With a burst of courage, Zayden shoved Peggy aside and smoothed down his collar. He declared, "Fine! If you're not worried about your reputation, why should I be? Call the police! Go ahead!"Peggy was taken aback. She had been counting on his fear of a scandal to manipulate him. But now that he was willing to face the consequences, she wouldn't get anything out of this, especially considering his family's influence.Knowing Zayden wasn't serious about calling the police, Pierre stepped in. "Zayden, I think you and Ms. Horn should settle this privately. The police have better things to do. Why don't you find a place to talk things over?"Emboldened, Zayden retorted, "What's there to talk about? The worst she can do is accuse me of sexual harassment."Peggy stood there, silent. She didn't want to escalate things, because it wouldn't benefit her. She wouldn't get what she wanted if she pushed too hard.Pierre saw right through her facade and gave Zayden a nudge. "This situation is em
That certainly did the trick. Peggy had been searching for Zayden for so long that she wouldn't let a fight with Calla derail her opportunity.She pointed a finger at Calla. "We'll see how this plays out!" Then, she turned and ran out of the boutique.Pierre approached Calla, taking her hand in his. "You look beautiful in that gown.""I didn't see that coming," Calla said, glancing in the direction Peggy had disappeared."She's no match for you anyway. So just sit back and enjoy the show," Pierre said."Zayden's mother..." Calla began, her voice laced with curiosity."Zayden's mother suddenly fell ill and passed away six months ago. That's why Peggy's so bold now. Zayden, being a rather timid and proud man, is no match for her. I don't think he'll be able to get out of this easily," Pierre said with a chuckle."Peggy's not about to let such a juicy opportunity slip away. She'll milk it for all it's worth," Calla said, knowing Peggy all too well. If money was involved, Jill an
Pierre's face hardened at that moment. Casper immediately started rubbing his eyes, tears welling up.Calla's maternal instincts kicked in and she scooped Casper into her arms. She looked at Pierre with a reproving tone. "Lower your voice, you're scaring the kid!"Having been chastised, Pierre shut his mouth.Calla quickly switched to a soothing voice, trying to comfort the little boy. "Don't cry, the mister was just a little loud. We'll ignore him, okay?""Okay!" As soon as Calla finished speaking, Casper's face broke into a wide smile.Calla was amazed at how easily the child's mood shifted. But then again, children were usually like that, so she didn't think much of it.Yet, the instant Calla took a closer look at the child's face, she was struck by a sudden realization.The boy's facial contours and features were incredibly familiar. But she couldn't place where she had seen this face before."Honey, where are your mommy and daddy?" Calla believed that this child was lost,
"You are my mommy! You are!" Casper argued."I'm not!" A scowl crossed Calla's face as she felt both embarrassed and angry.Her anger wasn't directed at Casper but at Mercer. She had no idea what game he was playing this time. But she wasn't afraid because Pierre was just around the corner. If she called out, he'd be there in a flash. Mercer wouldn't dare try anything."Daddy said you're my mommy!" Casper was getting anxious, his eyes welling up with tears.It was understandable that he was so distraught. He'd been longing for his mother for so long. Now that he'd finally found her, she was denying him. He was on the verge of tears.When Calla saw tears welling up in Casper's eyes, her heart softened.She decided not to argue with the child anymore. She walked toward the mastermind behind this.Calla stopped three feet away from Mercer, still wary of him."Mercer, what's the deal with bringing me here?" she asked, her voice laced with anger.Mercer reached up and removed his s
The next moment, Calla turned to Mercer with a look of reproach. "Mercer, Casper is only three or four years old. Please don't use a child to get what you want. It's not good for his mental health, and will set a bad example for him!"Calla then crouched down and took Casper's hand that was tugging at her clothes. "Casper, I'm not your Mommy. Don't call me that again."As she stood up, Calla saw the tears welling up in Casper's eyes. She turned and walked away, determined not to look back.Casper's pitiful and dejected expression lingered in Calla's mind. Yet, she told herself not to turn back, or she wouldn't be able to bring herself to leave."Calla, Casper is our first child. He didn't die when he was born," Mercer's voice called out from behind her.Calla's steps faltered, but she didn't turn around.Those words had a significant impact on her. The loss of that child had been a huge blow. Even now, in the dead of night, she was often haunted by the memories of the child, and
Calla was initially certain that Mercer's goal was to use Casper to ruin her marriage with Pierre.But as the night wore on, Calla's doubts grew. She couldn't shake the feeling that maybe—just maybe—Mercer was telling the truth. Perhaps Casper was indeed her child, the one she had given birth to all those years ago.She couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. What if her child had not died? What if he was still alive and well?As the first light of dawn crept into the room, Calla made a decision. She would go see Mercer, no matter what his motives were. She had to get to the bottom of it.Calla gazed at Clover, who was still fast asleep. She gently stroked her daughter's cheek. "Clover, don't you think it would be wonderful to have an older brother to share your toys and adventures with?Clover's chubby face didn't move. Calla's eyes lingered on her for a moment before she spoke again. "I have to get to the bottom of this no matter what the outcome is. I have to find out if Casp
Calla finished getting ready, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked over to Clover. She gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then turned to Fiona. "Fiona, I'm going out to meet a friend.""Okay," Fiona replied with a smile, then continued feeding Clover some water.Calla left the apartment and was about to press the elevator button when Pierre emerged from the opposite door."Hey, aren't you supposed to be off work today? Where are you going this early?" Pierre asked, noticing Calla was heading out."Oh, I'm meeting Alicia. She's going back to work tomorrow, so we're hanging out later," Calla replied hastily, avoiding eye contact with Pierre. She had never been good at lying."She's going to be your bridesmaid. It's only right to express our gratitude," Pierre said with a smile, walking into the elevator with Calla."Where are you meeting her? I can give you a ride," Pierre offered."We're meeting at the department store. It's not on your way, so you should get going. I'
Mercer's face fell. He sat on an armchair before asking Calla, "Do you dislike me that much? Are you not even willing to stay by my side for one minute?""I don't dislike you—I hate you. Also, one minute is too long—I can't even bear to stay by your side for one second!" Calla replied without hesitation.As memories—filled with love and resentment alike—flashed in Calla's mind, she felt an intense hatred for Mercer. If not for Casper, she would never have stepped inside this place again, much less take a seat across Mercer to have a conversation.Calla's words hurt Mercer. He sat there for a while with his head lowered before lighting up a cigarette and taking a long drag.Calla couldn't help coughing when the acrid smell of smoke entered her nose. Realizing that he'd made her cough, Mercer quickly stubbed the cigarette in his ashtray. Calla didn't want to waste any more time with him. She asked impatiently, "Why did you have me come here? Who is the woman you had Casper with?"