CLAIMED BY BOYFRIEND'S EX-STEPFATHER

CHAPTER 7 TRAUMA COMES FROM OTHERS

It had never been this painful to read the short messages Evander had sent over and over again.

The day after Evander left, Callista tried to contact him repeatedly, but there was no answer. Callista grumbled, remembering what Evander had said yesterday, telling her to contact him without hesitation if she needed anything.

"I need you, Evander. I have to return these tickets and money."

Callista felt humiliated. The money and tickets were not her choice, and she felt that Evander was taking over too much, controlling everything too much. She then went to her room, opened her laptop and browser. She searched for complete information about Evander, but unfortunately there was no news about the man other than his hotel business, which was growing.

“Should I meet him at his company?” Callista took the business card she kept in her desk drawer.

“Hemmintown Tower? It's in central London, right?”

It was eleven in the morning. Callista grabbed her jacket and car keys. Without saying goodbye to anyone, she left the mansion.

Throughout the trip, Callista tried to contact Evander, but there was still no answer. When she arrived at the Hemmintown building, she hurried to the receptionist.

“I'm sorry, ma'am, but unless it's an emergency, you can't see Mr. Evander. That's the company policy.”

Callista sighed. “You haven't even contacted him, but you're already turning me away.”

“I'm just following the rules.”

“Then tell him that Callista Eva Turner is here and wants to see him. Tell him not to waste my time.”

The clerk was surprised, remembering that the name Turner was not just any name in London. “Are you Miss Turner? I apologize for being so presumptuous.”

The officer grabbed the phone, trying to contact Evander, but the man was still difficult to reach. “I'm sorry, Miss, it seems that Mr. Evander is busy.”

Callista began to get frustrated, her breathing heavy. “Then where is his private room? I'll go see him myself.”

“Once again, I apologize, but—”

"I'll take responsibility if anything happens to you. Just tell me, where is his private room?"

The clerk was confused, unable to break company rules, but he was also dealing with the daughter of a family that had significant influence over the company.

“On the fifth floor, ma'am. Do you need me to call a staff member to escort you?” asked the receptionist.

"No need. I'll go there myself. Thank you,” said Callista, then left. Her five-centimeter heels tapped the floor firmly and boldly, as if nothing could stop her this time.

The elevator doors opened on the fifth floor. Callista looked around the hallway. But it was completely empty, as if no one could pass through that place except the owner himself. The woman looked to the right and left, stepping carefully on the maroon velvet carpet.

“Where is Evander?” Callista muttered very softly, occasionally peeking into rooms with open doors, but there was no one there.

“The managers and directors should be here, right? But why is it so quiet?”

Callista stopped when she accidentally heard a soft sigh coming from a hallway not far from where she was standing. The woman's brow furrowed, then she approached the source of the sound. The door was slightly open, and on the front of the door was a nameplate that read “Evander Whitmore.”

Callista smiled smugly, but the smile quickly disappeared when she heard the person sigh again. Slowly, Callista pushed the door open with her elbow, then peeked inside without hesitation.

However, something she shouldn't have seen was now clearly visible before her eyes. In the room, Evander was making out with a half-naked woman. The man's head was on her chest, enjoying her breasts, while his left hand was inside her skirt.

The woman sighed loudly, her hands holding Evander's head so he wouldn't stop. “Evander... I beg you, I can't hold it anymore,” she said, then pushed Evander until he was lying on the sofa.

The woman knelt down, her hands ready to unzip the man's pants, her head bowed, impatient to enjoy herself. However, before anything could happen, there was a loud bang outside.

Their activities stopped, Evander hurriedly zipped up his pants, while the woman also fixed her shirt, which had fallen around her waist.

“Let me check,” said Evander. “And you, take the documents on the table and walk past me without looking suspicious.”

The woman nodded. Evander hurried toward the door, his steps quick and decisive. He was startled to see Callista standing near the door with a wounded leg from the shards of a broken vase.

“You? What are you doing here?” Evander asked.

Callista's breathing grew heavier; she was lost for words after seeing what had happened inside. Especially when she saw the seductive woman come out of the room with an angry and disappointed expression.

“Go, Sabine. I'll see you later,” said Evander as he took Callista's hand and led her into his room. The woman named Sabine simply nodded, turned to Callista again, and looked at her with hatred.

Evander took a box of medicine from the drawer of the bookcase, then knelt in front of Callista. His hands skillfully took out medicine, bandages, and cloth that had been previously moistened.

“Does it hurt?” Evander asked as he wiped the blood around the wound.

“I'm fine,” replied Callista, a little annoyed but also happy that Evander's attention was finally focused entirely on her.

“Why did you come? Why didn't you call me first?”

“Hey, I called you many times, but you didn't answer my calls. Even the receptionist downstairs did, but you pretended to be busy!” Callista grumbled.

“Busy making love to that seductive woman!”

"She's my secretary, her name is Sabine. She's paid to work here. So don't call her a seductress. She is highly educated and can do anything, including satisfying my desires," said Evander.

Callista's jaw tightened, and for some reason, her heartbeat quickened. She was embarrassed and angry, but she couldn't show it in front of Evander. Evander and Sabine's actions were no one's fault, and Callista had no right to interfere.

But for some reason, when she saw that, Callista was reminded of Lucas and Issera's affair. Callista's mind wandered, trying to imagine how Lucas and Issera had s*x when they were still in a relationship.

Ah, damn it! Callista wanted to cry now. She felt betrayed by Lucas, and that pain couldn't just go away.

“Done,” said Evander, his strong hands tidying the medicines into the box. “Now tell me, what do you need here?”

The woman with the direct body exhaled quite deeply, pausing for a moment as she opened her bag. She took out a black envelope containing money and vacation tickets, then returned it to Evander.

“I tore up the ticket, and the money... I don't need it at all,” said Callista, then stood up. She grimaced, trying to endure the pain in her legs, but didn't show it in front of Evander.

“You don't need to take me on vacation because I'm not leaving London. But if you have a business there, just take care of it yourself. I don't want to be involved.”

Callista spoke firmly, asserting her wishes without offending him. Evander looked at her silently, and they stared at each other for a long time. He took the envelope, checked its contents briefly, then threw it in the trash—not caring how much money was inside.

“Go home, Callista,” Evander said, expressionless.

Callista was surprised.

“If you don't want to go on vacation with me, that's fine. You don't need to come to my office for such a trivial matter, unless you miss me,” Evander said with a chuckle.

“I thought you would be angry with me,” said Callista.

“So you hoped I would be?” Evander asked skeptically, and shortly thereafter he left his office without saying another word.

Callista didn't call out, confused by the man's attitude, but followed him from behind.

Evander entered his secretary's room, and there Callista saw Evander quickly making out with the woman. The woman's laughter sounded disgusting, and soon turned into thrilling moans.

Callista felt her breath catch, her trauma resurfacing even though she shouldn't have felt jealous of Evander and the woman. Next, she chose to leave the place as quickly as possible. She hurriedly walked to her car.

She started the engine, but Callista drove the car while crying. She remembered Lucas and all the bad memories that man and his family had given her. Callista's tears flowed even more when she accidentally saw Issera's poster displayed in a jewelry store.

Issera was too beautiful. Since long ago, that woman had been known for her image as a luxurious woman of high status. Issera was very clever in hiding her bad behavior in public.

“Ah, why do I feel inferior?” Callista wiped her tears until they were gone.

Her daydream instantly vanished when she had to slam on the brakes because a car had pulled out right in front of her. A large man with a long chin got out of the car and walked toward Callista's car.

His large hand slammed hard on Callista's car door. “Open the door, damn it!” the man yelled.

Callista didn't do it, but her car window was shattered. She grew even more terrified when the man suddenly grabbed her neck tightly. Callista couldn't fight back; she was no match for his strength. Her breath caught in her throat, her vision slowly blurred and darkened, and her hands and cheeks were cut by shards of glass.

“Am I going to die today?”