A Night To the Future

CHAPTER 5: Tough Decisions

Emily was too stunned to speak. She collapsed into her sofa and began crying. She became restless. She questioned her decisions but had no answers to them. So many thoughts rang in her head but the one that stood out was;

Was meeting Cole Adams really a coincidence? Or did he intentionally bump into her so that he could find his way into her life?

She was trembling with fear as she picked up her phone to call Amanda. Immediately Amanda answered the call, Emily broke into tears.

“What’s going on Emily? I’m on my way.” Amanda said over the phone before hanging up.

Before long, Amanda was at Emily’s house.

She rushed in to see Emily sitting on the sofa, weeping. She moved over to her and sat beside her. “What’s the matter, Em?” She asked, in a calm and comforting voice.

“Gabe came visiting.” She said, then paused to catch her breath. “He warned me about the Adams family, he says they’re responsible for dad’s death.”

Amanda moved closer to Emily and wrapped her arms around her in a warm hug. “It’s okay Em, I’m so sorry to hear this.”

“I don’t know what to do, I need to get away from all of this.” Emily said, now wiping her tears.

“You might need to move out of town. I think that’s the only way you can be out of Cole’s reach for now.” Amanda suggested. Offering her some tissue to wipe her face and holding her hands in assurance. “You’ll be alright Emily.”

“B… But” Emily stuttered. “I think I’m in love with Cole.” She couldn’t look Amanda in the eyes. How would she possibly be in love with a man that killed her father?

Amanda stood up and yelled. “No way... There’s no way you’re in love with that murderer!”

Amanda couldn’t let this opportunity she had found to have Cole all to herself finally slip away. So she insisted that Emily moved away for her sanity.

Emily believed Amanda was making sense so she agreed, at least she needed her peace of mind and sanity from all the drama lately.

By weekend, Emily was ready to move to San Francisco, unfortunately, she fell ill. She was dizzy and weak, so she visited the hospital. She explained her symptoms and carried out series of tests. At the end of the visit, Emily received the shock of her life.

She was pregnant!

She screamed in shock. “PREGNANT???” staring still at the doctor, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Yes Ma’am, congratulations.” The doctor replied with a big smile.

She let out a forceful smile and walked away, weak and devastated. But she was already out of time and she was determined to leave.

She didn’t know how she was going to do it but she knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, the decision to keep the baby or not, this meant she couldn’t tell anyone about the pregnancy.

She left without a word to anybody. She had to keep it discreet.

Cole tried to reach Emily severally but none of the calls or texts got replies. He searched for her for days but still didn’t hear anything. Now he was worried. He reached out to Henry to inform him about Emily’s disappearance and Henry assured him that he would figure something out.

The next day, before Cole arrived at his office, Vanessa was there, waiting right in front of his office door.

“What do you want from me this early morning Vanessa?” He asked, seeming uninterested in anything she had to say.

“Well, I heard about your runaway girlfriend and I’m only here to be by your side.” She said seductively, moving closer to Cole, caressing his arms.

“I don’t need you here Vanessa. Please leave.” He quickly shoved her hands off his arms.

“Well, you don’t really have much options Cole.” She said with a gentle smirk, “We’re getting back together or the world knows what’s going on.”

“Oh please, with the empty threats.” He scoffed. Pretending like what Vanessa just said didn’t hit him hard in his bones.

She looked him straight in the eyes. “We’ll see, Cole.” She said cheerfully, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. She left.

Cole was wondering who could’ve been feeding Vanessa with all this information. He called Henry in to tell him about his ordeal with Vanessa.

Henry was surprised.

“So what do we do now?” Henry asked, rubbing his hands against his beards.

“Vanessa is a very dangerous lady, if we don’t dance to her tune things could get messy.” Cole said, with a hint of worry in his voice.

Before either of them could say anything, Cole’s phone beeped and a message notification popped in.

Time is ticking Cole, I need my answers soonest.

XOXO, Vanessa.

Cole stumped his feet hard and clenched his fists.

“How did I even get myself into this mess?” He raised his voice, with rage in his eyes.

“Well, I guess we’ll never know.” Henry replied, turning away from Cole.

“I think I need to find out what Vanessa actually wants.” Cole spoke under his breath. “I’ll do it, I’ll get back with Vanessa.”

Henry gave Cole a straight face. “Whatever sails your boat, brother.” And stormed out.

Cole picked up his phone and replied Vanessa’s text;

You win I guess, let’s do this.

Now Cole and Vanessa were back in a relationship and the whole of the media was quick to know about this. Vanessa took every opportunity she got to show him off to everyone. She couldn’t get over the fact that they were back together.

One day, Henry asked to see Vanessa. They met at a coffee shop that was on the other side of town to avoid the public gaze. Henry got to the shop and waited about an hour before Vanessa strolled in casually like she wasn’t aware she had kept someone waiting.

When she spotted Henry, she went over to the table and grabbed the seat. While she pulled the seat back, she bent towards Henry and whispered in his ears. “Make this quick Henry, I don’t have time.”

Henry gripped her hands firmly like she was trying to escape. “How could you do this Vanessa?” He spoke, with pain in his eyes.

Vanessa avoided his gaze and withdrew her hands from his tight grip. “Do what, Henry?” Still looking towards the other direction.

“How could you get back with Cole? After everything?” He whimpered, staring into the air like he was avoiding letting a tear drop.

Vanessa turned and gave him a cold stare. “I told you I was in love with him, and I would do anything to get back with him.” She turned her gaze again away from him. “I’m sorry Henry, it just never was you.” She muttered under her voice. Pulled her seat away and walked out. Leaving Henry alone at the table.