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Chapter FortyFour
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The "EX" Factor Chapter FortyFive
"Okay, spill. What’s going on with you and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Complicated?"Annie’s voice reverberated from the speaker, crisp and humorous, just as I remembered it. I reclined in my chair and gazed out of my apartment's large window, a small smile tugging at my lips. Even though the London skyline was in front of me, I felt as though I was sitting across from Annie in New York, holding coffee cups. "Annie," I muttered, shaking my head as if she couldn't see me. "It's not that simple.""It's always that straightforward. "You are either into him or not." I could hear dishes clinking in the background. She was presumably in the kitchen, multitasking as usual. "And I don't need to be in the same country to know that you're definitely into him."I grumbled, twisting the phone chord between my fingers as if it could somehow bind my jumbled sentiments. "It isn't about being into him. It's more nuanced than that.""Please enlighten me, sweetheart. Because, from where I'm standing, it soun
The "EX" Factor Chapter FortySix
As we drove down the dark roads, the steady buzz of the car engine filled the room. As we reached the more remote regions where Caleb's father's house loomed, I gazed out the window, the London cityscape fading into the distance. With each mile we came closer, the knot in my stomach became tighter as my fingers drummed uncomfortably on my thigh.I mumbled, more to myself than to Caleb, "This is crazy." "This type of pressure is not what I signed up for. I never would have agreed to this nonsense in the first place if I had understood that things would get so complex."This shit?" With a crooked smile pulling at the corner of his lips, Caleb repeated, looking at me from the driver's seat. Although his hand was resting lightly on the gear shift, he was unable to hide the stress in his stance.The car slowed before I could reply, and I knew we had reached our goal. The iron gates of the magnificent estate swung wide as Caleb's car drew near.As we both took in the view of his father's
The "EX" Factor Chapter FortySeven
We drove away from Caleb's father's house to a deafning silence in the car. The tension that hung heavy between us was not much eased by the engine's gentle purr. The dinner was all I could think about as I gazed out the window, seeing the dim streets of London pass by.The engagement announcement. The pressure.Caleb’s father had thrown us into the fire, and I wasn’t sure how much longer we could keep up this act.I stole a glance at Caleb, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched. Since we left, he hadn't spoken, and I could feel he was carrying a burden that he wasn't talking about. I couldn't let it go, though. Not tonight."Caleb," I said, upsetting the quiet. "What do you really want?"At first, he stayed silent. His face was unreadable in the low light, and his eyes were still on the road. My heart was racing, and I could feel a mixture of anger and dread building inside of me. I must know. He was pulling me into this mess, and I needed to know why we
The "EX" Factor Chapter FortyEight
I tried to focus on the presentation that was due tomorrow by tapping my fingers against the keyboard. The numbers were hazy in front of my eyes, and the worry was gradually giving me a headache. I tried everything to get rid of the uneasiness that had been growing during the day, but it remained. There was something wrong, but I couldn't name it. It felt like a storm was going to hit, and the air was too heavy. I tried to ignore the faint murmur of office talk around me by forcing my gaze back to the spreadsheet. I told myself to just get through the day. The rest could wait.Everyone looked up as the office door flung open so suddenly that it banged against the wall. Monica's heels clicked loudly against the floor, and I paused, my fingers hovering above the keyboard. She strode in, commanding attention as if she owned the room, rather than simply walking in. Whispers started to spread and heads turned, but Monica's eyes were fixed on me.Monica's voice was loud enough for ever
The "EX" Factor Chapter FortyNine
Samantha was left standing by herself in the hallway as Caleb entered his office, his shoulders rigid and his mouth taut. A small feeling of fear twisted in her gut as she watched him vanish behind the closed door. She kept thinking about Monica's cold threat: *This won't end well for any of you.* Samantha's nerves hummed with anxiety as she let out a deep exhale. Was Monica merely envious, or did her comments hide something more sinister?Caleb's phone buzzed once more, more consistently, inside his office. His father's name was showing when he looked at the screen. Holding the phone close to his ear, he prepared himself and hit accept."Father," he murmured, keeping a steady tone despite the hint of annoyance.The abrupt answer, which hardly concealed the restrained rage that was underlying it, was, "Caleb. What's happening over there?"Caleb let out a breath while keeping his eyes on the window. He was certain that his father would get right to the problem without wasting any t
The "EX" Factor Chapter Fifty
Samantha could just barely make out the words on the screen as she typed. She kept thinking about how Caleb had been so still the past few days, how his face showed that he was both helpless and angry, but it didn't help her understand anything new. She hoped that something, anything, would make her believe that the beliefs they shared were important enough for him to fight for them. His silence, on the other hand, spoke loads.When she was done, she let out a frustrated groan and squeezed the bridge of her nose to fight the headache that was starting to form inside. Her phone, which was the only thing that kept her grounded in this whole situation, buzzed in the background with a new message from Annie. She read her friend's simple but positive message.. "Are you up for a talk? Want to talk to a me?"Samantha quickly replied via text message, "Yes. Yes, for sure." She was glad to hear Annie's recognizable voice when her phone rang a little while later."Sam!" Annie's voice was
The "EX" Factor Chapter FiftyOne
The letter felt heavy in my hand, as if every word I’d scrawled on it held a weight I wasn’t ready to carry. My fingers tightened around the edges, crumpling the paper slightly, but I didn’t care. This wasn’t about perfection or politeness.. it was about reclaiming my life. For once, I was choosing to walk away before the pain could fully sink in. Taking a steadying breath, I straightened my back, squared my shoulders, and pushed open Caleb’s office door without knocking.Caleb looked up, eyebrows lifting in surprise.“Sam?” He glanced at the clock on his desk, confusion written across his face. “Is something wrong?”I ignored the warmth in his voice, willing my heart to stay calm. I stepped inside, the letter practically burning my fingers. “I need to talk to you,” I said, forcing my tone to stay steady. His gaze shifted to the paper in my hand, and I saw the flicker of concern flash through his eyes. “What’s going on?” His voice softened, the gentle edge enough to make me falt
The "EX" Factor Chapter FiftyTwo
"Next in line, ma’am," a voice called, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced up to see the check-in agent waiting patiently, her friendly smile an unsettling contrast to the weight in my chest. Nodding, I rolled my suitcase forward, handing over my passport and ticket without a word. Everything felt automatic.. like I was moving through the motions while my heart lagged somewhere back in Caleb’s office, replaying those final words between us."Head to Gate 14 after security,” the agent said, her smile unwavering as she handed back my documents. “Have a safe flight to New York.""Thank you," I murmured, though my voice barely rose above a whisper. I took a deep breath, feeling the press of finality settle over me as I picked up my bag and headed toward security.The bustling airport around me buzzed with people moving with purpose, yet I felt like I was walking through quicksand, every step heavier than the last. I found myself clutching my suitcase handle tighter, grounding my
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