Chapter 284 A Bottle of Poison
Liam appeared more aloof in his role as Mr. Mysterious than when he acted as Calista’s bodyguard. He exuded an air of superiority as he looked at Calista.
“Ms. Everhart, we have a business relationship. I saved you in Apthon because it was profitable for me. I’ve invested a lot of money in you, and I can’t just let it go to waste,” he said, removing his hat and tidying
his messy hair.
He continued, “It’s none of your concern whether someone is on the third floor. If there is, they’re under my employ. You, Ms. Everhart, are merely hired hands doing tasks for money. Do you believe you have the
right to interrogate my people?”
Calista furrowed her brow and retorted, “I just wanna get the lowdown on anything connected to
mom. That was the deal when I signed up.
my
Calista wouldn’t have taken this job if it weren’t for the photos and the impression that they knew some
insider information.
Liam frowned and replied, “You haven’t unearthed anything yet, and you nearly bit the dust in Apthon. Ms. Everhart, if your mother were watching from above, she’d be against you taking the risk. The person
behind all this is not someone you can handle.”
Calista persisted.
“But what if I persist in unfolding the truth?”
Liam seemed exasperated by her stubbornness.
“If it weren’t for…”
He stopped abruptly, rubbing his temples.
can save you once, but I can’t save you a second time. If you’re dead set on rolling the dice with your life, my only advice is to reflect on your choices before you rendezvous with your mother and grandfather. down under. You should consider how to repent for your recklessness and foolishness.”
Calma nodded and replied, “Alright”
Liens cemained silent, clearly perturbed by the situation. He pondered whether Calista grasped that he
dressing her to avoid further questioning and let things be
mpting to talk song sense into her?
Calista finished the remaining touches on the restoration work and handed the painting over to Liam.
“Take a look and check if everything’s fine. My work here is done once you approve it.”
From now on, any issues with the painting would no longer be her concern. Liam was currently occupied with unfinished tasks assigned by higher–ups.
He didn’t have the time or interest to inspect the painting, especially considering it had only served as an excuse to get closer to Calista.
Now that their goal was achieved, the painting held even less significance. He gave it a casual glance and
tossed it aside.
Calista couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness as she watched the painting being discarded like trash.
r opinion. However, she understood her role as a restorer and didn’t have the authority to voice her
Calista simply nodded to Liam and exited the room. Liam followed her out of the study. She looked up.
toward the third floor as they passed by the staircase.
“My mother used to live here, right?”
It was unclear if she was asking Liam or the person upstairs whom she never met. Liam remained silent. Calista figured she had guessed correctly.
She looked around the villa, which had once seemed eerie but now had a touch of familiarity.
Calista turned to Liam and remarked, “If you’re genuinely concerned about me, why not share some information? At least give me a glimpse of who’s involved in all this.”
As anticipated, Liam remained silent in response. Calista didn’t pay it much attention and proceeded on
her way.
Berta was nowhere to be seen, leaving the entire first floor of the house deserted. As Liam escorted Calista to the car, he parted his lips slightly and softly uttered a word. Calista’s eyes widened in surprise.
Calista’s work at the manor had taken longer than expected, and it was already quite late by the time she
returned.
Recently, her neighborhood was transformed Into a lively carnival. Vendors sold various Items, adding to
the festive atmosphere.
Feeling hungry, Calists found a stall selling hot dogs and ordered. “I’ll have a plain one, please
Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded beside her after she spoke, 11 have the same.
Calista turned to see two people standing there.
She furrowed her brow and asked, “What are you doing here?”
David smiled and answered, “We followed you. I was waiting for you with Mr. Northwood at the
apartment foyer, but then I saw you coming to the carnival, so we followed.”
Lucian glanced at Calista, his lips pursed, and he added, “You seem to enjoy this affordable food, right? Let me join you. Please…”
He wanted to say, “Please don’t be upset anymore
Calista couldn’t help but chuckle at Lucian’s superior yet somewhat compromising demeanor.
“Sure,” she agreed.
Calista moved closer to Lucian’s ear and whispered, “See how they’re making those hot dogs? The chef
isn’t wearing a hat or a mask, and he’s handling the onions with bare hands…”
Calista opted for a whisper instead of broadcasting her negative talk. Street food vendors often have
poor hygiene conditions.
While Calista didn’t mind, Lucian, accustomed to a more luxurious lifestyle, found it unacceptable.
“See that lettuce in that basket? They look rather withered, and who knows if they’ve even been washed,”
she continued.
Calista deliberately tried to gross Lucian out, targeting his weaknesses for fun. As Calista leaned in
closer, Lucian instinctively placed his hand on her waist, maintaining a slight distance between them.
Her subtle fragrance enveloped his senses, and her warm, moist breath gently caressed his ear,
prompting an uncontrollable flush to creep up his cheeks.
He asked, “Are you sure you want to eat that?”
Calista replied, “Sure. Do you think I order food for fun?”
Lucian responded, “I’ll eat with you”
Calista looked at David with curiosity and asked, “David, what’s up with your boss?”
can used to grimace in disgust whenever Calista Indulged in street food, giving the impression that he’d rather have her drink disinfectant.
“I guess this is karma… Oh, I mean, Mr. Northwood is in love with you. He wants to experience everything you enjoy. Even if you offered him a bottle of poison, he’d drink it without flinching.
After all, love had a knack for driving people to irrational lengths. David and Lucian hadn’t accomplished
much today.
Meanwhile, the general managers of several subsidiary companies eagerly anticipated a virtual meeting while Lucian was out enjoying a day at the carnival with his wife.
Their hot dogs were quickly prepared. Calista took her portion and found a table to sit at, digging into her meal. By the time Lucian joined her, she had transformed into a contented eater.
cian wasn’t
Her cheeks puffed up, and sauces dripped everywhere. The hot dog was mediocre. Lucian particularly hungry, so he took a few bites and put it down.
“Don’t you like eating onions?” He asked Calista.
Calista replied between bites, “I quite like them.”
Lucian pursed his lips, hesitated, and asked, “What about the meat? It doesn’t look very fresh.”
Calista chuckled, “How can sausage be fresh? It’s processed food. It might have been sitting around for
some time.”
Calista felt something was off with Lucian as if he were missing some senses. And now, it was becoming
clear that he indeed was.
Today’s Bonus
