All Chapters of The "EX" Factor : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

I sat across from Caleb in the dimly lit restaurant, rubbing my temples in an attempt to ease the dull ache that was growing there. Yes, I had come here because he had stated he wouldn't be having the "talk" at the office. My gaze swept across the opulent scene, soaking in the white tablecloths, subdued lighting, and sophisticated furnishings that oozed class. The kind of establishment where folks like me didn't usually hang out.. one that shouted "expensive" and "exclusive." The kind where you could duck into the darkness and keep your eyes out of sight. With his hands pressed together on the table, Caleb leaned forward a little and took a seat opposite me. Though his face was unreadable, it was clear from the strain in his shoulders. I squirmed in my chair uncomfortably, our awkwardness becoming worse by the moment. Since our arrival, all he had said had been the usual greetings, and now I was waiting, waiting for whatever bomb he was about to drop. “Look Sam, I know t

In order to hide the fact that her hands were dripping with sweat, Samantha quickly wiped them against her dress as Caleb led her in the direction of the huge oak doors that led to his father's home.She felt the night air was thick, and her heart was beating more loudly than it should have been. In this moment, she made her debut as Caleb's girlfriend, marking the beginning of the charade that they had both chosen to join in. While they were getting closer to the door, she nervously pulled at the hem of her dress, and her breath came out in short pulls all the while."Ready?" When Caleb spoke to her, his voice was soft, and his hand lightly touched her arm, which drew her out of her swirl of thoughts. Although he did not appear to be nervous, there was a firmness in his jaw, which was a sign that he was not as calm as he appeared to be.Through a weak smile, she mumbled, "Ready as I'll ever be," showing her readiness. It was hard for Samantha to ignore the idea that once she entere

"Okay, spill. What’s going on with you and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Complicated?"Annie’s voice reverberated from the speaker, crisp and humorous, just as I remembered it. I reclined in my chair and gazed out of my apartment's large window, a small smile tugging at my lips. Even though the London skyline was in front of me, I felt as though I was sitting across from Annie in New York, holding coffee cups. "Annie," I muttered, shaking my head as if she couldn't see me. "It's not that simple.""It's always that straightforward. "You are either into him or not." I could hear dishes clinking in the background. She was presumably in the kitchen, multitasking as usual. "And I don't need to be in the same country to know that you're definitely into him."I grumbled, twisting the phone chord between my fingers as if it could somehow bind my jumbled sentiments. "It isn't about being into him. It's more nuanced than that.""Please enlighten me, sweetheart. Because, from where I'm standing, it soun

We drove away from Caleb's father's house to a deafning silence in the car. The tension that hung heavy between us was not much eased by the engine's gentle purr. The dinner was all I could think about as I gazed out the window, seeing the dim streets of London pass by.The engagement announcement. The pressure.Caleb’s father had thrown us into the fire, and I wasn’t sure how much longer we could keep up this act.I stole a glance at Caleb, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched. Since we left, he hadn't spoken, and I could feel he was carrying a burden that he wasn't talking about. I couldn't let it go, though. Not tonight."Caleb," I said, upsetting the quiet. "What do you really want?"At first, he stayed silent. His face was unreadable in the low light, and his eyes were still on the road. My heart was racing, and I could feel a mixture of anger and dread building inside of me. I must know. He was pulling me into this mess, and I needed to know why we

Samantha was left standing by herself in the hallway as Caleb entered his office, his shoulders rigid and his mouth taut. A small feeling of fear twisted in her gut as she watched him vanish behind the closed door. She kept thinking about Monica's cold threat: *This won't end well for any of you.* Samantha's nerves hummed with anxiety as she let out a deep exhale. Was Monica merely envious, or did her comments hide something more sinister?Caleb's phone buzzed once more, more consistently, inside his office. His father's name was showing when he looked at the screen. Holding the phone close to his ear, he prepared himself and hit accept."Father," he murmured, keeping a steady tone despite the hint of annoyance.The abrupt answer, which hardly concealed the restrained rage that was underlying it, was, "Caleb. What's happening over there?"Caleb let out a breath while keeping his eyes on the window. He was certain that his father would get right to the problem without wasting any t