Chapter 006
1128 Words
“At this rate,” Betty began, “You’ll finish the entire bottle.”
I raised the whiskey bottle, my eyes blurring with tears as I recounted my interview.
I swallowed a sob, downing another glass.
“Shut up, Betty.” I retorted, but there was no heat in my words.
I didn’t have it in me to fight anyone.
“Emmaline,” Betty walked over, her eyes shining with tears. “It's almost midnight. Stop this,” she snatched the glass and I shot up.
“Hand it back—“ My protest drowned as loud knocking rang through the mansion.
Our eyes locked, and before we could call dibs on who it was — Aiden Wood’s voice filled my ears.
“Emmaline!” he boomed. “Come out! Come out and face me!”
My chest tightened and I shook my head as Betty approached the door
“No, no, no. Darn it! Lock all the doors, Betty!” I said, stumbling back as she raced to the exits.
I was barely able to stand straight as I raced up the stairs.
I couldn’t face him, not like this. Not weak.
Aiden sounded like he was unraveling. Did I cross the line?
No. He deserved every bit of this. Everything was his fault. All of it.
I stopped in front of my room, glancing back as the mansion fell into silence.
Did he leave?
No, Aiden wouldn’t give up so easily. His ego wouldn’t let him.
I shook my head and opened the door, my heart stopping at the scene.
“Hello to you too.”
My fingers dug into my skin and reality hit me at once — Dark hair, hypnotic green eyes glaring back at me.
Aiden Wood snuck into my house, through the freaking window. He ran his hands through his hair as he stood, approaching me.
“This is trespassing,” I warned but he chuckled, rolling his eyes.
“I brought a gift for you.” Something about his gaze made my stomach twist into knots.
“Get out, Mr. Wood. This is uncalled for.”
“That’s funny,” he said smugly. “A few hours ago, I was Aiden,” he spat, narrowing his eyes. “You know, the husband who hurt, abandoned, and led to the loss of our baby?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I don’t like repeating my—“
“Darn it, Emmaline!” He growled.
I flinched as his grip on his phone tightened.
“How could you stoop this low?!” He tossed it at me.
I frowned, my breath hitching as I picked it up, reading the headline across the screen.
‘Wood Family faces backlash after Heiress Rhea’s Wedding is called off. This comes after his ex-wife—
“Happy now?” Aiden broke through the fog.
This was what I wanted, right? Why didn’t it feel good?
“My sister was getting engaged today.” His eyes glazed over as he spoke, “Was. Because apparently power doesn’t buy reputation and they can’t marry the sister of a man like me.”
I bit hard on my bottom lip to stop it from quivering. “That sounds like a ‘you’ problem.” I snapped, “I said the truth and you know it.”
I tried to open the door but his hands grazed mine. My body froze, and I hoped he wouldn’t notice my hands trembling under his.
“Absolutely not.” his baritone voice vibrated against my ears. “That’s not the truth. You want to know what the truth is, Emmaline?” he glanced up and I realized…
We were so freaking close.
Close enough for me to taste his cologne and goosebumps to travel all over my skin, invading every inch of me.
“The truth is you chose this. You walked away.” he spat. “You chose to create this mess as well. You’re spiteful and cruel and darn it— you disgust me, Emmaline.”
Wait, what? He was judging me?
“For your little revenge, you ruined my sister's life and I’ll never forget that.”
I tried to open the door but he pulled me back and I gasped as we stumbled, falling on the bed.
“You’re still as bitter as you were,” He gritted, tucking my hair from my face. “First, you aborted our baby, and now, this? How far will you go, Emmaline?”
There he was again. How could he blame me for killing our son? He was my baby.
Even if he’d been lied to. How could Aiden believe I was capable of something so disgusting?
He was my baby too. I had so many dreams for him, I shopped and decorated while he was with his lovers.
I went to the hospital alone, I followed all Anna’s instructions, and I bought the parenting books alone.
He was more my baby than he’d ever have been Aiden’s.
Yet. Yet, He was standing here; accusing me?
“You rage about how bad I am, but you’re the worst of all,” I seethed, pushing him off.
He caught my wrist before I could leave, and I yanked it.
“You’re not here because you’re hurt. You’re here because everyone knows it. You’re terrified that people see you for what you are, Mr. Wood.” I stepped forward. “A cheating monster who only knows how to take!”
“Emmaline!”
“It’s Miss. Oroy to you.”
The silence between us was deafening and when Aiden spoke, it settled in my chest like a dagger.
“You’re an amazing actress.” He snarled. “You never wanted our baby, you wanted a leash to keep me tied to you and when you realized you couldn’t have me— you got rid of you, just like you got rid of your self-respect today.”
“No amount of lies, or sugar-coated words will hide the fact that you,” he poked me. “You killed my child—“
“Enough!” I snapped, my palm colliding with his cheek.
“Enough, Aiden!” My bottom lip quivered as his widened eyes met mine. “How can you—“ my voice cracked, “how can you even accuse me?”
“How could you,” I wrapped my arms around my torso, recalling the night I lost my baby. “Blame me?”
“Emmaline—“
“No,” I was done. It was time he knew the truth.
I stepped forward “He was my baby. My baby, Aiden! I could never do that! He was my son — I could never kill my own son!”
- Writer
