As promised, Emma was out of the house by the next sunrise, leaving behind two puzzled members and three relieved family members.
Her disappearance puzzled Mr. Watson, whereas Spade was unsure as to how to interpret her words from last night and her disappearance this morning.
On the other hand, Shayne and Stella were rejoicing on the inside to be finally rid of Emma’s annoying presence in their lives.
Madam Watson was also on cloud nine to have freed her son from the good-for-nothing woman, who brought no advantages to Shayne, unlike Stella who was already a well-established actress.
********************
Emma rolled her suitcase into the elevator of the apartment complex she bought the other day. Readjusting her sling bag, she pressed her floor and leaned back to wait for the elevator to close.
Just as the doors were about to close, a muscular arm interrupted, prompting the door to slide open again.
The unexpected interruption made Emma look up from her mobile, only to find a charming young man enter with an apologetic smile, as he pressed the floor above hers, then pressed to close the doors.
Comfortable silence lingered as the elevator ascended through floors smoothly, while Emma was busy scrolling through her mobile, mentally checking her to-do list for the day.
“Are you new here?”
The young man broke the comfortable shroud of silence in the elevator, snapping Emma out of her thoughts.
“Uh… Yes, I’m moving in today.”
“You made the right choice. This place is comparatively cheaper for graduates with new jobs but also has a nice environment.”
The young man smiled warmly as he looked at Emma with genuine interest.
“Graduate?”
“Yes, aren’t you? Oh! I’m sorry, you look young and you don’t seem to own much things either so I just…”
“It’s alright.”
“I’m Aaron Smith. I live in the 4th unit.”
“Emma Wright. I’m also moving into the 4th unit downstairs.”
“Great! Then welcome neighbor.”
Aaron beamed as he offered Emma a congratulatory handshake, which the latter accepted with a small smile.
“See you around, Emma.”
Aaron beamed her another smile as the elevator opened and Emma rolled her suitcase out, with an acknowledging nod.
********************
Entering the house, she settled her suitcase in the bedroom and walked into the kitchen to see what she could do with the welcome package she received from the broker.
It contained some snacks and bathroom essentials, which meant she had to go shopping for groceries before lunch.
With a new task on her to-do list, Emma freshened up and unpacked her suitcase, setting up her wardrobe.
The only things she brought with her were the ones she owned with her own money during her first job before she became Mrs. Watson.
Thankfully, even after 5 years, the clothes fit her well and were in good condition, since Madam Watson did not like those types of clothing and refused to let Emma wear those even indoors.
Dressed in bottle green cotton trousers and a crisp white cotton shirt, her hair pulled into a high ponytail and devoid of any accessories, Emma felt like herself after a long time.
Sorting out her minimal things, Emma grabbed her purse and keys, locking her apartment behind her. She pressed the elevator and patiently waited for it to arrive while scrolling through her mobile.
The noise of another door opening snapped her attention towards it, her heart about to leap out in anticipation.
Her foster parents’ apartment door opened to reveal her father walking out, ready for the workday with her mother sending him off like always.
Stanley and Catherine were a loving couple in their early fifties.
Because of their busy lifestyle in their youth, they had difficulty conceiving and holding a child full term, so after 3 miscarriages, they decided to adopt a small child instead.
Emma was that little girl. Despite them wanting an infant, Emma stole their hearts in the first meeting and by the second meeting they were sure it was her they were looking for as their child.
And her entry into their lives also graced them with the happiness of their offspring, a successful full-term pregnancy resulting in Emma’s foster sister Fiona Wright, a total sweetheart who was 8 years younger than Emma herself.
Unlike the other parents, her parents did not neglect or alienate her after Fiona’s birth but tried their best to provide for them similarly, but it was Emma who was walking on eggshells.
Having already been abandoned once by her biological parents, she did not want to go through the same pain again, as Stella convinced her that her parents will abandon her for Fiona.
The stupid young Emma couldn’t differentiate between genuine and fake love and ended up alienating her foster family instead.
Now, looking at her father, whose eyes held disappointment and sorrow, whereas her mother looked at her with longing and sadness, she really felt like the greatest idiot of the century.
“Mom. Dad.”
Emma called out softly, her voice thick with emotions.
After 5 years of watching them from the shadows, Emma can finally meet them face to face.
“Catherine, since when did we become parents to the high and mighty Mrs. Watson?”
Stanley’s voice came out sharp and precise, just like it did in the courtrooms. There he gave hope to the victims, here he crushed his daughter’s hope a little.
Stanley Wright is a public prosecutor, well known for his cutthroat dealing with the accused and upright, honest attitude towards his work and the victims who trust him to get them the justice they deserve.
“I… I got divorced. I left the Watson family for good.”
“I know, I have hurt you both by going against your word and I’ve learned my lesson the hard way for not listening to you back then. I’m sorry.”
Emma breathed out as she lowered her eyes, making sure none of the unshed tears made their presence known.
Her tears were her parents’ weakness, and she was not going to earn their forgiveness by it. She was going to work for it and earn it rightfully.
“Unfortunately, you’re 5 years late. Our daughter Emma Wright is long dead for us.”
Stanley’s no-nonsense tone, made Emma tremble, but she caught herself in time.She expected it, she anticipated the hate but when it was thrown at her face, in reality, it hurt like someone pulled out her heart.Catherine, with tears running down her bubbly cheeks, pulled at her husband’s sleeve, shaking her head, asking him to not hurt their daughter with such harsh words.She might not be their blood, but she was still the daughter they cherished with their all, at times even more than their own flesh.“It is alright, Mom. I deserve this but I won’t give up this time. I will make up for all my shortcomings and right my wrongs since last 5 years.”Emma smiled softly at her parents before, heading into the stairwell, unable to wait there any longer for the elevator.Descending the stairs, she was once again lost in the past.Time was unforgiving, 5 years seemed to have sped past in a blin
Looking at the smirking Christopher and a slightly bewildered Richard, Emma almost groaned out loud in annoyance but held it in at the last moment.“What can I help you with, Sir?”“Sir?”Christopher bit out in laughter but his eyes held a different story altogether.“It hasn’t been a fortnight since your divorce and this is your condition? What kind of man did you choose over me?”“Chris, drop it. I apologize, Miss. Wright, my friend here is a little tipsy…”“I’m very much sober, Richie. Emma, VVIP room 3, I stored a bottle of whiskey a few months back, bring it along with a couple of shots.”Saying this Christopher left the place without looking back, his tone biting cold as if the very thought of breathing the same air as her was intolerable to him.Richard who wa
“Don’t scare the poor girl, Ry.”Another foreign voice though light and playful, held a slight edge to it, immediately ringing alarm bells in Emma’s mind, despite which she held her composure and maintained her head low.“Mr. Lee, we asked for a bartender not… entertainment.”“N-No, Miss Stark. Emma here is the bartender who completed your previous orders, and since you were very satisfied with her, I assigned her here for the night.”Saying this the manager quickly nudged Emma, who was surprised by his statement and looked at the manager in questioning.Satisfied?Then the manager lied to her because he was afraid she would refuse to become their private bartender.Understanding his thoughts, Emma calmly looked at the manager before taking a glance around the room. “What? Are you not willing to be our bartender here?”The playful voice from before spoke again but this time it had lost its playfulness and was instead full of disdain.Mr. Lee whose forehead was once again covered in
“Have you lost your common sense completely?”“What?”“Remove your contacts.”Christopher gruffly said as he quickly released her as if she was on fire.He sat back down in his place, casually ignoring the surprised looks everyone else was giving him.He picked up his glass and brought it near his lips to sip to find it empty, making Richard clear his throat in amusement and he picked up the bottle to help him fill it up.“Here let me help.”Richard said as calmly as possible, but the slight smirk on his lips earned him a hard glare from Christopher, making him mock salute the latter.“You’re wearing contacts?”Royce asked in surprise as Emma nodded slightly, before placing the torch down reluctantly.Emma has always been insecure about her eye colour, it was mainly because of her getting bullied for it in the orphanage, she started wearing contacts when given a choice by her parents to make her feel comfortable.Since high school she regularly wore contacts throughout university till
“Mr. Monroe, I might be just a bartender but such balant disrespect of boundaries won’t be tolerated by me.”Emma stated sharply, her voice same as before, but the coldness in her purple orbs which seemed like a flowing butterfly moments ago now looked like a jade as old as time.Mysterious and cold.“Ry…”Alfred looked at Ryan with a frown, clearly disapproving his actions, but he understood the latter’s anxiousness as well, so he could only turn to the other person.“Miss. Wright, I apologise to you on behalf of my friend. He isn’t himself, please forgive him, he meant no disrespect.”“Mr. Grayson, your apology isn’t required here…”Emma stated calmly, as she glanced at Ryan coldly, who was looking at her like a predator looking at its prey, while still holding onto the strand of h
After asking the car to follow them, Ryan followed Emma to the café she mentioned, all the while shielding her from the snow, even if it meant he was getting snowed and his right shoulder forming a wet patch due to snow falling continuously on it.Slowly guiding her wherever he felt the snow was deeper, making sure she did not slip on the slippery snow-laden ground.All these actions did soften Emma’s heart but there was a nagging feeling in her heart about all of this simply being an act to achieve something greater but what it was a question her subconscious couldn’t answer.Entering the café, they heard a grumble before a voice greeted them.“We’re closed for the… Emma?”Steven Sloan, Brittany’s son was the owner of this cozy café, when she visited Brittany a few days back near the old school, the old woman had suggested she work here rather than somewhere else.Though Emma already declined the kind offer, she still remembered the place and decided to come here since it was the clo
Ryan was in disbelief at Emma’s answer.People would kill to be the Monroe heiress and here she is denying it like a simple candy.“Since you did my background check you must know, I just got divorced…”“You could be a felon for all I care, Emma. Your status as the Monroe heiress is your birthright, it is not an option or accessory you could deny.”“Aren’t I dead for everyone? Let it stay that way.”Emma steeled her gaze as she looked at her supposed brother, her intentions clear.Looking at her resolute tone, Ryan leaned back in his chair, calming down and gouging her reaction.“Reason for your denial?”“I’m not entering that suffocating high society again. I barely escaped unscathed this time, I might not be so lucky the next.”“Is that all?”“I already have a family whom I love a lot. They’re enough for me. I want to spend the remainder of my life peacefully with them.” “Family? The one with whom you’ve cut contact for the last 5 years?”“Mr. Monroe, I have neither the time for an
“It is not that severe, don’t worry I can take care of it.”Emma reassured Steven as she completed wiping the counter sparkly clean.“Emma… We just got you back after 5 years, don’t disappear on us again, alright?”“I won’t, don’t worry. I’ll let you and Elea in on the matter when the time is right.”“Just don’t land yourself in a situation like last time okay? Let us help you out.”“I know, don’t worry. It is getting late wrap up and we’ll head home.”“On it.”Steven beamed her a smile as he quickly went around the kitchen and turning off the appliances which won’t be necessary for the night, as Emma made her way out into the front side.“Mumma was telling me you found a full-time job in a café near the university, how is it going?”“It is great. I somehow love being the barista, especially with the creative orders the students come up with for themselves.”“Oh, tell me about it! They want a low calorie cappuchino which tastes exactly like the one made with whole milk and sugar.”Ste