Chapter 10

Day of the exhibition.

Emma's POV 

Everything was proceeding smoothly until I caught sight of Mum heading towards me, her eyes brimming with pride. My heart dropped like a stone.

Not now… please, not now.

"Emma, darling, we're so proud of you!" Mum exclaimed, pulling me into one of her warm, enveloping hugs.

"Thanks, Mum," I managed to reply, forcing a smile to mask the uneasiness bubbling inside me.

"But I haven’t come alone," she added, her voice tinged with that familiar excitement that always spelled trouble. "My friend and her son are here."

Just like that, my smile vanished.

"Mum, not again!" I groaned inwardly. "Especially not here, with all these people around. Why on earth did you bring them?"

"They were already planning to attend, darling. You can’t avoid them now. Come, meet Mrs. Moore and her very handsome son, Mike," she insisted, as though this were the most natural thing in the world.

I drew in a deep breath, plastering on a polite smile that I hoped didn’t look too forced. "Hello, Mrs. Moore. I’m so glad you could make it. Please, enjoy the exhibition, but I’m afraid I’m quite busy today."

Mrs. Moore returned my smile, her eyes sparkling with a touch too much enthusiasm. "If you’re so busy, why not let Mike assist you? He’d be more than happy to help."

"There’s no need," I said, trying to keep my tone even. "Everything is well under control. I just need to greet a few guests and make an appearance on stage."

"All the more reason to take him with you," Mum chimed in, her tone brooking no argument.

I gritted my teeth, irritation simmering just below the surface. "Mum, I appreciate the thought, but I need to focus entirely on the exhibition. As charming as Mike undoubtedly is, he’s a bit of a distraction right now. I hope you understand, Mike," I added, allowing a sliver of sarcasm to seep into my voice.

Mike chuckled, clearly unfazed. "I understand completely. Thanks for the compliment. Perhaps we could catch up another time?"

"Absolutely," I replied, the forced smile still firmly in place. "I’m sure your dazzling presence will be much more appreciated when I’m not quite so preoccupied."

"Fair enough," he said, still grinning. "Good luck with the exhibition. Your work is truly impressive."

"Thank you," I responded, my polite mask securely in place.

The moment they moved on, I turned to Ruby, my reliable assistant. "Ruby, do me a favor—keep an eye on Mum and her guests, especially Mike. Make sure they stay as far away from me as possible."

Despite the minor hiccup, the exhibition turned out to be a resounding success. Guests marveled at my designs, and the event itself was praised for its seamless organization. Just as I thought I was in the clear, Mike reappeared.

"That was a brilliant exhibition, Emma. Your designs are phenomenal," he said, his tone genuine.

"Aww, thanks," I replied, inwardly scrambling to find a way to brush him off without appearing rude.

"I was thinking," he continued, "now that the exhibition is over and it was such a triumph, how about we go out and celebrate?"

I stared at him, incredulous. Was he seriously suggesting we go out right after I’d hosted one of the biggest events of my career?

"Umm, actually, I can’t," I began, searching for the right words. "There’s still a party I need to attend, and I’m absolutely exhausted from working non-stop for the past week. Perhaps another time?"

Before I could fully decline, Mum swooped in, her voice dripping with disapproval. "What nonsense! Mike, take her out for dinner tomorrow."

"Mum, please," I interjected, exasperated. "I’m utterly shattered and haven’t had a proper night’s sleep in days. All I want is to relax and catch up on some much-needed rest."

"You can’t possibly sleep for an entire week," Mum retorted.

"I’ve other commitments," I countered, though I knew it was a weak excuse.

"Tell Ruby to cancel them," Mum insisted as if that were the simplest solution.

"Mum, I can’t. Fine, I’ll figure out a time when we can meet and text you the details. But for now, I really must go. Thank you, Mrs. Moore, for coming," I said, making a swift exit before the conversation could drag on any further.

The Following Week:

By the end of the week, I was at my wits' end with the relentless matchmaking efforts from Mum, Eva, and Grandma. It seemed they were more determined than ever to see me married off. I’d begun dodging their calls and visits, but when Eva rang to say that Mum had a panic attack, I rushed over.

"Hi, Mum," I greeted her softly as I entered the room.

"Who called her here, and why?" Mum huffed, turning her head away. "She doesn’t care about me, doesn’t have time for me. Tell her to leave—I don’t want to see her."

"Mum, you’re overreacting," I tried to soothe her.

"Of course, I’m overreacting!" she exclaimed, her voice heavy with emotion. "I’ve sent you at least seventy-five messages and called thirty times, and yet my daughter couldn’t be bothered to return a single call or visit. Yes, I am overreacting."

"Mum, I’ve genuinely been busy," I explained, though I knew it wouldn’t satisfy her.

"Busy, right? Go back to whatever you were doing. That’s more important. And don’t worry about your mother feeling humiliated every time her friend asks when you’re going out with Mike," she retorted, her eyes flashing with hurt.

"Mum, I don’t like him," I confessed, hoping she’d finally understand.

"And why not? He’s tall, dark, handsome, educated, cultured, and comes from a good family," Mum argued, clearly baffled by my disinterest.

"But I don’t like him. Isn’t that reason enough? Especially if I’m supposed to spend my whole life with someone?" I countered, trying to make her see sense.

"At least meet him properly," Mum urged, her persistence unwavering.

"That’s exactly the point, Mum. I didn’t even want to spend five minutes with him. Why waste time on a full meeting?" I asserted.

"You don’t even know him," she insisted.

"And I don’t want to know him," I said firmly, standing my ground.

"Enough! Both of you, be quiet," Grandma suddenly interjected, her voice carrying the weight of authority. "Emma, do you like someone else?"

Caught off guard, I blurted out, "Um, yes," lying through my teeth.

Shit!!! What did I do?