Calista waited for a reply but didn't get one. She glanced at her unfinished work on the table and snapped, "Well? If you're not going to speak, I'll hang up."Lucian had been considering explaining his mistaken call, but her impatience irritated him. So, he changed his mind and stated, "Pick me up at the Luminary Lounge."Calista frowned before replying, "Are you insane? You want me to pick you up?"She had done it before when she was his assistant, picking him up after he got very drunk. She called him then to ask him when he was going home.That day, David was the one who picked up the phone. He also knew about her relationship with Lucian, so he told her that he was drunk and even asked her to pick him up.Back then, Lucian used to be constantly annoyed with her. So, when he saw her coming to pick him up, he lost his temper despite being drunk. Even David couldn't escape his wrath and was reprimanded, his yearly bonus cut.As a result, no matter how drunk Lucian got afterward
Alcohol dripped down Lucian's face, an unusual sight given his usual grace. It was unexpected to see him in such a state. His lips formed a tight line, and his fury was palpable. Calista was not intimidated by him at all. She simply cast a glance at him and left without another word. Cade couldn't help but express his exasperation. Only Calista would dare to splash alcohol on Lucian."I pray that Ms. Everhart can outrun Lucian," Cade mumbled under his breath.Lucian caught sight of Cade, dry despite being near Calista during the incident. He retorted coldly, "I hope you lose your voice."Cade immediately fell silent. Lucian ignored him and headed straight toward Calista.Lucian was tall with extremely long legs. He moved to catch up with Calista at a leisurely pace. People instinctively lowered their heads in submission as he passed.Calista waited by the elevator. She wasn't sure if it was bad luck or her imagination, but the elevator seemed slower than usual.As she debat
Calista's head snapped up. Her reaction was subtle but noticeable to Lucian who still had his arm around her waist. Paul's voice had made her tense up. Paul was standing some distance from the car. He was staring at her through the half-opened car window.He was dressed in a casual shirt and slacks. Even in the shadows, his good looks were evident.Calista's mind went blank for a second. She instinctively called out, "Paul … "The arm on her waist tightened again. She nearly yelped in pain. However, Paul was there. So, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and endure the pain. She wasn't sure if Paul had seen Lucian in the car with her. After all, the lighting in the car park was dim. It was unlikely he had seen Lucian from his distance and angle.Paul smiled and walked toward her. "I had a feeling I recognized someone here, but I didn't expect it to be you!"Her body tensed further as Paul neared, the hand on Lucian's chest clenching into a fist."Don't come any closer," s
"Go away!" Calista warned weakly. "If you keep pestering me, I'll post our marriage certificate online. I'll let the world know that Lily is a homewrecker!"Lucian coldly laughed at her weak threat. "Aren't you the one asking for a divorce?""I'll say that I'm asking for one because you cheated on me with her."Lucian's expression remained unchanged. He replied, "In that case, you can forget about ever getting divorced from me."Her threat had backfired. Lucian was now threatening her instead. Calista hated how Lucian always found a way to counter everything she said. Ever since they got together, she hadn't lived comfortably at all!Lucian caressed her finger. After a while of studying, he declared, "It's not broken.""I bet you wish that it was," Calista grumbled."Of course not. However, if you really take the three million dollars from Paul, not only would I wish for your finger to break, I would break it myself.""You madman!" Calista exclaimed.She pushed him away again.
The birthday dinner happened to fall on a weekend. Calista got up early to finish Lily's painting. She merely rested for two days before accepting another task. She had no choice. She would never be able to pay off the three million if she didn't work her fingers to the bone. The Northwood family always kept their birthday banquets low-profile. They only invited the relatives of the Jenkin and Northwood families. In previous years, Calista would always arrive at the Stansend Manor early in the morning to attend to the guests. But she decided against it this year since she and Lucian would get a divorce. She wanted to distance herself from her life as Mrs Northwood. It was also to give Selena some time to accept the situation. After all, she couldn't spend her whole life putting up an act with Lucian. Selena would eventually find out. Calista looked at the time and buried herself in work. She was tasked with restoring a Georgian vase this time. The damage was not severe. De
Lily's eyes widened in shock when she saw Calista and Lucian enter the living room together. She thought Calisa might come tonight. After all, it was Selena's birthday. She'd assumed Lucian would not want to reveal their relationship, so he might stop Calista from coming. However, she didn't expect Calista to come holding Lucian's arms. It was as if she was declaring their intimate relationship. Everyone's gaze shifted between Calista and Lily. Before Calista's arrival, everyone had learned of Lily's attendance. They were certain that Lily and Lucian's relationship was at the point of marriage. But now, a different woman was by Lucian's side. Lily could feel the crowd's intense gaze on her, and her face flushed red. Just moments ago, these people were showering her with compliments. It was obvious they thought she was the future Mrs. Northwood. At this moment, someone approached to offer a toast to Lucian. He glanced at Calista and asked curiously, "Who is this, Mr. Northwood?"
Lily stood in the distance, embarrassed as she watched their harmonious interaction. She looked up at Lucian. She noticed his gaze was fixed on Calista. Bitterness gnawed at her as he watched them. But she quickly suppressed her emotions. She smiled as she interrupted them, trying to catch Selena's attention. "Happy Birthday! This is a small token of my regards. I hope you like it." Selena glanced at Lily and nodded. "Thank you. You're very thoughtful." After receiving the gift, Selena placed it on the nearby table. She had no intention of opening it. "The dining area is over there. Help yourself. Don't be shy."That was her telling Lily to move aside and stop being a nuisance.Lily could detect the underlying tone. Yet, she acted like she hadn't noticed. She worked hard to prepare the gift and couldn't let it be dismissed. If Selena didn't open it now, its fate after the event would be uncertain."How about you open it now? I'm unfamiliar with this stuff. If there's an is
Lucian frowned, "Choose the right occasion to make a scene. Today's dinner isn't suitable for your antics. Both my mother and the Northwood family can't afford to be embarrassed."Calista chuckled in exasperation. "Are you concerned about Mom and the Northwood family, or are you worried about Lily? If I leave, everyone will say I'm guilty. By tomorrow, everyone will know that I ..." She paused momentarily before continuing, "Claude's skills aren't up to par. They'd say that her works are flawed and she's a fraud!"For some reason, she didn't want Lucian to know she was Claude. And he didn't need to know either."So, what do you want? You want to fix that painting? Do you think you, a janitor, learned the skills just by watching for a few days?" Lucian was unfamiliar with the conservator industry. He hadn't heard of Claude. He'd assumed she was just another employee of Justa Workshop.To him, Calista was a janitor at the antique restoration studio. This was reported to him after