Hiding Behind Her Superficiality

Chapter 194

Emma’s expression softened at his question. “Yeah, they’ve been doing business abroad all this time. But if you want to meet them, I can make a phone call and ask them to come back.” Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Theodore replied with a wave of his hand, “No, you don’t have to. They just came into my mind, that’s all. Your dad and I used to be drinking buddies back when we were younger, you know.”

They chatted happily, with Arthur chiming in from time to time.

Contrary to the three who were talking and laughing cheerfully, Callum and Elspeth were seemingly nonexistent. He bent his head and whispered in her ear, “Are you really not unhappy?”

Elspeth couldn’t describe how she felt. “No, I’m fine,” she replied, but her smile looked somewhat strained.

Seeing that she seemed a bit uncomfortable, Callum led her out of the hotel as soon as the gathering was over.

As they walked outside, Elspeth let out a wistful sigh.

“I can see the change in my dad’s attitude toward you, actually.”

She couldn’t help but let out a wry laugh at the man’s words. “Yeah, even you could see that, so how couldn’t I?”

Callum stopped to look at her. He said earnestly, “Still, you don’t have to be worried. There’s no way my dad would dislike you all of a sudden. He probably has a reason for doing so.”

Naturally, Elspeth knew full well about this. She decided to ask Theodore about it when they went home tonight.

As the couple strolled along the bridge, it suddenly began snowing.

Elspeth was stunned; she hadn’t paid attention to the calendar for a long time. Seems like Christmas is coming, she thought.

Before she snapped out of her trance, Callum surprised her with a bouquet of Lenten roses he produced from nowhere. Though not as delicate as roses, the flowers looked extraordinarily hardy.

She asked, “Callum, did you steal these from someone else’s backyard?” She sounded disapproving, but inwardly, she loved these flowers very much.

Callum darted her an impassive glance. “There are stalls selling things on both sides of the bridge. Weren’t you looking at these just now?”

Elspeth looked back and saw there was indeed a flower stall where she had been standing. What was more, she’d been staring blankly in that stall’s direction just now. “Actually, I don’t like… Achoo!” She smiled in embarrassment before emitting a loud sneeze.

Before she could finish her sentence, Callum fixed her with a murderous stare. “Are you saying that you like Lenten roses very much?”

Coming to her senses, she nodded vigorously. “Yeah, I like them a lot.”

Callum frowned when he noticed that she was shivering with cold. “Feeling cold?”

Cold? It’s thanks to your tone that the weather turned chilly! Elspeth looked at her clothes—which weren’t really warm enough—before emitting another sneeze. “No, I don’t.”

“Then, why are you shivering?” Callum lowered his gaze as he took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. “I’ll send you back.”

Elspeth gave him a smile of gratitude. “Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Winthrop, but my legs are numb.”

Speechless, Callum crouched down and let her get onto his back.

Now that she didn’t have to walk by herself, Elspeth suddenly became talkative. “Callum, I’ve heard that a couple can remain together in their old age once they’ve walked together in the snow.”

“I don’t know if a couple can remain together in their old age after walking in the snow, but I’m sure they’ll get hospitalized for that.”

She was displeased with the man’s unfeeling remark. How unromantic.

Theodore was sitting in the living room watching TV when they arrived home by car. Seeing that Elspeth was back, he pretended to leave again, but she stopped him before he could do so. “Mr. Winthrop, may I ask what is going on with you?”

Theodore replied with a forced smile, “I’m fine, Elspeth. Don’t think too much about it.”

Elspeth… Now he calls me Elspeth instead of Elsie, thought Elspeth. Unable to get the truth out of him, she decided to look into it herself.

After she returned to her bedroom, Theodore summoned Callum into his study. No one knew what Theodore had said, but the next day, Callum became somewhat quieter than usual.

Seeing that he wasn’t in a good mood, Elspeth asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

Callum shook his head. “I gotta go to my office. You should go to Azure Corporation early if there’s nothing else.”

“Are you telling me to go to my own company?” Elspeth was astounded. He was just fine yesterday; why is he beginning to distance himself from me today?

Callum pressed his lips together without saying a word.

A sense of discomfort surged up within Elspeth. “Callum, just tell me if there’s anything. Don’t keep it from me.”

“I’m fine. I gotta go; I’ve got work to deal with at my office,” Callum replied before leaving; his broad figure looked desolate from behind as he left.

Elspeth gritted her teeth before going to the Winthrop Group after him.

Once arriving at the Winthrop Group, she found that her stuff had been cleared away on Callum’s orders, while her desk was occupied by the new director of the Design Department. She was depressed when she walked into the man’s office and saw him working as if nothing had happened. “Callum, can you tell me what on earth is going on with you?”

Callum looked up; his eyes were full of meaning that she couldn’t understand. “I’m fine. It’s just that you’re not supposed to stay any longer in the Winthrop Group according to the rules.”

She smirked. “Well then, were you lying when you told me before that the Winthrop Group is mine as long as I go out with you?”

He shook his head. “No, I wasn’t.”

“Then, what do you mean by doing this right now?”

Callum let out a sigh. “Well, if you want to keep on staying here, I’ll have another desk cleared up for you.”

Naturally, Elspeth was unwilling to let go easily without finding out the actual reason behind this, so she nodded and let Callum do so.

He had the cubicle furthest from his desk cleared up and designated it as hers. The cubicle seemed several times better than her previous desk, but the distance between it and his desk made her feel ostracized.

Furthermore, Callum was supposed to have lunch with her during lunchtime, but she saw Emma in his office at noon. The scene was oh-so-familiar: Callum was sitting there working while Emma was sitting on the couch waiting for him to finish his work.

They didn’t appear overly intimate this time, but the man’s silent acquiescence pricked Elspeth’s heart nonetheless.

“Elspeth, what brings you here?” Emma asked in surprise, as though Elspeth were a complete outsider.

Elspeth didn’t even look at her. “I’m here to talk to Callum. It should have nothing to do with you.”

Emma giggled with her hand over her mouth after listening to her reply. “Elspeth, just forget it if you’re here to ask Callum out for lunch. He’s agreed to have lunch with me.”

Elspeth couldn’t believe her words. Calm and determined, she looked into Callum’s eyes, asking, “Tell me, Callum—is it true what she said?”

Callum didn’t make a sound, but his silence had spoken for itself.

“Look, Elspeth, why don’t you stop embarrassing yourself? You’ll put Callum on the spot by doing this.”