Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
Elspeth smiled at him, and her beauty dazzled him.
“Don’t talk when you don’t know the whole truth. Haven’t you heard of that saying before?”
The man was still dazed by her beauty and agreed in confusion.
Ophelia was elated when he was helping her, but anger rose within her as she saw him mesmerized by Elspeth’s beauty.
Why did all those men fall to their knees for Elspeth like she was a goddess? Oh, how she wished she could slice Elspeth’s face so that nobody would ever look at her again!
“It’s okay. Thank you, Darling, for your concern. I know Elspeth probably felt wronged. It’s nothing.”
Ophelia lightly nudged the man’s arm as she smiled bashfully at him.
“If Callum found out that you’re calling people Darling…”
Elspeth watched Ophelia’s phony act as she stifled a laugh.
Fear immediately took root within Ophelia’s heart at Elspeth’s remark, so she unintentionally pushed too hard, and the male colleague who helped her stumbled.
“Ophelia, you..”
He suddenly felt like a simp for helping her as he was brushed off and derided for defending her.
“Darling, I didn’t mean that…”
Ophelia opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but the man wasn’t willing to listen anymore as he turned around and stomped away.
“Alright. That’s enough. If you continue, Callum will hear you. Oh, right. I returned with him today.”
Ophelia snickered,
“Stop pulling my leg. I know Callum’s looking at the contract in his office now. He’s not going to be here.”
“Well, I am.”
A familiar voice rose behind her, and cold sweat covered her back. She stiffly turned her head and saw Callum’s emotionless face as her heart pounded against her chest.
“The things I said just now. Callum, you-“
He calmly cut her off,
“I heard all of it.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I called him Darling because he was older. That’s why I-“
She wanted to explain herself, but he wasn’t interested in her lies as he walked toward Elspeth and lowered his head to ask,
“Edmund told me that he appointed the position of director of the Design Department to Ophelia. Is that so?”
His posture was similar to that of a man whispering sweet nothings to his lover, which made Ophelia green with envy.
“Yup, but it’s fine. I don’t need this job.”
Elspeth wasn’t bothered by Edmund’s decision or that Ophelia had taken over her original job.
To her, being the Design Department director wasn’t a big deal, nor was the position all that attractive. She was being mean to Ophelia on purpose earlier because Ophelia had done several disgusting things back when they were colleagues. So, it was only natural that she wouldn’t have a good temper to deal with that repulsive woman.
“This is different.”
Callum pondered in silence before slowly suggesting,
“Why don’t you be my secretary? I’ll double your pay, and it’s not a tiring job.”
“Huh?”
Elspeth instinctively rejected his offer without a second thought,
“I’ve never worked as a secretary for anyone. I’m not suited to the role.”
Being a secretary meant she would have to bend her back for Callum. She wasn’t that crazy.
Callum seemed to notice the true reason behind her rejection as the corner of his lips curved up ever so slightly.
“I’m not going to bully you. I just wanted to offer you an easy job with higher pay.”
Since she couldn’t be the director of the Design Department, she could become his secretary and stay by his side. In his opinion, that was a win.
??
Ophelia, who never left, was so shocked that her jaw dropped, utterly ruining her usual poised demeanor. Why is Callum speaking so gently to Elspeth? He even asked her to be his secretary!
She had begged and pleaded with him for a long time, but he never budged. He never once thought of making her his secretary. So, how could he give that position away to Elspeth so easily?
“Callum, what’s up with you and Elspeth?”
Callum stretched out his hand and wrapped it around Elspeth’s shoulders.
“What do you think?”
he asked, expressionless.
“You can’t do this! Mrs. Winthrop already said that she wants you to marry me, not Elspeth. What will she think if you do this when she’s lying unconscious in the hospital right now? How can you date the woman who pushed her down the stairs?”
Ophelia raised her voice, practically screeching as she was unable to accept his decision.
“I have told you time and time again that I’m not interested in you. Don’t think that you’ve won after ganging up with my mother to force me to yield. And to think that you’d shove all the blame on Elspeth. Hah.”
Callum took a threatening step forward as he said with undisguised annoyance,
“How do you face your conscience every day while you play the victim, Ophelia Fleming?”
One had to applaud her for her tenacity as she still insisted on putting up her act.
“Do you think that I’m the one who did it? Callum, why would I harm Mrs. Winthrop? She’s been nothing but kind to me, so why would I
“Stop it. Don’t make me lose that last bit of good impression I have of you.”
After he spat that last sentence, he dragged Elspeth straight into his office, leaving Ophelia behind, her heart beating wildly as it was utterly filled with terror and frustration.
In the office, Elspeth placed her palms on the desk, resting her weight on them as an amused smile spread across her face.
“Callum Winthrop, why did you suddenly speak up for me today? Aren’t you the least bit suspicious whether I’m the mastermind behind this incident?”
“I know you didn’t push my mother down the staircase.”
“Oh? What made you change your mind so suddenly?”
Callum stared out the window as he observed the bright city lights and explained,
“The last time when we were at the hospital, you were so eager to prove that you’re not the problem. You even helped me to look after my mother despite her disdain toward you. Furthermore, you succeeded in getting Mr. Schwartz back from abroad. If a person like this is actually the culprit… Then, I suppose I can only admit defeat against this individual. I can admit that such a person scares me with how far they’re willing to go to achieve their goals. More importantly, I genuinely trust you. This trust has been built up over the days we’ve spent together. My trust in you cannot be diminished by such a one-sided story filled with holes. Besides, my heart will always be biased toward you.”
Elspeth felt her heart a warm river flowing through her heart at his confession. Who would have thought that a man like him would trust me so unconditionally?
“So, what’s on your mind, Callum? Do you really want me to be your secretary?”
“I’ve never worked as a secretary before in my entire life. Listen to how confident you sound. Do you really think that everyone is as eager as Ophelia to stick to you like gum?”
Elspeth said in exasperation, rolling her eyes at him.
“She won’t be the director of the Design Department for long.”
