Chapter 517

"Maurice," May said, frowning at the way she spoke.

"Dad, I know you hate hearing this. It ain't pretty, but it's the truth. Susan's my sister, and I want her to be happy. So, no matter how much it sucks, I gotta say it. We don't care about money; we just want Susan to be happy. Marriage ain't like dating; she needs a solid guy, and Michael's the best pick. Even Oliver likes him, right?"

Carol shook her head. "No matter what, he can't compare to his real dad."

Why would he need a stepdad when he had a real dad?

May shot back, "But if Susan marries Caleb, she'll be a stepmom. Mom, Susan's your daughter; you wouldn't want her to be a stepmom, right? Being a stepmom is tough; it's a super awkward spot. I'm not saying this to be mean. It's real; these are issues they'll face if they get hitched. They can't dodge them. Anyway, from a sister's view, I hope Susan marries Michael and builds a stable, happy family. Marrying into a rich family has more downsides than upsides."

Carol, who was in a good mood, felt a bit down after hearing this. "Alright, stop talking. It's useless. This is all up to Susan. I'll back her no matter what she picks."

"Dad... Susan listens to you the most. Please think it through for her." May only cared about Maurice's opinion.

Maurice's brow furrowed deeply.

After the elders left, May passed by Susan's room and heard her phone ringing.

May picked up the phone; it was a video call from Caleb.

May's eyes sparkled. She quickly tidied herself up in front of the mirror and then answered with a charming smile, "Mr. Eilish, good morning."

On the other side of the video, Caleb didn't expect to see May. His strong and muscular upper body was bare, looking very sexy.

May's face instantly turned red, her blood racing.

Caleb quickly grabbed a shirt and put it on. "Where's Susan?"

"Susan... she's busy and can't take the call right now," May pretended to hesitate.

"Busy?"

May replied, "Yeah, an old friend of hers is visiting, and Susan is with Oliver entertaining him. Don't get the wrong idea; they're just childhood friends. Although that guy likes her, I trust Susan."

Caleb's brow furrowed deeply.

"Let me show you," May quickly walked to the hallway, holding the phone towards the garden.

On the screen, the three of them were happily chatting around a lily of the valley, looking very cheerful.

May secretly sneered, "Look how happy they are. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were a family of three."

May covered her mouth. "I-I didn't mean it that way. I just meant it looks like it. After all, Susan and he are childhood friends, and they have a deep bond. It's rare that Oliver likes him and is close to him."

May turned the camera back to herself. "Mr. Eilish, are you mad? If I hadn't passed by Susan's room and accidentally heard her phone ringing, I wouldn't have answered the call, and you wouldn't be upset. Now it seems like I'm tattling, but I really didn't mean it that way. Don't misunderstand me. My intentions were good; I didn't want you to be unhappy."

Caleb knew exactly what she meant. Seeing Susan and that guy laughing and chatting, he was naturally unhappy, but he trusted her. However, May's actions made him even more disgusted.

He was well aware of May's scheming, and he despised it the most. Such clumsy tactics never escaped his eyes.

"Mr. Eilish?" May called.

Caleb hung up the video call.

May gave a cold smile, glancing at the three people playing in the garden, narrowing her eyes. "Susan, I won't let you have it easy."

Downstairs.

"Oliver," Carol called from a distance.

"Grandma, I'm here," Oliver waved.

"Oliver, why are your hands all muddy?" Carol asked.

"I'm planting a tree, Grandma." Oliver wiped his sweat, smearing mud all over his face.

"Look at you, you're like a little mud monster," Carol said with a helpless smile. "Let me take you to wash your hands."

Oliver replied, "Okay, Grandma. Mommy, I'm going to wash my hands. I'll be back after I clean them."

"Go ahead."

"See you later, Michael," Oliver waved.

"See you later," Michael looked at Oliver with eyes full of affection.

Carol caught that look. It seemed May was right; Michael had feelings for Susan. From her perspective, Carol didn't think this was a good thing, but she didn't feel it was her place to say anything. Well, let the young folks handle their own feelings.

"Oliver is so cute," Michael said with a smile.

"Yeah, he's been very sensible since she was little." Susan was very happy to hear Oliver being praised, her eyes curving into a smile.

Her smile was charming and infectious, once again stirring Michael's heart.

"You mentioned last time that you work at the Eilish Group now?" Michael asked.

Susan explained, "Yeah. I'm a designer at the Holland Group, and since the two companies are collaborating, I'm currently working at the Eilish Group."

"You're very talented." Michael praised.

"Not really. You're the impressive one, becoming a professor before thirty."

"People say professors are boring." Michael replied.

Susan retorted, "Not at all. I find talking to you very interesting. You're not the type who only knows how to study."

"Are you free after work tomorrow? I'd like to invite you to dinner." Michael couldn't control his urge to see her and was already eager to set up the next meeting.

Susan declined, "I'm going back to work tomorrow, so I'll definitely have to work late."

"How about a late-night snack?"

"I don't have the habit of eating late-night snacks," Susan said with a smile, shaking her head. "It makes me gain weight."

"Do all women think they're fat? You're already very slim."

"That's because you haven't seen the extra inch of fat around my waist." Speaking of this, Susan couldn't help but blame Caleb. During that week in the hospital, she had gained over a pound, which was too cruel.

She had to control her food intake; otherwise, if she got fat, Caleb wouldn't like her anymore.

No, she wasn't doing it for him to like her; she was doing it to look good for herself.

"When will you be free then?" Michael asked.

"I'll let you know when I'm free. We can invite your wife and kids too. By the way, why didn't they come?" Susan was thinking Oliver could meet a new friend.

Michael's smile froze. He remembered she thought he was married. Did this mean she had no romantic interest in him and only saw him as a friend?

But things had come this far, and Michael couldn't accept it. He didn't want to be disappointed.

"Susan, do you enjoy talking to me?" Michael didn't answer her but asked.

Susan nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, I do. Talking to you is very enjoyable."

After all, they were childhood friends, and their bond was deeper than with friends she met later. Plus, Michael was humorous and polite, making conversations with him feel like a breath of fresh air.

"Unlike Caleb, who always teases her." Susan's heart fluttered. "Why am I comparing him to Caleb? He isn't my man."

Michael gathered his courage and said, "Susan, actually, I already..."