Chapter 249 Connections
Lucian wanted to say something but restrained himself. He pursed his lips, and the veins on his forehead bulged. After a while, he finally found a more refined way to express himself.
“Can you cut the guy some slack and take it easy on him?”
He had completely forgotten the lectures he had given to the stuffed toy.
Calista continued relentlessly, “Sexual desires are just basic physical needs, and you’re telling me to be lenient about someone’s shortcomings? Is it too much to ask for a healthy relationship? Also, tell your friend to move on sooner. Don’t waste that poor girl’s time.”
Lucian was left speechless at her reply.
She added, “You might want to suggest therapy for him. If he’s having trouble in the bedroom with his wife, it could be a sign to try something different.”
“You’ve read those cheesy novels, haven’t you? The idea that men only get aroused by their one true love is a load of nonsense. Maybe he needs to spend more time with women and gain more bedroom experience, and true love will come along.”
“Is that what you think?” Lucian asked.
It was absurd, contradicting the laws of nature. Could one genuinely control such primal physical reactions voluntarily? Unless there was a medical issue at play, Calista brushed him off casually.
“Yeah, that’s my take on it. So if you can’t deal with it, don’t bother me.”
Lucian remained silent, realizing the conversation was going nowhere.
He wore a stern expression and said, “You should ditch those cheesy romance novels. Try picking up some autobiography instead, would you?”
Suddenly, the doorbell rang Calista went to answer it.
Lucian quipped with a hint of sarcasm, “Quite the buzz this late at night, isn’t it?”
Calista responded matter of factly, “Indeed, nowadays, you can have food delivered to your doorstep. It’s ad convenient. You don’t ever need to worry about utensils
the topic of deliveries came up, Lucian couldn’t help but imagine attractive delivery guys
saw Calista returning with a takeout bug
Calista immediately read his thoughts and teased, “You’ve got quite the dirty thoughts, you know,
Lucian pursed his lips and watched Calista take out a food container and disposable utensils, eager to enjoy the meal.
He asked, “Where’s mine?”
Lucian had been at a social event where he couldn’t eat much, and the food was terrible. He had only taken a single bite before setting aside his utensils.
far too co Calista replied with a hint of irony, “Mr. Northwood, you’re to indulge in this junk.”
Back when they were married, Calista had once ordered a dish cooked somewhat oily, and Lucian’s reaction had been nothing short of disdainful.
He regarded her with disgust and remarked, “Are you seriously serving me this junk? Do you think I’m a
dumpster?”
Lucian had no recollection of that incident but recalled refusing to eat the takeout Calista had ordered.
He commented, “You whipped up some homemade grub for Paul when he was under the weather, and here I am with takeout. The contrast in treatment is pretty obvious.
Feeling irritated at Lucian’s repeated grudges, Calista put down her utensils and replied, “Paul had dietary restrictions due to his illness. Ordering takeout wasn’t an option. Should I have scribbled notes for the restaurant? If that’s the case, no restaurant would have been willing to take my order.”
Takeout food was not often freshly prepared, and Calista had reservations about the quality of the
ingredients.
Additionally, she had a clear sense of her culinary abilities and felt somewhat confident in her cooking.
skills
After finishing her meal, Calista took a shower. Lucian had left with Calista’s takeout trash when she
emerged from the bathroom.
The next day, Calista had just arrived at the museum when Augustus summoned her to his office. Several experts responsible for restoring Class A artifacts were also present.
“So, there’s this prestigious family with Intentions to donate a crown believed to have once graced the head of an emprese from the Celestial Dynasty. The catch is that some Invaders swiped this valuable fact, and the ship carrying it went down. It’s been sitting underwater for ages, pretty beaten up
a member of that prestigious family out their hands on it. They will
convened this assembly to assess our collective capacity for the task
Augustus proceeded to display photographs of the relic since no physical object was available
The crown had suffered extensive erosion from seawater, rendering it nearly impossible to distinguish its original colors and design. Only a faint outline was discemible.
“The artifact won’t make it to our museum until the day after tomorrow. For now, check out the photos. If any of you’ve got any issues, speak up. It is a big deal, and we can’t afford any slip–ups,” he stressed.
Suddenly, the office door was forcefully pushed open. Thomas stood at the doorway, his eyes red, his chest heaving angrily, his expression troubled.
His gaze was fixed firmly on Augustus as he exclaimed, “I can fix up Class A artifacts too, you know. How come I didn’t get an invite to this big–deal meeting?”
Thomas had passed his assessment recently and was now qualified to restore Class A artifacts. He arrived at the museum later than usual that day.
Upon his arrival, he overheard his colleagues discussing Augustus gathering most of the experts who specialized in restoring Class A artifacts for a meeting, apparently for something of immense significance.
Thomas then rushed to the office and stood near the door, eavesdropping for a few minutes.
He was surprised to see Calista, a part–time worker, attending the meeting, which immediately frustrated him. Why had she been invited when he hadn’t been?
Augustus frowned and ordered, “Leave.”
s current
Thomas had been growing increasingly bitter recently. He had labored for years to reach his position, and he couldn’t comprehend why Calista had been integrated into the team so effortlessly.
It might have been more palatable to Thomas if their age gap had been narrowed. However, the age gap between himself and Calista spanned generations.
Calista was barely out of her teens, and Thomas couldn’t fathom why she merited a seat at the table.
leave only if she does. She’s just a part–time kid. Who does she think she is, sitting here with the
seniors? Thomas voiced his objections
genuinely respected everyone else in the room but struggled to acknowledge Calista despite
witnessing her restoration skills,
Hence in restoring that painting appeared to him as little more then a fortunate stroke of luck
Augustus stood up abruptly, his expression grim with anger.
He said sterly, “Higher–ups specifically requested her. So, here’s the deal. If you can convince those higher–ups to request your talents, I won’t stand in your way, even if you’re just a Class C restorer. I’ll gladly step aside for you.
Augustus would have fired Thomas long ago for his attitude if their field hadn’t been so short on talent.
Thomas sneered, “So, it’s all about who you know, not what you can do. The most crucial thing is having
the right connections
He cast a sidelong glance at Calista, her beauty and perfectly proportioned body rivaling some celebrities
in the entertainment industry.
Thomas continued, “I can’t help but wonder how many men she had to sleep with to get these
connections. She could have easily become a celebrity, raking in more money and enjoying a relaxing life. Why bother with this exhausting job that doesn’t even pay well?”
The veteran artists present frowned at Thomas‘ accusations. Calista chuckled, stood up, and walked over
