Chapter 503 Nicholas: Sometimes, I Really Hate You!
Night had settled over the Evergreen City Detention Center.
A barred window separated the former master and servant.
Matthew accepted a cigarette, his hands shaking as he lit it and took a deep drag. He looked at Aaron and said, "Aaron, I used to turn my nose up at this brand, thinking only rough folks smoked them. Who would've thought I'd end up relying on you to get one? Times sure have changed."
Pale blue smoke filled the air.
He coughed.
Out of habit, Aaron showed concern, "Take care of yourself, sir."
Matthew's expression darkened. "Aaron, you're still playing the loyal servant, huh? You hid it well, but now I see you're with the Caldwell family, right? You really went all out. In the end, you brought me down."
His words were laced with bitterness.
He asked, "Did Oliver buy you off?"
Aaron gave a bitter smile. "Mr. Windsor took you on by himself. I didn't get involved. At most, all I did was tip off about Ms. Sarah Miller getting caught, but by then, you already suspected me."
Aaron sighed. "If it weren't for Mr. Windsor's infiltration, Mr. Caldwell would've had a hard time bringing you down."
Matthew, once so brilliant, now fell into deep thought, unsure if he felt regret or sorrow.
Finally, Aaron was about to leave.
Matthew suddenly spoke, "For the sake of our twenty years together, I have a request. I know you can make it happen. I want to see someone."
Aaron thought he wanted to see Nicholas.
He sighed, "I'll handle it. Mr. Windsor has been getting along well with Mrs. Windsor lately."
But he guessed wrong.
Matthew said, "I want to see Sarah! She's a mother now, isn't she? The baby must be almost a hundred days old."
Aaron was silent for a long time.
He said he couldn't guarantee Sarah would agree, but he would try to fulfill Matthew's wish.
The next day, Aaron made a special trip to the Windsor Mansion.
Sarah met him in the tea room.
The aroma of tea filled the air.
Sarah and Aaron sat across from each other in silence for a long time. Finally, Aaron spoke first, "I've heard you're living quite comfortably. Matthew..."
"Did he ask you to do something?"
Sarah interrupted softly. Aaron hesitated before admitting, "You see right through me! Yes, Matthew misses you a lot and wants to see you one last time."
Sarah didn't agree immediately.
She took a sip of her tea and gave a bitter smile. "He doesn't miss me. He's afraid Oliver will go after the Moore family and leave them no way out. He wants to leave a bit of leeway."
Her clarity made Aaron uncomfortable.
But in the end, Sarah agreed to see Matthew one last time.
A light rain fell.
Sarah walked into the gray walls of the detention center.
In that narrow room, separated by iron bars, Sarah saw Matthew. He had aged significantly.
She opened her handbag and took out a pack of cigarettes. Her voice was soft, "Aaron told me this is your favorite brand. It's discontinued now, but I managed to find some."
Matthew stared at the pack.
After a long moment, he slowly looked up at his estranged daughter. His voice was choked with emotion, "I heard you had another baby. A boy."
Matthew's hands trembled as he lit his favorite cigarette. After a drag, he continued, "Oliver's quite the man. You're lucky."
Sarah didn't respond.
She wasn't lucky; she was resilient. Otherwise, Elliot would have been sacrificed for the Moore family long ago.
She didn't mention the favor of Azalea's cord blood.
Matthew finished half his cigarette and finally got to the point, "Do you hate me?"
Sarah shook her head gently.
Her gaze was indifferent as she looked at the old man before her. "I don't hate you. I don't feel inferior to Nicholas in your eyes because if your power and status were truly threatened, you would sacrifice both my brother and Nicholas without hesitation. What's the point of caring about such calculated relationships?"
With those words, she truly let go.
Now, she had a family, children, and a husband who was a powerful figure in Evergreen City. She no longer needed to seek that false warmth. The familial bond was just a fleeting memory.
It was all in the past.
Sarah said no more and turned to leave.
Matthew called out urgently, "Forgive Nicholas. He truly loved you."
Sarah paused.
She tilted her head slightly but said nothing.
As she walked out, the rain continued to fall.
She saw Nicholas.
He wore a navy jacket, holding an umbrella, standing by a black car.
He still looked refined, but the charm was gone. He looked like any successful businessman, adept at disguising himself as someone appealing to young women.
Sarah occasionally heard about him.
He had taken over Vaughn's business and was doing well, though his methods had become more ruthless. He also had many affairs, while Hestia had returned to being a homemaker.
The sky was overcast, and the rain fell like silk.
They looked at each other through the rain, strangers now, and finally passed by each other.
If their meeting had been a grand romance, their parting was the most heartbreaking tragedy.
Love had twisted him.
Love had driven him mad, leaving his heart restless.
As they passed, her hair brushed against his navy jacket. He didn't look at her, his voice soft and cold.
He said, "Sometimes, I really hate you."
'Hate that you came, hate that you're leaving, hate that I can't have you' he thought bitterly.
Finally, he looked at her.
Nicholas's eyes were bloodshot, filled with the resentment of youth. He had once asked her, "How am I not as good as him?"
But he never got an answer.
Returning from the detention center, Sarah was down for several days.
Oliver heard about it.
He invited Calliope over to keep Sarah company. Calliope, who had once worked in public relations, was excellent at lifting people's spirits.
In just half a day, Sarah laughed several times.
Calliope sipped her tea and smiled, "That's better. A woman who has just given birth should be happy. That way, her child will be lively and adorable."
Sarah replied softly, "Thank you for keeping me company."
Calliope gently patted Sarah's hand. "Who else would I keep company if not you? In Evergreen City, I have no one else. Thanks to you and Mr. Windsor, I've been living comfortably. To be honest, back in Harmony City, I seemed to have it all, but I was always walking on thin ice."
She added, "The day we first met, those two bridge partners of mine had affairs with Octavius, either for love or to gain benefits for their husbands. They all had some sort of intimate relationship with him, and I just had to pretend I didn't know. I was tired of putting on a show while dealing with that lousy man behind the scenes."
Just as Calliope finished speaking, a light cough came from the doorway.
Looking up, it was Octavius.
Octavius had come to Evergreen City for a work report and took the opportunity to bring a gift for Sarah's birthday, only to overhear his ex-wife badmouthing him. He stared at his ex-wife.
The atmosphere was tense.
After a moment, Octavius handed the gift to Sarah and said sincerely, "This is a birthday gift for you, and a little something for Elliot. I just saw your child; he's growing strong."
Sarah didn't refuse. No one wanted to make an enemy in such a situation.
She accepted the gift and exchanged a few polite words with Octavius, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere, especially after Calliope left. He answered several questions absentmindedly.
Sarah smiled.
And with a few words, she sent Octavius on his way.
Octavius was more than happy to leave.
He had come to the Windsor Mansion mainly to see Calliope. Seeing her now, more radiant and attractive than before, he couldn't help but wonder if she had found a new man in Evergreen City.
Just the thought of it drove him crazy!
As dusk fell, the sky was painted with red clouds.
Calliope, dressed elegantly, got into a white Maserati.
Just as she was about to start the car, the passenger door opened, and Octavius squeezed in, his tall frame making the small car feel cramped.
Calliope turned to him. "Octavius, what do you think you're doing?"
Men could be shameless without any training.
Octavius buckled his seatbelt and said nonchalantly, "I have to stay in Evergreen City for two days for work, and Percival didn't book me a hotel. I'll crash at your place for a couple of nights. What, you took a few billion dollars in our divorce settlement, and you can't spare a few nights for me?"
Calliope sneered, "You don't have any other women in Evergreen City?"
Octavius looked uncomfortable.
He cleared his throat. "It's all over! I'm alone now, sleeping by myself every night."
Calliope didn't believe a word of it.
Just then, Claire walked over. Calliope, who cared about her reputation, didn't want Claire to see them together and gossip about it later. So, she stepped on the gas and drove off.
Octavius felt triumphant but asked, "Am I not presentable?"
Calliope ignored him.
As they drove out of the Windsor Mansion gates and about a mile down the road, she spoke calmly, "Which hotel are you staying at? I'll drop you off."
Octavius shamelessly replied, "I checked out an hour ago. I'm really homeless now. This time of year, you can't get a room in Evergreen City without booking in advance. Calliope, for the sake of our past, let me stay for two nights."
At a red light, Calliope's car stopped.
She took out a lady's cigarette from the glove compartment and lit it.
Then, she looked at him and smiled, "You just want to sleep with me for two nights, don't you?"
Octavius's heart skipped a beat.
Calliope's slender fingers, painted with red nail polish, held the cigarette as she took a slow drag, blowing the smoke into Octavius's face.
The smoke lingered.
Octavius was stunned. He knew about Calliope's past, but he had never seen her smoke. She looked incredibly alluring, with a captivating charm.
His heart raced, and his body reacted.
Calliope licked her red lips and laughed softly, extinguishing the cigarette.
She stepped on the gas and indeed took Octavius back to her small villa. It was a well-decorated, standalone house with a gatekeeper and two elderly servants, exuding an air of sophistication.
Octavius, looking dignified, was treated as an honored guest by the servants.
Calliope frowned. "This tea is reserved for Mr. Caldwell. Use the regular tea for Octavius."
Octavius protested, "I'm second-rate now? What's your relationship with him? Have you slept with him?"
Calliope ignored him.
She leaned back on the sofa and made a phone call, her voice soft, "Doctor, could you come over? I have someone here who needs to be checked for any sexually transmitted diseases."
Octavius stared in disbelief.
He pointed at Calliope. "We've only been divorced for three months, and now I need a health check before sleeping with you? I don't have any diseases. How many men have you checked? Calliope, did you come to Evergreen City just to find men?"
Calliope put down the phone and lit another cigarette.
She was indifferent. "If you don't like it, you can leave."
Octavius, looking defeated, glared at his beautiful ex-wife. He hated her but couldn't pass up the opportunity. As long as he got checked, no one else would know. After he slept with her, he could leave and never look back.
Before the doctor arrived, Calliope served him dinner, with the kitchen preparing a special dish to boost his stamina. But instead of being pleased, Octavius felt humiliated. He asked Calliope, "Have you become a succubus now, with such a high sex drive?"
Calliope flipped her hair. "Life is short; enjoy it while you can."
Octavius was at his breaking point.
He jealously said, "Three months, and you've tried a lot of new things, haven't you?"
Calliope didn't deny it.
As they chatted, the doctor arrived with a medical kit and various tools, some more intimidating than a speculum, meant for examining men.
Calliope remained calm. "Better to be thorough."
Octavius wanted to storm out.
But he couldn't bring himself to leave, so he endured the humiliating examination. The process was indescribable. After the doctor left, Octavius took a shower.
He was so angry that any trace of desire was gone—he just wanted to leave.
But when he came out of the shower, he saw Calliope in a rose-colored silk nightgown, lounging on the sofa, smoking seductively.
Octavius watched her in silence, his eyes glowing with a deep crimson. In the next instant, he could no longer restrain himself and pulled her into his arms. After years of marriage, that night felt unlike anything he had ever known—intoxicating and utterly addictive.