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?!”
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—”
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.”
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