Beneath the mistletoe

chapter 14

Emily stood outside the lavish hotel building , her breath fogging in the cold air. Her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of anxiety and determination coursing through her veins. She had debated whether confronting him was the right move, but after everything he’d put her through, she refused to let him manipulate her any longer. This wasn’t about rekindling a toxic relationship it was about standing up for herself and finally putting the past to rest. Especially if she was going to start a new life the past needed to stay in the past.

When she walked through the door, Julian greeted her with a smug smile that made her stomach churn. He was dressed in his usual designer clothing, exuding the same arrogant confidence that had once captivated her but now only repelled her.

“Emily,” he said, his tone warm and inviting. “I knew you’d come around eventually. Come in, come in our table is this way.”

She stepped inside reluctantly, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The hotel's restaurant was immaculate, as always, but it felt cold and impersonal. Julian motioned for her to sit .

“I didn’t come here for small talk, Julian,” she said, her voice steady despite the nervous energy bubbling beneath the surface.

Julian’s confident smirk faltered for a moment before he recovered, leaning casually against the armrest of his chair . “Oh? Then what did you come for? To tell me you miss me? That you’re ready to come home?”

Emily’s jaw tightened. “I came to tell you to stop trying to stall the divorce.”

The smirk vanished completely, replaced by a hardened expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said flatly.

“Yes, you do,” Emily shot back. “Don’t play dumb, Julian. I know you’ve been bribing the judge to delay the proceedings. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

Julian’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger crossing his face. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he repeated, though his tone was less certain now.

“I have proof,” she said, her voice cold and unyielding. “Emails, messages it’s all there. If you don’t sign the papers and let this divorce go through, I’ll make sure everyone knows exactly what kind of man you are.” Emily made this up she didn't have the proof but she knew he was delaying the process and he's facial expression showed it.

For a moment, Julian was silent, his jaw clenched as he processed her words. Then, he let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

“You’ve changed,” he said, his tone laced with resentment. “Where’s the sweet, naive girl I married? The one who adored me, who would have done anything to make me happy?”

Emily’s chest tightened at his words, memories of their early days flashing through her mind. But she quickly pushed them aside, refusing to let him manipulate her emotions.

“She’s gone,” Emily said firmly. “And she’s not coming back. I’m not that girl anymore, Julian. I’m done being your doormat, your punching bag. I deserve better.”

Julian’s expression darkened, and he took a step closer to her forgetting about the people around them. The air between them grew tense, the weight of their shared history pressing down on them both.

“You think you’re better than me now?” he sneered. “You think you can just walk away and act like none of this ever happened? Let me remind you, Emily you’re nothing without me. I made you who you are. Without me, you’re just a scared little girl with a paintbrush.”

Emily’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she refused to let his words cut her. “You didn’t make me, Julian. You broke me. But I’m putting myself back together, and I don’t need you for that.”

“Don’t push me, Emily,” he warned, his voice low and menacing. “You don’t want to see what happens when you push me.”

She took a step back, but her resolve remained unshaken. “That’s where you’re wrong, Julian. I’ve already seen what you’re capable of, and I survived it. You don’t scare me anymore.”

Her words seemed to strike a nerve, and for a moment, Julian looked genuinely shaken. But then his anger resurfaced, and he stepped closer, towering over her.

“You think you’ve won?” he spat. “You think you can just walk away from me and live happily ever after? Newsflash, Emily life doesn’t work that way. You’ll come crawling back eventually. They always do.” He's voice grew loud getting the attention of everyone present.

Emily’s heart pounded, but she refused to let him intimidate her. “You’re wrong,” she said, her voice steady and unwavering. “I won’t come back. Not to you, not to this. This is the last time you’ll ever see me, Julian.”

She stood up to leave, her hand reaching for her handbag. But before she could grab it, Julian grabbed her arm, his grip tight and unrelenting.

“Don’t walk away from me,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Emily’s breath caught in her throat, fear momentarily paralyzing her. But then she remembered the strength she had found within herself the strength that had brought her here in the first place.

“Let go of me,” she said, her voice firm and commanding.

Julian hesitated, his grip loosening just enough for her to pull free. She turned to face him one last time, her eyes blazing with determination.

“This is over, Julian,” she said. “You don’t own me. You never did.”

With that, she walked out the door, her heart pounding as she stepped into the cold winter air. She didn’t look back, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her falter.

As she made her way down the street, the weight of the confrontation began to lift from her shoulders. She had done it. She had faced Julian and stood her ground, refusing to let him control her any longer.

Later that evening, Emily sat in the living room of her family’s place, the warmth of the fire contrasting with the chill that still lingered in her bones. Her mom and grandma were seated nearby, their expressions a mix of concern.

“When you left you said you're going to see Julian. How did it go?” Karen asked gently, breaking the silence.

Emily took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames. “It was… intense,” she admitted. “But I said what I needed to say. He knows I’m serious about the divorce now. He can’t stall it any longer.”

Mama Ruby reached over and placed a comforting hand on Emily’s knee. “You did the right thing, sweetheart,” she said. “It’s not easy standing up to someone like that, but you did it. You’re stronger than you think.”

Emily offered a small smile, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I just want to move on,” she said quietly. “I want to start over, without him hanging over me like a shadow.”

“And you will,” Karen said, her voice filled with conviction. “This is the first step, Emily. You’re taking your life back, piece by piece. And we’re here for you every step of the way.”

The following morning Emily decided to go for a walk but what she did not know was that Julian had been stalking her since the confrontation he followed her home and watched her like a mad man.

Julian was used with getting his way with Emily and this new Emily was not letting that happen.

He grabbed her hand from behind, "I told you this was not the end of it. " And before she could turn to see who grabbed her, he beat her on the street he did not care if anyone saw him. He threw Emily on to the ground and kicked her till she couldn't move anymore.

When he stopped to catch a breath he looked up and saw a car approaching so he ran to his car and fled the scene leaving Emily on the cold snow covered sidewalk covered in blood .