Chapter 63 The Annoying Mr. Northwood
Neither spoke. Their breaths were heavy. Calista was pissed off.
She couldn’t see Lucian’s expression, nor did she have the time to speculate what sort of mood he
was in. It took her half a minute to somewhat calm herself.
“The contract has already been signed. You can’t go back on your word.”
The man responded to her in a calm and deliberate tone.
“There is no followup partnership. This signing is not considered a success. Why don’t you go ahead and ask Marcus Packard if he’s still interested in working with the Northwood Corporation?”
Marcus would certainly be willing to do so. His company’s future was far more important than his
pride. But after what he had done to her, how could she? She was boiling with anger.
“Lucian Northwood, have you no shame?”
Lucian had probably never been scolded like this before in his life.
His voice was cold as he spoke, “And, where have your manners gone, Calista Everhart?”
The woman sneered and didn’t hesitate to retort.
“Fed to the pigs, no thanks to you.”
Likening him to a pig was still an insult to the pigs!
A few seconds of silence followed. From the way he sounded, it was as if he were holding back.
“Send your bank details to David. He’ll give you ten thousand dollars. And as compensation, I’ll
give you five thousand.” 2
Calista gritted her teeth. She knew Lucian wouldn’t let up on the three million dollars.
“I don’t need your charity. You’re coming with me to get a divorce. And, I’ll pay off my debt to you
in installments.”
“Do you think you have the right to negotiate with me?”
She was rendered speechless. She could feel a lump in her throat. He was saying the same thing
again. There was nothing to discuss!
1/5
+15 BONUS
Since there was nothing to talk about, she didn’t want to say another word to him either She hung
up
She closed her eyes and calculated her funds on hand. The more she thought about it, the more
agitated she became. She wanted nothing more than to drive over and punch him.
How could there be such an annoying man with no sense of shame? Were his riches obtained through trickery?
Calista blocked all of Lucian’s contacts and spent the next ten minutes in the washroom to calm herself. Only then did she walk out.
She hadn’t gotten far when she ran into Bryan who was in a hurry. He seemed as if he were looking for someone. His eyes scanned his surroundings until he spotted her. He heaved a sigh of relief.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Callie. The production team is almost done with the shooting. It’ll be your turn next.”
Calista had agreed to participate in a program promoting the restoration of cultural relics under Jacob’s suggestion some time ago. Her only condition was that her face was not to be shown.
But the workshop didn’t want the opportunity to pass them by. That’s why they decided to have Bryan participate in the filming alongside her. He would be the face of the workshop.
“Sorry. I had to use the washroom. Let’s go.”
The two entered the restoration room. The item they were to restore had already been placed on her workstation.
It was a moderately damaged vase from ancient Estria. The shoot would be done in several takes and then edited together.
The director approached the two and instructed them, “All you have to do is focus on the
restoration. Act like you usually do in front of the camera. There’s no need for you to stage poses.”
She nodded.
“Thank you, Mr. Meyer.”
Lucas Meyer’s gaze landed on the woman’s face. He couldn’t help but express regret.
“Are you sure you don’t want to show your face, Callie? This is a perfect chance. You’re beautiful
+15 BONUS
He was painting her a rosy picture. Young and attractive women were good for ratings. It would be
a waste to just show her hands.
Calista siniled politely.
“I apologize. I’m a bit of an introvert. I’m not suited for other fields. Just my hands would be enough. Participating in this show is to let more people in the industry. Whether I show my face or not isn’t important.”
Although disappointed, Lucas didn’t insist. He returned to his place behind the camera.
“Ready? Action!”
Recording for a documentary was different from filming a television series. There was no acting and no scripts. All Calista had to do was focus on her work. How the filming and editing would be done was up to the director. She didn’t need to worry about it.
Even though she and Bryan were to restore the same artifact, they played different roles. They were filmed separately because she didn’t want to show her face. They had very few shots together.
At one point, she handed something to Bryan. He was so absorbed in his work that he didn’t notice. He blindly grabbed at it only to end up grasping her hand.
He froze and quickly let go.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Calista kept her voice soft because they were still filming.
The shoot proceeded smoothly. After that, Lucas interviewed with Jacob. Once it was over, Jacob escorted them out. The crew was also invited to have a meal together but Calista didn’t
participate. Bryan looked at her as she seemed distant after the shoot ended.
He asked, “You seem off, Callie. Did something happen?”
She pushed the dark thoughts aside. She and Bryan weren’t so familiar that she could discuss private matters with him.
“It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired.”
+15 BONUS
“Don’t overexert yourself. The warehouse is still filled with artifacts waiting to be restored We wouldn’t be able to finish all of it even if we had eight hands. Take a break when you have a
chance to do so.”
She smiled and didn’t say anything else. That was when David called. His name immediately
reminded her of Lucian.
She answered in a somewhat angry tone, “What is it?”
David didn’t know what was happening and seemed taken aback by her aggressive tone.
He fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again, “Could you please provide me with your banking details, Ms. Everhart? Mr. Northwood had asked me to transfer the compensation for your
efforts.”
So, he was calling to give her money. Calista provided her account details. There was no hope for the three million dollars. But she still wanted the compensation for her efforts. Otherwise, Lucian would’ve lowballed her!
Both Calista and Bryan were busy restoring the vase over the next few days. The production team came twice more to film additional scenes.
Documentaries, unlike TV dramas, didn’t require extensive post–production. The documentary would be aired online within a week.
That day, David emerged from the CEO’s office and let out a long exhale…
He had been having a rough time recently because he hadn’t properly investigated Calista’s position at Justa.
He had reported false information to Lucian, which led to his superior looking at him like… he was dirt.
No! He had to work harder to keep his job!
When he reached the pantry, he happened to hear two secretaries chatting away with a phone in hand.
“No way. I can’t believe that I’m shipping a couple just from their hands alone!”
“What if she’s ugly? Or a middle–aged woman? Don’t you need to see their faces to ship them?”
“No way. The guy is a hunk. He’s partnering with someone who has a pair of beautiful hands…
+15 BONUS
They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t notice David walk in. He cast a
casual glance at the screen just as the camera zoomed in. He saw a pair of fair hands.
He froze. He found the hands incredibly familiar. He couldn’t help but ask, “What show is this?”
