Chapter 23 Angry but afraid to speak.
Shane's gaze lingered on her curvy figure, his eyes deepening uncontrollably, his pupils trembling slightly. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Do you think you can seduce me like this?"
The truth was, he was already seduced.
His pride wouldn't allow him to have such thoughts about a woman like her.
"I-I-I didn't..." Callie stammered, grabbing a towel to cover herself.
"In front of me, never show your filthy body again." With that, he slammed the door and stormed out.
He strode into the adjacent room, trying to avoid seeing Callie again.
But his mind was filled with the image of Callie's alluring body, replaying the most tantalizing parts like a movie being replaced.
He couldn't control his thoughts.
Frustrated, he tugged at his collar, which wasn't tight at all, yet he felt suffocated.
His restless and agitated mood made him want to lash out. He muttered under his breath, "Damn woman!"
Her ability to seduce was indeed impressive!
What infuriated him the most was that he had fallen into her trap!
He yanked off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt as he walked into the bathroom, hoping the cold water would help him cool down.
This was Shane at his most disheveled, all because of Callie!
Callie barely slept a wink that night because of what had happened too.
Though she had once let herself loose, she was not a frivolous person Having her body seen by someone made her feel both ashamed and furious.
Yet, she dared not voice her anger.
The person involved was someone she couldn't afford to offend.
The next morning, she came downstairs with dark circles under her eyes, having learned her lesson, she wore long sleeves and pants.
Mrs. Ford had breakfast ready.
"Where is he?" she asked.
"Mr. Robinson left early," Mrs. Ford replied with a smile. "Come down and have breakfast."
Callie felt a wave of relief wash over her. Thank goodness he wasn't around; she could actually enjoy her meal.
After breakfast, she headed out.
For several days, she couldn't find a suitable job.
Shane hadn't come back during those days either.
She enjoyed the peace.
She even let her guard down a bit.
One of the resumes she had sent online got a reply. It was for a dance teacher position.
Her Latin dance skills were at level ten, though she hadn't obtained a teaching certificate. However, this place was willing to give her a chance.
She prepared seriously for the interview.
It had been years since she last danced, but the basic skills she had learned since childhood were still solid. With her slender figure, her dancing was still quite graceful.
The Dance Academy's Principal, Mrs. Lopez, was very approachable. "You can start as an intern," she said. "Your basic skills are quite good. Go get a teaching certificate, and you'll be fine."
"Alright."
During her free time, she had been longing for a job!
She cherished this opportunity.
At this moment, she had to thank Rafael. She didn't like dancing, but Rafael had threatened her that if she didn't learn to dance, she wouldn't be allowed to go to school. So, she had no choice but to learn.
Unexpectedly, it turned out to be useful now.
After working in the dance studio for a few days, she started to grasped it. She still didn't love it, but she didn't hate it as much as she did when she was a child.
The students who came to class were mostly between four and twelve years old. She taught the younger group, with about a dozen students, mostly six or seven-year-old girls.
Spending time with the children made her feel more youthful and cheerful, temporarily forgetting the troubles of life.
After the last class, Principal Lopez walked in with a smile and asked, "Teacher Norris, are you free tonight?"
Callie nodded, "Yes, I am."
She thought Principal Lopez had some work-related matters to discuss, but instead, she asked, "I wanted to ask you, do you have a boyfriend?"
Callie replied, "...No."
She was technically married to Shane in name only, so she didn't have a boyfriend.
Principal Lopez's smile widened, and she affectionately linked arms with Callie, saying, "I have a favor to ask of you."
Principal Lopez was a kind person. During the few days Callie had been at work, she had taken good care of her.
Now, with Principal Lopez being so affectionate, Callie felt a bit uncomfortable.
Gently pulling her arm away, Callie said, "If you need my help with anything, just let me know. If I can do it, I will. If not... I'm sorry."
Principal Lopez hesitated for a moment before saying, "My husband is the owner of Regen Pharm. He has a team that has been working on developing an anti-cancer drug for the past few years. They've invested a lot of money and have made some progress, but now they need more funding. He's looking for investors, but not everyone is willing to invest. Recently, someone showed interest, but they missed their last meeting. My husband thinks the investor might be having second thoughts. The investor is single and quite well-off..."
"Um..." Callie interrupted, "I'm not sure I understand."
What did this have to do with her?
She didn't have money to invest.
As a doctor, she certainly hoped for more pharmaceutical advancements like this. If she had a lot of money, she would help without hesitation. But the reality was, she was just an ordinary person working hard to make ends meet.
She couldn't offer much help.
Principal Lopez got straight to the point, "Here's the thing, my husband wants to find a pretty girl to go with him to meet the investor..."
"Wait a minute..." Callie began to understand the situation.
Was she being asked to entertain guests, secure investments, or make even bigger sacrifices?
"I appreciate you giving me a job, but I'm not an escort, and I don't flatter people. I can't help with this," she firmly declined.
Principal Lopez knew she was asking a lot.
This was indeed a last resort.
She waved her hand in disappointment. "I understand, I'm asking too much."
With a sigh, she continued, "To be honest, my husband isn't struggling to find investors; he just doesn't want to accept investments from foreign conglomerates. That would mean being controlled by others, which is not what he wants."
Callie looked at Principal Lopez. Over time, she had come to see her as a warm-hearted and responsible person.
Whether dealing with students or teachers, she had high standards but also showed empathy and understanding.
She was a perceptive person.
"I used to be a doctor, so I understand what you mean," Callie said, clenching her hands. She knew very well that once foreign conglomerates got involved, the prices of any successful drugs would be controlled by them.
The ones who would suffer would be the poor who couldn't afford the medication.
Even though she was no longer a doctor, her sense of responsibility hadn't diminished.
"I can give it a try?" she offered, despite having no experience with such matters.
She wasn't sure if it would work.
Principal Lopez, in her forties, maintained an elegant figure thanks to her background as a dancer. Her graceful demeanor and the gentle lines on her face represented the time's passage without the harshness of hardship, hinting at a harmonious relationship with her husband.
Callie envied her. Principal Lopez had a happy marriage and a fulfilling career she loved and excelled in.
In contrast, Callie found herself stuck in a job that had nothing to do with her dreams.
And her marriage was a complete mess.
"Really?" Principal Lopez was overjoyed, grasping Callie's hand. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it. I'm not sure if I can be of any help," Callie replied.
Principal Lopez said, "We'll do our best. As long as we can face our own hearts, that's enough."
Despite her nervousness, Callie accepted Principal Lopez's suggestion. She applied light makeup and dressed a bit more provocatively than usual.
On the way, she stopped by a pharmacy.
Just in case.
She couldn't truly sacrifice herself; she wasn't that noble.
Soon, she arrived at an upscale restaurant where she met Principal Lopez's husband, Harrison.
He wasn't yet fifty, but gray hairs were already visible at his temples.
Callie sat down just as the door to the private room was pushed open.
She looked up and saw Henry, followed by a tall figure appearing at the doorway.
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