Chapter Two
1902 Words
Emily's First Person P.O.V
"EMILY... Emily, you have to listen to me."
His voice chased after me like a curse.
My heels clicked like gunshots against the marble steps as I ran faster.
“Listen to me. You’re overreacting.”
Overreacting?
A bitter laugh cracked in my chest. My stomach churned.
I should’ve known. I did know. The way he looked at her at that damn party. The way he kept bringing her up like she was some goddess.
But I never thought he’d actually—
God.
My best friend. The same best friend who advised me to leave my cheating ex only to show up as his date yesterday. The same one who cried and begged me not to cut her off.
Mary. AGAIN.
I shoved the front door open so hard it slammed against the wall.
Christian followed me in, grabbing my arm roughly.
“Stop the theatrics.”
I spun around, eyes burning. “Theatrics?” My voice cracked, thick with disbelief. “I just saw you—f*****g my best friend. On your living room couch. The couch that I picked out.”
He barely flinched.
“Okay, first, you never told me she was your best friend. And second, you're making a big deal out of this.”
I froze.
He looked at me like this was my fault.
“You saw what you saw. Fine,” he said with a shrug. “But you seriously cannot be thinking of canceling the wedding because of that.”
I stopped.
“Excuse me?”
He shrugged. “It’s not that deep. We're not even married yet."
A pulse of dry laughs bubbled out of me.
“So that means you can sleep with my best friend?”
He stepped closer, calm as ever. “Yeah.”
I blinked. “You’re not sorry.”
“No,” he said. “Because it doesn’t change anything.”
My stomach twisted. My chest felt tight.
“You’re disgusting.”
“I’m a man,” he said. “I have needs."
I stared at him. Really stared. At the smug tilt of his jaw. The stupid perfection of his pressed shirt. And all I saw was him and her on that couch.
I started laughing. Quietly at first. Then it poured out of me, louder and bitter.
He blinked at me in confusion. “What’s funny?”
I took a step closer. Looked him dead in the eye.
“I finally get it now,” I said. “Why women put up with bastards like you.”
His face twitched.
I didn’t stop.
"Mary has always been better at faking it than I ever could. Good for you. I mean, judging by how fast you come, you’ve had a lot of practice disappointing women.”
That hit. His jaw tightened, nostrils flaring.
He raised a hand, just slightly—
Good.
“Don’t be crass,” he snapped. “You’re upset. You don’t mean that.”
“I MEANT EVERY SYLLABLE.”
"EMILY..." I heard her heels before I saw her.
Mom made her way down the stairs to us with a serene smile on her face.
Christian turned to her like a lifeline. “Mrs. Hayes, maybe you can talk some sense into her. She’s overreacting.”
Her face lit up.
“I heard everything, but I have to blame you. You should know how emotional brides can get. Don't worry, the wedding will still hold.” She laughed. “You two are meant to be. She just needs some time.”
The door clicked shut after Christian left.
My mother moved through the silence he left behind like nothing had happened. She adjusted a throw pillow, brushed invisible dust off the armrest, sat down, then finally looked at me.
“You shouldn't have spoken to him like that,” she said softly.
I stared at her. “He cheated on me.”
She sighed loudly. “Don't get me wrong, I’m not saying he was right, Emily. But these things happen. Men make mistakes. You don’t throw away your future because of a little heat.”
“Heat?” My voice cracked. “He was having s*x with Mary on our couch.”
She waved a hand like she was swatting a fly. “And now you’ve made a scene. Do you feel better?”
"I'm sorry. Should I feel stupid?” I pressed my hands into fists by my side.
“Stop the theatrics.” She crossed her legs like she had all the time in the world. “You think you’re the first woman to be betrayed by someone she loves?”
I blinked. “I don’t even love him.”
That stopped her for half a second.
“Then what’s the problem?” she asked, and her voice dropped lower, tighter.
I froze.
“Emily, look,” my mother said gently, standing up. “I know it hurts, but you cannot let this stop you—”
It hit me like a slap.
“You knew?”
She sighed and folded her arms. “I saw them together at your birthday dinner last year.”
I took a step back.
“You knew… and you were going to let me marry him anyway?”
“Emily,” she said, her voice dipping into warning. “You have to think about what calling off this wedding would do. To you. To the company. To us.”
“To us?” I choked on the words. “You mean to your reputation?”
“This is bigger than you. Christian is Mr. Elijah's son. They’ve been family friends for decades. What do you think people will say if you back out now?”
My voice rose. “Mom, what the hell...”
“You need to understand,” she said, her tone hardening. “Marriage is not a bed of roses. He made a mistake. You can still work through this.”
My chest heaved. “So I’m supposed to fake happiness for the rest of my life? Just to protect your status?”
She sighed. “Emily, be reasonable. You’re being emotional. Once this blows over—”
“It’s not blowing over, Mom!” I cried. “And you knew! You knew and were about to let me walk down that aisle like a fool.”
“He is perfect for you,” she said softly. “Christian is from a respectable family—”
“Stop!” I screamed. “Your perfect boy has been cheating on me for who knows how long. The wedding is over.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Now you’re just being ungrateful. After everything we’ve done for you—this is how you repay us? With a tantrum?”
I flinched.
She leaned forward now, her smile gone.
“Do you remember what you were doing six years ago? Running around after that boy, acting like love was enough. You got pregnant for someone who didn’t even have a place to sleep, and what did he do when you told him? Disappeared.”
I bit my tongue.
“We took you back. We paid for the hospital. We paid for those drugs. The nebulizers. The surgeries. The specialists. Every two months, we’re back in the ER because that child is coughing up blood.”
“Danny.” My jaw clenched. “His name is Danny.”
"I don't care what his name is!” she snapped. “Do you think your father’s money grows on trees? He is tired. I am tired. We all are. And now you want to throw away a man who can take care of you both?”
I stood. “The man you're talking about is a liar that slept with my best friend. How else do you want me to feel?”
“You think life is about feelings?” she hissed. “This marriage is the only thing we’ve ever asked of you. After everything we’ve done. All you had to do was wear the dress, say the vows, and give us a better life.”
My hands shook.
“You mean sell myself for your precious company?”
She stood too.
“I mean grow up. We didn’t raise a fool. The child is a liability. He should’ve died years ago. Would’ve saved us all the money and trouble.”
“Don't you ever talk about my son like that. And I will never marry that bastard.”
“I’m not marrying him,” I snapped. “You can’t force me.”
“You don’t have a choice,” my mother said flatly.
“I’m not some pawn—”
“Oh yes, you will.”
“I will not.”
“You will.”
“You’ll marry Christian,” she cut in, “or the baby dies.”
The room froze. My breath caught.
“What did you just say?”
“They found a donor. The surgery could fix everything,” she said, like it was nothing. “But it’s expensive. And Christian agreed to pay—if you agree to the wedding.”
I stared at her. “You’d let Danny die… just to make a point?”
She raised a brow. “We might never find another match. Ever. You want to gamble with that?”
My chest tightened. “You’re unbelievable.”
Her voice dropped, icy. “This is your one shot to fix the mess you made. Accept the terms or forget about it.”
"Mum, please." I begged.
She didn’t blink. “No.”
“Please,” I begged. “He’s sick. He could die.”
She tilted her head. “Do you think I care about your cursed seed?"
“Don’t call him that.”
She stepped forward. “He ruined your life. You got pregnant like a fool for a useless man. Now you expect us to keep funding that failure?”
“He’s my son.”
“He’s your curse,” she said coldly. “And I’m done pretending he isn’t.”
Tears burned down my cheeks. “You’re evil.”
“No. I’m realistic,” she said. “You want the money?”
I nodded slowly.
“Then marry Christian.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Do what you were told,” she said. “Walk down that aisle. Smile. Say your vows. And the money is yours.”
I stared at her.
“Christian won’t pay for Danny’s treatment.”
“He doesn’t need to. I will. But only if you obey.”
“Why do you hate him so much?” I whispered. “Why do you hate Danny?”
“Because he shouldn’t exist,” she said. “He’s weak. Just like you. He’s a stain.”
“He’s five.”
She shrugged. “You should’ve been more like your sister. She didn’t let a child ruin her life. She’s about to marry a senator. Not let some poor i***t ruin her life.”
Something in me broke.
“What will it be?” she asked. “Do your duty... or bury your bastard?”
My chest screamed. My soul howled.
“I’d rather burn in hell than marry Christian,” I said.
She raised a brow. “Then you’ll bury your son.”
I don’t know how… but I'm going to save my son. With or without them.
- Writer
