Chapter 9: Unwanted Attention
739 Words
Emma should have been happy.
Everything in her life seemed to be falling into place.
Work was going well.
Her family was healthy.
And Alexander...
Well, Alexander had become the best part of her days.
The morning texts.
The late-night phone calls.
The surprise visits.
She found herself looking forward to them more than she wanted to admit.
Which was exactly why she didn't notice the black luxury car parked outside the hospital.
Not at first.
Her shift ended shortly after four.
Exhausted, Emma stepped out of the hospital and headed toward the parking lot.
Then she saw the woman.
Standing beside the car.
Elegant.
Perfectly dressed.
Confident.
Emma immediately recognized her.
Victoria Sinclair.
The woman from the gala.
The woman who had interrupted her conversation with Alexander.
The woman who clearly belonged in his world.
Unlike Emma.
Victoria smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
"Emma Brooks?"
Emma stopped walking.
"Yes."
Victoria approached slowly.
"I was hoping we could talk."
Emma had a bad feeling about this.
Five minutes later, they sat at a small café near the hospital.
Emma hadn't ordered anything.
Neither had Victoria.
The conversation wasn't that kind of conversation.
Victoria folded her hands neatly.
"You've been spending a lot of time with Alexander."
There it was.
Emma remained calm.
"We're friends."
Victoria's expression suggested she didn't believe that for a second.
"Alexander is important to a lot of people."
Emma frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means his future affects many lives."
Emma already disliked where this was going.
Victoria leaned forward slightly.
"People expect certain things from him."
"And?"
"And relationships matter."
Emma's stomach tightened.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Victoria hesitated.
Then spoke plainly.
"You don't fit into his world."
The words landed harder than Emma expected.
Because they echoed fears she had already been carrying.
The difference between them.
The wealth.
The lifestyle.
The expectations.
Everything she'd been trying not to think about.
Victoria continued.
"Alexander has responsibilities."
Emma stared at her.
"And?"
"Those responsibilities require sacrifices."
Silence settled between them.
Finally, Emma stood.
"I think we're done here."
Victoria looked surprised.
Emma grabbed her bag.
"For what it's worth," she said quietly, "I never asked for any of this."
Then she walked away.
That evening, Emma sat alone on her porch.
The sunset painted the sky in shades of orange and pink.
Usually, it made her feel peaceful.
Tonight, it didn't.
Victoria's words replayed endlessly in her mind.
You don't fit into his world.
Maybe she was right.
Alexander attended galas.
Board meetings.
Investor events.
Emma spent her days in hospital scrubs helping patients.
Their lives couldn't have been more different.
Her phone buzzed.
Alexander.
She stared at the screen.
Then answered.
"Hey."
Immediately, he knew something was wrong.
"Emma."
She closed her eyes.
"What?"
"What happened?"
Nothing escaped him anymore.
"Nothing."
"That's a lie."
She smiled despite herself.
Alexander sighed.
"Talk to me."
For several seconds, she remained silent.
Then finally spoke.
"I met Victoria today."
The line went quiet.
Very quiet.
"Oh."
That single word told her everything.
"You knew she'd come."
"No."
His voice was firm.
"I didn't."
Emma believed him.
Still...
"She thinks I don't belong in your life."
Silence.
Then:
"What do you think?"
The question caught her off guard.
"What?"
"What do you think?"
Emma stared at the darkening sky.
For the first time, she answered honestly.
"I don't know."
The admission hurt.
Because part of her genuinely didn't know.
Alexander's voice softened.
"Emma."
She listened.
"The best thing that's happened to me this year is meeting you."
Her breath caught.
"I mean that."
Neither spoke.
The evening air felt suddenly still.
"I don't care what anyone else thinks."
His voice was steady.
Certain.
"I care what you think."
Emma felt tears sting unexpectedly.
Not because she was sad.
Because she believed him.
Every word.
"Alexander..."
"Yeah?"
A small smile appeared.
"You're making this very difficult."
He laughed softly.
"Good."
She laughed too.
And just like that, some of the doubt faded.
Not all of it.
But enough.
Unfortunately, someone else was paying attention.
Several hundred miles away, a photographer sat inside a parked car reviewing images on a camera.
Images of Alexander.
Images of Emma.
Images of them together.
The photographer smiled.
Because photographs like these sold for a lot of money.
And tomorrow morning, people across the country would begin asking questions.
Questions neither Emma nor Alexander were prepared to answer.
- Writer
