Chapter 6: The Hypocritical Woman
749 Words
She didn’t feel sorry for herself anymore.
Even though Lily Morgan wasn’t dead, even though Emily had spent years in prison for nothing.
Even though she was Ethan Carter’s wife, and yet, she couldn’t set foot in the Carter family home…
He was a vision of elegance, his beauty unmatched.
It was her who wasn’t worthy of standing by his side. Someone like her, now, didn’t deserve to be near him.
Panicking, she turned to leave, but Ethan quickly rose from his seat, grabbing her and pulling her into his arms. He held her tightly against him. “It’s over now.”
It was as if he was comforting her, but also comforting himself.
This had to be a dream.
Emily closed her eyes, not daring to think too deeply about the meaning behind his words. Instead, she breathed in the familiar scent of sandalwood from his body, a fragrance she had missed for so long.
She didn’t dare move, afraid that if she did, the dream would shatter.
The room was so quiet that the only sound was their breathing, so close together. The last time they had been this close was after he had gotten drunk that one night.
A flicker of discomfort crossed Ethan’s face.
If it hadn’t been for Lily pleading with him to spend one day with Emily, he wouldn’t have come to see her at all.
This woman, Emily Lane, was an expert at playing the innocent victim. If it hadn’t been for Lily’s incredible luck—falling asleep in the backseat when the accident occurred and the airbag saving her—she would’ve been dead by now!
Ethan couldn’t even begin to imagine how Lily, covered in scars, had dragged herself out of the wreckage at the bottom of that cliff. She had slowly recovered and somehow made her way back to him.
That was when he realized how terrible her life had been after marrying into the Graham family.
That bastard Greg Graham had even hit her!
The scars that covered Lily’s body were proof of years of abuse.
She had begged Ethan to keep her survival a secret, and he had agreed, creating a new identity for her. As for Emily… Ethan’s gaze dropped to her own scars, but he felt no sympathy, only disgust.
Because the first thing Lily had said when she saw him was that Emily had tampered with the car.
And to this day, Emily still refused to admit it.
Letting her out of prison early was the biggest mercy he could offer her.
“Emily.” Ethan’s voice was cold and distant. “Do you not hate me at all?”
Emily blinked, her eyes wide with confusion, as if she was truly thinking about his question. After a moment, she shook her head firmly.
There had been a brief moment when she first arrived in prison, when she was being beaten for the first time, that she had felt hatred for the man in front of her. But as time passed, thinking of him had become the only thing that got her through those endless, brutal nights.
And now she had the baby to think about.
Her hand instinctively went to her belly, and she smiled up at him, her expression full of warmth and hope.
Ethan was irritated by the way she looked at him, and any lingering guilt he had vanished instantly.
If she were truly innocent, how could she so easily accept her fate? Wouldn’t she be fighting harder, demanding justice?
No—she accepted it because she was guilty.
That’s why she endured everything without a word.
Ethan didn’t want to spend another minute with this hypocritical, stubborn woman. The only reason he was here today was because Lily had begged him over and over to at least meet with Emily once.
But to spend an entire day with her?
Ethan frowned, his displeasure so clear it felt like it was suffocating Emily.
She lowered her head, not sure what she had done wrong, but desperate to avoid upsetting him further.
The atmosphere in the room was unbearably tense.
“Let’s go,” Ethan said, glancing at her before loosening his tie in frustration. “I’ve made a reservation at your favorite restaurant.”
Her favorite restaurant?
Emily had never liked eating out.
The one who loved dining out had always been Lily...
Emily’s heart sank as realization hit her, freezing her in place. She couldn’t bring herself to move.
- Writer
