Emma couldn’t help the way her mouth gaped open in shock at the rumors. Was that what people thought of her? What would they say if someone found out she was pregnant?!“That’s not true; that’s not true. I did not sleep with him to get this position. Is that really what they think of me?” Emma called out as she fiddled with her nails, feeling anxious.She felt like the ground would open and close up now that she understood the reason why they all looked at her like that.“I don’t think of you like that! Of course not!” Jamie said as he held her hands with firm, sincere assurance and a look on his face. “Don’t mind them; they are just jealous that you are dating Mr. Rowan. They will get over it soon.”He assured Emma as they went back to their work. It didn’t take long before Emma's phone dinged and she got a message.She opened it to see that it was from Rowan. God, Rowan. She felt so dumb and stupid for avoiding him this morning, but right now she didn’t even know how to start the co
EMMA*I just couldn’t believe my worst luck. Not only did Paxton try to force a kiss on me, but worse, I had never felt so trapped in my life until the doors of the passenger seat opened up, and I looked up to see the eyes of Rowan. He was seething with untamed rage."Rowan, I can explain," I started before he dragged me out of the car. He didn’t want to hear any of it, and I couldn’t blame him. From what had just happened, any sane person would think that I was having an affair with Paxton behind his back."Do not dare try to fucking explain sh*t, Emma. You lied to me, played me, and tricked me. Was it worth it, huh? To get a few quick bucks from fucking me and then playing the fucking victim? You planned this, didn’t you? Was it fun to watch me lose it, huh?" He fumed, shaking my shoulders with force. I felt dizzy and lost for words.This was not meant to happen! I tried to force myself to speak, to tell my part, and to at least show the letter that felt heavy in my hands. "Rowan, I
"Honey, are you sure there isn't anything wrong?" Layla asks Emma, but Emma denies it, knowing it might cause problems."No, no, I'm good. I just wanted to check on mom, but I'm glad you picked her up since she is asleep.""No problem, dear. You can call her later in the day. I'm coming to New York in a few days. I have a meeting in Hong Kong, but I want to stop by. A few things, and maybe get a glimpse of the baby bump?" he asked with hope, and that made Emma smile sadly."Of course, ma'am. You know, I can't deny you a visit. I actually want to come to L.A. soon, and this is good timing. I will be graduating soon, and I want to come see my mom. If that's alright with you", she asked Lyla calmly, hoping she wouldn’t notice anything amiss."You don't need to ask me that, and of course, I'm sure your mom would be happy to see you. I know you talk often, but it's different seeing them and talking facee-to face, right?" Layla asked in a bashful tone."Of course, it's always a good day to
•ROWAN•I have to get twisted and filthy drunk for hours just to forget Emma. She filled my mind like a dangerous drug I was trying so hard to get rid of.Thats what I get for trusting and giving yourself and your whole world to the one person who could not even be truthful with you.It felt like a large blow to see her and her boyfriend together. As I watched them kiss, they both knew they were playing me. I knew no matter how hard I tried to douse the feeling down with alcohol, it still hurt.I spent hours in the club before I called a chauffeur to come pick me up and take me home. Walking into the apartment felt wrong, but I tried to concentrate more on my intoxicated mind and shut everything out, including ignoring Emma’s door as I walked right past it and entered my room.Quickly taking off my tie and throwing my suit that had been long taken off my body at the bar, I removed my shoe and fell flat to the bed, hoping the alcohol would take away my misery. It didn’t.Instead, I was
EMMAThe moment I told Amy about my plan I could see the shock and panic on her face as she grabbed my tighter.“What? What do you mean you’re leaving?” Amy asked me with a panicked look on her face. Even in a million years, I won’t forget how scared she looked as she took my hands, which warmed from her touch.“I want to leave, Amy. I want to take my mother and start a new life anywhere else than here.”“What about your job and school?” She asked in a panic, like she was looking for anything she could use to hold me back.“You know I’m done with my project, and I have applied to graduate early. My job was always an internship. I can find something better with what I’ve saved,” I explained to her. Most of it was true, though I haven’t found a job opening yet. I know that with what I have saved, I could get decent housing there. I would look for a job to pay Mrs. Layla back, and I would take care of my baby myself. I thought as I rubbed my belly.“You don’t mean that. I mean, you have a
ROWANI felt like my world was spinning out of bounds I could barely hear anything the moment after Amy told me the news about Emma. "Emma has left. She is gone.""Gone? What do you mean, gone?" I asked her in anger, but Amy was having none of it. She neither cared nor worried about my frantic questions about Emma."I don’t have to answer that, Mr. King," Amy retorted as she reached for her door to close it and shut me out."Wait!" I raged as she paused and looked at me, her eyes filled with annoyance and hate."What?""T-Tell me where she is. I know you know where she is.""No, I don’t know anything about her location, and even if I knew, Rowan, I would not tell you. Goodbye," she called coldly as she shut the door and left me in the dimly lit hallway of her apartment.I was raging mad at this point as I stormed out and down the steps and into my car. Where the hell was she? How could Emma just leave like that? After playing with my feelings, is this what she truly wanted? To ruin me?
RowanI just couldn’t believe it. Emma was gone; her whereabouts were nowhere to be found. She had played me and used me, and now she was finally with Paxton, and they must have run away together. My anger knew no bounds from Emma’s endless betrayal. Every night I went to sleep, I dreamt of her. But why did she look so broken that day? Yet she decided to leave me without a second thought. Now my thoughts were filled with her, and it had become maddening.I steeled myself to forget her—forget everything we ever were. As I woke up in the morning and wore my work clothes, I got a call with the ID showing that it was my mom. She must have found out by now. "Fuck," I muttered as I watched the phone ring, and only on the third ring did I pick it up. "Hello?" I started as I buttoned up my suit."What is the meaning of what I’m hearing?! Where is Emma?" My mother raged over the phone. I knew it wouldn’t be long until she found out, even if she was out of the country. "What do you mean you can
ROWAN...Being starkly pissed was an understatement forHow I felt the moment Raya left my office after saying all those things to me. I slammed my fist into the desk, pushing away my failed attempts as I stood up in annoyance and paced through my office.Not only were my mom and Raya not on my side, but doubts also kept swimming back in my head, like I had done something terribly wrong or there was something I didn’t do.Everything has become messed up because of Emma Smith coming into my life. Now I had to dance to the music of letting her go. No, she let go first, and now I am the one paying for everything. I wouldn’t let her get the best of me.I walked to the open plane of my windows that extended from the ceiling and had the whole outdoors open and sunny in my office space. Not long after, the door opened, and I saw Keith come in and close the doors behind him with a look of annoyance on his face."What is it?" I called coldly to him as I still faced the windows, combing my dis