Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
Then, Haris touched his chin with an intrigued expression. “Can you tell me who your mentor is?” he asked.
“My mentor is Sonny Schwartz,” Elspeth said.
After hearing that, he was no longer surprised but rather shocked. “That old geezer actually took you on as his apprentice?”
After all, they were both masters in traditional medicine, so it was only natural for them to be acquainted with one another. Before she uttered those words, she had already anticipated his response and surmised that animosity existed between them.
“Yes, I’m not sure why he wanted to take me on as his apprentice.”
Suddenly, he widened his eyes and inquired, “Did that old geezer offer to take you as his apprentice?”
“He forced me into it by crying, throwing a tantrum, and even threatening to die.”
After hearing that, Haris was so shocked that he almost choked on his saliva. Sonny, that old geezer, is selective about the people he associates with and possesses a domineering personality. This is one of the reasons why so few people in the community of traditional medicine like him. However, it is shocking that he would even consider taking someone on as an apprentice, let alone resort to such coercive tactics. With that, he said, “Miss, I underestimated you earlier. You must be really talented.”
On the other hand, Elspeth didn’t want to think about her traumatic experience of being forced into becoming Sonny’s apprentice. So, she quickly changed the subject with a laugh. “That’s all in the past.”
Soon, he had a bold idea. “Miss, would you be interested in becoming my apprentice?” He had two ulterior motives for wanting her to be his apprentice. If Sonny is invested in someone, he will treat them like a precious treasure. However, if I were to take away his ‘treasure,’ the old geezer would throw a fit, which would be entertaining to watch. Moreover, this young lady is exceptionally gifted, and I hope to impart my skills to her.
Meanwhile, she didn’t understand why all these old men wanted to take her on as their apprentice. “I don’t-“
Afterward, he laid out the most enticing condition. “If you’re willing to be my apprentice, I will impart all of my medical knowledge to you.”
Elspeth’s mind began to wander after she heard that. Since McGrath Family specializes in treating difficult and complex illnesses, I may be able to learn something beneficial for treating my mom’s condition.
“Okay, I’ll be your apprentice,” she said.
On the other hand, Elspeth’s quick agreement surprised Haris.
“You’re not joking with me, are you?” he asked, swallowing some of his skepticism at her response.
Then, she chuckled slyly and made up her mind. “Of course not. Since you promised to teach me everything, you can’t back out now.”
Hearing that, he realized he had fallen into her trap. “You are quite mischievous,” he sighed, rubbing his beard. “I will keep my promise, but you must promise not to go out these days and not to delay the wedding of those two.”
She nodded decisively, hiding any emotions on her face, and appeared completely different from before. “Sure.”
Soon, Haris smiled happily and said, “Those who recognize the times are wise. Since you can think this way, that’s better. The room to the east is specially prepared for you. Starting today, you can stay here temporarily.”
…
Meanwhile, in Callum’s office, the atmosphere was tense.
Yelena stood before him, furious and ready to strangle him by the tie. “Tell me, where did you hide Elspeth?” she demanded, eyes blazing red with rage.
On the other hand, Hank watched silently with minimal facial expression while he observed Callum’s reaction.
“She’s disappeared. Why would you suspect me?” When Callum learned of Elspeth’s disappearance, he showed no emotion, which disappointed Yelena, and even appeared impatient.
“I never thought you could be such a heartless person. Even if you had nothing to do with her disappearance, she is missing, and you don’t seem to care. She liked you so much… Callum, you are a despicable jerk!”
Although her insults were harsh, he remained unfazed. “If there’s nothing else, please leave. I have work to do.” He didn’t want to hear Yelena’s endless cursing and yelling any longer and hoped they could leave soon and give him some peace and quiet.
“I’m asking you one more time. Did you do this?” She was so enraged that tears welled in her eyes, and she slammed her hand on the desk, startling Hank.
Soon, Callum’s expression grew icy. “This is your last warning. Don’t cause a scene here.” Then, he turned to Hank. “Take her away.”
Nonetheless, Hank could not tolerate seeing Yelena humiliated, so he defended her. “Mr. Winthrop, why are you in such a hurry? Guilty conscience?”
Callum was taken aback that even Hank was against him. Before he could speak, Jasmine rushed into the office, looking excited. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she saw everyone in the room.
The sudden visit of the woman immediately caused Yelena’s displeasure. So, she immediately stepped forward and grabbed Jasmine’s collar. “Tell us, is Elspeth missing because of you?”
Although Jasmine felt apprehensive about what she had done earlier, having Callum by her side helped her feel more confident. So, she looked up at Yelena unafraid and said, “How could it be related to me? I came to see Callum for our date. Who knows where Elspeth went?”
Then, Yelena’s eyes turned red as she retorted, “You’re lying! The front desk saw you take Elspeth away!”
However, Jasmine quickly defended herself. “Simply because I followed behind her does not mean we walked out together. You’re being ridiculous.”
Yelena couldn’t argue with her, so she let Jasmine go while looking tearfully at Hank. Nevertheless, he felt sorry for the girl when he saw she would cry again.
“Miss McGrath, we have surveillance footage of the incident, so we’ll know whether or not your story is true. Moreover, we will be reporting this to the police, and you may want to consult with a lawyer,” he said firmly. Afterward, he shielded Yelena by pulling her close to his chest and observed Jasmine’s ashen face with concealed sarcasm. So, there really is something fishy going on.
After Jasmine heard that, she naturally couldn’t stay still. The matter was initially connected to her, and she believed that with Hank’s intelligence, they could uncover something if they decided to investigate. Moreover, she knew that he was one of the best lawyers in Damoria, and she didn’t want to risk a legal battle with him even if she could find a good lawyer. She knew he was clearly trying to test her with those words. For once, her mind was clear, and she refused outright. “I disagree. I have done nothing wrong, so there is no need to go to the police station.”
She believed that Callum would protect her. After all, Elspeth still needed her help…
As expected, Callum was thoroughly enraged. “You’ve been slandering my fianc?e, and if you keep doing it, I won’t hold back,” he said decisively.
After hearing that, Yelena was utterly devastated. “You have the evidence before you and still want to defend this woman. Sure enough, none of you Winthrops are decent people! Elspeth must have been blind to have fallen in love with you!” With that, she dragged Hank and stormed out of the room.
Seeing her leaving in a rage, Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Callum and said, “I took care of everything.”
Then, he raised his eyebrows, and a hint of emotion appeared in his eyes. “Has she arrived at the McGrath Residence?”
“Yes. I’ve sent her to live with my grandpa. He said she’s quite obedient, so I think she’s happy to be there.”
At the thought of Elspeth soon recovering her health, a hint of tender affection shone in his eyes. He had suppressed his feelings for her for so long but no longer needed to.
“So, when will we get married, Callum?” Jasmine inquired. Elspeth’s submissive attitude has me convinced that Callum must help her. If she can recover and then return to compete with me for him, I will be in a worse position. Furthermore, this is unacceptable, so I must firmly bind him to myself before her return.
The man gave the impression that he had no intention to renege, and then he gave a slight nod and said, “The wedding will proceed as planned.”
Hearing that, she smiled happily and walked up to him, placing her hand on his shoulder and gently massaging it. “Callum, do you still love her?”
He took a deep breath and gently held her hand with his right hand. “I’ve already told you that once this is all settled, my feelings for her are over.”
The wedding announcement between Callum, the CEO of Winthrop Group in Damoria, and Jasmine McGrath, the heiress of the McGrath Family, caused quite a stir. Within a day, everyone knew about it, with some envying her for marrying such a great catch. In contrast, others felt sorry for him, as his ex- fianc?e Elspeth was far superior to Jasmine regarding family background, appearance, and personality.
On the other hand, Jasmine was naturally uncomfortable hearing those rumors, especially when people tried to defame her despite her already being his lawful wife. Hence, she was determined to drive Elspeth abroad when Elspeth came out, but in the meantime, she tried to spread the news of how good Callum was to her online. However, the photos were too amateurish, and people weren’t buying them. Some even claimed that he seemed stiff and insincere toward her. As a result, it infuriated her, and she broke a few glasses in her wrath.
Meanwhile, Elspeth was cut off from the outside world at the McGrath Residence, except for a call to Yelena to let her know she was safe.
At the same time, Yelena had been feeling down, but when she heard her phone ring, she perked up. Then, upon noticing the name “Elspeth” on the screen, she scrambled to pick up her phone.
“Yellie, I-“
“You scared me! I thought something had happened to you! I’ve been trying to reach you, but your phone’s been off!” Yelena sobbed, feeling relieved to hear her voice.
Still, Elspeth couldn’t help but smile, “Did you really think I was dead? I only disappeared for a day.”
“I knew Jasmine took you away, but when I confronted her, she denied everything. And Callum… You shouldn’t like him anymore. He’s a complete jerk! He defended her and drove us out-“
Yelena ranted about Callum’s wrongdoings, while Elspeth had no choice but to agree.
Then, Elspeth seriously told her, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
When Yelena heard how serious Elspeth’s tone was, she let out a little sniffle. Later, she looked around to ensure nobody was listening, then whispered, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
Elspeth could tell by Yelena’s tone how clueless she was, and she concluded that it was probably best not to tell her after all. Elspeth feared that if she spilled the beans, Yelena might do something crazy and ruin everything by trying to break Callum and Jasmine up. Hence, she decided to keep it a secret for now.
“I wasn’t kidnapped by Jasmine. I’m fine, and I have some things to take care of. Don’t worry about me. I’ll tell you when I return, okay?”
Although Yelena was worried, she was relieved to hear how natural Elspeth sounded. “Okay, I’ll wait for you to return, but you must call me every day so that I can make sure you’re okay.” While Yelena blinked and made her demands, she gritted her teeth and thought that if anything happened to Elspeth, she wouldn’t let Jasmine off the hook.
Elspeth reluctantly agreed, “Okay, I promise.”
Suddenly, Yelena burst out laughing and nearly choked. “You know, I grabbed Jasmine by her collar and scared her out of her mind the other day. Hank also helped me scare her, and her face turned white!”
When Elspeth heard that, she felt a bit guilty. After all, Yelena and Hank were trying to help her. Still, she had to think for her own benefit, and although nothing terrible happened, for now, Yelena’s impulsiveness was a bit much. Ignorance was bliss, after all.