Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 376: One Year

Emily didn’t remember falling asleep. One moment, she was chatting with Callan, her fingers loosely tangled with his. The next, she was drifting, her body sinking into the plush seat, her thoughts slowing until there was nothing at all.

Callan noticed when her breathing changed. It became slow, even, and peaceful.

He shifted carefully so he wouldn’t wake her, easing his hand free and resting it on his thigh. Then he turned his body slightly towards her and just watched.

Her lashes rested against her cheeks, long and dark. Her lips were parted just a little, soft, relaxed. A strand of hair had slipped free and brushed her face. She looked softer and younger when she slept.

He studied her face the way one studies something precious.

For a moment, his chest tightened. ’This,’ he thought. ’This is what I want.’

He imagined mornings like this. Waking up and seeing her beside him on his bed. Seeing her before the world got to her. Before the smiles became polite and the thoughts guarded. Just Emily. Sleep and real.

A small smile tugged at his lips at the thought. He didn’t realise he’d been staring at her for a long time until she shifted suddenly and frowned.

Her brows pulled together as if she sensed his gaze. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened slowly, revealing her beautiful grey eyes.

The first thing she saw was him. Staring at her with a grin.

She blinked. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Callan didn’t look away. "Good morning."

She pushed herself up a little, suddenly aware of herself. "How long have you been staring?"

He tilted his head, pretending to think. "Long enough to see you drool."

Her eyes widened instantly. "What? I don’t drool!

He laughed quietly. "Well, that’s not what I saw."

She gasped and immediately lifted a hand to her mouth, wiping her lips and then her chin, checking just in case.

Callan burst out laughing. "See? You didn’t even believe yourself. I’m just kidding."

"I know I do not drool," she muttered, cheeks pink.

"Mm," he hummed teasingly. "Sure."

She glared at him, then shook her head and sighed. "You’re so annoying."

"But I know you love me," he said smugly.

"Unfortunately so," she murmured as she looked away, still embarrassed.

"Want to know what I was thinking as I watched you sleep?"

That made her pause. She looked back at him. "What?"

He smiled softly. "You look so beautiful and peaceful when you sleep," he said, no teasing now. "I could watch you all day and not get tired. I was imagining waking up beside you every morning. It’d be such a lifetime pleasure."

Her heart fluttered. She blushed deeply and looked away again. "I hope you’re not expecting me to move into your room when we get to Husla."

Callan chuckled at that. "I wasn’t talking about now."

She glanced at him again. "You weren’t talking about now? So you do not expect me to sleep in your room when we get to Husla?"

Again he laughed. "That’s your call. Totally. But I was referring to when we get married," he said calmly. "For now, I’d be more than happy just seeing you every morning before I leave for work. Having breakfast together. Dropping you off at the office if you’d let me."

Her heart did a small, foolish flip. "Well, I could spend the night with you sometimes. I’ve been told my presence chases away nightmares," she joked, then frowned. "What about your nightmares?"

He shrugged lightly. "I haven’t had them in a while."

Her eyes searched his face. "Really? What about the sleeping pills?"

"I stopped taking the sleeping pills too. I’ve been sleeping well since I got home," he said, then tapped his temple gently. "I feel better up here. Clearer."

She sat up straighter. "That’s good to know. I was planning to spend the first week with you after we get back to confirm that you’re okay, but since you’re fine, I guess I don’t have to worry."

Callan slapped his forehead. "Now that I think about it, I’m not okay. I had a nightmare yesterday. I only said this so you wouldn’t worry about me," he lied, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Oh, really?" She asked with mock seriousness.

"Really."

Emily giggled. "I guess I’ll have to spend a week with you to be sure then."

"I guess you have to. The thought of that makes me feel so safe," Callan said with a sweet smile.

Emily laughed. "I figured it would." Her gaze drifted past him, then back again. "By the way, I noticed you still have the unicorn."

He chuckled. "Of course I do. That was a gift from you. It’s special to me."

She hesitated. "I was wondering..."

"What?"

"Has it always been right there beside your bed? I mean, I can only imagine how much it must have witnessed. Didn’t you feel guilty each time you looked at it whenever you brought a girl over?"

He winced and shut his eyes. "I can’t believe that crossed your mind."

She shrugged. "My brain thinks these things."

"Well," he said lightly, "for what it’s worth, I do not take any girl to my bedroom."

She nodded slowly, satisfied. "That’s a relief. I was going to ask that we change your mattress so I don’t have to think up things whenever I sleep on it." She paused and then frowned. "If you don’t take them into your room, then where do you take them to? My room?" She asked with wide eyes.

Callan looked at her quietly. "This discussion is so weird. I don’t think we should be having it. But to answer your question, no. Your room and bed are strictly for family. Please can you not worry your head about any of that?"

Emily shrugged then sighed. "I can’t help it."

Just then, the air hostess approached with a warm smile and set a small table in front of them. Plates of food were placed carefully, along with cutlery and drinks.

Callan was relieved when Emily started eating and didn’t continue with the topic anymore after the air hostess left.

As they ate, Callan studied her thoughtfully. "Can I ask you something?"

She nodded as she looked up at him. "Sure."

"What can I do to make it up to you? What do you want from this relationship to make it worth the wait? What are your expectations?"

She paused. "I thought you had just one question," she teased.

"It’s one question," he said, not smiling though he knew she was joking.

"Why are you asking?"

He leaned back slightly. "I figure now that we are together, you’d have some expectations. I want to hear them. I read somewhere that unspoken expectations are one of the biggest reasons relationships fail."

She raised an eyebrow. "You read that?"

"Yes."

She smiled in disbelief. "I didn’t know you read things like that."

"There’s a lot you don’t know about me," he said quietly. "But you will."

Her smile became sad. "It’s ironic. I’ve known you most of my life, yet I don’t really know you. But you know me. Does that make sense?"

"All of that is going to change," he promised.

She thought for a moment. "Well, one of my biggest expectations would be that I want you to be vulnerable with me."

He nodded. "In what way?"

"I want you to talk. To let me in. Even when it’s uncomfortable. The reason all of this happened between us the way it did was because you didn’t want to be vulnerable. You were keeping so much to yourself. I want you to talk to me about everything. Be honest. And I want you to be attentive to me. I don’t want any of your past girlfriends in my face. Put a clean end to whatever you have with them so that what happened the last time wouldn’t repeat itself. And I want you to be more expressive of your feelings, too."

Callan thought about it for a moment then nodded. "I can do that," he said. "I’ll try."

After they finished eating, she pulled out her laptop. "How about we see a movie?"

He smiled. "Let me guess, one of your sappy K-dramas?"

"Of course," she said, making him chuckle as she put it on.

Halfway through, Emily stopped watching. Her thoughts drifted to Callan.

She thought about how close he was seated to her. She thought about kissing him. All she’d need to do was turn her face and lean forward a little.

She thought about Callan making love to her on the plane. Her breath hitched without her noticing.

Callan noticed. He turned and found her staring into nothing.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, amused as he flicked his fingers in front of her.

She looked at him and flushed. "Nothing."

"Nothing? I don’t think so. The blush on your face tells me it’s something naughty. I wish I could see inside your head."

She smiled. "I could show you."

He raised a brow, but before he could say anything, she set aside her laptop and climbed onto his lap.

"Em..."

She shut him up with a kiss.

She kissed him slowly until he sighed into her mouth... then he gently pulled her back.

His eyes gleamed. "I guess that was what you were thinking about."

She frowned. "Why did you stop?"

"I want to get it right with you this time. I messed up once. I don’t want to do so again and put you in a difficult position."

She smiled faintly. "I’m not naive anymore. I’m an adult."

"I still have some growing up to do emotionally. So, let’s take this slowly."

She huffed. "Easy for you to say. You’ve been having sex all these years. I’m the one who has been celibate."

He smiled. "If you waited all this while, then you can wait a year."

"A year?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Let’s get married a year from now. That should be enough time for us to undergo therapy and couple counselling, fulfil our responsibilities in Husla, return and settle down at our offices in Ludus, talk to the family, and plan our wedding."

Emily blinked. "You seem to have given it a lot of thought."

Callan smiled. "Well, I did a lot of thinking about the kiss you gave me. You can think about it too."

"This isn’t a proposal, right? You plan on proposing properly, right?" She asked, and he grinned.

"I wouldn’t give a princess like you anything less," he assured her.

She smiled brightly and kissed him again.