Her Rebirth of Retribution
Chapter 172 His Secret

However, Kallum swiftly stopped her.

Although the bottles of alcohol were sealed tightly, Kallum knew very well that fruit wine shouldn't be stored for long. This bottle must've gone bad. I can't let her drink it! Hence, he quickly snatched it away.

"What's the matter?" Calista tilted her head and looked at him, clearly discontented. "I've been hiding it for so long! Why won't you let me drink it?"

Kallum paused for a moment and said with great seriousness, "All of these are mine! Didn't you say you buried them for me? No one else can touch them but me!"

A look of realization dawned on Calista's face as she said in a hushed tone, "That's right... It's all yours... Since it's your birthday, are you willing to see me now?"

Once again, Kallum felt the urge to give his past self a good beating. He looked at her intently, his voice deep and serious. "As long as I'm alive, I want to spend every one of my birthdays with you... If you'd only give me the chance." Seeing him grasp her hand, Calista pulled back a bit petulantly. "You never used to pay me any attention! What's your hidden agenda?"

Kallum truly felt nonplussed. The whimsical thoughts of the little drunkard are indeed fantastical, but why is she so endearing?

"I don't have any hidden agendas. I was blind before, but now I can see." Seeing that Calista was still quite upset, Kallum tried to placate her, asking, "Do you know why I like to drink on my birthday?"

Calista's ears twitched, but she didn't look at him.

Seeing her interest, Kallum cleared his throat and said, "If you forgive me, I'll tell you. I haven't shared this secret with anyone else!"

"Have you also never told Mirabelle?" Calista mumbled, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness. For some reason, this made Kallum feel a warm surge in his chest. Mysteriously, all his physical pain seemed to vanish.

He looked at Calista, his gaze filled with unparalleled tenderness.

"No. She's nothing but a liar. She couldn't even compare to a single strand of your hair, Callie..." He reached for her hand once more. "Give me a chance. Would you let me share a secret with you?"

Calista felt it was about time, so she begrudgingly turned toward him. "All right, go ahead and speak!"

Her voice held a reluctant tone, but in reality, her eyes were alight with curiosity and interest, seemingly taking delight in being the first to know a secret. Seeing her like this, no one would believe that she wasn't completely in love with Kallum. Kallum stifled the sorrow welling in his eyes. If I had fallen for her sooner, wouldn't we have made such a blissful couple?

He forced a bitter smile and gathered his energy to say, "When I was around six or seven years old, I once sneaked some alcohol and got drunk. In my drunken stupor, I accidentally broke my grandpa's antique. You should remember my grandpa, he really liked you. He complimented you every time he saw you."

"I remember..." Calista's pale, delicate fingers touched her chin. "He always used to give me the most delicious candies."

Kallum's gaze was gentle. "Yes. That

was him. He was always kind to you,

but he was very strict with me. When

I broke his favorite antique, he scolded me harshly. He forbade me from drinking alcohol and scolded me in front of the entire family. He said if I continued to be impulsive, I wouldn't achieve anything in the future."

Kallum's refined voice echoed within the small cave, laced with a hint of laughter and warmth.

"He passed away?" A trace of desolation flickered in Calista's eyes.

"Back then, I was utterly indignant, replaceing him truly unbearable! Thus, from that moment on, I never exchanged another word with him, not a single one. Then, after half a year, he passed away. Before his death, he transferred all his shares to me, which I could inherit once I turned eighteen."

"Mmm, he passed away." Kallum stroked her hair. "His death coincided with my birthday. The house was all set for a celebration, but his departure was so abrupt. That was my first encounter with death. It left a deep impression on me, especially when he held my hand and spoke during his last

moments. It scared me a bit bet

couldn't show my fear. That night, I couldn't sleep. Whenever insomnia struck, his last words to me would echo in my mind. Some of it I didn't understand, and it felt like a heavy burden. I remembered that alcohol could blur the edges of reality, so I had a few drinks and finally managed to get a good night's sleep. In the following years, every time my birthday came around, I would lie awake at night. Memories of my grandpa's face and his words, which I gradually came to

understand, would flood my mind. To replace some peace, I would turn to drinking, which eventually became a birthday ritual. Since my birthday also marked his death anniversary, I did not feel like celebrating."

"I see..." Calista pouted. "That's not interesting!"

"Huh?"

"I thought it would be some interesting tale, but it wasn't at all..." she complained, her lips pursing in a pout. It was impossible to express just how adorable she looked.

In an instant, Kallum managed to free himself from his mild melancholy. As he looked at her, he found himself at a loss for what to do next.

"Let me share something interesting with you!" With a sly grin, Calista continued, "Do you know where I got the bottle I use for storing wine?" Kallum played along with her, laughing as he said, "I'm not sure. Tell me!"

"Hmph!" Calista began to animatedly recount her adventure of how she had acquired the bottles, made the fruit wine, and cunningly managed to keep it alla secret. She narrated the whole process, including the moment when she was splashed all over with juice while crushing the fruit, and the time she nearly got caught while burying the wine bottles. Her nimble wits and daring actions made her story an exciting roller coaster ride that was hard to keep up with. This made the girl, who in Kallum's mind was forever shy, instantly come alive.