Chapter 6 - Whispers in the Dark
Back in the quiet sanctuary of my newly reclaimed penthouse suite overlooking Central Park, the city lights twinkled like a constellation of distant stars.
My sister Lily walked in carrying a tray of chamomile tea and shortbread cookies, setting them down on the mahogany coffee table before sinking into the plush velvet sofa next to me.
“You went to see him?” Lily asked softly, eyeing me with a mixture of concern and lingering disbelief.
“I did,” I nodded, taking a slow sip of the warm tea. “He looks pathetic, Lily. The great Charles Calloway, reduced to a weeping old man in an orange jumpsuit.”
“Good,” Lily said fiercely, crossing her arms. “After what they did to you—after what Ryan did—they deserve every single day behind bars. Speaking of Ryan, his defense lawyer tried to reach out to Arthur this morning.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What did the rat have to say?”
“He wants to negotiate a plea deal,” Lily said, a triumphant smirk breaking across her face. “Ryan is offering an immediate, quiet divorce, full custody relinquishment, and a public statement admitting his faults—if you’ll agree to testify for a reduced sentence on his racketeering charges.”
I let out a crisp, musical laugh, shaking my head. ☁️
“Tell Arthur to send them a copy of the divorce papers with only one condition: Ryan signs away all parental rights permanently, and he legally changes his last name back to his mother’s maiden name. I refuse to let my son carry the Calloway name in shame.”
“Done,” Lily smiled, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “And how are you feeling? Any contractions? The due date is literally next week.”
As if on cue, a sharp, rolling wave of pressure tightened across my lower abdomen. I hissed softly through my teeth, gripping the edge of the sofa.
Lily’s eyes widened in instant panic. “Nessa? Was that… was that a contraction?”
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I took a deep, steadying breath as the wave crested and slowly receded. I looked down at my swollen belly, feeling a gentle, reassuring kick from inside.
“Yeah,” I whispered, a brilliant, genuine smile spreading across my face. “I think little Hunter is ready to meet his mother.”
