Hiding Behind Her Superficiality

Chapter 222

When they arrived in Damoria, Elspeth first found a place for Yoel to settle down before she went back to the Winthrop Residence with Callum.

She was quiet the whole journey back home. Callum, who knew what she was thinking, casually brought up, “If you have a question, ask away.”

“I want to know what is going to happen between you and Emma.”

She had been a lot busier these days. Having to handle Michael and the problem with Jordan and Angie, Elspeth hadn’t found a chance to ask Callum about this.

“Merry meet, merry part. Since the issue has been resolved, she and I will naturally go our separate ways. We no longer have anything to do with each other.”

Elspeth was extremely satisfied with his answer.

“So?”

“So,” he solemnly explained, “I’m going to publicly refute the rumors first. Firstly, Emma and I were never really together, and she was the one who was making things up. Secondly, it is you who are, legally, my fiancée.”

“Considering how proactive you are in handling this, Mr. Winthrop, I’ll stop picking on you.”

That put a small smile on his face as he murmured, “Thank you, Mrs. Winthrop.”

“What?!” She immediately turned as red as a tomato when she heard the way he addressed her. “Who are you calling Mrs. Winthrop?!”

“It is only a matter of time before you are mine. Nothing wrong with calling you Mrs. Winthrop a little earlier. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Winthrop?”

Callum’s voice was deep and magnetic, and he sounded particularly alluring when he called her ‘Mrs. Winthrop’. It was like music to her ears.

It was a good thing that she wasn’t someone who had a weakness for pleasant voices. Otherwise, she would have been defeated by Callum’s voice alone.

She didn’t say anything in reply and only glared at him before she turned to the other side.

After they arrived at the Winthrop Residence, Callum, being the gentleman that he was, opened the car door for her and walked into the house holding her hand.

However, they were immediately greeted by the sight of a wailing woman as soon as they stepped into the building.

Emma was shedding tears in front of Theodore and Margot. When she saw that Callum had come home, she subconsciously rushed over and blurted, “Callum! Callum, you’re back! I saw the news about Elspeth running away from her wedding. Did you go to her?”

She suddenly froze the moment she noticed Elspeth standing beside Callum. “Callum, w-why did you bring Elspeth home?”

“What’s wrong with me bringing my girlfriend home?”

His reply was calm, but the damage was so potent Emma swiftly turned as white as snow.

“Callum, how can you bring Elspeth home when I am your girlfriend? W-What about what happened a few days ago? What was that all about?!”RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

Getting annoyed from all the sobbing, Elspeth answered without missing a beat, “Looks like luck’s not on your side.”

Emma was like a puppy that had been kicked and she blew her top almost instantly. “You have no right to say anything, Elspeth!”

That elicited a laugh out of Elspeth. “No right, you say? Surely you don’t mean to say that you do. I have no idea how you got involved with Grandfather, but the moment you tried to sabotage my relationship with Callum, I have every right to get you out of my sight.”

Emma straightened her back when she heard Elspeth’s words. “This is the Winthrop Residence. It’s not your house. Why would Mr. Winthrop kick me out of here when he likes me?”

She then turned to look at Theodore.

To her surprise, Theodore was looking at Elspeth with a guilty expression on his face. He didn’t seem to like Emma as much as he did before.

“I’m sorry, Elspeth. I—”

“It’s alright, Mr. Theodore,” Elspeth cut him off with a smile. “You were impatient because you wanted to save your wife. I understand.”

Theodore’s eyes were wet with warm tears. He couldn’t believe he almost lost such a wonderful daughter-in-law.

“What is the meaning of this?” Emma was still confused about what was happening.

“You only knew that Grandfather promised you to get you Callum, but you didn’t know that he also kidnapped Mrs. Winthrop to force Callum to submit. Emma, you were the only one who thought you were loved. Everything has come to light now. It’s time you wake up from your daydream.”

Emma looked at Callum in disbelief. Her heart broke when she saw the loving look in his eyes, which were trained on Elspeth.

Theodore chimed in then, “Emma, I know that you have feelings for Callum, but Elspeth and he have been promised to each other a long time ago. Even if you and Callum were in a relationship before, it’s all in the past. Please, it’s time to let him go.”

Emma felt herself breaking down as soon as she heard that. “I don’t believe this…” She struggled to add, “Mr. Winthrop, I’m the one you like the most, no? You wouldn’t have treated me so well before if you didn’t…”

“Emma, it’s fine to be stupid, but flattering yourself is a big no-no. Don’t you know why Mr. Winthrop was nice to you?” Elspeth sneered and uttered words without a hint of mercy.

Emma couldn’t stop her thoughts from running wild anymore and she burst into tears.

“I like you so much, Callum. How could you do this to me…”

Callum’s head felt like it would split open anytime now, but he grew even more annoyed hearing her crying. “Stop crying and go home if there is nothing else. Don’t make a fool out of yourself here.”

Make a fool out of myself? Emma lifted her head to look at his face, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She didn’t think there would come a day when he would say such words to her. She was even more surprised by him humiliating her mercilessly in front of everyone.

Now that the rose-colored glasses she had on were shattered, she gingerly peered at the man who felt like a stranger to her. He felt so unfamiliar it was detestable.

She then carelessly shifted her gaze to Elspeth as though she was unwilling to spend even one second on her.

“I know! You teamed up to lie to me, didn’t you? I was wondering why Callum was willing to be with me all of a sudden. This is all a scheme!” She looked like a lunatic as she stood up, chortling. “I know everything now. I won’t let you off the hook. I will never let this go!”

She then dashed out of the house without a care.

Elspeth only lifted her gaze then. “To be honest,” she commented, “I’m worried about her mental state.”

Callum hugged her shoulders. “It’s alright. She only has herself to blame for everything. It has got nothing to do with us.”

Even though it was true that everything was of Emma’s own doing, Elspeth couldn’t help thinking that the woman was rather pitiful.

“I don’t think the last thing she said was a joke.”

Elspeth looked to Callum with her eyebrows furrowed as a strong sense of danger hit her.

When Callum heard that, he pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “Don’t worry. I will protect you,” he reassured her.

“Ahem!”

It was only when a cough rang out from the side that the couple noticed Theodore was still there, and they awkwardly detached themselves from one another.

“It’s normal for you youngsters to be passionate in love. Don’t mind me. Just pretend that I’m not here.”

Theodore let out a stiff smile when he realized that he was being a third wheel.

“Geez! Don’t start imagining things, Dad. How’s Mom doing?”

Callum was always thinking about his mother. Even though his father repeatedly told him on the phone that his mother was fine, he was still worried.

Theodore stood up and stated, “She’s upstairs. I’ll take the two of you to her.”