Chapter 2
Series 1 Chapter 2
The next morning, I woke with Callum’s arm around my waist and his lips against the back of my neck.
I used to love waking up like that.
Now all I could see was the photo from last night.
Blaire wearing my earrings, lying across his chest.
I swallowed the nausea and gently pushed him away.
“Headache.”
Callum opened his eyes and reached for his phone.
The screen lit up.
The sender was saved under a single letter.
B.
Did she figure it out last night?
Callum immediately turned the screen off.
“Work,” he said.
I did not challenge him.
He got out of bed and stood in front of the mirror, tying his tie as if nothing had changed.
“By the way,” he said casually, “did you speak to Evelyn about adding my name to the apartment?”
I watched him through the mirror.
He had barely confirmed that I knew nothing, and the apartment was already the first thing on his mind.
“Not yet.”
A faint crease appeared between his brows.
“The wedding is only three weeks away. Then we have the honeymoon. If we keep putting it off, the paperwork could drag on for months.”
“Does it bother you that your name is not on the deed?”
“Of course not.”
He walked over and placed both hands on my shoulders.
“Sloane, I love you. Not your apartment.”
He said it so easily that, for half a second, I almost wondered whether everything I had seen was a nightmare.
Then his phone vibrated again.
He ignored it, but turned the screen facedown on the table.
I smiled.
“I spoke to Dad yesterday.”
Callum’s expression changed immediately.
“About what?”
“The apartment. The Porsche. And your position at the company after the wedding.”
He stopped breathing.
I let the silence stretch.
“Dad said we could handle everything once the wedding is over.”
Callum barely managed to hide his excitement.
“That makes sense.”
He quickly softened his expression, pretending he was only thinking of me.
“Once I join the company, I can take some of the pressure off you and Richard.”
“You should not have to attend every shareholder meeting or handle every document yourself.”
The comment struck me as odd, but I gave nothing away.
“We can discuss that after the wedding.”
Only then did Callum pull me into his arms.
“Thank you, Sloane.”
“I will not let you down.”
I rested my cheek against his chest and listened to his heart race.
He thought he was about to win.
That morning, I went to Evelyn Hart’s office.
Her expression hardened as she reviewed the photos and messages I had saved.
“Cancel the wedding.”
“If you end it now, he gets no apartment, no car, and no access to the company.”
“Not yet.”
Evelyn looked up.
“Why?”
“Because I do not think that is all he wants.”
I took my phone back.
“Freeze every property change and any discussion about a company position.”
“Revise the prenup. Our premarital assets remain separate, and any future gift requires written confirmation.”
Evelyn was quiet for a moment.
“Callum must understand exactly what he is signing.”
“I know.”
I wanted him to look everyone in the eye and claim he did not care about my money.
Then I wanted his greed to expose him.
As I reached the door, Evelyn spoke again.
“You are really going through with the wedding?”
“Yes.”
“If I cancel now, he only loses a fiancée.”
I tightened my hand around the door handle.
“I want him to lose what he actually came for.”
Blaire called the moment I got back to my car.
“Sloane, did I say anything strange last night?”
She sounded nervous, though she was trying hard to keep her tone light.
“You said Callum had a great body.”
The line went silent.
Then she gave an exaggerated laugh.
“Oh God. I really say anything when I drink.”
“You did.”
“You are not upset, are you?”
“Of course not.”
My voice stayed calm.
“We grew up together. Why would I ever suspect you?”
I heard her exhale.
“Good.”
After a pause, she asked, “How are things with Callum?”
“Wonderful.”
I looked at my reflection in the window.
“He said that after the wedding, we can finally start our real life together.”
Blaire was silent for two seconds.
“That is wonderful.”
Her voice had gone cold.
Callum came home early that evening with flowers and a diamond bracelet.
“After the wedding, I will give you something even better.”
I let him fasten it around my wrist.
His fingers moved carefully over the clasp.
He had fastened my jewelry for me before every important company event since we started dating.
The night of my first investor presentation, I had been shaking so badly I could not close the clasp myself.
Callum had done it for me and whispered,
“You walk into that room. I will handle everything else.”
Back then, the words had made me feel safe.
Now they sounded like a warning.
“Dad said he will arrange a formal meeting with the investment team after the honeymoon.”
Callum’s eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“Of course.”
I leaned into him.
“The apartment documents are being prepared too.”
He immediately wrapped his arms around me.
“Sloane, I love you.”
An apartment.
A Porsche.
A place inside my father’s company.
So that was the price of his love.
After dinner, Callum went into the study.
I opened the old tablet.
New messages had already synced.
Callum had written to Blaire:
She did not figure anything out.
The apartment, the car, and the company position will all be settled after the wedding.
Blaire replied:
What about me?
You promised you would leave her once you got everything.
Several minutes passed before Callum answered.
Do not contact me again before the wedding.
Do not ruin this for us.
I saved every message.
The study door opened.
I shut off the tablet and slipped back into bed.
Callum joined me a moment later, placing his arm around my waist as if nothing had happened.
In the dark, I opened my eyes.
For the first time, we both wanted the same thing.
We both needed the wedding to happen.
Callum believed it would be the day he got everything.
I knew it would be the day he began to lose it all.