Chapter 5 The Man's Infuriating Possessiveness
1079 Words
On a sunny Sunday morning, Emma Thomas slowly woke up as the light streamed into her room. It was already 8 a.m. She got up sluggishly, stood by the window to breathe in some fresh air, and then made her way to the bathroom to freshen up.
"Dad, morning," Emma greeted as she descended the stairs, wearing a simple white dress.
"Good morning, Emma. Breakfast is almost ready," Mrs. Thomas replied slowly.
"Emma, your sister Ava is coming home from college today. It's been a while since we've all been together," Oliver Thomas said cheerfully, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Linda, make sure to prepare Ava's favorite dishes for lunch: shrimp scampi, roasted veggies, and her favorite pasta. Oh, and remember, no cilantro. Ava can't stand the smell," Oliver reminded their housekeeper, Linda.
Emma's expression turned somber. She knew that her sister’s return meant more challenging days for her. Her father remembered Ava’s tastes but never seemed to notice Emma's peanut allergy. It was absurd; they were both his daughters.
Ethan Clark observed all this quietly, feeling a twinge of sympathy for Emma. During his short stay at the Thomas household, he hadn’t seen anyone show Emma much care. It was as if she didn’t belong there.
"Dad, I need to head to school later. I might not make it back for lunch," Emma said, trying to mask her emotions.
"Alright, graduation is coming up, so I understand you're busy. Go ahead," Oliver continued enjoying his breakfast.
"Ethan, would you like to visit Emma's school?" Oliver suggested, looking over at Ethan.
Ethan paused mid-sip of his coffee, set the cup down, and replied, "Actually, I was planning on it," glancing at Emma from the corner of his eye.
"Emma, why don’t you show Ethan around? It’s good for you young folks to get to know each other," Oliver suggested, gesturing animatedly.
"I just talked to Ethan about setting your wedding date. We’ve decided on May 20th. It’s a Saturday, and you shouldn’t have any classes," Oliver added.
"Dad, that’s too soon, and you haven’t even asked for my opinion," Emma protested, feeling a surge of frustration. Her father never sought her thoughts on anything.
"It's a perfect date. It’s settled," Oliver declared, wiping his mouth and heading to the backyard.
Mrs. Thomas quickly finished her breakfast and went upstairs to prepare Ava’s room, leaving Ethan and Emma at the table. Emma glared at Ethan, her eyes intense. "Was it your idea to rush the wedding?"
"Your father is more eager for us to tie the knot," Ethan replied. Emma knew everyone in the house wanted the wedding to happen, except for her. She felt trapped.
At school, the campus was bustling with students who had just finished classes. As Emma and Ethan walked through, whispers followed them.
"Wow, who’s that guy?"
"So handsome!"
Emma overheard the chatter and thought to herself, "Sure, he’s handsome, but his heart’s as dark as they come."
"Emma!" a voice called from the crowd. Emma, preoccupied with getting to her club meeting, didn’t hear.
"Emma!" the voice called again, closer now. She stopped and looked around, spotting a fair-skinned guy with glasses approaching her.
"James, what are you doing here?" Emma asked, her voice softening, a smile spreading across her face. Ethan had never seen her look so gentle.
"I was heading to the library and saw you," James Campbell said, then noticed Ethan. "And who’s this?" he asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He’d always had a crush on Emma, unaware of her engagement.
"Oh, this is... my cousin from out of town. I’m just showing him around," Emma stammered, glancing at Ethan.
Ethan picked up on Emma’s plea for help. "Hi, I’m Ethan Clark."
"Nice to meet you, just call me James," James replied, visibly relieved.
"Let’s all head over together," James suggested, and they walked toward the library.
The library was bustling, and finding seats was a challenge.
"Looks like we’re late. Not many seats left," James noted, scanning the area.
"Let's grab some books first," Emma suggested, heading into the stacks.
"Your cousin, huh? Here for a library date?" Ethan teased Emma as they browsed.
Emma shot back, "Please respect my friends."
"Did I hit a nerve?"
"I don’t want our engagement spreading around campus before graduation."
"Do you think...?"
"Emma, how many credits do you have left?" James interrupted, returning with a stack of books.
"Just five to go."
"Here, I grabbed these for you. How about these three?" James offered, handing her the books.
Ethan glanced at the titles—economics books. But Emma was a computer science major. What was she doing with these?
"These are perfect, thanks."
"I’ll return the extras," James said, heading back.
"You, a computer science major, reading economics? Can you even understand them?" Ethan asked, curious.
"That’s none of your business," Emma retorted, spotting an empty chair and quickly claiming it.
Ethan found her intriguing and couldn’t help but be drawn to her.
As they settled in, James offered Emma a bottle of water. "Emma, have some water."
"Thanks," Emma replied, taking it.
"Actually, I’m thirsty," Ethan said, swiping the bottle from Emma and taking a drink.
A buzzing sound came from James’s backpack. "I need to take this call," he said, stepping outside.
"Emma, remember we’re getting married soon," Ethan said, his voice carrying a hint of warning.
"It’s a family arrangement. As long as things appear fine to outsiders, isn’t that enough?"
Ethan was momentarily taken aback by her response. He hadn’t expected such a retort.
"You probably don’t understand how strong a man’s possessiveness can be. If you haven’t cut ties with others, I won’t fulfill our contract. You should know, if I don’t want to honor it, it’s void—even with signatures," Ethan warned.
Emma was stunned. She didn’t know Ethan well enough to predict his actions. She thought for a moment. "There’s nothing between us," she said, getting ready to leave.
Ethan grabbed her arm, pulling her back. Leaning in close, he whispered, "There better not be."
Emma shivered at his gentle tone, quickly shaking off his hand and exiting the library.
Ethan realized James had feelings for Emma, but he wasn’t sure about Emma’s feelings toward James. What he couldn’t deny was his growing interest in her. Yet, to ensure the marriage alliance, he couldn’t let this situation spiral out of control.
Perhaps this was the frustrating thing about a man’s possessiveness.
- Writer
