3

Chapter 3

  

  A few days later

  

  Emily Monroe

  

  “Alright… There you go,”

  

  I finally opened my eyes when I heard the stylist's voice, and the first thing I saw was my reflection in the mirror, staring right back at me, looking as beautiful as ever.

  

  My eyes glistened with tears as I slowly clenched my jaw tightly. Josh had drained me so much that I didn't realise I was still this beautiful. 

  I barely had peace in my ex-husband's house, how could I have the zeal to look beautiful? Even when I tried to, he would always make sure he bruised my ego so badly.

  

  A knock came on the door, followed by my dad's voice, and I quickly put on a smile.

  

  I rose to my feet and went to get the door, revealing my ever handsome and young dad. He was in his late fifties, but he still looked very young as though he was in his forties.

  His pair of brown eyes pierced into mine, a soft smile playing on his cute face.

  

  “Everyone is waiting. Are you ready?” He held out his hand to me, and I took it, giving him a small smile while nodding my head.

  After I arrived in the country five days ago, my dad had proposed having a dinner party to welcome me back after years, which I had kicked against immediately, but there was no way I could convince him not to do it. I eventually had to give in, but we eventually settled for just dinner.

  

  “I have a surprise for you, sweetheart. Don't be too surprised though,” he chuckled as he led me to the dining hall.

  

  “What's the surprise, dad?” my heart palpitated curiously as I inquired.

  

  “Don't be in a hurry, darling. You'll find out in a minute,’’ he glanced at me with that soft smile on his face, and I guess I really had to wait then.

  

  I thought it was going to be us alone and maybe with his staff in the mansion, but I was stunned when we stepped inside the hall, and I was met with a familiar man, sitting on one of the chairs. 

  

  “Stiles?” My voice came out in a whisper, my lips slowly drawing apart shockingly.

  

  “Emily… It's been a while,” Stiles stood up the moment he saw me, a smile playing on his lips as he walked elegantly up to us, taking my hand from my dad gently as he muttered, “I will take it from here, Sir,”

  

  My heart pounded hard against my ribcage, I felt my body heating up as he held my hand, squeezing it gently while gazing into my eyes with a smile tugged at his lips. 

  Has it been ten years since we last saw each other? He had changed over the years. He was no longer that shy and naive teenager he used to be back then. A teenager who could never hold eye contact with me for five seconds straight. A teenager who could never speak confidently and boldly to me then. 

  

  Aside from that, and his physique which has changed drastically, there was nothing much different about him. He almost didn't lose his teenage face. He still had that cute oval-shaped chiseled face, sharp jawlines, charming and sparkling honey-brown doe eyes, cute full lips, and long eyelashes that always had me jealous back then. 

  Stiles and I were raised together. We were practically siblings because he always stayed with us back then since his dad, who was my dad's best friend, was always on business trips around the world.

  

  Stiles moved out of the city with his dad ten years ago, and that was the last time we saw each other.

  

  “Stiles…” I retracted my hand from his, and threw them around his neck, hugging him tightly like I never wanted to let go. It felt as though he would disappear again if I let go of him.

  

  “I thought I would never see you again,” I whined, my arms around him tightening, and I heard him chuckle while patting my back.

  

  “It's good to see you, Emily,”

  

  “Dad… You really surprised me,” I turned to dad after I pulled away from him, pouting my lips.

  

  “This has to be the best surprise ever, dad,” I held Stiles hand and led us to join dad.

  

  “Of course, I knew you would be happy by this surprise. Anything for my baby,” daddy reached for my face and pinched my cheek playfully.

  

  “He had to leave everything and come back immediately as soon as I told him you came back,” Dad said, and I looked at Stiles.

  However, as our eyes met, my heart fluttered in a way it had never done before. This time, I was the one who couldn't keep eye contact with him for long without feeling nervous.

  

  “Oh…” my voice came out almost in a whisper, the atmosphere suddenly feeling tense and awkward.

  

   “Don't worry. I will do it,” I was going to serve us, but Stiles offered to do it, and I allowed him to.

  I couldn't keep my eyes off him the whole time that he was serving us. I had no idea whether I was admiring him. I couldn't even place what was going on in my mind at that moment.

  

  “So, how have you been, Stiles? How is business?” 

  I held my gaze low the whole time, barely touching my food as I listened to my dad and Stiles talk about business. It turned out that Stiles had taken over his dad's business and also has made waves in his own career as a businessman over the last few years.

  

  I clenched and unclenched my fingers with my hand on my thigh as I stared down at my food, unable to hold my head up to look at my dad.

  Shame surged through me when I realised that I was the only one who wasted three years of my life all in the name of loving a worthless man without nothing to show for it in the end. My heart wrenched painfully, knowing that my dad could be feeling disappointed but could not even show it because he didn't want to hurt me. 

  This dinner was supposed to be enjoyable, but it was like a nightmare to me. A nightmare I wanted nothing more than to end already.

  

  I prayed silently that Stiles wouldn't end up asking me how I had been over the years, because how could I tell him that I was married and divorced now? To a monster who took advantage of my love for him?

  

  Thankfully, Stiles got an important call from work in the middle of the dinner, and he left, with the promise to come back and see me.

  

  It felt like a heavy weight was lifted off my heart the moment I heard the door closing after Stiles stepped outside, and I released all the air in my lungs.

  

  I looked at my dad and found him concentrating on his meal.

  

  “What do you think about Stiles, Emily?”

  My heart fluttered when the question came unexpectedly.

  

  “Huh?” My eyes narrowed as I snapped my head up to look at him. Our eyes met.

  

  “I know it's too early to say this, considering that you just left your marriage… But I want you to get to know Stiles. I feel you two will make a perfect couple,” A smile spread across his face as he said those words like they weren't big deals.

  

  “Dad… are you—”

  

  “You and Stiles grew up together. You knew each other so well. He is a good man. He cares about you, looks out for you, protects you and is even ready to lay down his life for you. He is the son-in-law I've always prayed to have. A man that would care for my daughter. Someone my daughter would be with, and I wouldn't have to worry about her happiness… I feel like that person is Stiles,” 

  

  “You can take your time to think about it, get to know each other, and who knows, things might work out between you two,” he shrugged, and I batted my eyelashes…