Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel 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.”

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.