Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
Just as she had a bee in her head, her phone suddenly rang, interrupting her thoughts.
Elspeth picked up the call. Unfortunately, she became immensely irritated as she listened to the familiar voice on the other end of the phone.
“Why is it you again, Arthur?”
“It’s me. What’s the matter? Are you surprised to hear my voice?”
She suppressed the seething anger in her heart with force. I blocked all his contact ever since Mom passed away. I was sure that I deleted all of them one by one. Yet, Arthur could still find various ways to reach me. Frankly, this is beyond annoying that I could scream!
“I suppose you do know that I have blocked your contact, right?” she uttered lightly despite feeling highly agitated.
“Of course, I know. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have reached you through a different number.”
She desperately squashed her fury as she questioned sharply, “Since you are aware of it, you should also know that I have no intention of staying in touch with you. So, why are you still so insistent on finding me?”
“What’s wrong with me getting in touch with the person I fancy?” Arthur chuckled. There was actually a hint of inexplicable grievance in his voice.
“Telling me that you fancy me right now will only disgust me immensely.”
Arthur wasn’t surprised when he heard her harsh remarks. Nonetheless, he seemed to be used to such behavior from her. “It’s okay. I knew you would say that.”
“What do you want to talk to me about this time? Let’s not waste each other’s time and get straight to the point.”
On the other end of the line, he rose to his feet. His face was half hidden in the shadows, which sharpened his well-defined side profile. His long eyelashes made his eyes look half-lidded, his nose was straight, and his lips were thin. Although he was just standing there, he exuded a strangely mysterious aura.
“I want to see you.”
“Well, it seems that you have nothing to say.”
After that, Elspeth got ready to hang up the phone. For some reason, he always manages to incite me so effortlessly whenever we have a conversation. He doesn’t even have to do anything but exist! So, I may as well refuse any contact with him instead of stewing in anger.
“Hang on. Do you still remember the jewelry advertisement that we shot together?”
Elspeth paused. I almost forgot about that. After all, it has been such a long time since that shoot. Not to mention, it was Harper who was in charge of this matter after that.
“What’s wrong with the advertisement?”
Arthur fingered the tassels on the sofa. Then, a meaningful gleam flashed across his eyes as he said, “The jewelry sold well, and our company profited a lot too. Hence, I plan to hold a celebration banquet and invite you over.”
“I’ll check my schedule.”
“I highly suggest that you make an appearance. I have something far more interesting to tell you,” Arthur said huskily as though he was trying to lure her into a fatal trap with his charming voice alone.
Arthur knows I can’t say no after all that. Yet, I still don’t want to accept his invitation so easily. So, Elspeth said, “Since you have a far more interesting thing that you want to share with me, why don’t you reveal it all now?” Of course, I can’t guarantee whether he’s being truthful, either.
“You don’t even trust me now? Tell me-which business that I have assured you before wasn’t interesting? None, right?”
When Elspeth heard that, she couldn’t help remembering what happened when they were abroad. Immediately afterward, she thought of her late mother. The gaze in her eyes darkened, and her tone became impatient, “Alright. I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”
Sure enough, Arthur wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away so easily. Therefore, he continued before she was about to hang up, “What if this interesting nugget has to do with you? More importantly, your real identity.”
My real identity? Elspeth was stunned for a moment. Hasn’t my real identity been clearly revealed to the public? There can’t be any hidden secrets, can there?
“Arthur, you could at least devise a smarter scheme if you want to trick me into meeting you.”
At this point, Elspeth was sure that Arthur was deceiving her.
“If you want to jump to conclusions so easily and think that I’m lying to you, then so be it. I guess I’ll just take this secret to my grave.” Arthur shook his head and sighed helplessly as though it was a shame that she was being so difficult.
“Time?”
Elspeth backing down to his demands resulted in Arthur achieving his goal easily.
“I’ll be waiting for you in Room 321 on the third floor of the Chars World Trade Center at 6.00PM tomorrow.”
Arthur is very precise with his words. He said you and not you guys. So, in other words, he only wants me to attend this celebration banquet. He wants me to come alone, without backup. Elspeth pondered her options for a moment. Still, I think I need to be prepared beforehand in case he’s up to no good.
“Oh, by the way, I have to remind you that you’d better not let Callum find out about this matter. I don’t want to see him for the time being.”
Just as Elspeth was about to refute, he went on to say, “Of course, it’s up to you whether you want to tell him. However, it will affect the direction of the storyline.” The direction of the storyline? That’s a rather interesting way to put ‘baiting me’ in other words. This feeling of being manipulated is plain awful. I don’t like it one bit.
Elspeth frowned as she glanced at the laptop screen. Suddenly, something crossed her mind, and she asked, “Jethro’s already working under you, isn’t he?”
“Wasn’t it clearly reported in the news? So, why do you have to ask me about such a thing?” Arthur stretched out his limbs. Nonetheless, despite his nonchalant remark, Elspeth felt as though she was confronting an enemy of the highest caliber. “I have one more condition if you want to see me.”
“Why do you think you are eligible to negotiate with me?” Arthur asked with a hint of curiosity in his tone.
“I’m not really that interested in that so-called real identity that you’ve mentioned. After all, I can look up the information myself. But if you want to see me as you claim, then it shouldn’t be so difficult for you to agree to my condition right now.”
Arthur lowered his voice as he murmured lovingly, “You know I won’t say no to whatever you say.”
Unfortunately, she felt nothing but disgust when she heard the words that escaped his lips. “That’s enough. Stop with this disgusting talk of yours. I only have one condition, and that is to fire Jethro immediately.”
Her request was entirely out of Arthur’s expectations.
“How deep is your animosity for him to the point that you want to deprive him of his employment rights?” Arthur couldn’t think of a possible reason for a moment. Thus, he presumed Elspeth had a problem with Jethro.
“No, I don’t hate him. I just don’t want him to get involved in our dispute.”
Arthur felt somewhat jealous after understanding her reasoning. “What’s the matter? Are you two so close that you’re willing to shield him from harm to such an extent?”
“It’s not a matter of whether we are close or not. I just don’t think he has bad intentions. That’s why I don’t want him to get involved.”
Arthur snorted derisively, “No bad intentions, you say? As I see it, he definitely has bad intentions toward you.”
“So, can you or can you not fulfill this condition?”
“It’s a deal. You’ll be able to see the news about me firing him tomorrow morning.”
Only then did Elspeth hang up the phone with a lighter heart.
When she got off work that night, she saw a familiar-looking car parked in front of the company.
It was Callum’s car.
In an instant, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat troubled. It’s not that I don’t want to get in touch with him. Still, people will start gossiping if they find out Callum is having a close yet illicit relationship with me, his ex-fianc?e, especially when he had just canceled his engagement with Jasmine two days ago. Yet, Callum acts as if nothing has happened. He still does things his own way and literally regards Azure as his own place. What’s more, he even boldly barged into my office and dragged me out intimately in plain sight.
Nevertheless, when she laid her eyes on the tall figure beside her, she felt an unknown warmth flowing in her heart.
“Callum, can you not be this grandstanding the next time you come looking for me?” People will start talking eventually!
“Why? Do I still have to ask permission from others when I come looking for my girlfriend?”
How could Callum not know what she was worrying about? Therefore, he bent over and lightly pecked her lips. “You don’t have to worry about anything. Just be my darling girlfriend.”
Although it was just mere words, she still felt completely at ease after receiving his reassurances. Still, she tilted her head and shot him a fierce look. “Girlfriend? Didn’t you say I’m your fianc?e?”
Callum tapped her nose with a pleased smile at her admittance of their actual relationship. “Yes, yes. My fianc?e, may I invite you to dinner?”
Elspeth quirked her brow cheekily as she spoke with a hint of faux-hesitation on her face, “A dinner invitation? I have to take my time and think about it, don’t you think?”
Callum didn’t mind her teasing as he looked at her with mirthful eyes. “I will be the chef for this evening.”
“You know how to cook?!” On the contrary, it was Elspeth who was in a state of disbelief.
“If that kid could come to your house to make you a meal, then so can I.”
Oh, he’s still upset about that incident at that time. Callum really is pertinacious about that. Elspeth smiled and lightly pinched the squishy flesh around his waist.
“Okay. I agree to have dinner with you.”
