Chapter 115 The 30th Day of the Cooling-Off Period at Dawn
Amelia looked at the documents.
She didn't care what William's intentions were.
Whether it was compensation or hush money, none of it would change her plans.
"I really don't get the Jenkins family. Can you ask them about it when you have time?" Jeffrey said. "Maybe Otis is a fan? Then you'll need to give him a few more autographs."
Amelia said nothing.
Perhaps she could ask about the Jenkins family's situation later, but right now, she only had two things to do.
One: prepare for The Sound of Heaven finals.
Two: get the divorce certificate with William.
Throughout the entire day, Amelia was busy with all sorts of things.
Lika's SIM card was back in her phone.
Hawk had set up a blocking program for her, so those random calls and messages wouldn't come through anymore.
But now most of the incoming ones were from various people testing the waters.
On Lika's number, they asked about her relationship with the Brown Group and the Jenkins Group.
Amelia ignored them all.
Soon, the day passed.
Amelia went to pick up Briar from school.
From far away, she spotted Briar in the crowd.
Briar saw her too.
Then she came over with a big smile.
Amelia also crouched down and hugged Briar tightly.
"Amelia!" Briar called out in her clear voice.
"Briar!" Amelia straightened Briar's clothes.
"What does Briar want to eat? I'll take you to eat it," Amelia said with a smile, pinching Briar's little cheek. "Except for..."
"Ice cream!" Amelia and Briar said at the same time.
They both laughed.
Briar's condition meant she couldn't eat that.
They were becoming more and more in sync.
Amelia finished tidying Briar's clothes, then took her to sit in a small pavilion nearby.
She poured warm water for Briar to drink.
Briar actually wanted to talk to Amelia too.
She'd been thinking all day about William coming to see her last night.
"Amelia, I want to ask you something," Briar finally spoke up.
Amelia took the cup Briar handed her and looked at her seriously.
This morning, she had sensed that Briar had something she wanted to tell her.
Briar hesitated slightly, then asked carefully, "Do you still like William?"
Amelia didn't know why she was asking this.
But she still answered, "No."
Briar was obviously relieved.
Amelia laughed, "What's wrong?"
"Last night he came to the orphanage to see me and bought me lots of things, but I didn't accept them." Briar told her everything that happened last night.
"Later I heard the director secretly tell me that he donated money to the orphanage."
As Briar spoke, Amelia couldn't help but frown.
William went to see Briar?
Last night.
The wind blew gently, and a Maybach stopped by the roadside not far away.
In the back seat of the Maybach, William looked up toward the two people in the distance.
The little girl's clear voice, tinged with some unease, came through the crack in the car window.
"Briar, I told William you don't like him and asked him not to come hurt you anymore." Briar said in her childish voice. "I also told him not to come looking for me anymore. I said he's not my dad."
"Amelia, will you blame me?" After saying this, she looked at Amelia.
Amelia smiled and pinched Briar's little cheek, "How could I? Don't worry."
She held both of Briar's hands and said, "Don't overthink it. Let's eat something delicious later, okay? I'll make it for you. I saw online that you can arrange food in the shape of Cinnamoroll."
"Yes, yes!" Briar laughed. She loved eating food that Amelia made herself!
The two agreed, then got into the car together.
The car started and drove away with them.
"Mr. Brown, should we follow?" The driver was Rhys.
But William just shook his head.
He didn't know why he had come here either. Perhaps he just wanted to see her.
But he knew Amelia didn't want to see him.
She was still angry.
The cheerful laughter and conversation between the two seemed to still linger in his ears. Just a few sentences, yet they made him sad.
She hadn't denied what Briar said.
And also...
Food made by Amelia herself.
It had been a long time since she'd cooked for him.
In the past, no matter how late he came home, she would wait for him and prepare a table full of home-cooked meals.
She always seemed to make him feel at ease and warm.
But...
William closed his eyes.
Those days seemed like they were from a very long time ago.
"How many days are left in the cooling-off period?" William asked.
Rhys knew this by heart, "Mr. Brown, today is the 28th day. In two more days, you and Mrs. Brown can go get the divorce certificate."
William didn't respond. Rhys glanced at him through the rearview mirror, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Does Mr. Brown have new thoughts?"
The next moment, William in the back seat opened his eyes and looked at Rhys in the mirror.
Rhys immediately understood and withdrew his gaze.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Brown," Rhys said. "I spoke out of turn."
William looked away. He didn't blame him too much, just looked out the car window.
It was kindergarten dismissal time, and there were many people coming and going.
All coming to pick up their children.
Watching couples holding their children's hands and walking out with smiles, William felt something indescribable.
"Rhys, how many years have you been by my side?" William asked.
"Mr. Brown, I've been with you since you took over the company at 22. It's been 6 years now," Rhys answered.
6 years.
But Amelia had been with him for 7 years.
7 years of time.
Thousands of days and nights.
William looked out the car window.
"Take me to eat steak, to a place you've been to," he said.
"Yes!" Rhys immediately started the car.
...
On the other side.
Amelia drove Briar toward the rented house.
Looking at Briar seriously playing with puzzles in the rearview mirror, Amelia felt very satisfied.
Even though Briar still called her "Amelia," she believed that one day, Briar would be willing to call her "Mom."
Thinking about this, she felt it was necessary to warn William again later, to stop him from constantly bothering her daughter.
Briar was her daughter and had nothing to do with William.
Amelia drove Briar home and made delicious food for her.
The two were filled with laughter and joy.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
William had tried steaks at all the major restaurants in Shadow City, but couldn't find the taste from his memory.
William looked at the steak in front of him.
Had his taste gone wrong?
Didn't they all taste the same?
Even if they weren't made by the same person, they shouldn't be this different, right?
Finally, William put down his utensils.
He felt he'd been a bit strange lately.
Perhaps he should go see a doctor.
...
Time flew by quickly.
The 28th day of the cooling-off period passed just like that.
The 29th day was still a calm and busy day.
On the night of the 29th day, when Amelia returned from the practice room exhausted, it was already late at night.
After she finished showering and came out, she checked the time and saw it had just passed midnight.
It was already the early morning of the 30th day. In 24 hours, her and William's divorce cooling-off period would be over.