Chapter 14: The beauty in broken things

Conan’s pov

Am I dreaming?

No, the fragrance of the food and everything seems real.

Not only that, but that is Emma for sure, but she also seems different.

She has grown now and seems to have this maturity look to her.

This isn’t a dream; in my dreams I see the younger Emma.

The Emma that I married and fell madly in love with.

“What are you doing here? And don’t say cooking, you left years ago and why are you suddenly back now?” I asked her.

“What do you want to hear? I could say that it is for love. That I woke up today and realized that I can’t live without you. Or I could say it was because I was bored, I am back, does the reason matter?” she asked me and scoffed.

Who is this stranger in front of me? Because I know for certain that she isn’t the woman I married.

“Just answer the question,” I said, and she just shrugged.

“I am here to claim my rightful place,” she said, and I looked at her confused.

“Which is by your side as your wife. I am here to reclaim the rights I have over you as your wife,” she answered.

“You lost those rights the moment you walked out. NOW GET THE HELL OUT,” I said firmly, and she smiled.

“I walked out a few years ago. I am not doing that mistake again,” she said, and I scoffed.

“You are out of your mind if you think that I will let you stay in my house,” I said and this time she scoffed as well.

“Well, it’s actually our house. You and I are still very much married and last time I remember, what you own I also own,” she said and then walked towards me.

“Your money, your house and even you belong to me,” she said pointing at me with a smile.

“So, go and get showered so we can have dinner,” she added.

“Fine, I want a divorce,” I said, and she started laughing at this.

“Stop wasting both yours and my time. The food is getting cold,” she said, and she turned around.

“I said I want a divorce,” I said, and she turned around to look at me.

“People tend to make bad decisions when they are hungry. You want to talk bout divorce? Then go freshen up and have dinner, then we can talk about divorce,” she answered.

I looked at her, how can she just leave and come back out of the blue.

Don’t my feelings matter at all? How can she treat me like this?

“Fine, if you won’t leave then I will go,” I said, and she just shrugged.

“Okay, have a good time,” she said nonchalantly.

I went upstairs and I couldn’t understand what was happening.

There was a time when I wished that she would come back but she never did.

For the first few months I thought she would realize her mistake and come back.

But she never did, so why is she back now?

Why did she come back now when I have nothing but hate left for her.

She didn’t appreciate my love and stomped all over it like it was nothing.

And then she left like she was doing me a favour.

And now she is back, just as I had accepted that I will never see her again.

And the divorce thing, she didn’t seem fazed by it like she didn’t care at all.

If she doesn’t care about us or our marriage then why is she back?

I took bag and started packing but then stopped.

Why am I letting her do this to me?

She is the one who shouldn’t be here so why am I leaving?

I am giving her exactly what she wants.

I am not going to give her the satisfaction of leaving her in my house.

This is my house and no one else’s and I would rather tolerate her presence than give her what she wants.

I want back downstairs so I could tell her to leave again and found her eating.

She looked at me and smiled.

“I am a little surprised, the state of the house has been reduced to what I remember it to be,” she said, and I paused.

“I always thought that this wouldn’t be just a house to both of us. That it will always be our home,” she said and then looked at me.

“It was our home; it was our home before you slept with Matt on our bed and under our roof. It was a home, but you left even though I begged you not to leave,” I said, and she nodded.

“I left, I cheated, and I am the villain in all of this. Fine, but what about you? You promised me that you would take care of it. That it will always be in the best shape,” she said, and I looked down.

“You also promised me that you would never leave me. But you did, I guess we are both liars. This is my home, and I am not going anywhere,” I said and then walked off leaving her alone.

How dare she even blame our broken home on me?

This all happened because of her and not me.

None of this is my fault.

I gave her everything she had ever wanted.

I wanted to give her the world, but she destroyed that over a few minutes of pleasure.

She destroyed everything and I would have given her the world.

Flashback

“What are you doing here Mr Hansen?” Emma asked me and I just shrugged.

“I am now a student of your painting class,” I said, and she looked at me confused.

“This is a painting class for kids,” she said, and I shrugged.

“Actually, according to the brochure I saw. You said that you preferred kids between ages 5-12. That is just an age preference, but my lawyer tells me that even I can join such classes,” I said, and she frowned.

“Just have your seat,” she said and then started teaching the class.

The chairs were so small that I couldn’t fit in.

“Okay, so today I am going to ask you to paint your homes,” she said with a smile.

The kids and everyone started painting and I did the same as well.

She walked around praising their pictures and when she came to me she stopped and frowned.

“I said your homes, not some palace in the middle of a kingdom,” she said, and I smiled.

“This is my home, it’s one of the oldest Mansions in the world. It was actually built to be a castle,” I said, and she looked at me.

“Why are you here, your painting skills are perfect,” she said, and I just shrugged.

“Because I want to,” I said, and she continued looking at the kids paintings.

When class was over the kids were taken by their parents and then the two of us were left alone.

“Can I see a picture of your home?” I asked her and she frowned.

“I grew up in an orphanage. I didn’t have a home,” she answered, and I looked at her.

“Then show me the picture of the place that you wished was your home when growing up,” I said, and she sighed.

“Why?” she asked me, and I just shrugged.

“I want to buy it,” I said and took out a check book and wrote some an amount.

“Can I see it now?” I asked her and she frowned and took the check.

I frowned when she tore it into small pieces.

“Don’t come back here, I will refund you your money,” she said and turned to leave.

“I am doing all of this wrong aren’t I?” I asked her and she turned around to look at me

“I like you; a lot and I am used to money solving all my problems. Can I see your painting? This is because I am interested in getting to know you better,” I said, and she looked at me.

“Fine,” she said and then turned back and looked at a few canvas and then took one out.

I looked at the painting and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

The house was old and seemed like it had been abandoned for years now.

“It has cracks, is this your dream home?” I asked her and she shook her head.

“I just remember seeing it and thinking that it has a lot of potential. Yes it needs a little work,” she said, and I frowned. “

It needs a lot of work,” I retorted, and she looked at me.

“The orphanage I grew up in had a lot of cracks. I guess I got used to see the beauty in broken things,” she said and then handed it to me.

“Take it, maybe you will be able to see the beauty in broken things as well,” she said and then walked away.

I looked at the painting, I think I can already see the beauty.

End of flashback

I looked at the painting, I am a lot like this house now.

I have a lot of cracks and I am broken, and you did this.

But I can’t be painted and hanged on a wall or redecorated at all.

I don’t want here anymore; I will make sure that you leave this house even if it’s the last thing I do.

You have known my love and now you feel my wrath, are you ready for it?