Emily’s POV“Did you hear that, Fred?” I asked the caller.“But, but…How? How could it be?” Nancy murmured, before pouncing on me to grab my phone out of my hand. I had released my grip against her and she was no longer pressed against the car door. But I was faster than her and side-stepped out of the way. Instead, I asked “Fred” his thoughts after hearing everything that Nancy admitted to. Nancy was frightened as the familiar-sounding voice echoed through the phone. “Yes, Emily, I heard it all. She’s unforgivable, and I now know the truth,” and with that, the caller hung up the phone. In an instant, Nancy’s face turned pale. She knew she had been caught. Before either of us had time to process what just happened, a staff member came out of the shop and headed toward us, asking us if we needed any help. I wasn’t surprised, we had caused a huge stir, and I jumped in before Nancy could respond. “Ah, yes, could you help me fill up with gasoline, please?” I asked, pointing to my arm
Emily’s POVReturning home, my maid handed me an invitation as I hung up my coat in the entrance foyer. She informed me that the butler of the Walker Family had hand-delivered the invitation in person that afternoon. To my surprise, the date had been brought forward. It was originally in a week. “Tomorrow?” I asked no one in particular, but my maid answered for me, who had received strict instructions from the Walker’s butler. That meant the divorce process would be postponed again…“Yes, Miss. Emily. Well, at least, that’s what I was told,” she informed me. ‘Did he say anything else?” “He said that Mr. Walker Senior always feels sorry for you. So, he wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to an outstanding young man.” There were no words. The way this family likes to insert themselves into my personal business is outrageous. But I knew Fred Senior was trying to be kind; doing it out of the goodness of his heart to make up for his grandson’s behavior. Even if he had a s
Emily’s POVThe following day, stylists surrounded me, handing me one dress after the next. Great taste was not something I lacked — I inherited that from my mother. We finally decided on the perfect dress and moved along to the jewelry selection. The stylist handed me one diamond-encrusted necklace after another, but none of the overtly flashy pieces were my style. Preferring more understated pieces, I went with a beautifully elegant yet rare ruby. Sitting in the chair as the make-up artist began to work her magic, and the hairstylist tumbled one curl over the next with a curling iron, I glimpsed myself in the mirror. It wasn’t too often I got dressed up like this. I had endured plenty of fancy-dress evenings growing up and it wasn’t really my thing. But it did feel good to get dolled up every once in a while. Richard and Leon stood behind me, and with the final flick of mascara, the make-up artist stood back to marvel at her work. “Oh, Emily. You look simply stunning, my dear s
Emily’s POVFred proposed divorce. I knew this day would come sooner or later. But I never expected it to happen today, nor did I expect him to be so resolute with his decision. He left divorce papers with his signature on the table, the black ink glaring back at me. The whole thing was difficult for me to wrap my head around. I loved Fred with all my heart! If it were up to me, we would still be together. I didn’t want the separation and … I had married for love. Fred was annoyed by my hesitation, his frustration apparent like an angry child who can’t get his own way. “What did he expect?” I thought but didn’t dare to say out loud. Did he think I’d be okay with this whole situation, smile, and agree? “But, Fred, I…” I began, trying to explain how I really felt, the words trembling out of my mouth. “You knew the deal, Emily,” he interrupted, “we both agreed from the start that our marriage would only last two years,” Fred shot back, a hint of embarrassment as the words left his
Emily’s POVAfter reading Nancy’s text, I was determined to make a difference. Some things needed to change in my life. I won’t let anyone or any man cause me this kind of heartache again.The car pulled up to the massive Stewart family estate. Approaching the glass villa doors of the main house, a row of servants and maids were waiting outside, individually bowing as we arrived. “Welcome home, Miss Stewart,” the head butler said, turning the oversized gold doorknob. Only my brothers had known about my marriage to Fred. “Dad has postponed an important meeting with one of his big-time French clients,” Leon consoled. I smiled, appreciating the sweet gesture from my father. “We all know he’d rather lose a big-time deal and be here for your birthday instead,” Richard chimed in. “He canceled his flight on the private plane just for you, Em.” It didn’t surprise me; I was a daddy’s girl through and through. With two older brothers, it wasn’t hard to understand why. If only Fred could ha
Emily’s POVThe cheerful mood suddenly turned very sour, instantly leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Making out the silhouette of Fred’s BMW even in the dark, there was the sound of his familiar car remote clicking. He marched angrily towards us standing at the entrance. Why was he here? But I suddenly remembered that his grandfather stayed in the same area. Maybe he’s visiting him? But it was not my circus, not my monkeys anymore. Richard’s face was NOT pleased to see Fred either. He quickly stepped in front of me, guarding me from Fred. Out of my two brothers, he was definitely the one with a more forcefully protective nature.I gently patted his arm, signaling to him that I was okay. “Thanks, Rich, but I’ve got this one,” I said to him softly but appreciating the gesture all the same. Why was Fred angry? We were already divorced, right? I then glimpsed sight of Nancy’s shadow hanging behind Fred. Looking closer, her dainty face was painted red with rage and jealousy. Jealousy
Emily’s POVLeon wanted to ask me something — probably about what the hell that was all about — but I wasn’t in the mood and shot him a look which meant don’t ask. Driving to the hotel, I was extremely nervous. Not just because of what had happened, but more so because I was going to see my father very soon. It had been a long time since our last face-to-face meeting…You see, much to the horror of my parents, and especially my father, I had left home all those years ago in search of a normal life. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate the childhood I’d been fortunate enough to have. And it wasn’t because I didn’t enjoy the finer things. But I had longed for something more, something to achieve on my own. The last conversation between my father and I often played on my mind. “Emily, my dear daughter. You’re now no longer a girl, and I’ve always envisioned you joining the company one day…” My father had shared with me. Although I was the youngest, and a woman, the family always teased
Fred’s POVHenry our butler told me Emily had actually signed the divorce agreement, and I’m not going to lie, I was surprised. “She also got into a Rolls-Royce, Sir,” he told me when I returned home that evening. Retreating to the living room, I settled down in front of the fire Henry had made. I can’t believe that she really did it. I honestly didn’t expect her to sign the papers so easily! I dwelled to myself. But this was what I wanted, was it not? I had longed for Nancy all these years, and finally, we were together. But who was the owner of that Phantom? I couldn’t recount Emily knowing anyone with such a fancy car. Henry came into the room, handing me a cup of tea to help soothe my nerves. Whenever I was in a foul mood after a long day at the office, Em would always make me a cup. He probably gathered from everything that happened today that I desperately needed one. I took the first sip and instantly tasted something wasn’t quite right. “Henry, how did you brew the tea?
Emily’s POVThe following day, stylists surrounded me, handing me one dress after the next. Great taste was not something I lacked — I inherited that from my mother. We finally decided on the perfect dress and moved along to the jewelry selection. The stylist handed me one diamond-encrusted necklace after another, but none of the overtly flashy pieces were my style. Preferring more understated pieces, I went with a beautifully elegant yet rare ruby. Sitting in the chair as the make-up artist began to work her magic, and the hairstylist tumbled one curl over the next with a curling iron, I glimpsed myself in the mirror. It wasn’t too often I got dressed up like this. I had endured plenty of fancy-dress evenings growing up and it wasn’t really my thing. But it did feel good to get dolled up every once in a while. Richard and Leon stood behind me, and with the final flick of mascara, the make-up artist stood back to marvel at her work. “Oh, Emily. You look simply stunning, my dear s
Emily’s POVReturning home, my maid handed me an invitation as I hung up my coat in the entrance foyer. She informed me that the butler of the Walker Family had hand-delivered the invitation in person that afternoon. To my surprise, the date had been brought forward. It was originally in a week. “Tomorrow?” I asked no one in particular, but my maid answered for me, who had received strict instructions from the Walker’s butler. That meant the divorce process would be postponed again…“Yes, Miss. Emily. Well, at least, that’s what I was told,” she informed me. ‘Did he say anything else?” “He said that Mr. Walker Senior always feels sorry for you. So, he wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to an outstanding young man.” There were no words. The way this family likes to insert themselves into my personal business is outrageous. But I knew Fred Senior was trying to be kind; doing it out of the goodness of his heart to make up for his grandson’s behavior. Even if he had a s
Emily’s POV“Did you hear that, Fred?” I asked the caller.“But, but…How? How could it be?” Nancy murmured, before pouncing on me to grab my phone out of my hand. I had released my grip against her and she was no longer pressed against the car door. But I was faster than her and side-stepped out of the way. Instead, I asked “Fred” his thoughts after hearing everything that Nancy admitted to. Nancy was frightened as the familiar-sounding voice echoed through the phone. “Yes, Emily, I heard it all. She’s unforgivable, and I now know the truth,” and with that, the caller hung up the phone. In an instant, Nancy’s face turned pale. She knew she had been caught. Before either of us had time to process what just happened, a staff member came out of the shop and headed toward us, asking us if we needed any help. I wasn’t surprised, we had caused a huge stir, and I jumped in before Nancy could respond. “Ah, yes, could you help me fill up with gasoline, please?” I asked, pointing to my arm
Emily’s POVIt all felt like slow motion. Seeing the car speed toward me…The bright lights peering me down… But my instincts kicked in and as the car neared my body, I flung out my arms in an aid to protect myself from the oncoming danger. However, no pain appeared, and instead, the sound of screeching brakes filled my ears. Instead of speeding off, the sound of the engine rapidly decelerated, and I slowly opened my eyes. The Audi had stopped less than a meter away from me, and the female driver was panting behind the steering wheel. I could hear the heavy breathing even from here. Finally close enough to identify the person in the car; it was Nancy! Her face was full of hatred, glaring at me like I was the worst kind of human being on this planet. As evil as she was, she didn’t dare to kill a person — I hoped. Leaping forward before she had time to zoom off, I ripped open the car door handle, demanding she get out of the vehicle. “Out, now! Come and face me Nancy, and stop hidi
Emily’s POVMy car was parked in the outside lot and I quickly pulled out my keys. Fastening my seatbelt and preparing to drive home, a sudden jab came at my door. Fred had chased after me and was grabbing the door handle with one hand and tapping on my window with the other. His face was red. “Em, please, get out of the car. Let’s talk and resolve this…” he asked me through the glass. I rolled down my window halfway, just enough so he could hear me properly. “Fred, how many times do I need to repeat myself? I sound like a stuck record at this point. Please, stop bothering me,” I pleaded with Fred. “Again, I just want to know why you blocked my number. You never answered my question,” he continued again with the insistent probing. Ignoring his question, Fred raised his eyebrows at me, as if demanding an answer. “Tomorrow at 2 pm,” I stated. “Huh? What?” Fred asked, looking more confused than ever. “I want to get the divorce process right this time, this whole thing is dragging
Emily’s POVIt seemed like my question was a hard one for Fred to answer…Perhaps there was some truth to it that he didn’t want to admit. Trying his best to answer, he still fumbled over my direct inquiry. Opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish out of water, he failed to speak. My patience was fading, but his ringing phone broke the silence. Reaching for his phone in his pocket, he peered down and his body froze. I looked down at the same time without realizing, and saw Nancy’s name pop up; the devil herself. Interrupting Fred and I, it was as if she were laughing at me from the other side. Fred hesitated to answer, so I helped him make the decision. “Wait!” Fred hollered, but it was too late. Snatching the phone from his hand with my uninjured one, I took the initiative and swiped open the call, immediately pressing the speaker button. There you go, decision made. Nancy’s sickly sweet voice cooed down the line. Fred wasn’t impressed with my impulsiveness, but there was
Emily’s POV“Emily, are you okay?!” Fred’s face changed dramatically, and he instantly checked my hand. The metal from his TAG watch had caught my skin and ripped it by accident when he had pulled me. He abruptly took off his luxurious watch and randomly tossed it to the side. One of the waiters at a nearby outdoor table looked dumbstruck, hesitating about what to do with the situation. Rushing over to us, he asked what he could do to help, handing the TAG Heuer back to Fred. “Don’t worry about it, take it, I don’t want it. But I do need you to get me a first aid box, now!” Fred demanded while holding my injured hand. Still in disbelief that Fred just gifted him the expensive watch, as soon as Fred instructed him to fetch the kit, he ran inside without hesitation. Fred’s constant interjections were growing old, and I tried withdrawing my hand. However, Fred wouldn’t let go and insisted he help me deal with the cut. Everything inside me wanted to tell him to leave me alone. The cu
Emily’s POVOh my God, today must be my unlucky day. I’m beginning to think this town is way too small. As if my already bad day couldn’t get any worse, Fred walked over to us and slapped his friend’s arm. “Hey man, that was sore,” his friend declared, making an unpleasant face. “Listen, chaps, you can flirt with any woman in here, or around town for that matter, but this lady is off limits. Do you hear me?” Fred pronounced sternly. “Jeeze, man, what’s with you today, Fred?” the other friend questioned. “Nothing, nothing is wrong, but did you hear what I said?” “Yeah, yeah, alright sure. But who is this woman and what’s she to you?” Just as I was about to put the story straight, Fred answered for me. “She’s my sister and that’s that,” Fred lied. “Sister? Well, can you and your friends please just leave me alone, my dear brother? I came here for some peace,” snorting at his fabricated story. Fred knew I was mocking him, and suddenly looked embarrassed. Without seeming to car
Emily’s POVAlthough the incident with Nancy was unpleasant, it felt so good to cause Nancy a little bit of anguish. She had caused me more than enough upset over the past few weeks. As I exited the boutique, I caught sight of my face in the window. Why would Fred leave me for such a hypocritical woman? Lost in thought, I couldn’t help but wonder where his mind was at. If Nancy were at least a decent human being, maybe I could forgive Fred’s indifference. In fact, I knew Nancy had returned home from her overseas trip a month earlier than she had Fred believe. She had sent me a threatening text message from an unknown mobile phone number. When Fred and I were together, I had saved her number on my phone, just in case I ever needed it. When I received the ominous message, I didn’t recognize the number. But even now, I still remember the exact contents of the text. ‘One day, you’re going to get what you deserve. A little word of advice: watch your back, Emily. You never know who is w