Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 501: I Was Wrong

Jamal sat alone in his living room, playing a game of GTA as he tried to clear his head.

He had left Dawn in bed before she woke up because he knew he needed time to think.

If he had stayed, he knew himself well enough to know that he would not have been able to pretend that everything was fine.

Everything did not feel fine.

He dropped the pad on the table and leaned back against the sofa.

Dawn’s words came back to him.

“I don’t feel it. I don’t feel that chemistry. The feeling of not being able to keep your hands away from someone you love.”

Jamal closed his eyes.

He had never thought sex was such a big deal. Not because he did not enjoy it. He did. But it had never been something he needed to have all the time.

He had never attached much importance to it. He had never understood how some people could allow attraction to control their lives.

He had always believed that when he finally ended up with Dawn, everything would simply fall into place.

Love. Trust. Friendship. Attraction. Marriage. A family.

He had thought it would all come naturally.

And when he finally found Dawn, he had thought it had.

Everything had seemed to be moving in the right direction. So why did he suddenly feel as if he had missed something?

Jamal rubbed his face. “Maybe I was wrong.”

The words came out quietly.

He hated them the moment he heard himself say them.

He did not want to be wrong about Dawn. He did not want to be wrong about what they had.

He picked up his phone again, and his thumb hovered over Dawn’s name.

He wanted to call her. He wanted to ask her what she really meant.

But he stopped himself.

He knew he was too hurt and might say something he would regret.

Instead, he opened another contact.

Callan.

He dialed Callan’s number.

Callan answered on the third ring. “What’s up?”

“Hey.”

Callan was quiet for a second. Something in Jamal’s voice made him sit up.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can I talk to you?”

“Of course.”

Jamal leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

“I need your opinion about something.”

“Shoot.”

Jamal took a deep breath. “I had a conversation with Dawn last night.”

Callan waited.

“About sex.”

There was a short silence. “Okay.”

Jamal looked down at the floor.

“She told me she doesn’t feel a spark between us.”

Callan did not respond immediately.

Jamal continued. “She said she knows I love her. She knows I’m attracted to her. But she doesn’t feel that chemistry. She said she wants that feeling where you can’t keep your hands off the person.”

Callan sighed softly. “And what did you say?”

Jamal exhaled heavily. “I told her I knew I loved her and was sexually attracted to her.”

“And what did she say?”

“She told me to forget she said anything when I said she implied that she wasn’t sexually attracted to me.”

Callan frowned. “And you left it at that?”

“Yeah. I kissed her goodnight and let it be. I thought that would make everything okay.”

“And it didn’t?”

“No. I couldn’t sleep after that.” He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. “I feel very hurt. Is it normal for me to feel this way?”

The answer came without hesitation.

Callan’s voice became softer. “If I were in your shoes, I’d be hurt too.”

Jamal swallowed. “Good. At least I’m not being unreasonable.”

“You’re not.”

There was another pause.

Then Callan asked, “But let me ask you something. Are you really attracted to Dawn?”

Jamal frowned. “Of course I am.”

“Are you sure?”

“Callan.”

“I’m asking because you need to be honest with yourself. You need to be sure you’re not with her just because the idea of being with her has been in your head all these years and you have a child with her.”

“Callan, I love Dawn. I am attracted to her in every sense of the word.”

“Then what do you think is the problem? I can’t imagine being around Emily and not wanting to have sex with her all the time if I have the chance. Abstaining from sex right now is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

Jamal sighed. “Sex has never been a big deal to me.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning it’s not something I need all the time. I don’t think about it all the time. I don’t measure my relationship by how often we have sex. But apparently she does.”

“Did she say that?” Callan asked.

“Not exactly.”

“Then don’t put words in her mouth.”

Jamal rubbed his forehead. “I’m not putting words in her mouth. She implied it.”

Callan gave a small sigh. “I think you need to sit down with her and have a proper conversation about her sexual expectations.”

Jamal looked down. “Maybe. But it’s not like she has ever made any advances at me and I turned her down? Shouldn’t this be a two-way thing? Shouldn’t this be both our responsibility?”

Callan nodded. “It should. And I’m sure she knows that hence she raised the subject.”

Jamal went quiet.

Callan’s voice was calm. “Talk to her, Jamal.”

Jamal looked towards the window. “But what if she’s really not sexually attracted to me?”

Callan was quiet.

Jamal continued. “Seriously. What am I supposed to do if she doesn’t feel that way about me? What should I do if the woman I’ve built my life around doesn’t feel the same way about me?”

“Relax, Jamal. You’re overthinking it.”

“How can I not?”

“Because Dawn loves you. And you both have something very special. Saying she wants more chemistry and spark shouldn’t make you suddenly doubt what you both have.”

Jamal was quiet.

“You’re being defensive. Don’t be,” Callan said quietly. “She’s telling you she wants something different, not that she doesn’t want you.”

Jamal slowly nodded. “Maybe.”

“Not maybe. That’s what she said.”

Jamal sighed. “I just didn’t expect any of this. I thought everything was going well between us. I thought we clicked.”

Callan smiled faintly on the other end. “Of course you clicked. That doesn’t mean work doesn’t need to be done. Maybe you’re just discovering that being together takes work too.”

Jamal sighed.

Callan continued. “You love her. She loves you. You are attracted to her. She is attracted to you, at least from everything I’ve seen. So don’t turn one difficult conversation into a question about your entire relationship.”

Jamal leaned back. “I couldn’t help it.”

“I understand. I’m sure in your shoes I’d react this way too, but I’m able to sound so wise because I’m not in your shoes.”

Jamal chuckled. “So what do you suggest I do, wise one?”

“Go and talk to her.”

“I don’t even know what to say.”

“Take her on a date to somewhere quiet. Somewhere you can both relax and talk.”

Jamal smiled weakly. “I can’t believe I’m taking relationship advice from you now?”

Callan laughed. “You better believe it. I’m getting married before you, remember?”

Jamal finally laughed. “Thanks, Cal. I feel much better.”

“Anytime.”