Kallum remembered Wilbur’s words, so he whispered in her ear, word for word, “It’s all in the past. Everything is behind us. No matter what happened before, at least you’re not alone now, okay?”
His gentle voice, like a breeze, gradually dispelled the sharp tension. Calista turned to glare at him, but her tone had already lost its previous coldness.
“There are so many people around. It’s inappropriate to do this here.”
At that moment, Kallum threw all pretenses to the wind, shamelessly declaring, “I’m holding my wife. They’re just envious. It’s not like they don’t hug their wives!”
The crowd let out good–natured laughter, seemingly finding this version of Kallum quite appealing. It instantly bridged the gap, making him seem less unattainable.
Mirabelle had never before seen Kallum like this. At that moment, the two individuals standing so close in front of her felt so distant, as if the gap between them was poles apart, a distance that could never be bridged.
Kallum felt the gaze of Mirabelle and looked at her. Right then, his eyes sparkled for a moment.
“I’ll arrange for the medical compensation to be delivered to the Yost family later. Considering our acquaintance of over a decade, this will be the last time. From now on, neither Callie nor I wish to see you again. If you repeat your mistakes, then there won’t be a need for the Yost family to exist anymore,” Kallum said.
Although he spoke in a soft voice, the message in his words nearly made Mirabelle feel like she was about to cough up blood. Did Kallum say that he no longer wants to see me?
Years of memories seemed to dissolve into nothingness in an instant. Kallum’s words shattered her every delusion. He was so cold and unshakeable.
Right then, Mirabelle finally passed out.
She fell, shielding her vital parts so that the pain wasn’t too intense. The miscarriage wasn’t the cause. What truly broke her was the shattering of her beliefs. She had yearned for glory and desired to stand above others, but it was all gone.
After Mirabelle was taken away for treatment, Darren graciously gave Calista a moment to breathe. They then agreed to resume their academic exchange at a future date.
Calista nodded in agreement. She also felt a bit exhausted and wanted to return for some rest.
On the road, Kallum studied her expression, clearing his throat twice before asking, “Are you still upset about Mirabelle?”
Calista gave him a glance and flashed him a half–smile. “What about you? She was so miserable today, and you’ve known her for so long. Don’t you feel the slightest bit of sympathy?”
Kallum was taken aback, quickly responding, “I’ve known you for longer! Besides, why should I feel sorry for her when she’s the one who chose to fall?”
Kallum glanced at her, his voice serious as he said, “If you want revenge on her, let me handle it.”
“Why?” Calista asked. It’s not like him to go after a woman.
Kallum held her hand, whispering softly, “It’s nothing. I just don’t want you to worry about these insignificant people, nor do I want them to taint your hands.”
Calista teased him with a smile, “But you just said you’d let her go. Now you’re going back on your word for me. Don’t you care about your reputation?”
Kallum’s violet eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement. “When I say something, I mean it. But who can blame me for being an obedient husband? You outrank me, after all. So, what’s wrong with following your orders?”
Seeing the effort he put into coaxing her, Calista shook her head with a smile. “How did you become so silver–tongued?”
Suddenly, Kallum leaned in a bit closer. Inside the car, his eyes sparkled faintly as he whispered into her ear, “Don’t you know? A content man is the most agreeable. If you’re willing to keep me well–fed, I assure you, I’ll be even more compliant than I am now. Give it a thought, my queen?”
In reality, Kallum had a strong desire to take advantage of her there and then. However, Calista was in a bad mood that day, forcing him to postpone this plan. His priority was to stabilize the situation first.
Calista shook her head. “Well, this is for the best.”
She looked out the window, a mysterious glimmer appearing in her eyes.
“It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Mirabelle was unknowingly sheltered by you for so many years. After losing that, with each passing day, she’ll only become more discontented and resentful. She’ll blame everybody but herself. She’s known to have unrealistic ambitions. This mentality, in the end, will be her downfall. There’s no need for me to intervene.” Calista said.
Even when predicting the other party’s misery in the coldest voice, Calista had a nearly ruthless purity, much like untouched snow, devoid of any dust.
This is the woman I’m in love with! Kallum couldn’t help but sigh. Even though he wished Calista could remain as she used to be, when it came down to it, after he had fallen for her, he loved her no matter what.
When they arrived home, they saw that Wanda was already waiting for them anxiously. She could have been the most worried mother–in–law in history. Not only was she concerned about any unspoken lingering effects her son might have, but she also fretted that Callie might reject her son because of them. She was full of unspeakable worries.
Ironically, Yulissa was privy to the inside story, but she couldn’t spill the beans. She had made a promise to Kallum that she would never reveal his embarrassing moments.
As soon as Calista returned, she became Wanda’s focus.
“Callie, we were just about to have dinner! How was work today? Was it tiring? If you ask me, you really shouldn’t have gone to provide free consultation. Being a doctor is so exhausting! You should just stay home, go shopping with me, and pamper yourself with some beauty treatments.
Calista was warmly welcomed by Wanda, who managed to steal a moment to shoot a stern glance at Kallum. She said to him, “Why were you in such a rush today? You left without even drinking the stew I prepared for you. It’s still warm in the kitchen. Go and have it quickly! If you don’t finish it, won’t let Callie pay you any attention.”
Wanda asked Calista, “Isn’t that right, Callie?”
Calista courteously nodded, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she looked at Kallum. “Yes. I always listen to Aunt Wanda.”
“Mom!” Kallum felt that his mother was becoming more and more unreasonable. Unfortunately, Calista was completely submissive to her, which undermined his authority at home.
“What are you waiting for?” Wanda asked, hands on her hips. Left with no choice, Kallum had to retreat to the kitchen, temporarily leaving his wife behind.
After Kallum left, Wanda took Calista to the dining room. Silas and Yulissa were absent during their meal. Wanda filled Calista’s plate with food and said, “Go ahead and eat. You don’t need to wait for him. By the time he finishes that bowl of medicated meal, I bet he’ll be full.”
Calista looked at her somewhat curiously. “Aunt Wanda, did you send Kallum away because you want to ask me something?”
Wanda gave a small nod. “Um… Callie… Eat something first!”
Surprisingly, Calista set down her fork and said, “Aunt Wanda, if there’s something on your mind, just say
Upon seeing Calista, Wanda noticed that her demeanor appeared normal. However, on closer inspection, a hint of fatigue was evident, Calista didn’t look at all like someone who had been rejuvenated, which made Wanda feel increasingly uneasy.
“Truthfully, I shouldn’t be the one to ask this. But if I don’t, it just doesn’t sit right with me,” Wanda said.
Calista laughed softly, saying gently. “Aunt Wanda, feel free to ask pay anything.”
Calista’s unwavering compliance emboldened Wanda, who then gave a nod.
“Callie, now that Kallum has recovered from his illness, does he have any lingering effects?”
“No. Why do you ask?” Calista looked at her, puzzled.
Wanda decided to take the plunge. Um… Did you have sex with Kallum last night?”
Startled, Calista slowly nodded in agreement. There was no way to hide what had happened the previous night. The two main characters had disappeared together, and it had happened at Fairchild Manor. Calista thought Wanda would have guessed it already.
Wanda seemed a bit agitated, but she managed to suppress it. With great caution, she asked in a hushed tone, “So, last night… Well, how many times?”
Calista’s face turned peculiar in an instant. She felt truly embarrassed being questioned like that Wanda was open–minded, but Calista was quite reserved.
“Once.”
Calista told the truth, and at that moment, Wanda’s face revealed an expression of utter despair.
This is a huge problem! Wanda was extremely anxious. To her knowledge, Kallum hadn’t been with a woman for at least two years. He was in his mid–twenties, an age known for its insatiable desires. It was rare for him to break his celibacy. However, he only did it once.
Suddenly, Wanda felt a sense of gloom wash over her face. However, in front of Calista, she knew she had to maintain her composure.
So, in the next second, Wanda turned to Calista with a serious and earnest expression on her face. “Callic, don’t worry. I’ve got this situation under control. Kallum wasn’t like this before. He’s probably still recovering from a long illness. During this time, I’ll make sure he gets back on his feet! I’ll keep him nourished!”
At first, Calista found it quite odd, but upon further thought she understood what Wanda had in mind.
Upon this thought, Calista suddenly let out a mischievous grin. But as quickly as it appeared, it faded, replaced by a hint of melancholy.
“However… Tonight, Kallum will surely-”
Immediately, Wanda reassured, “Don’t worry! From today onward, you’ll share a bed with me!”
Wanda believed she was acting in Kallum’s best interest. She believed that, until his health improved, he absolutely had to abstain. Otherwise, his condition would only worsen. Kallum, I have to inconvenience you for the sake of your future happiness!
Calista deliberately misled Wanda, hesitatingly saying, “I fear he might not agree. Moreover, if he knew you were doing this for such a reason, he would certainly object.”
“It’s fine!” Wanda assured. She then dramatically clutched her chest, feigning a few coughs. “My heart isn’t in the best shape, so if I feign illness, Kallum is sure to surrender! Don’t worry!”
Calista nodded with a smile. “I’ll listen to you, Aunt Wanda!”
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Kallum was eating the medicated meal that Wanda told him to eat. As he ate, Yulissa said to him, “Ah, yes! This medicine is incredibly popular and quite hard to get hold of! I had to put in a lot of effort to secure a bottle. If it’s for Calista, taking one tablet a week should be beneficial for her. If you divide one tablet into seven parts to consume daily, the effects aren’t as significant. But taking a whole tablet in a week will… Well, you know what I mean!”
Kallum was so engrossed in listening to her speak that he had no recollection of what he had eaten. He stared at the bottle of medicine and questioned, “Did you find out what it’s made of? Have you had it checked? Are you sure there’s no issue?”
“Didn’t I tell you this was something the developer made for his wife? That guy is just like you, an obedient husband who would do anything for his wife. How could he possibly give her something harmful! I had it tested. The main ingredients are all–extracted from food. It’s beneficial for women and harmless to men.