Chapter 8 Negotiation

Amelia's words were firm and resolute.

If anyone else had spoken to Raymond like that, they would have been thrown out long ago.

But this was Amelia, the same Amelia who had always been so submissive and eager to please him.

It seemed that ever since that night, everything had changed.

Raymond frowned deeply, straining to recall what exactly had transpired before that night.

At this moment, Amelia paid no heed to Raymond’s thoughts.

Seeing Raymond’s lack of response, she assumed she had him intimidated. Quickly, she turned and rushed towards the ward.

Inside, the doctors were busy treating Noah.

Noah's face was as pale as a sheet, his small body convulsing uncontrollably.

His eyes were tightly shut, his brows furrowed, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

The doctors were administering sedatives and nutrients.

But Noah resisted fiercely, his body twisting and turning, trying to break free from the doctors' hold.

Seeing that the doctors were about to lose control, Amelia rushed over and grabbed his wrist. "It's okay, Mommy's here. Don't be scared, Mommy's here."

She held his hand to her chest, trying to warm his cold hand with her own body heat.

Everyone thought it was futile.

The doctors were about to ask her to leave.

But miraculously, Noah, who had been struggling, gradually calmed down upon hearing her voice.

His body stopped twisting, and the frequency of his convulsions decreased.

It was as if Amelia's voice had a magical power that could soothe his inner fears and anxieties.

The doctors glanced at Amelia in surprise.

But the situation was urgent, and they didn't have time to think much. They quickly continued with the treatment.

Feeding tubes, injections, physical examinations—the entire process went smoother than ever with Amelia's presence.

Noah, unconscious, cooperated with the doctors' treatment without any resistance.

Raymond stood at the door, watching everything with a complex expression.

He hadn’t planned on giving Amelia another chance to get close to Noah, but in that moment, he suddenly changed his mind again.

The treatment lasted for over an hour.

To Amelia, that hour felt like an eternity.

She held Noah's hand tightly, her eyes fixed on the doctors' actions, afraid that any mistake might occur.

It wasn't until the doctors completed the final check and announced the end of the treatment that she breathed a sigh of relief.

She felt her limbs go numb as if her body no longer belonged to her.

Maintaining the same posture for so long had caused poor blood circulation, making her hands and feet tingle.

She stretched her body, ready to go downstairs for some fresh air.

Just then, Carl appeared out of nowhere, blocking her path. "Ms. Smith, Mr. Adams wants to talk to you."

Amelia was a bit surprised. She also had things to discuss with Raymond, so she nodded and followed Carl to a quiet room.

It was a makeshift meeting room, with some recently cleared items still piled up at the door. As the door opened, a strong smell of smoke hit her.

Amelia coughed a few times, irritated by the smoke. She frowned and looked up, seeing Raymond standing in the corner, smoking. He stood straight, one hand holding a cigarette, the other in his pocket.

Seeing her, Raymond's expression turned somber. It was the first time Amelia had seen him smoke. In her memory, Raymond had always been disciplined, not smoking or drinking, always maintaining a perfect image. She didn't know why he was smoking now. But thinking about what she had to say and their relationship, she didn't dwell on it and stepped inside.

As she entered, Raymond extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray and walked to the window, opening it. Fresh air flowed into the room, and Raymond spoke expressionlessly. "You've seen Noah's condition. He needs professional care and companionship now. Since you're his mother, I hope you can come every day for an hour as a caregiver. Of course, you can't reveal your identity as his mother. Name your other conditions."

His hands were in his pockets, his tone firm despite his words of hope. In his view, with Lyanna in custody and the Smith Group in crisis, Amelia wouldn't refuse his request.

However, to his surprise, Amelia immediately responded, "Sorry, I won't accept the role of a caregiver, nor do I want to spend just an hour with him each day. I want to take him with me, as his mother, and live with him every day."

She looked up, her eyes resolute as she faced Raymond. But to Raymond, her words sounded absurdly laughable. She had abandoned Noah without hesitation, and now she wanted to stay by his side as his mother?

He looked at the hypocritical Amelia coldly, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Are you kidding me? You abandoned him back then, and now you think you can just come back?"

Raymond's mockery pierced her heart like a sharp blade. Knowing she needed to explain the past to see Noah again, Amelia took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Believe it or not, I didn't abandon him on purpose. I've been searching for him all these years. Now that I've found him, I won't give up."

Raymond sneered. "So, you're saying you want to fight for custody?"

Amelia nodded firmly. "Absolutely."

Raymond's deep eyes locked onto Amelia, his expression growing colder. He stepped forward and sat in a chair, still exuding an air of superiority. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Even at the Smith family's peak, you couldn't do it. Now, the Smith Group is just a puppet."

He was stating a fact and issuing a threat. But Amelia wouldn't be intimidated. She looked down at Raymond coldly, emphasizing each word. "That's my business. I came here to tell you that no matter what, I won't give up on this child."

With that, she turned to leave without waiting for Raymond's response. But as she reached the door, she heard Raymond say, "I'll give you three months."

Amelia turned back. "What?"