This chapter is dedicated to all Writers who lost their lives in the course of writing their books. You will always be remembered for good.Keep resting in peace, Heroes."Mr Barlowe, do you have any contribution before we round off the meeting?" Rosa asked, glancing towards the direction her boss was seated. He had been blank since the beginning of the meeting, he hardly heard a word they said.Callan stared back at her, stunned. He shook his head and the corner of his lips twitched in a small smile. "That will be all for now."Rosa and the board members exchanged ungratified glares, that shouldn't be all. He hadn't even said anything since the inception of the meeting and there he was, telling them that would be all for now.She knew something was wrong with her Boss, but she didn't know what it was. He had been like that for days now—lost in his thoughts, contributing less to the discussions she had with him, staring into space whenever she talked to him."But sir, you haven't spo
"Your wife is fine, Mr Barlowe." The Doctor said clearly without an ounce of doubt in his voice.Callan was relieved. Thank God he had that discussion with Rosa, thank God the thoughts of seeing Orla crossed his mind, thank God he hurried home to see his wife, thank God he didn't hold back. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if he was later."What happened to her?" Callan asked the Doctor."Fatigue, an extreme case of fatigue." The Doctor adjusted his glasses so that they sat at the bridge of his crooked nose. "What has she been up to that got her so exhausted?"Callan sighed. It was fine that it was just fatigue, maybe not just, but it was something curable. He guiltily stared at the Doctor and shook his head painfully. "Nothing, she's not been doing a lot. Except that, she's been brooding over her dead cat.""Her dead cat?" "That used to be her best friend," Callan interjected, massaging his fingers against his chin. He was stressed and it was just a matter of t
The house scented the same as it did before she left. Minty, woody and manly. Orla had never had plans to remake the fragrances, but now it occurred to her to probably add something feminine to compliment the strong manly scent that subjugated the whole house."We are back." Callan proclaimed, lowering her hospital bag on the divan close to the spot Orla stood. Her eyes prowled the living room, nothing had changed. It'd been two days and she found it weird that she wanted something to change.He smiled at her, but she returned a scowl. Her dingy countenance disturbed Callan. He overlooked it and smiled again, "Here, sit." He pointed his hand at the couch close to her.She hesitated before finally settling down. She took another cursory look around the room, a billow of irritation assailing her chest. She was so easy to forgive him. It shouldn't be so."What now?" She begrudgingly asked."We are home." His long arms drew a descriptive circle, showing the house to Orla."I know that."
A lulling languor infused Orla immediately after she was done showering.Her feet suddenly stiffened causing difficulties to her mobility. She managed to haul herself to the bedside and flopped on top with the towel still draped around her chest.She was peckish, but her eyes were barely opened. She rested her head on one of the many pillows arranged on the king-sized bed. The bed was cozy and the bedsheets, silky, inclining her to stoop to its mastery. Slowly, her eyes began to shut until they eventually closed and she drifted into a deep slumber.When Orla didn't show up after a while, Callan decided to check on her. He got inside and found her peacefully sleeping on the bed.Ambling closer to where she lay, he grabbed the duvet and flattened it over her body. He then proceeded to watch her for a few minutes before retreating to the kitchen.He was still cooking, hoping that she'd wake up before he was done. Cooking was not a problem for him, but he had little to no time to spend i
Callan strove to dissemble his edginess as he stood in front of Orla with a tray in his hands. He had chosen to prepare scrambled eggs and sablefish in hopes that she would love them. He was certain of the fact that she must have eaten scrambled eggs a couple of times, but he knew for a fact that she had never had something as good as his and the mixture he just thought up. Orla was enthusiastically positioned on the dining chair, one of her eyes ceaselessly studying Callan. She could detect that he was keyed up and she smiled slyly. Callan could never be tensed up, maybe she was imagining things. But then it was obvious from how his shoulders toughened whenever Orla looked down at the food, the small smile that followed after he looked at her. They all read nervousness. Something within her urged her to trust Callan's cooking dexterity. She smiled again, keying into whatever that was. "You should sit too." She said, motioning to the chair opposite the one she was seated on. Call
"So, what do you want then?" She whispered."What do you think I want from you?" He continued with his food, and Orla briefly looked at him."I don't know what you want, Callan." She was getting tense and was almost out of words."Kind payments are allowed. Kisses and orgasms." He blurted out and this time, Orla choked on her food. "Are you good?" He handed her water. She snatched the glass from him and downed the content at a go.When Orla glared at him, he threw his head backwards and burst into laughter. "Really? Kisses and orgasms?" "Better payments than cash, don't you think?" He smirked, still laughing."Huh, I will think about it." She shifted uncomfortably on the chair, eyes on everything in the dining aside from Callan. After observing everything, out of the blue, she asked. "Why don't you have a maid here?""A maid?" He smiled, "I don't think I need one." He said thoughtfully."You didn't think you needed one before we got married?" Her plate was almost empty now. Callan w
A month had swiftly passed. A whole month without abhorrence towards Orla, a month of tranquil cohabitation.The amity between Orla and Callan remained unaffected. Instead, it grew better and stronger with each day that passed by.The truth of it was that it was Unexpectedly sweet and still unbelievable to Orla. Callan had transformed into the sweetest human she'd ever met in her entire lifetime. He was so sweet sometimes she feared he would turn stale if she tasted more of his sweetness.She was cuddled up in his arms on the bed. They both were asleep after spending the night watching a family soap opera but Orla was stirring in her sleep and Callan was yet to notice that.The nightmares were back after months. It was funny how she always thought she was over them whenever they didn't occur for months."Orla, you do not deserve happiness." The same little girl that always appeared in her dreams asserted in a low voice. Her bleary eyes were swollen and she desperately scratched them.
Callan halted, conscientiously drawing out his lips from hers. He heard her right, but at that instant, he felt the need to eyeball her and study her visage to be sure that she wasn't joking."I want you." She repeated, her cheeks heating up with lecherous temerity.Silently, her eyes called for him, every part of her body yearned for his touch. He studied her face longer than he should. Her shoulders tensed as they ogled each other and Callan vividly spotted the desperation in her innocent eyes. She did want him, so badly."I don't think you do." He chose that moment to tease her.Orla kissed her teeth, glaring down at Callan. The corner of his lips had twitched into a nasty smirk. She grabbed it, he must be fucking with her.She delayed her response because nothing seemed to come to her as she directed her eyes back at her husband. Twenty seconds later, they were still staring at each other. She was lost for words and Callan took pleasure in watching her search for the words to s
Arnold Sullivan brought his car to a halt as soon as he arrived at the grand Barlowe mansion. He lingered in the driver's seat, his fingers tapping nervously on the steering wheel, his mind drifting back to the days before Orla's misfortunes began. Orla had been a sweetheart, always cheerful and kind-hearted, and he had loved her and Isla deeply. Arnold replayed countless memories, trying to pinpoint the moment when everything changed, when his trust faltered, and he was quick to judge Orla without giving her a fair chance. The weight of guilt bore down on him like a heavy cloak; he had wronged her in ways that gnawed at his conscience.And he wasn’t certain there would be a chance for reconciliation. Orla allowed him to be close to his grandchildren, but she didn’t give him the chance to be close to her again.He was still lost in thought when he spotted the nanny approaching with the twins. They wiggled their heads, clearly excited to see what he had brought for them. Arnold smiled
"Oh, this is amazing. So amazing. Never thought I would be doing this today." Callan's smile widened, his eyes drifting over the eager crowd, their faces alight with anticipation as they awaited the announcement. The buzz of their excitement filled the air, amplifying the significance of the moment. Callan's heart pounded with pride and love as he stepped forward, the spotlight warm on his face."The award for the architect with the most outstanding design this year goes to the woman of my dreams," he began, his voice strong and clear. "The woman who made me believe in love, my woman, the essence of my life." He paused, savoring the crescendo of emotions surging through him. "Orla Barlowe, my wife, the beautiful mother of our beautiful children.”The crowd erupted into applause, the sound like a wave crashing over him. Callan's gaze found Orla, standing at the edge of the stage, her eyes shining with disbelief and joy. "Please, let’s give her a round of applause as she rocks the sta
Four years later,“Isla and Leor, you two need to stay put. Daddy will be here soon," Isla cautioned her rambunctious twins. They had been darting around the hall ever since they arrived at the event that evening. A pang of regret almost hit her for bringing them along, but with their nanny having left two days ago, she had no other choice. "Please, you two, listen to me," she pleaded, her voice rising as she saw Isla making a beeline for the podium again. Isla, the more mischievous of the twins, was always leading her brother into some new escapade."Mommy, I want the shimmers," Isla insisted, crossing her arms and sitting beside her mother, tears glistening in her large hazel eyes. An idea suddenly brightened her expression, and she hastily wiped away her tears. "Daddy will get it for me. I'll tell Daddy to get me the shimmers," she declared, a broad smile spreading across her face as she swung her legs excitedly against the chair.“Me too, I want the shimmers.” Leor chirped in with
The tears that welled up in his eyes cascaded down his cheeks before he realized it. Callan had been gazing at Orla for five minutes, and he had yet to decide on what to do.Her radiant smile, the soft cries of their newborn twins—one embraced by the doctor, the other nestled protectively in Orla's grip, like she didn't want to ever let go—softened his heart.Orla looked at him, her smile inciting him to come forward, and without hesitation, he stepped closer."Congratulations, Mr. Barlowe," the doctor beamed, passing the baby into his waiting arms. "He looks so much like you, and the girl too.""They are so cute, but it's so sad they look exactly like you after ten months of carrying them," Orla remarked, her gaze fixed on her baby girl. "She's so cute."Callan sat next to her, his baby in his hand. "They are so beautiful. So beautiful I don't know what to say now."Orla noticed tears welling in his eyes for the second time that day. She had shed her tears upon seeing their twins for
The portable garden, the flowers, and the blue and pink wall decorations were all aesthetically giving a vibe. Gender reveals vibes. Orla scowled. They agreed not to do a gender reveal for their twins, but it seemed like Callan had deceived her. "Callan," she whispered, clutching his hands. She recognized a few people as she walked down with her husband. Rosa was present, it'd been a while since she saw her. Liam was there too, his arms wrapped around Rosa's waist. Orla smiled, wondering if they were a thing. Elizabeth was there, she had made up with Callan and Orla, and she'd been the best mother-in-law to her. Her sisters who weren't in jail were present, but Orla chose to keep to herself. She still didn't understand what was going on. The sheepish smile on Callan's face made it very impossible for her to even guess what was going on around her. "Callan, what's happening here?" She asked, but he didn't give a response. He was satisfied that he was able to bring her out of the ho
They were on the news again.Their pretty faces were displayed on the hundred inch Laser TV in the living room.Orla watched her helpless sisters, all in cuffs.They were on the news as always, but this time, it was for something inimical. She watched them with bleary eyes, wishing they had never trodden that path that almost crumbled her life for years.Now, they were everywhere, wallowing in shame as lights from a hundred cameras flashed on their faces, capturing them to display to the world that they killed their sister and mother.Three Daughters of Arnold Sullivan Are Murderers. The news headline was displeasing, not anything that Arnold would ever be proud of. All he had worked for all his life was about to collapse because of the scandal. But he started it, he charged them to court. He must have thought of it and was ready to lose everything before thinking that sending his daughters to jail was the best decision to make."What's the final judgment?" Orla asked Callan. She ha
Five Months LaterEmotionally, things had gotten a lot better with Orla. Though she was still trying to let her mind off the pain her family had caused her, she didn't let her feelings override her anymore.She hadn't forgiven her sisters, especially now that Arnold had decided to sue the three sisters who were involved in the death cases.She had no idea why he was doing that now, but no matter what he did, she knew things would never be right between them. She had ignored several calls for him to see her. There was no point in doing that after all these years. He made it clear to her that he'd forever hate her, Orla wanted it that way—for him to forever loathe her. There was no point in patching things up because there were no pieces to pick up. He had shattered everything a long time ago.She was dabbing her face with the small foam, getting ready for the visit to the hospital that morning.Her baby bump was already visible now, and she and Callan had to get acquainted with some n
When they settled in the car, Orla burst into intractable loud sobs. "How can anyone be so wicked, Callan? How can Mia be so wicked?"For a minute, Callan got drowned in the sea of thoughts. He wondered what would have happened if he had listened to his mother, and chose Mia that day they visited Arnold Sullivan's mansion. This day would never come up, Orla would never be vindicated, she would still live in distress, and he just knew he would never love Mia as much as he loved Orla.Relief washed through him for his choice. No one would have been better."How do you feel?" He asked her, taking her hands in his. A habit he was now used to and didn't want to ever stop."I don't know what and how to feel, Callan. I don't want to be a part of that family anymore." She shook her head, dejected. "They made me believe I was a murderer all along. How could they be so wicked to gaslight a young girl into believing that she killed her sister? Just how?""Don't get yourself worked up. I have al
Sophia's eyes roved the living room until they finally settled on Orla. "Dad," her voice cracked. "Speak up, Sophia!" Arnold ordered, his tone brusque. "Mia did," she glimpsed the tremor that smacked everyone, and she wasn't too surprised. She anticipated that. "Mia was the only one with Isla that afternoon, and she was the one who told us to change the narrative." Arnold scoffed, "Nonsense," Orla soldered where she was seated. She knew Mia hated her so much, but she never thought that she would do something like that. "Sick! You're Insane, Sophia! What evidence do you have against me? How dare you accuse me of killing my sister?" Mia flared up, her eyes simmering with rage. She rushed towards Sophia ready to hit her, but Emma went after her, dissuading her. "I was there too. I am the evidence that we all need, Mia. I was there with Sophia that day, you cajoled us into lying about the whole thing, and we did because we wanted to obey you. Their other sisters remained in their s