Chapter 587
“Rosalie… If it’s possible, I don’t want you to thank me for anything,” murmured Calvin.
Throughout his life, he had always subconsciously maintained a distance from others. Even his friends, such as Alan, also commented on his aloof nature, which always created a sense of alienation.
It was as though, regardless of their efforts, nobody could ever penetrate his inner world.
However, he could finally comprehend what it meant to be unable to access someone’s inner world at that moment. Calvin had been making sincere efforts to get closer to her as he longed to be a part of her world, yet there was always an air of detachment in her interactions with him.
Despite her smiles toward him, it always felt like Rosalie was subtly declining his approach.
“What should I do to truly penetrate her inner world?” wondered Calvin.
Meanwhile, in the hospital, Rosalie had rushed to the floor where the pediatrics department’s inpatient department was. She approached the nurses’ station and provided Aiden’s name before finally locating his ward.
When she arrived, Aiden had already fallen asleep.
Laying on the hospital bed, Aiden’s calves were wrapped in thick white bandages. There were bruises all over his swollen face. His eyes also looked swollen, even when they were closed, indicating that someone had beaten him.
Rosalie also spotted Matilda, who sat by Aiden’s hospital bed and was silently shedding tears.
Rosalie gently stepped forward, mindful not to wake Aiden, and asked in a lowered voice, “Mrs. Haab, what happened to Aiden?”
“Oh, Rosalie, you’re here…” sighed Matilda while looking at Rosalie. “Aiden got into a fight with other kids at kindergarten and… ended up like this. We’ve already done a bunch of tests today, and he might need more tests tomorrow. The doctor said that his injuries aren’t severe, but still, it’s a cause for concern…” she rambled.
Matilda’s words caught Rosalie by surprise, and she began thinking, “A fight? From what I know, Aiden is a rather reserved child and rarely engages in confrontations with others. Even if there’s someone he dislikes, he would usually just ignore them.”
Curious, Rosalie inquired, “What led to Aiden getting into a fight?”
Matilda sighed once more and elaborated, “It’s all because of Amelia. He ended up in a fight with the children who told him that his mother had been in prison and was a bad person.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as Matilda spoke. “Amelia has already been through so much, and now Aiden has to go through this. I’m not even sure if he can continue attending that kindergarten. What should we do in the future?”
After hearing Matilda, Rosalie had a suspicion that the situation had become known within the kindergarten because Irene had intentionally brought up Amelia’s criminal record at the kindergarten entrance before. That was why even the children. were prompted to approach Aiden and make those comments.
Just then, Amelia had also walked into the ward. Upon seeing Rosalie, she said, “Why did you come here when it’s already so late? By the way, I really appreciate your help earlier and I’ll transfer the money back to you tomorrow.”
“There’s no need to rush on that,” Rosalie replied, observing Amelia’s tired appearance. Under the lighting, her red eyes and markedly pale complexion were quite evident. “Amelia, I’ve already heard from Mrs. Haab about what happened with Aiden. today. He got into a fight with those children to protect you, didn’t he?”
“Yes, I’m aware,” Amelia said, her gaze softening as she looked at the sleeping Aiden. She knew very well that Aiden didn’t like it when others referred to her as a bad person.
However, Aiden didn’t know that in the eyes of the world, her time in prison was seen as a just punishment, and she was considered a bad woman.
“Shall I ask Lillian to help think of a solution and find a new kindergarten for Aiden?” suggested Rosalie.
After all, it was probable that everyone in the kindergarten was now aware of Amelia’s criminal record. She was concerned that Aiden might encounter prejudice from others at the kindergarten in the future.
Rosalie didn’t wish for Aiden to experience what she had been through. Since she couldn’t change the environment he was in, the only thing she could do was make changes on their side.
However, Amelia didn’t agree with Rosalie’s suggestion. Instead, she aske…
overturned if I decide to do so now?”
“What are the odds of me getting my conviction.
Rosalie was momentarily stunned. She gave it some thoughtful consideration before responding to Amelia, “30 percent.”
Amelia forced a bitter smile and pondered, “Is a 30 percent chance sufficient for me to proceed and attempt to clear my name? An ordinary person might consider a 10 percent chance worth fighting for, but 30 percent feels exceptionally low to
me…
Rosalie further elaborated, “Due to the passage of time, some of the evidence that could have helped your case in the past may no longer be available. Therefore, even if you choose to pursue an appeal, the judge may place greater emphasis on witness testimonies. However, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to uncover new evidence if we conduct a thorough examination of the case. If we scrutinize everything closely, I believe we’ll have a 30 percent chance!”
Rosalie had previously examined Amelia’s case and had pinpointed specific vulnerabilities. If they could leverage these weaknesses during the legal proceedings, there might be an opportunity to reverse the conviction. Furthermore, if new evidence could establish a solid chain of proof, it would significantly enhance their chances of prevailing.
“But if we were to proceed with a legal battle, there’s a chance that this would become news and go viral online. The appeal might attract media attention and even Aiden could potentially face harassment, right?” inquired Amelia.
Rosalie hesitated momentarily before replying, “We can only try to minimize such things, but we can never control them completely. After all, Warren is quite a popular man.”
Amelia forced a small smile and said, “I understand that. Let me give it some thought.”
After all, once they proceeded with the legal battle, the only option she had was to win the appeal. If not, losing it would only further solidify the belief of others that she deserved her conviction. Besides, this would also potentially bring more harm to Aiden.
When it came to the witnesses… Unless Warren could retract his previous statements and provide a testimony that favored her, Amelia’s case could never be reversed. In fact, it might even attract more public attention
After Rosalie left, Amelia looked down at Aiden, who was still fast asleep, with a sense of guilt in her eyes.
She believed that she was the cause of Aiden’s injuries. If only she had considered appealing earlier or if she had been more vigilant and less naive in the past, Amelia wouldn’t have had to carry the burden of a criminal record. Aiden, too, wouldn’t have had to endure the pain of having a mother with a criminal history at such a young age.
“The doctor mentioned that Aiden will recover just fine. You shouldn’t be overly concerned, comforted Matilda, as she was worried that Amelia might burden herself with excessive guilt.
Upon hearing Matilda, Amelia murmured, “Mom, have I made a mistake?”
“Made a mistake? What did you do wrong?” asked Matilda, puzzled.
“I… shouldn’t have fought so hard to gain custody of Aiden. If this matter goes to court, I’m afraid the news media will get involved, and the fact that Aiden has a mother will a criminal record would be sensationalized by them. By then… this will -become-a-lifelong burden for him,” explained Amelia.
Her biggest fear, and the thing she feared the most, was being the cause of harm to Aiden!
