It would take more than persistence to make Callum give up so easily.
He stayed at the resort, coming up with new ways each day to block my path and apologize.
Sometimes, he sent flowers using a remote–controlled drone. Other times, he stood outside with a banner in hand.
Yet, every time I saw his so–called sincerity, I found it laughable.
He focused solely on achieving his goal, completely disregarding the fact that I despised grand gestures. Those public displays only embarrassed me.
Or perhaps he remembered and simply didn’t care.
One day, when I went downstairs to collect a package, he cornered me again.
He stood by a Christmas tree covered in lights and gifts, dressed in a tuxedo. When his eyes caught mine, they lit up instantly.
“Eloise,” he called out, his voice full of hope. “Merry Christmas. Let’s open these gifts together, shall we?”
I glanced at the Christmas tree, adorned with twinkling lights and a mountain of carefully wrapped presents.
The sight dragged me back to this time last year.
I’d scrolled through countless holiday videos posted by friends and had felt a spark of excitement. On impulse, I bought a tree, decorated it with care, and waited eagerly for him to come home.
But what did he say then?
“Can you stop being so childish? I’ve had a long day. I’m not in the mood for your sense of ceremony. I just want to rest.”
Later, I stumbled across a photo on X–he had rented an entire amusement park for Hannah, complete with a massive Christmas tree brimming with gifts.
The memory simmered in my chest as I repeated his words back to him now.
“You staying out of my sight would be the best gift you could give me,” I said coldly.
Callum’s face drained of all color. He opened his mouth to speak but was abruptly interrupted when someone grabbed his arm.
Hannah had arrived.
The moment she saw him, she latched onto his arm like a vine.
