Time to Make Cheaters Pay

Chapter 6 Dad's Girlfriend

The sickening moans from the headset started up again in Emma’s mind.

She stared down the pair in front of her, fury sweeping over her like a tidal wave.

Her husband, the man she shared a bed with every night, the man who swore on their wedding day to love her forever had played her like a fool and lied straight to her face for two whole years!

Now, here she was at the nursing home to confront them, and he was still playing dumb!

"Keep your cool, no matter what." Lucas’s reminder just before she stepped out of the car echoed in her mind.

'Cool it, Emma. Let's see what he's got up his sleeve. Let's see how many more lies he can spit out!'

"Come on, let's check out that scumbag," she scoffed, pretending to be just upset about her husband making decisions without her.

Jake felt like his heart was on a rollercoaster, pounding up and down.

He shot a glance at the woman next to him and followed Emma, ignoring the sting on his face. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to keep things from you. Simon's paralyzed from the waist down, and he's really struggling to live on his own..."

Jake's face was a picture of compassion, like he was just a devoted husband looking out for his wife.

If Emma hadn't heard it herself, she'd have been fooled by him all over again.

Before stepping into the ward, Emma took a deep breath.

'Now, time to face another devil in my life.'

The man on the bed was just a frail old man with grey hair, a far cry from the devil in Emma’s memories who used to beat her mother senseless.

But the sight of his face still unleashed a wave of hatred in her.

"Who's there? Moon pie...?" Simon's voice wavered.

'Humph, how ridiculous. Moon pie? Is he paralyzed or has he lost his memories?'

Emma turned away, ignoring him and was about to speak to Jake, but then she noticed the woman had followed them in.

'What's Simon's role in Jake's affair?' Emma couldn't help feeling curious.

"What's your name?" asked Emma.

"Lila," the woman hurriedly replied, "Lila Dawson."

"That's a nice name," Emma said with a nod. "I'm Emma. Jake's wife. The old guy in the bed is supposed to be my dad. Thanks for looking out for him, madam."

Jake jumped in to explain, "Babe, you've got it wrong. She's not your dad's caregiver."

"Oh? Why is she hanging around in his room?" Emma eyed Lila, confused.

Suddenly, she sniffed the air, as if she smelled something fishy.

Then she turned her gaze back to Simon and mocked, "Simon, can't you ever sit still? At your age, your legs don't work, but you're still thinking about the stuff between the sheets."

The other three in the room turned sour at her words.

Lila and Jake's faces fell the most, both trying to keep it from Emma.

Lila even dashed to open the window wider, and she assured Emma, "Mrs. Everhart, the house is just old and musty. There's absolutely nothing between me and your dad!"

Seeing their uneasy faces actually perked Emma up a bit.

She wasn't some bloodhound, and after all this time, she couldn't actually smell anything. She was just messing with them!

Watching them squirm was a real treat.

Simon still treated Emma like that powerless little girl from way back, and he set himself up to lecture her. "What are you even saying? Neglecting my illness is bad enough, but showing up spouting this nonsense to me? Are you indeed my daughter?"

"Am I your daughter? You should know it better than I do," Emma snapped back, her voice icy. "I've got the same blood as you."

Emma then bombarded him with a series of questions. "I don't deserve to be your daughter, huh? Are you even fit to be my dad? When you were beating Mom, did you ever stop thinking you were supposed to be a father? You never did! You came home smashed every night. You were scared to face the outside world, so you took it out on Mom instead! You... you're the reason she's gone!"

Painful memories were washing over Emma, and her emotions boiled over as she let loose.

Back when she fled that home, she didn't have the means to confront this man. All her hatred and grievances—she'd never had the chance to air them.

Now, she was laying it all out, unleashing her rage right to his face.

Jake stepped forward, his voice soft. "Emma, honey... it's all in the past..."

He moved to embrace her and offer some comfort.

Emma wasn't having any of it but slapped his hands away.

Jake knew exactly what she had gone through! And yet, he'd teamed up with the person she loathed most and betrayed her.

And her father actually covered for Jake, letting him mess around right under his nose!

What a thoughtful father he was!

"Jake managed to get you a room here, a private room with someone taking care of you, on a hefty monthly bill—and it's my money that's paying for it. Compared to you, I'm practically a saint."

Emma didn't mince her words, oblivious to Jake's color draining from his face.

Normally, Emma wouldn't be so cutthroat, but right now, everyone in that room made her skin crawl.

She relished the fact that they all knew the score yet still had to play their parts in front of her.

Then she turned to Lila and said, "And you, Ms. Dawson, hope you don't mind me calling you that. Frankly, I can't fathom what you see in him. If you're here for the money, well, you see, he's living large on my dime. He's just a washed-up old coot with no cash. Not every geezer in a luxurious nursing home is worth your while."

Lila's face turned red, and she stuttered, "It's not... I..."

Emma cut her off, a touch of astonishment in her voice. "He's paralyzed, as you can see. What else could he possibly be offering to you?"

Lila was bowled over by Emma’s relentless assault. She surely couldn't admit her actual partner was another man in the room! She glanced at Jake, obviously hoping he'd help her out.

"Enough." Jake finally broke in, unable to take it any longer. "Just stop it, Emma."

Emma turned to Jake with a mocking smile. "What's got you rattled? Can't handle a little chat about my dad's girlfriend?"