Chapter 1717
Chapter 1717
"Callis."
Raeleigh nudged him, rousting him out of bed, but he did not wake up. He opened his eyes a slit and succumbed to sleep again.
She hadn't a clue when he slept next to her, but she looked over at the photo on the wall. All for a picture?
She got out of bed and gave the photo to him. "Here, take it. I'll go to your room when I want to have a look. What do you say?"
Callis opened his eyes and latched his gaze on Raeleigh. He seemed glad about the arrangement and took it from her.
Raeleigh breathed a sigh of relief and pulled him out of bed. "Go back to your room. Remember not to tell anyone that you slept here."
Callis checked the time; it was five in the morning.
Carrying the photo, he returned to his room downstairs.
After entering his room, Callis did not come out the entire day, not even for work. The servants brought it up with Raeleigh and asked if they should call for him.
Raeleigh dismissed them and went to relieve his chores, letting him sleep.
Soon, the whole manor learned that Callis had spent the night in Miss Raeleigh's room and slept for an entire day the next day.
Raeleigh didn't know about the gossip, but those gossiping behind her back spun the story, changing the facts.
When Callis came out for dinner, they watched as Raeleigh added more food to his plate, saying he should eat more.
With that, the servants in the manor felt more vindicated.
Xanthus had also overheard the gossip.
Xanthus waited downstairs that evening; he wanted to see if the rumor was true.
In the end, when night fell, Callis clutched the photo in his hand and entered Raeleigh's room without so much as a knock.
Boiling with rage, he continued waiting only for Callis to finally emerge from Raeleigh's room at five in the morning.
Closing the door, Raeleigh sat back down on her bed, mulling over what to do.
Callis wouldn't stop visiting her room.
It seemed that she would have to lock it.
That evening, Raeleigh locked the door of her room, thinking that she would finally have a good night's sleep.
However...
She was greeted with Callis's face next to hers when she woke up the next morning. They were even under the same blanket.
Raeleigh was no longer shocked at this point. She got out of bed and settled on a chair before she went back to check on him. She grazed her fingers across his face, only for him to open his eyes to look at her.
"Do you like me?" Raeleigh asked Callis, who still didn't answer.
"I was once married and had given him a child."
Callis sat up and looked at Raeleigh. She then continued, "I feel very much comfortable being with you; I don't feel any stress. If we never step out of this manor, we will never be in danger. But it is impossible for us to detach ourselves from the outside world. Once we go out, there will be many dangers waiting for us, especially for you." Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
"Jepherson will make sure I never get to see you again, and the Doyle family will also harm me, and..."
Raeleigh let her sentence hang while Callis fixed his gaze at her. She asked, "If you want to, we can be a couple. If you want to stay in my room, then make yourself at home, but we can't be like married couples..."
Raeleigh chewed on her lips. "Forget it."
With that, Raeleigh stood up, finding her thoughts ridiculous; she should forget it.
Callis was gone when Raeleigh emerged from the bathroom after a shower. She thought he had figured things out. When she went down for breakfast, he had already changed into his day clothes.
Breakfast was simple. Xanthus had to go to work and also to see Cynthia off at the airport. As he had to return to his busy schedule, he had no spare time to diss Callis.
Xanthus reminded him to leave.
But Callis showed no signs of doing so, leading Xanthus to think he had spent his time lecturing him for nothing.
Callis was an albatross, living rent- free in his head.
After Xanthus left, Raeleigh brought Callis outside to a remote place, intending to have a good talk with him.
To avoid prying eyes, Raeleigh led him to a shed in the back of the manor, where she stored belongings she was reluctant to throw away.
There were some abandoned designs and also stacks of books.
They finally reached the shed after a twenty-minute walk. As it was cold, she lit the stove inside.
All things done, Raeleigh told Callis what she wanted to say.
As they sat across from each other, Raeleigh said, "Have you ever thought of going back?"
He stared at Raeleigh, a reply unforthcoming.
"Your passport has arrived. You can go back."
Callis shook his head; it was a firm no. Helpless, Raeleigh put on a weak smile and said, "I know you want to stay, but I have someone living in my heart. Though he's still alive, he's dead to me. He's someone I will never forget even if I spend my entire life trying."
"I've been trying for the last three years, but for some reason, the more I try, the more he's stuck in my head. And just like that..."
"I'm sinking deeper and deeper."
"I told you this morning, didn't I? That we can live like this in secret. But when I chew it over, I haven't fallen in love with you, and there is another person in my heart. I don't want to do you wrong, so..."
Before Callis could raise any objections, Raeleigh said, "You're a decent man, Callis, make no mistake about it. I'll give you my house in Waverly Village, with all the apple trees in it. If you start managing it next spring, I believe you will succeed, and there will be many girls who will dig you. At that time, whatever you want-"
As Raeleigh spoke, Callis left his seat and got down on one knee before her, stretching his hand toward her face. Surprised, Raeleigh reflexively wanted to stand up only for Callis to already place his hand on her face, caressing her. His eyes were filled with warmth.
Shocked by his actions, Raeleigh had a nagging feeling that she had seen that pair of eyes on someone else before. However, Callis's face was already imprinted in her mind, precluding her from deciphering who she had seen them on.
After caressing her face, he took her hand and wrote in her palm.
Raeleigh fixed her eyes on him. "You want to stay here with me?"
Callis nodded. Raeleigh tilted her head slightly and said, "But I have someone I like. I was once married to him."
He wore a smile and sat aside. Raeleigh thought of what to say, but none came to mind. After a long time, she responded, "I will send you back
tomorrow."
He shook his head; he wasn't going to leave no matter what.
"Callis..." Raeleigh pleaded.
Before she could say more, Callis covered her eyes, and she felt his lips pressing on hers. Raeleigh felt her senses numbing as Callis deepened the kiss, closing his eyes as his breathing grew heavy.
Raeleigh shifted and parted her lips. She slowly raised her good hand, trying to peel Callis's hand away from her eyes but only to fail.
Callis held Raeleigh with all his strength and hoisted her up, walking further inside.
Raeleigh reached out to feel Callis's face while his eyes searched her face. Then she felt something, and slowly...