Back to the Love We Left Behind

Chapter 4

That revelation sent a collective gasp rippling through the crowd.

Even Callum's gaze settled on the two figures standing side by side, his expression an unreadable mask.

Maren wrestled down her shock and jabbed Wesley in the ribs with her elbow. "Get serious, this is a live broadcast."

Only then did Wesley straighten up. "Sorry, just a little joke." He snickered. "Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Wesley, Maren's childhood friend. Barring any surprises, I'll be her partner for the duration of my stay."

A: [Oh, for crying out loud, Maren totally bought her way in, right? First Callum, now a movie star. Is she just a massive clout-chaser?]

B: [Just seeing her makes me sick. Can we please vote her off!]

The comments on the live feed were spiraling into a vicious frenzy.

Back in the program, the quiet hall was broken by Callum's crisp voice. "I have matters to attend to. Call me when the activities begin."

Such a blatant brush-off would have sent the production team scrambling to stop anyone else. But this was Callum. No one dared to utter a peep, and they could only watch as he headed upstairs.

Maren watched too, and a tiny, traitorous spark of hope flickered in her chest. When Wesley had claimed to be her fiancé, Callum's eyes had snapped right over. Didn't that mean he still cared, at least a little?

She didn't know what to think. Muttering a quick excuse to Wesley, she hurried after him.

She found Callum standing on a small balcony at the end of the corridor. The man had his back to her, gazing out at the distant coastline, his left hand resting on the wooden railing. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing an arm with muscles subtly bulging, crackling with a raw, coiled power. Compared to seven years ago, he was even more rugged, more ferociously captivating, making it impossible to tear one's eyes away.

Maren couldn't stop herself from stepping forward. "Cal, let's talk..."

"Do you have an appointment?" He turned, cutting her off, his eyes frigid, like a lone wolf's stare.

Maren froze, his words not computing. "What?"

Callum's expression was glacial. "If you want to talk, schedule a time with my assistant. I'm very busy."

With that, he simply strode past her and left.

Maren stood rooted to the spot, not even possessing the courage to reach out and stop him. With Callum's current status, every second was precious as gold. But even if she wasn't his girlfriend, they were playmates who grew up in the same neighborhood. Had she really lost even the right to a private conversation?

A briny sea breeze swept through, snatching away the last lingering trace of his presence. A sudden, crushing sense of powerlessness washed over Maren, the feeling that no matter how hard she tried, she could never hold onto him.

A short while later, Wesley came to find her. "Maren, the game downstairs is about to start. We should head back."

Forcing a nod, Maren let him help her down the stairs.

Today's game was 'Love Hugs'. All the guests walked in a circle, and the director would randomly shout a number. If the number of people in a hug didn't match the director's number, they were eliminated. Because of her injured foot, Maren could only sit on the sidelines and watch.

After just a few rounds, Wesley was left without a partner and had to join her on the bench.

"I never thought Callum would adapt to this variety show, but he's actually doing surprisingly well," he said.

Maren, who had been staring blankly, her eyes downcast, instinctively looked up towards Callum.

There he was, holding Nadia in a desperate, crushing embrace, their bodies fused together with an intimacy that left no room for air. Maren had never seen Callum like this. Even when they were together, he'd always kept a deliberate distance—from her, from everyone.

He had been like a lofty god, untouchable and above worldly desires. But now, Nadia seems to have dragged him down into the vibrant, messy world of the living, turning him into a real, breathing man, complete with all the passions and flaws of a mortal.

If it wasn't love, what else could have wrought such a transformation?

Maren couldn't help but wonder: When Callum had been with her all those years ago, was it really because he liked her?

Even after the game ended, she stayed trapped in a daze, unable to pull herself back to the present. Wesley took in every second of her vacant stare at Callum. A shadow flickered in his eyes, but he smothered it in an instant.

"What are you staring at?" Wesley asked, feigning ignorance. "Is your leg hurting again?"

With that, he crouched down, reaching for her ankle to check it.

Maren instinctively tried to pull away, but before she could move, the air around them turned icy.

She snapped her head up to find Callum standing just two steps away, his gaze boring into the hand that gripped her ankle.