’He hasn’t returned yet.’
Leslie glanced at the clock, finding the needles were already pointed to a quarter past seven. Shifting her eyes to the floor-to-ceiling windows of the lounge, she watched the sky darkening.
Calix didn’t contact her much today. Leslie couldn’t help but wonder how busy he was for the short business trip. He called her only once in the afternoon, asking whether she had finished her rehab session or not.
While Leslie was looking out the windows, Aunt Wendy ca approaching from the kitchen.
"Mrs. Charlene. Dinner’s ready. If you’re already hungry, I’ll serve the food for you."
Aunt Wendy received a ssage from Calix, citing that he was already on his way ho. But, it might take him so ti to arrive.
Blinking, Leslie returned Aunt Wendy’s smile before answering, "Did you hear... from him?"
Aunt Wendy nodded, "Mr. Calix has just contacted . He’s already on his way ho but, it might take him so ti. I made you so porridge with fish soup, Mrs. Charlene."
Understanding what Aunt Wendy ant, Leslie didn’t ask further. Calix might be caught up in bad traffic or sothing.
"Then... please serve my... al, Aunt Wendy," Leslie ca to a decision, "Tell Mrs. An... to assist ... with my eating..."
"Okay, Mrs. Charlene," Aunt Wendy nodded before she quickly returned to the kitchen. The echoes of her footsteps faded from the lounge.
’Seems like I won’t have dinner with him.’
Leslie initially planned to just wait until Calix arrived ho but, she was hesitant to bother him with her after a long day at work. If she ate now, he didn’t have to assist her with it thus, could only focus on himself.
Aunt Wendy was quick to serve dinner. Soon, Mrs. An wheeled Leslie to the dining room. The fragrant scent of the dishes wafted in the air, enticing their appetite.
’I still can’t hold anything for a long ti.’
Leslie wanted to eat by herself but, her grip was still weak. She watched the spoon fall into the empty bowl after she attempted to hold it.
Despite understanding the rehab sessions had just started, Leslie couldn’t help but desire to get better quickly. She wanted to head to the orphanage herself, to see Calliope with her own eyes.
It seed like the journey was still far ahead.
Thus, Leslie accepted her defeat by letting Mrs. An feed her. Aunt Wendy’s cooking was always delicious no matter what. The flavorful fish soup enticed her appetite to eat more.
"Mrs. Xu, do you want to return to your room?" asked Mrs. An after finishing feeding Leslie.
Leslie pondered for a mont before shaking her head, "I wanna stay... in the lounge longer..."
It would be eight o’clock soon but Calix still showed no signs of appearing. Leslie rembered how busy he had been since last week.
"Let’s bring you there," Mrs. An smiled while rising to her feet, "Do you wanna listen to audiobooks?"
"Yes, please..."
Mrs. An pushed Leslie’s wheelchair to the lounge. While sitting there, the latter put on the earbuds but, she played nothing. The caretaker left to the kitchen to chat with Aunt Wendy.
Instead of listening to audiobooks, Leslie was carried away by her own train of thought.
’Should I ask Calix about getting Poppy’s photos? I want to see her.’
Mimo kept reassuring Leslie that Calliope was in a good condition yet, her motherly instinct was still worried about her daughter. After all, two months had already passed from the first day she ca to this world.
’Later. Let’s think for later.’
While pondering about Calliope, Leslie was also reminded of her conjectures about Charlene and the child she saw last ti. The splitting headache hindered her from continuing to think about them or scouring the massive pool of Charlene’s mories.
Leslie wanted to read the rest of Charlene’s diaries yet, her current state didn’t allow her to do so. The sensitivity of her eyes turned better however, it was still not enough.
Having no choice for now, Leslie decided to try again once she got better. She didn’t want to get another piercing headache after an exhausting day of doing rehab treatnts. She should do it when she was not busy.
"Oh, you’re here?"
Stunned by the sound of the familiar voice, Leslie turned to look on her left side. Her eyes slightly widened at the sight of Calix striding inside the lounge.
"Calix? When did you... return?"
Leslie briefly stared at the clock. Ten minutes after eight. She didn’t even notice the sound of his car engine moving outside.
"Just now," Calix deftly unbuttoned his suit jacket before plopping on the couch near to Leslie’s wheelchair, "Have you eaten? Sorry, I ca back later than expected."
"I have... how about you?"
Leslie quietly took in Calix’s appearance. He was still in his business suit.
Lines of exhaustion marred Calix’s face yet, he looked pumped up as if sothing good had happened during his business trip. Running one hand through his hair, he smiled lopsidedly at Leslie.
"I ate already. What did you do today? Were the sessions hard?"
Leslie blinked, sensing how lively Calix was despite having a long day outside. Perhaps, any of the business deals he wanted today went in his favor.
Did CEO Xu hit the jackpot?
Seed like it.
"Everything was well..." smiling, Leslie entertained Calix’s question. She was kind of happy to hear his interest in her activities today, "Ms. Chen said... I did better than... before..."
Calix put his whole focus on Leslie, unaware of how llow his gaze and smile on her now. The light in her eyes and the hope tingeing her voice stirred a sensation of sothing in his heart.
"How about you? Did... everything go well? Oh... you look so sleepy..."
Leslie questioned Calix after finished the story about her day. She chuckled at the sight of the man’s droopy eyes.
"Yeah, everything went well," Calix reminded himself not to say anything about his trip to Frostwich Town today. Taking out his phone, he said, "I forgot to tell you. Irene contacted today."
"...Irene?"
Did she need anything?
Or, did sothing happen back at the Li family’s ancestral ho?
After a few taps on the screen, Irene’s recent ssages appeared. Calix briefly read it before saying, "She wants to visit you."
"Huh?" Leslie was stunned, "So... suddenly?"
This request ca out of nowhere. None of Charlene’s imdiate family had co to Graceville Manor in the past two months Calix married her.
"Yes," Calix nodded, "I haven’t given her the answer. Do you want to accept?"
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