“Miss Marsh, you are braver than I imagined,” Lucia said with a calm smile. “But just this won’t be enough to gain a foothold in the Oconnor family.”
She took a tissue from her bag, wiped her fingers clean one by one, and then threw it into the trash can. “We will probably see each other often in the future. I wish you a pleasant life.”
Callie had expected her to be furious, but she wasn’t. Instead, she was so calm that it made Callie feel pressured.
She returned the smile. “Happy New Year, Auntie.”
Lucia turned to leave but looked back as she was about to get into the car. “Do you know what Nelson told me at the ancestral hall yesterday?”
Callie frowned.
Lucia smiled again. “Never mind, it’s better not to know. Knowing would only make you sad.”
That night, Nelson returned home, looking a bit travel-worn. He saw Callie sitting on the sofa in a daze. “Not happy today?”
“Your mother came to see me today,” Callie said calmly.
Nelson paused slightly but didn’t show any surprise. “What did she say?”
“She said you owe me and another person and hopes I will voluntarily step back.”
The man smirked. “Don’t take it to heart.”
Understanding Lucia’s background, Callie naturally didn’t take it to heart, but she couldn’t help feeling the pressure. She sat up and wrapped her arms around Nelson’s waist. “Nelson, if one day you really had to make a choice, would you choose me?”
Rationally, she knew she shouldn’t ask this question, but for some reason, she still did.
The man let her hug him, his large hand resting on her head, answering casually, “I would.”
Even though she got the answer she wanted, Callie couldn’t feel happy. It seemed as if this wasn’t his true answer.
She looked up with a smile. “You talked with your mother for a long time yesterday. What did you talk about?”
The man gestured for her to help him remove his tie. Her movements were swift.
“She hopes I can help her re-enter the domestic market.”
So Lucia had her own business ventures.
“She can’t do it herself?”
Nelson sneered. “If she could, why would she come back to see me? The person she least wants to see in this life is me.”
Callie’s heart softened. She could see that this man longed for-no, had once longed for-motherly love. Being treated like this by his biological mother must be very painful.
The holiday passed in the blink of an eye. After returning to work in the new year, the first news Callie received was that Jett had been transferred.
Colleagues discussed it exaggeratedly. “He’s a rookie and got transferred to a branch for a permanent position. That’s quite an honor; many of us never get such treatment.”
Callie looked at the transfer order. Jett was transferred to the branch in Ylosea’s neighboring city, which was even farther from his hometown.
As a company veteran, Callie understood what this meant. It was called a promotion, but it was actually just a lateral move. Although he was now permanent, the resources at a branch could never compare to those at headquarters.
“Callie, thank you for taking care of me all these days. If you ever come to Ylosea, I’ll treat you,” Jett said with a somewhat bitter smile as he came to bid farewell with his few belongings.
Callie felt awkward. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know they had such plans. Why don’t you resign and join another design company? I believe in your abilities.”
“Callie, what are you saying? This is already the best opportunity I can get access to. Although the new working place is far away from Ylosea, the salary is high. I have no complaints.”