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Twenty one

Author: Ese Gwede
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-21 17:23:00

~Fallon~

The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting the sky in hues of blush and gold as Reid and I stepped into the grand reception tent. The soft hum of string instruments welcomed us, the air thick with the scent of roses and champagne.

Applause erupted the moment we entered, guests rising to their feet in celebration. Cameras flashed, capturing our every move.

I felt Reid’s hand on mine—firm, steady.

The perfect couple.

The perfect lie.

His touch still burned. It was going to take some getting used to especially as we would have to keep up appearances for a long time.

The applause faded as the lights dimmed, a single spotlight warming the polished dance floor. The soft notes of a familiar song floated through the air.

Reid’s voice was low beside my ear. “Ready for the show, Mrs. Callahan?”

My breath hitched at the name—a title I hadn’t quite made peace with.

But I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze with a smirk. “Lead the way, Mr. Callahan.”

His lips quirked slightly before his
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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty two

    ~Fallon~The hotel suite was breathtaking—floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the glittering city skyline, a grand canopy bed draped in soft white linen, and the faint scent of jasmine lingering in the air.It was everything a couple could want for their wedding night except I wasn’t sure I could breathe.The door clicked shut behind us, and suddenly, the room felt too quiet.I was hyper-aware of every sound—my heels clicking against the polished floors, the soft rustle of my gown, and Reid’s steady, measured footsteps just behind me.I stopped by the window, my fingers grazing the cool glass as the city lights sparkled below.Reid’s voice, low and smooth, broke the silence. “Nice view.”I swallowed. “Yeah.”I felt him near me but not touching—just close enough for his presence to heat the air.But it wasn’t the view making my chest tight. It was the weight of everything unsaid.The wedding had been exhausting—a parade of smiles, champagne, and perfectly staged momen

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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty three

    ~Fallon~The view from the villa was fantastic. We landed a couple of hours earlier and after I had taken my time to settle in, I decided it was time to enjoy my honeymoon. This was the perfect place to create content for my brand.Golden sunlight spilled over endless turquoise waters, the sound of waves lapping softly against the shore. A private infinity pool stretched from the bedroom to the edge of the terrace, blending seamlessly with the horizon. Palm trees swayed lazily in the warm breeze, and the scent of salt and frangipani filled the air.It was paradise. I almost squealed in excitement, forgetting all the sadness and gloom I felt the day before. I imagined my followers being thrilled by my travel/honeymoon blog. Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all, I mused. I stepped out with tripod in hand, ready to enjoy the sun and shoot some videos. But there he was, shirtless. It was distracting so naturally I was annoyed.Reid, in all his infuriating glory, stood on the terrace, sun

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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Twenty four

    ~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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Forty

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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty nine

    ~Fallon~The house felt too big without him.Which was ridiculous.Reid and I barely spent time together when he was home, moving around each other like polite strangers. Separate rooms, separate lives. We’d mastered the art of coexistence — the kind where you shared space but not warmth. The kind where silence was easier than words.But now that he was gone —I felt the absence everywhere.It was in the cool, empty side of the bed in his bedroom that hadn’t been touched in days. In the faint, lingering scent of his cologne on the jacket he’d left draped over the chair. In the echo of my own footsteps on the marble floors, where his used to fall in rhythm beside mine even when we were fighting — as usual.The silence wasn’t peaceful. It was deafening.I told myself not to care. But that was a lie.Work Doesn’t HelpI threw myself into work, desperate for distraction.I set up my camera in the sun-drenched bathroom, arranging products in perfect symmetry on the counter. The lighting wa

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty eight

    ~Fallon~The text came through just as I was finishing an edit—short, casual, and completely infuriating.Reid: Out of town for a few days. Don’t wait up.I stared at the screen, my fingers tightening around my phone. That was it? No conversation, no explanation—just a six-word text like I was his assistant and not his wife.The anger came first—hot and immediate. Then came the hurt, creeping in quietly behind it, unwelcome but impossible to ignore.I shouldn’t care.But I did.And I hated that.I put my phone down and tried to refocus on the article I was editing, but the words blurred together. My mind kept circling back to him, to the way he’d slipped so easily out of my life with barely a parting word. We’d never pretended this marriage was anything more than a business arrangement, but lately, the lines had gotten… fuzzy.There had been moments—soft, unexpected ones—where it felt like something real. The late-night conversations, the quiet looks across a crowded room, the way his

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty seven

    ~Reid~I should’ve known better than to agree to brunch.But my mother had called, and my father had insisted, and I’d caved—because years of experience had taught me that saying no to Evelyn Callahan only delayed the inevitable. And so here I was, seated at a too-fancy table in one of their favorite private clubs, already regretting every life choice that had led me here.The air smelled like fresh pastries and subtle wealth. Soft piano music played in the background. Everything was pristine, polished, and far too bright for a Sunday morning after the week I’d had.My mother, Evelyn Callahan, was practically glowing. “Oh, darling, married life suits you,” she said, beaming as she reached across the table to straighten my tie.I resisted the urge to sigh. “Good to know.”“And Fallon—oh, she’s just thriving,” my mom continued, her eyes sparkling. “That kiss at the gala—my heart!”My father, Charles, cleared his throat, looking like he very much wanted to be anywhere else. “Evelyn—”“Oh

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty six

    ~Fallon~I woke up to chaos. I thought it would be over that morning after I chased Reid out of my room with my pillows constantly launched at him. I went back to sleep but the buzzing of my phone dragged me out of a restless sleep, and the second my eyes cracked open, I knew it was not over. The vibrations weren’t stopping—texts, notifications, mentions—piling up faster than I could even think about responding.I squinted at the screen and blinked at the flood of alerts. The numbers kept climbing.The kiss.Our kiss.It was everywhere.The Headline were still rolling out and it was crazy. The media had gone absolutely feral.“Fallon Callahan and Reid Callahan’s Sizzling Chemistry Steals the Spotlight!”“Inside the Billionaire Romance Everyone’s Obsessed With.”“When Business Meets Passion: Reid and Fallon’s Love Story Takes Center Stage.”I swallowed hard, my thumb freezing as I scrolled through picture after picture.Reid’s hand tangled in my hair, his fingers curled at the nap

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty five

    ~Fallon~Victoria’s smile was the kind designed to make women uncomfortable. Sharp. Knowing. The kind that said she thought she knew something I didn’t.And I hated it.I hated the way it made my skin prickle, hated the smug tilt of her head and the glint of satisfaction in her eyes. But most of all, I hated the fact that she was here.Because where Victoria went, trouble always followed. I wondered why she couldn’t stay away from us.“Reid,” she purred, ignoring me entirely. “It’s been quite a while.”Her voice was smooth as silk, but there was an edge beneath it — the kind of edge that cut if you weren’t careful.“Not long enough,” I muttered under my breath.Reid’s hand on my waist tightened—a subtle warning—and my pulse fluttered at the contact. Even through the haze of irritation, I was hyperaware of the way his fingers curved around me, warm and steady. Grounding.“Victoria,” he said coolly, his face impassive. “I’m really surprised to see you here.”She batted her lashes, the p

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty four

    ~Fallon~The dress arrived first.It was delivered in a sleek black garment bag, hung carefully on the door of my closet like it belonged there. Attached was a handwritten note in Reid’s sharp, familiar scrawl:Wear this. Be ready by seven. – RNo please. No would you mind? Just an order, wrapped in expensive packaging.Because of course it was.I stared at the bag, arms crossed, suspicion curling in my stomach. “Not happening.”But the shoes came next.Delicate, strappy heels in a soft champagne gold—designer, no doubt—and absolutely gorgeous. The kind of shoes you wore when you wanted to make an entrance.I ignored them.Then came the makeup artist.At precisely five o’clock, my intercom buzzed.“Mrs Callahan? Your glam team is here.”I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Of course they are,” I muttered, already regretting every decision that had led me to this point.An hour and a half later, I stood in front of my full-length mirror. And despite every ounce of irritat

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Thirty three

    ~Fallon~I wasn’t ready for my mom’s call.Not after the fight with Reid. Not when I was still replaying every sharp word, every cold look, over and over in my head, like a film on loop I couldn’t turn off. His voice, low and cutting. My own, rising in frustration. The sting of everything we’d said—and worse, the things we hadn’t.But my phone rang anyway—her name flashing across the screen like a warning.I stared at it, my thumb hovering over the decline button. I could let it go to voicemail. I could call her back later, when I wasn’t so raw. But I knew if I didn’t answer, she’d just keep calling—and worrying.So I sighed, bracing myself before I finally picked up.“Hi, Mamá.”“Mi vida,” she said, her voice warm and familiar. But there was an edge to it—one I recognized too well. Concern, wrapped in silk. “How are you? You sound tired.”“I’m fine,” I lied, curling my legs beneath me on the couch. “Just busy.”“Busy being married to a billionaire?” she teased. “It must be so exhaust

  • 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

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