32. Callum
THIRTY-TWO
Callum
No more regrets, no more fear
LaGuardia International Airport
East Elmhurst, Queens
4:59 PM
The plane lands with a jolt, and I blink awake. The faint hum of the engines fades as we tie into the terminal and passengers start shuffling in their seats.
I grab my phone from my pocket and power it on, expecting a few texts from Luke about the LA sessions or maybe Sienna checking in.
Instead, my screen lights up with a series of frantic messages from Sienna.
Call me as soon as you land.
Where are you, Callum? It’s urgent.
I'm guessing you're still in the air. I need to talk to you.
My chest tightens as I stare at the messages, a dozen scenarios racing through my head. Did Marcus do something? Is Ollie okay? Did I miss something while I was gone?
I don’t wait to get off the plane. I dial her number immediately and clutch my carry-on like a lifeline.
She picks up on the first ring. "Callum," she says, her voice breathless.
"What’s wrong?" I ask immediately, my throat dry. "Are you okay?"
"I’m fine," she says quickly. "Ollie’s fine. We’re both fine. I just... I need to see you. I'm at LaGuardia. I can pick you up, which terminal are you in? I don't want to talk about it on the phone."
I hesitate, still trying to piece together what’s happening. "Yeah, of course. I’ll meet you in the Terminal B parking garage. Sienna, what’s going on? You're worrying me."
"I’ll tell you when I see you," she says softly. "We're all okay, I promise. Just hurry, okay?"
I spot her car as soon as I step into the garage, tucked in a corner spot near the elevators. The engine’s off, but the lights are on, and through the windshield, I see her sitting in the driver’s seat with her phone in hand.
I tap on the passenger-side window, and she jumps slightly before unlocking the doors. When I slide in beside her, the first thing I notice is her face. It's flushed and her eyes are wide, like she’s seen a ghost.
"Sienna," I say, dropping my bag to the floorboard. "What’s going on?"
She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she pulls a folder from the center console and places it on my lap. "I found this," she says quietly with a trembling voice. "And I'm not sure how you're going to react to this, but you deserve to know."
I glance at the folder, then back at her. "What is it?"
She exhales shakily, her hands gripping the steering wheel again. "Just read it. I can't talk."
I flip open the folder. The faint overhead light casts a glow on the pages inside. The first document looks official enough, with the lab’s logo at the top and the participant information listed below.
I stare at the words. The weight of them presses down on my chest. "What is this? What does this mean?"
"You’re his father, Callum. Marcus lied. He forged the results. He made me believe it was him when it wasn’t."
The papers slip from my hands as her words hit me. My breath comes out in shallow huffs, and my chest tightens like I’ve forgotten how to breathe. Ollie’s mine. I’ve got a son.
"I don’t—" I start, but the words stick in my throat. My mind races, thoughts colliding in every direction. A son. I’ve got a son. My eyes fill with tears and I have a slew of contradictory emotions: surprise, excitement, anger, anxiety.
I stare at the papers on my lap, the words blurring. "I don’t even know what to say."
Sienna’s hand brushes mine, grounding me as the realization settles deeper.
"What does this even mean? For him? For us? For everything?" The questions spill out, and I don’t even know who I’m asking—her or myself.
Sienna’s voice is soft and steady. "It means you’re his father, Callum. That’s all it means. It’s big, but it’s simple. The question of how we deal with it, that I don't know."
Simple. Nothing about this feels simple.
I take a shaky breath, leaning back against the seat. The reality presses down like a weight I didn’t even know I’d been carrying. For years, I’ve been chasing music, chasing the dream, afraid of what it would mean if I failed. And now I’ve got something—someone—so much bigger than that.
A son.
My throat tightens, and I glance at her, my voice raw. "Does he know? Have you told him?"
She shakes her head, her expression softening. "Of course not. You're the first person I've told. I haven't even called the attorney. I needed you to know before we figure out where we go from here."
I nod, running a hand through my hair as the pieces start falling into place. Anger bubbles beneath the surface—not at her, but at Marcus. At the years lost, the lies that stole what should’ve been mine. Sienna and our child.
"He stole this," I say finally, my voice low and uneven. "He didn’t just lie—he took everything. He made me miss out on you and the first five years of my son’s life."
Sienna’s hand tightens on mine. Her eyes glisten with tears. "I’m so sorry, Callum. I should’ve questioned it, but I didn’t. I trusted him, and?—"
"Hey," I interrupt, my voice steadying as I look at her. "This isn’t on you. None of it. You were doing the best you could, and so was I. He’s the one who’s going to pay for this."
She nods, but her expression is still clouded. "This changes everything, doesn’t it?"
"It changes some things," I say, my voice softening. "But not the most important part. You, me, Ollie—that hasn’t changed. It’s just clearer now. And without Marcus's interference."
Her lips tremble as she presses them together, and I see the conflict in her eyes. "What do we do next? Legally, practically... emotionally?"
"I’m not going to do anything stupid," I say quickly, my voice steady. "But he needs to know that I know. And he needs to understand that his control ends here."
Her hand tightens on mine, and for a moment, the air between us feels heavy with everything we’ve lost and everything we stand to gain.
I exhale, the weight of the unknown settling heavily between us. "We figure it out. Together. One step at a time. And we start by telling Ollie the truth when the time’s right."
She nods slowly, her fingers lacing through mine. "I love you," she whispers.
"I love you, too," I say, pulling her close. "And I love him. We’ll make this work, Sienna. No matter what it takes."
"I’m scared, Callum. Not of Marcus, but of what all this means. For us. For Ollie. Is this too much for you?"
I squeeze her hand, meeting her gaze. "It means I’m all in. With you. With Ollie. No matter what. And, no, it isn't too much."
She exhales, a hint of relief breaking through her fear. "I don’t know how this will work. Your career, the travel, the media attention, everything. Finding out about a surprise baby isn't probably what your PR team had in mind."
I nod slowly. "Probably not. But it's real. Remember what you told me—that's what I have: realness."
Her lips curve into a small, hesitant smile. "Then we’ll figure it out. Together."
"Yeah," I say, pulling her close again. "We will."
Monday, April 21
Sant Ambroeus Cafe Bar
540 Park Avenue
10:10 AM
Marcus is easy to find. Too easy. I called his office and his paralegal told me where to find him.
The upscale café he’s chosen is the kind of place where he probably thinks he blends in—buttoned-up, polished, unbothered. But as I step inside, scanning the tables, my gaze locks on him instantly. He’s sitting near the window, stirring his coffee like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
I move toward him. My boots are heavy on the tiled floor and strike a stark contrast between him and me. His head lifts just as I reach the table, and for a second, his face flickers with something—confusion, maybe annoyance.
"Reid," he says, leaning back in his chair. "This is unexpected. I heard you were in town."
I don’t bother sitting down. Instead, I plant my hands on the edge of the table, leaning in just enough to make sure he knows this isn’t a friendly visit. "I'm sure you did, asshole. We need to talk."
Marcus smirks, his eyes narrowing. "I don’t think we do."
"Oh, I think we do," I say evenly, my voice low. "You know exactly why I’m here. Sienna told me everything."
His smirk falters, and his hand tightens around his coffee cup. "Everything? What are you even talking about?"
"About the paternity test," I say, my tone razor-sharp. "About how you forged it. About how you stole five years of my son’s life from me."
Marcus exhales through his nose, his expression hardening. "I don’t know what she told you, but?—"
"Don’t," I cut him off, my voice dropping lower. "Don’t even try to spin this. You lied, Marcus. You manipulated her. You stole something you had no right to take. And now, it’s over."
He sets his coffee down, his jaw tightening. "You think you’re in the clear now? That you can just swoop in and play house? It’s not that simple."
"I’m not here to play house," I say coldly. "I’m here to make sure you understand exactly what happens next. You’re done. No more threats, no more manipulations, no more trying to control Sienna or Ollie. Because if you do, I’ll make damn sure you regret it."
Marcus leans forward, his eyes flashing. "You think you scare me? You’re just some wannabe rockstar who left her behind the first chance you got. I’m the one who’s been there. I’m the one who?—"
"You’re the one who lied," I snap, my fists clenching. He looks at me with a blank stare.
"Oh, you don't know that she knows, do you?" I ask with a smirk. "You just made my day. I'm glad I get to be the one to tell you."
The silence between us is heavy, charged. Marcus glares at me with his jaw ticking but doesn't say anything at first. His original smugness has faded.
"What are you talking about? She knows what?"
The color has now completely drained from his face. He must be figuring it out in real time in front of my eyes. This is amazing.
"She found out about what you did in college. She knows you hacked her phone, changed my number, and blocked my new number. All of that is a crime, by the way. And now she knows you altered the paternity results. Fraud, more criminal acts. You're fucked, Marcus."
"You're insane. And you have no proof."
"You’re going to back off," I say evenly. "You’re going to let Sienna and Ollie move forward without you trying to interfere. Because if you don’t, I’ll take everything you’ve done and make sure it’s laid bare for everyone to see. Your career, your reputation as a law-abiding New York attorney, it’ll all burn."
His face pales, but he forces a sneer. "You think you can threaten me?"
"Try me," I say, my voice steady.
I straighten, pulling back from the table. "And one more thing—Ollie doesn’t know yet. But when he does, you don’t get to dictate how he feels about this. That’s between him and us. Stay out of it."
Marcus doesn’t respond. His silence is more telling than any words could be. I turn and walk away with my shoulders squared and extra pep in my step.