Chapter 26 THE TRUTH 💔

Chapter 26 THE TRUTH 💔
“Callum.” Sophia calls snapping him out of his stare at the door.
Looking away from the door, he turns back to face her and gulps. “Yes?” he questions.
Smiling, “You wanted to say something?” Sophia reminds him.
Callum gulps again blinking his eyes twice, and for some minutes he got lost in his own thoughts again. When did he stop being a business man? When did he start putting other people’s feelings first before his? When did he start caring what others thought when he had a goal to achieve? This was a business deal, and they had both signed an agreement in this regard, so why was he worried she would break away if she finds out it was a real priest. Even if she somehow finds out, he will step in as the business man he is, and he will make sure he leaves her no choice or ground to break away from the deal. He has come too far to let anything go wrong with this deal now.
“Callum!” Sophia calls again, her worry setting in again.
He snaps out of his thoughts, and offer her a smile. “Sorry about that, Sophia.”
She nods. “What had you wanted to say?” she asks him.
Shaking his head. “Nothing serious, just how extremely beautiful you are in this dress.”
Sophia smiles. “Thank you.” She says to him.
The priest and pope step forward and soon, they both exchangerings and were joined together as husband and wife.
“You may kiss the bride.” The Priest says to Callum.
Callum gulps. Somehow, in all their discussion and preparation, they had forgotten to talk about this part. They had completely forgotten to talk about this kissing part. What was he supposed to do now? Slowly, he looks up at Sophia who still had a beautiful smile on her face. He looks at her, his eyes moving to her lips behind the veil, and at that moment, he knew what he wanted to do.
He raises his hands slowly, until he was holding to both ends of the veil that covered her face. And even more slowly, he begins to pull it up, revealing her more than beautiful face to his eyes, until finally the veil was up and her face barred to him. He wraps his hands around her waist, pulling her closer to himself slowly, his eyes on hers.
“Do it.” Sophia says to him.
“What?” he questions, his brows raised.
Sophia laughs at how his shoulder tensed. “You will have to do it to convince everyone.” She tells him.
“I am sorry we forgot to talk about this.” He says to her.
She shrugs, “It happens.”
“And you do not mind? Really? You are sure it won’t bother you?” Callum asks.
Sophia scoffs. “Do you know how many actors I have kissed since I debuted in my movie career?” she asks him. “More than I can ever count in this lifetime.” A lie. She has never kissed any of the actors, ever. She always used a double for such scenes. This was going to be her first kiss, but there was no way she wasletting him know that. She was freaking out inside, but seeing him freak out too had eased hers. Plus, the entire crowd was waiting.
Ethan leans towards them from where he stood. “Shall I step forward and help you with -” The rest of his words were lost as Callum suddenly leaned in and placed his lips on Sophia’s.
All around the hall, everyone clapped and cheered. Behind Sophia, Mira screams in excitement.
It took a bell form the priest to finally get Callum to pull away, and all around the hall, many laughed. Once his lips had touched hers, he had been lost completely in the softness of her lips, finding it hard to pull away. It was not anything like what he had been expecting. His plan was to just place his lips on hers for a second or two before pulling away. But the moment their lips had touched, he knew he wanted more.
Smiling, they both turn to face the crowd, their ring hand intertwined with each other as they raise it and wave it to the crowd. They received applause and cheers.
The rest of the event happened at a reception venue Callum and Martin had picked down town. The Mergers were gone having confirmed the marriage was real, but the press were still everywhere, and by now, Callum cared little about their presence. When they had been asked to have their first couple dance, it was the best moment of the day.
With the lights dim, Callum had pulled her closer as they began to waltz across the dance floor, their hands on each other. They were still dancing when at some point, he could not resist it anymore, so he had lean in and kissed her again on the lips. When at last the reception ended and they both climbed into the car with Max heading for Callum’s home, they found themselves kissing each other again, until the vehicle came to a halt at home.
Climbing into the elevator they continued. When the elevator comes to a stop, Callum picks her up in his arms, earning widened eyes from Sophia.
“I hear it’s tradition to carry the bride into the house the first time she comes after the wedding.” Sophia laughs. “I see it in those movies you all act.”
Still laughing at his words and actions. “And everyone?” she asks.
“Just my Home Manager and a few other staff. You’ll meet them in the morning.” Callum says carrying her into the house. “I had Martin move your packed things here while we were at the reception.” He tells her, and she nods. He nods at the room in front of him. “Your things are in here, untouched and unpacked. You can choose your floor and quarters tomorrow after I give you a tour of the house.”
Smiling, “Alright, now can you please put me down?” Sophia says, eyes on him.
Smiling, he slowly puts her down in front of the room. “My room is the one down the hallway.”
She nods. “Alright.” Smiling, she opens the door to the new room and walks in.
“Sophia.” He calls just before she closes the door behind her.
“Yes?”
Running his hand through his hair, his eyes down. “Maybe we can … see, before you go to bed?” he asks looking up at her.
Smiling, she nods at him. “Alright. I’ll see you later then.” She says slowly closing the door behind her.
Giggling halfway through everything she did, Sophia gets herself out of her dress and begins to get ready for a bath. Less than an hour later, she was done and dressed in the only silk nightwear Mira had cared enough to include for her. And after one more look at the mirror, she heads out of her room and heads down the hallway. The door was open when she arrived there. Sophia raises her hand to knock on the door but stops at the words coming from inside the room.
“- of course the Pope was real, the priest too.” It was Callum’s voice.
“Does she know?” the voice over the line asks. A female voice.
“I’ll be damned if I told her so, no she does not. I didn’t tell her. The certificate is real, and so is the marriage. At least I paid her well ahead for the damn deal. She should be grateful I -” Therest of his words get lost as he turns around and finds Sophia standing right there by the open door of his room.