Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
CALEB
When Jasper called earlier that day, I was still fuming at Ariella, so I was expecting him to give me a hard time.
‘Caleb, what’s going on?’
I really didn’t want to be the one to tell Jasper but at this point it looks like I’m going to need all the help I can get.
‘Dominic locked Ariella in his house against her will, so I went over there and beat the shit out of him.’
‘Nice,’ Jasper says encouragingly.
‘Finally! Thank you! Everyone out here is running around behaving like I’m some kind of beast that needs to be locked up.’
‘I’d have done the same thing. She’s your girlfriend. That’s completely out of line.’
A sympathetic ear feels so good.
‘Then, he told Samir to get rid of her.’
‘Lara told me. He’s not even hiding the fact that he’s spitefully making her leave the country within two weeks.’
‘Wait, what?’
‘He’s given her two weeks to leave the country. How come you don’t know this?’
‘Things aren’t exactly rosy at the moment.’
‘What did you do, Caleb?’
‘Why does everyone always assume it’s me?’
‘You do have a self-destructive track record…’
‘It wasn’t me, mate! I love her, but dealing with Ariella is fucking painful. She knew that guy fancied her and still kept running to him every time he called, insisting that they were just friends. Goodness knows all the filthy things he has done to her in his mind, and would have probably done to her if I hadn’t showed up.’
‘Goodness.’
‘She’d been happily wandering into the lion’s cage for months, taking fucking private jets with it, letting it lick her face twice and calling it a big kitten. And then she stood there, proudly telling me she could have run off with him at some point. I was sick of her shit.’
‘Uh-oh. What happened?’
‘I started to say something I shouldn’t have, but MsPat stopped me. So I didn’t.’
‘Could she have filled in the blanks? What did you not say?’
‘I was going to ask her if the baby was even a consideration. She put both of them at risk.’
‘What baby?’
‘Ours. She’s pregnant. You can’t tell anyone. We’re going to figure out how to tell Dahlia and Hugh together.’
‘Ah. Hugh.’
‘Yes, Hugh. I leave all five whole pounds in my name to Ariella even though she’s the most annoying person in the world. You can be the executor. She can choose between a single note or five shiny pound coins.’
‘Congratulations, mate. You know this means we’ll be new dads around the same time? I’ll be about three months ahead.’
‘Do you know what you’re having?’
‘Twin boys.’
‘Bloody hell. If we have a girl, there will be absolutely no play dates at yours.’
Jasper laughs. ‘You sound like Hugh.’
‘Ugh, Hugh.’ I mirror his earlier comment.
‘Yes, Hugh,’ he says on cue and we both erupt with laughter.
‘So, the reason I called. This house Ariella wants.’
‘What house?’
‘Caleb. If she’s not telling you that she’s leaving in two weeks, not going back to her parents and is quietly looking for a home, she’s building a new life without you. Things are really bad. If you remember, that’s how my story ended. All you’re missing is a sticky note.’
‘Shit.’
‘Yes, shit. I’ve had a quick look. There’s a house in Richmond that fits her criteria perfectly but it’s not for rent, it’s for sale. Shall I buy it?’
‘Can I afford it? Without having to sell a major organ?’
‘It’ll mean a chunky mortgage, but yes.’
‘Buy it. Tell her she can stay for free. If she does that “I want to pay my own way” nonsense that she does, rent it to her. I’ve been returning all her rent since Jack moved in anyway so she won’t be squeezed in two places.’
‘Got you. On it. Ariella can be challenging, but please try to fix things with her if you can or you’ll regret it.’
I hang up, once again thankful that Jasper and I have somehow managed to forge a solid friendship from a relationship that saw us start as adversaries. Regardless of how I’m feeling, I hold on to his advice and commit to try. Then I hear her feet coming up the stairs. As soon as our eyes meet, I know she’s planning to turn round.
‘Please don’t leave,’ I beg as I open my arms. As soon as she steps in between them, I know we are going to be okay.
It takes a while to accept that I’m not going to be as present as I want to be for Ariella and the baby, so I spend the next few days plotting to be as involved as possible.
Ariella, since our chat, has been unusually subdued.
When the official line that she has decided to leave her role in the company to start a new chapter of her life was released, the farewell dinner, drinks and party proposals from her clients, business networks and industry associations came in thick and fast.
Lydia declined every single one at her request, but invited them all to one large drinks and casual dinner reception to say goodbye. Not only did Samir approve the budget immediately, he sent personal invitations out to everyone himself.
Trolls online didn’t disappoint. The predominant rumour was that Dominic was getting rid of her because she wouldn’t sleep with him. For once, they weren’t too far off the mark.
The team could not have planned a more fitting departure for her. The evening was short, from seven to nine. The food and drink was from the best Singapore had to offer, and she wasn’t required to speak. Samir gave a surprisingly hilarious and unexpectedly moving tribute, labelling her the quietest but most formidable battle he’d ever had to fight. Dominic said a few words, admitting that her leaving was a greater loss than any of us could imagine.
Ariella spent the entire evening having quiet conversations with everyone who wanted one, before slipping away without fanfare at half past eight. If she thought she was going to have a quiet night after that, she was mistaken. The guys turned up at our home after the party and we had our own celebration until the wee hours.
The next day, thinking things may have thawed, I request holiday days to fly out with her, but they are declined. Samir couldn’t look me in the eye when I challenged him on it. He knows it’s bullshit. So I do the next best thing.
‘Christopher,’ I say into my laptop screen.
‘Caleb. How can I help?’ He’s curt.
‘I’m about to ask you for some favours and I need you not to say no.’
‘I’m not sure you deserve any favours, Caleb. Dominic told me what you did. I’d have put up a fight for you if this wasn’t your second known incident.’
‘Did Dominic tell you he kicked out Aari’s housekeeper and held her hostage in his house?’
‘Well, not in those terms – he said he wanted to have a private conversation and there was a huge misunderstanding.’
‘There was no misunderstanding.’
‘Did he open the door when you pressed his bell?’
‘Yes, but?—’
‘It doesn’t sound like he was holding her hostage, Caleb.’
‘Chris, I need you to hear me out.’
‘I think I’ve heard?—’
‘Ariella is pregnant.’
His eyes widen. ‘That bastard got her pregnant and now he’s tossing her aside?’
‘No. The baby is mine.’
‘Caleb, I’m going to need you to start from the beginning and tell me everything.’
So I do.
‘What do you need?’ Christopher asks when I am done.
‘If I give you a couple of specific weeks every month, can you request my presence in London to help with a range of different challenges?’
‘Caleb, I’m not Harrison. I can’t manufacture enough issues for you to be in London every other week.’
‘That’s not what I meant. I’ve submitted two holiday requests already that have both been rejected. I’d like to be there at least a week a month, and for a couple of weeks minimum when the baby is due.’
‘Don’t they have paternity leave out there?’
‘I have to be a Singaporean citizen and I have to be married to Ariella by the time the baby is born for it to be enforced at a governmental level. And that’s only a shitty two weeks. I’ve looked through my employment contract too. I don’t get paternity unless we are married.’
‘Are you not thinking of marrying her then?’
‘Of course I am, but not like this. She’s not a legal get-out-of-Singapore-free card.’
‘I don’t think I have enough for once a month. Maybe once every two months? Once we know her due date, I can work towards getting you out here for a couple of weeks and find a huge problem that might require you to stay out for an extra week or two?’
‘Thanks, Chris.’ I hear my voice shake.
‘A word of advice, Caleb. Seek help. Your anger has robbed you twice. Don’t let it happen a third time, and especially not with someone who really matters.’
I know what he is saying. ‘I understand.’
‘Good. Because if you hadn’t laid into him, you’d both be coming home.’
‘No. I may have been able to come back and forth as much as I wanted, but it would have been just Aari.’
‘No. She requested both your returns. He’d agreed. Then you did what you did.’
The full impact of regret for what I did hits me. Dominic is absolutely evil for retaliating with this. I am going to make him pay.
‘Don’t, Caleb.’
‘Don’t what?’
‘Whatever you’re thinking, just don’t. Let me know when Ariella’s flight back is. I may not be able to get you out together, but I can arrange for you to follow the week after. Piers is acting up anyway and I could use your help straightening him out.’