He was only wearing his usual white shirt and black trousers, yet his intimidating aura hadn’t diminished in the slightest.
Noble and cold.
The mont Rosalind Lowell saw him, her feet seed to freeze. She called out cheerfully, "Caleb," and rushed over.
She intimately looped her arm through Caleb Rhodes’s.
Caleb Rhodes’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone flat.
Rosalind Lowell seed accustod to his coldness. She pouted coquettishly. "You’re horrible. You haven’t co to see in days, and now you’re asking what *I’m* doing here?"
She affectionately pulled Caleb Rhodes to the sofa, acting as if she were the mistress of the house. "Butler Zimrman, a cup of Blue Mountain coffee, one sugar cube."
Warner Zimrman glanced at her arm, which was still looped through Caleb Rhodes’s, then looked away.
"I’m sorry, Miss Lowell," he said, his face a blank mask. "Our Third Lord Master hasn’t been drinking much coffee lately, so we haven’t stocked any fine beans. They likely wouldn’t be to your liking."
Rosalind Lowell frowned. "But Blue Mountain is my favorite. Why wouldn’t you have so on hand? Fine, then make a cup of Lapsang Souchong. You must have Caleb’s favorite black tea, right?"
Without even lifting his gaze, Warner Zimrman replied, "We’re out of Lapsang Souchong as well. We finished the last of it yesterday, and the new shipnt hasn’t arrived."
Rosalind Lowell’s expression faltered. She let go of Caleb Rhodes. "Caleb, did I co at a bad ti? Am I not welco here?"
Caleb Rhodes said nothing, casting a surprised glance at Warner Zimrman.
If he rembered correctly, a new shipnt of coffee beans and tea had arrived just yesterday. And because Nina Wynn liked lattes, Warner Zimrman had even made a point of learning how to prepare them.
However, Warner Zimrman remained completely stone-faced, seemingly ignoring Caleb Rhodes’s scrutinizing gaze.
"Brew so Da Hong Pao for Rosalind Lowell," Caleb Rhodes said coolly.
Warner Zimrman’s face remained cold, his eyes fixed forward. "That’s gone too. We used the last of it making milk tea for Miss Wynn yesterday. Would Miss Lowell care for so Longjing?"
It was a custom in the Rhodes Family to serve green tea to more distant guests, signifying a ’light’ or less important connection.
Rosalind Lowell’s expression flickered. Just as she was about to speak, her eyes fell on the side table. On it lay a half-eaten bag of milk candies, a half-empty packet of small cookies, and an entertainnt magazine flipped open to the middle.
Rosalind Lowell’s heart sank.
Caleb Rhodes never ate sweets, never allowed these sorts of ssy snacks in his ho, and absolutely despised entertainnt magazines.
’Now, both have appeared at the sa ti. It ans he’s already accepted the presence of soone who likes these things.’
She nonchalantly glanced at the large bouquet of sunflowers on the table and asked softly, "And Nina Wynn? I hear she’s living here with you now?"
Caleb Rhodes’s expression instantly turned frigid. He glanced toward the hallway, then back at Warner Zimrman. "Has she admitted she was wrong yet?" he demanded coldly.
Warner Zimrman’s face remained impassive. "Not a peep."
Rosalind Lowell’s eyes glinted, but her voice was exceptionally gentle. "What’s wrong, Caleb? Did you punish your little niece?"
Before Caleb could answer, she continued, "The girl seems gentle enough, but for soone from her background... and with her aunt’s reputation..."
She spoke slowly, "It’s only natural for her to have so bad habits. Actually, I’ve heard the Elysian City Won’s College is quite good. Why not send her there to learn so etiquette? I’m acquainted with the dean and can ask her to be strict."
The Elysian City Won’s College was notorious for its strict and harsh discipline. Its students were almost exclusively the illegitimate daughters of wealthy families.
Once enrolled, they were treated like inmates, allowed only two visits a month until they were deed "reford."
Rumors circulated that in order to achieve its goals, the school employed cruel thods and techniques on these illegitimate daughters, who had no one to stand up for them.
Of course, soone like Caleb Rhodes, who paid no mind to such trivial gossip, would never have heard these unsavory rumors.
It was Warner Zimrman whose expression shifted slightly. "Has anyone in Miss Lowell’s family ever attended this college?"
Rosalind Lowell couldn’t understand why the normally reticent Warner Zimrman was so talkative today.
She glanced at Warner Zimrman, her eyes welling up. "Butler Zimrman, did I do sothing to offend you? Why are you being so hostile toward today?"
Warner Zimrman’s expression remained unchanged. "Not at all," he said politely. "I simply act and speak according to the Third Lord Master’s wishes."
Rosalind Lowell fell silent, looking at Caleb Rhodes with a wounded expression.
Caleb Rhodes’s eyes darkened.
The two words Nina Wynn had used—"break up"—were like a thorn lodged in his heart.
’Even though I know she’s still firmly within my grasp, and this is just a temporary tantrum, it still bothers .’
’We’ve been together for so long. This little thing’s personality isn’t as docile and obedient as she looks. She seems soft, but she’s actually incredibly stubborn.’
’She’s run off several tis already, and now she dares to defy like this over Noelle Landon. If sothing else cos up, who knows what shocking thing she’ll do next.’
At this thought, the coldness in his eyes deepened. "Warner Zimrman," he said icily, "look into that school."
"Its reputation is abysmal," Warner Zimrman stated, his face a mask.
Before Caleb Rhodes could respond, Rosalind Lowell looked at him, her eyes red-rimd and her expression one of pure innocence.
"Caleb, Nina Wynn may look young, but she’s twenty. She calls you her uncle, but you’re not actually blood relatives. There are so things you can’t really manage yourself."
"If you’re truly worried about sending her to that college, then let her stay with . I can look after her for you for a while. I’ll be sure to teach her properly."
Caleb Rhodes didn’t answer.
His face was grim, his thin lips pressed into a tight line. After a long silence, he said coldly, "We’ll discuss this later."
This was a clear sign he was in a terrible mood.
Having known him for many years, Rosalind Lowell naturally recognized the signs.
’But in my eyes, Caleb is a man of exceptional self-control. He rarely gets angry in front of others, always maintaining that cold, noble deanor of his.’
’But this ti, he actually lost his temper over that little orphan.’
Not only that, but she had also heard that Caleb Rhodes had gotten into a major conflict with his family over the little orphan, protecting her as fiercely as a mother bear protects her cub.
’I didn’t believe it at first. I simply couldn’t fathom that soone as aloof as Caleb would fly into a rage over so unwanted orphan.’
’But now, I have no choice but to believe it.’
’This room now contains things that don’t belong to Caleb. They aren’t many, just small items, but this silent, creeping invasion is the most terrifying thing of all.’
’A little bit of ground gained at a ti. By the ti I realize what’s happening, their lives will be even more deeply entangled, and it will be impossible to tear them apart.’
’And given how much Caleb indulges that little orphan, if she gets any ideas, it’s entirely possible sothing could happen between them.’
A deepening sense of crisis sparked a murderous intent in Rosalind Lowell’s heart.
She stood up and said gently, "I’m just going to use the restroom."
When she erged from the restroom, parts of her face were red, and a rash had broken out on her neck.
She looked on the verge of tears. "Caleb, there are too many flowers in here. I’m having an allergic reaction."
Caleb Rhodes frowned and glanced at the large bouquet of sunflowers in the vase.
His eyes darkened. "Warner Zimrman," he said coldly, "Rosalind Lowell is having a reaction. Get rid of the flowers."
Without a word, Warner Zimrman expressionlessly removed all the sunflowers and irises from the room.
「Soon, it was ti for lunch.」
Warner Zimrman looked at the dishes on the table—several of Nina Wynn’s favorites—and said in a low voice, "Miss Wynn didn’t eat breakfast."
Caleb Rhodes’s expression tightened. "Missing one al won’t kill her," he said coldly. "She can co out when she admits she was wrong."
Rosalind Lowell’s eyes glinted. She stood up. "I’ll go see her."
Caleb Rhodes’s thin lips were a tense line. After a long mont, he said, "Warner Zimrman, open the door. Let Rosalind Lowell see her. But rember, she is not to co out!"
Warner Zimrman, stone-faced, led Rosalind Lowell to the door of the room.
As the door opened, Rosalind Lowell said to Warner Zimrman, "Butler Zimrman, I’d like to speak with Nina Wynn alone for a mont. Please don’t follow in."
With that, she stepped inside and shut the door behind her.
The room had only a single small window, and with the curtains drawn, the space was extrely dim.
Rosalind Lowell stood at the doorway and saw a figure lying on the floor.
Reviews
All reviews (0)