Chapter 5: Returning Home to Battle

 

Emily's POV

I step inside the mansion, the place that used to feel like a home but now feels like a trap. After my meeting with Adrian, everything seems so different. The weight of the deal I made, the favors I’ll owe, and the humiliating fact that I’ll be working as his maid makes my stomach churn. The mighty fall, don’t they?

I glance around the grand entryway—this mansion was once a symbol of my parents’ hard-earned success, of their legacy. And now, Nathan is bleeding it dry with his reckless investments, soon to ruin everything. As I walk through the hallway, I pause by the large family portrait of my parents. I can almost hear my father’s voice in my head: Stay strong, Emily. This isn’t over. And I know it isn’t. I’ll make them proud again.

I move upstairs, the exhaustion catching up with me. Two days... it's only been two days since I confronted Nathan and found out about Camille’s pregnancy. Two days, and it feels like a lifetime. My mind spins with everything—Nathan’s cruelty, Camille’s smugness, and now Adrian, with his infuriating arrogance.

I sit on the edge of my bed and pick up my phone. Claire’s words from yesterday play in my mind: “He’s ruthless, but you’re lucky he’s not your enemy. Never leave someone like him idle, Emily. You either cling to him or make him an ally, because if you don’t, you’ll make an enemy.”

I smirk despite myself. I’ll make Adrian an ally. No way am I letting him be an enemy. Still, I can’t believe I’ll be working as his maid... it’s so absurd it almost feels like a nightmare. But at least I have someone powerful in my corner now.

---

Nathan arrives home in the late evening, his usual nonchalance dripping off him as he walks through the door. I can see it in his eyes—he’s gauging me, wondering why I haven’t broken down, why I’m not pleading for answers like I used to.

He sits across from me at the dinner table, taking his time with his food, throwing the occasional glance my way. I feel his eyes lingering longer than usual, like he’s waiting for me to crack. But this time, I meet his gaze head-on, my expression as cold as his.

“So, Camille’s moving in soon,” he says casually, his fork clinking against his plate. “Now that she’s pregnant, it only makes sense.”

His words are like a punch to the gut, but I hold my ground. Not anymore, I tell myself. “Not while we’re still married,” I reply, my voice steady.

Nathan’s fork stops mid-air. His eyes narrow at me, clearly surprised. “You don’t have a choice, Emily. She’s carrying my child—something you were never able to give me.”

His words don’t sting like they used to. I’ve heard them before. I’ve heard worse. “I do have a choice,” I say quietly, setting my napkin down. “We’re still married, and until the divorce is final, I’ll make the rules.”

He laughs, the sound cold and mocking. “You won’t go through with it. You can’t.”

I stand, the chair scraping against the floor as I push it back. “You think I can’t do this? You think I won’t? You’ll regret underestimating me, Nathan. I’m not the weak woman you used to control.”

For the first time, I see a flicker of doubt cross his face. He quickly masks it, but I know I’ve hit a nerve. He rises from his seat, stepping toward me, his eyes dark and determined. The tension between us crackles in the air, thick and suffocating.

“You still love me, Emily,” he murmurs, his voice low and almost hypnotic. He steps closer, his fingers lightly brushing my arm. “You’ve always loved me. You’ll come crawling back. You always do.”

I feel bitter as I watch him continue to ramble on with the sense of sincerity and none of remourse. 

"If you wanted to leave, you would have done so already," he says, but what he doesn't know is that I am only staying back because I need to keep my enemies closer to be able to destroy and attack them when they least expect 

For a moment, the familiarity of his touch and the seductive edge in his voice make my breath hitch. My body remembers the years of passion, the moments we once shared. But then I see Camille’s face in my mind and the smirk she wore the day I found them together. And that old pull vanishes like smoke in the wind.

“No,” I say, pushing him away. “Not this time.”

Nathan’s eyes widen with shock, quickly replaced by anger. “You’re really going through with this?”

I nod, cold and unyielding. “Watch me.”

---

Adrian's POV

I’m staring out of my office window, watching the city below, my mind replaying the events of today. Emily St. Claire... she’s far more intriguing than I thought. When she first called, I thought she was just another desperate woman seeking pity, but there’s something about her. She’s... resilient. Most people break when I push them, but she stood her ground.

I press a button on my desk phone. “Vincent, get me everything we have on Emily St. Claire.”

A few seconds later, Vincent—my assistant, who doubles as my bodyguard—walks in, looking as serious as ever. He hands me a file with her background information, but I barely glance at it before tossing it on my desk.

“You know, this is unlike you,” Vincent says, folding his arms. “Background checks on your... ‘flings’? You usually don’t bother with any of this.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I didn’t ask for your opinion, Vincent.”

His lips twitch in amusement. “And yet here we are. You’re interested in her. And not in the way you’re pretending.”

I stare at him, unblinking. “Half your salary will be deducted for speaking out of turn.”

Vincent grumbles under his breath, something about how I’ve never done background checks on women before, but I ignore him. There’s something about Emily... something I need to understand. I press the intercom again.

“Have the contract drafted. And tell Emily St. Claire her job starts tomorrow.”

Vincent lets out a low whistle as he leaves the room. I lean back in my chair, the edges of my lips curving into a smile. This game is going to be more interesting than I thought.