Chapter 29 Award winning act

Chapter 29 Award winning act
Sophia stood where he had left her, trying her best to calm her nerves. The man, Callum, he had ways of always riling her up and getting her body to respond to him in strange ways. She gulps. When he had pulled her closer to himself, it had felt so good, like she was meant to be there. And when he had hugged her and placed that kiss by her neck, his smell had consumed her, and she had found her feet melting, it had taken all her willpower not to fall to the floor.
Maybe this was a wrong deal to have accepted. Maybe she should not have come here this morning maybe she should have just left like she had already done. Sophia sighs, driving her hand through her hair in frustration. Putting back on a forced smile, Sophia turns around and walks back towards the sofa she had been sitting on before and takes her seat.
This morning, after she had woken up, she had made the decision to leave, and so she had left with all her unpacked belongings. Offering Martins and Mira no explanation even though they kept sending worried looks her way throughout the drive to the airport, she had sat in the car silent, her mind making calculations. She had asked them to switch off their phones the moment they had met, and even hers was off.
She had decided to leave, but the moment they arrived at the airport, somehow, her mind had changed. She had thought about how much he wanted the deal, enough to do all he was doing. And how much it meant to him. She had thought about the fact that he had paid her for their deal even before the deal was complete, just because he learned she needed the money. That money had saved her father. That money was the reason she was able to think of even going anywhere without thoughts of who would take care of her father because she was able to pay not one but for two attendants for him.
That very thought was what had changed her mind about leaving and had her asking the driver to turn around and drive her back, not home, but for his office. When she had arrived, she found the investors already waiting, with him absent. Not wanting anything to go wrong with the arrangement, she had decided to start a conversation and keep them occupied while they waitedfor him.
“We had our doubts before, Mr. Kennington, but … I believe meeting your wife here this morning has helped us clear every one of it.” one of the investors says just as they begin to rise to their feet. “Congratulations on bagging this deal, and we look forward to many more endeavors with you.” He says offering Callum a hand.
Nodding, Callum takes the hand in a shake, shaking them one after the other. He closes the investment files in front of him and turns around to meet them, leading them towards the door.
They turn to Sophia. “Happy married life, Mrs. Kennington. Enjoy your honeymoon, and please, do grant him some few minutes once in a while to at least take a look at our project.”
Sophia smiles at the speaker. “I hold no promises, but I will try.” She says to him. “Thank you for trusting us with it.” she says, offering them a slight bow of head which they return before they turn and continue heading for the door.
Callum escorts them out of his office and towards the elevator before finally parting ways with them. He waited until the door of the elevator close and started moving up before he sighs out in relief. Swiftly, he turns around, heading with speed back towards his office for Sophia. He opens the door and meets her just by the door about to leave with her clutch bag in her hand. Their hands lock just as he slowly closes the door behind him, blocking her path to it.
Sophia looks up at him and sighs. “Well, you got the deal. Congratulations to you.” She says looking away from him.
Callum gulps. “Sophia, I would like to –
“No!” Sophia says shaking her head at him. “You do not get to just apologize about this.” She says. She sighs. “If you will please excuse me, I would like to take my leave now.”
His eyes were on her reading her every movement and expression. “So you just want to leave?” he asks.
“Yes.” she answers looking anywhere else but at him.
“So you do not care about us settling the problem –
“The problem?” Sophia asks finally looking up at him with a hard stare. “The problem, Callum?” she questions. “The problem is that you lied!” she fires at him, her eyes glaring.
Callum nods. “Yes, I did. And it was -”
Sophia raises her right index up, signaling for him to be silent. Shaking her head. “I am not doing this.” She says.
“So what? We just go ahead and pretend nothing has gone wrong?” Callum asks.
“Is that not what we are already doing? Pretending that all is well? Pretending so you can get the deal? And now you have it, I at least returned back here this morning to ensure that I upheld my side of a fraudulent deal even though it is the last thing I wanted to do.” Sophia says.
“Yes. I have seen what a great actress you are. No wonder you have won Oscars for your acts. You could even deceive god himself and he wouldn’t know.” Callum throws at her, walking away from the door and towards his desk.
She turns to face him, her arms crossed. “Yes, and I am at least glad you recognize such a great talent. After all, you have paid me handsomely for it, and I am trying my best not to be a disappointment.” Sophia says.
“Oh, you are not. You definitely live up to the title.” He snaps, turning around to face her. “Award winning actress.”
“Isn’t that why you picked me for the job, why I was the perfect fit.” She throws at him. And then she sighs. “And now that we are done, I would like to take my leave.”
His eyes widen a fraction before he schools his expression. “Leave? For where?” he asks.
“Anywhere I want.” Sophia says, her eyes on him.
“Need I remind you that we are married?” He states.
“Yes, I know that all too well, especially now that you have gone ahead and made the damn ruse real.” Sophia says. “But that does not change what it is, a ruse.”
“Sophia -” he attempts to take steps towards her, but he stops when he sees her take steps backward.
Her eyes were on him. “Everyone knows we should be on honeymoon. I can wait for you to be done with whatever you have to do in the office today, and once you are done, we can head for the airport together where you can take a plane to wherever you want and I can do the same. That way, we both can have our peace till whenever we do have to come back.”
Callum gulps as he watches her speak. She had already fixed up a damn plan for it. She has already figured out a way to play things out. He supposed he should be glad for this, this is how the plan was supposed to go. But … for some reason, he did not want it this way. Callum sighs. “We do not need to use the ticket we got. We can use my private plane.” He tells her.
“Good enough then.” Sophia says to him. “I will follow you to your private plane and have them believe we are leaving together, after which I will leave in disguise and head for the plane station to take another flight.”
“Are you going to where we planned to use for the honeymoon?” he asks.
“No. I will go somewhere else.” Sophia tells him.
He gulps. “Will you at least tell me where?” he asks, his eyes taking her in.
Sophia shakes her head. “They will be no need for that.” she says.