Chapter 4

Callahan’s point of view

“Did you read the divorce papers?” My friend and lawyer, Maddox, asked as he walked into my office.

It took her a fucking week to finally decide to send the documents back.

I raised my eyebrows, wondering what he was talking about. I thought I just needed a signature, and I would file it.

“No. What is it?”

“Well, she sent them back. Changed a few things, but she’s signed,” he explained.

I furrowed my eyebrows because she wasn’t supposed to change anything.

“How much does she want?”

He took a moment before walking towards me.

“That’s the thing. She took out all clauses that would benefit her. No alimony, no financial assistance, even the one she negotiated for her sister. Everything,” He explained everything,

I grabbed the documents, and there it was, staring at me, her signature, but one clause caught my attention.

“What about this?”

“Oh, that clause, it means you do not have any claim on any child she might have,”

I frowned.

“Is she pregnant?” He asked me, and I sucked in a breath, rubbing my temples. This was a bit confusing. There’s no way she could have been pregnant after having a miscarriage a week ago.

“Well, she came and said—” I wanted to say when my phone vibrated. Why was her doctor calling me?

“Hello”

“Callahan… So nice you could pick up,” she said in that soft voice she always used with.

The woman was a close family friend, so it was always on a first-name basis.

“Hi Doc, been well?” I retorted, trying to keep my voice as low as I could.

“I’m good. Listen, I have been trying to call Orana, and her phone isn’t going through.” She started, and I frowned. That was unlike Orana; she always had her phone on her.

“Umm…let me see if I can get through.”

“Please do. She was due for a scan today, but she didn’t come through, so I got worried,” She explained, and I froze. She wasn’t lying about the baby. something twisting in my chest.

She really was pregnant.

“Oh, I didn’t realize that,” I replied, my mind already going back to that morning in the café. Did she know that morning that she was pregnant?

“Yes. Just a regular checkup, but with her history and the miscarriage, I just want to make sure everything is fine.”

her history? What the fuck was Doctor McCormick talking about? So, I decided to find out more.

“I probably should have requested that you come, the two of you. Just take care of her and don’t stress her. It’s not good for her or the baby. Especially that she lost one of the babies, which is honestly a miracle that the other one survived.” She continued, but all I could think of was the divorce papers on my desk. I just signed them off.

“Thanks, Doc,” I cut the call, and Maddox was staring at me.

“What?”

“She’s really pregnant.”

“Whoa. I thought you said that was just something she planned to…Wow. I guess that clause makes sense,” he said

My chest rose and fell as I stared at the documents, her signature staring back at me.

“I need to talk to her,” I said, trying to call her, and it went straight to Voicemail.

“Fuck!” I growled, trying to call her again, but she didn’t pick up. I know she was still living in the house cause her car was still at home.

I picked up my phone, pushing my chair, and the sound of the chair scraping against the marble floor.

“I need to find her,” I said to Maddox and made my way to the car.

“Cal, I don’t think—”

“Don’t file the papers yet,” I shouted, closing the door behind me and making my way out of the office.

The entire time I drove home, all I could think of was Dr. McCormick’s words.

‘It’s high risk,’ And I felt that tingling feeling in my chest.

Immediately I got out of the car, I was already making my way towards her library. It was a little over 1 o’clock, so she should have had her lunch and decided to read. I knew her schedule well enough/

But when I pushed the doors to her Library, nothing but empty shelves stared back at me.

“Orana?” I called, making my way to her bedroom. I knocked once, then pushed the door open.

“Orana?” I called, but there was nothing. Her bed was nicely made, and everything looked just like it was before.

I checked the bathroom, and it was empty, looking spotless like no one had been there. I let out an exasperated sigh because this was proving to be a lot of work.

Orana wasn’t someone who just did things out of the blue. Could it be she was driving?

I stepped out of the bedroom and made my way to the kitchen.

“Claire?” I called the woman who manages the house with Orana.

“Sir, anything I can help you with?” She asked, coming to the room, while wiping her hands on her towel. She has worked for me for over ten years, and I know she’s loyal to a fault. She has refused to address me by my first name, even though she is now more family.

“Can you ask my wife to call me once she’s home?” I asked, trying to give her a call again

“I’m sorry, Sir. But Mrs. Fitzgerald left five days ago.”

“What?” I raised an eyebrow.

There’s no way Orana would leave me. She had nothing to her name. She had no education and no money. She entirely depended on me.

“She took her things on Friday last week. She told me you knew about it and had told you about the envelope on your desk,” She explained, and I frowned because there was no way I didn’t notice her leave the house.

“Oh, she left that for you,” She says, picking up a dark blue present bag with a gold ribbon. “She said you would know what it is.”

“Put it in my office.” With that, I made my way out of the house, calling her number. Once again, it went straight to voicemail, her soft, a little raspy voice saying she’s busy and to leave a message.

“Orana, I don’t know what game you’re playing. But you’d better be home when I knock off,” I said, then cut the call.

She will be back. I know she will be.