Chapter 10 Feeling a Little Down
1179 Words
Ethan Clark pulled a chair over to sit beside Emma Thomas, his eyes slowly shifting from her to the drawing she was working on. He was curious—surprised, even—at how skilled she was for her age. But there was something about the drawing that conveyed a sense of unrest and fear, and it tugged at Ethan’s heartstrings.
“Do you like drawing?” he asked.
Emma glanced at him, replying nonchalantly, “It's just a hobby.” She then flashed a faint smile and turned her gaze to Ethan. The sunlight streaming through the window highlighted his chiseled features, momentarily mesmerizing her. “He really is handsome,” she thought to herself.
Noticing her prolonged stare, Ethan decided to play his cards. “Do you think I'm good-looking?” he asked, leaning closer.
Emma snapped out of her trance, stammering, “Oh... oh,” and pulled back slightly, her hands trembling a bit.
“You still haven’t answered me,” he pressed, amused by her shyness.
“Uh... you’re okay, I guess,” she mumbled, returning her focus to her drawing.
“Do you have classes tomorrow morning?” Ethan asked.
“No,” Emma replied softly.
“Then let’s go somewhere after breakfast,” Ethan said, standing to straighten his clothes, ready to leave the room.
“Where are we going?” she asked, puzzled.
Ethan paused but didn’t answer, instead heading out of the room.
The next morning, after breakfast, Ethan and Emma headed to the garage. Ethan got into the car, fastened his seatbelt, and noticed Emma still standing outside.
“Aren’t you getting in?” he asked, rolling down the window.
“You haven’t told me where we’re going,” she replied, poking her head inside the car.
“If you don’t want to delay the progress of the contract, just get in,” Ethan said coolly, turning the key in the ignition.
Hearing the word "contract," Emma's eyes lit up with anticipation. She quickly opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. Ethan chuckled inwardly; he knew he had her right where he wanted.
The silence in the car was suddenly interrupted by the vibration of Emma’s phone. She pulled it out of her bag but hesitated to answer. Curious, Ethan glanced at the screen and saw a call from someone labeled "Heartthrob."
“Why don’t you answer it?” he asked, a tinge of jealousy in his voice.
Emma froze, then turned off the screen and tucked the phone back into her bag.
“Who’s ‘Heartthrob’?” Ethan inquired, frowning slightly as he pressed the gas pedal a little harder, making the car speed up.
“Slow down,” Emma pleaded, a bit frightened by the sudden acceleration. Her phone rang again, the caller ID still showing "Heartthrob." She hesitated once more.
Ethan glanced at the phone, then swerved the car to a stop on the side of the road. He snatched the phone from her hand. “Hello?” he answered coolly. “This is Emma Thomas’s husband. What do you want with her?”
The person on the other end hung up immediately. Ethan handed the phone back to Emma. “He didn’t say anything.”
“So, ‘Heartthrob’ is James Campbell, huh?” Ethan said, a hint of jealousy still in his tone. “Are you still in touch?”
Emma said nothing, feeling a pang of guilt. She did like James. If she came from a regular family, maybe things could have turned out differently.
Before she could respond, Ethan cut in. “If you don’t want him to have a hard time here, then it’s up to you,” he warned. “I heard he’s studying finance. It’d be easy for me to keep him out of the industry.”
Emma stared at Ethan in disbelief. She hadn’t realized he could be so underhanded. Not wanting to jeopardize James’s future, she said, “It has nothing to do with him. Don’t drag him into this.”
“I won’t contact him again,” she added, defeated.
Ethan lifted her chin, his eyes full of possessiveness. “Remember, you’re always my Mrs. Clark.”
He let go and restarted the car, driving on. Emma sat in silence, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked down at her phone.
“Weren’t we supposed to keep up appearances only? You said we could have our own circles,” Emma said, questioning him.
“Outwardly, I’m Mrs. Clark. Behind closed doors, I’m Emma Thomas. Publicly, I’m your wife, but privately, I’m single. We’re not legally bound,” she reminded him.
Ethan glanced at Emma, sensing her determination. It was true—they’d had a wedding, but they never made it official. He pondered how he could make their relationship legally binding.
“I won’t let anyone threaten me,” Ethan stated coolly, driving on.
They finally arrived in a residential area, pulling up to a villa. Ethan turned off the engine and got out. “Come on,” he said, opening Emma’s door.
Emma took in the fresh air and lush greenery as she stepped out. In front of her stood a unique three-story house with an American-style design.
A woman in her fifties, Grace Gonzalez, greeted them at the gate. “Mr. Clark, Mrs. Clark,” she said, opening the gate.
“Grace, is everything ready?” Ethan asked, walking deeper into the property.
“Yes, everything’s set for you to move in today,” Grace replied, following them.
Emma was taken aback by the lavish interior of the living room, much more upscale than her own home.
“Grace, is the staff all here?” Ethan asked.
“Yes, according to your instructions,” Grace confirmed.
“Show us upstairs,” Ethan said, heading toward the staircase.
Grace led them up to the second floor, down a hallway lined with paintings, and stopped in front of a bedroom.
“This is your master suite,” Grace announced, opening the door to reveal a spacious study leading into the bedroom.
Emma was surprised at how similar the style was to her own room. She wandered around, then glanced at Ethan. “This looks just like my room.”
“Mr. Clark specifically requested it,” Grace said with a smile.
“Is this your room?” Emma asked Ethan tentatively.
Grace had mentioned it was their master suite, but Emma didn’t quite understand what that meant.
“It’s our room,” Ethan stated firmly, examining the decor.
“Our room? I’m not staying here,” Emma protested, moving closer to Ethan.
“We’re married. We can’t keep living separately,” he said.
“You can live here; I’ll stay at my place,” she insisted.
“But then we wouldn’t look like a couple to others, would we?” Ethan reasoned. “If you want me to help with the contract, you’ll do as I say.”
“Now, Mrs. Clark, let’s go eat,” he said, leaving the room and heading downstairs.
- Writer
