“Mr. Caldwell, were you serious when you said we’d get the marriage certificate next week?” Callie Dodson’s voice was steady, but her fingers tightened around her phone.
“Of course,” came the reply from the other end, after a brief pause. “But Miss Dodson, don’t you have a boyfriend that’s deeply in love with you? Even though this is an arranged marriage, your personal relationship—”
Callie’s gaze remained fixed on the incriminating video playing on her laptop screen. Her boyfriend of eight years, Reid Matthews, entwined with another woman. Her voice grew colder. “Don’t worry. I’ll stick to the agreement. A week from now, I’ll break up with him. Sever all ties.”
——
The moment Callie ended the call, Reid walked through the door, loosening his tie as he stepped into the living room. His ears perked up at her last few words.
“What agreement? Who are you cutting ties with?” Reid leaned in, the faint scent of a woman’s perfume clinging to his clothes as he hovered close to her neck.
Callie recoiled instinctively, her brow furrowing at the unfamiliar scent. “Nothing important,” she replied, her tone indifferent. “Just work. I’m tired, Reid. I need to rest.”
Reid froze, his hand move to rest on her waist. His brows knitted together in confusion. Normally, Callie would greet him with warmth and affection, eager to cuddle and chat about her day. But tonight something was off. Unease pricked at him as he instinctively checked his appearance for anything out of place. Finding nothing amiss, he chalked it up to her workload.
“If work’s wearing you out, why not quit? Let me take care of you,” Reid offered casually.
“You will take care of me…” her voice laced with sarcasm, “like taking care of a mistress, hiding her in pension?”
Reid’s face drained of color, panic flashing in his eyes. “What? Have you heard people gossiping? It’s not what you think, I mean—”
Callie cut him off with a laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Relax, I’m just messing with you.”
Her fingers cupped his face as she studied him intently. She studied him intently, searching for any flicker of remorse, any sign that he might admit the truth. But Reid only looked back at her with wide, desperate eyes, his facade of innocence crumbling under the weight of her scrutiny. How could the man she’d loved for eight years deceive her so flawlessly?
Reid exhaled in relief, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. “You’re my world. I swear on my life, I will love you and only you. Don’t believe what people say, okay? I love you, Callie Dodson. More than anything.”
Her heart clenched painfully, but she shoved the feeling down. Love. It had been love once.
Reid used to be the kind of man who would cancel million-dollar meetings just to hold her when she had cramps. He’d orchestrate elaborate surprises for every anniversary, making her feel like the most cherished woman on earth.
He’d even gone so far as to replace all his female assistants and drivers with men, just to ease her insecurities. Back then, he would call her from business dinners if there was so much as a woman at the table, reassuring her with a transparency that had felt unshakable.
And when she’d needed a liver transplant, Reid hadn’t hesitated for a second. He’d undergone compatibility tests and given her a part of himself, quite literally.
That wasn’t just love—it was devotion.
But now? Now, all of it felt like a lie.
Callie’s faith had shattered the moment she received the message. The woman Reid had been seeing wasn’t just anyone—it was a young intern he’d been hiding for three years. Three years of deception so flawless she hadn’t seen a single crack in his façade.
For all his grand gestures, for all his claims of undying love, Reid had been leading a double life with the skill of an award-winning actor.
Callie’s gaze hardened as she locked eyes with him. “Reid,” she said slowly, her voice steady and deliberate, “if you’re lying to me, I’ll marry someone else. I will never look back and you will never have a chance to fix it.”
A flicker of unease crossed Reid’s face, but he pulled her tightly into his arms. “You know it won’t happen. I’ve talked to your parents about the proposal. What if we tie the rope, get married?
