Chapter 22 - Callahan
My phone went off three times in quick succession, notifications from my banking app lighting up the screen one after the other.
I frowned slightly, glancing down at it before looking up at Emily and Theo.
My sister was perched on the arm of the sofa, legs elegantly crossed, while Theo leaned back in his chair as if he owned the place. I’d just finished telling them what happened with Vani that morning and how she was mad at me. Neither of them was sympathetic.
“Idiot,” Theo said. For the fifth time today.
Emily shook her head, still laughing. “I have never seen you act so tactless before.”
“I wasn’t trying to be tactless,” I muttered, though even I could hear how weak that sounded.
"I warned you that waiting would only lead to more problems, not only that you had the gall to put her in a guest room.” Theo shot back, shaking his head.
I rubbed my temple. “I thought giving her space would make things easier.”
Theo scoffed. “Women don’t marry men they want space from.”
Emily grew serious. “She moved her things into your bedroom, Cal. Your bedroom. She wasn’t exactly subtle.”
“I know,” I said quietly.
They weren’t wrong. They were actually spot on with their assessment of the situation, which made it that much harder to reflect on where I went wrong. Knowing that my lack of honesty and initiative caused such a major falling-out reminded me of how insecure I was in relationships.
I was about to ask them to pause mocking me for a bit to offer some advice when my phone started ringing. At the exact same time, my accountant, Ryan, rushed into the room, looking extremely stressed.
Ryan never showed up unannounced. That alone was enough to make me straighten. I gestured for him to take a seat while I answered the call. “Callahan speaking.”
“Mr. Sterling, this is Jackson Simmons from American Express,” the representative from my bank began, voice carefully professional.
“We’re calling regarding several high-value transactions made from your account this morning.
We also need confirmation before processing a pending three-million-dollar payment. ”
Theo slowly straightened in his chair.
Emily’s eyes widened.
Ryan made a strangled noise in the background, while I felt shock washing over me, unable to process what I’d just heard.
“Three million?” I repeated, because surely I had misheard her.
“Yes, sir.”
I knew Vani would spend a lot when I handed her my card. When she asked for my pin, I assumed she had spent around $100,000, which I was fine with. I hadn’t expected millions in a single day. I was both curious and impressed by how quickly she spent my money.
“It's fine,” I said evenly. “That’s my wife, having fun. You have my authorization to process the payment.”
There was a brief pause. “You’re confirming the transaction, sir?”
“I am.”
“Very well.”
As soon as I ended the call, Theo spoke up. “What could she have bought that cost three million dollars?”
Emily looked like she was about to start laughing again. “I don't know, but she's definitely playing her role well.”
Ryan, however, did not look amused.
“Sir,” he said carefully, already sweating. “That’s not even the largest attempted purchase.”
I stilled. “What do you mean?”
Ryan swallowed. “Your wife just tried to purchase a Barnes I could handle it, but my wife shouldn’t have to.
I had to set firm boundaries now or risk having another lunch from hell.
“I came here,” she continued, completely ignoring what I said, “because you’re behaving irrationally. You’re married to a woman who is not worthy of you.”
I inhaled slowly. “And what exactly makes her unworthy?”
She gave me a look that implied the answer was obvious. “She isn’t from our circle. She doesn’t understand our expectations. She isn’t—”
“Victoria?” I supplied dryly.
Her expression flickered. “I admit I was wrong about pushing you to reconcile with Victoria. I see now she's lacking a few key qualities of a good wife."
“Like fidelity?” I suggested.
She ignored that. “But Evania is not the solution.”
I leaned forward now, resting my elbows on the desk. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No,” I said quietly, steel threading through my voice. “You don’t.”
Her hands flattened against my desk. “We made a deal, Callahan.”
I was suddenly glad I'd made my parents sign over their shares, so she couldn't go back on her word, as she was trying to do now. I knew marrying Vani would stir up trouble, but the contract would keep her in line. It was time I reminded her of that.
“I fulfilled my end of the bargain,” I said, voice low and steady. “You wanted me to get married, and I did. It's your fault for assuming I would choose someone like Victoria. It's too late to try and control me.”
She straightened. “You think I want to control you?”
“I think you don’t know how not to.”
Her breath hitched, just slightly. “Evania will not survive this world,” she insisted. “She will embarrass you.”
I laughed once, humorless. “She handled you with more grace than most CEOs handle hostile acquisitions.”
“That’s not the point.”
“It is exactly the point. You spoke to her like she was beneath you,” I said quietly.
“She is not from our background.”
“Neither were you,” I replied evenly. "But then you married Christopher Sterling."
Her eyes flew to mine, unable to hide the hurt there.
Not many people knew she wasn't from a wealthy background, and those who did wouldn't dare say anything.
I thought keeping her secret was the right thing to do, but after years of bearing her condescending attitude, I realized I was wrong.
She needed to be reminded that she was once the very woman she was looking down on, only she was more calculated in how she trapped my father.
It was no coincidence that their marriage anniversary was only a few months shy of my birthday.
There was a brief second where I thought I got through to her, that she understood and would stop interfering in my life. But that hope died as I watched her bury her hurt with what I could only describe as determination. Why she was so determined to do the wrong thing was beyond me.
“You’re willing to risk everything for her?” she arched a brow, daring me to agree.
“I’m not risking anything,” I replied. “I’m choosing my wife.”
“You could have anyone.”
“I could,” I said calmly. “I chose her.”
“You could divorce her and choose someone better.”
Something inside me snapped. I didn’t raise my voice even though my restraint felt like it was burning through my skin. “I won’t let you ruin this for me,” I mumbled just loud enough where I knew she heard me.
“Ruin what?”
My chest tightened. The answer felt dangerous even to admit to myself. “My chance at happiness.”