Chapter 587
The Ceo’s Convict Wife
âRosalie⦠If itâs possible, I donât want you to thank me for anything,â 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 someoneâs 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.
âWhat should I do to truly penetrate her inner world?â wondered Calvin.
Meanwhile, in the hospital, Rosalie had rushed to the floor where the pediatrics departmentâs inpatient department was. She approached the nursesâ station and provided Aidenâs name before finally locating his ward.
When she arrived, Aiden had already fallen asleep.
Laying on the hospital bed, Aidenâs 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 Aidenâs hospital bed and was silently shedding tears.
Rosalie gently stepped forward, mindful not to wake Aiden, and asked in a lowered voice, âMrs. Haab, what happened to Aiden?â
âOh, Rosalie, youâre hereâ¦â sighed Matilda while looking at Rosalie. âAiden got into a fight with other kids at kindergarten and⦠ended up like this. Weâve already done a bunch of tests today, and he might need more tests tomorrow. The doctor said that his injuries arenât severe, but still, itâs a cause for concernâ¦â she rambled.
Matildaâs words caught Rosalie by surprise, and she began thinking, âA fight? From what I know, Aiden is a rather reserved child and rarely engages in confrontations with others. Even if thereâs someone he dislikes, he would usually just ignore them.â
Curious, Rosalie inquired, âWhat led to Aiden getting into a fight?â
Matilda sighed once more and elaborated, âItâs 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.â
Tears welled up in her eyes as Matilda spoke. âAmelia has already been through so much, and now Aiden has to go through this. Iâm not even sure if he can continue attending that kindergarten. What should we do in the future?â
After hearing Matilda, Rosalie had a suspicion that the situation had become known within the kindergarten because Irene had intentionally brought up Ameliaâs 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, âWhy did you come here when itâs already so late? By the way, I really appreciate your help earlier and Iâll transfer the money back to you tomorrow.â
âThereâs no need to rush on that,â Rosalie replied, observing Ameliaâs tired appearance. Under the lighting, her red eyes and markedly pale complexion were quite evident. âAmelia, Iâve already heard from Mrs. Haab about what happened with Aiden. today. He got into a fight with those children to protect you, didnât he?â
âYes, Iâm aware,â Amelia said, her gaze softening as she looked at the sleeping Aiden. She knew very well that Aiden didnât like it when others referred to her as a bad person.
However, Aiden didnât 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.
âShall I ask Lillian to help think of a solution and find a new kindergarten for Aiden?â suggested Rosalie.
After all, it was probable that everyone in the kindergarten was now aware of Ameliaâs criminal record.
She was concerned that Aiden might encounter prejudice from others at the kindergarten in the future.
Rosalie didnât wish for Aiden to experience what she had been through. Since she couldnât change the environment he was in, the only thing she could do was make changes on their side.
However, Amelia didnât agree with Rosalieâs suggestion. Instead, she askeâ¦
overturned if I decide to do so now?â
âWhat are the odds of me getting my conviction.
Rosalie was momentarily stunned. She gave it some thoughtful consideration before responding to Amelia, â30 percent.â
Amelia forced a bitter smile and pondered, âIs 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 meâ¦
Rosalie further elaborated, âDue 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, itâs 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 weâll have a 30 percent chance!â
Rosalie had previously examined Ameliaâs 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.
âBut if we were to proceed with a legal battle, thereâs 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?â inquired Amelia.
Rosalie hesitated momentarily before replying, âWe can only try to minimize such things, but we can never control them completely. After all, Warren is quite a popular man.â
Amelia forced a small smile and said, âI understand that. Let me give it some thought.â
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, Ameliaâs 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 Aidenâs injuries. If only she had considered appealing earlier or if she had been more vigilant and less naive in the past, Amelia wouldnât have had to carry the burden of a criminal record. Aiden, too, wouldnât have had to endure the pain of having a mother with a criminal history at such a young age.
âThe doctor mentioned that Aiden will recover just fine. You shouldnât be overly concerned, comforted Matilda, as she was worried that Amelia might burden herself with excessive guilt.
Upon hearing Matilda, Amelia murmured, âMom, have I made a mistake?â
âMade a mistake? What did you do wrong?â asked Matilda, puzzled.
âI⦠shouldnât have fought so hard to gain custody of Aiden. If this matter goes to court, Iâm 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,â explained Amelia.
Her biggest fear, and the thing she feared the most, was being the cause of harm to Aiden!