Chapter 290: Lifetime Commitment

Words : 1348 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 290: Lifetime Commitment "Alright." Calvin responded indifferently, his gaze drifting briefly toward the door. "I’ll step out for a moment." Tiffany nodded and walked to the balcony with her phone in hand. Meanwhile, Calvin rebutted his shirt and strode out of the room. A closer observer might have noticed his footsteps were unusually light. Outside the door... "Well, Gino? Any updates?" Grandma. Calvin lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "What are they saying? I can’t hear a thing!" She had taken an instant liking to this Tiffany girl. If her grandson had brought her here just to put on a show, she’d make sure their act turned into reality. Though, of course, she’d prefer it if they were genuine from the start. "Madam," Gino pressed his ear against the door once more, his brow furrowed deeply. "CEO Calvin and Miss Tiffany didn’t say anything, but..." "But what?" Grandma. Calvin’s eyebrows knitted together as she pressed for an answer. "Why must you speak in half-truths, child?" "But," Gino’s frown deepened, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I think I heard footsteps." Footsteps? A flicker of alertness crossed grandma. Calvin’s face, and she opened her mouth to respond— Just then, the door swung open from the inside. Gino, who had been leaning heavily against it, lost his balance and crashed to his knees with an ungraceful thud. Tiffany had stepped out onto the balcony to take a call, oblivious to the commotion. A sharp pain shot through Gino’s knees, forcing a sharp hiss through his teeth. His gaze lifted—only to meet a pair of long legs clad in tailored gray suit pants. Looking up, he was met with the strikingly handsome yet devilishly charming face of a man, his lips curled in a half-smile. "Mr. Calvin—" Gino immediately averted his gaze, lowering his head as he stepped aside, his expression a picture of utter despair. This is it. I’m done for. Calvin cast him a lazy sidelong glance before shifting his attention to his grandma, the corner of his lips quirking slightly. "Grandma, what exactly are you doing here?" "I was just heading to my room and happened to pass by," grandma. Calvin retorted with a frown, her tone unapologetic as she stared down her grandson. "Gino, help me back." "Yes, right away," Gino stammered, nodding frantically as he hurried forward to offer her a tentative arm. The two began walking away. "Grandmother’s room is to the left," Calvin remarked coolly, slipping his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the doorframe, his lips curling in faint amusement. "You’re going the wrong way. Grandma. Calvin and Gino’s footsteps halted simultaneously. An awkward tension hung thick in the air. The bodyguard stationed by the door pressed his lips together tightly, clearly holding back a laugh. "Backwards. It really is backwards," Grandma. Calvin turned and shot her grandson a meaningful glance before addressing Gino. "Gino’s, I don’t mean to scold you," she said, already striding forward. "My old memory might be failing, but yours shouldn’t be this bad—leading us the wrong way like this." Gino nodded repeatedly. "My apologies, Madam. It’s entirely my fault." The two of them, playing off each other, quickly retreated from Calvin’s line of sight. A closer look would reveal their steps were noticeably quicker than usual. A faint trace of resignation flickered through Calvin’s narrow, fox-like eyes. Just as he turned to head back into the study, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Taylor? The call connected, and Taylor’s distinctively mellow voice came through. "I’m back in San Francisco. Fancy grabbing a drink?" Though phrased as a question, his tone left no room for refusal. After all, among the three of them, Calvin was the one with the strongest love—and expertise—for liquor. Dinner invitations might require checking his schedule, but a drink? Calvin’d dropped everything in a heartbeat. A drink? Calvin glanced toward the balcony, his eyes narrowing with a faint smirk. "Not today. Rain check." Silence lingered on the line for several seconds. "What could be so important," Taylor’s voice carried a low chuckle as he spoke again, "that you’d even skip out on drinks?" Hearing his friend’s teasing, Calvin curved his lips slightly. "A lifetime commitment." After hanging up the phone, he strode into his study. Taylor narrowed his eyes. A lifetime commitment? Now that truly surprised him. Given the affairs of the Calvin family, Calvin had always harbored an extreme aversion to marriage—so where did this "lifetime commitment" come from? A delicate, refined face suddenly surfaced in his mind. Could it be that someone’s appearance had changed his perspective? Or was this just another fleeting game? Ah, well. If it really came down to it, Camilla would handle it—no need for him to worry. As the driver noticed Taylor ending the call, he promptly turned his head and asked— "President Taylor, where would you like to go now?" Taylor’s voice was low and measured. "Nowhere. Take me home." Might as well check if Melissa’s been stirring up trouble lately. Taylor leaned back, eyes closed in feigned rest, his long fingers massaging his temples with slow, deliberate movements. She was his younger sister, yet somehow, he felt more like a father keeping tabs on a rebellious daughter. "Understood." The driver didn’t dare disturb him further, starting the car and steering it toward the Taylor family estate. Meanwhile, on the balcony of a villa in the western district. "Fanny!" Marie’s frantic voice crackled through the phone. "Where are you right now?" Last night, she had drunk heavily to shield Fanny from Jayden’s relentless toasts—only to end up with acute gastroenteritis. She had spent the entire day hooked to an IV in the hospital before finally recovering. Under her persistent questioning, Editor Jade finally revealed that Jayden had escorted Tiffany home. That’s why she was now frantically calling to check on her. Tiffany knew there was no way to explain the situation with Calvin, so she didn’t plan to mention it. "...I’m at home." "Good, you’re home," Marie let out a long, relieved sigh. "I got the feeling that Director Jayden might have taken a liking to you. I was afraid he’d try something stupid—thank goodness nothing happened." "Marie, he actually did," Tiffany cut her off and briefly recounted what had happened the night before. Of course, she glossed over the part about Calvin, simply referring to him as a friend. "What—" Marie was clearly shocked. A series of clattering noises came through the phone. "How could this happen?" This was the first time she’d encountered something like this, and her voice trembled with panic and guilt. "Then... what do we do now? This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have let my guard down and gotten so drunk." "It’s obvious Jayden did it on purpose. This has nothing to do with you," Tiffany gazed at the scenery below, her voice calm but resolute. "I’ve decided not to sell the film adaptation rights of the book to novelhall International Media Group anymore." Her tone remained soft as always, yet there was an unshakable firmness in her words. "As for Jayden... I won’t let this slide." Marie knew Tiffany’s temperament all too well. Normally, she was gentle and unassuming—harmless as a lamb. But once someone crossed her line, she wouldn’t back down an inch. And once her mind was made up, no one could change it. "I understand," Marie sighed deeply. "Do whatever you need to. I’ll handle things at the company." She paused briefly before adding, "If there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word." "Alright." A faint glint flashed in Tiffany’s beautiful, narrowed eyes. Though she said those words, she had no intention of actually troubling Marie. Just reclaiming the film and television rights alone would keep her busy enough. Putting away her phone, Tiffany walked back into the room and saw Calvin seated in front of the computer. Her voice softened as she spoke. "Mind if I use the computer when you’re done?" "Already finished," Calvin replied, rising from his seat and stepping aside. "Come, have a seat."

Chapter 290: Lifetime Commitment

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