“No,” she replied and paused pointing around. “Everything you brought. I’ll be taking them all.”
The whole room went silent. I think the man died standing up. He looked up at the men who still held necklaces and the bracelets…there were at least a dozen suitcases of diamonds and other jewels.
“When you say everything—”
“O’Phelan, please help this man. His brain seems to be short-circuiting. And I have neither the time nor patience for it,” she said, rolling her eyes and already looking at the shoes.
O’Phelan went over to him with a tray and pen. The man stared down at it and then him, too stunned to speak. “Merely fill in the price. Mr. Callahan has already signed them.”
Now I felt like I’d died.
No…Obviously, I was having a mental break. Yes, I was losing my mind.
“I’m going to need to call my boss….and a calculator?” the man said, his jaw about to come undone.
O’Phelan nodded, showing him to the dining hall to make space. “Take your time,”
“Is there anything you are looking for, in particular, Mrs. Callahan?” the woman said quickly and bubbly, standing next to the shoes.
“Everyone, get out,” I said softly, and none of them moved. “I said get out!”
They jumped and even moved, with the exception of O’Phelan, but Calliope held up her hand and spoke gently. “Any of you move, and not only will I throw you and your shit out, I’ll make sure the next time any of you see a diamond, it is from the across the street where your homeless ass will be.” They froze, and she turned, tearing her gaze from the shoes, to stare at me with the deadest eyes I’d ever seen. “Come, take a walk with me, Nari,” she said, moving out into the main foyer.
I followed her, and the moment the living room doors closed behind us, I opened my mouth to speak. All I saw was her hand; it came across so quickly I didn’t even have a second to move.
However, she didn’t slap me. Instead, her hand hovered right over my cheek, and she smiled. “Nari, I get this is…difficult for you. A strange woman is in your former home. But what you just did was unacceptable and can never happen again. Are we clear?”
I had to look behind me to make sure I was, in fact, not insane, and she was talking to a maid behind me. But when I looked, I saw no maid.
“Do you know who you are talking to?” I asked her.
“Do you?” she shot back, closing the distance between us.
“Yes, some gold digger who just got here,” I reminded her. “This is my house! Whose money are you spending right now? What the fuck are you—”
“Stop talking,” she cut me off, and I could clearly see how she was holding herself back. “This is not your house. It belongs to Ethan, and therefore, it belongs to me. I’m spending Ethan’s money because it is also my money. And you will watch your tone when talking to me, Nari, or I will cut out your tongue and hang it on your ear….and what pretty ears you have.”
Who did this bitch think she was? “You are—”
She stepped closer, her voice dropping dangerously soft. “Please, do not test me because you’ll lose just as epically as you did before. I am trying to be polite.”
“Do you think I’m scared of you?” I laughed, crossing my arms. “I was raised by women who would eat you alive. You aren’t scary, and just because you managed to trap my cousin with a kid doesn’t change what you are—trash.”
She sighed deeply and took a step away from me, clasping her hands. “Gentlemen,” she called out, and the two guards who were inside glanced back over to her.
“As you all know, this is Callahan Manor. Which means anyone who is not a Callahan or allowed in by a Callahan is not to enter this place. This woman,” she pointed at me, “is not a Callahan. I do not know how she got in here but throw her out and never let her back in, please.”
They glanced at each for a second before walking over.
“Don’t you fucking think about it,” I snapped at them before turning to Calliope. “Married or not, this is my home—”
“Gentlemen, if I have to ask you to escort Mrs. Khan off the property one more time, you will join her.”
This time they didn’t hesitate.
“What is going on?” I heard my brother’s voice. Dressed in all black, he came down the stairs quickly, his eyes on the guards before returning to his gaze me…All while I was trying to swallow the rage building in my throat. I’m going to kill her!
“Nari?” Sedric reached out to touch me, but I smacked his hand away and held out my hand, telling him not to get in the middle of this.