“Think carefully, when you were entangled with others, did he ever give you a chance? That billion dollars, it wasn’t all his doing, was it?”
Callie felt overwhelmed by the information and stared blankly at Bridger, instinctively retorting, “He said it himself, we had a deal.”
“Don’t listen to what he says, trust your own feelings.”
Paucaster Villa Complex. Ten o’clock at night.
“Madam, sir is not home today,” the servant said respectfully to Callie, with an apologetic tone.
At that moment, the courage Bridger had given her collapsed. She had imagined countless reactions when she saw Nelson again, whether it was disdain or cold indifference, she was prepared for it. But he didn’t come back at all!
Callie remained calm on the surface. “Do you know where he went?”
“… I don’t know.”
Callie hesitated for a moment and decided to wait. She walked directly to the master bedroom, deciding to wait there for Nelson to return. It was already ten o’clock; what could he be doing?
The furnishings in the master bedroom hadn’t changed. The air was thick with his scent, making her heart race with every breath, a feeling she found oddly comforting.
The bed was messy; Callie distinctly remembered it being tidy before she left.
The balcony door was open. Stepping outside, she was hit by a strong smell of smoke, causing her to wrinkle her nose in distaste.
Steadying herself, she noticed the ashtray on the table was full of cigarette butts, some only half-smoked. The room was silent, making Callie’s heart tremble as she listened to the wind.
Nelson never came back. Feeling cold, she curled up in a small corner of the bed.
When Callie opened her eyes again, she was still surrounded by darkness-silent and cold. She reached for her phone on the bed, its cold surface chilling her fingers. The screen lit up. It was 3:00 AM.
He still hadn’t returned.
Callie’s sleepiness vanished instantly. She sat up stiffly and slowly curled her legs, hugging her knees and burying her head. She felt defeated and sad. She had overestimated herself.
She didn’t know how long she stayed in that position until she heard a sudden “click” of a door opening. She lifted her head abruptly, like a startled rabbit, her mind filled with disbelief and her body tense with caution.
In the pitch-dark room, Callie heard unhurried footsteps approaching from the direction of the bathroom to the bedside, carrying a familiar scent of soap. The only sound was her own heartbeat, loud and clear.
The person walked straight to the bed and stopped in front of her.
Callie felt a burning gaze on her, making her uncomfortable.
After about half a minute, the person finally moved. He suddenly bent down, his hands passing on either side of her trembling body in an embrace. She held her breath and shivered.
He leaned closer and then turned on a bedside lamp behind her.
Suddenly there was light.
Her retinas adjusted from blur to clarity. Callie stared blankly at the scene before her. The man’s stunning face was just three centimeters above hers. He knelt on one knee beside her, his body half-bent, wearing only a towel around his waist. Water droplets still clung to his freshly bathed body, and his eyes were terrifyingly clear.