Callie looked up and saw Jaquan casually walking in, dressed in loungewear. He leaned against the corner of the bookshelf and mocked her.
She averted her gaze. “You shouldn’t have taken me away.”
Maybe if she waited a bit longer, Ahmad would agree to see her.
“I thought staying by Nelson’s side would make you smarter, but it turns out you’ve become more naive,” Jaquan sneered with disdain. “Who is Ahmad? A man who has turned the tide in many cities, almost undefeated. Why would he give up a great project for you? Tell me.”
As he spoke, there was a hint of frustration in his eyes. He felt guilty and pained for this woman.
“But this project wasn’t started by Ahmad; it was Marilyn, wasn’t it?” Callie gasped, staring directly at him, trying to see into his heart. “You and Marilyn teamed up, didn’t you?”
Jaquan looked away, his profile cold and hard. “Callie, business is like a battlefield. There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.”
“I understand. That’s why I haven’t asked you for anything since this happened. Going to Ahmad is my only option.”
Callie was very clear-headed.
“Do you know that Nelson even bowed his head for Oconnor Group and went to see Marilyn? He never considered you as his wife,” Jaquan said bluntly. “For him, there are only eternal interests. Why exhaust yourself for him?”
The room fell silent.
A silence that could drown someone.
Callie’s palms clutched the corner of the blanket tightly, as if holding onto a lifeline. She suppressed her grievances and replied to Jaquan, “Maybe many people think I’m foolish, but husband and wife are one. If he has trouble, of course I need to be there. Otherwise, how could I live up to the title of Mrs. Oconnor?”
She was both insecure and confident, foolish and smart. Jaquan couldn’t believe she could embody all these traits.
He laughed in exasperation. “And then? You meet Ahmad, and then what? A father will always help his daughter. Just because you look like Maevelyn, do you think he’ll help you?”
Callie was speechless, her eyes filled with confusion. “This is my only bargaining chip.”
“I want to tell him that choosing Oconnor Group is the right decision. Nelson can create value far beyond immediate interests.”
Jaquan nodded and slowly paced around. He picked up a bowl of soup from the bedside table and fed it to her with a spoon.
She didn’t move.
“Open your mouth.”
Callie looked at him.
“Ahmad wouldn’t want to see a sickly person.”
Callie then opened her mouth.
It was medicinal soup, very bitter. As soon as it entered her mouth, she wanted to spit it out, but Jaquan ordered her, “Swallow it.”
She frowned and forced herself to endure the bitterness.
“You really trust Nelson,” he mocked, his tone tinged with an unspoken bitterness.
“Jaquan, thank you,” Callie suddenly said. She wasn’t stupid; she knew that making this decision was very difficult for him considering his position.
“Why did you have a miscarriage?” he suddenly asked.
Callie’s body stiffened. Thinking of that untimely child brought her sorrow.
“Actually… it wasn’t really a pregnancy; it was an ectopic pregnancy. Surgery was inevitable,” she said awkwardly, revealing her private matter.
Jaquan’s hand paused slightly as he fed her the medicine. “Does he know?”
Callie shook her head. “I don’t want to tell him yet.”
After a moment, Jaquan put down the bowl and looked down at her. “You’re thinking so much for him, but do you know what he’s doing? What if you’re let down? What will you do?”