“Don’t worry. I won’t do such an unnecessary thing. Amelia already has her own family and children,” Tiffany said.
“Good to hear that.”
After Carter left the car, Tiffany drove off.
Shakily, Carter went upstairs. After entering his house, instead of heading to the bathroom, he fell asleep on the couch.
It was a silent night.
The next morning at ten, Tiffany called Amelia, saying, “Babe, are you awake?”
“I am.”
“The weather seems good today, so let’s shop. You should take more strolls while your stomach isn’t that big yet. It’ll be good for you.”
“All right.”
“Let’s meet at Pearl Plaza at eleven. We’ll have lunch before we shop.”
“Sure.”
Around eleven, the two met up at Pearl Plaza.
Giving Amelia a huge hug, Tiffany chuckled, “Babe, did the little sweetheart in your tummy annoy you last night?”
Amelia shook her head.
After giving Amelia a once-over and realizing she seemed well and in a good mood, Tiffany teased, “Babe, be honest with me. Did something good happen to you last night? Look at how happy you look. You look as if love has entered your life.”
Tapping her forehead, Amelia laughed, “You must have written too many novels for you to think that.”
Tiffany laughed along with her.
“Babe, what do you want to eat today?”
“Let’s have stew. I’ve been craving to have it today.”
“Look at you and your meager requests. All right, since your sweetheart baby wants it too, we’ll have stew today.”
Tiffany booked the reservation for them before they headed toward the restaurant.
Right as the two sat down, Amelia’s phone rang. It was a call from an unfamiliar number.
Noticing her hesitation, Tiffany asked, “Who is it?”
Amelia shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t recognize the number.”
In the end, Tiffany decided for her by taking her phone and ending the call. “Since you don’t know the number, don’t pick it up. It’ll save your time if it turns out to be a telemarketer on the other end of the line.”
Amelia nodded.
Amelia’s phone rang again when the two were ordering, and she reached out toward the other woman. “Tiff, hand me my phone. I’m thinking that someone I know should be trying to call me with someone else’s phone.”
Taking the phone back from Tiffany, Amelia then accepted the call. “Hello, may I know who this is?”
“Amelia, right? I’m Carter’s mother. We’ve met several times a few years ago. Do you remember me?”
Amelia’s face turned ashen, and her grip on her phone tightened. She never thought that she would receive a call from Faye nearly five years later. Faye’s voice was a reminder of the nightmare she once had.
The wily woman, who had an elegant exterior, was the reason she became the supposed traitor of her company — they accused her of having conducted corporate espionage. Back then, she was nearly imprisoned. All of her pain back then was due to Faye, which was why she was frightened to hear her voice again.
Only after Amelia took in a deep breath, then could she tamp down the fear growing in her heart. Calmly, she uttered, “Hello, Mrs. Scott. May I know why you’re calling me?”
Upon hearing that form of address, Tiffany widened her eyes as she stared at Amelia’s phone. Then, she gritted out, “Amelia, hand me the phone.”
However, Amelia waved her hand and gave her a look, signaling her to stay silent. She then said, “Mrs. Scott, is there something I can help you with?”
“Are you free now? I’d like to invite you to a meal; I have some things to talk to you about,” Faye replied.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Scott. I’m eating with my friend right now. I don’t think I can accept your invitation,” Amelia rejected.
Her trauma was still fresh in her mind, so she did not want to see the other woman.
“It’s fine. I can eat with you and your friend. Just tell me your address, and I’ll come to you,” Faye insisted.
Amelia frowned before opening her mouth, about to reject again. “Mrs. Scott, I’m afraid my friend won’t feel comfortable with you around while we eat. What about this instead? I’ll be free tomorrow at noon, and we’ll arrange to meet at another time. What do you think?”
Faye insisted, “I can eat with your friend. Although I’m much older than you, I can still chat merrily with young people.”
If Amelia were to continue rejecting Faye, it would seem rude.
Hence, she gave her the address before ending the call.
Tiffany asked, “She’s coming here?”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Too Much to Bear, My Love