Callie felt a bit embarrassed and didn’t join in the teasing.
Lucia kept her eyes on her. “While you’re young, you should have children quickly. Men, especially men like Mr. Oconnor with his status, can’t be tied down without a child. Don’t you agree, Mrs. Oconnor?”
She laid down her cards and won the game.
Callie had no chance to fight back and lost all her chips in an instant.
“I’m not in a hurry. I have enough confidence in myself. If I need to rely on a child to keep a man, wouldn’t that be too much of a failure?” She didn’t lose verbally, though only Lucia could understand the sarcasm.
Lucia sneered.
The waiter brought in more chips, and Callie was surprised. “I didn’t ask for these.”
“I know. Mr. Oconnor ordered them. He said you can keep playing; he’ll cover your losses.”
Everyone gasped, amazed at how much Nelson pampered his new wife.
Lucia’s face darkened, but Callie’s mood improved significantly. “Alright then.”
Unfortunately, her luck with the cards was terrible. In less than two hours, she lost all two boxes of chips, and everyone joked that Nelson had married a beautiful fool.
Callie laughed along but was bleeding inside.
Even though it wasn’t her money, it was still money.
Having lost enough, Callie packed her bag and said goodbye to everyone. Mrs. Gamble felt a bit embarrassed. “Thank you for today, Mrs. Oconnor.”
She forced a smile and shook her head. “It’s nothing.”
Lucia stubbed out her cigarette. “I’ll leave with Mrs. Oconnor.”
The Kenker Hotel was brightly lit as the two women walked out together, drawing everyone’s attention.
Lucia exuded confidence and experience, while Callie walking beside her looked like her daughter.
“My car is waiting downstairs. I’ll go first, Lucia,” Callie said as they left the private room.
“What? You were quite sharp-tongued just now, and now you don’t dare face me?” Lucia taunted.
Callie’s phone buzzed with a message from Nelson: Just landed.
He’s coming back today? Callie was surprised.
She was about to reply when Lucia interrupted her halfway through typing. “Didn’t your family teach you not to play with your phone when an elder is speaking to you?”
Callie looked up in confusion. “I remember telling you about my family situation. Did you forget? It seems old age affects memory. I recommend you eat more walnuts, Lucia.”
Lucia was momentarily speechless and then laughed angrily, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t fall for little girls’ tricks.”
Callie didn’t respond.
When she first heard Lucia’s story, she felt some pity for her and didn’t think she was a truly bad person. But now that she knew Lucia had a son, all sympathy vanished.
How could she favor one child over another?
“Can I leave now?”
Lucia pursed her lips and didn’t respond.
Callie turned towards the elevator, and Lucia’s voice came from behind. “Pay attention to what I said earlier. If you want to keep Nelson, plan to get pregnant soon.”
So condescending. Callie turned slightly. “What? If I don’t have a child, are you planning to use your own child to take my place?”
Lucia narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t worry. If I have a child, I won’t neglect them for years.”
The elevator doors opened, and Callie stepped in without hesitation.
Once outside the Kenker Hotel, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. She walked to a nearby bus stop, feeling guilty for losing so much money today and wanting to save as much as possible.
Lost in thought under the constant pressure, she rode the bus for some distance before remembering she hadn’t replied to Nelson.
Her phone was on silent with many missed calls from Nelson.
She was startled and realized she had only typed half of her reply: I’m almost…
She had meant to say she was almost done.
Interrupted by Lucia, she hadn’t finished typing.
No wonder Nelson was so anxious.