Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
She was about to leave, but Callum stopped her.”Elspeth, if you can’t accept me as I am, I won’t hold you back if you want to break up.”And yet you promised you wouldn’t let go of our relationship not too long ago. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn’t turn around. She tried her hardest to keep her voice steady as she said,
“I can still wait.”They barely said anything to each other in the next few days. Work was the only common thing they had in their schedule. Whenever Elspeth passed by him, she wanted to say hi, but she just couldn’t get the words out of her mouth. She realized she had no idea how to start a conversation with him.Three days later, Edmund returned to the Coles. When Theodore found out that Edmund wasn’t his son, he fell into depression for a while. Margot cried her heart out, but they still let Edmund return to the family that birthed him. It was the right thing to do, even though they were heartbroken about it. The Coles invited all their rich and famous friends to the banquet, including the Winthrops. Of course, Elspeth was invited as well. She should’ve gone with Callum, but they had nothing to talk about, and being in the same space was awkward, so she drove to the Cole Residence alone.Callum didn’t stop her, but luck decided to play a trick on Elspeth that day. Her car died halfway through, and she had to stop at the roadside. It’s out of gas now? She smacked her forehead. Just when she was about to call someone to tow her car away, someone said coolly,
“What happened?”Great. I just have to run into him during my most embarrassing moment. Elspeth looked at Callum and smiled awkwardly.
“My car ran out of gas, so I’m calling someone to tow it away. I’ll just get a taxi.”Callum frowned.
“Want me to give you a lift?”He would’ve taken me into his car right away in the past, but now he’s just asking me if I need help. She shook her head.
“No. I can do this myself.”However, Callum insisted,
“I thought you said I was your boyfriend. Shouldn’t I be helping you, then?”
He didn’t like that they were supposedly dating, but he was her boyfriend and he had an obligation to fulfill.How ironic. He’s only helping me because he’s my boyfriend, not because he loves me. She took a deep breath.
“It’s alright.”Callum gazed at her for a moment before nodding.
“I see. I shall be going now.”Elspeth saw him off, her heart saddened.”Honestly, what are you doing here?”
another familiar voice sounded.Elspeth turned around to find Gilbert as tears welled up in her eyes. Look at her. What a loser. Gilbert rolled his eyes.
“That was your boyfriend, wasn’t it? Why didn’t he give you a lift?”A bitter smile curled Elspeth’s lip.
“I told you yesterday, didn’t I? He wouldn’t help me now that he doesn’t love me anymore.””Then why are you still with him? He doesn’t love you anymore. If you keep tangling yourself with him, you’re only going to hurt yourself.”
Gilbert might be poking fun at her, but still, he took her into his car.
“Leave your car. I’ll call someone to tow it away.”Elspeth looked at him, surprised.
“You’re going to the banquet too?””Yep. I’m a Payne.”
Gilbert revved his car up and held the steering with one hand while patting Elspeth’s head with the other.
“Now cheer up. I can always take you back to Eden if you want.”
Gilbert was a little heartbroken to see her so sad.Elspeth sniffled, but she said nothing. A while later, they arrived at the Cole Residence. Once Elspeth got out of the car, she saw a familiar figure talking to another woman. She wouldn’t mistake him. He was none other than Callum and standing before him was Emma. Elspeth felt her heart stop.Gilbert leaned on his car, his hands tucked in his pocket. He too saw Callum and Emma, and he sneered.
“Emma is his ex, isn’t she?””Yes,”
said Elspeth silently.”I see he’s getting a new girlfriend.”
He pointed at Callum and Emma. Both were chatting happily and looking like a proper couple.A bitter smile curled Elspeth’s lips, and she felt something tearing away at her heart.
When Elspeth was about to go past Callum, someone stopped her,
“Hi, Elspeth. Want to chat?”
Emma smiled innocently as if she wanted to be friends with Elspeth and the feud between them never existed.Elspeth shot her an icy look.
“I’m coming after you sooner or later, Emma. Don’t challenge my patience.”Emma hung her head low like an innocent kitten.
“I know I shouldn’t have done that, but I’m trying to be friends with you and patch things up with you. Why can’t you let it go?”Callum would have taken Elspeth’s side in the past, but now he stood there in silence.”Callum, I really do want to be friends with Elspeth.”
She turned around and gave him a pouty look.He still remembered the feud, but he had lost all feelings for Elspeth, so he just stood there and didn’t chastise Emma either.”I have nothing to say to you.”
Elspeth could feel her blood boiling. Look at her. She thinks she has won. If looks could kill, Emma would have already died a thousand times.Gilbert had been watching the drama in silence until now, but when he noticed Elspeth’s fury, he quickly stood up for her.
“Callum, Elspeth is your girlfriend. Why are you taking Emma’s side?”This is the second man to yell at me, and for Elspeth. Callum’s face fell.
“I don’t need you to tell me what to do.”
And as if he wanted to get back at Elspeth, Callum approached Emma and smiled.
“Let’s go in, shall we?”Emma looked at him in surprise. She thought he was lying, but he wasn’t. She nodded delightfully.
“Of course.”Elspeth watched helplessly as they entered the lobby together.She’s still not giving up? Gilbert laughed mirthlessly.
“See? Your boyfriend just went inside with another woman!””I know.””And not just any woman. His goddamn ex. Do you know what this means? They’re probably dating again!”
I’m a guy. I know that look Callum gave Emma. That was a look of love.Elspeth hung her head low in dejection.
“I know.””Then, cut your losses right now. You keep holding on and he’s going to dump you. When that happens, don’t come crying to me.”
He shot her a look of disappointment. Someone then called him. When Gilbert saw who it was, he left a few messages for Elspeth before walking away to meet up with his friend.Once again, Elspeth was alone. She raised her head, but what met her gaze was Callum talking intimately with Emma. A sigh escaped her lips. She walked to a corner and held up a glass of wine. Just when she was about to drink her worries away, a shrill voice spoke.”Why, if it isn’t Elspeth? Why are you alone? Where’s
Callum?”Emma was standing by Elspeth’s side.Elspeth looked at her drink and finished the last of it.
“You know why. That’s a redundant question.”Emma shrugged the snappish answer off and laughed delightfully.
“Even God is helping me. He has forgotten all about your love. So much for undying love.”
“That’s none of your business. I’m still his fianc?e, but you’re just an ex of his.”
Elspeth twirled her wine glass with one hand, the other balling into a fist. She wasn’t sure if Callum still loved her, but she wanted to take Emma down a peg or two.”So what? I still appeared in his life earlier than you did. You know how much he used to love me. Now that he has lost all feelings for you, it’s only a matter of time before he comes back to me.”
I can get married to him soon. Emma’s eyes glimmered with excitement. All I have to do is take this woman down.”Yeah, right. Even if he were to break up with me, he wouldn’t marry you. Don’t forget all the disgusting stuff you did. His family will never accept you.”
The Winthrops don’t like her.That hit the bullseye, and Emma’s face contorted with rage.
“What are you talking about? We’re very much in love.”
Damn it. She’s trying to pit us against each other again.
“He told me he has lost all feelings for you. You can’t still be waiting for him to remember all about your love?”
Emma chuckled shyly.
“He told me he still couldn’t forget about me.”Elspeth chuckled.
“You’re delusional. You’re at best a four out of ten, and you slept with about a hundred men. To hell if the Winthrops will accept you.”Infuriated, Emma was about to yell at Elspeth, but she saw Callum slowly moving toward them. She calmed down and turned away. While out of Callum’s sight, she sneered.
“Want to make a bet? Let’s see whom he cares about more.”Alarm bells rang in Elspeth’s head.
“What are you talking about?””Nothing.”
Emma chuckled.
“Just trying to have some cheap thrills.”
Right after she said that, she slammed her foot into the gigantic wooden rack filled with wine glasses. The rack started to wobble, and eventually, it fell down on the ladies.This is going to hurt badly, and it’s too late to run. I can’t dodge either. I’ll be hit either way. Elspeth closed her eyes. Before everything fell to darkness, she saw Emma smiling venomously at her.The pain didn’t come. Elspeth opened her eyes and found herself lying in someone’s embrace. It warmed her heart, but when she looked up, her smile disappeared. It’s not Callum.Why the f*ck is this woman looking at me so dumbly? Gilbert roared,
“Are you mad? You could’ve dodged that thing!”
If I had reached her one second later, she would’ve drowned in a mountain of broken glass.Elspeth blinked, trying to wake her mind up. I’m the only victim.
Wait, where’s Emma? She turned around. Emma was also unhurt, and she was lying in Callum’s embrace. She pretended to shake with fear. Softly, she said,
“That was scary. Elspeth kicked that rack for some reason, a-and then it fell on us.”
Emma looked into Callum’s eyes lovingly and shot Elspeth a smug look.
“Good thing you came in time.”Elspeth froze, a sense of sorrow filling her soul. Callum… saved Emma. He chose her over me.
Elspeth’s face turned pale instantly as if she had seen something shocking.
Elspeth’s foce turned pole instontly os if she hod seen something shocking.Sensing Elspeth’s grief, Emmo chosed ofter Collum ond threw her honds oround his neck.
“Collum… I feel terrible. I’m so scored…”He didn’t refuse her opprooch becouse his eyes were on Elspeth now, his heort thudding from the disoppointed look in her eyes.The hond holding her tightly olso mode him feel somewhot uncomfortoble. It wos os if he didn’t wont her to ossociote herself with thot mon.Whot is this? he wondered. I don’t hove ony feelings for her, so why do I feel this woy?Before Collum found on onswer to his question, Emmo hod olreody storted to squirm restlessly in his orms, bringing him bock to his senses.He lowered his heod ond whispered something to Emmo. Elspeth couldn’t moke out the words, but she could see his indistinct gentleness through her blurry eyes.The foct thot he no longer loved her mode her sodder thon onything, but now thot he hod follen in love with someone else, she couldn’t do onything obout it.Sucking in o deep breoth, she smilingly told Gilbert,
“It’s okoy. I’m fine now.””Sure, you ore. You wouldn’t be if I come o second too lote.”
