As Callie approached Nelson, she suddenly hesitated because Nelson’s expression was extremely grim.
Realizing something was wrong, Callie glanced back at the servant, silently asking, ‘What’s wrong with him?’
The servant shook her heads, indicating, ‘I can’t say it.’
Callie had no choice but to summon her courage and cautiously ask, “Mr. Oconnor, did I do something to upset you?”
She felt like she was trying to soothe an angry tiger.
Nelson was not the type to be easily soothed. He lifted his eyes, locking his gaze on Callie. His displeased expression and the corners of his mouth turned downwards in a formidable frown.
“Go on. What were you doing outside so late at night? Dating with that Dr. Tobias again?”
His cold, sarcastic tone and the mocking look in his eyes instantly dampened Callie’s previously joyful mood. She felt a surge of anger and retorted, “What do you mean by that? I’ve told you Dr. Tobias and I are just friends. The way you talk, it sounds like you’re accusing me of cheating on you.”
“Isn’t that what it is?” Nelson shot back.
“You are impossible,” Callie muttered, barely restraining her frustration.
After spending the whole evening without food and enduring a long journey home, her mood was already low. Now, facing Nelson’s sarcasm, she felt on the brink of collapse. She stood there for a while, no longer willing to approach Nelson.
“I thought you could understand me, but I was just daydreaming.” With that, Callie decisively turned to head upstairs.
Nelson abruptly stood up, grabbing her wrist, looking furious. “No matter what, a lady shouldn’t be out so late. And you dare to speak to me like that? Callie, who gave you the guts to talk to me this way?”
Callie yanked her hand free from Nelson’s grip, her pent-up anger finally exploding.
“Oh really? I forgot to tell you, I’m not some good girl. My parents never cared what time I came home. Mr. Oconnor, who do you think you are? Why do you get to control me? Even if I work for you, I have the right to manage my time after work. You’re being ridiculous!”
Callie had grown up with a lot of freedom. In the Marsh family, no one controlled her, or care her what time she came home at night. Her father, Reuben, used to keep an eye on her, but after he fell ill, even that stopped. So, Nelson was the first person to impose a curfew on her.
Callie, showing her sharp, confrontational side, looked like a bristling hedgehog.
‘Who do you think you are?’ Nelson laughed at her defiant question, “Have you forgotten? Even after work, you are still my woman. Now, you are my wife. If I don’t look out for you, who will?”
To Callie, his words meant ‘you have no freedom,’ which fueled her anger further. “So, you’re saying I have to work with your act even when I’m asleep? You really are a capitalist! Why not just work me to death?”
Nelson felt that talking to Callie was futile. He raised a finger, pointing it in the air, and said coldly, “Good intentions are wasted on you, Callie. Don’t overestimate your importance to me.”
With that, Nelson strode upstairs, his tall figure radiating anger.
‘Excuse me? Who should really be angry here?’ Callie thought, flipping her hair back and telling the servant, “Quickly, get me a glass of water. I feel like my anger is about to boil over. If this keeps up, I might just burn alive from it.”
The servant hurriedly poured a glass of water and handed it to her.
“Mrs. Oconnor, I’ve been here for a long time, and I’ve never seen anyone dare to argue with Mr. Oconnor like that.” The servant gave her a thumbs-up, looking impressed.
“I don’t want to argue with him, but he pushed me to it. Did you hear what he just said? He’s too overbearing, such a bad temper!”