Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Emma made up her mind to leave the city and start her life some place else with her baby. She doesn’t want any harm to come to her child because she had this feeling that Tracy might do something crazy to her and her baby, since she knew where she lived.

She planned on going to speak with Richard, even if he wouldn’t want to listen to her.

She wanted to tell him the reason for doing what she did and also needed his forgiveness because she wouldn’t be able to live in peace knowing that the father of her child hated her.

#

It’s been weeks since everything happened. Tracy had successfully walked out of the marriage. She hired a lawyer to start the divorce proceedings.

Richard had no choice but to grant her her wish of wanting an end to their marriage.

Thee was no point in them coming together to see if things could work out between them. She didn’t love him, she said so herself.

They decided the divorce should be settled by irreconcilable difference. That way, the divorce proceedings will be faster.

Richard couldn’t stop thinking about his unborn child and the mother, Emma. He desperately wanted to know her reason for doing what she did, but decided against going to her and confront her.

Emma thought it best to go see Richard at his law firm. She didn’t want to go to his house because she didn’t want to face Tracy.

She had no idea that Tracy and Richard were no longer a couple because their divorce wasn’t made public.

Emma called a cab and told him where she was headed to. He dropped her in front of the firm.

Emma walked in and made an inquiry from the receptionist to know if Richard was in. She was told by the receptionist that he was in and gave her directions to his office.

When Emma got to Richard's floor, she was greeted by his secretary who mistook her for Tracy.

“Good day Mrs. Connor.” The secretary greeted

Emma decided to play the role because she had no idea how she was going to introduce herself.

“Good day. Please, would you mind letting me know if Richard is in. I would like to see him.”

“Yes ma’am, he’s in. Give me a minute and I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“Please don’t. I want to surprise him.”

“Okay ma’am, if you say so. You may go right in.”

“Thank you.” Emma smiled at her.

Richard was on his laptop when the door to his office opened. He was shocked at the sight of the person who just in. He never believed he’d ever see her again.

“Hi.” Emma nervously greeted, but didn’t get a reply from Richard. He just stared at her.

“Sorry I barged into your office, your secretary mistook me for your wife. I had to play along.” She said, letting out a nervous chuckle.

“I wouldn’t be surprised, you did the same to me.” He muttered.

Emma felt horrible after he made that statement.

“Please Richard, I already feel horrible about what I did.”

“Oh, do you?” he questioned.

Emma was on the verge of tears, but she had to keep her emotions in check.

“I do, I really do, that’s why I came here to explain myself to you because you deserve to know the truth. I won’t take much of your time, I promise.”

“Well, go ahead. I’m listening.”

“May I?” Emma asked, gesturing if she could sit down as she was already feeling tired from standing.

Richard gave no reply, so she helped herself to a seat.

“My real name is Emma Russell.” She began

“I turned twenty three few days back. I studied economics and graduated from the state college. I got my first job as a waitress in a fancy restaurant… One day at work, two policemen came looking for me, to inform me that my parents and little brother were involved in a car accident which took the lives of both my parents. My brother managed to survive, but was in a terrible condition.” Emma said already in tears as she recalled those horrible memories.

Richard just stared at her. He could only imagine the pain she must’ve been through.

“I rushed to the hospital he was taken to and spoke to the doctor in charge of his case. He explained to me the state of my brother and said he needed to undergo a heart transplant because his chances of survival was slim. The payment required for the surgery was on the high side… Where was I supposed to get four hundred thousand dollars? I got some money from my parents insurance, but it wasn’t enough… I lost my job in the course of everything. I tried getting another job, but failed. I felt so unlucky and didn’t know what else to do, I hoped that somewhere, somehow a miracle would happen… that was where Tracy came in. We met at Dr. Steven’s office, he introduced her to me as his cousin and was later called in for an emergency, leaving us alone in his office. It was awkward at first being in the same room with a stranger, then she started to question me about my brother and wanted to know if I had been able to raise the money needed for the surgery. I was surprised she was aware of it, but then I remembered Dr. Steven was her cousin, so he must’ve told her about it. When I told her about my failed attempts, she decided to be of help, if I also help her in return. I agreed without thinking, cos all I was thinking about was that my brother could get operated on… she asked me to meet her at a restaurant the next day, which I did, that was where she told me about her plan. I was against it at first, then she threatened to stop the operation if I refused. I didn’t want to let my brother die when I could be of help to him, so I accepted her offer and that was how I came into your home.”

Richard was shocked with what he just heard and also felt sorry for Emma.

“Why didn’t you tell me, or if you don’t trust me enough, tell Steven.” Richard asked

“I couldn’t cos Tracy threatened to send me to jail if I let anyone know about it. I didn’t want to end up in jail.”

Richard wasn’t surprised with Tracy’s threat. It was typical of her to do that.

“After our first encounter, I wanted to quit.. or at least get an insight on what to do cos I had no idea what your marriage was like. I tried calling Tracy, but the number she gave me wasn’t going through, it kept going to voicemail. Then, I had no other option but to keep up the act.”

Emma took a long breath before she continued to speak.

“The night you saw me crying, was the night I lost my brother.” Emma felt pain in her chest as she said that.

Richard could still recall how he couldn’t make her stop crying that night.

“I felt so alone and betrayed that night. I thought everything was going to be fine after the surgery, but things turned out the other way… I so badly wanted to tell you everything when you wanted to know why I was crying. I wanted to let it all out, but I was so afraid of going to jail and not just that, Richard… I was scared you’d hate me and I couldn’t bear the thought of you hating me cos… I fell in love with you.”

Richard was shocked at Emma’s confession.

“I didn’t even realize when it happened, it just did. I tried to ignore it but it kept coming on stronger. I knew it wasn’t right because you belonged to someone else, but the feelings wouldn’t go away.”

Emma felt terrible admitting her feelings for someone else’s husband.

“That’s why I came here, to seek your forgiveness cos I wouldn’t be able to live with the thought of you hating me.”

“I’m really sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.” Emma apologized at the end.

Richard knew he wanted to hear the truth, but this was too much for him.

Emma stood up on her feet as she was about to take her leave.

“Tell Tracy, she shouldn’t worry about me or the baby coming between your marriage cos I’m leaving the city.” Emma said.

Richard was shocked, as he didn’t see that coming.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let your son know he has a great father, who loved and cared for him. I promise to take good care of him… Goodbye Richard.” Those were Emma’s last words before she left his office.

Richard was speechless, he wanted to stop Emma from leaving, but he didn’t know why he couldn’t stop her.

#

Emma reached her house. She got inside and stood in the living room, staring at her surrounding. She walked around the living room, to the kitchen and dining area before heading upstairs to her parents and brother's bedroom.

Emma couldn’t believe that she was actually going to leave the place she once called home.

She finally went into her bedroom to continue to pack the rest of her belongings. Halfway through packing, she broke down in tears as she thought of how her life suddenly came to this point.

“I don’t want you to leave.”

Emma was shocked to hear Richard’s voice. She turned around and saw him standing by the door. She wondered why she didn’t hear his footsteps when he walked in.

She didn’t want to think too much, so she ran up to Richard and gave him a hug, ignoring her baby bump.

“Emma…” Richard began

“I fell in love with you thinking I had fallen all over again for Tracy, but right now I don’t care if you're Tracy or Emma. All I care about is having you and my baby by my side as a family. I love you Emma”

Emma was excited to hear Richard’s confession. She didn’t even realize she was already crying until Richard wiped a tear from her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her. He didn’t realize how much he had missed her lips until he felt them again.

“I love you too Richard” Emma said, after they parted from the kiss.

Although she missed her family, she felt happy, because now, she had not just a reason but two reasons to be happy again.

THE END