In the next second, he opened the car door, shoved her inside without a word, quickly got into the driver’s seat, and pressed the central lock button, sealing the entire car.
Callie was so furious that she didn’t even want to speak.
Unexpectedly, Nelson didn’t start the car immediately. He rummaged through the glove compartment, found a tube of ointment, and commanded, “Give me your hand!”
Callie was stunned for a moment. She looked at his slightly angry eyes and dumbly extended one hand.
His anger intensified. “The other one!”
So he had noticed…
When the coffee spilled, it had also splashed onto Callie, leaving a large red mark on the back of her hand. Everyone’s attention was on Alayah; no one noticed her.
How could Nelson have noticed?
Seeing Callie remain motionless, the man seemed to compromise. He grabbed her other hand and applied the cool ointment, as if trying to soothe the unsettling emotions stirring within him.
The cold wind made driving difficult, so Nelson drove slowly.
Callie sat in the passenger seat, unable to escape, resignedly sitting quietly and staring at the lines on her palm. She recalled when Reuben had taken her to a fortune teller in high school. The old man stroked his beard and said, perhaps seriously or perhaps just making it up:
“You will meet a benefactor and have a smooth life.”
Reuben had been delighted by these words and generously paid the fortune teller. Who doesn’t like hearing good things? Even Callie had been happy.
Callie’s eyes turned cold as she lowered her gaze.
She couldn’t hold back any longer and asked, “Why did you help Alayah just now? Don’t you know that everyone thinks you two are having an affair?”
Nelson didn’t look back. “Alayah has a partnership with Oconnor Group. A bit of scandal can increase publicity.”
Callie’s eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn’t expected him to say such a thing. “Nelson, so was it my imagination the other day?”
Were those tender moments all fake? How could he be so indifferent to her feelings?
Nelson’s lips tightened. He didn’t understand her either. “Wasn’t I stating a fact?”
Callie laughed bitterly, tears streaming down her face. “Yes, it’s a fact. What Jaquan said is also a fact. You’re heartless and profit-driven. Indeed…”
At the mention of Jaquan’s name, Nelson slammed on the brakes, his anger rising. “Say that again!”
She looked at him without speaking, but her mind was made up.
“Do you take Jaquan’s words as gospel? Why don’t you go back to him now? There’s still time.”
Callie immediately unbuckled her seatbelt. “Then let me out of the car.”
Stubborn as always, they stared each other down for a moment before Nelson, laughing in exasperation, restarted the engine without another word. As they neared Paucaster Villa Complex, Callie’s hand gripped the seatbelt. She spoke calmly to Nelson beside her, “I can play along with this act, but don’t push it too far.”
With that, the car jerked forward as Nelson instinctively tapped the brakes before letting go. He glanced at her coldly and said, “Then don’t mess it up!”
When they arrived at Paucaster Villa Complex, there was a car parked in the yard.
Bianca and the maid were making dumplings, seriously rolling out dough.
Grandpa sat on the sofa and smiled. “Nelson, Callie, I didn’t expect you two to get off work so early.”
Callie forced a smile and lied without blinking. “We rushed back to see you.”
She rolled up her sleeves to wash her hands. Bianca glanced at her and said quickly, “It’s cold; use hot water.”
She turned on the hot water for her.
The warm water washed over Callie’s fingers, and suddenly it felt like a warm current was flowing through her heart as well.
Callie thanked her and then mixed the pre-cut fillings together with fluid motions, as if she had done it many times before. At that moment, holding the kitchen utensils brought out a gentle grace of its own.