Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
Elspeth exclaimed.
“I’m not too sure either. I always thought it was Edmund who did it, or else he wouldn’t have made fun of me every time. But I’ve asked him about it before and he said it wasn’t him.”
Elspeth didn’t look convinced at all.
“How do you know he wasn’t lying?””No. Even though Edmund has a sharp tongue and he likes to gloat, he never lies. When he does, the tips of his ears turn red. He can’t hide it for more than three seconds.”With his understanding of Edmund, Callum knew that Arthur was the one responsible for all of this.Does this mean that Arthur has been setting people up since he was a child? Surprised, Elspeth looked at Callum and asked,
“In other words, Arthur has been jealous of you since way back. He’s not making a break with the Winthrop Family because he thought that Mr. Winthrop caused his parents’ death. This is solely him acting on his long-time grudge, correct?”Seeing how quick she was on the uptake, Callum looked at her with an approving look.”Mhm. You guessed it right. That’s what I was thinking as well. Arthur’s reconciliation with the Winthrops probably has something to do with Alphascape. It might be bad for the Winthrops.”Elspeth suddenly thought of something.
“Have you told Mr. Winthrop to be careful?””It’s useless. My father will never want to be wary of Arthur. After all, Arthur is the child he brought up. He won’t think badly of Arthur even if Arthur were to hurt him.”Callum knew Theodore all too well. Although he could be brutal in business, as a father, he was just a kind, loving man.”We need to get ready, then. We must not let him get ideas on Mr. Winthrop.”The corners of Callum’s mouth curled into a smile.
“Oh? You’re worrying about your future father-in-law already even though we’re not officially married. Is this a case of love me, love my dog?””My foot! I’m just concerned about Mr. Winthrop. He has been nothing but nice to me. I don’t want anything to happen to him.”Callum patted her head and comforted her in a soft voice,
“I know that you are worried about my father, but you have worked too hard, Elspeth. You are always thinking about this and that every day. I think you should start to think about yourself.””What do you mean?”He pulled Elspeth into his arms and rested his chin on her forehead.
“Our couple’s lovey-dovey time, of course! Don’t you agree, Mrs. Winthrop?”He’s doing it again! Feeling flushed and worked up, she felt like a cooked prawn.She couldn’t understand how a man who had never dated anyone was so skilled at flirting and teasing.”Callum, you pretend to be indifferent, but you’re actually a surprise package, aren’t you?”This was a term that Callum had never heard of.After pausing for a moment, he asked in return,
“What’s a ‘surprise package’?”Elspeth held her forehead in resignation.
“Pretend I never said that,”
she muttered.”Say it!”
He held her wrists in a tight grip.
“Tell me, what does a ‘surprise package’ mean?”It didn’t sound like a compliment to him.Finding it hard to say it, she shook her head and blushed.
“I don’t know. I was just guessing.”Callum pursed his lips and the next second…Elspeth felt like hiding in a hole when he found the meaning on Google.He read out loud,
“A ‘surprise package’ generally refers to people who are quiet on the outside and passionate on the inside. ‘Surprise packages’ don’t easily express and show their emotions and emotional changes, but they would perform in unexpected ways in specific occasions or environments.”
After that, he glanced at Elspeth with intrigued eyes.
“Oh, so you think I’m ‘passionate on the inside’ and I ‘perform in unexpected ways’.”Hearing him say the word ‘passionate’ immediately made her turn red in the face.”That’s not what I mean…”She struggled to get out of his hold on her wrists, but he only held on tighter.”Elspeth, are you trying to do something different with me?”The woman quickly froze. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what he was talking about.The way his Adam’s apple rolled and the clear and distinct sound of him gulping made her imagination run wild.”Let’s put everything aside first. I will take you to Waterside tomorrow.””Why are we going to Waterside? Are we going to watch the filming?”She didn’t like that place very much.”Of course not.”
Callum lightly knocked on her forehead with a knuckle.
“Other than the film and television industry, Waterside is a famous tourism spot. I’m going to take you there to have fun.””But… I don’t want to…”She could never get used to traveling.”You don’t seem very happy about the idea,”
he commented.When she thought about her childhood experience, she couldn’t help but have a bitter expression.
“If only you knew. I went to the beach with my father when I was young and I was stung by a jellyfish. And when I went to play in a forest, I was caught in a bear trap. There was this other time when I went to a ropeway, but I almost died because it hadn’t been maintained for a very long time -“”Stop! So, what you’re saying is, you get bad luck whenever you travel?”Callum couldn’t help laughing. Just the thought of her ‘sad experiences’ made him laugh.”Exactly! That’s why I don’t like to travel. I would rather have you kill me than bring me on a trip.”Elspeth was going to meet her end anyway.”Fine. I’ll take you somewhere completely safe.””I sure hope so!”
She giggled.
“But where are we going?”He had a mysterious look.
“You’ll see when we get there.”He was indeed mysterious enough to not tell her this secret even when they boarded the plane the next morning.Elspeth had always been a curious one. She couldn’t sleep well the whole night because none of her guesses were right.The next day, she, with dark circles around her eyes, went to meet up with Callum.Callum both felt sorry and entertained when he saw the unconcealable exhaustion in her eyes even though she had full makeup on.”Alright, alright. You can catch some sleep on the plane. I’ll wake you up when we get there.”She then nodded and fell into a deep sleep against his shoulder.When he saw how docile she was when she slept, he felt a strange feeling spread across his chest.The feeling prompted him to lean forward and press a chaste kiss on her forehead.He thought that she had fallen asleep at first, but the jolting of her fingers out of nervousness gave her away.He only noticed the moisture on his shoulder when they got off the plane.She was perspiring? Was the air conditioner not cold enough?Even though he was surprised, he didn’t say anything and took her directly to the hotel first, but when they arrived, the front desk told them that there was only one room left.Elspeth glanced at Callum.
“How about we get another hotel?”
she asked.The man didn’t even hesitate to answer.
“We’ll stay here.”She was then dragged all the way to their room.Despite the lack of emotions on his face, Elspeth couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive.
“Callum, I really think that men and women should keep their distance from one another…”
“We are in a relationship. So, sleeping in the same room shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
Elspeth saw a hint of slyness in Callum’s gaze.Callum still had the same appearance, but the coldness and dignity in his soul had vanished. The Callum before her was a big ferocious wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing.”Can we sleep separately, Callum? I’m not quite ready yet.”Not so much prepared as not prepared at all.Callum’s eyelids did not flutter. A smile gradually crept to his lips as he noticed a flash of dread on Elspeth’s face.”It’s fine. Everyone has their first time.”How dirty-minded!Elspeth shivered as she cuddled up on the bed.Kneeling beside her, Callum put his hand beside her to take away the quilt.The next thing Elspeth knew, Callum, who was usually dignified, was lying on the sofa in a suit, leaving the bed for her alone.”Let’s sleep.”Elspeth was unable to react in time. She expected Callum to impose himself on her.”Callum, you’re the epitome of a gentleman.”Elspeth’s eyes were welling up with tears. The impression he left on her became even more positive.He calmly closed his eyes and said,
“I’m not. I’ll come back to bed immediately if you say anything else.””Don’t! I’ll sleep now.”Elspeth was terrified and hastily closed her eyes.Elspeth couldn’t sleep after some time. And the consistent breathing sound by her side surprised her.In a setting like this, he could sleep.”Callum,”
she called out quietly. The sound of breathing faded quickly, followed by Callum’s somewhat scratchy voice.”What is it? Did you have a nightmare?””No, I can’t sleep.”Callum was a square.
“Keep trying. Count sheep or something. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy tomorrow.””I tried, yet I can’t sleep. I’m not sure why.”In fact, Elspeth knew the reason best. It was most likely because Callum was in the same room with her, and she felt nervous.She didn’t want to say anything for fear of making him upset.”What should we do now?”Elspeth pondered for a long time before coming up with a suggestion.
“How about you tell me a story?”Callum shook his head.
“I’m not very good at telling stories.””When I was a kid and couldn’t sleep, my dad would tell me stories to soothe me to sleep.”Elspeth felt nostalgic as she recalled her childhood.”Fine.”
Callum scowled and added,
“There is a construction schedule for Damoria this year. The implementation is expected to begin on August 30th. To ensure that no one is injured-“”Stop! Callum, I’m looking for a story, not a piece of news!”Elspeth felt conflicted as she gazed at the dark figure not far away.How can a man be so unromantic?”Then tell me what you want to hear.”Given his lack of experience, Elspeth quickly suggested,
“For example, a gentle and sweet story about small creatures.”Callum couldn’t comprehend what Elspeth was saying, so he took out his cell phone and looked up a story.”Cute Bedtime Stories for Girlfriend…”Callum grimaced as he read the suggested stories. He took a long time to choose a favorite.
“Once upon a time, there was a little prince who enjoyed eating cherries. The realm was filled with cherry trees, and the cherry fairy resided among them. The little prince thought that the cherry tree would grow red and sweet fruit, but it did not for a long time, so the little prince was disappointed. Then a cherry fairy appeared and told the unhappy little prince, ‘Kiss me, and the cherry will grow.’ As a result, the little prince puckered up and kissed the cherry fairy. The cherry tree was instantly covered in blushing cherries the moment the cherry fairy blushed. The cherry fairy whispered coyly, ‘The cherries are already sweet enough, so don’t kiss again,’ as the little prince puckered up. ‘But you are sweeter than cherries,’ the little prince murmured while blinking.”Callum’s voice was soothing with distinct hoarseness that drew one in.Elspeth expected to be so aroused by his voice that she would be too excited to sleep after hearing it. However, what happened was that she grew so drowsy after hearing his rhythmic voice that she passed out.She had no idea when she had fallen asleep.The quilt was on her body when she awoke the following morning. There was no Callum on the sofa.Elspeth started feeling uneasy. Just as she was ready to leave, the door swung open.It was Callum. His shoulders were slightly damp, and he was holding an umbrella and a bag of shrimp tacos.”Are you awake?”
Callum placed the umbrella by the door before setting the meal on the table.
“I went out and bought tacos. I believe you will be hungry when you wake up.”Elspeth nodded. She had only just awoken and hadn’t eaten much the night before, so she was hungry.At this moment, she felt warm and comfortable as if they had been married for many years.The tacos on the table made her gulp.”What’s the problem? Not a fan of tacos?”Callum scowled unexpectedly.Elspeth shook her head hurriedly.
“No. Of course, I enjoy it. They are my favorite.”After speaking, she sat at the table and took up the shrimp taco to bite into it.
“Mmm! Nice! It tastes fantastic. You try some.”Callum’s brow furrowed.
“I had a cup of coffee outside. I’m not hungry yet. Tacos are not my favorite. You can have them all.”Elspeth nodded. The itching all over her body caused her to drop her food and scratch before she could start the second portion.”What’s wrong?”Callum lowered his gaze to the crimson marks on her arms. He then grimaced.
“Do you have a seafood allergy?”Elspeth’s bangs were drenched in sweat.
“Yes… I’m allergic to seafood. However, it is not serious. I should be fine after a while.”It stings. So itchy…Elspeth was short of breath and felt prickly and unpleasant.”Stop being stubborn. You should have told me that you have a seafood allergy!”
Callum quickly dialed 911 and sent Elspeth downstairs to meet the ambulance.Elspeth huddled in his arms while mumbling,
“I’m fine. Not to mention that you bought them for me, so I have to finish them.””Don’t be silly! What if you die?”Callum’s tone suddenly became cold.”If I die, find a beautiful girl to marry and have a child named Elle Winthrop,”
Elspeth added with a smile.She then sighed,
“It has a nice ring to it.”Callum was enraged, and his stare was frigid as he heard her joke.
“If you die, Elspeth, I shall smash you to ashes.””Yeah. Take my ashes and… What are you talking about? Are you going to smash me, huh?”This isn’t what you’d expect to see in a novel. Why do you never play by the rules, Callum?
With Callum’s effort, Elspeth was admitted to the hospital. When Elspeth smelled the familiar disinfectant, she grimaced.
“Can I not be admitted to the hospital for treatment?”Callum cast an icy gaze at Elspeth.
“What do you think?”Elspeth gave a nervous smile.
“I don’t think it’ll work.””That’s right.”The aloof dreamboat stepped aside as he spoke and began scrolling through his phone.”How about our travel itinerary?””It will be rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances. It’ll help if you remain in the hospital for treatment. Don’t worry. There’s plenty of time.”Elspeth lay resentfully on her bed.Soon after, a doctor arrived. She was doing rounds.Elspeth recognized the doctor’s face but couldn’t recall where she had seen the doctor.The doctor exclaimed in astonishment the next second,
“Cal, you’re here!”Elspeth frowned and looked at Callum when she heard that.”Hey.”
Callum gave the doctor a nod.”How have you been lately? How is Archie doing?”Elspeth deduced the doctor’s inner feelings because she shyly nicknamed Arthur Archie.”Everything is fine.”
Callum remained the same. He was uninterested in meeting unfamiliar people.The doctor seemed to know him. She kept quiet after exchanging a few words. Then, she came up to Elspeth’s bed to do her work.As she stared at Elspeth, the doctor grimaced.”Elspeth, what brings you here?”Elspeth finally remembered the doctor.”It’s been a long time, Moriah Oliver.”Elspeth had an unfavorable opinion of Moriah.She met Moriah four years ago while studying abroad. Moriah was also a medical student who knew Sonny was abroad, so she did everything she could to find him and wanted to be his apprentice.By accident, Sonny picked Elspeth as his apprentice. With that, Moriah gave up her pursuit, and she held grudges against Elspeth since she suspected Elspeth of stealing her item.Jealousy grew in Moriah the moment she saw her mortal enemy. Her face was extremely gloomy.”It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Elspeth.”Her words sounded sarcastic.Moriah was not someone Elspeth wanted to deal with. She ignored Moriah and closed her eyes to rest. She didn’t even bother looking at Moriah.Moriah checked the ward and walked out after observing Elspeth’s refusal to speak.Just a few steps away outside the door, Moriah noticed a familiar figure.”Archie?”The man turned his head when he heard that. It was Arthur.He softened his expression as he looked at Moriah.”What a strange coincidence. We hadn’t seen one another in a long time. So, you’re employed here.”Arthur smiled and gently patted her.Her emotions were awakened as she fixed her gaze on him again.
“Archie, could you tell me why you came to Waterside today?””I’m here on business.”
Arthur lifted his hand and checked his watch. He frowned.
“It’s getting late. I have to leave right now.”Moriah nodded, and her idle heart began to beat rapidly once more.
“Can we have dinner tonight, Archie?”Arthur was about to dismiss her. He changed his mind when he saw Elspeth’s name on her case page and answered,
“Of course.”
Elspeth was bored in the ward and was staring at Callum.”What’s the matter? Do you want something to eat?”Elspeth smiled.
“No thanks, Cal.”Elspeth had never addressed Callum this way. Oh, someone’s throwing a tantrum.”Jealous?”Elspeth chuckled and tried to act cute. However, the coldness between her brows could freeze Callum’s heart.
