Page 109 of Falling for the Wife

Calling him would not be enough. Maybe I should stop by at his home and what? Talk… about how awkward it was this afternoon?

I sighed, dejected as I shook my head, retreating back into my office.

No. I should let bygones be bygones and have fun at Alec’s party.

CHAPTER45

Stella

Luciana decidedto skip dinner tonight and went on a date instead, promising to meet me at the party later on. When I tried to argue that she needed to talk to Mark about her feelings, she gave me the evil eye. “I’m not ready for that. He’s going to be all over the woman he’s dating. You know, the one he’s been yapping about non-stop? So, why the hell should I pull him aside and talk about my feelings when he’s pretty much over it?”

Why was she being difficult? I groaned, wanting to hug and shake her good. “You won’t know until you’ve done it. Why don’t you want to risk it, Lu? Mark’s worth it.”

“I’m just… I don’t know,okay?No more about him for tonight. I can’t take it anymore.”

I nodded, understanding her situation. It was obvious that she feared Mark’s rejection. “If you say so. You’re the boss.”

Luciana flung herself through the air and hugged me. “And you’re the best!”

Almost an hour later, I was on my way to meet them for dinner in Notting Hill when I found myself telling the driver to change route and head towards Callum’s house in Chelsea.

It was drastic and unplanned… but I couldn’t get him out of my head. If I had to go on all night long wondering if he had dropped by my office because he might have wanted to ask again about his proposal, I couldn’t get past it.

You see, had he asked, I would’ve saidyes, right then and there.

I was now standing on his doorstep, buzzing on the doorbell. It had been three years since I had been in his home. I had stayed in a hotel suite before I went into finishing school, but I remembered his home fairly well.

Half expecting to find Callum opening the door, I was relieved to find Nancy, his housekeeper who had been working for him for over a decade, greeted me with a toothy grin. “Miss Stella, lovely to see you again. You promised to visit me, yeah? But not once did you come and share teatime with me.” She gathered me into her warm embrace and patted my back, hard, before she took hold of my hands and admired me from head to foot. “You’ve grown into a fine young lady, Miss Stella. Now, how many hearts have your broken since I saw you last?”

Dear me. I grinned at Nancy. “You’re still as lovely as ever. I promise to drop by often.” I cleared my throat. “Is Callum home? I wanted to speak to him.”

Nancy snorted, grinning wickedly. “Boss is a tad busy, love, but you can wait in his study. He always hides in there after.” She closed the door behind me. “Let me show you the way.”

“It’s all right, Nancy. I know where it is, there’s no need to trouble you,” I offered, knowing that Nancy was going to retire for the night. She always left after dinner, she told me herself years ago. “You have a goodnight.”

“You, too, love. I’ll see you soon, yeah?” She hugged me again and then left me in the foyer.

Nancy knew the story behind Callum and I. She probably thought I was here about my funds or something related to my estate.

Nervous and jumpy, I strolled towards his study while I took in the paintings and my surroundings with newfound interest. His study was situated on the left wing, facing the gardens. I was about to turn left and head straight, but something halted my step.

My stomach recoiled.

My body tightened.

My heart thumped.

Eyes alert as they took in everything, moving towards the god-awful noise I had just heard. It was a faint sound.

So faint, in fact, that I wouldn’t have heard it if the house hadn’t been all that silent, but it was and I had heard it. It was a woman moaningCallum.

I was a glutton for punishment since I already knew what was going on, but something inside me needed reaffirmation, the need to see it—hear it again—was too much to even consider walking away. I needed evidence to convince me that it was truly happening.

A crashing sound came from the formal dining room as I slowly walked towards it.

The moans were getting louder now.

I bit into my bottom lip when I heard a familiar grunt. The grunt was an indication that he was about to finish.