chapter 6

Emily's POV

The rest of the dinner was filled with silence. Ethan didn’t say a word to me. He was just on his phone, which made me feel hurt. I was worth talking to, wasn’t I? Even if he didn’t say a word, his silence spoke volumes. He didn’t like me.

"So, what are your hobbies?"

I tried to engage him in a conversation, but he didn’t seem interested.

"I have no hobbies," his deep voice and brooding expression made our presence together seem awkward. He was still staring at his phone, and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. I hadn’t forced him to come on this date.

I was confused and didn’t know what to do. I looked around and saw other couples laughing and chatting, the sounds of their happiness filling the air. In contrast, my date was tense, and I felt like I was in an awkward job interview.

We sat in silence, the ticking of the clock filling the air. I tried to make conversation again, but the words died in my throat, suffocated by the awkwardness that hung between us.

Finally, he spoke. “I think it’s time to go.”

I looked at him in disbelief. “Go?” I stammered. “We haven’t even ordered. You haven’t even been here for fifteen minutes. I’ve been here for hours. Waiting for you.” My voice rose with frustration.

He didn’t even look at me, let alone respond. He simply stood and turned to leave.

what a jerk!!

********************

I slammed the door shut behind me as I stepped into my room, fuming. Did he think I was beneath him? Was I not good enough for him? Why had he agreed to meet me if he didn’t even want to spend a few minutes with me? I tossed my bag to the floor and collapsed on my bed, my mind racing. I didn’t know what to think or what to feel. All I knew was that I felt hurt and angry, and more than a little confused.

Negative thoughts swirled around my head, taunting me with my insecurities. “You’re not good enough,” they whispered. “No one could ever love you.” I pushed the thoughts away, but they were like a swarm of buzzing insects, impossible to ignore. I tried to focus on something positive, anything that could lift my spirits. But the thoughts kept coming, relentless in their negativity.

“I’m not going to let these thoughts bring me down,” I told myself, sitting up on my bed and taking a deep breath. “I’m a smart, capable woman, and I deserve to be happy. I will not let one bad date define my self-worth.”

I repeated the words like a mantra, trying to drown out the negative thoughts.

It was not just about one date, it’s about the past six years of my life. No one has ever really loved me, and that realization hit me hard. I thought back to all the times I’d been disappointed, all the times I’d been rejected. It was a hard truth to face.

Just then, I heard a knock on the door. I knew it must be my mom. I straightened my clothes and fixed my hair, putting on a brave face as I prepared to face my mom. She would want to know how the date went, but I wasn’t ready to share the details. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Hey, Emily, I didn’t know you were back. How was the date?”

"It was fine." I kept my answer short and to the point, hoping she wouldn’t ask any follow-up questions. But of course, she did.

“That doesn’t sound very enthusiastic,” a knowing look in her eyes. “What happened?”

I shook my head, determined not to say more. But my mother was persistent.

“Come on, you can tell me,” a hint of worry in her voice. “What went wrong?”

As my mom pressed me for information, I felt a surge of resentment. It was like she didn’t care about me, only about what I could do for her. I was just a tool for her to use to get close to Mr. Smith and his family.

Maybe I was being unfair, but that was how I felt at that moment. I felt like I didn’t matter to her. Maybe I was just a burden, or worse, an inconvenience.

“Mom,” my voice rising with frustration. “I’m not a child. You don’t need to pester me about this. I’ll tell you what happened when I’m ready.”

She looked hurt, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I just wanted her to leave me alone. I was tired of feeling like a tool in her game of social climbing. I was more than that. I was a person with my feelings and needs.

“Fine,” her voice tight with disappointment. “If you won’t tell me what happened, then I have something to tell you.”

I braced myself, expecting the worst. “I’m all ears,” forcing myself to sound calm.

“I just got a call from Mr. Smith's mom,” she said. I held my breath, waiting for the next words.

“She said Ethan preferred to marry Olivia. not you,” Her words stung, and I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. I tried to keep a brave face, but it was hard to hide my feelings. I never even wanted to marry him in the first place, so why did his rejection hurt so much?

Maybe it hurt so much because I had been rejected a lot before, or maybe it was something about him that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“But I need your help with something,” her voice hesitant.

I raised my eyebrows, waiting for her to continue.

“I want you to sign a proxy marriage with Ethan Smith. You would stay with him for three months until Olivia returns from college. Then, you would also act as his assistant.”

I knew that Mom’s interest in my marrying Ethan Smith had nothing to do with my well-being. She had some ulterior motive, and I wanted to know what it was.

“I thought you said Olivia was engaged,” my voice betraying my suspicion.

she looked taken aback as if she hadn’t expected me to question her. “I…” she began, but then trailed off, unable to come up with an explanation. It was obvious that she was hiding something.

I was confused by the whole situation. First, Ethan referred to me as Olivia. now, he prefers Olivia. It was all very confusing and frustrating.

"I will take the offer."