Chapter 91 Kicked In The Guts Calista intended to mock Lucian However, he did not lose his temper as she expected. Instead, he looked at her and said, “How do you know no one would back you up? You’ve never even tried.” Calista was taken aback. Did he lose his mind again? She pursed and cautiously took a few steps back and prayed for help against this lunatic. Lucian’s face darkened when he saw her reaction. “What is this?” Calista threw the plate onto the table and warned, “Stay away from me so I don’t get infected by your madness and end up as crazy as you.‘” Then, she turned around and headed to the restroom. As she exited the bathroom stall, several people surrounded her, blocking her way. “Calista, aren’t you going to catch up with your old friends?” The leader of the group was Amanda Riley, Sharon’s best friend. She was one of Calista’s classmates in university, as were the others behind her. However, she wasn’t familiar with them. as they were from different faculties. Calista raised an eyebrow and sneered, “So, you’re here to help Sharon get the video?” Amanda crossed her arms and looked at her with contempt. “Amanda invited you to her wedding out of her kindness. Yet, you stabbed her in the back and spread false rumors about her. Give me the video.” “You’re accusing me of spreading rumors and asking me for the video at the same time. Playing dumb won’t work for me. Tell Sharon I’ll be having a chat with Mr. Beckett if she doesn’t apologize to me in public in ten minutes. Calista yawned dully. She wouldn’t have come if it weren’t for Selena. She had already given them enough respect by staying for so long. She headed for the exit, but Amanda blocked her way as she passed by. “Since you don’t want to do this the easy way, we’ll have to do it the hard way. I’m not going to go easy on you” The group slowly approached Calista. Amanda continued, “Back in university, you might have been too overconfident because you were naive. But now you’re still reckless even after knowing the ways of the world. All I can say is you’re foolish. Did you think your insignificant threats would work on Sharon?” She leaned closer to Calista and sneered, “Being foolish is one thing, but being vain is another. To think that you orchestrated the whole incident that someone bought your art at a high price, and then you donated the money to the school. If I were you, I would rather die than be humiliated like that. Speaking of this matter, you should thank Lily for this.” When Calista’s project was exhibited on campus, it caught someone’s attention and sold for a very high price, making history in the Art Faculty at Gardsford University. Everyone was shocked. It was even more surprising that she donated the money to the school to support financially challenged students. Initially, Calista wanted to keep a low profile about this matter, but Lily made a big fuss and spread the word everywhere. She even convinced the school leadership to put a banner at the school gate commending Calista. However, it wasn’t long before it was revealed that Calista had orchestrated the whole thing herself. Needless to say, her reputation plummeted as she faced public criticism. At this moment, Calista was surrounded by everyone. She cracked her knuckles; it seemed like she wouldn’t be able to avoid getting physical today. Amanda continued, “Take her phone. Let’s see how she’ll manage without a phone… ” Before she could finish, Calista kicked her in the gut, sending her stumbling back several steps! Amanda’s face immediately turned pale. She bent over and clutched her stomach. “How dare you lay a finger on me?” […]
Chapter 90 Her Husband Died Young Sharon’s husband, Theodore Beckett, was the second son of the Beckett family. The Beckett family wasn’t exactly upper–class, but they were still a rich family He’d never been insulted to his face like this before Theodore looked at her darkly. “If you’re here to congratulate us on the ceremony, you’re more than welcome, but if not He glanced over at the entrance of the garden and paused. Schooling his expression, he abandoned his threats toward Calista and strode over to the car that had just stopped at the entrance. “Mr. Northwood.” Even though the engagement party was about to start, he still stayed out there just to wait for Lucian Lucian got out of his car and nodded at Theodore. “No need for the pleasantries, Mr. Beckett. Theodore did not relax. He gestured toward the entrance of the hall, saying, “Right this way, sir Technically, he should be the center of attention at his engagement party, but Lucian overshadowed him just by standing beside him. Theodore looked more like his assistant. Sharon noticed that Calista was staring in Lucian and Theodore’s direction. She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Stop dreaming. The guy you’re staring at is the only heir of the Northwood family, the president of Northwood Corporations. Not even in your wildest dreams will you be able to be with him. As your classmate, I’d advise you to stop being delusional… oh wait.” She covered her mouth and feigned surprise. “I almost forgot, you slept with him before! Even so, you still didn’t manage to marry him.” Calista and Lucian had gotten married in secret. Even though Selena had announced their marriage during her birthday party, it still wasn’t exactly public knowledge. “Sharon Lawson.” Calista stepped closer to her with a smile. “I heard that it wasn’t easy for you to get Mr. Beckett to marry you.” Sharon glanced at her raised hand and stepped back fearfully. “What are you trying to do? This place is owned by the Beckett family. If you hit me… “What are you talking about? Why would I hit you?” Calista placed her hand on her shoulder lightly. “You’re very pretty today. It would be a shame to ruin your beauty with a slap.” Sharon pursed her lips in an attempt to look calm as she relaxed her tense body. “Good.” +15 BONUS “I won’t hit you, but I would like you to apologize for what you said just now. The stage would be good enough for me. In public.” “No way. I will soon be Mrs. Beckett. Who are you to make me apologize to you?” It was bad enough that Calista had always been better than her in university. Now, Sharon was better than her. She would never apologize to Calista. Calista waved her phone at her. Then I guess you wouldn’t mind if everyone sees those fascinating videos of you and your ex- boyfriends. Did you think I came here just to let you insult me?” At first, she didn’t want to come, but Selena called her and asked her to visit Mrs. Beckett Senior on her behalf. Calista figured that this was just an excuse to force her to attend the party with Lucian. If it were so important, Selena could’ve come herself. However, she didn’t want to disappoint Selena.
Chapter 89 This Is The Only Way I Can Punish You Selena placed a hand over her chest as she got up. She felt overwhelmed by the information, to the point that she had lost her appetite. Calista moved to help her, but she turned her down. “I need some quiet. Finish your food, then leave. I don’t know how many more surprises like this my heart can withstand.” Then, she waved a hand at Macy. “Give them the invitation.” Macy picked up an invitation from the coffee table and handed it to Calista before going to the kitchen. Technically, Lucian was her employer, so she should’ve given the invitation to him instead of Calista, but his cold smile terrified her. Calista opened the invitation. It was an invitation to an engagement party. When she saw the bride’s name, she raised an eyebrow. It was one of her classmates from university. Lucian had been looking at her, so when he saw her expression, he asked, “Someone you don’t like?” “Not really. We weren’t close.” It was the kind of natural enmity between the top of the class and the runner–up. “You seem to have enemies everywhere. Even a random invitation could be from someone you don’t get along with,” Lucian said mockingly. “I’m not surprised, though. Only Yara’s thick–headed enough to put up with you. I doubt any other woman would want to be your friend willingly.” Calista suspected that he was taking out his anger on her because of what Selena had said about Lily earlier. Since he couldn’t do anything to Selena, he targeted her instead. She scoffed in disdain. Lucian was not only a cheating bastard, he was also a petty one. Anyway, she’d already decided to let him get together with Lily, so she couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. +15 BONUS “Now that we don’t need to hide this from Mom anymore, we can proceed with finalizing the divorce.” Lucian’s smile was dry. “Didn’t you hear what I said just now? I brought you home so that you can explain the matter to Mom, not make her angry. You didn’t keep your end of the deal. What makes you think you can make demands of me?” “Why do you need me to explain your wrongdoings on your behalf?” Calista demanded, pointing at him She was trembling with anger. “Lucian, are you a man?” Lucian leaned back and smiled at her. “You can use your hand to find out.” Calista lowered her eyes and glanced at the cup of tea before her, then looked back up at Lucian. “I shouldn’t lower myself to your standards.” Then, she picked up the tea and flung it in his face. The warm liquid dripped from his eyelashes, past his nose, and down to his chin. Lucian looked like a mess, but his expression did not change. He did not shift from his position, barely sparing her a glance. Calista turned away. Macy, call the driver.” She was pissed off. Before she could go far, she heard the chair scrape against the ground harshly Lucian grabbed her wrist. He was still soaked as he wrapped his other hand around her waist and leaned closer to her. His breath brushed against her cheek. “Clean this up” Calista looked up at him obstinately and said slowly, “You wish.” She thought that Lucian would get angry at that. Who wouldn’t if they had a cup of tea thrown in +15 BONUS But he just laughed softly and said, “Macy, leave us “Yes, sir. Macy left quickly without clearing the table. “I’m going to say this again. Clean this up,” Lucian said “And I’ll answer you again,” Calista said, not backing down. “You wish!” She turned away to avoid looking into his eyes. “Get away from me. I might not be able to hold back from slapping you.”
Chapter 88 Dying With Him Lucian’s lips were pursed tightly as he looked at Calista. “Why are you interested?” “I’m just …” Before she could finish, she grabbed the handle above her in horror and screamed, “Keep your eyes on the road, Lucian! You’re driving! Look in front! Her voice was shrill to the point of breaking The road they were driving on was not busy, but it also wasn’t empty. Lucian kept staring at her without slowing down, so they were close to hitting the car in front of them. Calista closed her eyes tightly and screamed, “We’re going to hit them!” The breaks squealed shrilly, but the impact did not happen. Apart from the strain of the seatbelt tightening around her, Calista did not feel any pain. Calista opened her eyes. There was only a very small distance between the Bentley and the car in front. If Lucian had hit the breaks just a second later…. Calista was furious. “Lucian Northwood, if you want to die, go and die somewhere far away from me. I have no intention of dying with you. Other people would think that I died willingly with you!” “Wouldn’t you be happy to die with me?” Lucian smiled drily and leaned closer to her. The distance between them closed abruptly. Calista could see herself reflected in his eyes Lucian ran his eyes over Calista’s pale face. She hadn’t put on any makeup today apart from some lip tint. He stared at her lips and swallowed. His eyes darkened. Calista pursed her lips tightly. “Why do you hate me so much? Do you think I would be happy to die with you? That’s like my worst nightmare.” She pushed Lucian away and snapped, “Pay attention when you’re driving and stop playing Lucian fell back into his seat. His eyes were still clouded over +15 BONUS “Then you shouldn’t worry about things that don’t concern you as well ” Calista knew that he was talking about his and Lily’s relationship. She opened her mouth to say something, but Lucian glared at her. “Shut up. Calista closed her mouth again. Due to the incident, they arrived at the Stansend Manor at 6:00 PM. Selena came out when she heard them arriving. “Why are you so late? I called you, but neither of you picked up. I was worried.” Calista took out her phone and saw two missed calls on it. She’d switched it to silent mode earlier, so she did not hear the calls coming in. “I’ve asked Macy to cook your favorite food. You must be hungry. Go ahead and wash your hands. The food is ready.” Selena slipped her arm through Calista’s and led her into the house. “Macy, Calista’s home! Please serve dinner!” Lucian watched them walk away from him. Sometimes Selena treated Calista better than she did her son. By the time he got into the dining room, Selena and Calista were already seated and prepared to start eating. His place at the table was not set. Lucian washed his hands and took his seat. “Macy, get me a plate.” Macy glanced over at Selena, who was serving Calista. “Mr. Northwood, Madam Selena… she’s not in a good mood.” Selena snorted without looking up. “He doesn’t need to eat. Cheating men do not deserve to eat in my house. It would be a criminal +15 BONUS Lucian was speechless. Calista giggled. She agreed with Selena. Lucian looked at her impassively. Calista looked up and met his eyes, which made her remember the deal they made in the car earlier. She swallowed her food and began, “Mom ” Lucian interrupted her. “Mom, someone’s been twisting the story for you. Who is it?” Selena knew her son well. If she told him who told her about Lily, then that person would be done for. She put on a stern look and smacked the table. “If you hadn’t done it, then there wouldn’t be any basis for rumors. You can’t just deny what you’ve done. I thought
Chapter 87 Playing Hard–To–Get Nikolette tried to avoid answering him. She did not want to show weakness in front of Calista However, the woman beside her opened her mouth. She was the waitress at the cafe. *I’ll talk! Ms. Everhart …” She tried to approach Calista, but one of the bodyguards pulled her back. “I sent the audio recording to a friend by mistake, and then,” she pointed at Nikolette furiously,” she came to me and forced me to sell her the recording. She said she’s your sister, and the recording was damaging your reputation. I thought she seemed trustworthy, so I sold it to her. I didn’t know she would be so evil and leak it to the press!” Not everything she said was true, but Nikolette did not refute any of it. She held her head high and looked at Calista haughtily. “So what if I leaked it to the press? It’s the truth anyway, isn’t it, Calista? I didn’t just leak the recording to the press, I also leaked the photos of you with Mr. Northwood. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to marry him, given your status!” Three seconds after she had released the recording online, the scandal of Calista and Lucian meeting in a hotel had made it to the trending news online. Nikolette scoffed. “You’re double–timing Mr. Baker and Mr. Northwood. There’s no use trying to act innocent now.” Calista went up to her. “You were the one who leaked the audio recording?” “Yes.” “And you took the photos of Lucian and me when we were at the hotel?” As far as Calista recalled, Zachary had brought Nikolette and her mother aboard at the time the photo was taken. How was it possible for her to do that, then? Nikolette’s expression did not change. “Yes, I did.” Calista nodded. Then, she raised her hand and slapped Nikolette. +15 BONUS She did not hold back at all. Nikolette was stunned by the slap. Her ears rang, and she saw stars swimming before her. It took her about ten seconds to register what had happened. When she came back to her senses, she threw herself at Calista like a madwoman. “Calista Everhart, how dare you hit me!” Before she could get to Calista, the bodyguards caught and restrained her. Nikolette could do nothing more than glare ferociously at Calista. Calista laughed coldly. “You deserve it.” She stared at her hand, which was red with the force of the slap, then rubbed it on Lucian’s shirt. “Ugh, you dirtied my hand.” Nokilette was shocked. Lucian was speechless. Having annoyed two people with one move, Calista felt her mood brighten a little. She gave Lucian a snort, then turned and left. In the car, Lucian looked at her and asked casually, “Is that it?” “What else can I do? Kill her?” It wasn’t it for Calista, but Nikolette wasn’t the kind to back off just because she slapped her. It would just waste her time and efforts if she continued like this. Lucian’s eyes drifted down to her hands. “Does your hand still hurt?” Calista hid her hands behind her back. She was convinced that Lucian was up to something. He wouldn’t ask about her hands otherwise; she refused to believe that it was just out of concern.
Chapter 86 Prickly and Violent Lucian hummed noncommittally. Calista waited, but he did not say anything else. “Say what you need to say, then let go,” she snapped impatiently. Lucian stared at her. Calista was frowning, her annoyance with him apparent. He pursed his lips. He did not like the way she was acting toward him. In the past, no matter how cold he was toward her, she had always been pleasant. But now… He frowned. “Let’s go.” Calista was confused. Where did he want to go? What was wrong with him? Calista backed away warily, staring at him as if he were a pervert. Lucian did not like her instinctive reaction. Coldly, he said, “If you want to know who that person was, you’ll follow me.” “Just give me a name. It’s not safe for us to be out alone at this time of the night.” Lucian was furious. He gripped the handle of the door so tightly that the veins on his hands popped. “Calista, what do you think I’ll do to you?” “How would I know?” Calista lifted her chin. Even though she was a good six inches shorter than him, she still managed to match his haughtiness. Her expression was disdainful. “You’ve been obsessed with me lately, and you haven’t had the chance to meet any other women apart from Lily. I know men get a little deranged when they’ve been deprived of sex for too long.” “And you think I want to have sex with you?” Lucian gave her a scornful once–over. “You’re not just stupid, you’re stupid and narcissistic. If three years of marriage couldn’t make me interested in you, then I wouldn’t ever be interested in you no matter what.” That hurt her. Unable to control herself, Calista took off her shoe and tried to hit Lucian with it. He grabbed her arm quickly. “Why are you so aggressive and violent? Are you a hedgehog?” 7/4 He pulled her toward himself and tapped her arms betud ter es she dropped to the grond Luman walked her cover to the clear the same patron Callista’s back was forcefully pinned against hus chest she teased able to thank about wher Lucien bad just sat all the could think of was the fact that she was meant a sza It was witnes, so her clothes were thick enough to cover her, but he would definably actre something at thes close passamaty Stiffly, the sard Let go of me I can walk Lucian glanced at ber Do you fack I to you? Just let me go home and change I’m probably in for a fight, so I want to dress properly” Calista wasn’t sure if Lucian had noticed anything strange. She glanced cap at baixo, bet fe stoomed only his usual impassive expression For some reason without a bra, she could feel every tremble of her breasts as she walked. It was She felt as if she could explode from the embarrassment, but Lucian did not seem to notice anything, so she couldn’t take out her anger on him “You could wear armor and you’d still lose, Lucian said suddenly Fucking asshole. He could die now and she would celebrate Calista hoped that he would never get his way with Lily In the end, Lucian forced her into the elevator and into his car, which was parked downstairs In the car, he took off his jacket and threw it at her “Wear this Your clothes are too ugly” Then why didn’t you let me change? Calista was exasperated Angrily, she took his jacket and put it on, fastening the buttons
Chapter 851 Will Make Sure to Cheat On You! +15 BONUS “Mr. Yarrow humiliated you under Calista’s orders. If Mr. Northwood hadn’t come, the investment would’ve ache out of the window.” “You danced for nothing,” Queenie said. Even though Lucian wouldn’t do anything to Calista just because she said that, Queenie thought he would at least comfort Lily. Yet, he didn’t say anything. Queenie looked at him only to see his distracted side. He wasn’t listening to her. After making the phone call, Andrew asked carefully, “Mr. Northwood, it will take some time before the contract is printed. How about a drink together?” “It’s fine. Pass it to Ms. Yates after it’s done. I have something else to attend to.” Andrew was speechless by how quickly Lucian changed his attitude. Had he not been watching Lucian, Andrew would’ve thought that the person who wanted the contract clinched urgently was someone else. Lily stood up. “It won’t take long. We can go home with Queenie to drop her home along the way.” Queenie’s place was located along the way to Everglade Manor, but it was in the opposite direction to Lily’s house. As if he didn’t notice her hint, Lucian suggested, “Ask Ms. Yates to take you home.” Lily didn’t expect him to say that. She initially assumed that he would take her home even though he didn’t want to waste his time waiting for Queenie. Lily questioned, “What about you?” He checked the time. It was a sign of his patience running thin. “I came by Cade’s car.” Although the car belonged to Cade, it didn’t mean that they couldn’t give others a ride. It was a matter of his willingness to do so. Before she could think of something tox +15 BONUS “Didn’t you want to pick your wife up? Why are you alone? Were you driven away?” “Who told you that I came to pick her up?” He glanced at him expressionlessly before entering the car. “Did someone anger you? What’s with that vile temper?” Cade looked at him through the rearview mirror. Cade continued, “Who rushed from the airport just because he found out that Andrew invited Calista?” Lucian frowned, irritated. Cade clucked his tongue. “Look at you. If you like her, ask her to stay.” “She’s still my wife, and Andrew is known for being a womanizer.” “I must be out of my mind to ruin my reputation. Shut up and watch the road.” Lucian ended the conversation impatiently. Cade was speechless at that. Calling Cade a womanizer was unfair. He could be called perverted at most. He had a kink for young women, but those affairs were done under both parties‘ will. Calista went straight to her apartment by cab after coming out of Luminary Lounge. She passed by Lucian’s luggage when she was going to take her clothes from the wardrobe. Her hand, which was primping her hair, halted midair. She thought for a second before throwing the luggage into the corridor. The temperature plummeted today. After taking a stroll outside, her hands were freezing. She filled the bathtub and added a few drops of essential oil, which helped for a better sleep. She enjoyed the bath and dried her hair. After applying her lotion, she wore fluffy pajamas and came out of the bathroom. As soon as she opened the bathroom door, she heard someone knocking on the door. The people who knew her address were Paul and Lucian. She didn’t tell Yara because she didn’t 2/5 +15 BONUS Paul would give her a call before his visit. As for Lucian, she bet he was enjoying his time with Lily Calista was certain that he wouldn’t come here. She went to the door with light steps and grabbed a shoehorn. “Who is it?” There was a few seconds of silence before a man’s cold voice resounded. “Open the door.” She was stunned momentarily. “Your luggage is outside. You can take it and leave.” “Open the door.”
Chapter 84 Mr. Lucian Is Blinded By Love Lily finally calmed down. She looked at Lucian. “Lucian, I’m alright. Don’t worry.” Before Lily and Queenie entered the lounge, the latter revealed Lily’s schedule implicitly through a call. Silence dawned upon the air. Even the music was stopped. Everyone present couldn’t ignore the cold air flowing from Lucian. Sneering, Calista shifted her gaze and thought, “These two are shameless.” “They’re displaying affection in public when I’m around. I wonder how far they can go behind my back.” As an afterthought, she deemed the divorce with Lucian was the wisest choice she had ever made. Lucian read her expression, and the others could tell that he was very upset. No one uttered a word. The invisible weight in the air loomed over them as it exuded from him. As the host, Andrew endured the pressure to relax the atmosphere. “Mr. Northwood, have a seat.” The main purpose of the entire plan was to win Lucian’s favor. Although things were not going according to Andrew’s plan, he was one step away from his goal. Now, all he needed to know was who Lucian sided with. Calista or Lily? To please Calista, Andrew had humiliated Lily. If he had made the wrong choice… He broke into a cold sweat at the sheer thought of the consequence. He looked at Calista. To his dismay, she was giving him a look that read, “You’re dead meat.” Words failed him, and his head was spinning. He wondered, “Did I take the wrong side? Was my guess about Calista’s identity wrong? Shoot!” Lily noticed that Lucian was only staring at Calista. Lily called softly, “Lucian…” He withdrew his gaze. “How’s the investment deal going on?” 1/4 Lily frowned as she bit her lip. She shook her head. “I think Calista doesn’t want Mr. Yarrow to invest in us.” +15 BONUS Calista, who wished to stay out of the fray, almost laughed at the accusation. She recalled what happened throughout the party. She didn’t speak after Lily came, let alone talking to Andrew. “Ms. Scott, even a national treasure attracts investments based on his performance.” “If you stand still and do nothing, will the investors offer you their money?” “A second of hesitation to fulfill their requests will put you at a disadvantage. Have you been dancing for so long that you lose a few screws in your head?” Calista began with mockery and ended her statement with a scolding. Lily’s expression changed. Despite the fury in her, she couldn’t act waywardly like Calista in public because of her pride. “Calista, you don’t have to act this way. I have no intentions of stealing Lucian from you at all. We’re friends.” “Otherwise, are you implying that he should cut ties with his female friends only because you’re married?” “Well, you can think it that way.” Calista smiled at her. That remark was a reality check to Lily as her face fell. She looked at Lucian. If he had feelings for her, they wouldn’t have just stayed friends considering that it had been a while since she’d returned to the country. Lucian was enraged by how Calista was pushing him to another woman. He tried his best to calm himself down before saying coldly, “How much is the investment worth? I’ll help you out with the negotiation.” “Thanks.” Lily broke into a smile. In the meantime, Andrew was waiting for his doom. Lucian and Lily were heading in his direction, so he made way for them lifelessly. Not only did he fail to achieve his objective, but he also consigned himself to a grim fate. The atmosphere soon became lively. Since Andrew aimed to get close to Calista, the people he brought along were sociable. 2/4 +15 BONUS That woman is a total bitch. Can’t Mr. Northwood tell? Calista sighed and rested her chin on her palm. “He can, but he’s blinded by love.”
Chapter 83 Living Separately for Two Years Lucian gave her a look that read, “That’s such an obvious question.” “Not a chance!” +15 BONUS Calista was never going to let him stay here. “One thousand dollars a night.” He tried to negotiate. “No. Who knows what you’re gonna do to me.” “Why are you so confident that I’m going to do something to you?” She naturally recalled the unpleasant experience, which made the corner of her lips twitch. “Anyways, you cannot stay here.” She had an idea to make the divorce happen–living separately from him for two years. Lucian’s expression was icy as he became impatient. “Mom knows that we’re living separately.” “It’s still a no.” “Ten thousand dollars per day.” He offered so much that Calista finally gave in. Her attitude turned better as she accepted the offer. “The payment shall be made at the end of the day. No checks accepted. You can wire the money to me.” While he was at a loss for words, she showed him her bank account number. He had a glimpse of it before shifting his gaze away. “I’m too lazy to memorize it. Send me the number through a message.” Despite the smidgen of suspicion, she unblocked his contact number and sent him her bank account number. A few minutes later, she received a notification from the bank. She received a transaction, worth 7/6 16 BONUS When he noticed that Calista was going to block his contact number again, he warned. If I find out that you blocked my contact number, I won’t pay you.” She withdrew her finger and stood up. “Night.” When he finally registered what she meant by that, her bedroom door was closed with a loud thud and locked. She thought that he would make a ruckus after going through so much to stay with her. But the night passed by peacefully. Nothing happened. The next day, Lucian was out for a business trip. She didn’t care how many days his business trip would take. All she cared about was receiving the money every day. Soon, news of Calista verifying Harold’s antiques spread within the industry. Today, she went to the way to the fifth Luminary Lounge. She told the waiter a room number, and the latter led half floor. She received a phone call from a stranger yesterday. When she was verifying Harold’s antiques that night, his father was present. He was impressed by her skills, so he would like her to check out his possession. Calista turned the offer down at first because verification was not her job. However, the other party offered a price that she couldn’t turn away from. The private lounge was filled to the brim. The lights were bright in the room. The men and women were behaving properly, free from dirty and cheap movements. Calista’s gaze swept across the room. There were a few familiar faces. A middle–aged man, who was sitting in the middle, rose from his seat as soon as he saw her. He greeted respectfully, “Ms. Everhart.” The others couldn’t believe the reverence in his attitude. “Mr. Yarrow?” She wanted to confirm if it was her client. Andrew Yarrow nodded and relinquished his seat to her.
Chapter 82 Get Dressed and Get Lost Calista and Paul had chosen an upscale restaurant for lunch. As Calista exited the taxi, she spotted the man she was meeting waiting for her. Paul casually took the toolbox from her hand “How have these past few days been treating you?” “It’s been going well,” Calista replied. Paul led her inside the restaurant. He hesitated before warning. “My grandfather was quite sociable, so don’t be surprised.” Calista was puzzled. However, it all became clear when they reached the private dining room. She had assumed it would just be Paul’s grandfather. To her surprise, the room was full of people. Paul cleared his throat. “These are all friends of my grandfather. They had a golf game scheduled for this afternoon and shared a keen interest in art appraisal, so they decided to join us. If it’s an issue for you…” Calista shook her head. “No worries. But I should mention that I’m not an expert in appraising artifacts, so my findings might not be entirely accurate.” In reality, the probability of Calista making inaccurate assessments was relatively low. While Calista didn’t hold a formal degree in the field, her grandfather and mother were experts, and they passed on their knowledge to her. Harold gestured for Calista to come over when he saw her. “Callie! Come sit with me.” Their families had a close bond in the past. That was how Harold had affectionately addressed her since she was young. However, their families had grown apart over time, and the Everhart family couldn’t quite measure up regarding social status. Calista walked over and greeted, “Mr. Baker.” Harold smiled and nodded. 1/5 +15 BONUS “You’ve grown even more beautiful. Paul mentioned that you’re working at Justa now. And I heard you’re quite the talented conservator?” Calista didn’t want to reveal her identity as Claude. She smiled faintly and replied, “He’s giving me too much credit. I’m just an assistant.” “Why be so modest with me? Getting into Justa is quite an achievement, especially at your age. Work hard, and maybe one day you’ll take over from Jacob,” Harold said. One of Harold’s friends teased, “Harold, it looks like good things are on the horizon for Paul?” Paul had personally gone to pick up Calista and claimed she was here to appraise antiques. However, no one truly believed that such a young woman could have expertise in antique appraisal. Given the Baker family’s connections, Harold would undoubtedly consult a seasoned expert for such matters. So, everyone naturally assumed that Paul had found an excuse to introduce his girlfriend to his grandfather. When Harold heard the remarks, his expression turned serious. “Let’s not spread such rumors. Calista is already married.” Harold knew about Calista’s marriage to Lucian, even though they hadn’t had a wedding ceremony. The Baker family was close with the Everhart family and often visited each other on special occasions. Everyone fell silent upon seeing Harold’s response. It was clear he wasn’t joking. Harold had brought a translucent porcelain cup, which was supposedly from the Ancoria Dynasty. Calista had seen a similar piece at the museum. Although this one wasn’t in as pristine condition, it was remarkably well–preserved. She opened her toolbox and carefully examined the cup in her hands. She took some time to process the examination. By the time the food arrived, she was still studying the base of the cup. Paul said, “Calista, why don’t we eat first? There’s no rush for the appraisal.” Calista gently placed the cup into a gift box. “Sure.” +15 BONUS The rest of the group expected little from Calista’s evaluation due to her youth. They had been waiting out of courtesy With the spotlight now elsewhere, they began conversing amongst themselves as they enjoyed their meal. Just then, Paul spoke quietly, “Have you come to any conclusions?” Calista inquired, “How much did your grandfather pay for this cup?” Paul gestured with his hand and motioned a staggering figure, Calista remained silent. Paul noticed her silence and asked, “Is it a forgery?” “Not quite. It’s a composite piece. It appears to be from the later period of the Astralis Dynasty based on the materials used. It’s still an antique, although not in its original form. However, it certainly doesn’t justify the price it was purchased for.” Surprisingly, Harold’s reaction to the news was different from what Calista had expected. He remained calm. Calista couldn’t help but think money could buy extravagance after all. Interestingly, Harold’s friends regarded Calista with newfound respect. Their expressions were undergoing noticeable changes when they looked at Calista. After the dinner, Calista denied Paul’s offer and took a taxi back home. Paul turned to Harold and asked, “Grandfather, may I send you home?” Harold finally lost his calm now that no one else was at the restaurant’s entrance. He glared at Paul with a fierce and intimidating expression. “Who asked you to bring someone here for an appraisal? You disobedient grandson! You couldn’t stand to see me happy, so you had to find someone to rain on my parade. Get lost! I wouldn’t be surprised if I drop dead from anger before I get home!” Harold clutched his chest and breathed heavily after the outburst. Paul was left speechless. Calista returned home half an hour later. She was eager for a bath. Suddenly, she heard a disturbance coming from the bedroom as she began unfastening the buttons of her blouse. Had she been robbed? She grabbed an item from the living room as defense and quietly tiptoed toward the bedroom. With a distinct “click,” the bedroom door opened before she reached it. It was Lucian. He stood behind the door and coldly looked at the object clenched in Calista’s hand. +15 BONUS “What’s this? Do you want a repeat of last night?” Calista was stunned. She finally yelled at him through gritted teeth when she had come to her senses. “Lucian, you … Lucian had just showered. His hair was still damp, and droplets trickled down his handsome face. He didn’t put anything above his waist. Only a modest–sized towel loosely draped around his hips, barely concealing half his thighs. And that towel belonged to Calista! Calista typically used a towel to wipe her face after showering because she tended to be rough around the edges. Seeing Lucian wearing the towel around his waist embarrassed her and caused her to blush due to her vivid imagination. Calista felt like she was on the brink of a breakdown. “Lucian, who permitted you to touch my things? Take it off and give it to me!” Lucian looked at her with his hand resting on the towel. He smirked and retorted, “Do you want me to take it off?” Calista hesitated for a moment and then quickly changed her mind. “No! Just put on some clothes and leave my house. And take that towel with you!” Lucian’s smile disappeared. He stared coldly at her and said, “Your house? “Don’t insult me with your evil thoughts,” she retorted, “Even though I’m aware you don’t have much decency in your head.” Calista rolled her eyes. She returned to the couch in the living room and took a seat. “Hurry up! You have five minutes.” She turned on the TV and started peeling an orange slowly. Five minutes later, Lucian emerged from the room. He had changed into casual attire. His hair was half–dried and messy. 4/5 Esaliela fait an aminone sensation creeping over her she put her guard up and asked, “What’s the meaning of this? Lusian’s sisthes fit ium perfectly it was apparent he had brought them with him Calista didn’t have men’s clothing at her place Was he implying that he intended to
