Wishful thinking

Wishful thinking

Callie obediently followed along.

The more compliant she appeared, the more the skinny man let his guard down.

Not far away, a burly man lit a cigarette and urged, "Jarek, hurry up! I'm waiting here."

Jarek, in a good mood, responded, "You always tell me to hurry. For my pride, I gotta take my time!"

The burly man mocked him mercilessly, "I want to see how long you can actually last."

Jarek was brimming with confidence.

As he started unbuckling his belt, he said, "Hurry up."

He urged Callie to undress.

Callie nodded obediently, slowly unbuttoning her clothes while her eyes scanned the surroundings for anything that could be used as a weapon.

The area was mostly weeds and gravel, but she spotted a sharp-edged stone that could serve her purpose. She stepped on the grass and said, "Let's make sure it's not uncomfortable to lie down."

Jarek, unsuspecting, even praised her for being considerate.

Callie forced a smile and said, "Why don't you lay your clothes on the ground?"

"Sure."

Since he was going to undress anyway, and with a beautiful woman suggesting it, Jarek was overjoyed.

As he took off his clothes, Callie seized the moment. She bent down, picked up the sharp stone, and clenched it in her hand. Approaching Jarek, she struck his neck with all her might, aiming for the artery. Blood spurted out instantly.

Jarek howled in pain, clutching his neck and cursing, "You wretched woman, how dare you hurt me!"

He swung his hand back to grab her hair, but she was prepared. She dodged and then bolted!

Hearing the commotion, a burly man rushed over. Callie, who could swim, had already planned her escape route and ran towards the sea.

Gianna, hearing that Callie was escaping, joined the chase, shouting orders to the two men, "You must catch her! Don't let her get away!"

Callie ran faster and faster, but her legs were stinging from an old injury that hadn't fully healed.

Gritting her teeth, she ran with all her might. Even if her legs ended up with permanent damage, it was better than being caught and violated.

At the end of her path was a small cliff. She hesitated, unsure of the depth below or if there were hidden rocks, as the only light came from the moon.

By this time, Gianna and the two men had almost caught up.

Especially Jarek, whose face was twisted with rage, eyes filled with malice. "Catch that wretched woman! I want to torture her to death for deceiving and attacking me!"

The burly man snarled, "You hurt my brother, you've got a death wish!"

Gianna, thinking the two men were idiots, snapped, "Stop talking and catch her already! She's got nowhere left to run!"

They closed in on Callie from three directions. One against three—Callie had no chance of winning!

She gritted her teeth. The only thing she could be thankful for was her good swimming skills. She didn't have time to hesitate; if she got caught, she wouldn't even have the chance to jump into the sea.

With a leap, she jumped off the edge.

"Holy crap!" Jarek exclaimed, "There's the sea below."

Gianna ran to the edge and looked down, but all she saw was the dark, churning water. She turned to the two men beside her, "Can either of you swim?"

"We can't swim," the two men replied.

Gianna threatened, "If you don't find her, you can kiss your money goodbye!"

The two men exchanged a glance and said, "There's a path down there. We'll go that way and look for her."

"Hurry up," Gianna urged.

By the time they reached the beach via the small path, Callie was nowhere to be found. Whether she was alive or dead, they had no idea.

It was getting dark, and since they couldn't swim, they just splashed some water on themselves to make it look like they had gone in.

Jarek clutched his neck, feeling dizzy from the blood loss. "I need to go to the hospital, or I'll bleed out and die."

The stronger man thought for a moment and said, "We'll stick to the same story: she's already dead. We did our job, and we just need to get paid."

"Got it," Jarek agreed, understanding the plan.

They were just in it for the money; risking their lives was never part of the plan.

Their goal was simple: cash!

Soaked to the bone, the two men returned and told Gianna they had seen a body in the sea. "We threw her into the ocean. With so many carnivorous sharks out there, she might be gone without a trace in a day."

Gianna was skeptical. "Really?"

"How could we dare lie to you? If you don't believe us, we can take you to see for yourself," they swore confidently.

Seeing their willingness to take her to the scene, Gianna thought they must be telling the truth.

Falling from such a height, even if she didn't die from the impact, she would have drowned.

"Alright then."

Gianna decided to believe them.

She kept her word and paid them.

Satisfied, she drove away.

In her mind, now that Rafael had only her son as an heir, all of the Norris Family's assets were within her grasp.

She was in a great mood!

However, what she didn't know was that Callie was still alive.

The spot where Callie had jumped was deep enough to cushion her fall. Having learned to swim from a young age, she was an excellent swimmer.

Unfamiliar with the surroundings, she just wanted to get to shore quickly but was cautious not to surface nearby, fearing Gianna might still be around.

By now, the sky was starting to lighten.

Suddenly, a beam of light shone on her, accompanied by a voice, "There's someone here."

Callie was startled. Could it be that Gianna had found her?

She swam desperately, but no matter how fast she swam, she couldn't outpace the boat. Corey shouted, "Belinda? Is that you?"

The light quickly shone on Callie's face, revealing that she was not Belinda.

Corey frowned, feeling a pang of disappointment.

Henry and his team had already left, having searched all night without finding her. The chances were high that she was dead.

Corey had also been searching everywhere, but there was no trace of her.

The hope of finding her alive was slim.

He felt a deep sense of loss.

"Are you swimming here?" Corey asked.

He found it strange. There was no shore nearby, making it an unsuitable place for swimming. How had she ended up here?

Callie floated in the sea, with only her head above water. She looked at Corey on the boat. He had just mistaken her for Belinda. Was he looking for Belinda?

Recalling what Shane had said, that Belinda wanted to escape overseas by sea, Callie wondered if she had met with an accident, given that Corey was searching for someone at sea.

Someone leaned in close to Corey and whispered, "She's Shane's girl."

Corey suddenly remembered that Belinda Ayers had mentioned a woman named Callie who was always around Shane.

Could it be her?

Thinking about how he had driven Belinda to her death, Corey directed all his hatred towards Callie.

He couldn't take on Shane, but surely he could handle one woman?

He ordered his men to bring Callie up.

She tried to swim away quickly, but she was too exhausted.

Swimming slowly, she gave up struggling. She had been in the water for too long, and she was cold and weak. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't muster the strength.

Besides, she and Corey had no personal grudge. He wouldn't harm her, right?

She didn't resist as they brought her onto the boat. Corey looked her up and down.

Callie was soaked through, her clothes clinging to her body. Though her outfit wasn't particularly thin, the wet fabric outlined her curves clearly.

She moved to stand behind a nearby crate, deliberately blocking Corey's view.

She asked, "Are you docking soon?"

"Of course we need to dock," Corey said. "We're not fishermen living at sea."

As soon as he finished speaking, he asked, "Do you have a relationship with Shane?"

Callie didn't answer immediately, unsure of the purpose behind his sudden question.

She stayed silent.

Corey let out a cold snort. "It doesn't matter if you don't say anything, because I already know about your relationship with him."

Callie quickly responded, "Do you have a problem with Shane?"

Otherwise, why would there be such a harsh tone in his voice?

"He forced Belinda to jump into the sea. We haven't found her body, so she's probably dead. He drove my woman to her death. Do you think we're on good terms?" Corey said with a twisted smile. "Karma's a real thing. He just harmed my woman, and now his woman has fallen into my hands. Wouldn't you say that's a fair payback?"

Callie was shocked. Had she just escaped the tiger's den only to fall into the wolf's lair?

"If you have a grudge against him, go take it out on him. I'm not even close to him," she said, trying her best to distance herself from Shane.

"I already know the truth. Denying it is pointless now," Corey said.

At that moment, the boat docked. Corey ordered his men, "Tie her up and take her down."

Callie Norris thought to herself, how could she be so unlucky?

Gripping the railing, her fingers tightened bit by bit. She had struggled all night and was now utterly exhausted. Escaping by jumping into the sea was no longer an option—they had boats and would catch up to her in no time.

She tried to negotiate with Corey, "It's Shane you want revenge on. I can help you with that."

She was stalling for time, hoping to find a way to escape!

Corey didn't believe her.

He sneered, "Do you think I'm an idiot? Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"

Callie forced a smile, trying to appease him. "I'm not lying to you, really. I have a grudge against him too."

"What kind of grudge could you possibly have with Shane?" Corey still didn't believe her.

Callie patiently explained, "You said you know what kind of relationship I have with him. So tell me, what is our relationship?"

She asked this to both gauge Corey's stance and to test how much he knew about her and Shane.

This way, she could figure out a plan.

Corey raised an eyebrow. He wasn't clear about the details between Shane and Callie; he had only heard a little bit from Belinda.

If his subordinate hadn't just reminded him, he might not have even remembered.

"What else could it be? Obviously, you two are boyfriend and girlfriend," he said.

Shane wasn't married. If he had a woman, she must be his girlfriend!

Callie felt a wave of relief wash over her. Corey knew she had some connection with Shane, but he didn't know the specifics.

This gave her an opportunity.

"You don't have to believe me, but you can investigate. He hasn't treated me well at all. My leg was broken because of him, and I just started walking again. I hate him to the core and would be more than willing to help you get revenge. I want to get my own revenge too."

Corey hesitated. "I will investigate, but for now, you still have to come with me."

Callie wanted to say more, but Corey cut her off. "I can't just take your word for it and let you go. What if you're lying and you run away? How would I catch you then?"

Corey might be ugly, but he wasn't stupid!

Callie shivered as she leaned against the railing, her whole body trembling.

Her clothes were wet, and the sea breeze made her skin break out in goosebumps. She crossed her arms and rubbed her hands vigorously against her arms. "I can come with you, but you have to agree to one condition."

"What condition?" Corey asked.

"I want to stay in a hotel. You can have your men guard my door and keep an eye on me."

She needed to change into dry clothes, but Corey and all his men were male. Given her past experiences, she had to be cautious!

A hotel would have more people, and if anything went wrong, she could at least try to save herself.

Corey hesitated for a moment but then agreed. "Alright."

"Thank you," Callie said politely.

Now that she was in his grasp, she had no choice but to play along and act submissive.

Seeing that she was just a frail woman, timid and compliant, Corey assumed she wouldn't dare to run away. He told his subordinates, "Just keep an eye on her. No need to tie her up."

If he had known how Callie had escaped from two grown men before, he might have thought differently.

When the boat docked, Callie disembarked, flanked by guards who kept close but didn't touch her.

Corey ordered her into his car.

She didn't hesitate and bent down to get in.

However, she sat as close to the window as possible.

"Haven't I seen you before?" Corey suddenly asked.

Callie shook her head, "We've never met."

If she remembered correctly, she had seen Corey back when he was pursuing Belinda at school.

But he probably didn't remember her, right?

Corey tried to recall but couldn't place where he might have seen her before.

She did seem familiar for a moment, but he couldn't pinpoint where.

"Maybe I'm mistaken," he shrugged it off.

Right now, his mind was set on getting revenge on Shane!

After dropping Callie off at the hotel, he assigned two men to guard her.

Then, someone was sent to investigate whether Callie and Shane's relationship was truly as she claimed.

Callie entered the hotel room, first locking the door from the inside and securing the safety lock to ensure no one could enter. Only then did she change out of her wet clothes, hanging them under the air conditioner to dry. She took a hot shower, but even that didn't completely warm her up. "Achoo!" She sneezed.

She sniffled.

After sweating under the hot water, she finally stepped out of the shower.

Wrapped in a towel, she sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her clothes to dry. She noticed the phone on the nightstand and picked it up, dialing Gabriel's number.

The call connected quickly.

However, Gabriel was drunk again.

Lately, he had been drinking almost every day!

"Senior, can you contact Shane for me?" Callie asked.

Gabriel's voice was slurred. "Callie? If you need Shane, why don't you call him yourself..."

There was a gulping sound from the other end.

It sounded like he was chugging alcohol!

Callie lowered her voice, "Senior, please stop drinking."

"Huh, why can't I drink? She can betray me," he chuckled bitterly. It was disappointment, heartbreak, and sheer disbelief.

"Senior, listen to me. I only remembered your number, so I contacted you. I've been captured and I'm in a hotel. You need to tell—"

Before Callie could finish her sentence, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Startled, she quickly hung up the phone.

On the other end, Gabriel was too drunk to process what Callie had said. The abrupt end of the call left him bewildered.

Callie hurriedly put on her clothes before opening the door.

Standing there was Corey.

It seemed he had returned, probably realizing that the hotel had a phone she could use to contact the outside world.

He stepped inside, his gaze immediately landing on the phone on the table.

"Did you contact Shane?" he asked.

Callie hadn't memorized his number; otherwise, she would have called him earlier.

She smiled and said, "No, I didn't."

Corey didn't believe her and sent someone to the front desk to check the call records.

Callie Norris remained completely calm because she truly hadn't called Shane.

"Don't worry about him checking."

Soon, someone came in to report, "This room did make a call, but it wasn't to Shane."

Callie smiled, "See, I wasn't lying."

Corey decided to believe her for now.

"As long as you do one thing for me, I'll let you go."

Callie asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"I've done some digging, and it's true, Shane hasn't been good to you. I've learned about the things you mentioned. Since he's our common enemy, why don't we join forces?" He handed Callie a small white bottle. "You can get close to him. Just put this in his food, and the job will be done."

Callie took the bottle. Since there were no labels, she couldn't tell what it was. She asked, "Is this poison?"

Corey replied, "No, it's a drug that causes nerve damage. Over time, it will drive him insane. Killing him would be too easy. Making him a madman, a laughingstock in Misthaven City, will make him wish he were dead."

Corey's plan was indeed cruel.

Callie held the medicine in her hand and agreed without hesitation, "I promise you."

Inside, she couldn't help but sneer, thinking Corey wasn't very smart.

He's already a fool, why would he care about others' opinions?

"Good, it's nice to see you being so obedient. It saves me a lot of trouble," Corey said, satisfied.

He glanced around the room and asked, "Are you comfortable living here?"

Callie replied, "Very comfortable."

She paused for a moment, "When will you let me go?"

"I can let you go right now, but to make sure you don't betray me, you'll need to leave something behind as leverage," Corey said with a smile.

Callie Norris frowned, "What kind of leverage?"

Corey looked her up and down, "Something that can threaten a woman, naturally her innocence. How about you take some nude photos? With that as leverage, I can feel more at ease."

Callie's face immediately darkened.

She clenched her fists, struggling to keep her composure.

"Don't think my request is too much. After all, I have to look out for myself!" Corey said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Callie lowered her gaze, a sudden idea forming in her mind, "Fine, but you have to take the photos, and you have to be the only one in the room."

Corey was more than happy to have a beautiful woman to look at.

He ordered his subordinates to wait outside the door.

As Corey was closing the door, she took the opportunity to grab a glass and smash it on the floor.

"What happened?" Corey turned around.

Callie smiled and said, "Oops, I accidentally knocked over the glass."

She crouched down to pick up the shards and threw them into the trash can, keeping one piece hidden in her hand.

"Hurry up and take it off," Corey urged, eager to see if Callie's body was as beautiful as her face.

Callie smiled and walked closer to him. "You want to see?"

Corey didn't hide his intentions. "Men like beautiful women. It's in our nature..."

As he was speaking, Callie suddenly reached out, pressing a sharp piece of glass against his neck. His eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing?"

Callie knew that someone like Corey, a pampered rich kid, was terrified of death.

"Let me go," she said calmly, her tone direct.

Corey refused to budge. "I don't believe you'd dare to kill me."

He thought Callie, just a girl, wouldn't have the guts to do it!

But what he didn't know was that as a doctor, someone who dared to use a scalpel, she was anything but timid.

Callie pressed the sharp edge of the broken glass into his skin.

Corey felt the pain and touched the warm, sticky blood, his face turning pale with fear.

"You... you really dare?"

He was so nervous he could barely speak!

"You wanted to ruin me, and if I don't have the guts to fight back, then I deserve it, don't I?" Callie, with the precision of a surgeon, applied just the right amount of pressure. Corey felt intense pain and saw a lot of blood, making it look severe, but it wasn't life-threatening.

This was all about her choice of location!

As a doctor, she knew the human body well!

She knew what could be fatal and what wouldn't harm life!

"I just didn't want you to back out and leave me with evidence. I never intended to ruin you. If you don't want to take the photos,

Then don't!" Corey instantly caved.

Callie applied a bit more pressure, making him wince in pain. "Let me go!"

"Aren't you the one who said you'd help me take down Shane?" Corey still believed she had a grudge against Shane!

Callie let out a cold laugh. "And you believed me?"

"You tricked me? But I did find out that he treated you poorly..."

"He did treat me badly, but if I want revenge, I'll do it myself. I don't like working with others, it's that simple." She forced Corey to move towards the door. "Open it."

Corey hesitated for a moment, but her demeanor made him feel like death was just a breath away.

He quickly opened the door.

Corey's subordinates at the door instantly became alert when they saw him being held hostage, their eyes fixed on her like hawks.

Blood was trickling down Corey's neck, and they didn't dare to make any sudden moves against Callie Norris. He told his subordinates, "Stay back, let her go."

Callie held Corey as they descended the stairs.

The lobby was crowded, and she seized the opportunity to shove Corey away and sprint off.

She ran so fast that she didn't see where she was going and collided head-on with someone entering through the door.

Raising her head to apologize, she was stunned to see that the person standing before her was none other than Shane.

Her eyes widened, and her lashes fluttered lightly. "You... you came to find me?"

Shane's face was devoid of any expression, lacking the gentleness it once held. Now, it was almost cold.

He didn't say a word, his gaze shifting past her to look at Corey, who was clutching his neck not far away.

Corey was terrified, fearing for his life with the injury to his neck.

He shouted, "Call 911! Are you all dead or something?"

Shane had a rough idea of how Corey got hurt.

He glanced down at her.

Then, he silently turned away.

Callie was confused.

What was wrong with him?

Was he angry again for no reason?

Callie bit her lip and followed him.

She didn't try to talk to him, feeling that he was being unreasonable. She had just escaped danger, and before she could even catch her breath, he was giving her the cold shoulder?

She wasn't in the mood to appease him either.

When they reached the car, just as she was about to open the door, Shane, already seated inside, said to Henry, "Let's go."

Henry glanced at Callie but still pressed the gas pedal.

Callie stood there, inhaling the exhaust fumes left behind.

She furrowed her brows tightly.

What did Shane mean by this?

Was he regretting it?

Regretting being with her?

If he regretted it, he could just say so. She wasn't the type to cling to him!

Why did he have to be so cold and use this kind of silent treatment?

She hailed a cab to go back.

When she arrived at the villa, Mrs. Ford saw her and immediately came up to her. "Young Mistress, where have you been?"

She had thought Callie had disappeared again.

Callie replied she had some matters to attend to and then headed upstairs.

Back in her room, she took out her phone and saw a missed call.

It was from Cynthia.

She called back.

The call was quickly answered.

"Callie."

Cynthia's voice sounded tense.

"I'm here," Callie replied.

"Are you okay? I was so worried when I couldn't reach you."

"I'm fine. Did you come over? Where are you now? I'll come find you," Callie answered.

"I'm at work right now. I'll be free in the evening. Call me after six, and we'll arrange a place to meet," replied Cynthia.

"Alright," Callie responded, then asked, "How are my mom and Leif doing?"

"They're staying with me, so don't worry about them."

"Okay."

Despite her calm tone, Callie missed them dearly, especially Leif. She had been separated from him right after giving birth.

Right now, she longed to hold him in her arms.

"Young Mistress, I've prepared some food for you. Come down and have a bite," Mrs. Ford suddenly appeared.

On the other end of the line, Cynthia heard the conversation and said, "Knowing you're safe puts my mind at ease. Let's talk again tonight!"

"Alright," Callie replied, hanging up the phone and following Mrs. Ford downstairs.

Shane was already seated at the dining table.

Callie's steps hesitated for a moment.

"Young Mistress," Mrs. Ford reminded her when she saw Callie standing still, "It's time to eat."

She quickly composed herself and walked over.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, taking a seat just below Shane.

From the moment she arrived, Shane hadn't looked at her. He leisurely picked up his chopsticks.

Unable to hold back, Callie said, "If you regret it, just say so. There's no need for this cold and indifferent act. I'm not someone who clings desperately."

She knew it. How could a man like him ever accept a woman who wasn't pure and had a child?

She had been delusional before!

Thinking she could have a romantic relationship with him!

Shane's expression turned icy. He slowly lifted his eyelids, staring at her without blinking.

"Callie, where did you learn to be so adept at playing the victim?"

That night, he had come back, only to find her gone.

In his room, he saw the card Callie had left on his desk, with a note underneath it that read, "Shane Robinson, I want a divorce."

At that moment, he thought she had run away again.

He was so furious he nearly passed out!

He hadn't slept a wink that night, sitting up all night.

In the end, he couldn't stand it anymore and decided to find her. After some investigation, he found out she had left with Gianna that night.

Following that lead, he eventually tracked her down to the hotel!

His appearance at the hotel was no coincidence.

Callie frowned, "What are you talking about?"

She couldn't understand a word he was saying.

Shane was so exasperated by her act that he laughed.

How could this woman be so good at playing dumb?

"Callie Norris, it was you who returned the card to me, right? And it was you who wrote the note asking for a divorce, wasn't it? Now you're pretending like you don't know anything? Can't face what you've done?"

Callie slapped her forehead. How could she have forgotten about that?

That day, she saw Shane hugging Lydia, and in a fit of anger, she wrote him that note!

If Shane hadn't brought it up, she would have completely forgotten about it.

So, he was mad because of that?

"Well..."

"Just answer me, was it you who wrote the note?" Shane interrupted her, his tone direct and demanding.

Callie answered honestly, "Yes, I wrote it."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Shane's expression darkened visibly.

His face turned even colder than before!