Such profound trust left Callie feeling flattered.
She shook her head. “Grandpa, I don’t deserve this.”
Grandpa chuckled warmly, hiding his achievements and refraining from saying more.
The conversation ended there. Callie had a rough idea about Lucia’s background. She looked up the Larson family on her phone and was surprised. A century-old family, though somewhat in decline, still held significant influence in Ylosea.
It was understandable that the Oconnor Group was wary of Lucia’s maternal family.
Could this be the reason for Nelson’s compromise today?
Callie curled up on the sofa, watching the clock strike eleven. Nelson hadn’t returned. She debated for a long time whether to call him and eventually dialed Jaquan’s number.
It rang for half a minute before he answered, sounding breathless and impatient. “What do you want?”
Callie frowned. “What are you doing?”
There seemed to be a woman’s voice in the background. Jaquan told her to leave and then moved to a different place, speaking with a tone of amused annoyance. “I’m single and it’s New Year’s Eve. What do you think I’m doing? Callie, you always manage to ruin my fun.”
Being an adult, Callie immediately understood. She lowered her voice apologetically. “Should I call you back later?”
“Get lost,” Jaquan snapped.
Callie chuckled awkwardly. “I wanted to ask why you called me today.”
He paused, seemingly guessing something, and his voice turned indifferent. “It didn’t help, did it? You still ran into her, right?”
She couldn’t argue, admiring his insight. “So why did you call?”
“Ylosea shares resources. When there’s movement among the big players, I get wind of it.”
“Do you know why Lucia came back?”
Jaquan fell silent again. “Callie, you’re overstepping a bit.”
Realizing the truth, Callie felt stifled. “She… she gave me a hard time today. I want to understand her better since we’ll inevitably interact in the future.”
“You’re overthinking it. She doesn’t care about Nelson and won’t bother with the kind of woman he marries.” Jaquan’s tone lifted at the end. “You might as well marry me; my mother is a good woman.”
“Idiot,” Callie couldn’t help but curse.
Jaquan laughed lightly and changed the topic. “Did you have New Year’s dinner?”
“Not really.”
Silence fell, making the atmosphere on the phone awkward.
Before hanging up, Jaquan said, “As I always say, you’re an outsider. Whenever you need my help, just ask.”
Callie held her phone, puzzled by his words. As she spaced out, she suddenly heard a car outside-Nelson was back!
He didn’t rush out of the car, but Callie couldn’t wait. She ran out quickly, standing in front of his car and knocking on the door.
A crisp sound.
After three knocks, the window slowly rolled down. Nelson’s eyes looked exhausted and somewhat numb as he gazed at her.
However, Callie’s soft breath and gentle expression made him relax instinctively. “What are you doing out here? It’s cold.”
In the winter night, her voice was like a fireplace’s warmth. “Are you okay, Nelson?”
Nelson smirked and opened the car door. “What could be wrong? Do you want to get in?”
Not wanting to move, Callie quickly got in. The car’s heater was on, making it warm and cozy.
The driver immediately got out to give them some privacy.