“Were you sad at that time? You must have been very sad. Maybe that person was very good to you, and suddenly leaving your life, how could you allow it?” Callie didn’t mean anything by it, she was just immersed in her own sadness.
“Sad?” Nelson chewed on the word, recalling that long rainy season.
The usually intellectual and elegant woman had gone mad that day, hitting him without mercy. “If I could, I wish I had never given birth to you. You ruined my life, do you know that?”
The servants rushed forward to pull her away, shouting for Nelson to run.
Seven-year-old Nelson stood there, tasting blood in his mouth, staring blankly at her. “…Mom, but I love you.”
So young, he didn’t know how to express his feelings, only knowing to say, I love you, but I really love you.
Hearing this, the woman became even more hysterical. She grabbed a cup from the table and smashed it against his brow. “Who wants your love! Why don’t you just die!”
Blood flowed profusely for a moment. The boy stood there without uttering a word of pain, the entire villa in chaos.
Nelson snapped back to the present, pushing his tongue against his cheek. “I was too young to remember clearly.”
He only knew that since then, he had never expressed his feelings again.
Callie didn’t know what he was thinking and received a vague answer.
She continued on her own, “My father was like that to me. The whole world abandoned me, but he didn’t. We had no money at home; he had chilblains on his hands but wouldn’t buy gloves, yet he would buy me an ice cream after school every day, even Joaquin didn’t get one.”
“When I grew up, whatever other girls had, I also had to have. He was so young but took on extra jobs for me and ended up with a body full of ailments.”
Nelson listened silently, lost in thought.
Her voice choked up as she said, “I’ll go get my laptop from the car.”
She left, and the room became cold and quiet. Only dust floated in the air, making Reuben’s face seem unreal. Nelson let out a slow breath.
He moved closer and after a long pause, spoke softly, “Hello, I’m Callie’s husband.”
Feeling it wasn’t quite right, he added, “Maybe just temporarily.”
There was no response.
Reuben lay motionless on the bed, only the sound of the IV drip reminding them he was still alive.
Nelson rarely spoke emotionally; he didn’t like it. Though his tone was cold and hard, it softened slightly now. “These past few years haven’t been easy for her. Rest assured, I’ll take care of her as best as I can. But her only wish is for you. If you don’t want to burden her, please wake up soon.”
After he finished speaking, Reuben remained still. Nelson didn’t push it; Callie hadn’t managed to wake him in three years, what could a few words from him do?
When Callie went downstairs to get her laptop, she noticed several guards standing by and around Nelson’s car. She frowned. “You are…”
Jeffery quickly answered, “Mr. Oconnor arranged it.”
Of course, with his status, if someone saw him at the hospital, it would cause a stir.
Callie took her laptop back to the room and saw Nelson still sitting there. He was looking up at a sycamore tree outside the window with an inscrutable expression.
Someone like him shouldn’t be here, yet he stayed, making it hard to handle.
Callie composed herself and set up her laptop on the table in front of the sofa.
Hearing the noise, Nelson asked her, “Are you working?”
Callie didn’t look up, focused on modifying a model. “The review day is coming up. If I don’t submit my design on time, I won’t need Skye to fire me; I’ll resign myself.”