FIVE

Max had been smiling at her throughout dinner. The same Max who'd called her a bitch just a few hours earlier. Every time she looked up from her plate, she found his eyes on her. He was staring, analyzing, admiring. The same man who had been choking her earlier was looking at her as if they had been living together all these years like a loving couple. Whatever had changed his mind? In the few hours from when they'd argued about Lisandra to dinner, something had happened to change his view of her.

She couldn't put a finger on it, but he must have seen or heard something to make him act like that towards her. Lisandra, who had insisted on sitting beside him, had glowered at him because he didn't give her the attention she wanted. If she wasn't so angry, Emilia would have slapped Max with divorce papers and leave him to his mistress. But she was angry, so furious that she was willing to fight with that bitch to separate them. Not that she needed to use her energy. Max hadn't stopped staring at her since they sat down for dinner. Only someone as desperate as Lisandra would tolerate his shit. What was wrong with him, anyway?

Or was he acting, for Zander's sake? Otherwise, why would he behave like someone who still loved her? Emilia didn't have any delusions about her relationship with her husband. Nine years ago, she'd left her home knowing that she was leaving her husband and would be alone and vulnerable. She could have stayed and explained everything that had happened. Or she could have come back after Zander was born. But she'd chosen to stay away. For nine good years, she had hidden from him.

He had no idea that she'd kept tabs on him, though. She knew his every move, knew where he was at all times. Which meant she had also known when he'd started sleeping with Lisandra. Granted, he'd resisted her for a while, but he wasn't strong enough. Eventually, he'd given in to her lies and charm and betrayed her. It had felt like a knife straight to the heart. If she hadn't seen it for herself, she wouldn't have believed Max would do that to her. Not the man she married.

But he'd proven her wrong. And as a woman, as a human being, she was prepared to understand he was a man who had needs. A young virile man who was sexually active and couldn't control some urges forever. It would have been okay if he'd slipped and fell into bed with Lisandra once. That would have been understandable. But that wasn't the case. Instead, he'd moved that witch into the house and even went as far as to give that woman her place.

They slept together in the same room. The same one they'd shared after getting married. He came home to her while she had been out there struggling to stay alive. Alone with a newborn baby, Emilia didn't have anyone to turn to. She had been forced to trust strangers who could have hurt her or her baby if they wanted to. Hendrix and Sawyer had nursed her back to life. If it weren't for those two, she wouldn't have been alive today. Fool her once, shame on her.

It would take a lot for her to even look at that man and smile genuinely. She refused to accept that he made her heart beat faster every time he looked her way. She absolutely refused to accept that she still loved him. The love left in her heart was only meant for one person. Zander. He was the only man she would allow herself to love ever again. So Max could bare his teeth at her all night if he wanted to but nothing was going to change. She would get her revenge on everyone, even if it was the last thing she did.

The real drama began when it was time for bed. Emilia had issued Lisandra a warning for her to move out of the main bedroom she shared with Max. Of course, Lisandra hadn't listened. She'd declined dessert and went straight to bed. The same bed she, as the legal wife, was supposed to share with her husband. Emilia knew what the demented bitch was doing and let her get comfortable first. She would strike after the other woman thought she'd won. When an hour passed, she went up to the room, sure that she'd find Lisandra sleeping peacefully.

Without a second thought, Emilia grabbed Lisandra's hair and dragged her out of the room. Not being able to do anything but hold her head, Lisandra kicked and yelled, waking up the whole house who'd come running to see what was happening. It had felt amazing to put that witch in her place. Max, who had been in the study, came running to see too what was going on. Surprisingly, he'd taken her side, telling his mistress that she should have moved out when she was told to do so. Not wanting to show him how shocked and happy she was that he'd stood by her, she'd gone back to the room and banged the door closed, leaving the couple to argue about sleeping arrangements.

Emilia didn't want to think what it meant for her husband to side with her. She knew he hated her. His behavior when he saw her had said it all. She must have done something to change his mind. But what? All they had done since she arrived was fight like cats and dogs. The last time they fought was in the kitchen where he'd taken Lisandra's side. And a few hours later, he'd suddenly changed. What was he up to? His behavior was putting her on edge.

To make matters worse, Max had strolled in and flopped on the bed, watching her as she went through her nightly routine, which consisted of brushing her hair, braiding it and moisturizing her hands. When she couldn't take it anymore, she whipped her head around and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"You," he answered in a raspy tone that had turned her insides to liquid. For the first time, Emilia wanted to run and hide. She didn't want to feel the way she did towards Max. She sure as hell didn't want to forgive him for what he'd done. It would have been easy to forgive him if he'd been with a stranger. But Lisandra? Just the thought of them rolling around in the same bed she was about to sleep in made her want to throw up the dinner she'd had earlier.

So she got up and brought fresh sheets from the closet. "Change those sheets, will you? I’m not sleeping on a dirty bed"

Frowning, he said, "Mel changed the sheets this morning"

"It doesn't matter. That bed is already tainted with yours and Lisandra's dirt. I'll see about bringing a new one in tomorrow but for now, clean sheets will have to do"

"Emilia..."

"I'm going to check on Zander and make sure he's okay," she told him then left in a hurry. Whatever excuses he wanted to give her about his relationship with Lisandra didn't interest her. The truth was that he'd slept with her enemy number one. Period.

Taking her side, staring and smiling at her wouldn't change a thing. Although she'd admitted to herself that she had come back knowing she was capable of handling him when he was angry. If he lashed out at her she would do the same because she'd prepared herself for that. What she hadn't counted on was for him to change his mind so fast. In a day, he'd gone from mad to jerk to the man she married. The man who'd loved watching her do anything because he claimed it was the highlight of his day.

For a second there, it had felt like the nine years hadn't come in their way. For a second there, she was transported back to when Max would come home exhausted and fight to keep his eyes open just to watch her change into her nightdress. He'd once said she was his anchor. He could overcome anything life threw at him, so long as he knew she would always be with him. She'd believed him back then. She'd believed so much that she had forgotten about herself and lived for him. But now that the veil had been ripped from her eyes, she saw everything clearly. Whatever he'd told her back then was total bullshit. All of it had been a lie. And she would not fall into that trap again. God knew her stupidity had almost cost her her life the first time.

She found Zander asleep and was happy that he'd settled down, but it was annoying because she had nowhere else to go. She couldn't go back to her room until Max fell asleep. Whatever he was up to, she'd figure it out tomorrow. Right then, she had wanted to rest. It had been a long, emotional day. She couldn't take anymore but she would be damned if she went back to face Max. But sleeping in another room was out if the question, so she decided to go to the living room and watch TV. She gave him another hour and when she was sure she'd find him asleep; she went back upstairs.

Only he wasn't sleeping. He was facing the other side, and he waited until she settled down, then asked,

"How was he?"

"Fine. Fast asleep," she told him, but then he shocked her with his next question.

"I meant as a kid. When he was born, did he cry a lot?" when she took too long to answer, the bed shifted, indicating he had turned to face her. It would have been so easy to face him. So intimate. And it took everything in her to stay still. "Emilia please. I just want to know a little about my son. Please don't deny me that," he was begging.

Swallowing, she said, "He cried the second he was born, but the doctors said he was the loudest child they'd ever seen."

He chuckled, and the sound went straight to her heart, thawing a chip off the ice the organ had built around itself. "I can imagine. Did he trouble you? After that I mean. Was he the kind of child who cried all night? I always imagined...."

"Goodnight, Max. I had a long day and I’m tired" she cut him off, not wanting to hear about his dreams. Once upon a time, they'd shared the same dream. Have a lot of children and fill their house. That was a long time ago.

"Okay. Goodnight, Em," he said but didn't turn to face the other side. Instead, he stayed as he was, boring eyes into the back of her head. They made her uncomfortable, and she struggled to fall asleep knowing Max was watching her. Knowing that if she faced him, the past nine years would fade away and it would be like she never left. They'd stare at each other until one of them succumbed to sleep. Don't think she wasn't tempted to throw caution to the wind and say 'screw it'.

It would have been so easy to forget about her anger towards him. Right then, it was just the two of them and all he had to say was one word to get her into his arms. Sorry. If he apologized right there and then, she would have forgiven him, forgiven his family and even Lisandra. Emilia would have been willing to start over right there and then. Because deep down, she'd missed him. Missed the way he'd loved her. The way he made love to her. But he didn't, so she closed her eyes and was almost asleep when she heard him murmur, "You're mine too, Em. Only mine"

Then it hit her. She'd told him that when they were arguing in the kitchen. "You're my husband Max. Mine" And of course, he'd taken it to heart. No wonder he was smiling all night. She had basically acted like a jealous wife, giving him a reason to go around gloating. The ass. What had she been thinking when she told him that, anyway? She'd come back to claim her place as Mrs. Carter. Not to actually be Mrs. Carter. She had to come up with a plan to cure him of his delusions.

Sawyer. Emilia sent him a text and told him to come over dressed to impress. At thirty-four, he was two years older than Max, handsome, kind, charming, and married. The last part didn't matter and not because she was married, too. He was her best friend. She knew without a doubt he would do anything for her. Even act as her lover.

"This better be good, pretty face or I'll be really angry at you," he said, exiting his car. She had been waiting for him at the door, hoping he'd make it in time.

"It is. I promise... What's he doing here?" she asked, pointing to the other man getting out of the car too. 

"He didn't want to be left behind"

"Oh good lord, he's going to ruin everything."

"Excuse me," Hendrix said, straightening his clothes. "I'm lending you my husband, so the least I could do was not miss the show. Oh Em, I can't wait to see his face"

"You're too excited, babe," Sawyer remarked, smiling.

"Of course, I am. This is going to be awesome. Do you remember what we practiced this morning?"

"You guys practiced?" Emilia bellowed, then counted to five. "You know what? I've changed my mind. I don't need your help anymore. Thank you for coming"

"Nonsense," Sawyer said, dusting off invisible dirt from his suit jacket. "We love you and... It's showtime," he murmured, the last part closing the distance between them. Emilia heard the door behind her open just as Sawyer's lips touched hers. From the way he deepened the kiss, she guessed that it was Max who'd walked out of the house. Because she wanted to make their little act believable, she wound her hands around his neck and smiled into his mouth when he grabbed her ass. It was totally believable.

When they finally pulled apart, Sawyer looked past her and said, "Oh hi there. You must be Maxwell." he turned on the British accent. Score.

Emilia - 1

Max - 0 

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Sawyer Jennings and the man watching us like a creep is Hendrix Jennings. My younger brother," Hendrix scoffed. They all ignored him.

"Why are you kissing my wife in front of my house?" the way he emphasized 'my' you'd think he cared.

"She's not your wife as much as she’s, my girlfriend. Fiancé actually" crap. That wasn't in the plan. Emilia looked up at him, willing him to stop talking. He didn't, so she pinched his shoulder, which was the wrong thing to do because he squeezed her ass. She'd forgotten his hands were still there.

"Let go of her," Max said, his voice tight and restrained. Dropping her hands from his shoulders, she turned around to face her husband.

"Don't tell me you're jealous, dear husband"

"I won't allow you to parade your boy things around my house"

"It's my house too. And stop being such a hypocrite. Until yesterday, your mistress was staying in your room. Our room. At least I respect your stupid house more than you do."

"You little...."

"Mom?" they all turned to look at Zander. He was up early and, from the look in his eyes, he wasn't about to ask for a good morning kiss from his father.

Great.

"Hey, honey. Look who's here. " Emilia pointed to Sawyer and Hendrix just to distract him. He finally moved away from the door, but stumbled down the steps. Max, who was closer to him, tried to help him, but Zander slapped his hands away.

"I'm fine," he told his father, then ran straight into Sawyer's arms. "Uncle Saw. Did you miss me already?"

"Miss you? No way. For once I slept peacefully without you waking me up so early in the morning"

"That's just mean"

"I second that. Come to Uncle Hen baby. I'm the one who missed you. Not my brother. " The way he said brother indicated Sawyer was in trouble, too. But her attention wasn't on the couple. It was on her husband, who looked downright miserable. He watched Zander's interaction with her friends with such longing on his face that she felt sorry for him.

Max had looked forward to having kids. He had wanted so badly to be a father and often told her that he'd be the best. She hadn't doubted that fact. Still didn't. If Zander gave him a chance, he'd be the best father to him. As Emilia watched him watch their son, she came to a decision. She would try her best to salvage Max's image in Zander's eyes. She wanted to make him pay for betraying her, but she wouldn't use her son to do so. He was innocent, and he deserved to have a normal relationship with his father like all the other kids.

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