BACK AT THE ALTAR

Chapter 8: A lower position

"Consequences of my action?

Seriously?" John said curtly "can we discuss this later, not in front of her?"

“His right sir, I don't think its appropriate for me to be here to witness this. John has a good point, sir." Emily coaxed.

Mr. Smith gazed at John, a hint of challenge in his eyes. "Since you insist we shouldn't discuss this here, why don't you take her to get some new outfits? We can talk about it when you return, without her around. How does that sound?"

"Fine!" John snarled

~ John and Emily on their way to the mall – in the car

Sitting in the car, John looked at Emily with irritation “Hey, Did you place a charm on my grandfather? Cause it looks like he only cares about you-a simple nobody” John sneered.

Emily’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at John, she couldn’t believe what John said, she felt numb “ how would you say such a thing, why would I charm your grandfather?”

John's expression turned incredulous. "I should be asking you that, not the other way around," he shot back. "I can't believe you.”

Emily's face reddened as she felt her anger rising. "You can't believe me?" she repeated, her tone rising.

“You're the reason my grandfather turned against me!" John’s eyes blazing with anger “my grandfather and I use to be inseparable, but since you came in the picture…” John snapped

Emily took a deep breath, and looked at John with teary eyes, her voice laced with regret. “John….john, I’m so sorry, its my fault that you and your grandfather are having issues. I’m sorry I badge into your house uninvited.” She apologized as tears fell down to her face.

John’s tone softened slightly, “You should be sorry”

Emily eyes dropped, fidgeting with her hands, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry John,I know I’ve messed everything up.” Emily said blaming herself for everything that has happened between John and Mr. Smith.

Tension filled the car as John kept staring at Emily, his gaze piercing and intense. The driver's voice broke the silence, "We've arrived at the mall."

"Okay," John said curtly, stepping out of the vehicle. “You coming?"

Emily nodded, her eyes avoiding John's as she followed him out of the car. Together, they walked into the mall, the silence between them thick and heavy.

As they walked into the mall, John's words from earlier still lingered in the air. They entered a clothing store, and John turned to Emily with a softer tone. "My grandfather said you should get anything you want, so what do you want?" he asked.

Emily's eyes widened slightly, and she stuttered, "Just...just some outfit."

Just then, a sales associate approached them with a smile. "Welcome, lovely couple! Let me show you some of our latest collections."

John's expression turned cold, and he quickly corrected the sales assistant."We're not together. I'm just...accompanying her."

Emily's eyes were fixed on John, her gaze intense as she watched him deny the assumption. Her face filled with so much emotion, but she said nothing, simply standing there as John turned back to her and said. "Go ahead, pick out what you want."

“Oh, I’m so sorry” the sales assistant quickly apologized. “Let’s go this way, Ma’am” she led Emily

Emily silently walked behind the sales associate as she led the way.

The sales associate smiled warmly at Emily. "Pick your choice, ma'am, and you can try them on if you wish."

Emily nodded, scanning the racks before selecting a few outfits. She took them to the fitting room, trying on each one. When she emerged, she stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the fit and smoothing out the fabric.

John, sat down on a nearby chair, his eyes fixed on Emily's reflection in the mirror. As she turned to get a better look, he was surprised to see how perfectly the outfit suited her.

John's expression softened for a moment and he couldn't help but stare at Emily. Emily, oblivious to John's gaze, continued to admire herself in the mirror, a small smile playing on her lips.

The sales assistant beamed with approval. "This one suits you perfectly," she said, nodding in agreement.

Emily smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction with the outfit. She selected a few more items, and John paid for them. As they left the store, the silence between them was palpable.

Inside the car, the ride back was quiet, with neither of them saying a word. The tension from earlier still lingered, and the only sound was the hum of the engine.

When they arrived at the house, Emily turned to John, wanting to express her gratitude. "Thank you, John," she began, but before she could finish, John stormed out of the car, not even looking back.

"I'm going to see my grandfather," he said curtly, already walking away out of the car. Emily watched him go.

As Emily came down from the car, and entered the house, she heard voice from upstairs. It was John and his grandfather.

Emily overheard their conversation, her ears picking up on the desperation in John's voice as he begged his grandfather for his position back at the office. Not wanting to intrude, she quickly and quietly left, not wanting to be a part in their conversation.

As she left, John kept begging. His grandfather, however, remained unmoved, profusely refusing John's requests. But John wouldn't give up, continuing to beg until finally, his grandfather agreed, though it wasn’t in the way John had hoped.

"I'll give you a position," his grandfather said, "but not the one you're asking for. A lower position, one that fits your current attitude and behavior."

John's face twisted in frustration. "Why?" he demanded, his voice laced with anger.

"Because you need to learn the consequences of your words," his grandfather replied firmly. "You cannot speak anyhow and expect to be rewarded. You need to understand the value of your actions and words."

John's anger boiled over, and with a scowl, he angrily stormed out of the room.

Few minutes after the conversation, Emily went to John's room, intending to thank him for earlier as she couldn’t finish thanking him in the car. However, she didn’t know that the conversation that John had with his grandfather didn’t go well.

John’s face twisted with rage, his eyes blazing with anger as he glared at Emily. His jaw was clenched, veins started to show.

"What's your business here?" John snapped, his voice menacing, pouring out his anger at her.