The study was locked from the inside, ensuring no one could enter. Emerging from the basement, everything was relatively safe.
Jaquan placed his hat on Callie’s head and then stepped out first, drawing most of the attention.
Unexpectedly, Isaac had appeared at some point. Dressed in a suit, he mingled among the guests as the host, exuding elegance and calmness, with no trace of his hidden brutality.
“Thank you all for attending Marilyn’s birthday party today.”
Jaquan smirked and raised a glass of wine. “Isaac.”
Isaac turned slightly. “Jaquan.”
“It’s been an entire evening before I saw you. As her brother, you arrived later than I did.” Jaquan walked over, blocking most of Isaac’s view of the Ellison family.
Isaac’s smile was polite. “Everyone in Ylosea knows you care most about Marilyn. Even I, as her brother, can’t compare.”
The crowd laughed good-naturedly.
“Where’s Regan? I haven’t seen her,” Jaquan asked casually while sipping his wine.
“Oh, she’s not feeling well. I let her sleep in her room,” Isaac replied quickly, showing no signs of deceit.
Jaquan smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
“Mr. Oconnor, nothing unusual,” Mikayla reported back, following Nelson’s gaze to Jaquan, who was socializing effortlessly.
He was as charming as ever, his demeanor making it seem like nothing had happened.
Directly in front of Nelson, Marilyn approached gracefully.
“Where is his secretary?” Nelson suddenly asked.
Anthony frowned and looked around. “She doesn’t seem to be here.”
“Go check.”
Marilyn had arrived in front of them with a pure face. “Nelson, do I look beautiful today?”
The young lady was always glamorous, her eyes sparkling under countless lights. Nelson smiled slightly. “You are always beautiful.”
Hearing this response, Marilyn lowered her head and smiled coquettishly, then looked at the departing secretary. “Why is Anthony in such a hurry?”
Nelson’s expression remained unchanged. “Something came up.”
Marilyn nodded, a gleam of calculation flashing through her eyes. “Nelson, I heard you’ve been looking for Callie recently. Have you found her?”
Nelson’s smile was ambiguous, revealing no emotion. “Who has such a loose tongue that it reached your ears?”
“It doesn’t matter. I can help look for her too. Is she in Osegow?”
She didn’t hold back, and Nelson’s slight smile was fading. “No need.”
“It’s her problem,” Marilyn said sideways. “Anyone else would have understood your situation at the time.”
Nelson didn’t listen to this sentence, pulling his lips slightly. “You understand me well.”
Marilyn also smiled, attempting to hold his hand and speaking slowly. “Of course, no one in this world understands you better than I do. Only I am qualified to stand by your side.”
As she said this, Mikayla was leading Callie and the doctor out through a side door. Callie lowered her hat, deliberately ignoring the commotion on the other side.
But when she inadvertently looked up, she saw the woman beside Nelson in the corner.
The two were very close.
Just one glance, just a second’s pause, and Anthony immediately recognized her. “Madam?”
He lowered his voice and strode forward.
Mikayla didn’t even have time to react, and Callie couldn’t leave even if she wanted to.
Anthony’s face was full of surprise and astonishment as he looked at Callie. “Madam, what are you doing here?”