Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel Chapter 461
At 6.00PM, Elspeth clocked out and drove straight to the place where she and Arthur had agreed to meet.
When she pushed the door open and entered, Arthur was already there. Seeing her come alone without bringing anyone with her, he slowly curled his lips into a smile. “You really keep your word. I like that.”
“Just cut the crap and tell me what secret you have.”
Arthur raised his eyebrows. “I’ll tell you, of course—but not now.”
Elspeth had no desire to have too many dealings with him, though; she thought speaking to him would simply shorten her lifespan. “Stop wasting time. We’re both busy, after all.”
“Alright then, just have a seat and dine with me. We’ll talk over dinner.”
Elspeth didn’t really want to have dinner with him, but she had no choice but to sit down in order to learn more information.
The dishes were served one after another, and nearly all of them were her favorites.
Arthur raised an eyebrow slightly in a confident and leisurely manner. Not only that, he even had an air of smugness about him. “These are all your favorite dishes, right? I know quite a lot about your preferences after spending such a long time with you abroad.”
As much as Elspeth hated this guy, she had to admit that he was indeed very attentive to her. Picking up a chunk of meat with her fork, she tasted it and couldn’t help feeling that it tasted somewhat familiar. She had eaten this so many times abroad, so there was no mistake about it. “Don’t tell me you made these yourself?” She found this hard to believe, but she had some doubts nonetheless.
Arthur wasn’t in a hurry to answer her questions, though. Instead, he picked up his fork and speared a piece of potato with it. “I think the French fries today are pretty nice. You want to try them?”
“Arthur, I don’t want to hear you reminisce about the old times and play the friendship card with me. Just hurry and tell me your purpose in getting me here today.”
Arthur’s countenance changed at her words. “Are you in such a hurry to leave me?”
Elspeth only thought he was out of his mind. Seething with anger, she asked, “What do you mean by ‘leave you’? I’ve never gone out with you before.”
Arthur asked, “What’s the matter with Callum’s Instagram post? Are you the one he’s married to?” His heart ached at the thought that Elspeth might have gotten back together with Callum and even married him.
“So what if I’m the one he’s married to? What does that have to do with you? Just mind your own business,” Elspeth said before standing up immediately. She continued in a frosty voice, “I think I won’t get any information I want here, so let’s not waste time talking to each other. I gotta go.”
She picked up her feet and was just about to leave when Arthur suddenly said something shocking behind her. “Has it ever occurred to you that you’re not Helena’s daughter at all?”
The instant Elspeth heard this, she stopped in her tracks and looked back sharply with her eyes full of disbelief. “What nonsense are you talking about? How can I possibly not be my mom’s daughter?” Has Arthur gotten out of his mind while making up excuses?
“Why would I lie to you about that? If you don’t believe me, you can look into it yourself. Don’t tell me you’ve never suspected this.”
Elspeth was stunned. Indeed, she had never suspected this, nor had she ever thought of digging into this.
Arthur continued, “So, just check this out. Perhaps you’ll get an unexpected surprise. If you can’t find out anything, it’s okay. Just come to me and I’ll give you whatever answer you want.”
Elspeth looked totally unperturbed, but her mind was already in turmoil. It had never occurred to her that she wasn’t Helena’s daughter. If she weren’t Helena’s daughter, then whose daughter was she? “Alright, I got it… Thanks for telling me about this.” She took a deep breath. Although she didn’t understand Arthur’s motive in telling her about this, she was still grateful to him for his answer.
Arthur rested his chin in his hand with a smile. “You’re welcome. You’ve given me what I want, anyway.”
“What do you mean?” Elspeth asked. Before she realized it, she suddenly felt dizzy; the feeling of weightlessness that washed over her rendered her at a loss for what to do. “You drugged the dishes?”
Arthur smiled. “How can I make you stay without drugging you?”
Elspeth knitted her brows while trying hard to suppress her dizziness and the hot sensation. “Why did you do this?”
Arthur slowly stood up and walked to her side before holding her up by the arm. “Didn’t I make it clear already? I want to make you stay. I don’t want you to go back and be with him. It makes me angry to see you with him.”
Elspeth wanted to shake his hand off with all her might, but she realized that she couldn’t summon up her strength at all. “What are you gonna do to me?”
Arthur looked at her face with infatuation written all over his face. “Don’t worry. I love you, so I’ll never hurt you.”
Seeing the man like this, Elspeth felt a bout of nausea. “Arthur, I really never expected you to be such a nasty person.”
“Call me names as you please. I just want to get my hands on you, anyway.” Arthur reached out and gently caressed her face. “I know that you two might’ve gotten married, but that’s okay. I’ll take you abroad where there’s no one else so that no one would know you’re married, and we’ll stay together forever.”
Elspeth put her hands on the dining table in an effort to prop herself up. “Are you a pervert?”
“Pervert, huh? I like the sound of that.” Arthur bent over and was ready to kiss her face. I just drugged her with an aphrodisiac, so she must be feeling very uncomfortable at this moment.
Just when he was about to proceed to the next step, the door was suddenly kicked open.
Callum’s handsome face was frosty, and his black eyes were gloomy as he was shrouded in a chilly aura. His voice was slightly husky, and his dark eyes were glittering like obsidians. Wearing a half smile, he asked with a threatening note in his deep voice, “What were you going to do to her?”
Had he not arrived in time, he couldn’t have imagined that such a thing would happen. One could tell at a glance that Elspeth’s face was abnormally flushed, and it was clear that she had been drugged. Upon seeing this, he grew increasingly irritated. To think this woman had the nerve to come and meet him behind my back! Had I not taken precautions against this in advance, who knows what kind of unpredictable thing would’ve happened here?
Arthur replied, “What does it have to do with you?” Seeing the man before him, he knew that his plans had fallen through again this time. Since he was displeased, he didn’t sound very pleased either.
“What does it have to do with me, you ask? She’s my lawful wife.”
The word ‘wife’ instantly ignited the flames of war between the two men.
“What? You married someone else right after calling off your engagement to the McGrath Family’s daughter? Don’t you worry that they’ll harm Elspeth in the future?”
This was a blatant threat. Callum listened to these words with a dark gaze. He knew it was risky to say these things, but in this situation, he had to use them to shut up Arthur and keep him away from Elspeth. “What does this have to do with you? The only thing that concerns you is to release my wife right now.”
Although Arthur was reluctant, he had to let go of this situation. As soon as he loosened his grip, Callum immediately reached out and held Elspeth’s arm, his heart filled with anger toward Arthur. Elspeth should have only taken a small dose, and now she seemed slightly conscious. She looked up at Callum beside her, her head spinning, not knowing what to say.
“I want water.” Her throat was incredibly dry, and she just wanted water. Knowing she was feeling unwell, Callum didn’t want to argue with Arthur anymore and just carried her away.
Arthur watched him leave and couldn’t help but say loudly, “I hope you handle things properly.” It was a double entendre. Callum understood the two meanings, but he only wanted to answer one.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the McGrath Family.”
When Arthur heard this, anger flashed in his eyes.
Elspeth had been drugged, and although she had only taken a small dose, the drug was potent. It was difficult to relieve her pain unless she had sex with a man. Even if she went to the hospital, she would have to go through a painful process. When Arthur thought of Callum possibly having sex with her, he was so angry he just threw the teacup. I’m going to snatch Elspeth sooner or later!
Callum quickly carried Elspeth into the car and prepared to take her to the hospital. Seeing her in pain, he felt both angry and heartbroken. But on the way, she was a little restless and kept reaching out to pull his collar. She was wearing a white shirt today with a coat over it. At this point, she took off her coat and kept unbuttoning her shirt.
“Hang in there, Elspeth. We’ll be at the hospital soon.”
Callum tried to patiently calm her down, but seeing her exposed chest, he couldn’t help swallowing. It was strange how her figure was amazing even though she had a small frame. It was almost criminal how enticing she was. His gaze darkened, and a burning desire suddenly surged in his lower body.
Elspeth was now completely not in her right mind. Her temperature spiked all over her body, and she desperately needed something cool to save herself. Thinking this, she moved her hands all over Callum’s arm.
As Callum felt the warmth of her hands, his restlessness grew. He stopped the car on the side of the road and pulled down the curtain, making the bright car interior pitch black. Elspeth could faintly see his eyes in the darkness that were flashing with a dangerous light.
“Callum…” Her voice was weak because of the drug, which made her even more irresistible. Callum couldn’t resist his feelings anymore and leaned in to kiss her lips. The kiss deepened and became more passionate as Elspeth responded shyly.
Just when the two were in the heat of passion, Callum stopped just in time and pushed away her scorching body. Elspeth didn’t understand why and licked her lips, seeming to suggest that she wasn’t satisfied yet.
“Okay, that’s enough. I’ll take you to the hospital now.”
“Why do we need to go to the hospital?” Elspeth looked at him, and the burning sensation in her body made her babble deliriously. She felt so hot all over her body, and the coolness of his lips earlier left her wanting more.
“Because it’s not time yet. We’ll do this after we get married.” Although Callum wanted to devour her now, he held back because he knew she wasn’t in a clear state of mind, and anything she did was not thought through. Although she was now his wife, he still didn’t want to simply touch her. He wanted to give her all the respect she deserved.
Elspeth seemed to understand and could only nod reluctantly. “Okay.”
Seeing her like this, Callum was proud of his restraint. They soon arrived at the hospital, and the doctor looked at Elspeth and immediately knew she had been drugged.
“What happened? How did it come to this?”
He looked suspiciously at Callum and frowned. “Even if you want to add some spice to your relationship, you shouldn’t fool around like this. The drug is potent, and if taken in excessive doses, it can be fatal.”
Moreover, this illegal substance is not allowed to be sold, so where did he get it?
Seeing the doctor’s misunderstanding, Callum cleared his throat and said, “It’s not like that. She accidentally took this drug, so I brought her to the hospital.”
After hearing this, the doctor relaxed. It made sense since Callum didn’t seem to have done anything inappropriate to the girl. Callum brought her to the hospital and didn’t take advantage of her.
“Good job, you’re husband material.”
Callum couldn’t contain his emotions and blurted out, “We’re already married.”
“You’re married?”
“We already have our marriage certificates.” He took out the proof from his pocket.
Wow, he even carried the marriage certificates with him.
The doctor was surprised and looked at him with a strange look. “Young man, let me check your body while we’re at it.”
Callum didn’t react properly for a moment and said, “No need. Just check her.”
He thought the doctor misunderstood and thought he had also been drugged.
“No, both of you are already married. You should pay more attention to your sex life. Are you holding back because you’re not good in bed?”
Seeing the doctor’s worried face and the lack of any possible humor, Callum couldn’t hold back his anger, and his face turned black. “Doctor, I’m fine.”
“Then why did you come to the hospital for this small matter? You could’ve just solved it at home.”
Callum was speechless, and his face became even darker.
The doctor felt that this man’s temperament was unusual, and seeing his increasingly gloomy expression, he became a little scared.
“Okay, I won’t ask about your private affairs anymore. Let me check her body first and see what medicine to prescribe for her.” The doctor quickly ran away before Callum could lose his temper.
After Elspeth took the medicine, the flush on her face gradually faded away, and she soon fell asleep in the ward. Callum stayed outside the door, and as the sky darkened and it became late at night, his assistant advised him to go back to sleep. However, he thought for a moment and decided to stay. If Elspeth woke up and didn’t see him, she would probably be upset. With this in mind, Callum asked his assistant to leave first, and he stayed by her bedside, watching her peaceful sleeping face and feeling indescribable satisfaction in his heart. He didn’t know when he fell asleep, but when he woke up, he had an extra girl’s jacket on him. Callum opened his eyes and saw Elspeth staring at him with a playful smile on her lips.
“What are you looking at?” Callum was stunned for a moment, surprised that she had woken up so early and had even given him a jacket.
“I think you look good. I never realized your eyelashes are so long. They make me want to touch them.” Elspeth did as she said, reaching out to lightly rub his eyelashes. Her movements were gentle and made him feel itchy.
“Okay, stop it.”
Elspeth stopped, still grinning.
“Now let’s talk about something else.” Callum stared at her. The gloom in his eyes almost overwhelmed her.
Elspeth was startled and instantly understood what he meant. This was him coming to settle accounts. But she couldn’t resist and could only bow her head silently, looking pitiful and helpless as if she had been bullied.
“Why are you meeting with him behind my back?” The thought that she dared to hide it from him and even made an excuse to keep him away made him furious.
“He requested it himself. He said that if I went there alone, he would tell me a secret.”
Callum glared at her. “He asked you to go alone, and you went alone. Weren’t you afraid he would have any bad intentions toward you?”
“I was prepared for it, but I never thought he would be so sinister and actually drugged me.” Elspeth thought Arthur might at most bring a group of people to beat her up. With her skills, as long as the number of people was not too many, she could hold on until rescue arrived. She never thought he would drug her. It was even an aphrodisiac! Thinking about this, Elspeth became even more furious, wishing she could grab Arthur and beat him up to relieve her anger.
“Will you act so recklessly next time?” Callum knew that if he didn’t give her a thorough lesson this time, she wouldn’t remember it.
Elspeth immediately shook her head. “Of course not. From now on, I will tell you before I do anything.”
Callum snorted. “That’s more like it.”
Elspeth tentatively asked, “So does that mean this matter is over?”
“Of course not. I have to teach you a lesson so you can learn and remember.”
Callum carefully thought about it, then continued, “For your safety and to prevent you from running around, from today on, you will move to the Winthrop Residence and live with me.”
Move to Winthrop Residence?
Elspeth’s smile froze on her face. “Isn’t that a bit inappropriate? There are so many people there.”
“Why is it inappropriate? Everyone in the Winthrop Family knows that we are already legally married and have our certificates.”
At this point, Elspeth was shocked.
“You’ve already told everyone about this?”
Callum nodded. “Yes, everyone in the Winthrop Family knows you’re my wife, Elspeth, so there’s no room for refusal. Starting tonight, you’ll be living with me.”
“Do I share a bed with you?”
Callum chuckled with a meaningful look on his face. “If you’re willing, then why not?”
“Can I refuse? I don’t want to go to the Winthrop Residence.” Elspeth thought for a moment and felt that this situation was too surreal and not quite appropriate.
“Of course not. As I said, you must live with me. However… If you don’t want to move there, there is another way.”
Callum’s words instantly piqued her interest.
“What is it?”
“I’ll move in with you.”
Elspeth was speechless. She’d rather move to Winthrop Residence. If they were to live together now at her place, it wouldn’t be quite right.
Since they both agreed on a solution, eventually, Elspeth decided to move to Winthrop Residence. Callum didn’t want to wait even a minute longer. After he finished the hospital discharge procedures, he took Elspeth straight to Winthrop Residence.
Standing at the entrance, Elspeth looked at Callum’s face, smiling awkwardly. “I haven’t packed my things yet.”
Callum raised his eyebrows, a hint of hidden meaning in his usually cold gaze. “Go inside and take a look.”
Elspeth snapped back to reality, noticing Callum’s suggestive tone and wondering what he meant.
Subsequently, they entered together. It wasn’t dinner time yet, so most of the Winthrop family members hadn’t come back yet. Only Margot sat on the sofa, watching TV dramas and doing her skincare routine. When she saw Elspeth, her surprise was almost visible even through her facial mask.
“Elspeth, why are you here?”
Elspeth smiled faintly, suppressing her inner nervousness. “I came here today to—”
Callum intervened at the right moment. “I asked Elspeth to move in with us.”
Margot’s eyes lit up with surprise. “Really? Is she really willing to move in with us? Don’t force her.”
“How could I force her? I’ve already asked, and she’s willing,” Callum replied.
Margot’s smile couldn’t be contained. “That’s great. I’ve been wanting you to move in with us for a long time, Elspeth! I’ll finally have a companion.”
Elspeth’s mind was in a whirl. Looking at Margot’s delighted expression, she felt that things weren’t that simple.
“Oh, right, I forgot. You two are married now, so living together is normal.” Margot held Elspeth’s hand and patted it. “If Callum dares to bully you, I promise I won’t spare him. Don’t be afraid, I’m your forever support.”
Callum’s gaze deepened at these words. “How could I bully her?”
“You little brat. I’m chatting with my daughter-in-law here. Don’t bother us.” Margot was so eager to talk to Elspeth as if she wanted to adopt her as her daughter.
Elspeth couldn’t help but laugh. “Mrs. Winthrop, don’t tease Callum anymore. What if he really runs away from home?”
“If he does, then let him go. Anyway, I already have a beautiful daughter-in-law. That’s all that matters. You know that we don’t have any daughters in the Winthrop Family. I’ve wanted a daughter for a long time…”
Margot’s words made Elspeth feel incredibly warm in her heart, and she felt more attached to Margot. Suddenly, Margot seemed to remember something and slapped her leg. “Wait for me a moment. I’ll go get something.”
She hurriedly went upstairs. Elspeth looked at Callum, her face full of confusion. “What does she mean?”
Callum naturally guessed Margot’s intentions and just smiled without saying anything.
“By the way, have you brought Jasmine home before?”
Callum raised his brows and stared into her eyes. “No.”
“But you told me before that you would bring her home.”
“Why are you still hung up about that? I was just lying to you at the time, wasn’t I?”
Listening to her sour words, Callum figured she was getting jealous.
“I’m not hung up about it; I’m just curious.” Elspeth, feeling exposed, couldn’t help but be indignant and stomped on his foot hard. When she looked up, Margot had just come back with a box and saw her angrily stomping on Callum’s foot. She was so embarrassed she hoped the ground would open up and swallow her.
“I know what you’re doing. Lover’s quarrel, right? It’s okay. If he did something wrong and you want to hit him, just hit him. If you want to scold him, just scold him.” Margot laughed even more heartily. After she finished speaking, she sat down on the sofa and placed the box on the table. Then, she opened it. There was actually an agate ring inside.
“There are many things that have been passed down in the Winthrop Family, but most of them are jade. I remember that you are allergic to jade, so I looked around and found something like this to pass on to you.”
Elspeth looked at the agate ring and knew that it was very old. “This is too precious; I can’t accept it.”
“Why not? This is for the daughter-in-law of the Winthrop Family, and the other boys who are going to marry will have them too.”
Elspeth knew that declining was pointless, so she accepted it obediently.
“Good girl, you should keep this safe. I’m going to cook for you now that you’ve come to our house today. We have to prepare a big feast to welcome you.” Margot gave Callum a sharp look. “Take care of my daughter-in-law and serve her well. Otherwise, you’ll get it from me.”
Callum suddenly felt like his position in the family had plummeted. However, if it was about taking care of Elspeth, it was fine. After Margot left, Elspeth looked at Callum, who was peeling an orange, and asked, “Does Mrs. Winthrop also know about your previous marriage?”
Naturally, she wasn’t just asking about the marriage.
“Of course, I’ve already told my mom about all of my plans, and when she heard that everything was arranged for you, she was very supportive of my decision.”
Elspeth’s heart softened instantly. “Mrs. Winthrop is so considerate of me. I’ve decided to stand with her and bully you together with her in the future.”
Callum’s movements paused. “There’s no need to be so frank.”
Elspeth carefully put away the agate ring. She didn’t dare to wear it for it was too valuable, so it was better to keep it safe.
Seeing her cautious movements, Callum curved his lips. “It does need to be kept safe. We can pass it down to our daughter in the future.”
“I don’t want to have a daughter with you. I prefer boys,” Elspeth rebutted.
“We can’t have a son.” The thought of other boys being intimate with her in the future made him furious. Not even their son was allowed.
So, Callum whispered to persuade her, “Boys are not good. They will be too energetic and affect your mood and appetite. And if they cause trouble, you’ll have to clean up after them. Plus, during adolescence, they may be recklessly hitting other girls up.”
Elspeth gave him a sideways glance. “How do you know? Were you like this when you were younger?”
Callum rolled his eyes helplessly. “Don’t you know what I was like as a child?”
It was true. Callum looked like he had been cold and distant since he was young, and still did to this day.
“But a boy would be good, as a son would be close to his mother.”
In fact, she liked both boys and girls, but she just wanted to say it to annoy him.
“No!” Callum’s tone suddenly rose.
“Look at you, so petty…” Elspeth muttered softly, but quickly changed her tone when she saw his murderous gaze. “Okay, okay, okay, a girl it is… Wait, why should I have a child with you?” She realized as soon as she said that, Callum seemed a bit angry.
His face suddenly turned cold. “Then who do you want to have a child with?”
Elspeth lowered her head, looking conflicted. “Although I’m not afraid of pain, I’ve heard that giving birth is particularly painful.”
Callum’s expression softened a bit when he heard this. “It’s okay. If you really don’t want to have children, we won’t.”
Elspeth didn’t expect him to concede to this extent for her. Looking at his caring and doting face, she suddenly felt that getting married early might not be such a bad thing after all.
“Okay, if you’re still unsure, let’s not think about this issue for now.” Callum took her hand and stood up. “Let me take you to your room.”
Elspeth was a little surprised. She had stayed at Winthrop Residence before, and naturally thought she would be staying in her previous room. But it had been a while, and she didn’t know what the room was like now.
Callum took her directly to a large bedroom on the second floor. “The previous room was too small. I talked to my mom and we decided to give you this bigger bedroom.”
Elspeth was taken aback. “But I remember there are only six large bedrooms, and each member of the Winthrop Family has one…”
“Blake is never home, so he can stay in another room when he comes back.”
“Why not Arthur’s room? I remember he’s not living at Winthrop Residence anymore, right?”
“It’s bad luck.”
Callum had his own considerations. Arthur had ulterior motives for her, and Callum didn’t want her to stay in his room.
“Okay, but what if Blake gets angry?”
Callum’s expression was flat. “Then he can go somewhere else.”
Elspeth broke out in a cold sweat. If Blake came back and found his room occupied by someone else, he would probably be furious. Thinking of Blake’s angry inquiries about his room, she couldn’t help but laugh. Just as she laughed, someone knocked her head lightly.
“Don’t think about other men.” Callum’s touch was light, but his gaze was threatening.
Elspeth nodded and pushed open the door. She remembered having seen Blake’s room before, with blue being his favorite color and the room being a mix of blues and greens. But now, the decor in the room had undergone a drastic change. At a glance, it looked like a girl’s room, with everything a girl could possibly need, and even a huge stuffed animal in the corner. It was so girlish.
“Did you prepare all of this?” Elspeth approached and opened the closet, finding only her favorite brands and styles inside. He’s too thoughtful!
Callum’s expression softened a bit when he heard this. “It’s okay. If you really don’t want to have children, we won’t.”
“Did you really only have one girlfriend before? Your behavior seems to suggest that you’ve had many.” Elspeth widened her eyes. Her grin was particularly bright and teasing.
“You can always get such accurate information; did you not check how many girlfriends I had before?” Callum rolled his eyes, feeling somewhat speechless. She clearly knew, yet she still said it like that and deliberately teased him.
“Tsk.” Elspeth clicked her tongue, suddenly feeling jaded. “I just wanted to liven up the atmosphere. I didn’t expect you to be so dull.”
“I’m a bit dull during the day, but at night we can do something more interesting.”
“Pfft!”
Could this really be something Callum would say? As Elspeth watched him calmly and shamelessly utter these vulgar and shameless words, her face turned red, and she punched him in anger.
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
“You started it first. Why are you getting angry now?” Callum calmly crossed his arms and watched her stomp her feet with a slight smile.
“Then I won’t say anything anymore.” Elspeth simply went inside and flopped onto the bed. “This bed is so soft.”
“Of course, it’s soft.” After trying more than 30 fabrics and materials, he came up with this. It was sure to be the most comfortable bed to sleep in. But he didn’t tell her this little detail, in case she said something shameless again. He didn’t like it when she was being impudent.
“But this bed has one major flaw.” Callum smirked.
Elspeth lifted her head from the covers and asked with a bewildered look, “Is there any problem with this bed?”
Callum replied, “Of course. The biggest flaw is that I can’t sleep with you.”
Elspeth’s heart raced.
“Wait, where did you learn these cheesy pick-up lines?” She didn’t even know that Callum liked saying these things. Besides, when he said them with a serious face, it gave her a feeling that he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. To be honest, it was really easy to be hooked. But she was Elspeth Lynwood, so she could resist it. However, not everyone could.
“Do you not like it? Don’t girls like to be flirted with by guys they like?”
Elspeth straightened up and explained seriously to him, “What you’re doing is called flirting, but we’re already an old married couple. If you keep saying these things, you’ll creep me out and give me goosebumps.”
“Creep you out and give you goosebumps?” Those words sounded particularly dangerous in his cold voice.
Elspeth realized she had messed up again and quickly corrected herself. “Sorry, my wording is not appropriate. What you said makes me feel embarrassed. I just don’t like hearing about these things. I’m a no-nonsense woman who is not good at expressing emotions.”
Callum’s deep-set eyes stared at her intensely, and he slowly furrowed his brow, his gaze becoming dark and dangerous. “Just a no-nonsense woman who is not good at expressing her emotions, huh? Are you sure?”
Elspeth had yet to realize the seriousness of the situation and nodded profusely. “Yes.”
Hearing this, Callum didn’t say anything more and instead walked over and opened the first drawer. Then he took out a letter and began to read the words on it, using his magnetic voice to recite each word.
“I dwell by the head of the river,
While you reside by its tail.
Every day I long for you, yet you are not here,
As we drink from the river that never fails.”
Upon hearing these familiar words, Elspeth immediately stiffened. “Why do these things you’re reciting sound a bit familiar?”
Callum didn’t respond to her question and continued reciting.
“This water flows ceaselessly,
While my love for you only grows.
I pray your heart is like mine,
That you will never betray the love we chose.”
At this moment, Elspeth had already realized what he was reciting and a trace of panic flashed across her face.
“How did you know about this?”
Callum glanced at her with cold eyes. “Wait, there’s more to come.”
Then, he continued.
“The cry of the ospreys echoes by the river’s shore,
In the islets where the river’s currents flow.
There stands a fair maiden, a beauty to adore,
For a noble gentleman, she is meant to know.
Amidst the waterweeds that sway to and fro,
She wanders in search of her true love.
But alas, she cannot find him, and her heart in woe,
Yearns for him every night and day thereof.
The waterweeds she picks, scattered here and there,
To compose a song for her kindred soul.
With her lovely voice and her melodies rare,
The strings of the zither will take control.
And as she writes her verses with brush and ink,
She dreams of her love with each stroke of her hand.
And with each sound of the drum and bell’s chime,
Her heart sings with joy as she dances in the sand.”
His voice was deep and resonant, especially when reciting poetry. He had a good intonation, making it easy for people to get lost in his voice. But this particular part was not as familiar to her.
“What is it that you’re reciting?”
Callum sneered, “The handwriting is different. Can you guess whose it is?”
A sudden surge of electricity rushed through Elspeth’s mind. She remembered that Gilbert seemed to have told her on the phone that he had written a response on the back of the envelope. Were these lines what he had written? So, when she expressed her liking for him, he also liked her, but she thought she had been rejected at the time. When the letter was returned to her, she did not investigate further and buried the feelings deep in her heart, waiting for them to slowly rot away.
Callum was no longer able to chat with her calmly at this point. He reached out and lifted her chin, asking, “Can you tell me now? Can you tell me whether you’re still a no-nonsense woman who is not good at expressing your emotions, or are you a hypocrite?”
This was the love letter containing the juvenile poem she had written to Gilbert when she was young and immature. Now that it was suddenly unearthed, she was getting somewhat uneasy. But staying silent would make her look guilty.
“I just wrote these lines out of boredom at the time, and I even copied some lines from other poets…”
“So, these lines aren’t flirtatious?”
How could she write such words to Gilbert yet not be able to say anything romantic to him in person, and even find his flirtatious words creepy? The thought of that guy possibly being the unforgettable first love in her heart made him want to strangle him.
“Of course not. It was just me being young and ignorant at the time, and copying lines didn’t take any skill. They weren’t sincere.”
It would be better to calm him down at this point. As for the truth of the matter, that was another story.
“You really liked him back then, didn’t you?” Callum’s voice carried a hint of sadness and helplessness.
“I didn’t actually like him that much.” She only remembered being deeply moved by his care for her at the time, and love gradually grew from that. If she had to analyze what she really liked about him, she wouldn’t know.
“Do you know how angry I was when I saw these things? You’ve been keeping them for so long.”
If she had forgotten or no longer cared about this past love interest, then these letters would have been destroyed long ago. But not only did she not do that, she even kept them close to her. The envelopes looked quite old. How could he not be angry about that?
“Don’t be angry. Come on, calm down.” Elspeth nervously swallowed and stared at his chin, her gaze shifting uncertainly. “If you really like this type of thing, I’ll write more for you. I’ll write you even more. Okay?”
Callum’s face was as cold as ice. His black eyes narrowed slightly and gleamed with a sharp chill. He spoke in a cold tone, his voice bloodthirsty. “Do you really think that what I care about is whether you can write more for me?”
He was jealous. Couldn’t this woman see it yet? Thinking like that, he really wanted to press her under him and bully her. He wanted to teach her a lesson so that she wouldn’t dare to have double standards in the future!
“What do you care about then? Is it because I wrote to him before? These things already exist, so if I say they’re all fake, you definitely won’t believe it, so what do you want me to do?” She felt wronged. She didn’t even know where he found those letters, and now he was interrogating her. She lowered her head, her face full of stubbornness.
“Why are you getting upset before I even say anything?” Callum looked at her like that and his heart softened a little. At this point, he couldn’t bear to continue interrogating her. He let go of her and sat down on the bed beside her.
“When I saw these things, I was very unhappy. Shouldn’t you comfort me first?”
Elspeth looked up and saw him chatting with her calmly, which made her feel somewhat relieved.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Hiding Behind Her Superficiality