Hiding Behind Her Superficiality by Kyla Olson

“I’m not too sure either. I always thought it was Edmund who did it, or else he wouldn’t have made fun of me every time. But I’ve asked him about it before and he said it wasn’t him.”

Elspeth didn’t look convinced at all. “How do you know he wasn’t lying?”

“No. Even though Edmund has a sharp tongue and he likes to gloat, he never lies. When he does, the tips of his ears turn red. He can’t hide it for more than three seconds.”

With his understanding of Edmund, Callum knew that Arthur was the one responsible for all of this.

Does this mean that Arthur has been setting people up since he was a child? Surprised, Elspeth looked at Callum and asked, “In other words, Arthur has been jealous of you since way back. He’s not making a break with the Winthrop Family because he thought that Mr. Winthrop caused his parents’ death. This is solely him acting on his long-time grudge, correct?”

Seeing how quick she was on the uptake, Callum looked at her with an approving look.

“Mhm. You guessed it right. That’s what I was thinking as well. Arthur’s reconciliation with the Winthrops probably has something to do with Alphascape. It might be bad for the Winthrops.”

Elspeth suddenly thought of something. “Have you told Mr. Winthrop to be careful?”

“It’s useless. My father will never want to be wary of Arthur. After all, Arthur is the child he brought up. He won’t think badly of Arthur even if Arthur were to hurt him.”

Callum knew Theodore all too well. Although he could be brutal in business, as a father, he was just a kind, loving man.

“We need to get ready, then. We must not let him get ideas on Mr. Winthrop.”

The corners of Callum’s mouth curled into a smile. “Oh? You’re worrying about your future father-in-law already even though we’re not officially married. Is this a case of love me, love my dog?”

“My foot! I’m just concerned about Mr. Winthrop. He has been nothing but nice to me. I don’t want anything to happen to him.”

Callum patted her head and comforted her in a soft voice, “I know that you are worried about my father, but you have worked too hard, Elspeth. You are always thinking about this and that every day. I think you should start to think about yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

He pulled Elspeth into his arms and rested his chin on her forehead. “Our couple’s lovey-dovey time, of course! Don’t you agree, Mrs. Winthrop?”

He’s doing it again! Feeling flushed and worked up, she felt like a cooked prawn.

couldn’t understand how a man who had never dated anyone was so skilled at flirting and

but you’re actually

was a term that Callum had never

for a moment, he asked in return, “What’s a ‘surprise

resignation. “Pretend I never said that,” she

her wrists in a tight grip. “Tell

didn’t sound like

head and blushed. “I

his lips and the

felt like hiding in a hole when

quiet on the outside and passionate on the inside. ‘Surprise packages’ don’t easily express and show their emotions

with intrigued eyes. “Oh, so you think I’m ‘passionate on the inside’ and

word ‘passionate’ immediately made her turn red in

not what I

on her wrists, but he

trying to do

even begin to

and the clear and distinct sound of him gulping made

first. I

to Waterside? Are we going to watch

didn’t like that place very

than the film and television industry,

don’t want

get used to

seem very happy about

with my father when I was young and I was stung by a jellyfish. And when I went to play in a forest, I was caught in a bear trap. There was this other time

is, you get bad luck whenever you

Just the thought of her ‘sad experiences’ made him

I would rather have you kill me than bring