Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 400: Healthy Communication

After the phone call with Jamal and Mari, Emily dropped the phone into her lap.

The car fell quiet.

For a few seconds, she hummed softly to herself while watching the road ahead.

Then she glanced at Callan, who was unusually silent.

His jaw looked tight. His eyes stayed fixed on the road.

Emily frowned slightly. A moment ago, he had been joking and smiling. Now he looked distant.

She shifted in her seat and watched him carefully.

"Cal?"

"Hmm?" he murmured without looking at her.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

Emily tilted her head. "Your face and tone don’t agree with your words."

Callan exhaled quietly. "Em, it’s nothing."

"Don’t do that."

Callan glanced at her briefly. Her expression was serious now. "Do what?"

"Shut me out." Emily folded her arms.

"I’m not shutting you out."

"Yes, you are," she said calmly. "You were perfectly fine before the call. Now you look like someone just told you terrible news. Is it something that I said?"

He didn’t answer.

She leaned slightly toward him. "Talk to me, Cal. I won’t know if I did something wrong if you don’t say it."

He sighed softly. "It’s not a big deal."

"It is if it’s bothering you. Cal, communication is important to me. That’s the only way our relationship will work," she insisted.

Callan hesitated. He knew she was right, and he needed to express clearly what the issue was.

"Are you upset because I told them what transpired with your fling?"

Callan’s brows pulled together slightly. "Ex. She’s no longer my fling."

Emily watched his face carefully. "So that’s what it is," she said softly.

He didn’t answer immediately.

The car moved through an intersection before he finally spoke.

"I just don’t think everything about us needs to be shared with everyone."

Emily blinked. "Everyone?"

"With Jamal and Mari."

She frowned. "But they’re my best friends. Our best friends."

"I know."

"And I know very well that you would have told Jamal about it too," she pointed out.

Callan sighed. "That’s not the point."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "It’s not? So what is?"

He spoke more carefully now. "Jamal is my best friend. Yes, I would probably mention something like that to him at some point. But that’s different."

"How so?"

Callan finally glanced at her. "Because I think there should still be boundaries."

Emily looked confused. "Boundaries?"

"Yes."

"By boundaries, you mean you can tell Jamal about it, but I can’t? Or what you’re saying is we can tell Jamal but not Mari?"

He slowed the car slightly as they approached a turn.

"No. What I’m saying is that our relationship is ours. Some things should stay between us."

She studied him quietly. "And you think I don’t know that? I get that you don’t like that I told them about—"

Callan cut her off. "It’s not about liking or not liking."

"It clearly is."

Callan exhaled slowly. "I just think we should have healthy boundaries between our relationship and our friendships."

Emily leaned back slightly in her seat. "And you think I don’t have healthy boundaries between both?" She asked defensively. "You of all people should understand that Jamal and Mari are not just friends. They’re family to me. We talk about everything to each other. You know that!"

"Yes, I know that."

"And they already know almost everything about us anyway," Emily added.

"That doesn’t mean they should know everything."

Emily looked at him thoughtfully. "So you think I overshare."

Callan hesitated. "...Sometimes."

She stared at him. Then she sighed and turned to look out the window.

The silence returned.

For a moment, Callan thought she might be upset.

But then Emily turned back to him slowly and spoke quietly. "I didn’t know you wanted what happened to be a secret between us."

"It’s not a secret."

"Then why are you upset I told them about it?"

Callan searched for the right words.

"I’m not upset that you told them about it. I’m worried that you might tell them everything that happens between us. And that is what I don’t want. Our relationship needs private space to breathe."

Emily sighed but said nothing. She always shared everything with Jamal and Mari, and she never thought that would become an issue between them, considering that Callan was also part of the friendship.

How was she supposed to know what was shareable and what wasn’t?

Callan’s voice softened. "I just want some things to stay between us. I believe there are things that will go on between us that you won’t want me to share with others out of respect for you. What happened last night was very embarrassing for me. I know I have a lot of flaws, and I don’t deserve you, but I don’t want any of that to be made into jokes. Yes, I was going to talk to Jamal about it, but only to seek his advice on how to be better, not to entertain him with the details of what happened. I’m not saying you can’t talk about our relationship with them. You can, but let it not be at the expense of either of us."

Emily’s expression softened slightly, and she looked at him for a long moment.

"I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to embarrass or disrespect you. I didn’t think about it and was just talking."

"I understand," Callan said quietly. "And I’m sorry if bringing this up upset you in any way."

She exhaled quietly. "It stings a little knowing I’m not as perfect as I like to believe I am."

Callan’s lips twitched as he turned to stare at her.

"You’re no longer upset, are you?" She asked hopefully.

He shook his head slowly. "I’m not."

"That’s a relief. But you also have to understand something."

"What?"

She turned slightly toward him. "Jamal and Mari have been my support system for years."

"I know that."

"Especially Mari. She was there when everything was terrible."

Callan nodded.

"And usually," she continued, "when something happens in my life, my first instinct is to share it with her."

"I understand that."

Emily studied him carefully. "Do you?"

"Yes. Do you also understand what I said?"

"Yes. So, from now on," she said, "if something happens between us and you think it should stay private, you tell me."

"And if something happens that you feel you need to share with them?"

"I’ll think about it first. But it’d be nice if you could maybe say, ’Don’t tell Mari about this or that.’ Because, for instance, I plan to tell her about the yoga this morning. I can tell her that, right? If you say no, then I think we will just have to break up because I can’t keep something like that to myself," she said with a serious look.

Callan chuckled. "I never figured you for the type to kiss and tell."

"Well, we didn’t kiss. You were so full of self-control," she teased.

Callan glared at her playfully, and they both laughed.

Emily studied him for a moment. Then she smiled suddenly. "You know what?"

"What?"

"This is actually very healthy."

Callan laughed. "A disagreement?"

"Well, we didn’t exactly disagree." She pointed at him. "We talked, understood each other, and resolved it."

Callan nodded. "Yeah. You’re right. Thanks for making me talk. Communication is not my strong point."

Emily beamed proudly. "Look at us being mature adults. Mostly me anyway."

Callan chuckled and narrowed his eyes as he glanced at her. "So, I’m not?"

"Of course you are."

He watched her suspiciously. "You don’t sound convinced."

She laughed. "I am."

Callan laughed again. "You’re lying."

The car turned into the street leading to the house.

Emily looked out the window and then turned back to him. "For the record..."

"Yes?"

"I would never intentionally embarrass you."

"I know."

"And if something ever makes you uncomfortable, you can always talk to me."

Callan nodded. "I will do my best."

Emily smiled softly. "Good."

Then she suddenly leaned closer and whispered dramatically, "But just so you know, I’m still telling Mari about the yoga."

Callan groaned. "Emily Williams."

She burst into laughter.