Hiding Behind Her Superficiality

Chapter 516

Chapter 516 Revealing the Truth

“I’d like to mend our relationship, as well as your relationship with Callum.”

“There’s nothing worth mending,” Edmund retorted stiffly.

“I know you’re still affected by the fact that I ran away from the altar. Even though you act as if you’re completely fine about it, I know it made you upset. I just never found the time to talk to you about it.”

Edmund was a little flustered at the mention of this incident. His hostility dissipated and was replaced by evasiveness. It was as if he wanted to avoid this topic.

“Actually, I—”

“Actually, I know that you begrudge the way things played out, so I want to give you a proper apology. I’m truly sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t return your feelings. I’m sure you’ll meet someone else who’s better than me, but the woman earlier is certainly not her.”

While listening to Elspeth, Edmund’s feelings were complicated.

It went without saying that he had indeed been affected by the whole situation.

When she ran away from the altar, he didn’t pursue the matter. Instead, he scrounged up an excuse on her behalf and protected her reputation.

That was because he knew that she was never in love with him. Even if he did marry her, he couldn’t change that. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Thus, he hoped she would find happiness, even if he weren’t the one for her.

His expression became a little awkward when Elspeth mentioned the woman. “Stop talking about her.”

“But this isn’t like you.”

At the end of the day, Elspeth never truly detested Edmund. She could accept his sharp tongue as him simply being a blunt and straightforward person, but she was caught off guard by what she saw today.

To numb oneself was also a form of reckless abandon.

“I know. I won’t do it again.” Yet, after answering her, Edmund realized that he seemed like an errant child who’d just been reprimanded by a parent, and his expression soured. “Why are you treating me like a kid?”

Elspeth almost burst out in laughter, but for the sake of avoiding an outburst from him, she cleared her throat and refuted, “I’m not. We’re the same age, so why would I treat you like a kid? You’re being too sensitive.”

“Fine. Are you done?”

“Of course not. Since you’re willing to crack a joke with me, it means you’ve more or less made peace with things.”

She cleared her throat again and stated, “Now, it’s time to talk about you and Callum.”

“Can you stop bringing him up? It’s good enough that I’m not engaging in any form of conflict with him. Don’t get yourself involved in this mess.” Edmund eyed her coolly, but his gaze slowly hardened. “I had feelings for you once, but it doesn’t mean I’d listen to everything you say.”

Elspeth cocked her eyebrows. “You know I’m Callum’s wife, right? I’m part of the Winthrop Family now. This counts as a family matter of mine as well.”

“So, this situation must be resolved. You misunderstand Callum.”

Edmund snorted in ridicule. “What misunderstanding? I know you love him, so you see him through rose-tinted glasses, but that’s no excuse for you to try and absolve him of all the things he did.”

“Rose-tinted glasses and an attempt to absolve him, huh? Edmund, you’re running the Cole Family’s business, right?”

Elspeth tackled the situation from a different angle and brought up the Coles.

Edmund was startled by the abrupt change in topic. He looked a little confused.

“Do you really think you were able to stand firm and allow the business to grow so rapidly because of your unparalleled excellence? Or perhaps because Master Philip favors you a lot?”

She didn’t come right out and say what was the truth, but the insinuation was clear.

Edmund only had to pause in thought for a few moments before he figured out the unseen events that happened behind his back.

“If Callum didn’t help you out in secret, you’d probably still be having a hard time surviving in the Cole Family right now. You certainly won’t have the time to investigate the cause of Max’s death.”

From his expression, she could tell that he had been completely unaware of all this. She couldn’t help but curse his foolishness on the inside.

Edmund never thought that something like this had been happening in secret. He turned red at the thought of what he had said earlier.

“You don’t need to feel embarrassed by this. Callum’s your brother and he willingly did all those things for you. You don’t need to feel like you owe him anything, either.” Elspeth stared at the man with flashing eyes. “But I don’t want to see you harboring misunderstandings about him when he has done

so much for all of you in secret. I don’t want him to be so unfortunate as to have such an ungrateful brother.”

Edmund picked up on the words she used and asked, “What do you mean ‘all of you?’”

“Blake hides his relationship from his fans, and whenever the paparazzi take photos of him on a date, Callum pays them off.”

Elspeth continued, “As for Max’s invitation to train in Wohler, Callum paid to get him a slot, too.”

…

Edmund quietly listened to Elspeth as she listed out the things Callum had done for his brothers. His eyes flickered strangely.

Although his expression was largely the same, he was in turmoil on the inside.

Callum never mentioned these things to any of us.

All of the brothers thought that Callum was a selfish man through and through—a cunning businessman willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

Arthur hated him, Blake respected him, Max feared him, and as for Edmund, he felt nothing but disgust and repulsion.

Thus, now that the truth had come to light, Edmund was entirely unprepared for it.

He couldn’t describe what he was feeling. It was a little bittersweet, and he also felt ashamed.

I’d misunderstood Callum for so many years.

“Therefore, if you still think Callum is a heartless man who doesn’t care about his brothers, then you’re nothing more than a joke.”

Elspeth paused for a moment before asking, “Do you believe that what we found in our investigation is real now?”

His gaze had lost all its hardened hostility. He looked somehow dejected as he replied, “I do.”

“That makes things a lot easier, then. As long as you believe this, there won’t be any issues.”

She could finally exhale in relief.

“Why did you… come and tell me these things?”

Elspeth’s eyes flashed plaintively. “I didn’t want to come all the way here to ruin your fun either, but I had to tell you about this. I’m sure you know that Arthur’s trying to stick his foot into this mess. If he manages to instigate you by sowing more discord between you and Callum, it’ll only make things even more challenging. Furthermore, it’s one thing for you to be suspicious, but you’re even trying to convince Blake to join you in your muddleheaded ideas…”

Edmund recalled his declarations at Winthrop Residence a few days ago. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on him.

“I won’t. I’ll clear things up with Blake. I won’t drag him along in any foolishness.”

Elspeth smiled. “In that case, I can rest easier now. Anyway, I’m heading off now if there’s nothing else.”

Just then, Edmund’s phone started ringing. The name ‘Arthur Winthrop’ appeared on the screen.