Page 145 of Falling for the Wife

Since I was buying it cash, I was hoping the closing deal wouldn’t take as long as twelve weeks. As much as I loved living with my best friend, I thought it was time to have my own place. We were advancing into that age that needed more stability in all aspects of our lives, be it in our personal or career wise.

It was a day of new things. I was exhausted, but there was still one more task I had to finish before I could go home and call it a day.

Last stop, Chelsea, Callum’s home. I needed to get some of my things, important things like my mum’s jewelry and other things that held value to me. The rest of my wardrobe I planned to have shipped back to me.

I was relieved to find his house empty. There was a big part of me thinking that Zara had moved in and had all of my things thrown out, but I was surprised that my items remained as they were, untouched.

Gathering my important baubles, it didn’t take me that long to finish up as I carefully placed them inside my purse.

“It was fun while it lasted,” I murmured into the walk-in closet that had my belongings in it. As I was walking out, I wasn’t expecting to find Callum in the bedroom, waiting.

CHAPTER62

Callum

I was rubbingthe back of my neck as I entered my bedroom, pausing when I heard noise coming out of the closets. Stella was here?

“It was fun while it lasted,” she spoke, dispirited.

Her voice tugged at me. I was sure she was feeling like I was throwing her out, but it wasn’t like that at all. I was more than confused, being pulled in all directions. There was so much to be done. Even after burying my father, there was still his company to sort out. Not to mention Zara’s clingy pleas and demands, thousands of employees worried if they still had a job, my mother’s constant blabbers and the list just kept on growing. The only person who was in my life before all this happened, was the only one who wasn’t demanding anything. It proved what a great woman she was, but at the same time, it seemed that she was willing to move on from me.

I didn’t blame her. Things between Zara and I were complicated. I wasn’t even sure where to begin. As much as I pondered about where Zara and I were heading to, the thought of saying goodbye to Stella didn’t sit well with me, either. I knew I couldn’t have both and that I had to let someone go, but I was dreading the thought of not seeing Stella again. I cared for her, I truly did.

It was fortunate that Zara was staying with her family for the time being, since they brought the subject of impropriety of staying at my house while mourning the loss of her husband, even though it hadn’t been a real one.

When Stella finally emerged from the closet, my immediate reaction to seeing her didn’t help one bit. Yes, I was undoubtedly attracted to her, but I was more drawn to the airy lightness that she easily exuded.Yeah, letting her go was going to be a battle, I sadly conceded.

“Hi.”

“Hello,” she said whilst looking like she wanted to dash out of the door and not face me at all.

“I was hoping we could talk?” I was nervous, hoping that she’d give me a chance to explain. Leaving things the way they were was not what I had intended. This was not how I pictured ending things with Stella.

Stella nodded, baring me her beautiful eyes. “If you think it’s necessary, yeah, I suppose we could.”

Where the fuck did I start with this catastrophe? I mentally went through all the crap in my brain, racking to find what the best way to deliver things without sounding crass would be, but I was rendered speechless. After my third sigh, I frowned as I glanced at her impatient looking face. “Would you mind if I take a quick shower? I’ve had a long day and a shower would do wonders for me. I hope that’s all right? If it isn’t, then it could wait until later.”

“Sure, go ahead, Cal. I’ll just wait right here.” Stella even added a sweet smile. It was too sweet, it left me unsettled, but I brushed it off as I thanked her for understanding before striding towards the bathroom and showering as quickly as possible.

In less than ten minutes, I was dressed in jeans with some strands of my hair dripping with water due to the fact that I had been in a rush and I didn’t have the time to dry it with a towel while Stella awaited my return. Alas, the woman wasn’t there.

Right then, I heard a loud slam of the front door.Did she just leave?Renewed energy buzzed throughout my body.

Striding out of the bedroom, heading downstairs, I called out to her, “Stella?”

Once I reached the front door, I peeked my head out just in time to catch a glimpse of her getting into a cab. “Blasted fucking fuck!” I screamed as I darted towards the foyer table and took hold of my keys and my wallet.

Dressed only with jeans and nothing more, I literally ran towards my car barefoot, jumped inside my silver Pagani Huayra and gunned the engine, going after her.

It was mental, truly it was, but I didn’t want to part this way with Stella. When it came to women, I was a completely pompous, callous tool… but Stella was different. “Hell, she’s my fucking wife! Of course she’s different, you soddy bastard!” I growled as I tried to catch her cab. The traffic was atrocious, but still, I could make out her head appearing in the back of the cab.

After a lot of swerving in between cars, tons of honking and yes, I almost crashed into a few cars, I made it out alive and finally caught up behind the blasted black cab at a stoplight.

Leaving the car running, I stomped towards the cab and yanked the door open. “How dare you walk out on me!” I barked at the apoplectic looking Stella.

“Kindly walk away, sir, or I might have to call the—” the driver started to fuck with me, so I laid it out quite nicely for him.

“Interrupt me one more time and you won’t like the consequences, mate.” I wasn’t to be fucked with. Today of all days, it had wrung me dry. I was past exhaustion, but I knew I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t settle this amiably with Stella.