Callie remained motionless.
After watching the entire movie, her hand was drenched in sweat.
Partly because of nervousness, but mostly because Shane Robinson was gripping her hand so tightly.
Even after the movie ended, Shane didn't let go of her hand.
Callie had no choice but to follow him.
She glanced at the man so close to her and thought, who said he wouldn't do it?
He must have been pretending this morning.
As they walked out of the cinema, they were greeted by the bustling night market outside.
There were lots of people.
Coming and going.
Callie spotted a stall selling takoyaki in the distance.
She wasn't sure if it was because she had watched a two-hour movie and was now hungry, or if it was her pregnancy cravings, but she said, "I'm hungry."
Shane replied, "What do you want to eat? I'll take you."
Callie Norris pointed to the nearby stall and said, "I want to eat that."
"Not hygienic," he said, and without another word, he pulled her along.
He drove her to a high-end restaurant with a nice ambiance.
Shane handed her the menu. "See what you want to eat."
Callie opened the menu. Since Shane was paying, she decided to satisfy her hunger to the fullest!
"This one, this one, and this one..."
She pointed at the menu.
Cecilia walked in, feeling down after meeting with Callie earlier today. The things Callie had said left her in a foul mood.
The man she liked had some hidden issues, strange habits, and even some perverse tendencies. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't shake off the discomfort.
She hadn't eaten dinner, and now, she was feeling hungry, and came here to grab a bite. But then she thought she heard Callie Norris's voice.
Looking around, she spotted her. It was indeed Callie.
Was this fate or just a coincidence?
But who was she with? Shane Robinson! She was with Shane Robinson?
Didn't she say Shane Robinson was a weirdo who liked to hit people? Why was she happily having dinner with him then? Could it be that Callie Norris was lying to her? Trying to make her back off?
So she could have Shane Robinson all to herself?
That woman is so cunning!
If she hadn't run into them today, she would have missed this.
Thinking about it, it felt like a close call.
Cecilia's dissatisfaction with Callie grew even stronger.
She wished she could remove Callie from Shane's side right this instant!
"Miss, how many are in your party?"
The waiter's voice interrupted Cecilia's thoughts. She snapped back to reality and replied, "Just one. Please find me a more secluded spot."
"Certainly, please follow me."
The waiter led her to a discreet table.
...
At Callie's table.
They had already started eating.
The dishes were exquisite and flavorful, and Callie had a good appetite.
Buzz buzz—
Shane's phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and stood up, saying, "I'll step outside to take this call."
Callie nodded, "Okay."
She continued to stuff food into her mouth, as if she hadn't eaten in ages.
Shane watched her eat greedily, with food crumbs sticking to the corner of her lips. He reached out to wipe them away gently, "Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."
His gentle and attentive manner was not lost in Cecilia watch, who was observing from a distance. She was almost dying of jealousy towards Callie.
How she wished that she was the one dining with Shane at this very moment.
As Callie Norris felt his fingertip brush the corner of her lips, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly suppressed her emotions and continued eating.
Cecilia saw Shane leave. Unable to hold back any longer, she immediately walked over. "Did you deceive me?"
Callie looked up, still chewing her food.
Seeing it was Cecilia, she was momentarily surprised. "What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"
"Who would follow you? Who do you think you are?" Cecilia snapped, her anger barely contained.
Callie remained calm. "If I'm nobody, then why are you so mad?"
Cecilia was speechless, her whole body trembling with rage. She saw the glass of water on the table, grabbed it, and splashed it right onto Callie's face.
Caught off guard, Callie Norris was drenched.
She wiped her face and looked at Cecilia coldly. "When you're done making a scene, you can leave."
"Who are you telling to leave?" Cecilia shouted, her face flushed with anger. Callie stared at her. "If you want to pursue Shane, then just..."
She was about to point outside when he walked in.
Changing her direction, she said, "He's right there. Go after him."
Cecilia turned around and saw Shane standing not far away.
Feeling a bit shy, she glanced at him, displaying the involuntary modesty of someone seeing their crush.
She tried to speak, "H-hi."
Facing the person she liked, her words came out awkwardly.
Shane walked over with a blank expression.
Afraid that Shane might misunderstand her, Cecilia quickly explained, "It was Callie who tricked me."
Shane asked, "What did she trick you about?"
"She told me that you have a chaotic personal life, weird hobbies, that you're a pervert, you hit women, and... and that you have a hidden illness," Cecilia said.
Callie Norris, "..."
She sneaked a glance to see if Shane would be furious. If she had known, she wouldn't have said anything.
She had just wanted Cecilia to give up on Shane and maybe tarnish his reputation a bit. It seemed like she had gone too far.
And now, she was caught red-handed.
Shane gave a faint "hmm" in response, neither refuting nor explaining further. He simply said, "But it was still wrong of you to pour water at her."
Cecilia was stunned. "???"
Why? Was he openly favoring her?
"Apologize to her."
Cecilia had never been treated like this before. Her heart was now filled with jealousy and hatred, her expression turning twisted.
But she had indeed poured water at Callie, and Shane had seen it. If she stubbornly refused, would Shane start to dislike her, thinking she was rude?
But it was Callie who deceived her first! How could she just accept this?
Biting her lip hard, Cecilia forced the words through gritted teeth, "I'm sorry..."
Callie didn't feel any joy from this. Shane's calm demeanor made her wary of what he might do next. She knew this man's temperament all too well.
"No need," Callie replied, wiping her mouth. "I'm done eating, and I should be going now."
She tried to leave quickly, but Shane grabbed her wrist. With a gentle pull, he drew her into his arms!
He bent down and leaned closer to her. "Why are you walking so fast? Can't you wait for me?"
Callie Norris felt her throat go dry.
She couldn't utter a single word.
With one arm around Callie, he used his other hand to pull out his card and handed it to the waiter to pay the bill. After the waiter returned the card, he put it away and continued to hold Callie as they walked out.
Once they were in the car, he thoughtfully fastened Callie's seat-belt.
Callie was completely stiff. What was this man planning? Why did he make her skin crawl?
She decided to take the initiative and admit her mistake. "Um, about what I said earlier, I just wanted to help you get rid of a problem. I thought if I said those things, Cecilia would give up on you and stop bothering you."
"Uh-huh." Shane Robinson kept his eyes on the road as he drove. "Should I be thanking you for that?"
"Heh." Callie let out a dry laugh. "Just don't misunderstand and think I did it to slander you. No need to thank me."
"No, I think I should show my gratitude." As he spoke, Shane's gaze shifted toward her.
Callie stiffened even more!
Why did she have such a bad feeling about this?!
Unfortunately, her intuition was quickly proven right!
Shane Robinson drove her back to the villa, maintaining a demeanor that was nothing short of 'kind and gentle,' showing no signs of anger whatsoever.
In fact, he was so nice to her that Callie almost believed he was a good person.
But the slow boil of a frog in warm water is the most torturous.
Callie nervously asked, "Are you going to get back at me later?"
He smiled charmingly, "No."
Callie felt her heart ease a little.
Could it be that he really wasn't angry?
Had he become more magnanimous?
"It's late. Go wash up and get some sleep," Shane said as he headed to his own room.
Callie stood there for a few minutes, stunned.
Could it be that Shane had changed?
Had he really 'turned over a new leaf'?
Callie returned to her room and sat by the bed for a moment. Shane didn't come back to settle any scores.
It was almost eleven o'clock now. He should be going to bed, right?
Callie clutched her chest.
Indeed, doing something behind someone's back is never a good idea. You never know when you might get caught.
She went to take a shower.
When she came out in her conservative pajamas, the room was quiet.
She walked over to the bed and lay down.
Shane didn't come.
He didn't come to settle the score.
Maybe, just maybe, he was actually a good person.
Had she misjudged him before?
Yes, that must be it.
She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep peacefully.
Time ticked by slowly.
The moonlight spilled through the window, casting a silvery glow.
Quiet and beautiful.
Click.
The doorknob turned, and then the door was pushed open.
Because Shane had the keys to the entire villa.
So, Callie knew it didn't matter if she locked the door or not.
In her drowsy state, Callie thought she heard a noise.
But soon, everything went quiet again.
She was too sleepy to open her eyes and continued to sleep.
She was used to sleeping alone, curled up on her side, a sign of her lack of security.
The blanket was lifted.
The mattress behind her sank.
Callie Norris's eyes flew open.
She quickly turned her head and, by the moonlight, saw who it was.
"You, why are you in my room again?"
Shane was calm and collected. "Hmm."
Callie Norris was speechless. "..."
What did he mean by that?
Callie Norris was completely at a loss.
"Um..."
Callie Norris wanted to say that, even though they were married, they weren't really a couple, and sharing a bed didn't seem right.
"You being here has no other meaning. I just want to prove something."
Callie Norris had a bad feeling and asked, "Prove what?"
"That I don't have any hidden illnesses." Under the white moonlight, his eyes were dark and deep.
His voice was also low and resonant, like the sound coming from a deep well.
Callie Norris quickly said, "I know you don't."
"No, I need to prove it with action to clear my name." As he spoke, his arm wrapped around Callie Norris's waist, pulling her body tightly against his.
If Callie Norris had known it would lead to this, she would never have said anything. But there was no medicine for regret in this world.
Shane flipped over, pinning her beneath him.
Callie's breath caught.
That familiar feeling washed over her again.
Maybe all men had this kind of presence?
A sharp, intense sense of dominance.
Shane lowered his head, kissing her cheeks gently, like a dragonfly skimming the water. He kissed her lips, her chin, her collarbone, and his warm lips moved to more hidden places.
Callie clutched the bedsheets tightly beneath her.
With a hoarse voice, she stammered, "I, I..."
She was extremely nervous.
She even started to tremble.
She was truly scared.
Shane Robinson hesitated in his actions, then finally rolled over to lie beside her, holding her gently. "Sleep."
He wanted to continue, but she wasn't willing.
He wouldn't force her.
He was willing to give her time.
There was no rush.
Callie Norris didn't expect him to stop, and he didn't show any sign of forcing her.
"Thank you," she said.
Shane Robinson didn't sleep, nor did he respond. He pretended not to hear.
He didn't need any thanks.
She owed him.
And he planned to collect it all back, with interest, in the future.
Callie Norris woke up early the next morning. While they were having breakfast, the secretary arrived.
There was news about the person who attacked Myron.
"Speak," Shane Robinson said as he walked over to the sofa and sat down.
He had instructed his secretary to inform him immediately once there was any news.
Callie had asked him twice already. She must be anxious.
"Callie, come here."
Shane called Callie over to sit beside him.
The secretary kept her head down. "It's Belinda Ayers."
Callie Norris was a bit surprised.
Shane, however, showed no expression.
It was hard to tell what he was thinking.
"Should we warn her?" the secretary asked.
Shane Robinson looked up at the secretary.
The secretary lowered her head even more. "I misspoke."
Callie Norris said, "Isn't she faking her pregnancy? Why would she want to get back at Myron? Did she have someone beat up Myron to avenge Henry?"
After all, Henry hadn't even been discharged from the hospital yet!
Shane Robinson's eyes flickered for a moment.
Because of that embryo, Shane Robinson had no choice but to believe in Belinda Ayers. An embryo couldn't be faked.
Belinda Ayers went after Myron because Myron was Callie Norris's brother.
She took advantage of the situation to have someone beat him up while he was inside.
She was venting her hatred for Callie Norris on Myron.
However, in Shane Robinson's eyes, it all meant something entirely different.
Belinda Ayers targeted Myron because she had lost her baby in a car accident. With this perspective, her actions seemed more understandable.
That's why Shane Robinson didn't want to pursue the matter.
In the end, it was all about the child that was no longer there.
"I understand. You can go now." Shane said this to his secretary.
The secretary left with her head down.
Callie could clearly sense that Shane didn't want to pursue the matter.
It made sense; it wasn't his concern. It was normal for him not to pursue it.
But from his attitude, it was clear. His sympathy leaned towards Belinda.
Callie understood this clearly, but she pretended to know nothing. "It's time to eat."
For some reason, she wasn't upset that Cecilia liked Shane.
But knowing that Shane Robinson still had feelings for Belinda made her feel a bit down.
She didn't like this feeling.
She forced herself to be happy and took big bites of her food.
Shane frowned, "Why are you eating like you're starving? Slow down, you'll choke."
Callie kept her head down, eating in big bites.
Shane said, "After breakfast, I'll drive you to work."
Callie replied, "No need. I might need to go back to the Norris family home."
She knew Shane didn't like her father.
Sure enough, he fell silent.
But she wasn't lying; she really did need to go back to the Norris family home.
She waited until Shane left before heading out herself, making her way straight to the Norris family home.
When she arrived, only Gianna was there.
There was nothing to say to Gianna.
She turned to leave.
But Gianna blocked her way.
"You're here already, why leave so soon?" Gianna sneered. "Are you happy to see my son in trouble? Are you here to laugh at us?"
Callie couldn't be bothered to argue with her.
"I'm here to see my dad."
"Oh, you still call him dad? I thought you disowned him!" Gianna said sarcastically. "Let me tell you, this is not your home anymore. Don't you dare come back here!"
That sentence, "This is not your home," hit Callie right in the heart.
Home.
Did she even have one?
If she did, where was it?
A sudden wave of sadness washed over her heart.
She pushed Gianna aside and walked out.
At the door, she ran into Rafael, who had just returned!
Seeing Callie, Rafael took large strides toward her. "Callie..."
Before Rafael could finish his sentence, Gianna rushed out, looking aggrieved as she complained to Rafael, "Your precious daughter has no manners at all. She just pushed me hard."
Callie deeply regretted coming here.
Why did she have to get involved in Myron's business?
She must have been out of her mind to agree to ask Shane for Rafael.
Rafael shot a glare at Gianna. "You're an elder. Can you not hold a grudge against a child?"
"Is she a child? She's grown up and even married. How can she still be considered a child? She didn't even lift a finger to help her own brother, so cold and heartless. What are you expecting? That she'll take care of you in your old age?"
Gianna's words grew more and more agitated.
She was still bitter about her son being in trouble.
Back then, she had asked Callie Norris to talk to Shane on her son's behalf.
But she had refused. Cold-blooded to the core.
Rafael knew Gianna was holding in a lot of anger. He grabbed Callie by the arm. "Let's go. We'll talk somewhere else."
Gianna grabbed Rafael's arm. "Where are you going with her? I won't let you go."
She was terrified that Rafael would be swayed by Callie and abandon her and Myron.
So she couldn't let Rafael leave. Rafael frowned. "Gianna."
"Your son is in there, so you're going to abandon me too, right?" Gianna said, bursting into tears, utterly heartbroken.
Rafael felt a headache coming on.
Callie yanked Rafael's hand away. "Dad, I asked about what you wanted to know. It's Shane Robinson."
After all, Belinda Ayers and Shane Robinson were pretty much the same.
"See, I told you it was him, and you said it wasn't."
Rafael had a look of 'I knew it' on his face.
Callie stared at him for a couple of seconds without saying a word, then turned and walked away.
"Callie..."
Rafael called out to her. "Don't hold it against her. Can you talk to Shane Robinson for me...?"
Callie stopped in her tracks because of Rafael's words. She turned around and looked at Rafael coldly. "Do you think Shane Robinson would listen to me? I'm just someone who was forced on him. To him, I'm unnecessary, a disgrace. Do you really think I'm the lady of the Robinson Family?"
As she said those words, she was mocking Rafael, but also mocking herself.
Rafael replied, "Feelings can be cultivated. Living under the same roof with him, you'll surely develop some affection..."
Callie let out a cold laugh from her throat.
She found it utterly ridiculous.
He was pinning all his hopes on a vague, unattainable fantasy.
Leaving the Norris Family house, she took a cab to the dance studio.
Everyone was busy putting makeup on the kids and helping them into their costumes.
"Are we rehearsing for a performance?" Callie asked.
Principal Lopez replied, "It's for a performance."
The mall had invited them for its grand opening.
She often took on such programs.
Getting the kids on stage more often could help them build confidence.
Some kids would get nervous and forget their moves once they were on stage.
Callie nodded to show she understood and immediately joined in to help.
Since there were many kids and they needed more hands, all the teachers from the dance studio had to go along to look after the children.
While other teachers managed the front, she was responsible for the backstage.
Suddenly, someone approached her and said, "Principal Lopez forgot something important in the dance studio. She asked you to get it."
Callie Norris had never seen this person before and felt a sense of caution. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm the event coordinator for the mall," the man answered confidently.
His smooth response made Callie Norris lower her guard a bit. "What important thing?" she asked.
"Uh... it's a document on her desk. She has some agreements with the mall that we need to verify with all the partners."
Callie nodded in response.
"Then you better go quickly!" With that, the man left.
Callie didn't leave immediately; she needed to check with Principal Lopez first.
However, the crowd at the event was overwhelming, and the music was blaring loudly.
She searched all around but couldn't find Principal Lopez anywhere.
When she checked the time, she realized half an hour had already passed.
If she delayed any longer, she might mess things up.
So, she decided to go herself.
She took a cab to the dance studio.
In Principal Lopez's office, she searched everywhere but couldn't find the document. She then dialed Principal Lopez's number.
Due to the loud noise at the event, Principal Lopez couldn't hear her phone ringing, and no one answered.
She searched again but still couldn't find it.
Suddenly, Callie felt something was off.
Principal Lopez was a meticulous person and wouldn't leave something important behind.
Just then, two dark figures appeared behind her.
She turned around. Two men stood there.
One of them was the guy who had told her at the mall that he needed to come back to get something.
"Who are you?" Callie Norris's heart sank as she realized she had been tricked.
They had deliberately lured her away from the crowded mall.
With so many people around, they wouldn't have had the chance to do anything bad.
So they tricked her into coming back to the dance studio?
"Who we are doesn't matter. What matters is that someone paid us a lot of money to take care of you," one of the men said.
The other man snapped at his companion, "Stop wasting time talking to her. We need to grab her before anything goes wrong."
Callie grabbed whatever she could find on the table and threw it at them.
Taking advantage of their momentary distraction, she dashed toward the door.
One of the men was quick on his feet and grabbed her by the arm. "You can't escape."
Callie yanked her arm free, but the other man caught her other arm. "Give up. There's no point in struggling."
In the small space, with the two men blocking the doorway, it was indeed difficult for Callie to get out.
Moreover, she had to be cautious because she was pregnant. She couldn't risk jumping out of the window, and the chances of escaping through the door were slim.
Getting caught was something she had anticipated.
She stopped struggling and pretended to cooperate. "Fine, I can't escape anyway."
"That's more like it!"
The two men seemed pleased with her compliance.
They brought Callie to the entrance, revealing that there were actually three of them, with one man waiting in the driver's seat.
As they reached the door, a van pulled up.
While being pushed towards the van, Callie seized the moment. She stomped hard on one man's foot and kicked the other in the groin.
The two men loosened their grip, one clutching his foot and the other his groin.
Callie took the opportunity to run.
With the crowd and the wide streets outside, it would be difficult for them to catch her again.
In broad daylight, with so many people around, they wouldn't dare make a scene.
Spotting some city enforcement officers, Callie found her saviors and ran toward them.
The men behind her hesitated and didn't dare approach.
After a quick discussion, they decided to give up for now and think of another plan later.
By this time, Callie had calmed down.
She patted her chest, trying to steady her breathing.
Suddenly, her phone rang.
She answered it, hearing Principal Lopez's voice on the other end. "You called me?"
"Yeah, but it's nothing now."
In a calm tone, she replied, "Oh, where are you now?" Principal Lopez asked.
Callie Norris glanced at the bustling street, took a deep breath, and said, "I'm heading back right now."
However, just as she was about to take a step, she noticed a car pulling up not far from her.
A person stepped out of the car.
Callie immediately became alert. Could the person who tried to grab her earlier have been sent by them?!
Thankuu