"CALIX XU! Did you really get married?!"
Xander's urgent voice blared loudly inside the car, causing Calix to flinch. Widening his eyes in disbelief, he stared dumbfoundedly at the screen.
What the heck was wrong with this guy?
"Hey! You didn't even say hi to me! Don't yell ah!"
Xander snorted. He lowered his tone slightly as he continued questioning Calix.
"I just got back from my trip and Davin told me about your sudden marriage. Why did you pick someone you didn't know? Have you turned crazy?"
Xander was on a business trip in Europe when Calix decided to marry Charlene Li.
The former knew nothing about it because he told their other friend, Davin Huo to keep it a secret. The last member of their inner circle was currently residing abroad thus, Calix also held the news from reaching him.
Davin could be fully trusted but, not the other people who also had gotten the news of his sudden marriage. Furthermore, Calix did nothing to hide it. He simply delayed in relaying the news himself.
Calix rolled his eyes. Seeing that the light changed to green, he slowly drove his car forward before it regained its previous speed.
"Have you forgotten? You're crazier than me, Xander. Don't be a pot calling the kettle black."
Xander was dumbfounded. He didn't expect to have the term flung back to him by Calix.
"Why am I crazier? Don't change the subject. You did get married to someone you barely know. Who the heck is Charlene Li?"
Calix snickered. Instead of answering Xander's true questions, he was fixated on the man's first one, which was more of a silly exclamation.
"Do you wanna me recite what have you done? You kept chasing Violet even when she hated you. You did everything to have her look at you. If not for your wealth and handsome look, you'd be in jail oh."
"..."
"I remember that time you sulked with her because she couldn't come to meet you. She was busy shooting ah. Oh, you also forced her to be your pretend-lover at a banquet. She got harassed by your admirers. I can write an entire book of your so-called love pursuits."
Xander was too speechless to rebuke Calix. He acknowledged that he aggressively chased after his girlfriend, Violet Yu.
Calix, Davin and their other friend knew the extent of the bad things he had done to catch her attention. They even advised them against his actions yet, Xander didn't listen to them.
Turned out that Xander and Violet did get together. Yet, one could tell their relationship was not a harmonious one.
"What? Cat got your tongue, CEO Qin?"
Calix continued taunting Xander. His lips broke into a widened smirk, happy to get back at his friend.
"Hey! It's not fair! We're talking about you!"
Finally, Xander made a comeback yet, it was still weak compared to Calix's next arrows.
"Urgh, you're as busybody as that annoying Gerard. I'm in a hurry to go home ah. I want to see my wife."
Xander was perplexed. In a tone full of disbelief, he asked, "Isn't your wife still in a coma? Whether you go home early or not, she wouldn't ever know."
This time it was Calix's turn to clam his mouth shut. Narrowing his gaze, he stared at the screen.
If only Xander was right in front of him, Calix wouldn't hesitate to hit his head.
"Urgh... Don't I deserve a break? I didn't even take any days off for my marriage. I'll have dinner with my family and in-laws tonight. Grandma nagged me because I didn't tell her about getting married."
Xander finally laughed triumphantly, happy to hear that Old Madam Xu didn't easily let Calix go untormented due to his foolish action.
"Haa... I hope Grandma Xu will smack some sense into your head."
Calix clicked his tongue, "Don't jinx me. Get lost. Go looking for your girlfriend. Don't you miss her?"
"I'm heading to the studio now. I wanna take Violet shopping. My lady deserves new outfits. I'll bring her to a ball soon. Well, since she looks great in everything, I'll buy the entire shop for her."
Xander's words were really the same as any domineering CEO in the novels and dramas. He was indeed the male lead of this world.
Violet was a budding actress for a subsidiary company under Xu International. She and Xander crossed paths during a banquet.
Instead of Calix, it was his sister who indirectly became the matchmaker.
Evelyn Xu was the youngest of the Xu siblings. She was a top actress at the same company. Because Evelyn was fond of Violet, she took the young lady in under her wings and treated Violet like a younger sister.
Whenever Xander and Violet fought, Evelyn feared nothing and told the former off. Usually, Calix was the one who got stuck between his sister and his old friend.
"Women do like clothes, right? Or, shopping in general."
Calix's question seemed strange to Xander.
"Most women do, I guess. Haven't you followed Eve on her shopping spree? Your sister-in-law also loves shopping. Dresses, bags, shoes, jewelry. Oh, that woman. Haven't you forgotten she enjoyed shopping too?"
Calix frowned, "Don't bring her up. I'm just asking."
"Yes, sorry," Xander's voice was laced with guilt before he quickly was back to normal, "But, don't tell me you're going to buy all those for your comatose wife? Wait until she wakes up."
Calix tsked, "Shut up. Go find your Violet now."
"Yeah, yeah. Set a time to meet. I'll get Davin on my side to interrogate you."
Xander was adamant about knowing all the details regarding Calix's surprise marriage to the neglected young lady of the Li family.
Calix held back from sighing.
Instead of his ghost wife, the one who would haunt him was his old friend.
"Later. I'm busy. Bye."
"H-hey!"
Before Xander could say anything, Calix abruptly ended the call. In a second, his friend's voice was cut off, allowing him to once again be in peace.
"So aggressive. No wonder Violet admitted defeat and accepted you in the end."
Calix had no qualms about badmouthing Xander. He had actually thrown those words out in the open to his friend before.
The darkened look on Xander's handsome face became Calix's source of entertainment.
Pushing the thoughts about Xander and Violet away, Calix's focus shifted to something else.
"Women love shopping, huh?"
An idea was constructed in his mind.