Her Rebirth of Retribution
Chapter 173 Stay Alive

"In the second year, I managed to steal some malted barley! And by the third year, I had obtained wheat malt!" As she spoke, her expression suddenly fell into desolation. "By the fourth year, I didn't have to hide anymore because my grandparents had both passed away..." In an instant, Kaiser felt a tug at his heart, wishing nothing more than to hold her close and comfort her.

"Yelena was never kind to me. Whenever I felt heartbroken, I would retreat here, alone. The serenity of the mountain, oddly enough, made me feel safer than the grandeur of the mansion. Whenever fear crept in, I found comfort in the thought that, even if there were ghosts, my grandparents would surely protect me!" she said.

Kallum tightened his grip on her hand. "It doesn't matter if that isn't the case. I'll protect you in the future!"

Calista showed no reaction, yet she rallied her spirits and began to dig out the wine bottles one by one.

Kallum had also lent a hand. In an instant, his tailor-made clothes and trousers were smeared with mud, making them look like two children who had been playing in the mud.

Calista counted again meticulously and suddenly said in a dreamlike tone. "Do you think Lummy would be happy if he knew how much effort I've put into this?"

Kallum was startled, finally realizing what he had overlooked. In the past, Calista would call me Lummy, or like Mirabelle, she would call me Kal. However, from that day on, she only addressed me by my name, devoid of any hint of intimacy. It was as if we were strangers or even enemies...

As he grappled with discomfort, hearing Calista ask him in such a manner brought about a sense of happiness. His emotions were a tangled web of contradiction and complexity, yet joy managed to rise above the rest.

"He would definitely be thrilled! H-He would surely grow fonder of you. He would be so happy!"

Hearing Kallum's assurance, Calista started to dig into the earth again happily. She seemed to take great pleasure in hiding away her treasures, much like a small animal.

She pulled out a carefully wrapped wooden box. Had Quincy been there, she would have certainly been livid, for within this box lay the treasure she held dear in her heart.

Calista opened the box, revealing a collection of exquisite antique boxes. Everything inside these boxes had been handed down from Calista's grandmother, all of them precious items. However, these were not the focus of her attention. Calista directly pulled out a dark green box. Upon opening it, there was a thumb ring inside. The difference was that while the Fairchild family's thumb ring was emerald green, the one in her hands was made of red emerald.

She gently touched it twice and said, "My grandmother gave this to me when she was alive. She said that since the Fairchild family has given us a valuable token, our family should also return a token. Even though we are not as wealthy as others, we can't let people look down on us..."

That was verbatim. It seemed as though Kallum could envision how Calista's grandmother, who seemed to be quite the scholar, would have voiced these words.

Calista toyed with it, whispering, "But I knew Lummy wouldn't accept it, so I hid it away and never brought it out. Do you think, one day, Lummy might accept my gift?"

She began to feel anxious. Having

faced rejection too many times, she had lost the courage to take risks. was like these wines that she prepared every year, but ever since her grandparents passed away, she never attempted to give them away again.

Unable to resist any longer, Kallum finally embraced her. He sat on the ground, cradling Calista carefully in his arms as if he were protecting a rare and precious treasure. "You really loved him..." Kallum's eyes, slightly reddened, were locked onto her. "Do you still love him now?"

Calista looked at him curiously. "Why do you replace it strange? How could I not love him?"

"Well... If..." Taking a deep breath, Kallum enunciated, "If he were to have survived, would you still be willing to marry him?"

Calista laughed. "That's an interesting thing to say. I've always looked forward to marrying Lummy. How could I possibly be unwilling?"

Kallum held her chin, drawing her somewhat scattered gaze back into focus. "Take a good look at who I am! W-Would you marry me? If I were still alive, that is!"

Calista's large, starry eyes focused

on him for a while. At that moment, Kallum felt as if he were proposing His emotions were a whirlwind of nerves, joy, and fear, causing his heartbeat to fluctuate rapidly. His deep purple eyes were tightly fixed on, Calista's face, his thin lips pressed together, anxiously awaiting her response.

"Lummy?" Calista got a clear look at the person and joyously wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you the most, Lummy! I want to marry you!"

Kallum felt as if he were on the brink

of taking flight. His breaths came in quick succession, a sensation he had never experienced before. Never had he realized that simply being

alive could bring such im being

joy.

I must stay alive! How could bear to die? No! I must record this moment to prevent Callie from denying it once she sobered up. I could also play it back to her when I propose in the future. I can't let her

wiggle out of it!

Just as Kallum was looking for his phone, Calista had already taken the smallest bottle of wine into her arms, presenting it like a treasure.

"Lummy, this is my birthday gift to you! You like drinking wine, don't you? I'm pretty smart, so the wine I've made must be delicious! Shall we try it together?"

Upon seeing her holding the surely spoiled bottle of wine again, Kallum swiftly snatched it away. Holding it high above his head, he coaxed her, "Be good, okay? This one's mine. You can't have it!"