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Twenty four

Penulis: Ese Gwede
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-21 17:26:19

~Fallon~

The sun blazed over the endless turquoise stretch of the Bali coastline, and the waves crashed against the shore in a soothing rhythm. Warm sand clung to my skin, and the air smelled of salt and paradise. But despite the idyllic postcard moment—

I was ready to murder him.

Reid stood waist-deep in the ocean, his wet hair slicked back, muscles glinting under the sun—looking like a damn model from a luxury vacation ad. Smug, infuriating, and entirely too gorgeous for his own good.

And the reason for my impending homicide?

He was holding my bikini top hostage.

“You absolute child!” I shrieked from where I crouched in the water, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. I was so thankful I had a cropped camisole underneath. It was almost like I knew he was going to try something funny. I could not imagine him seeing me bare chested, I would shrivel and die of embarrassment.

“Give it back!” I yelled.

Reid, grinning like the devil himself, dangled the tiny piece of fabric from his fin
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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty five

    ~Fallon~The towering wrought-iron gates opened slowly, revealing the sprawling estate beyond. Reid’s new mansion loomed against the gray sky—a sleek blend of glass, stone, and impossible wealth. The perfectly manicured lawns stretched wide, and a shimmering infinity pool reflected the soft afternoon light.It was stunning.And it felt…Huge. Too huge.Like I might get swallowed whole.The car’s engine hummed into silence as Reid shifted into park, his fingers tapping the steering wheel once before turning toward me. “Welcome home.”Home.The word hit somewhere tender, somewhere I wasn’t ready to examine. My chest tightened.I didn’t answer.The front doors opened to reveal a massive foyer with marble floors and a grand staircase sweeping up to the second level. Tall windows flooded the space with natural light, and every inch of it felt perfectly curated.Which, of course, meant it didn’t feel like me.The faint scent of polished wood and something citrusy lingered in the air—probably

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty six

    ~Reid~The hum of the city filtered through the tinted windows of my office, a distant, familiar rhythm. Inside, everything was as it should be—pristine, controlled, efficient.My desk was stacked with reports. My inbox, flooded with unread emails. The world hadn’t stopped moving while I was in Bali, and now it was time to catch up.And yet I hadn’t even been back for 24 hours, and already, my mind was elsewhere.On her.On the way she had barely unpacked, the way she buried herself in editing wedding clips like her life depended on it. The way she kept avoiding something neither of us wanted to name.I clenched my jaw, pushing the thought aside.It was time to focus. I had an empire to run.By 8:00 AM, my conference room was packed. Board members. Department heads. The people who made sure Callahan Enterprises functioned while I was gone.“Let’s start with the Prescott merger,” I said, settling into my seat.One of my executives cleared his throat. “The stock has stabilized since the

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty seven

    ~Fallon~I had barely settled into the couch, a blanket draped over me, laptop open, and my editing software still loading when my phone rang.I didn’t even have to check the screen.There was only one person who would call me this early and with this much persistence.I sighed, already bracing myself, and swiped to answer. “Hi, Mom.”A delighted gasp came through the speaker. “Mi vida! Finally, you answer! I was beginning to think you forgot about me.”I rolled my eyes, amusement tugging at my lips despite my best efforts. “I was going to call—”She tsked loudly. “Mmm-hmm. You’re back from Bali, settled into your married life, and I haven’t heard a single detail. Not one.”I squeezed my eyes shut, already knowing where this was going.The Interrogation Begins“So,” she continued, her voice practically vibrating with excitement. “Tell me everything.”I sighed, shifting my laptop to the coffee table and rubbing my forehead. “About what?”A pause. Then, in her very best‘ are you serious

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty eight

    ~Fallon~The café was warm and bustling, the scent of fresh pastries and espresso filling the air. Sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting a soft glow over the rustic wooden tables. It was the kind of place Mia and I had spent countless afternoons, sipping overpriced lattes and dissecting our lives in dramatic detail.But today I was walking in as a married woman. As Mrs. Callahan.And only I knew how much of a lie that really was.Mia spotted me first, her eyes lighting up as she shot out of her chair, practically bouncing on her heels. “Finally!” she squealed, pulling me into a tight hug. “Mrs. Callahan, back from paradise!”I forced a smile. “Yep. Back.”She pulled back, gripping my shoulders. “Let me look at you. You have that ‘freshly married, just honeymooned in luxury’ glow.”I blinked. “I do?”Mia wiggled her brows. “Oh yeah. Spill everything.”I barely smothered a groan. This was going to be exhausting.The Interrogation soon began…The moment we sat down, Mia l

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty nine

    ~Fallon~Adjusting to married life should’ve been easy. Or at least that’s what I thought.I had my own room, my own bathroom, and an entire household staff to ensure that I never even had to see Reid if I didn’t want to.But somehow, despite all of that, Reid Callahan still managed to get under my skin. Because of course that was all he knew how to do.It all started on a very fine day while I was minding my own business.The first issue arose when I stepped into my luxurious en-suite bathroom one morning after a quick run around the premises and nearly slipped on a puddle of water.I gasped, grabbing the counter for balance before whipping my head toward the cause—l there was water everywhere!!!.Steam clung to the mirrors, droplets trailed across the marble floor, and the faint scent of Reid’s obnoxiously expensive cologne lingered in the air.My eyes narrowed.I stormed out, straight across the hall to his room, where I found him carrying on like he did not just wreak havoc in m

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty

    ~Fallon~The world knew me in curated snapshots.Perfectly edited videos. Carefully written captions. A seamless blend of aspirational and relatable.To my audience, I was the effortlessly stylish, cool girl next door—the one who knew the best skincare tricks, the trendiest fashion finds, and the real behind-the-scenes of luxury living.But in reality, it was a full-time job.And today, I had work to do.I woke up to the soft chime of my alarm—an aesthetically pleasing, non-jarring sound I had chosen because brand consistency mattered.Before my feet even hit the floor, I grabbed my phone, snapped a quick shot of my sunlit sheets, and typed a caption:“Slow mornings & self-care ☀️✨ What’s one thing you do to start your day right?”Engagement was key. Questions kept my followers talking.I hit the post button and stretched, already calculating my to-do list for the day.Content. Emails. Brand collaborations. Editing.And, of course, making sure my audience believed every part of it wa

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty one

    ~Reid~The boardroom at Callahan Enterprises was silent, the kind of silence that carried weight—the calm before a high-stakes battle.I leaned back in my chair, fingers steepled, surveying the executives seated around the long mahogany table. The Prescott merger had been months in the making, and now, we were at the point where every decision counted.And I didn’t lose.Not in business.Not in anything.I intended to keep it that way.Mark Kingston, my CFO, cleared his throat. “We’ve run another financial analysis. The Prescott company is stabilizing, but the long-term projections are still… questionable.”I arched a brow. “Define ‘questionable.’”Kingston hesitated. “The brand recognition is strong, and their market share is decent. But if we don’t make some aggressive restructuring moves, we’ll be inheriting dead weight.”Dead weight.I exhaled sharply, fingers drumming against the table.This was what I had anticipated—Daniel Prescott had built an empire, but he had let it run on

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty two

    ~Fallon~My phone buzzed just as I was setting up my next shoot, the familiar name flashing across the screen.Dad.I stared at it, tension coiling in my chest. I already knew this wasn’t going to be a social call.With a sigh, I picked up. “Hey, Dad.”“Fallon,” he said, his voice brisk as always. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”I winced. “I’ve been busy—”“I’m sure you have.” He cut me off like he always did. “But we have a problem.”Of course we did.I sank into the chair at my vanity. “What kind of problem?”He exhaled sharply. “Reid’s pushing through restructuring plans without consulting me. He’s sidelining my people, cutting departments without my approval—”I rubbed my temple. “Dad—”“I need you to talk to him,” he said, his voice firm. “Remind him this merger was supposed to be a partnership.”I bit back my frustration. “You know I don’t have any say in the business side of this.”“You’re his wife,” my dad snapped. “If anyone can get him to listen, it’s you.”A cold weight se

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21

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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and ten

    ~Fallon~It was already midday. I should have never checked my phone after reading the article that morning.That was my first mistake.The second was thinking I could control this.The screen glowed too bright in the darkness of my room, the notifications coming in so fast they blurred together—messages, alerts, missed calls, emails.My name was everywhere.I felt it before I saw it. That sinking, stomach-dropping sensation of something horribly wrong.I took a breath, steadied my hands, and started scrolling.News articles. Blog posts. Speculation threads.All dissecting my marriage.All questioning if Reid and I were real.At first, it was vague—whispers, theories. A few anonymous sources claiming something was off.But then I saw it.The leak.A direct quote from someone claiming to know the truth.“It’s a contract marriage. A business move. It was never about love.”My stomach flipped.My ears rang.I scrolled faster, my vision blurring as the internet did what it did best—picked

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and nine

    ReidI knew something was wrong the second my phone started vibrating at five in the morning.No one called me this early unless it was an emergency.I grabbed it off the nightstand, still half-asleep, and saw Carter’s name flashing across the screen.Not a good sign.“Yeah?” My voice was rough, low with exhaustion.Carter didn’t waste time. “We have a problem.”That woke me up.I sat up, rubbing a hand over my face. “What kind of problem?”“The kind that’s already trending.”A sharp chill ran through me. I swung my legs over the bed, already bracing myself for whatever was coming.“Check your email,” Carter said. “I forwarded the article.”I was already moving, grabbing my laptop and pulling it open. The moment my inbox loaded, my stomach dropped.EXCLUSIVE: INSIDE THE CALLAHANS’ MARRIAGE—THE CONTRACT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHINGI clicked it open, scanning fast.And that’s when the ground tilted beneath me.They knew.Not everything—but enough.The article was a full exposé, claiming Fal

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and eight

    ~Reid~I kissed her.And now, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.The warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips.The way she had melted into me, just for a second, before pulling away.The soft hitch in her breath, the lingering taste of her on my lips.I should have let it go.I should have walked away, filed it under mistakes I won’t make again, and kept my distance.But I couldn’t.Because it didn’t feel like a mistake.It felt inevitable.And that—that was the part that terrified me the most.This was the problem with pretending. I wasn’t supposed to want her.This arrangement had been clean, structured—an unshakable foundation built on logic and necessity.We were business partners wrapped in a pretty package of public appearances and carefully curated affection.And I’d been fine with that.Until I wasn’t.Because somewhere between the forced smiles and the staged moments, the lines blurred.Somewhere between fighting her and defending her, between resenting her and needing her—I

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and seven

    ~Fallon~It was just a kiss.Nothing more.Nothing less.I repeated the words in my head as I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling like it held the answers to my rapidly spiraling thoughts.A kiss meant nothing.Not when it was part of a bet.Not when it was Reid Callahan.And yet my pulse still skipped when I thought about it. He was messing with my head.The way he’d looked at me—sharp, heated, entirely too confident. The slow, deliberate way he’d closed the space between us, like he’d been waiting for an excuse. The brush of his lips—firm, steady, undeniable.It had been a game.So why the hell was I still thinking about it?I groaned, throwing an arm over my face.This was ridiculous. It was embarrassing too.I needed a distraction.Anything to pull me out of my own head before I did something stupid—like replay the moment in my mind for the hundredth time and analyze every single second.I rolled over, grabbing my phone from the nightstand.Bad idea.Because the first thing th

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and six

    ~Fallon~ The moment I lost, I knew I was in trouble. Reid didn’t gloat. He didn’t smirk, or throw out some arrogant remark. No. That would’ve been too easy. Instead, he just looked at me—calm, unreadable, with the kind of patience that sent my pulse into a full sprint. And then, in that low, even voice that always got under my skin, he said, “I believe I won.” I swallowed. “So it seems.” The air between us thickened. He leaned back against the couch, fingers tapping idly against the armrest like he had all the time in the world. “You remember what’s at stake?” Like I could forget. A kiss. Not just any kiss. A Reid Callahan kiss. And if the almost kiss from the other night was anything to go by, this was about to be a problem. For me. Because despite every warning, every reason I had to not feel things, my body had other ideas when it came to him. And now? Now, I had to face the consequences. I lifted my chin. “Fine.” Reid’s brows lifted slightl

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and five

    ~Fallon~It started as a joke.Well, technically, it started because I caught Reid answering emails again during breakfast, despite claiming he was taking the day off. And since I was no better—scrolling through my social media feed while pretending to sip my coffee—it spiraled into a full-blown challenge.“No work emails,” I declared, setting my phone down with a dramatic flourish. “And no social media.”Reid arched a brow, clearly unimpressed. “You do realize your entire career is built on social media, right?”“And your entire life is built on work,” I shot back. “Which is exactly why we need this. A full day of unplugging. No distractions, no notifications, no meetings. Just… existing like normal people.”He huffed, setting his coffee down. “And what’s in it for me?”I smirked. “If you win, you get to kiss me.”His expression didn’t change, but I felt the shift—the sharp attention in his gaze, the way his fingers drummed once against the table.“And if you win?” he asked, voice lo

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and four

    ~Fallon~I had no idea how I ended up here.Well, actually—I did.Reid had come home earlier than expected, looking ridiculously put-together despite what I knew had to be a brutal day at work. Meanwhile, I’d been lounging on the couch, wearing an oversized sweatshirt and no intention of doing anything productive when he casually dropped a question that sent my entire evening spiraling into enemy territory.“Do you play chess?”I blinked up at him. “Are you being serious?”His lips twitched. “I don’t joke about strategy, Fallon.”Of course he didn’t. I could already picture it—Reid Callahan, eleven years old, probably reading The Art of War between school exams and power plays on the playground.But I wasn’t about to let him think he had the upper hand.“Fine,” I said, stretching lazily before standing up. “But if we’re playing something, we’re making it interesting.”That’s how chess turned into a full-blown game night.And now here we were—an hour and three games deep, sitting cross

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and three

    FallonIf the press wanted a spectacle, I’d give them one.Because I wasn’t about to let some random nobody run my name through the mud and get away with it.My phone buzzed again, the screen flashing with a name I’d been ignoring for the past half hour.Mom.I exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of my nose before finally giving in and answering.“Fallon,” she said the second the call connected. “I assume you’ve seen the headlines.”“No, Mom. I just woke up and thought the entire internet was blowing up for fun.”She sighed, the exasperation practically vibrating through the phone. “I told you this would happen. People will always look for cracks in a marriage like yours. The only way to win is to ignore it.”I rolled my eyes. “That’s not winning. That’s surrendering.”“It’s strategic,” she corrected. “If you don’t acknowledge it, the story dies faster. Engaging gives it power.”I paced the room, jaw tightening. This was so like her. The constant need to present the perfect image, to

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and two

    ~Fallon~ I woke up to war. My phone was vibrating off the nightstand, the screen lighting up with notifications so fast I could barely process them. I grabbed it, groggy, scrolling through an endless flood of texts, missed calls, and push alerts. And then I saw it. “Billionaire Reid Callahan Spotted on an Intimate Dinner Date—Where Was His Wife?” My stomach dropped. The article was everywhere. Attached were pictures—Reid at a sleek, exclusive restaurant, seated across from a woman I didn’t recognize. She was gorgeous. Brunette, sophisticated, leaning in just close enough to make the photos look damning. The kind of woman the press would love to call his real match. I scrolled faster, my pulse hammering. “Reid Callahan and mystery woman share a private dinner—sources say Fallon Callahan was nowhere in sight!” “Trouble in paradise? Callahan marriage not as picture-perfect as they want you to believe.” “Who is the woman seen dining with L.A.’s most powerful billionaire?” Th

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