for the fact that he comes back every day without any scent of women on him, I would have wondered if he was hiding a lover outside. If I ever find out that he has a mistress, I’ll definitely teach him a good lesson.”

A wicked sneer appeared on Isabella’s face before she quickly hid it away.

“Stephanie, people always say that pregnant women like to overthink everything, especially those like you who have been pregnant for a few months. I didn’t believe it at first, but now I’ve changed my mind. Noah really pampers you a lot. He always tells me to go easy on you, saying that you haven’t had a good sleep or appetite since you’re pregnant.” In truth, you eat more and sleep heavier since you’re pregnant. You’re no different than a pig now. Otherwise, your body won’t bloat up like this. I feel sorry for my brother.

“I heard that Noah secretly called someone to arrange a surprise for you. I don’t know what it is, but you can go and ask around. That being said, please don’t tell him that you got the news from me,” Isabella said deliberately.

She knew that Noah had prepared a surprise because Emma’s birthday was approaching. He had prepared a birthday present specifically to make up for not being able to celebrate the new year with her this year. If Stephanie finds out about this, a fiasco would surely ensue.

Stephanie took the bait when she heard Isabella. Her eyes lit up, and she said, “Isabella, did Noah really prepare a present for me? I have to go take a look.”

“Stephanie.” Isabella took her hand and said, “I told you, didn’t I? It’s a surprise, so we have to pretend we don’t know anything. But don’t worry, once Noah’s set up everything, I’ll secretly take you to see it. I’m sure you will like the surprise. After all, I took part in preparing the gift. He said it was for you, so I hope you’ll appreciate his painstaking efforts.”

Stephanie’s face finally brightened up at that.

“At least he’s conscientious enough to know that I am still his wife.”

“Stephanie, Noah adores you and will cater to all your wishes.”

“Well, I deserve it. I’m going to give birth to a child for him, and I’ll even lose my curvaceous body because of this. It’s only natural that he should treat me well.”

“Indeed. He should treat you nicely.”

“I’m glad that you think this way too.”

Stephanie hummed in contentment. Then, she remembered Isabella’s early return that day.

“Isabella, why did you come home so early today?”

Isabella’s eyes dimmed. She embellished and exaggerated her story in the company to Stephanie, blaming Amelia for the predicament.

Stephanie fumed, “This Amelia is insufferable. She leaves and comes as she pleased. She knows Oscar loves her, and that’s why she dares to act this way. You’re supposed to be the daughter-in-law of the Clinton family. Not only did this woman come and snatched away what was supposed to be yours, but she also drove you out of the company. No, this won’t do. I’ll go home tomorrow and tell my mother about this. I can’t let Amelia have her way.”

Isabella sighed and said, “Stephanie, what’s the use if you go and complain about it? Oscar is the one who’s in charge of the company now, and he insists on me leaving. He humiliated me, and I reckon I must have lost everyone’s respect. Forget it.”

Stephanie got angrier upon hearing that.

“How can you just let it go like this? It’s not your fault. It was Oscar who came to provoke you first. Someone took a photo of him kissing you and sent it to Amelia’s phone. That’s why Amelia questioned him. Why should you take the blame for it? Since when did Oscar become such a coward that he didn’t even dare to admit that he has another lover outside?” she said angrily.

After a pause, she added, “Isabella, we’ll go to the Clinton residence tomorrow to seek justice for you. I’m going to question Oscar why he didn’t admit that he had kissed you.”

“Forget it, Stephanie. Oscar won’t admit to it. He said that he only kissed me because I drugged him and made him lose his memory. But I don’t blame him, though. No one asks me to fall for him, after all. Even though I know he only loves Amelia, I was still willing to be kissed by him.”

“Still, we can’t just let it go like this!” Stephanie was livid.

Hearing that, a gleam flashed across Isabella’s eyes.

Chapter 772 Meeting Amelia

The next day, Stephanie dragged Isabella to the Clinton residence, only to be informed by the housekeeper that Olivia and Owen were away to travel abroad.

Feeling furious, Stephanie called Olivia without hesitation. Soon, Olivia answered the call. “Steph, I’m visiting a friend in Machia with your father. Look for Oscar if you need anything. Besides, you shouldn’t walk around too much now that you’re pregnant. Okay?”

Before Stephanie could question her, Olivia voiced again, “I’m ending the call now. Your father’s friend is here. By the way, I heard from Oscar that he had just fired Isabella. Could you please comfort her for me? I’ll talk to Oscar when I return from Machia.”

With that said, Olivia hung up on her directly. Stephanie stared at her blackened phone screen, not knowing how to react.

It’s obvious they know that I will come here to question them. I can’t believe that they went to Machia without informing anyone. When they return, it will be too late to discuss Isabella’s dismissal. It’s useless to intercede for Isabella at that time. “What’s wrong, Steph?”

“They went to Machia to visit a friend. I guess my mother knew that we would come to talk about this. She must be avoiding us by going abroad. I’m her daughter, and she considers you as her goddaughter too. But she still chooses to side with Oscar for dismissing you. I bet my parents refuse to be involved in this matter. Ugh! I’m so pissed right now!” Stephanie complained in rage.

Upon hearing that, Isabella lowered her eyes, concealing the grimness in them.

Aunt Olivia, since you refuse to help me, then you can’t blame me for plotting against your daughter. I bet you won’t be able to enjoy your time in Machia if you know that your daughter is causing trouble in the Walker family.

Oblivious to what Isabella was planning inwardly, Stephanie was still simmering with anger.

“Don’t be angry, Steph. It’s obvious that Oscar lashed out at me on purpose. I think it will be difficult for Aunt Olivia to side with any party. No matter which side she chooses, one of us will be unsatisfied with the outcome. Hence, I understand why she chose to travel abroad to avoid this conflict. I would do the same too.” Isabella pretended to be sensible.

Stephanie uttered, “You might be able to accept that, but I can’t! I still feel triggered recalling Amelia’s smug face. Let’s go! We should look for her and reason with her. I want her whole company to know how intolerant she is!”

Hearing that, Isabella hurriedly stopped her. If she causes a stir, Oscar will be infuriated for sure!

“Calm down, Steph. We can look for Amelia, but we have to do it secretly. Otherwise, we’ll end up in deep trouble if Oscar finds out,” suggested Isabella.

Stephanie mulled over it for a while before agreeing with her.

In the car, Stephanie called Amelia.

As the call got connected, she asked, “Where are you, Amelia? I need to talk to you. Are you free now?”

Amelia had a fight with Oscar and was not in a good mood. As such, she gave Stephanie an attitude.

She rejected her without hesitation by saying, “I’m sorry, but I’m working now. If you really want to talk to me, you can come over to my place tonight. I’ll even serve you some snacks.”

Stephanie’s expression darkened at that. “What do you mean by that, Amelia? Are you disregarding your sister-in-law now that I’m married?”

Remaining patient, Amelia explained, “I’m really working now. Let’s talk when I get home later. I’ll be hanging up now. My colleagues are watching me.”

After saying that, she ended the call immediately.

Why is everyone hanging up on me these days? With that thought in mind, Stephanie could not help but feel sulky.

“How dare that vixen ends my call like that?” Stephanie was so furious that she was on the verge of having a miscarriage.

At the side, Isabella tried to provoke her intentionally, “You’re now one of the Walkers, and you no longer live with her. Hence, there is no point for her to continue pleasing you.”

Stephanie’s temper definitely became worse being pampered by Noah. She folded her arm and said furiously, “The more she doesn’t want to meet with us, the more I want to pester her. I would like to see how arrogant she can be.”

Using Stephanie to go against Amelia, Isabella felt overjoyed. Although she was unable to cause any harm to Amelia, Isabella was still pleased that she could at least make life difficult for the woman.

Soon, both of them drove to Amelia’s office and arrived at her company’s entrance.

Stephanie called Amelia again, but Amelia did not answer her call. She then drafted a text and sent it to her.

The text read: Amelia, I have no choice but to go to your office if you refuse to see me. I’ll tell everyone that you intentionally seduced my husband while I’m pregnant. Even if this is not true, you’ll probably still be affected by the rumor.”

After she sent the message, they waited about five minutes before Amelia appeared at the entrance.

Stephanie unfastened her seatbelt and raised her voice, “Here.”

Hearing that, Amelia walked over with Jolin following closely behind her.

Stephanie glanced at Jolin and mocked, “You brought a loyal dog along! It seems like Oscar is treating you well. He even got you a mutt to follow you everywhere.”

At that, Amelia’s brows furrowed, but Jolin remained unfazed.

“I just want to talk to you for a while. Is it necessary for you to bring your dog here?” Stephanie crossed her arms in front of her chest and voiced arrogantly.

With a frown on her face, Amelia said, “You’re married, Stephanie. Did you not learn to be respectful toward others? I don’t think there’s anything to talk about with a rude person like you. Calling another person a dog shows just how ill-mannered you are.”

Rage surged within Stephanie, but she managed to tamp her wrath down.

“I heard that you were mad at Oscar because of you saw the photo of him and Isabella kissing. To assure you, Oscar even dismissed Isabella for you. Don’t you think you’re being a little too dramatic? It’s natural for men to play outside occasionally. If Isabella is Oscar’s wife, I bet she won’t interfere in such a matter. She is not as petty as you, after all.” Stephanie tried to add salt to her wound by saying that.

As expected, Amelia had a change of expression.

Meanwhile, Jolin’s expression remained as cold as ever as she stated, “Mind your words, Ms. Stephanie. Boss only has Mrs. Clinton in his heart. As for Ms. Walker, I’m sure she’s well aware of what she did. From what I can see, she’s just another shameless wench.”

“Shut up! You’re just a lowly bodyguard! Who are you to interrupt when your boss is talking?” Stephanie retorted.

Jolin gave her a look and replied calmly, “Ms. Stephanie, you are not my boss. I don’t work for you. My responsibility is to protect Mrs. Clinton and ensure her safety. Other than her, I don’t take instructions from anyone else.”

“You!” Stephanie was exasperated. I better not mess with her. After all, Oscar trained Jolin himself. Although she’s known as Amelia’s bodyguard, I’m well aware that she’s in fact a killer. people like her could fight hundreds of people alone. Not only that, she’s probably capable enough to go against four armed policemen by herself. Her fighting skills must be terrifyingly powerful.

Amelia frowned and asked, “Didn’t you say you have something to tell me? I still have to go back to work. If you have nothing to say, I’ll be leaving now.”

“Let’s talk in the car.”

“There’s no need for that. Just say whatever you have to say here.”

Hearing that, Stephanie threatened her, “You’d better get in the car obediently before I start shouting that you’re bullying a pregnant lady.”

Amelia gave her a meaningful look before getting into the car. Jolin wanted to follow her, but she was stopped by Stephanie.

Jolin warned, “Ms. Stephanie, it’s best for you to move over if you prioritize the safety of your baby. I’m not as easy as Mrs. Clinton. My boss instructed me to obey her words only. Therefore, I don’t have to respect you. In other words, your personal safety is none of my concern.”

Stephanie was outraged at that, but she could not do anything.

Eventually, Jolin managed to get in the car. She shifted her attention to Isabella in the driver’s seat. The next second, she let out a snort but said nothing.

Meanwhile, looking at Isabella, Amelia only felt disgusted.

“So, what do you guys want to talk about?” Amelia asked plainly.

“I saw the photo of Oscar and Isabella kissing. It’s obvious that they have feelings toward each other. If he has no feelings for her, he wouldn’t have kissed her so passionately. Isabella is an open-minded woman, and she only wishes to stay by Oscar’s side. I think that you shouldn’t be so petty by chasing her away.” As she spoke, Stephanie turned around to look at Amelia in the back seat.

At the peak of fury, Amelia snickered. “You’re married now, Stephanie. Moreover, you’re having a baby. Shouldn’t you be paying more attention to your husband instead of meddling in your brother’s marriage? It’s none of your business anyway.”

“How is my brother’s affairs none of my business? What a petty woman you are! Isabella was supposed to be his wife, but you interfered with their relationship. Now that Oscar kissed her and they have feelings for each other, you threw a fit shamelessly. I’ve never seen such an ungraceful woman like you. So what if you manage to marry into our family? A nobody like you will always be a nobody!”

In response, Amelia remained indifferent as she listened to her words.

Chapter 773 Disgust Her

Stephanie became disinterested when she noticed Amelia ignoring her. She felt like she had been talking to a brick wall. At that moment, Isabella piped up, “Amelia, I love Oscar. The other day, we kissed because we couldn’t hold back our feelings.

However, he admitted to me that you’re still the woman he loves the most. Even though I can only come in second, I’m still happy. I’m more than content to receive his close attention. I don’t want much. All I want is to stay by his side.”

In an instant, Amelia’s expression darkened. Her hand on her thigh twitched a little. She felt sullen as if there was a stone pressing down on her heart. “Are you done?”

“No, I’m not done. Oscar captured my heart the moment I saw him after returning to the country. It took me almost three years before I could get close to him, get him to kiss me, and get him to say that he would make me his woman. Unexpectedly, you found out about us.

He asked me to leave the company first because he was worried that you would get mad, but I could only get close to him in the company. Can you please forgive him this time? I don’t want to see him feeling so upset because of you.” Isabella made an attempt to guilt-trip Amelia.

Amelia felt even more uncomfortable when she heard that. The photo of Oscar and Isabella kissing kept flashing into her mind. She tried to forget it, but Stephanie and Isabella kept bringing up her scars to make her feel miserable.

“Jolin, let’s get off the car,” said Amelia. Jolin nodded and wanted to open the door, but Isabella locked it. “Open the door,” Jolin ordered. Isabella remained motionless.

The next moment, Jolin pulled out a gun and pressed it against Isabella’s head. “Open the door!” Isabella slowly turned her head around and nearly passed out when she saw the gun pointing right between her eyes.

It was the first time she had ever seen a gun in her life. She had not expected to see something she had only seen on TV in real life one day, and it was pressed against her forehead. “Put the gun down.”

“Open the door.” Jolin did not want to waste any more time. Isabella tried to act tough at first, but Stephanie became terrified and spluttered, “I-Isabella, hurry up and open the door. Are you trying to kill us both?”

Since she did not want to cause any trouble, Isabella quickly unlocked the door. After getting off the car, Amelia made her way into the company without saying a word.

As they entered the elevator, Jolin gave her a worried look and said, “Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Clinton isn’t someone like that. They’re obviously lying. You shouldn’t take anything they say to heart.”

Hearing that, Amelia shook her head and remained silent, looking a little worn out.

Just as Jolin was about to say something else, Amelia piped up, “Don’t tell Oscar that the two of them came looking for me today. Jolin, you said it yourself that you were hired to protect me, so I’m your only boss. You’re not supposed to report anything to Oscar unless it’s absolutely necessary. And yet, you told him about the photo without my permission. Although I kept quiet about it, I don’t want it to happen again. Do you understand?”

Instantaneously, Jolin’s expression turned solemn. “Mrs. Clinton, I just didn’t want you to overthink things.”

“I’m an adult. I can handle my marriage problems myself. I don’t want to depend on Oscar for everything,” Amelia said with a whiff of exhaustion in her voice. “Jolin, your sole responsibility is to keep me safe. I can handle the rest.”

Jolin wanted to say something, but in the end, all she could do was nod.

Amelia started to work on the blueprints when she returned to the design department, but her mood remained down in the dumps.

Seeing Amelia like that, Jolin was actually a little concerned. However, she reasoned that Amelia had recently gone through too many bad things and might need some time alone, so she chose to be considerate and leave the latter alone.

Meanwhile, Stephanie and Isabella were still downstairs and had not left. They were still paralyzed by the terror of having a gun pointed at them.

Patting her chest, Stephanie asked, “Isabella, was that a real gun just now?”

“I-I think so.” I doubt there’s a fake gun that looked so real.

“I was genuinely terrified just now. The bodyguards my brother trained in secret are all very tough. They don’t even take me seriously,” Stephanie said, still shaking with fear. “Oscar really attaches great importance to this woman. With Jolin here, we won’t be able to get close to Amellia at all.”

Isabella was also filled with intense jealousy, but she still put up a tough front and uttered, “At least we’ve made her feel miserable. We’ve accomplished our goal as long as she’s uncomfortable.”

Hearing that, Stephanie felt better right away.

“You’re right. It’s funny how she pretended not to care when she obviously did just now. I just wanted to see her in pain. The more she suffers, the happier I am.”

As Isabella sped away from the company, the corners of her mouth curled into a smile.

“Isabella, where are we going?” Stephanie inquired.

“Let’s go shopping.”

“Sure. I haven’t gone shopping in three days, and I feel like I’m getting rusty staying at home like this. It’s a good thing you left Clinton Corporations. There’s no need to put in so much effort when you’re the daughter of a wealthy family. Isn’t it nice to have a lavish lifestyle and be treated like a princess without having to do anything?”

Do you think everyone wants to be a pig who can’t do anything but eat, drink, and play like you?

Isabella cast a scornful glance at Stephanie as that thought flashed into her mind. Of course, she would never say it aloud.

The two of them had a good time shopping together. On the other hand, Oscar’s situation was bad when he got home that night. He could clearly feel Amelia’s growing estrangement from him.

He grabbed Amelia’s wrist when she emerged from Tony’s room after tucking him to bed and said, “Amelia, I think we should sit down and have a good talk.”

Lifting her head, Amelia gave him an emotional look and uttered softly, “Oscar, I’m a little tired today, and all I want is to go to bed. Let’s talk about this another day.”

In response, Oscar knitted his brows tightly.

“Amelia, what’s the matter with you?” he questioned. “You’re keeping a distance from me on purpose. Why? I’ve already asked Isabella to leave the company. I really have nothing to do with her. Can’t you just give me another chance?”

The moment he mentioned Isabella’s name, Amelia’s expression darkened.

“Oscar, my head hurts. Let’s talk about it tomorrow.” Having said that, Amelia wanted to yank her wrist free of his hold. Unexpectedly, Oscar pulled her into his arms, lifted her chin, and kissed her on the lips.

The instant Amelia was kissed, the image of Oscar kissing Isabella flashed across her mind. All of a sudden, she felt sick and disgusted.

She immediately pushed him away before wiping the corner of her mouth vigorously and subconsciously avoided his gaze. “Oscar, I’m sorry, but I’m really worn out,” she murmured.

“You truly don’t intend to forgive me just because I kissed someone else? Even if I claim to have no recollection of it, you still won’t believe me?” Oscar clenched his fists tightly. His expression was extremely grim. He was holding back his rage and sadness. “After returning from Beshya, I promised to treat you nicely. Yes, the photo did show that I kissed Isabella. It was my mistake, and I won’t shirk any responsibility in this matter. However, I really don’t know why I kissed her. I don’t remember it at all. Can’t you choose to believe me and forgive me? You’ve been furious all day. If you keep acting this way, it’ll make me very sad. Since I loved you so much, I thought you would choose to trust me unconditionally.”

Amelia was a little taken aback as she listened to his words. Finally, she let out a sigh.

She admitted that Isabella’s words in the car during the day had a significant impact on her. That was why she got so worked up when Oscar kissed her earlier.

He has kissed another woman with his lips. I just didn’t want him to kiss me with the same pair of lips because it would disgust me.

Chapter 774 Bury The Hatchet

“Oscar, if this was four years ago, I’d be willing to close one eye and accept your frivolous relationships with other women. But now, I feel totally disgusted at the thought of you kissing or hugging another woman. I’m sorry, but I’m not as big-hearted as you expect,” Amelia lowered her head and said. In truth, she did not like how petty she was being as well. However, it was difficult for her not to be affected by Isabella’s words.

Whenever Amelia thought of how Oscar might have willingly kissed Isabella, she was overwhelmed with jealousy. So much so that it affected her concentration to draw. Amelia initially planned to deal with the photo incident in a low-key manner, but her plan was thwarted when Jolin snitched on her.

Of course, Amelia had planned to ask about the photo, but only when she was in a calmer mood so that the matter could be discussed amicably. However, now that Oscar brought up the issue first, she found it difficult to remain composed.

Amelia was more tolerant toward outsiders. But when it came to Oscar, she had to admit that she was possessive of him. She did not want him to be associated with another woman in any way.

Oscar’s heart ached when he saw Amelia in this self-deprecating state. He reached out to hug her but she pushed him away.

“Oscar, please give me a couple of days to sort out my mind. We’ll talk about this once I’ve recomposed myself, okay?” Amelia pleaded with Oscar.

Oscar gazed at her intently. Finally, he nodded and agreed to her request.

Amelia bypassed Oscar to enter the bedroom. Just then, he said, “I’ll sleep in the study tonight.”

Amelia felt her back stiffen for a second before nodding her head slightly.

Oscar felt very vexed. After waiting for Amelia to enter the bedroom, he gave Julian a call and asked him out for drinks.

Julian agreed without any hesitation.

Oscar took his jacket and informed Amelia at the bedroom doorway. “Amelia, I’m going out for a while. If there’s anything, just give me a call and I’ll come back immediately.”

There was no reply from her.

Oscar sighed and felt more vexed than ever.

On his way out, he instructed Jolin and Kurt to look after Amelia. He then drove off and left for his destination.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Amelia buried herself beneath the covers. She stared dazedly into the darkness and tried to make sense of everything. But all she saw was emptiness.

After some time, she fell asleep. However, her sleep was assailed by dreams, effectively making sure that she would not have a good sleep.

“Who’s that?” Amelia suddenly jolted awake and was shocked to see a dark shadow standing beside the bed.

“It’s me, don’t be alarmed.” Oscar switched on the bedside lamp and sat on the edge of the bed. He asked gently, “Did I scare you?”

Amelia caught a whiff of alcohol coming from Oscar’s body. She became angry and started to hammer at his chest. Tears began to roll down her eyes.

“I let you kiss another woman. I allowed you to go out drinking when I’m feeling down. I asked to sleep alone, and you agreed. I turned a blind eye when other women flirt with you…” With every grievance that Amelia voiced out, a heavy punch landed on Oscar’s body.

Even a well-built man like Oscar could feel the impact of the punches.

Nonetheless, he continued to let Amelia vent for a while before grabbing her hands. He then lowered his head and kissed her lips. Amelia struggled slightly, but Oscar ignored it and deliberately kissed her more deeply.

Very quickly, Amelia’s body softened in his embrace, and her mind turned into a blur. Perhaps the calmness of the dark night invoked one’s weakness easily.

With a flip of his body, Oscar was on top of Amelia. He let out a breath, and Amelia almost felt intoxicated from the faint, sweet alcohol smell.

“Amelia, I know you’re disgusted by the fact that I kissed another woman. So I shall cleanse myself thoroughly tonight. From now onward, my lips will only bear the scent of your body,” Oscar whispered in her ears.

Amelia blinked, feeling puzzled. She did not understand what Oscar meant by cleansing himself thoroughly.

Soon, however, she understood exactly what he meant.

Oscar pressed against Amelia’s body; his lips locked with hers in a deep, passionate kiss. He then slowly moved to other parts of her body, planting soft, warm kisses along the way.

The night grew deeper as both of them entangled in a passionate exchange and sought comfort in each other’s weary bodies.

Amelia slowly woke up around nine o’clock the next morning. Her body felt slightly numb and sore from the night before. She wanted to get up and get ready for work when she suddenly realized that it was the weekend.

“You’re awake? Why don’t you sleep a bit more?” Oscar said gently. He had entered the room with breakfast in his hands.

Amelia looked at the well-dressed man and suddenly felt awkward.

Oscar placed the breakfast down and sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you still mad at me, Amelia?”

It would seem melodramatic and hypocritical if she was to say bitter words after what happened last night. It was just that she found it hard to believe the events that took place yesterday. One moment they were bickering with each other, and they were having makeup sex the next.

Since what happened happened and both of them found some form of resolution, Amelia decided not to pursue it any further. She loved Oscar deeply and unless he chose to end the marriage, she did not intend to have a divorce.

After thinking it through, she replied graciously, “I’m not mad. It’s just that I did not expect us to make up that quickly.”

Oscar heaved a sigh of relief.

“I made breakfast for you. It’s been a long time since we brought Tony out to play. So once you finished your breakfast, let’s go to the nearby park for a walk. I already asked Molly to prepare some snacks and sun protection items.” He kissed Amelia’s cheek lightly. “Amelia, thank you for forgiving me. I swear that I don’t have any feelings for Isabella. I will not hurt the woman I love. We’ve known each other for eight years and you should know just what kind of person I am. I hope you can trust me, just as I trust you unconditionally.”

Amelia was reminded of the time when perturbing photos of her and Carter and other men were circulated. Although the photos did not show them kissing or doing anything inappropriate, they still raised questions about Amelia’s relationships with these men. The Clinton family was inevitably affected when they saw the photos, but Oscar suppressed all the gossip.

Back then, he chose to believe her wholeheartedly. Yet, she could not reciprocate the trust he had given her and even suspected his loyalty.

Compared to Oscar, Amelia was indeed pettier.

“I’m sorry for not believing in you. Still, I hope that there will be no such incidents in the future. I can dismiss it a couple of times but if similar incidents continue to occur, I can’t be so forgiving. I will divorce you because I don’t want a husband whose heart is not with me.” Amelia took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Oscar, please don’t disappoint me. I don’t wish for us to walk down such an ugly path. Do you understand?”

“Silly girl. I spent so much effort to get you back, why would I want to lose you again?” Oscar smiled and patted Amelia’s head.

Having finally buried the hatchet, the couple smiled at each other.

Chapter 775 A Dramatic Love Triangle

After finishing breakfast, both Amelia and Oscar decided unanimously to go for a walk in the park. They figured it could help Tony mingle with other children. On top of that reason, they wanted to relieve themselves from the recent tension that had come knocking on their doors.

Hugo assumed the role of a chauffeur and drove the trio to the park in the neighborhood. He then swiftly parked the car before secretly hiding in the dark somewhere nearby.

In the meantime, Oscar was carrying a bunch of stuff in one hand while holding Tony’s little hand in another. Amelia, too, held her boy’s hand on the other side.

Soon enough, the family of three found a decent spot to sit down and relax. Perhaps because it was the weekend, there were quite a number of people visiting the park. The vast majority of them were either family members or a group of friends; all of them brought a variety of eatables with them as well.

Just as Oscar and Amelia were about to finally put their things down and sit, an annoying female voice could be heard coming from nearby. “Such a coincidence, Oscar. I didn’t know strolling was your thing, too.”

Amelia was grabbing a bag of stuff before freezing momentarily upon hearing that voice. She couldn’t even be bothered to turn to look, for she could already recognize to whom that voice belonged.

“Hey, Oscar,” Isabella called out gently. There was a glint in her eyes as she landed her gaze on Oscar.

As the latter caught sight of the approaching flock of three—Noah, Stephanie, and Isabella, his expression darkened slightly, and his visage turned as grim as death.

“Today’s the weekend, and Steph got so bored of staying in, so I brought her out here for a stroll. I didn’t expect to see you and Amelia here, you know. If you don’t mind, why don’t we all sit together and enjoy each other’s company? Wouldn’t it be great? What do you say?” Noah sounded ever so courteously.

Since Stephanie was pregnant and Noah had been doting on her, her feeling of fear toward Oscar was almost non-existent.

“Oscar, I’ve not seen you and Tony for so long, so can I sit beside you? After all, I’ve been having a bun in the oven for a couple of months now, but you have yet to speak a word to your unborn nephew,” came Stephanie’s request with a pleading look in her eyes.

“I think you people would be better off choosing a different spot. If you need more food and drink, I can ask someone to fetch you some. But for the time being, I’d like to spend some private time with my own family of three,” was Oscar’s blatant rejection.

Stephanie fumed on the spot, “I know what happened between you and Isabella, Oscar. Why are you so eager to chase her away like this? You must feel guilty, don’t you? If not, why can’t you acquiesce to your own sister’s measly wish?”

Oscar’s face fell as he shot Stephanie a piercing glare.

The latter couldn’t help but shudder. Undoubtedly, she was still very much terrified of her brother’s imposing aura.

During the interval, Amelia only kept her lips buttoned.

Wrapping his arm around Stephanie’s shoulder, Noah uttered in an affectionate tone, “Don’t spout nonsense, Steph. Nothing has ever happened between Isabella and Oscar. If you continue saying things like that, not only will you drag Isabella’s name through the mud, but you’ll also hurt Amelia’s feelings.”

Stephanie wasn’t in the mood to listen to his preaching, thus rolling her eyes at his very statement.

Noah made eye contact with her, signaling her to remain calm. He then directed his gaze at Amelia, proclaiming, “Don’t take her words to heart, Amelia, because she has been living in clover these few months. Plus, I’ve been spoiling her a lot, so she might come off a bit blunt. But I can assure you that she meant no harm. Maybe I ought to apologize to you on her behalf.”

“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to do that. Steph has always been this way in front of me. Besides, I’ve never expected her to act all amicable to me as her sister-in-law. Just bring them somewhere else, or this outing might really end on a sour note.” Amelia was as calm as a toad in the sun as she cast a glance at Noah.

Noah bobbed his head in agreement. “Well, we’ll not intrude further, then. Catch you later.” As he spoke, he held Stephanie and forced her into following him as they made their way to the other side.

When they were a distance away, Stephanie ultimately flung Noah’s hand off and went through the roof. “What’s the meaning of this, Noah? We should’ve stayed put so that we could leave a sour taste in that b*tch Amelia’s mouth. Why can’t we sit with them?”

A tinge of impatience flitted across Noah’s eyes behind his glasses. Yet, on the surface, he pretended to have his poise fully under control. “I was worried that you might really tick your brother off, Steph. By then, you two would begin arguing to no end. What if it ends up affecting the baby instead? I can’t afford to have anything untoward happen to you or the baby, so don’t stay mad at me, all right? We hardly ever come out on weekends to have fun under the sun, so let’s enjoy ourselves.”

Stephanie’s countenance softened right after she heard that.

“Noah, it’s not that I want to go against Amelia on purpose, but that slut’s really too narrow-minded. She kicked up a fuss and demanded Oscar fire Isabella over some intimate photo between Oscar and Isabella. Don’t you want to seek justice for your own sister?” said Stephanie as she pouted in the direction of where Isabella was standing.

Patting Stephanie on the head, Noah replied, “Don’t fret so much about it. I’ll spare some time tonight to have a good chat with Isabella.”

Before Stephanie could say something in response, she had a stomachache, hence covering her tummy with her hands. “I need to use the restroom, Noah.”

“I’ll walk you there,” said Noah, holding her hands firmly.

“There’s no need for that, okay? I’m not a three-year-old.”

With that, Stephanie insisted on heading to the restroom on her own.

Just as she took her leave, the place was left with only the siblings of the Walker family. Noah’s mien turned gloomy in a flash.

“What are you trying to pull, Isabella? Yes, Steph may be dumb, but she’s still the woman in my life. Even if she were to be used, I’d still be the only one who has the privilege to do so. Don’t you ever think of taking advantage of her again, you hear?” Noah gnashed his teeth as he said that.

A sarcastic smirk was etched on Isabella’s face. With her arms crossed, she mocked, “What’s the matter, Noah? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her.”

Wearing a sullen look, Noah leered at her before snarling, “You’d better mind your own business and not go fanning the flames and rubbing Oscar the wrong way. I have no intention whatsoever of cleaning up the mess for you. Walker Group has just started to flourish and make headway, and if the Clinton family were to withdraw their investment, there will be hell for you to pay.”

A disdainful snort escaped from Isabella’s lips. Not a word came out of her mouth, nonetheless.

Noah still wished to get something off his mind, but Stephanie’s voice reached them first. “Look who’s here, Isabella. I brought your friend over.”

Noah turned to the source of the voice, only to be greeted by the presence of the person standing beside Stephanie. His heart instantly clenched momentarily as he gradually balled his fists before letting them go in the end.

Isabella, in turn, was secretly grinning in anticipation of a dramatic scene to unfold. On the outside, however, she mustered up a bright smile. “What brings you to this park, Emma?”

“Oh, because today’s the weekend, and I thought of heading out for a mindless walk under the clear blue sky. I didn’t expect to bump into Ms. Clinton in the restroom.” Emma looked like a gentle, demure lady. “I was all by myself anyway, so I asked her whether I could join you guys. I was kind of surprised when she said yes, though.”

Isabella stepped forward and tugged at Emma’s hand, putting on a warm smile. “Thank God you’re here, Emma. I bet someone here is pretty elated about you showing up. Had you not been here, we’d have been bored to death.”

Listening to those words, Emma shot a discreet glance at Noah.

Isabella intentionally went on, “Noah, you already knew Emma from years ago, so you must be so glad to see her here again, am I right?”

Noah peeked at his sister with a menacing expression. On the other hand, Stephanie sneaked odd glances between Noah and Emma upon hearing that. “You two knew each other?” Bullheaded, she tossed them a question to clarify her perplexity.

Noah gave Stephanie a meaningful gaze, attempting to comfort her. Following that, he reached out politely to shake Emma’s hand. “It’s been a while, Emma. You look more beautiful and radiant since the last time we met. Have you found your very own Mr. Right?”

Emma shook Noah’s hand and answered with a smile, “Not yet. I guess I’m not blessed by Lady Luck. You, for one, are very lucky to be able to tie the knot with the daughter of the Clinton family. Not only is she kind and lovely, but she even has a prestigious family background. Please accept my heartfelt congratulations but forgive me for not preparing a wedding gift. I’m merely an impoverished person, after all.”

Emma spoke in a rather pleasant manner. Only after Stephanie heard Emma’s greeting did the former’s expression lighten up a little.

Chapter 776 He Does Not Love You

After taking a stroll in the park, Noah carefully headed to the house he shared with Emma. As soon as he stepped inside the house, he choked Emma and pushed her to the wall. Furiously, he questioned, “Emma, what were you actually trying to do? Didn’t I warn you to stay away from Steph? Did you not heed my words?”

He choked Emma so hard that her cheeks turned red. She felt so suffocated that she almost couldn’t catch her breath. Lifting her arms, she slapped his hands with all her might.

Fortunately, there was still a shred of rationale in Noah. He noticed that she was breathing heavily, so he quickly flung her to the side. Clutching her neck in pain, Emma coughed vigorously.

Noah walked over to her while Emma took a step backward like a terrified bunny. “Noah, don’t come over. I’m scared,” she said. Noah’s expression turned grim as he tried to suppress his anger. “Are you going to do it again?”

Emma continued coughing hard. Her head was hanging low, so Noah didn’t notice the resentment in her eyes. Back then, she still had some feelings for Noah, but now, all she felt toward him was hatred. She just wanted to use him.

Words couldn’t describe how much she despised Noah’s heartlessness. The deeper she loved him in the past, the more hatred she harbored.

Noah took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself down.

Walking over, he pulled Emma into his arms forcefully. “Stop moving. Be good, okay? I was too impulsive just now. Did I hurt you? Come. Show me your neck. Thank God it’s not swollen.”

Emma lifted her head silently to show Noah her neck. She then stared at him, who pretended to be upset. There were no traces of emotions in her clear eyes.

Noah, too, lifted his head. In an instant, their eyes met. “Are you really mad at me?” He chuckled in a low voice.

Hearing that, Emma quickly regained her senses. After composing herself, she reached out to loosen Noah’s necktie. “Noah, you’ve misunderstood me, really. I was just taking a walk in the park. I didn’t know I would bump into your wife there. I’m just a canary you keep in the cage. I’ll never dare to mess with you. What if I really piss you off? You might stop sponsoring my living expenses. If that happens, I’ll end up on the streets as a beggar.”

Noah tapped on her nose. “You’re not a canary. You’re my lover. Everything I’ve been doing is for our future.”

Emma lowered her head, trying to hide the mockery in her eyes. This man is really good at sweet-talking, huh? Too bad. I believed in everything he said in the past. I spent all my youth with him, yet the only thing I got in return was just his useless promise.

At that thought, she recalled what Noah said to her back then, “Emma, I plan to pursue the daughter of the Clinton family and marry her. She’s the only one who can help me to regain the glory of Walker Group. With that, I’ll get to grant you the good life you’ve always dreamed of.”

Hearing that, Emma lifted her head and asked in confusion, “Then, what about me? We’ve been together for so many years. Aren’t you going to give me a proper title?”

“Be good, okay? I’m doing all these for our future. After all, I can only introduce you to everyone after Walker Group becomes as successful as Clinton Corporations.”

It was then that Emma realized Noah had never planned to marry her. To him, she was just a pet he could keep in the dark. When he was in a good mood, he would come and visit her. But when he was unhappy, he would just give her some money and ask her to go shopping alone. Nevertheless, the amount of money he gave her was not as much as other rich men. In fact, Emma’s best friend was also a rich woman, and the credit card her friend gave her didn’t even have a spending limit. As Emma compared Noah with her best friend, she felt that the only good thing about him was his looks.

As soon as Emma started despising Noah, she realized he was full of flaws. Although Noah always promised to buy her gifts in the past, he only bought a few luxury handbags for her. Thinking about that, Emma couldn’t help but curse inwardly. I must’ve lost my mind. Why did I even stay with him for such a long time without a proper title? I’ve wasted my best years on him.

“Noah, will you abandon me when I get older? You have your wife and child, but you’re the only one I have,” Emma said worriedly.

“Silly girl. We’ve been together for so many years. We’ve also become part of each other’s life. It’s not that easy for us to separate anymore.”

“Really?”

Noah nodded. Then, he helped Emma over to the couch. “I love you a lot. I’ll support you no matter what you do. But then, I hope you won’t appear in front of Stephanie anymore. She’s now pregnant with my child, and the doctor told me she shouldn’t get triggered. If she finds out about our relationship, she might make a scene. If that happens, not only would the Walker family be affected, but the baby in her belly would also be in danger. Do you understand?”

Emma lowered her head, looking meek.

With a soft voice, she said, “Noah, if I’m pregnant, will you want to keep the baby?”

Noah widened his eyes in shock. “Are you being serious?” he asked anxiously.

It was now the critical moment for him to please the Clinton family. Oscar had found out about his relationship with Emma. Although Oscar didn’t like Stephanie on the surface, Stephanie was his only biological sister, after all. He might seem to hate her, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care about her. If Oscar found out that Emma was pregnant, he would definitely be furious. In that case, all the effort Noah had put into rebuilding Walker Group would be in vain. In the end, he would lose everything.

Hence, Noah couldn’t let Emma keep that baby, at least for now.

“Emma, listen to me. Stephanie’s just gotten pregnant. I have to manage the company while taking care of her. If anything bad happens to her, it’ll be hard for me to explain to the Clinton family. So, we can’t keep this child. Can you go and abort the baby? I’ll pay you. Don’t worry. We’ll have our own child again in the future,” Noah said, feeling nervous.

Hearing that, Emma felt her heart turn cold. She was even more disappointed in the man sitting in front of him. It turns out that the man I love is worse than an animal. He says he loves me, but what he’s been doing to me is inhumane. If he really loves me, he’ll never marry another woman for wealth and personal gains. Moreover, he would have been excited, instead of worried, when I told him I was pregnant just now. He didn’t even bother to consider whether my body could still afford to undergo another abortion.

“Noah, don’t you want this baby?” Emma asked slowly.

“Emma, it’s not like I don’t want it. It’s just that I’m sure we’ll definitely have another baby in the future. After I reorganize my company and settle everything, I’ll give you a proper title. So, just listen to me and go abort the baby, okay? Don’t let anyone know about this.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“I’m asking you when you’ll give me a proper title?”

Noah’s mind went blank for a second. His expression darkened as he said, “Emma, stop messing around.”

Emma replied obediently, “Okay. I’ll stop messing with you. Also, I was just kidding with you just now. I’m not pregnant. I just wanted to know whether you would want to keep our baby.”

Noah’s lips quivered, but he didn’t know what to say.

Emma gazed at the laptop on the floor. “You’ve brought your laptop here. You must’ve come to work. You can go upstairs and continue with your work. I’ll go and prepare some food for you. Stay here with me tonight, okay?”

A look of guilt crept up on Noah’s face. Perhaps trying to make it up to Emma, he nodded in response.

“You may go back to work now. I’ll go prepare some food for you.” Having said that, Emma stood up and walked into the kitchen.

Noah stared at her back with mixed feelings. No one knew what he was thinking.

Chapter 777 Investment Withdrawal

At night, Emma sneaked out of bed when Noah fell asleep. She left quietly to the study and switched on Noah’s laptop. However, she didn’t expect that he would set a password.

Emma gave it some thought and entered her birth date. However, it was incorrect. Then, she tried again with Noah’s birth date, which was also incorrect. Lastly, she gave her last shot and entered Stephanie’s birth date, which turned out to be the correct password.

Conflicting feelings rose in Emma’s heart while she looked at the laptop’s home screen. She murmured while she clenched her fists tightly, “Noah, didn’t you say that you don’t have any feelings for her? Then why would you use her birth date as your laptop password? Or did you gradually develop feelings for her?”

The more she thought about it, the more ironic it felt to her.

But it was not the time for her to be sad. At first, Emma wanted to access Noah’s email. However, she didn’t expect that he had changed the password for his email.

The grimace on Emma’s face deepened. She knew that Noah had his guard up against her now. Back when they were in an affectionate relationship, not only did he give her his email password, but he also gave her the passcode for his bank account. To her dismay, Noah became wary of her after he was married.

Still upset, she tried all three of their birth dates, but none were correct.

Emma then searched through all the folders on his laptop and found the proposal that Noah and a person named June created to destroy the Clinton Corporations. It also recorded the plan where the family of the patient who was electrocuted by the phone made a scene in the company.

Emma scanned through the proposal, hurriedly took out her flash drive, and made a copy. Then, she unplugged her flash drive, wiped out all traces of her using the laptop, and switched it off. She finally felt at ease when the laptop screen darkened.

“What are you doing in the study?” Noah’s voice suddenly sounded behind Emma, and the latter was scared out of her wits.

She frantically hid the flash drive behind her and stammered, “I-I’m here to check if the windows were closed. There was a power outage two days ago, and I lit a candle in the study. But I accidentally left the windows open, and the wind almost blew the candle onto the floor. It haunted me when I was trying to sleep just now, so I had no choice but to get up and check on the windows. I can’t help being paranoid since I live alone. I’m sorry.”

However, Noah was staring at Emma’s hand, which she was trying to hide behind her back. “What are you holding?” he asked.

Emma’s eyes brimmed with tears and turned red.

“Noah, we have been in a relationship for so long now. Don’t you believe me?” she asked pitifully as tears rolled down her face.

Noah’s expression softened a little as he saw Emma crying.

“I just want to know what you are holding. Come on, let me have a look.”

With that, Noah walked toward her. Emma could feel her heart in her throat. If he saw the flash drive in her hand, the consequences would be unimaginable, and their relationship would fall out completely.

She hadn’t gotten any benefit from Oscar yet. Hence, she couldn’t fall out with Noah. Or else, she would lose her source of income and end up on the street.

Suddenly, the phone in Noah’s hand rang while he was approaching Emma as if God had heard her prayers.

Emma immediately felt a weight lifted off her chest.

When Noah saw the caller ID of the incoming call on his phone, his expression immediately brightened up.

He answered the call and asked gently, “Steph, why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

“Where are you? I’m craving pickles and don’t want the maid to get them for me. Can you buy some for me?” Stephanie’s voice sounded from the other side of the phone.

“I’m still in the company to work on some documents. But, if you are craving pickles, I’ll get them for you now. Do you need anything else?”

“I want to have some barbecue skewers too. Can you buy some for me? I’m hungry.”

“Barbecue skewers are not good for your health. How about this? I will get you some pumpkin soup since it’s good for digestion.”

“No, I don’t care! I want barbecue skewers. I’m hungry now.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll get everything for you. I’ll get the maid to prepare you supper first, as I might arrive home after one or two hours later. I don’t want you to starve.”

“Okay.”

After Noah hung up the phone, he looked at Emma and said, “Emma, Steph said she was craving barbecue skewers. I’m going to get it for her now. You know, I have to rely on the Clinton family, so I can’t upset her. You should go back to sleep. I’ll be leaving now.”

With that, he took his laptop and rushed out of the study.

Emma stared at Noah’s back with mixed feelings when he left the study. As she clenched the flash drive in her hand tightly, her heart turned cold.

Noah promised he wouldn’t develop feelings for Stephanie. In fact, he said that a woman like Stephanie, who only knows how to have fun and enjoy life, could never compare to me. However, he chose Stephanie over me and made me his mistress!

What a joke!

He said he loved me, but he left enthusiastically when he received a call from another woman. On the other hand, he only sneaks out to meet me when he has time. Sometimes, I don’t even get to meet him for up to ten days or even half a month.

A plan flashed across Emma’s mind as she stared at the flash drive in her hand. It was better for her to expose what Noah had done to Oscar and walk away with a plump reward than to try to win Noah’s heart.

The next day, Emma gave Oscar a call. She told him that she had the plan Noah created with a person named June and asked Oscar if he was interested in taking a look.

Oscar told her to courier the documents to him and that he would pay her a hefty sum if the information was useful to him.

Naturally, Emma followed his instruction and paid extra to get the documents couriered to Clinton Corporations as soon as possible. The courier company then arranged for them to be delivered immediately.

Oscar briefly scanned through the plan and ordered someone to transfer a sum of money to Emma’s bank account.

Emma called Oscar when she received the money, but the latter did not pick up.

He looked at the content of the plan and scoffed coldly as he finally realized that Noah and June were the masterminds of everything that had happened to the Clinton Corporations.

Oscar didn’t know both of them were so close. He had given the Walker Group a lot of resources out of his respect for Olivia. However, he didn’t expect Noah to be so ungrateful and try to destroy the Clinton Corporations with a foreigner.

What a good plan!

Since Noah was ungrateful, Oscar would not spare him any mercy. He wanted to see if the Walker Group could succeed without the support of the Clinton family.

Without warning, he abruptly withdrew all their investments in the Walker Group, and Noah was caught off guard.

The latter sat in his office and called his secretary over. “Why did the Clinton Corporations suddenly withdraw their investments?” he questioned with a gloomy expression.

“I have no idea, Mr. Walker. Mr. Clinton’s secretary called and told us that the Clinton Corporations want to invest in a big project, and they’re currently short of funds. So, they can’t work with us for now. That’s the only thing they told us.” The secretary paused momentarily, then she asked cautiously, “Mr. Walker, since you’re a relative of Mr. Clinton, why don’t you call him and ask about it?”

However, Noah already had an ominous feeling about the situation. He was certain that Oscar had withdrawn his investments to teach him a lesson not to offend the Clinton family or risk losing everything.

“You may leave now. I’ll ask him personally.”

The secretary nodded in response and left Noah’s office.

Noah gave it a lot of thought before he decided to make the phone call.

After entering the phone number, he hesitated for a while before he finally gave Oscar a call.

“Hello, Oscar.”

“Yes?” Oscar responded placidly.

“Oscar, why did you suddenly withdraw all of the investments? Everything had been fine previously, hadn’t it?”

“I heard that you have a close relationship with June. I don’t like working with someone who took advantage of our family and then ganged up with others to go against me. Since you’re ungrateful, I’ll have to withdraw all our investments. I still have a lot of work to do, so I’m not going to talk to you any further.”

With that, Oscar hung up on him.

“O-Oscar…”

The color immediately drained from Noah’s face, and his hands trembled from fear. He didn’t know what exactly Oscar knew. However, he was sure that the Walker family would be ruined if he didn’t come up with an explanation.

Chapter 778 Trick Olivia Back

Unable to sit back and do nothing, Noah grabbed his coat before heading out of his office. However, once he arrived at Clinton Corporations, the receptionist stopped him from meeting Oscar.

Initially, he wanted to argue with the receptionist but realized he wasn’t in the position to do so. Thus, he scurried back to the Walker residence.

Upon entering the living room, he saw Stephanie holding a bowl of food while watching a show on her laptop in a sleazy position, entirely unlike a married woman.

He was already feeling pretty annoyed. So, when he thought about how he needed to coax his emotionally unstable and pregnant wife, a hint of frustration flashed past his eyes. If not for the fact that she’s still useful to me, I wouldn’t have married her. She doesn’t look like a proper wife at all.

It wasn’t until Stephanie called for Noah that all the negative emotions flooding into his heart receded.

“Why are you back already, Noah?” she asked as she stood.

He quickly went over to her to hold her, his large hands caressing her round belly. “Be careful! You can ask Mom to accompany you for a walk outside when I’m at work. I heard women who are seven or eight months pregnant should take walks often. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time giving birth if the baby grows too big. I know you want a cesarean section, but you still need to be careful.”

Her hand waved with annoyance. “I know. Stop nagging me.”

Upon sitting on the couch, Noah asked, “Where’s Mom and Dad?”

“Their friends wanted to meet them, so they went out for a gathering.” She stared at him. “Why did you come home so early today? Did something happen at the company?”

He hesitated before telling her about how Clinton Corporations canceled the investment.

The news made Stephanie panic. “I asked Mom to tell Oscar personally, and he agreed to invest in Walker Group. Why did he suddenly cancel it? Tell me the truth, Noah. Did you do something to piss my brother off?”

Noah smiled bitterly. “Do I look like that kind of person, Steph?”

Stephanie rolled her eyes in frustration. “You better not, or else I’ll be too ashamed to go back to my family.”

Holding her hand, he spoke with affection and a hint of resignation in his tone. “I’ve been working hard because I want Walker Group to grow stronger, Steph. And the reason is that I want to provide you with a good life. I’m afraid the fact that the Walker family isn’t as powerful as the Clinton family won’t make you happy. I was hoping to start a big project with your brother’s support. The project’s preparation is already underway, and we’ve almost found all the people we need. If he withdraws his investment now, I’ll be making bricks without straw. In that scenario, all the money that had been invested will be for nothing.”

Stephanie furrowed her brows upon hearing that. She knew the Walker family was currently intrinsically tied to her dignity. If Noah didn’t do well, then there was no way she could lead a luxurious life. “I’ll ask my mother about it. She only has one daughter, so I doubt she’s willing to stand by and watch as I lead a tough life.”

“Mom and Dad are both in Machia right now to meet with their friends, though. If you call her now, won’t you disturb her? I can come up with something to pull in investments from other sources. However, this project is pretty massive. Organizations that aren’t as powerful as the Clinton family or their company can only watch from the sidelines. Forget about it. I’ll find a way myself. You’re a pregnant woman right now. You just need to eat well and sleep well. No need to think about anything else.” He was trying to guilt-trip Stephanie.

His attempt was a success as she slapped his hand and spoke petulantly. “Do you think I’m a pig that only knows how to eat and sleep? I’m telling you right now, I’m your wife, and your reputation is my reputation. If you get rich, I’ll get to live a good life with you. However, if your company goes bankrupt, whether I’ll choose to suffer with you will depend on my mood. I’m a very selfish person who can only enjoy the good life. I can’t handle any hardships at all.”

Hiding behind his glasses, a sinister look flashed past Noah’s eyes as he spoke with a calm facade. “You’re my wife. There’s no way I’ll let you suffer.”

“That’s more like it,” Stephanie replied as though she was his savior. “I’ll call Mom right away. I’ll tell her I have pain in my abdomen and that it might be a sign of a miscarriage. There’s no way she won’t answer the phone.”

He didn’t stop her.

The moment her call connected, she cried, “Mom, are you still in Machia? My belly’s in pain, and I’m bleeding. The doctor said it could be a sign of a miscarriage. Can you come back and visit me? I’m a little scared.”

“A sign of miscarriage? I’ll ask your brother and his wife to visit you right away. Your father and I will immediately buy our return ticket, too. There’s no need to be afraid. You still have us.” Olivia sounded worried.

Stephanie was still her daughter no matter how many bad things the former had done, and Olivia was very worried when she heard that her daughter might have a miscarriage.

“I only want you to come here, Mom. Even if Amelia comes, we won’t have anything to talk about. In fact, we might even start to argue, which isn’t good for the baby,” Stephanie explained.

It wasn’t news to Olivia that her daughter didn’t have a good relationship with Amelia. So, she said, “I’ll buy my return ticket right away. What about Noah and the others? Since you’re experiencing symptoms of miscarriage, is he there to take care of you?”

“He’s been by my side all this time. I’m just missing you, Mom. What do I do if I can’t keep my baby?”

“Stop talking nonsense. I’ve already asked someone to buy me the return ticket. Your father and I are heading to the airport right now. Don’t worry, I’m here.”

“Thank you, Mom. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Olivia hurriedly mumbled a response before hanging up the call.

“Did you see that, Noah? I told you. There’s no way my mom would ignore me if I need her help. As long as she thinks my child’s safety is at risk, she’ll definitely agree to help me ask Oscar for support. She only has one daughter, so she definitely can’t bear to see me suffer.”

Noah held her hand and said in an apologetic tone, “Thanks for doing this, Steph. I’m so useless for needing your help. Don’t worry, I’ll treat you even better in the future.”

Surprisingly, she was being attentive and sweet for once. “Well, I can’t blame you for this. I think my brother is just trying to mess with you. I bet that b*tch Amelia was spouting nonsense in front of him. Isabella was kicked out of Clinton Corporations because Amelia made a fuss about him kissing her. Since you’re Isabella’s brother, I think the incident also affected you. That woman is a crafty one. If we’re not careful, we’ll be ruined by her.”

“You’re so good to me, Steph. I feel so lucky to be able to marry you. I’ll definitely work hard and let you live like a princess. Whenever I see you, I feel so very happy that it fills me with the motivation to work harder. So, promise me you’ll stay by my side forever, okay?” Noah flirted.

“It’s good that you know. I’ll kick you out immediately if you don’t treat me nicely.” There was pride in her tone.

He simply smiled at her affectionately.

Chapter 779 Helping Noah

Olivia and Owen rushed back as soon as they could and went straight to the Walker residence with a few bags of health supplements.

“You guys are here, Mrs. Clinton! Why did you guys bring so many things with you?” Carol took the health supplements and invited her guests to sit down.

“Where’s Stephanie? When we were on the phone, she told us she was experiencing signs of a miscarriage. What happened? Wasn’t everything all right when she went for a check-up at the hospital that day?” Olivia asked anxiously.

Carol smiled awkwardly and answered, “Mrs. Clinton, this is rather embarrassing. Somehow, Noah pissed Oscar off, and he accidentally revealed the details to Stephanie. Stephanie lashed out at Noah and said he had taken Oscar for granted. Her anger affected the baby, so we brought her to the hospital after that. The doctor said Stephanie was too emotional, and she was experiencing symptoms of a miscarriage. This is all our fault.”

Olivia was perplexed. However, her priority was to check on Stephanie. “Is Stephanie upstairs? Her father and I would like to see her. We were visiting a friend in Machia. When we received her phone call, we were scared to death!”

“I’ll bring you guys upstairs.”

Olivia dashed up the stairs and knocked on the door. Upon opening the door, Noah uttered politely, “Mom, Dad, I’m so sorry that I didn’t take good care of Steph. I’ve let you guys down.”

Olivia shook her head and walked in.

At that moment, Stephanie was in bed and pretending to be weak and frail. When she saw Owen and Olivia, she sat up and hugged her mother.

While sobbing, she said, “You’re finally here, Mom. Do you know what Noah did? He pissed Oscar off, and Oscar has withdrawn all the funds. All the major projects are as good as dead because we don’t have enough money. I’m sure Noah is going to destroy Walker Group. I can’t take it anymore. I don’t want the kid inside me, and I want to divorce him! How could he be foolish enough to piss Oscar off? This is the end of us.”

Olivia hugged her and comforted her by saying, “Stop crying, okay? You’re pregnant. Tell me what happened, and I’ll see to it. If Oscar has done something out of line, your dad and I will give Walker Group the money. We’re a family. All we want is for you to have a happy marriage. You’ve finally conceived a child, so you have to get rid of those negative thoughts. Don’t worry. As long as Noah hasn’t made any serious mistakes, your dad and I will take care of the matter. You’re my only daughter, and I can’t bear to see you suffer.”

Upon hearing that, Stephanie stopped crying and looked at Olivia tearfully. “Mom, do you mean that?”

Olivia quickly nodded.

“Noah, tell Mom and Dad what you did. I’ve never seen someone as foolish as you. If not for Mom and Dad, we would be doomed.” Stephanie pretended to be angry.

Putting on a calm facade, Noah told them how he had met June and that he wanted to collaborate with the man to establish a new brand in order to penetrate the Erihal market. Somehow, Oscar found out about it and withdrew all the funding from Walker Group without prior warnings.

“Dad, Mom, I don’t know much about the conflict between Oscar and June. June came to the company and showed me a terrific proposal. Walker Group’s performance has been going down the hill for the past three years, so I thought some changes might make things better. However, I didn’t expect Oscar to get angry. Just like that, my plans are as good as dead. It’s all my fault. Not only did I make Oscar withdraw the funding, but I’ve also pissed Steph off. Please punish me however you guys see fit.” Noah put all the blame on himself, which made Olivia feel bad for him.

“Noah, we’ll look into the matter. No matter what, I can’t possibly sit by and watch Steph suffer. I’ll bring Steph to the hospital for a check-up,” Olivia said.

Right then, Stephanie grabbed Olivia’s hand and said, “That’s not necessary, Mom. I feel a lot better now that you and Dad are back. Stay here with me for a while, okay?”

“Are you sure you’re fine?” Olivia asked.

Stephanie nodded.

With that, Olivia kept Stephanie company for a few hours. After leaving the Walker residence, Olivia asked, “Owen, what do you think about the situation?”

“Let’s ask Oscar about it first. It’s not like him to go overboard, and he wouldn’t act rashly and withdraw the funding for no reason. I think Noah has done something terribly wrong.” In a calm manner, Owen added, “It seems like the Walker family is quite greedy. Ever since Steph married into their family, they’ve been coming up with all kinds of schemes and plots. Steph is on their side now. All she cares about is the Walker family. She’s even using her baby to lure us here. I think they want you to knock Oscar down a peg.”

“Are you saying that her baby is actually fine?”

“Didn’t you see how ruddy she looked? Did she actually look like she was unwell?”

Olivia fell silent at his words. I can’t believe Steph actually lied to us for the Walker family’s sake. We’ve turned down the opportunity to visit Archulea with our friends, yet she conspired with the Walker family to trick us.

Owen patted her shoulder and said, “Calm down, Olivia. I think she just wants to have a better life. Meanwhile, I need to check Walker Group’s financial status. Back then, we trusted them and let Noah marry Steph. Now, it seems like the Walker family isn’t as rich as we first thought.”

Olivia nodded.

The two of them then went to Clinton Corporations, where Linda welcomed them herself and served them drinks and snacks.

“Old Mr. Clinton, Old Mrs. Clinton, please wait for a while. Mr. Clinton is having a meeting with Atlas Corporation’s representative, Mr. Rice. I think they’ll need another half an hour,” Linda uttered politely.

Olivia nodded. “Got it. Carry on with your work. We’ll keep ourselves entertained.”

Linda nodded and left.

After the meeting, Teddy and Oscar were walking toward Oscar’s office. The former said, “Oscar, have you given it some thought? I would still give you the same advice. I think your wife is a very talented designer. If she were to study abroad for a couple of years, she’d be even greater! You can’t be so selfish and limit her potential.”

Oscar rolled his eyes at Teddy before saying domineeringly, “If that’s what she wants, I can invite the best designer in the world to tutor her here. I can even introduce her works to the world. All she needs to do is say the word. I can make her the best designer there is. Do you really think she needs to go abroad to study?”

Teddy could only keep quiet in response. However, he still did not agree with Oscar. Deep down, he considered Amelia’s potential to be limitless, and it would be such a shame to waste that talent.

He kept rambling all the way into Oscar’s office, so he didn’t realize that there were people in there. “Oscar, think about it again, okay? Ms. Winters is full of potential. It would be such a shame to keep her here.”

“That’s not necessary… Mom? Dad? When did you guys come back?” While adjusting his tie, Oscar finally noticed their presence.

Teddy immediately stopped talking and turned solemn. He then greeted politely, “Hi! I’m Teddy Rice. I’m the person in charge of Atlas Corporation in Chanaea.”

Olivia reached out her hand for a handshake. “Teddy, I’m Oscar’s mom. I heard about the collaboration with Atlas Corporation. I’m finally seeing you in person! You’re so good-looking. Welcome to Chanaea.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Clinton! You’re very pretty, as well!” Teddy uttered sweetly. “I’ve already discussed the collaboration with Oscar. I shan’t bother you guys any longer, then. Goodbye.”

Olivia nodded in acknowledgment.

After Teddy left, Olivia asked, “Oscar, what were you guys talking about? Was he trying to get you to send Amelia abroad to study? What’s that about?”

Oscar didn’t want to talk about it, so he changed the topic. “Mom, Dad, when did you guys come back? When Amelia called you guys the other day, didn’t you guys say you were going to stay in Machia for a couple of days before traveling to Archulea with your friend?”

Olivia waved dismissively and answered, “Your sister called me and told me she wasn’t feeling well. She even said she was experiencing symptoms of a miscarriage. Hence, your dad and I rushed back at once. We then found out that you’ve withdrawn your funding from Walker Group. May we know why?”

Oscar sat on the couch and crossed his legs elegantly. “So, has she cried to you guys about it already?”

Olivia sighed and tried to persuade him, “Oscar, she’s your only sister. Perhaps you shouldn’t be so harsh on them. Walker Group hasn’t been doing well financially, right? Why don’t you lend Noah a hand?”

Chapter 780 Delivering Fake Information

Oscar scoffed, “Mom, I guess Noah and Stephanie must have complained to you, huh? Do you remember the patient who went into a coma after being electrocuted by the phone? Do you still remember the commotion his family caused in our company? And do you know who smashed and injured me?”

Owen and Olivia froze for a moment. “You mean Noah instigated the family?” Olivia raised her voice. Oscar stood up, walked to his desk, and opened his drawer. He then drew out the document Emma had given him and handed it to Olivia.

Olivia’s expression darkened after she went through the document. She could not believe her son-in-law, who always appeared to be respectful and obedient, was the culprit behind all this.

She asked Oscar, “So Noah ganged up with that foreigner named June and did all these behind our back? He has crossed the line!”

“Mom, everything is written in black and white here. I’ve been treating him well because of you, yet he turned his back against the Clinton family. What an ingrate,” Oscar replied nonchalantly.

Olivia passed the document to Owen, and his expression turned grim after he flipped through the pages. “What’s your plan, Oscar?” Owen asked. “Terminate our partnership with Walker Group. It’s time to cut ties with that ingrate.”

Upon hearing that, Olivia hesitated. “But Oscar, Noah did mention he and June are business partners, and I can understand this kind of collaboration is unavoidable for a company that is about to go public. Besides, your sister is his wife, and she’s carrying his child. Let’s not go overboard since we’re still family.”

Oscar responded with a faint smile and said nothing. “Should I get Noah to apologize to you? We should try our best to resolve this internal conflict since we’re a family,” Olivia said so because she did not want Stephanie to suffer in the Walker family. “Mom, you came all the way to the office to talk to me about this. I can’t say no to you, can I?”

“All right, then. I suppose Noah didn’t do those things on purpose. Everything will be okay once we talk it out.” Olivia then called Noah on the phone and asked him to come over. Soon, Noah arrived at the company with Stephanie.

“Stephanie, you should be resting at home since you’re pregnant. What are you doing here?” Olivia helped her to the couch while glaring at Noah.

“Dad, Mom, take a seat first. I’ll have a chat with Noah in the conference room. I must have this talk with him in private.” Oscar glanced at Noah. “Shall we?”

“Sure. How can I say no to you?”

Stephanie was a little worried, but when she was about to say anything, Olivia nudged her to stop her from making any comments.

She had no choice but to remain silent.

Oscar and Noah then entered the conference room. Oscar walked to the window, overlooking the hustle and bustle of the city.

“Oscar, is there something you want to talk to me about?”

“How long have you been in cahoots with June? Tell me the truth.”

Noah’s face changed for a bit, but he immediately feigned ignorance. “Yes, I’m interested in working with June but only because he has strong support from the Aidleton family. We need him and the Aidletons to break into the Erihal market. But what do you mean when you said I’m in cahoots with him? I don’t get it.”

“You’re a smart man, Noah, and you’re very meticulous. But don’t you forget, I have all the resources in the world to find out what you’re doing behind my back. I’m giving you one more chance—work with me, and let’s take June down together. Otherwise, I’ll tell Mom about the losses Walker Group has made over the years. You can tell how much my mom dotes on Stephanie, right? I’m sure she’ll ask Stephanie to divorce you if she finds out about it. If that happens, you’ll lose everything. Also, I’m willing to turn a blind eye to all the things you’ve done to destroy Clinton Corporations.”

Noah instantly blanched at his words. After a short struggle, he said, “All right. I’ll follow your lead.”

Oscar walked over, patted his shoulder, and said, “I knew I could count on you.”

Noah responded with a wry smile, as he had no clue what Oscar’s next move would be.

Of course, Oscar would not let Noah off so easily. If Noah and June were two sneaky mice with some dirty tricks up their sleeves, Oscar would be the watchful cat that would keep everything under his control.

“I can help you with Walker Group’s cash flow, but you have to show me your sincerity. I remember June stole a project proposal from me, and all I want you to do is increase the project’s budget. If you’re willing to do this, the Clinton family will help you get through this,” Oscar said.

Noah felt it was an impossible mission. June is not an idiot. He’ll definitely not show me the proposal’s budget.

“You think too highly of me, Oscar. June and I have only met a few times, and we only decided to collaborate because we get along pretty well. How would I know the budget of that project?”

“I heard the government is interested in developing the land opposite his project. All you need to do is leak this piece of information to Noah. He’s a smart guy, so I’m sure he’ll expedite his project.”

Noah went deep in thought for a moment, as he did not know that the government would develop that land.

“All right. I promise you,” Noah agreed.

“Great. Let’s head back to my office. I don’t want my parents and sister to worry about us. They’re scared that I might do something to you.”

“Come on, Oscar.”

After returning to the office, Noah plastered a sincere look on his face and bowed before Olivia and Owen. “Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. I had been in partnership with June before this, and I didn’t know they were actually business rivals. Had I known this earlier, I would have kept a distance from June. I’m sure I’ve let you down, but I promise to take good care of Steph.”

Olivia nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. Stephanie is our only daughter, so of course, we want the best for her. As long as you treat her well, the Clintons will take good care of you too.”

Noah lowered his eyes to conceal his emotions.

Olivia and Owen left the office after a short talk.

Days went by peacefully after the talk Oscar had with Noah.

At this stage, Noah dared not step on Oscar’s toes anymore. That was why he did what Oscar said by meeting up with June more frequently. He also intentionally mentioned the government wished to develop the land opposite theirs into a supermarket and other commercial lots.

That news obviously piqued June’s interest, but he was still suspicious about it. After lighting a cigar, June asked, “Where did you get this piece of news from? I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Oscar mentioned the project, and one of the men I stationed in Clinton Corporations overheard it, so the information is definitely true. I heard he plans to bid for the land that the government wishes to auction, and this is the amount.” Noah held up his index and middle fingers.

Upon seeing that, June asked, “Two hundred million?”

Noah responded with a snort and said, “June, are you kidding? You’re in this industry. How on earth did you come up with that figure? That is a large piece of land, mind you.”

“Two billion?” June seemed calm. “The land may be large, but it’s quite a distance from the city center. Would the government really auction off the land to build a supermarket and commercial lots?”

“You can ignore what I said if you don’t want to believe me. I heard Clinton Corporations wanted to bid the land with two billion and three hundred million. You think about it.” Noah did not elaborate further and raised his glass. “Come, let’s toast to the success of our collaboration in the future.”

June clinked his glass with Noah’s before diving into deep thoughts.

After gulping down the glass of wine, Noah got up and said, “June, I’ll make a move first.”

June nodded in acknowledgment.

After Noah left June’s company, a breeze brushed over his face, sobering him up from the alcohol he had earlier.

While walking to his car, he received a call from Emma.

His eyes darkened. After hesitating for a while, he answered the phone.