Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 491: Get Lost

L

Callan’s car moved smoothly down the quiet road. The lights from the mansion grew smaller in the distance until they disappeared behind them.

For several minutes, neither Callan nor Mari spoke.

Mari sat in the passenger seat with her arms folded loosely across her chest. She looked out of the window, watching the houses and streetlights pass by as she wondered what Emily and Jax might be talking about.

Callan kept his eyes on the road.

The silence was not uncomfortable, but it was heavy like they both had something to say to each other.

After a while, Mari glanced at him. “So, how are you doing?”

Callan glanced at her. “I’m fine.”

Mari frowned. “That’s a boring answer.”

His lips twitched slightly. “You asked how I was doing.”

“And I expected a better answer.”

“Such as?”

“I don’t know. A detailed response. You could tell me how life is treating you. How work is going. How things are going with Emily. If you have any problems.”

Callan chuckled softly. “That’s a lot for one question.”

Mari shrugged. “Strangers can end at ‘ I’m fine.’ But not childhood friends.”

Callan turned to her. “How are you, Mari?”

She giggled. “You really turned the question back on me?”

Callan smiled. “You asked for a detailed response. I think it is only fair that I ask you the same question.”

For a few seconds, she did not answer.

Then she let out a slow breath. “Okay. I’m doing well.”

Callan glanced at her.

Mari continued before he could say anything. “Really well, actually. I think I’m happier now than I have been in a very long time. And that is not to say I haven’t been happy. I’ve always been happy. But I’m just happier now.”

“Because of Jax,” Callan said.

Mari smiled. “Yeah. You know sometimes I still can’t believe it that I’m in a relationship. Or that I feel this way about someone.”

Callan glanced at her. “Why?”

“Because it happened so fast.” She laughed softly.

“I met him, and somehow, in such a short time, he became such a big part of my life. I didn’t plan for it. I didn’t sit down and decide that I was going to meet a man like Jax and fall in love with him. I didn’t even plan that I was going to marry someone so different from me. I always thought I’d fall for someone as crazy as I was.”

She turned towards Callan. “And now we’re thinking about marriage.”

Callan smiled. “That’s what surprises me the most. I can’t imagine you married.”

She laughed. “Neither can I. But I can definitely imagine spending the rest of my life with Jax.”

“So that’s how I am.” She pointed at him. “So back to you. How are you? Do you have any exes bothering you?”

Callan’s brows rose. “Exes?”

“Yes.”

His brows pulled together as he wondered if Emily had asked her to ask him that.

Callan was quiet for a moment, then he asked, “Are you asking me as Emily’s best friend or as my friend?”

Mari turned fully towards him. “What do you think?”

Callan gave a small shrug. “I don’t know.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Because it feels like I need to watch what I tell you.”

Mari’s brows pulled together. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you feel like you have to watch what you tell Jamal too?” Mari asked curiously.

Callan thought about it. “Not necessarily.”

Mari stared at him. “Why does it have to be different with me?”

Callan sighed. “Because you’re Emily’s best friend.”

Mari rolled her eyes. “So is Jamal.”

“Jamal is a guy.”

Mari looked at him as if he had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world. “And?”

Callan smiled. “I feel more comfortable being open to Jamal because I know he has my best interests at heart as much as he has Emily’s.”

“And who says I don’t?” Mari asked with a scowl.

“Do you?” Callan asked calmly.

“Cal, I asked you a simple question. I honestly don’t see why you are asking me this.”

Callan was quiet for a moment. “I just want to know that you remember that I am also your friend and not just Emily’s boyfriend. I don’t want to feel like I have to measure every word before I say it.”

Mari was quiet.

He glanced at her briefly before returning his eyes to the road.

“I want you to treat me the way you would treat me if we were just friends and Emily wasn’t your best friend. I don’t want to feel like anything I say to you might end up being overanalysed and discussed with Emily.”

Mari shook her head. “Callan, you’re both my friends and I have both your best interests at heart.”

He looked at her. “Really?”

“Really.” She adjusted herself in her seat. “The way I’m treating you now is the way I’ve always treated you. And it’s the way I’ll always treat you. At the end of the day, what I want is for both of you to be happy.”

Callan smiled faintly. “You make it sound like you’re our relationship manager.”

“I am.”

He laughed.

Mari smiled. “I honestly don’t see why you should be afraid of talking to me if you’re doing the right things for your relationship. You should only be worried about talking to me if you’re making the wrong decisions. And honestly, I think the same way you want me to remember that you are first my friend before you are Emily’s boyfriend, is how you should remember that you are first Emily’s friend before being her boyfriend.”

Callan nodded. “I haven’t forgotten that.”

Mari nodded. “Good. Then I see no reason why we can’t talk freely amongst us as friends. If you have a crazy ex in the picture, all you need to do is let me know and I’ll unleash all my craziness on her.”

Callan chuckled this time.

“I’m serious. Jax had a crazy one too. She even lied about being pregnant.”

Callan looked at her. “Really? How did you handle it?”

Mari shrugged. “Jax did. All I’m trying to say is that I’m invested in your relationship with Emily. I really want it to work. I’m rooting for you. So you can always talk to me. I can give you Emily’s perspective on things as a female. Jamal can’t give you that. Plus, since you’re my friend and now you’re dating my best friend, I feel if anything we should be even closer friends. Stop being so tight-lipped.”

Callan was silent for a minute. “Let me ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

“Last time you threatened to kill me if I hurt Emily again.”

“I remember. And I meant it.”

Callan laughed, shaking his head. “If Emily hurts me, would you kill her too?”

Mari stared at him for one second, then she burst out laughing.

Callan laughed too. “Will you?”

She shook her head. “If Emily hurt you, then you two would have a tie.”

Callan frowned.

“A tie?”

“Yes.”

She nodded firmly. “You hurt her before and she forgave you. So now if she hurts you, it would be your turn to forgive her.”

“What?”

“Yes.” Mari continued reasonably. “Because if you both hurt each other, then neither of you is better than the other. So, you’d forgive her, give her a second chance and move on.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Then if she hurts you again, I will definitely kill her.”

Callan burst out laughing.

Mari nodded as if she had just given a perfectly normal answer.

“Mari, you’re crazy.”

Mari smiled. “Yes. I’m very crazy about my friends.”

Callan shook his head. “That’s one way to put it.”

“I care about you guys. That’s all.”

“I can see that.”

She looked at him. “So, do you have any exes bothering you?”

Callan’s smile faded slightly. “Thankfully, I don’t.”

Mari leaned back in her seat. “That’s good to know.”

Callan turned to Mari after parking the car at the parking lot of the lounge. “Thank you, Mari.”

“What for?”

“For being a good friend to Emily, and to me.”

“Get lost,” Mari said playfully, and they both laughed as they got out of the car.