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Sixty one

ผู้เขียน: Ese Gwede
last update ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-03-30 18:22:46

~Fallon~

I should have closed the door.

I should have stepped back, said goodnight, and kept the distance we were both so good at pretending we wanted.

But then he said it.

“I care because the thought of anyone else getting that smile makes me want to break something.”

And just like that — the ground shifted.

My breath caught, my fingers tightening on the edge of the door. He stood there in the dim light of the hallway — all sharp lines and tension, his jaw tight and his eyes dark.

He looked… wrecked.

And the worst part? It was because of me.

“I—” My voice cracked. I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. “Reid…”

But I didn’t know what to say.

Because I didn’t know what this was.

The line between performance and reality had been blurring for weeks — in every glance that lingered too long, every brush of skin that felt like more than it should. And now, with his words hanging between us, that line had completely disappeared.

I should have closed the door.

But I didn’t.

He stepped for
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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty two

    ~Fallon~By the time I came down for breakfast, Reid was already gone.Of course he was.I stared at the empty coffee pot like it had personally offended me, my fingers tightening around the edge of the counter. The kitchen was spotless — too perfect, too sterile — and the air still carried the faintest trace of his cologne.It was a reminder I hadn’t asked for.And I hated how much it made my chest ache.I shouldn’t have cared.I shouldn’t have still felt the ghost of his touch — the warmth of his hands sliding into my hair, the press of his body against mine, the way his lips had devoured me like he was starving.But my skin still tingled where his fingers had gripped my waist. My mouth still burned from the kiss we weren’t supposed to have.And the worst part?He’d been the one to pull away.He kissed me like he needed me — and then walked out like it hadn’t meant a damn thing.So why did it still feel like I was the one left wanting?~~~When I finally saw him again later that aft

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-31
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty three

    ~Reid~The kiss had been a mistake.At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.It didn’t matter that I could still taste her — that my hands still remembered the shape of her waist, the softness of her skin. It didn’t matter that every time I closed my eyes, I saw the way she’d looked at me — surprised, wanting, wrecked.None of it mattered because his wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.So I did what I always did when things got too complicated. I worked.The Prescott merger was close to finalizing, and there were still a dozen things to handle before the deal went through. Financial reports. Staffing plans. Restructuring.The kind of work that demanded my full attention.That’s what I told myself, anyway.But no matter how many hours I buried myself in meetings and spreadsheets, I couldn’t outrun the distraction that was Fallon.She was everywhere.Every time I passed her in the hallway, my pulse kicked up. Every time I heard her voice drifting through the house — soft, distant, just out

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-31
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty four

    ~Fallon~“I’m just saying, if my fake husband kissed me like that and then spent a week acting like I didn’t exist, I’d burn the whole house down.”I sighed, flopping back onto my bed as Mia’s voice crackled through the phone. “Helpful.”“I’m serious, Fallon!” she huffed. “You kissed. It happened. And now he’s just… what? Pretending it didn’t?”“Pretty much.”There was a long pause. Then—“I hate him.”Despite everything, I laughed. “You don’t even know him.”“I don’t need to know him. I know you. And I know when you’re pretending you’re okay when you’re very much not okay.”The words hit harder than I wanted them to, because she was right. I wasn’t okay. Not even close.I stared at the ceiling, the ache in my chest tightening. “I don’t know how to be okay when he won’t even look at me.”The silence on the other end of the line stretched, heavy and thoughtful. Then—“Fallon.” Mia’s voice softened. “What are you afraid of?”I swallowed hard. “That it didn’t mean anything to him.”And t

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-31
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty five

    ~Reid~I saw her.The second I looked up and found Fallon standing in the doorway, my heart slammed against my ribs so hard it hurt.She wasn’t doing anything. Just standing there, her hair falling in loose waves over one shoulder, watching me with this quiet, uncertain expression — like she was waiting.For me.And that was the problem.Because I didn’t trust myself when it came to her.The light from the kitchen cast long shadows behind her, and for a moment — one dangerous, fragile moment — I let myself look. Really look.At the softness in her face. The way her lips parted just slightly, like she was on the verge of saying something. The way she felt closer than she actually was, even with the stretch of the kitchen between us.My throat went dry.Because I knew — if I didn’t stop this, if I didn’t stop her — I was going to ruin everything.So I did what I always do.I shut down.I forced my expression into cool detachment, made my face a mask, and pretended it didn’t gut me when

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-01
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty six

    ~Fallon~The Prescott estate was already buzzing with activity by the time we arrived.Golden light spilled from the house, stretching long and soft across the lawn, where perfectly arranged seating areas had been set up beneath strings of twinkling lanterns. Waitstaff moved through the crowd with trays of champagne, their uniforms crisp and their smiles polite. Laughter rose from the garden, drifting through the warm evening air, blending with the quiet hum of conversation and the soft notes of a string quartet.It was perfect.Elegant. Polished. Exactly the kind of event my parents loved.It was also the last place I wanted to be.Not with Reid beside me. Not with the silence between us still feeling like a fresh wound.“Smile,” he murmured as we stepped onto the patio. His hand settled at the small of my back — light, steady, a perfect imitation of ease. “Wouldn’t want anyone thinking we’re anything less than perfect.”My teeth ached from the force of my grin. “You’re so good at th

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-01
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty seven

    ~Fallon~I waited until after dinner.Mostly because I was trying to avoid another fight. And partly because I wanted him in a good mood — though I should’ve known better.Reid Callahan’s default setting was cool detachment, and tonight was no different.The house was quiet when I went looking for him. The kind of quiet that felt thick, like the silence between us had soaked into the walls, filling every corner with the weight of everything we weren’t saying.I found him in his study, as always. The soft glow of the desk lamp cast long shadows, and the faint sound of his pen scratching against paper filled the space. His sleeves were rolled up, his tie discarded, and he looked so effortlessly composed it made my teeth clench.It wasn’t fair — how calm he always seemed. How easy it was for him to slip into distance while I felt like I was coming apart at the seams.But I kept my voice light. Friendly.“Hey.”He glanced up, brow lifting. “Hey.”Just one word. Just one glance. But my pul

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-01
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty eight

    ~Fallon~The flashing lights were blinding.Photographers called my name from every direction, the sound of their voices blending into one chaotic blur. I kept my smile in place, my posture perfect — but inside, I was unraveling.Because I was alone.And everyone knew it.I could feel the weight of their eyes, the curiosity sharpening into speculation as the seconds ticked by. I heard the whispers, the subtle shift in energy when they realized Reid Callahan was nowhere in sight.The air was thick with questions.And I didn’t have a single answer.I’d spent all week convincing myself I didn’t care.That I didn’t need him. That his absence didn’t matter.But the second I stepped onto that carpet without him, the whispers started.“Where’s Reid?”“Trouble in paradise already?”“Guess the fairytale was too good to be true.”The words sliced through me, even when I kept my face calm and my smile steady.I posed for the cameras, angled my body just right, and answered questions with practic

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-02
  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   Sixty nine

    ~Fallon~The house was too quiet.The kind of quiet that made every sound sharper — the soft click of the front door closing behind us, the echo of my heels against the marble floor, the uneven rhythm of my breath.And then there was him.Reid walked beside me, his hand warm around mine… until I pulled away.The distance between us felt colder than it should have.I turned to face him, my heart pounding so loud I was sure he could hear it. “Why did you come tonight?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended.He didn’t answer right away. He just looked at me — his eyes dark and searching, like he was measuring his words. Like he was trying to decide how much of the truth he was willing to give.“Because I hurt you,” he said finally.The honesty in his voice caught me off guard.My throat tightened. “You did.” I hated how fragile the words sounded. “And you didn’t seem to care.”He took a breath — slow and uneven, like it cost him something. “I cared,” he said quietly. “That’s why I cam

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-02

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  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and twenty two

    ~Fallon~The moment we stepped into the event, all eyes turned to us.Flashing cameras. Murmurs that rippled through the room like a wave. The weight of a hundred socialites’ gazes assessing, whispering, speculating.I was used to this. The attention. The scrutiny. The carefully curated perfection that was expected at these high-profile events. But tonight, something felt different.Maybe it was because Reid was here with me.His presence altered the balance. He wasn’t just another attendee—he was a force. Tall, sharp, effortlessly commanding in a tailored black suit that looked like it had been crafted just for him. The air shifted around him. People either tried to impress him or feared getting in his way.And yet, despite his usual unshakable demeanor, I could tell he wasn’t entirely comfortable.“You hate these things,” I murmured as we glided through the crowd.Reid’s jaw ticked, but his hand on my lower back didn’t falter. “I tolerate them.”I smirked. “Liar. You despise them.”

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and twenty one

    ~Fallon~I knew the moment I opened my eyes that today was going to be a whirlwind.Mornings in my world were never slow. There was always something to plan, something to post, someone to respond to. The moment I reached for my phone, notifications flooded my screen—emails from my management team, campaign updates, and an invite to yet another exclusive event that I wasn’t sure I wanted to attend.I exhaled, already feeling the rush of the day creeping in, but this was the life I had built, and I loved it.Still, it was a lot. More than it used to be.A year ago, I could handle everything myself. The emails, the collaborations, the content planning—I thrived on it. But ever since my following had exploded, so had the demands. My campaigns were bigger, my schedule tighter, my inbox never-ending.Which was exactly why I now had Maya.Her hiring hadn’t been my idea.It had been Reid’s.“You can’t do everything yourself anymore,” he had said, watching me juggle three phone calls while rev

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and twenty

    ~Fallon~I wasn’t sure when I first noticed it. Maybe it was the sharp edge to Reid’s voice when his assistant mentioned Pierce Industries. Or the way his jaw tightened, the muscle there ticking, when his father casually brought up Alexander at the last family dinner.Or maybe it was how, right now, as we sat across from each other in his office, he had barely looked up from his laptop in the last thirty minutes.Something was wrong.Reid wasn’t the type to let emotions cloud his judgment—at least, not in business. He was too methodical for that. But whatever had happened between him and Alexander Pierce, it wasn’t just business.And it was getting under his skin.I closed the folder I had been pretending to read and leaned back in my chair, watching him. His office was sleek, all dark wood and glass, every detail curated for power and precision. Reid himself was no different—clad in a crisp white shirt, sleeves pushed up just enough to hint at ease, though the tightness in his should

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and nineteen

    ReidThe office buzzed with its usual efficiency—phones ringing, keyboards clacking, the steady murmur of negotiations happening behind closed doors. I thrived in this chaos. Controlled, predictable, productive. It was a far cry from the staged interviews and socialite dinners that had dominated my life lately.Here, I was in control.Or at least, I had been.Until the moment Ethan, my CFO, stepped into my office with a carefully neutral expression that immediately set me on edge.“We have a situation,” he said, shutting the door behind him.I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. “Go on.”Ethan slid a folder across my desk. “Pierce Holdings just made a bid for the Kingston project.”My fingers tightened around the folder before I even opened it.Kingston was supposed to be ours. It was one of the most sought-after commercial real estate developments of the year, and I’d spent months laying the groundwork to secure it. My team had vetted every risk, anticipated every counteroffer.

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and eighteen

    ~Fallon~The Callahans knew how to throw a dinner party.The ballroom of the Callahan estate had been transformed into a vision of understated opulence—soft golden lighting, towering floral arrangements, crystal chandeliers casting a warm glow over the sea of finely dressed guests. It was the kind of gathering where wealth wasn’t flaunted but effortlessly woven into every detail.I was used to these events. I had attended them my entire life.But this time, I was attending after a scandal that almost blew our cover as a couple. And the weight of that title settled heavily on my shoulders.Reid and I entered together, his hand resting lightly on the small of my back—a practiced gesture, perfectly executed for the benefit of the watchful eyes dissecting our every move. He looked as effortlessly put together as ever, clad in a tailored black suit, his sharp features unreadable. I, in contrast, had spent too much time choosing the perfect dress—something elegant but not too soft, somethi

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and seventeen

    ~Fallon~I should’ve known this would happen.The moment the interview aired, the internet exploded.And I mean exploded.The clip of Reid saying “Sometimes” in response to missing the past was spreading like wildfire, impossible to avoid. It was everywhere—spliced into fan edits, dissected in think pieces, slowed down, zoomed in, paired with heart-wrenching music and captions that made it impossible to ignore.At first, I told myself I wouldn’t look.Then, five minutes later, I was doom scrolling through the wreckage like an addict in withdrawal.Every single post was a fresh disaster.— @fallonandreidupdates: “THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER. THIS MAN IS IN LOVE, AND SHE HAS NO IDEA. Okay many she does. She’s his wife. Lol.”— @popculturetea: “Reid Callahan saying ‘sometimes’ when asked if he misses their past is the most devastatingly romantic thing I’ve ever witnessed.”— @obsessedwithfallon: “No, but the way Fallon looked like she forgot how to breathe when he said it??? Someone check on

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and sixteen

    ~Fallon~I wasn’t supposed to be enjoying this.The cozy atmosphere, the warm lighting, the way Reid and I had effortlessly slipped into this routine. It was too easy. Too familiar.Too dangerous.Because I knew what would happen if I let myself forget—even for a second—that this was still a game.This was our second interview this week. Another glossy, exclusive sit-down designed to steer the public narrative in our favor. Another carefully controlled conversation meant to prove that our marriage wasn’t built on smoke and mirrors.And yet, as I sat next to Reid on the plush couch of this sleek, modern studio, the bright lights illuminating us in a soft, flattering glow, I realized something unsettling.I wasn’t sure where the performance ended and where reality began.The host, a sharp-eyed woman in a perfectly tailored blazer, leaned forward, smiling like she was in on some inside joke we weren’t yet aware of.“You two have known each other for so long,” she mused. “Long before the

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and fifteen

    ~Fallon~I needed to get out of there.The moment the cameras stopped rolling, I was up, heels clicking against the marble floors of the studio hallway, my body thrumming with restless energy. I didn’t know where I was going—just that I needed to move. Away from the lights. Away from the whispers. Away from him.But Reid wasn’t making it easy.“You’re walking too fast,” he said, his voice smooth and unbothered, footsteps falling in sync with mine. “What, afraid I’ll ask for a real kiss this time?”I spun so quickly he nearly collided with me. “Don’t flatter yourself.”He smirked, the same insufferable expression I had seen a thousand times before. “You sure? Because from where I was sitting, you looked pretty into it.”My face heated. “We sold the story. That’s what matters.”He studied me, too closely, too carefully. “You always do that.”“Do what?”His gaze flicked downward, lingering just long enough for me to realize what he meant.Biting my lip.I forced myself to stop, pressing

  • Fallon’s Reid: An Arranged Contract   One hundred and fourteen

    ~Fallon~A kiss.Right here. Right now.The host’s challenge hung in the air, thick and expectant, pressing down on me like a weight I couldn’t shake.I felt Reid’s eyes on me—steady, unreadable. Waiting.The studio had gone silent. Not the usual, buzzing anticipation of an interview, but something sharper. Heavier.The kind of silence that pulls at the edges of a moment, stretching it thin, stretching it tight—Stretching it to the point of breaking.I knew what I was supposed to do.Laugh it off. Play coy. Brush past it like it was nothing.Because it was nothing.Wasn’t it?I forced my lips into something resembling a smile. “Oh?” I tilted my head, feigning amusement. “And that would be enough? A single kiss to silence the speculation?”The host’s smirk didn’t falter. “It would certainly help.”I could feel the audience watching, waiting for the moment that would either confirm or destroy every rumor floating around.And I still didn’t dare look at Reid.Because if I did—If I met

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