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 blink of an eye.
‘This time I’m going to listen to my heart and cherish the people who cherished me in the past.’
Emma thought as she left the complex and walked to the supermarket down two blocks.
********************
**2 WEEKS LATER**
Emma tiredly entered her apartment after a tiring day at the café she was working as a barista, the only place ready to hire her after multiple failed corporate interviews.
She knew it was going to be difficult to find a job after a 5 year gap but so difficult that she couldn’t even secure an intern’s position was a curve ball to her.
At least it was a curve ball until she knew why she couldn’t even start at the grassroots despite her coming out at the top of her class, it was all because of her egoistic ex-husband.
Of course, if she hadn’t heard it accidentally from the interviewer who made a call to her husband before making sure she was out of earshot, she would still be trying to secure a job, attending interviews in vain, and blaming her incompetence to secure a job.
But now that she knew Shyane had blacklisted her because he couldn’t accept her being independent and happy without his alimony, she knew working for any corporate company would be almost impossible, so after wasting a complete week she gave up.
Sighing softly Emma stood up from the couch she had plopped onto while thinking about all of this.
She looked around her apartment which was now more cozy and warm, with everything according to her taste.
She longed for such freedom but it came with the price of loneliness.
Indeed, Fiona dropped by whenever she had time but being a fresher in university, her free time was limited.
Thankfully, her father did not object to Fiona meeting her and Fiona was not angry at her sister like her parents.
As for Catherine, it was a completely different story.
She yearned for her first child but at the same time, she was hurt from the actions of the past and couldn’t bring herself to forgive so easily either.
Stanley was the same. It was all about right and wrong for him, and Emma couldn’t blame him for it, after all he was right at the end and she was wrong, only if she had trusted her father a little more with her life.
Shaking her head to remove all the thoughts rom her head, Emma headed to her bedroom and took a shower, changing into a pair of cozy pajamas.
Walking into the kitchen, opening the fridge she contemplated what she could put together for a light supper and took out a few boxes.
Just as she was about to put it on a plate and heat it, her mobile started ringing causing her to pause and walk out of the kitchen.
Looking at the caller id, Emma picked up with a small, genuine smile.
“Iris, I texted you an address. Be here within next 1 hour.”
Saying this the voice on the other hand hung up without waiting for a response.
Emma chuckled to herself as she went back into her room to change back into something presentable.
The caller was none other than her best friend, Eleanor Morey, a rising singer and producer of Hollywood, many nominations and awards under her belt.
Emma and Eleanor grew up together in orphanage after Eleanor lost her family in a tragic accident when she was 3 years old but unlike Emma, Eleanor refused to get adopted and moved out of orphanage once she was an adult.
Now at 26 she was a pretty well known celebrity, a self-made millionaire with her own beauty-brand.
As for her abrupt calls, that was how her personality was, a straightforward, bold woman who knows her worth.
Quickly making her way out of the complex, Emma flagged down a cab and gave the driver her address.
********************
Emma reached the destination in 45 minutes and was surprised to find herself in front of a posh club.
‘Midnight Angels’
Frowning to herself, Emma gave Eleanor a call, which was picked up after a few rings.
“Are you here?”
Her voice came through with a lot of background noice, like she was in the middle of a disco.
“I’m too old for partying.”
Emma deadpanned, as she felt a headache form at the back of her head. She was a peace-loving woman and preffered serene environment over chaotic places like clubs and bars.
“Just come in I’ll explain. I’m sending my assistant, she will bring you in.”
********************
Emma hated this.
Eleanor had recommended her to the club’s manager as a part-time bartender and today as the club was short on staffs, they asked for her and Eleanor looped her in without telling her anything.
As for the person in question she was busy playing the DJ at the tower in the middle of the dance floor.
“Why are you here?”
‘Not again!’
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
“Willingly? Does that mean I will have to accept it anyhow?”“It is for the best, leaving you out anymore will be foolishness.”“I was doing great till now.”“I found you Eve, others will also find you, and by then it will be a threat to your life. I can’t allow that.”“That will be my trouble Mr. Monroe, not yours. With me out of the picture don’t you have one less competitor for the inheritance?”Emma stated as she looked outside the window, not ready to see his expression.She did not know what she was expecting by saying something like that, but she was not ready to trust another man ever again.“Why are you so against the idea of being a heiress? Isn’t that lifestyle better than the one you’re living now?”Ryan countered in an eerily calm tone, his eyes trained on the road but the increasing speed of the car rang alarm bel