The Secret Baby

Episode 8

Emily's POV:

As Emily was painting in her apartment, she heard a loud knock on her door. She opened it to find her brother Anthony standing there, looking down at her with his usual air of superiority. She knew he was not there for a friendly visit.

"What do you want, Anthony?" she asked, already bracing herself for the worst.

"Dad called me yesterday," he said in a condescending tone. "He told me the news."

Emily knew exactly what he was talking about. The news of her unplanned pregnancy had spread like wildfire through her family, and she was not looking forward to the judgment and criticism that would inevitably come her way.

"And what exactly do you want to say about it?" she asked, trying to keep her tone even.

Anthony stepped forward, invading her personal space. "I just want you to know you're making a big mistake," he said with a sneer. "You're throwing your life away for this... this mistake."

Emily felt a surge of anger rises up in her. How dare he talk to her like that?

"Excuse me?" she said, her voice rising. "This 'mistake' is a human being, Anthony. And I am perfectly capable of raising a child on my own."

He scoffed. "You? Raise a child on your own? Please, here I find you, unmarried, pregnant, and living in this dump. You should have known better than to bring shame to our family."

Emily felt her blood boil at his words, but she tried to stay calm. "Excuse me, but who are you to judge me? You're the one who's always trying to please Mom and Dad by being the perfect son. I'm happy with my life, and I don't need your approval."

Anthony sneered at her. "You call this a life? Painting all day and sleeping with random men at night? You're a disgrace."

Emily wanted to lash out at him, to tell him how wrong he was. But she knew it would be pointless. Anthony was the golden child of the family, the one who could do no wrong. He would never understand what it was like to be her, to struggle every day just to make ends meet.

Instead, she glared at him, her fists clenched at her sides.

"Get out," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "Get out of my apartment and never come back."

He smirked at her, his eyes full of contempt. "Fine. But when this all blows up in your face, don't come crying to me."

And with that, he walked out, slamming the door behind him. Emily leaned against the wall, feeling angry and hurt. She knew she didn't need Anthony's approval, but it still stung to be judged by her own brother.

Emily took a much-needed break from painting and went to the kitchen to brew some tea. As She waited for the water to boil, a sharp pain pierced through her abdomen, causing her to double over in agony. Panic set in as she wondered what could be wrong with her unborn child. She knew she had to get to the hospital, and fast.

After arriving at the hospital, her nerves were at an all-time high as she waited to hear the news about her baby's health. Dr. Williams walked in and began to do the ultrasound, her professional demeanor giving her a small sense of comfort.

"The baby is healthy," she announced, "but you need to be careful to avoid stress."

Avoid stress? How could she do that when her family was falling apart around her? Her father was disappointed in her, and her brother was arrogant and rude. How could she possibly avoid stress in the middle of all this chaos?

Emily tried her best to remain composed, but the tears were streaming down her face. Dr. Williams noticed her distress and reached out to hold her hand.

"It's okay," she reassured. "Just take it one day at a time."

Her words were meant to comfort Emily, but they only made her feel worse. How could she take things one day at a time when everything was spiraling out of control? As she left the hospital, tears continued to stream down her face, knowing things were only going to get harder from here.

Emily walked into the museum, still reeling from the previous day's hospital visit, and immediately felt a knot form in her stomach at the sight of Mrs. Claire. The woman was always so full of herself, mixing her English with French in a way that made her want to scream.

"Bonjour, Emily! Comment allez-vous?" she greeted me, smiling in a way that made her want to roll my eyes.

"Je vais bien, merci, et toi?" She replied, trying to keep her tone polite.

But Mrs. Claire didn't seem to notice. Instead, she leaned in and whispered, "Mr. Jack Siam came yesterday asking for you."

Emily's heart skipped a beat. Jack had come to the museum looking for her? Why? Was he still thinking about her after all these years? The thought made her feel both excited and nervous.

But before she could even process the information, Mrs. Claire's smug grin made her blood boil. "Don't worry, Emily. I didn't give him your number. I told him to come back and talk to you in person."

She gritted her teeth, forcing a smile, and thanked Mrs. Claire before heading to the staff room. She couldn't believe that woman. How dare she talk to her like that? As she made her way through the museum, Emily tried to push her arrogant behavior out of her mind and focus on my work.

But as the day went on, her thoughts kept returning to Jack and what his visit could mean. Was he here because of the baby? Was he planning on seeing her again? The questions swirled around in her head, making it hard to concentrate on her job.

Suddenly, a group of noisy teenagers barged in, disrupting the peace of the museum. Emily gritted her teeth and tried to maintain her composure as she approached them, warning them to keep their voices down and not touch anything.

One of the boys smirked at her and said, "What, are you some kind of boss lady around here?"

Emily felt a surge of anger rise within her. How dare he talk to her like that? She squared her shoulders and replied, "Yes, I am. And if you don't follow the rules, you'll be kicked out before you can say 'art exhibit'."

The group quieted down, and she felt a sense of satisfaction at putting them in their place.

But as the day wore on, her mind kept circling back to Jack and the possibility of him causing trouble for her. She tried to push the thought aside and focus on her work, but it was like a nagging voice in the back of her head.

As she was showing a group of tourists around, Mrs. Claire appeared out of nowhere, still trying to impress them with her French accent. "Ah, Emily, you must try Le Bistrot du Louvre, it's très délicieux!"

Emily couldn't help but feel annoyed at her showboating, but she thanked her and continued the tour.

But even as she tried to focus on the museum, her thoughts kept coming back to Jack and the fear of what he might do next. It was like a dark cloud hanging over her, threatening to ruin everything.

After a grueling day at work, Emily couldn't wait to escape the museum's confines and relax. As she walked out, she accidentally bumped into a man, and to her surprise, it was the mysterious stranger from the fundraiser event. His face was etched with an enigmatic smile that made her wonder who he really was.

"Excuse me," she apologized, flustered. "I didn't see you there."

He brushed it off with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "No worries. Are you alright?"

Emily nodded, feeling a little starstruck. "Yes, thank you."

Then, out of the blue, he offered her a ride home. It was a tempting offer, but her instincts told her to be wary of his intentions.

As they got into his car, he started making small talk, asking her about her life in Riverdale. Emily tried to keep it brief and non-specific, but he persisted, asking her about her job at the museum.

Emily hesitated before answering, wondering why he was so interested. "I'm a tour guide," she finally replied.

He arched an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? That's impressive. You must be quite knowledgeable about art."

She shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. "It's just a job."

He chuckled, "Well, you're doing a great job. You managed to impress me with your knowledge of art in just one night."

His words made her feel flattered yet suspicious. Who was this man, and why was he paying so much attention to me?

As they drove through the city streets, they talked about their favorite artists and museums. He seemed to know so much about the art world that she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. But at the same time, Emily couldn't shake off the feeling there was more to him than what met the eye.

Finally, they reached her apartment building. Emily thanked him for the ride and was about to leave when he stopped her.

"Before you go, can I at least get your name?" he asked.

Emily told him, and he repeated it as if committing it to memory.

"Well, Emily, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope to see you again soon."

With that, he drove off into the night, leaving her with a feeling of excitement and anticipation. Who was this mysterious man, and why did he seem so familiar? she couldn't wait to find out.

Emily took a deep breath and savored the crisp morning air as Rachel and her finished their jog. It was the perfect way to start the day and keep her and the baby healthy.

As they caught their breath on a bench, Rachel turned to Emily with a mischievous grin. "Em, you won't believe who I'm seeing."

"Who?" She asked, intrigued.

Rachel leaned in closer. "A prince. From Europe."

Her eyebrows shot up. "No way! Are you serious?"

Rachel nodded, her face glowing. "He's amazing. Wealthy, charming, and so handsome. He's got me swept off my feet."

Emily couldn't help but laugh. "Well, damn. You're really going all out, aren't you?"

Rachel winked. "Hey, if you're gonna do it, you might as well go big or go home, right?"

They shared a laugh, but a small part of Emily wondered if Rachel was moving on too quickly after her divorce. Still, it wasn't her place to judge.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the other joggers pass by. Her mind drifted to Jack and the baby, but Rachel snapped her out of her thoughts.

"You know what, Em? You should try online dating. It worked for me."

Emily shook her head. "No way. I don't trust those apps. Besides, who would want to date a pregnant woman?"

Rachel laughed. "You'd be surprised. There are guys out there who are into that."

Emily wrinkled her nose. "I'll pass. I'll just wait for my prince charming to sweep me off my feet like yours did."

Rachel snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that. You might be waiting a while."

They laughed and as they got up to leave, Rachel turned to Emily with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Em, you should really start dating again too. I mean, who wouldn't want a hot mama like you?"

Emily couldn't help but laugh at Rachel's playful tone. "Thanks, Rach. I'll keep that in mind."

They hugged goodbye, and Emily walked back home, feeling a bit lighter after Rachel's words. But as she walked, her mind drifted back to a memory of Jack, and the details seemed hazy, like a distant dream.

Flashback:

Emily stood on a beach, the sun sinking into the ocean. Jack handed her a small box, and inside was a pendant with her name on it. He looked at her with adoration and said, "To the love of my life." Emily beamed as he fastened the pendant around her neck. They kissed as the waves swirled around their feet.

End of Flashback:

Suddenly, a honking car jolted her back to reality. Emily realized she was standing in the middle of the road, lost in the memory of Jack and the beach. The taxi driver yelled, "Watch where you're going, lady!"

She shook head head to clear it and stepped back to the sidewalk, but her mind was still foggy. She touched her neck, expecting to feel the pendant, but it wasn't there. Had she lost it? Returned it to Jack? The details were frustratingly blurry.

"Damn, pregnancy brain strikes again," She muttered to hersself as she continued on her way home.