Chapter Three
1525 Words
Lucas
"This is everything you need to know about this woman..." my assistant stated as he handed me the last of the files. I read through the information carefully. "If there's anything else that you'd be needing, just let me know and I'll make sure it's available.
"Arrange a meeting with her immediately.." I ordered and my assistant hurried off. I took a sip of the coffee on my desk and fell back lazily on my chair.
The family portrait on my desk glared at me. I slowly leaned forward and picked it up, running my hands over the glass. The picture perfect family.... that's all this was. I tried to see the hope in our marriage, especially after having Lilly, but I was completely mistaken. Sophie always had men at her beck and call l, whether I was there with her or not.
Sophie and I have been married for years now, but there has never been any affection between us. Our arranged marriage was just for the public face and nothing more. But even this sham of a union was starting to suffocate me.
She barely had any time for our daughter Lily... and her cheating habit was getting more chronic everyday. I've had enough of her foolishness... so I'll finally take the action I should have taken a long time ago.
My assistant returned and handed me the schedule for my meeting with Emily Carter, my daughter's favorite teacher. I needed to get to speak with the woman who had made my daughter's happiness her priority.
I dismissed my assistant and gulped down the rest of the coffee as I waited patiently for time to pass. I busied myself with drafting out a perfect proposal to pitch to her and went through it in my head to make sure it made sense.
The skies grew dimmer as the sun hid behind a cloud. I immediately picked up my jacket, adjusted my hair and headed out of my office.
"Ready my car" I ordered my driver and placed the portrait back on the desk. The company was bustling with activities and I had clients waiting to be attended to, but if I didn't take hold of this fragile opportunity, it'll slip right through my palms.
We were supposed to meet at a coffee shop by my daughter's school and I arrived a few minutes ahead of time. The building was a bit ratchet. The least place you'd expect someone like me to be in. It was once a café. Right now it's just a reading parlor.
I sat in the far end of the room, facing my daughter's school directly and I watched the children happily get into their parent's cars. My driver already picked Lily up so I just sat and waited for Emily. Then I saw her strolling out. Her steps were heavy and unsteady. She limped on one leg and every step looked like it hurt.
Not only was her husband a serial cheat– he beat her up as well?
I waved at her as she walked into the shop and she forced a smile as she approached my table. "Good evening miss Emily.." I gestured for her to sit and her forced smile never left her face.
"Good evening Mr Black..." she greeted me and I took her handshake. "It's nice to meet you" Emily said and reluctantly took her seat.
"Pleasure is mine..." I responded "so let's not waste any more time and just get down to the reason we're both here." I explained as I pulled out the sheets of papers from an envelope.
"You must be wondering why I wanted us to meet ... as you know, I'm Lily's father" I reintroduced.
"Yeah I figured..." she responded calmly "I've been meaning to speak with you but I didn't know how possible it was going to be." She replied softly but her voice trembled – yet her smile didn't leave her face even though I was well aware of how much she struggled to keep it up there.
"Yeah I learned you came by the house yesterday but I wasn't home.. just my wife" I replied and her eyes twitched. Her lips slowly retracted and the smile wasn't as wide and profound as it was earlier.
"What did you want to speak to me about?" I leaned back on the chair and crossed my arms over my chest.
A sigh escaped her lips and she shrugged her slender shoulders casually. Her lips looked like it hurt whenever she parted them to speak and I could clearly see the blisters on them. Her nose was red and sore.... it was more than obvious that she was enduring abuse.
"It's nothing really serious..." she finally spoke. "Just that I don't feel it's right for both you and your wife to leave your daughter long after closing hours.. I understand that work may be too demanding for you, but neglecting your child in that manner will most definitely breed hatred for both you and her mother in her heart.." Emily explained and I squinted my eyes.
"Sophie doesn't pick Lily from school?" I growled and balled my fists under the table. "I had no idea she was leaving our child out for that long.."
Rage filled my body because the last time I asked why Emily was at the house, Sophie told me she had volunteered to bring Lily back from school...
"That's alright. I figured you weren't really at fault. But you still need to keep an eye on your daughter. If she can't get the love and attention of both parents, let her at least enjoy the love of a father..." Emily's words echoed in my ears and I smiled.
"I see why she speaks so highly of you.." I blurted and Emily chuckled softly. "I do have a proposal for you anyways..."
Her eyes ran through my face and I could tell she was trying to read my expressions but I hid them so well, she couldn't possibly guess what was going on in my head.
"A proposal?" Her voice lingered like a whisper and I nodded, pushing a sheet of paper and a pen towards her. Her eyes fell from my face to the contents of the paper and I watched as her expression morphed from normal to shock.
"What is this madness about?" She grunted sternly and I leaned forward, resting my arms on the table and glaring deep into her eyes like I was staring at her soul.
"I know of your husband's affair with my wife..." I spat and she flinched. "I have known for the longest time and I can assure you that it didn't just start. Your husband and my wife were childhood sweethearts and they've been madly in love with each other even after getting married to their respective partners..."
Emily turned white and her face washed down. Her eyes watered up and her lips quivered as she turned away, glaring at the empty street outside the window.
Silence sat between us and I just waited for her to slowly digest the news before I went further to say anything else.
"What do you want from me?" Her voice trembled and her hands shivered on the table. I stretched out of my hand and wrapped my fingers around her balled fist.
"When you walked in here Emily, your eyes held more weight than you can imagine. Let me lift this burden from your shoulders..." I pressed further and she tilted her head to the right as tears flowed down her cheeks.
"I can help you get a divorce and finally be free of that monster" I muttered and she wiped her tears with her other hand. A soft laughter followed and she pulled her other hand away from mine, now wiping her face with both hands.
"You think I haven't tried to get a divorce?" She blurted coldly, her eyes as sharp as a new knife. "That man isn't going anywhere and I'm trapped in his sham for the rest of my life..."
"Not if you let me in.." I replied in the softest way ever. Her rage slowly settled like the face of the sea after a storm and I waited until she was calm before going further.
"I can get my hands around this divorce and in no time you'll be free from him.." I said and she glanced at the sheet in front of her, her tears leaving wet dents on the paper.
"And then what do you stand to gain?" Emily asked and I exhaled. "What's this document about?"
"Lily needs a mother figure in her life... and from what I have gathered, my daughter will be more than excited to have you in her life as her mother.."
Emily's eyes widened in more shock. Her eyes didn't leave the paper as her hands continued to shiver.
"I'll help you get out of that abusive marriage in time before he claims your life... and in exchange, you agree to this contractual marriage to me and become the mother my daughter deserves..."
The world stood still...
- Writer
