Destiny to Divorce

Chapter 2

The meeting with Ethan Blackwood was set for the following week. Emma spent every moment preparing knowing this could be her only chance to prove herself.



On the day of the meeting, she dressed carefully choosing a professional but stylish outfit. As she approached the modern building that housed Blackwood Enterprises, her nerves kicked in, she took a deep breath say some words of prayer before she stepped inside.



The receptionist led her to a spacious office. Ethan Blackwood stood by the window looking out over the city, when she stepped in. He turned as she entered, his pierce blue eyes assessing her.



"Ms Donovan," he said, extending his hands. Thank you for coming



"Thank you for considering me, Mr. Blackwood", Emma replied, shaking his hands



They sat down, and Emma began her presentation, outlining her vision for his office redesign. Ethan listened intently.



"I like your ideas," he said finally."But I have one condition."



"What is it?" Emma asked, her heart pounding.



I need this project completed in six weeks. Can you handle that?



Emma's mind raced. Six weeks is a tight deadline but she can't afford to say no. "I can do it" " she said confidently.



Ethan nodded."Good, I'll have my assistant send over the contract."



As Emma emerged from the building, A surge of excitement was written all over her face, As her dream of hitting a huge contract is coming to pass; her financial stability is going to be more than enough for her and her daughter.



As soon as she got into her car, her phone buzzed it was a message from Mark “We need to talk now”.



Emma's heart sank as she knew this was not going to be easy, she immediately dialed his number. “Mark, what did you want?” Emma said confidently as soon as he picked up.



Oh, you think you are clever, don't you? You are not going to get rid of me that easily.



“What are you talking about “ Emma asked.



“Well I'm filing for full custody of Lily” his words punched like a gut. Do you think you can just take her away from me like that.?

Emma's world tilted; you can't do that Mark.” you can't take care of her”.



Well, we will see about that “Mark sneered” I promise you Emma you are going to regret every bit of thing you have done.



Emma hung up her hand shaking, her world felt like it coming to an end. Lily is her world and no one on earth not even Mark is taking her away from her side. Emma thought with fear in her heart.



The weight of the threat pressed down on her, Suffocating her new profound hope. She looked up at the towering building of Blackwood Enterprises and she felt the feeling of the future she had been close to is slipping away slowly.



The battle for her daughter was just beginning and she knew she would have to fight with everything she had.



-------



Emma drove home in confusion, her mind racing with the implications of Mark's threat, The idea of losing Lily is unbearable. As she pulled into the driveway, her phone buzzed again. She thought it was from Mark again but instead, it was an unknown number.



Curious and a bit apprehensive, she answered. Hello?



"Ms. Donovan, this is Dr Mitchell from NYOD Hospital. Your daughter was rushed from School to our hospital. Your attention is needed right away." 



"What?!" She screamed." What happened to my daughter?"



"She is stable now, but it appears she fainted and the school staff brought her In immediately. We need you here to discuss her condition."



Emma's heart pounded as she drove to the hospital, her mind filled with fear and guilt. How could she not have noticed anything wrong with Lily? The drive felt like an eternity, every red light and slow driver adding to her anxiety.



When she finally arrived at the hospital, she rushed inside, running towards the front desk. "Lily Donovan," She gasped. "Where is she"?



The nurse looked at her sympathetically and pointed down the hall. "Room 513. Dr. Mitchell is waiting for you."



Emma hurried down the hall, her pulse racing. She found the room and pushed the door to see Lily lying in the hospital bed, looking pale but awake. Dr. Mitchell stood nearby, reviewing some charts.



"Mommy!" Lily called weakly, her eyes lighting up as she saw Emma.



Emma rushed to her daughter's side, taking her small hands in hers. I'm here, sweetheart. Mommy's here."



Dr. Mitchell cleared his throat, drawing Emma's attention." Ms. Donovan, can we speak privately for a moment?".



Emma nodded, reluctantly letting go of Lily's hand. She followed Dr. Mitchell into the hallway, her heart in her throat.



"What happened to her?"Emma asked, her voice trembling.



"Ms. Donovan, Lily experienced a fainting spell, likely due to extreme stress and anxiety. Has she been under any unusual pressure lately?"



Emma's mind flashed back to the arguments with Mark and the tense atmosphere at home. "She's been going through a lot," Emma admitted. "Her father and I are getting a divorce, and it's been hard on her."



Dr. Mitchell nodded understandingly. "Children often Experience stress more than we realize. We need to run some more tests to rule out any underlying conditions, but I recommend considering some counseling for Lily. It might help her cope with everything that's going on."



Emma felt a wave of guilt wash over her. "I'll do whatever it takes. Just make sure she's okay."



Dr. Mitchell nodded. "We're doing everything we can. I'll keep you updated."



As Emma returned to Lily's bedside, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at the screen, her heart skipping a beat. It was a message from Ethan Blackwood: "Can you come back to the office? There's something important we need to discuss."



Emma's pulse quickened. She texted back, explaining the situation with Lily and asking if they could reschedule. Ethan's response was immediate and understanding: "Take care of your daughter. We'll discuss when you're ready."



Emma put her phone away and focused on Lily, who was looking at her with wide, scared eyes. "Mommy, am I going to be okay?"



Emma forced a smile, fighting back her fear. "Yes, sweetie. You're going to be just fine. We're going to get through this together."



-----



The hours passed slowly as Emma sat by Lily's bedside, holding her hand and reassuring her. Dr. Mitchell returned with more updates, but the underlying worry troubled Emma. What if there was something seriously wrong? What if Mark used this against her in the custody battle?



Finally, just as she was beginning to doze off in the chair next to Lily's bed, her phone buzzed again. This time it was a voicemail from an unknown number. She played the message, her heart pounding.



"Emma Donovan, you have something we want. If you don't comply, you'll regret it. Consider this your final warning."



Emma's felt a shiver run down her spine. The battle for her daughter had just taken a dangerous turn, and she knew that her fight was far from over.