Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Around noon, Ines went to grab some lunch with the gang. Looking at the yellowed and dry veggies, Ines lost her appetite after just a few bites.
All of a sudden, she found herself missing the meals Ethan used to cook. His cooking was top–notch, a feast for all senses.
In her mind, she thought maybe Ethan had spoiled her taste buds, as she never used to be picky about food.
Thinking about Ethan, her mind naturally drifted to the crappy things that happened last night. She had never experienced such a disaster before. Facing that guy, she was completely clueless about what to do.
Kelly, sitting beside her, was captivated by the slight smile on Ines‘ face. Blinking her eyes, she sincerely said, “Ines, you’re really pretty, you know.” Deep eyes, adorable dimples when she smiled, and a calm aura around her. The more time they spent together, the more Kelly found her beautiful. The charm of her personality seeped in with time.
Ines snapped out of her thoughts and playfully glared at Kelly, “Stop pulling my leg.”
Kelly touched her heart, “Ines, you better not smile like that at guys, you’ll have them lining up.”
Ines just shook her head in amusement. Kelly stuck out her tongue play fully, “By the way, Ines, did that woman give you any trouble? I bet Jaime gave her a piece of his mind this morning.”
“Nope, not really,” Ines replied with a light smile.
Seeing Ines reluctant to share more, Kelly dropped the subject. Ines excused herself to go to the ladies‘ room. As she was about to come out, she heard a shrill sound of high heels approaching. The woman was clearly upset. Then she heard a familiar voice, “Leo, dream on if you think you can get custody. There’s no way I’m handing Naomi over to a father like you! Your family’s wealth and power mean nothing to me. I’m financially independent and can provide for my child. Even if we go to court, the judge will consider Naomi’s opinion. I won’t necessarily lose.”
That voice belonged to Amelia. The man on the other end of the phone was also heated, so much so that Ines could hear everything clear as day. She suddenly remembered what Kelly had told her a few days ago about Amelia going through a divorce. Turned out it wasn’t just a rumor.
Judging by their tone, things seemed pretty serious. They were arguing over custody. “Amelia, don’t think too highly of yourself! You only gave birth to her, but you never took on any responsibility. How many of Naomi’s birthdays did you attend? How many gifts did you remember to buy? How many times did you pick her up from kindergarten? Every time, Naomi was left standing alone in the cold with her backpack, waiting. And every time, she was disappointed to see me alone. At first, she would ask why her mom didn’t come. But later, she stopped asking. The few times you did pick her up, she was so happy she was jumping all over the place.”
Amelia seemed struck by his words and fell silent for a moment. Ines stood awkwardly in the bathroom, unsure whether to come out. After a while, Amelia’s voice rang out again, “Leo, I won’t deny what you’ve just said. I did put a lot of my energy into work over the years. But don’t use that as an excuse for your infidelity. It’s you who betrayed our marriage first. I admit I neglected Naomi, but from now on, I’ll shift my focus back to her.”
The man on the other side of the phone seemed to find this hilarious, he sneered, “Amelia, we’ve known each other since college, that’s ten years now. I know you better than you know yourself. Work has always been your top priority. I once thought you could be a good wife, but you’ve disappointed me time and time again. You always have an excuse for working overtime, for not spending time with me and Naomi. You always say you’ll be free after this period, then you’ll spend more time with us. But your busy times never end. I can hardly believe your words anymore.”
“Regardless, I’m Naomi’s mother. I won’t hand her over to another woman. And I don’t believe a man who cheats in marriage can be a good father.” Amelia was firm.
“Amelia, if you insist on making things difficult for everyone, going to court won’t do you any good. Think about it.” The man seemed to have run out of patience. His tone was harsh, even threatening.
“I don’t care. I don’t want a penny of your money, just my daughter. I won’t back down on this matter. There’s no room for negotiation.” The argument outside went on and on, only quieting down after quite a while. Ines let out a sigh of relief. She had been in the same position for too long and her legs were starting to feel numb. She squatted down and lightly massaged her calf, planning to wait until Amelia left before coming out. But unexpected things always happen. Her phone rang. It was Ethan. She had no choice but to quickly hang up.
Amelia naturally heard the ringtone. Her face changed and she asked suspiciously, “Who’s in there?”
Ines reluctantly put her phone back in her bag, steeled herself, and walked out of the bathroom, “Ms. Young, it’s me.”
Amelia’s face darkened instantly, “I didn’t know Ms. Galeana had a habit of eavesdropping on other people’s phone calls.”
“Um, Ms. Young, you’ve got the wrong idea. I didn’t mean to listen in on your call. I just happened to be…” Ines started to explain.
Amelia let out a cold laugh, staring at Ines, “Happened to be here, huh? Don’t you think that’s a weak excuse? This is a workplace. I don’t want to hear any rumors about my personal life in the company. No matter how much you heard, you better forget it all. It’s for the best.”
Ines was at a loss for words, “Ms. Young, don’t worry. I won’t say a word.”
“You better remember what you just said.” Amelia said.
>
Amelia Young fixed herself up in front of the mirror, then slipped back into her usual cool demeanor, walking out of the restroom as if nothing had happened, a stark contrast to her previous emotional outburst. If it wasn’t for today’s incident, Ines would never have imagined that Amelia had
Chapter 55
such a side.
Ines heaved a sigh, feeling like she really drew the short straw today. She’d managed to piss off Amelia in the morning, and accidentally overheard her private matters at noon. If any rumors were to spread around the company, she’d certainly be the first one under suspicion. Feeling a bit down, she pulled out her phone and dialed the number of that bolt from the blue call. If it wasn’t for that sudden call, she could’ve made a clean getaway.
