Chapter 7 – Confusing Feelings.
Emerson’s POV
The day I promised to customize a necklace for Lilith as a birthday present, was the next time I saw Isabel. We decided to go to the jewelry store together to choose the perfect design.
Lilith was in her element, gliding through the shopping street with an air of practiced elegance. I trailed behind her, my mind somewhere else entirely. As we entered the jewelry shop, I was only half- listening to her chatter about the latest trends.
That’s when I saw her.
Isabel stood at the counter. Her back was slightly hunched, as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. Her hair, once vibrant and full of life, looked dull. Her face was shadowed with fatigue. She was holding something in her hand–a bracelet. My bracelet. The one I had given her on our first anniversary.
A sharp pang of anger shot through me. How dare she try to sell it? That bracelet was a symbol of our marriage. A bond that should have meant something to her. Even though I proposed divorce, I felt a bitter sting. I didn’t know why I had hoped our memories would still carry some meaning to her.
Before I could stop myself, I strode over to her, my footsteps heavy with a mix of fury and confusion. “Selling off the memories now, Isabel?” I sneered, letting the venom seep into my words. The sarcasm was like a shield, protecting me from the tumult of emotions swirling inside me.
Isabel turned to face me, her eyes wide with surprise. There was a flicker of something in those eyes–pain, maybe? Regret? It was hard to tell. But it caught me off guard. For a moment, I faltered. The sharp edge of my anger dulled slightly.
1/4
+15 BONUS
Beneath my rage was something else. Pity. But why did I feel sorry for her? I should hate her. That’s the right response, I warned
myself. I couldn’t afford to feel anything else.
“Emerson, you don’t understand,” she began, but I cut her off. My pride wouldn’t allow any explanations.
**Understand? I understand perfectly. You wanted out, so this is your mess to clean up,” I retorted, trying to mask my inner turmoil with cruelty. I had to admit that I didn’t want the divorce as much as I pretended. But my pride was too strong to allow me to backtrack.
I fought to keep my expression neutral, masking the confusion and doubt gnawing at the edges of my resolve. Isabel’s complaints and sorrowful eyes stirred something deep within me. Her words about needing money for her father, about my refusal to help, echoed in my mind. A part of me felt a sting of guilt. But I buried it under layers of pride and indignation.
Lilith stood by my side, looking both uncomfortable and amused. She asked me if Isabel was short on money. Although her words were kind, something about her seemed to be mocking Isabel’s situation. I forced a laugh, pretending to be indifferent, then turned to the store clerk to discuss our needs. But even as I spoke, my mind was elsewhere.
Isabel’s haggard appearance nagged at me. She looked like she had been through a severe illness. What had happened to her? Why did she look so fragile? The questions swirled in my mind, distracting me from the task at hand.
Isabel’s eyes searched mine. For a brief moment, I thought I saw something break in her gaze–a flicker of vulnerability, a silent plea. But then she looked away, her shoulders sagging as if she had given up on finding anything in me. She turned back to the counter, handing over the bracelet with trembling hands.
I should have walked away then. I should have taken Lilith by the arm and left without a second thought. But I couldn’t. My eyes remained glued to Isabel, watching her every move, every breath.. She looked so frail, as if she might crumble at any moment. It wasn’t. right.
This wasn’t the woman I had known. The woman who had once. stood beside me, proud and strong. What had happened to her?
“Emerson?” Lilith’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She was standing beside me now, her hand on my arm. “What are you doing? We need to finalize the details for our custom piece.”
I blinked, pulling myself back to the present. “Right,” I muttered, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand.
Lilith chatted on, but her words were lost on me. All I could think about was Isabel’s haggard appearance. Was she sick? Had she. been struggling all this time while was too wrapped up in my own. life to notice? The thought gnawed at me, even as I tried to push it
away.
When Isabel left the store, I made a weak excuse to Lilith. Something about needing to check on a work matter.
“Don’t be long,” she said, her tone sweet but with a hint of suspicion.
I nodded and walked out. My eyes followed Isabel’s retreating figure. I told myself I was just going for a look, to satisfy my curiosity. After all, we were still technically a couple. It wasn’t unusual for me to check on her.
I followed her at a distance, keeping to the shadows. Rain was pouring down, soaking through my suit within minutes. Isabel walked slowly, her shoulders hunched as if bearing an invisible weight. My heart tightened. I couldn’t understand why seeing her like this affected me so deeply.
+15 BONUS
She went around a corner and I lost sight of her. When I finally made it to the corner and saw her again, she was in another man’s arms. He lifted her up and carried her into his car.
My fists clenched involuntarily, a surge of anger rising in my chest. Who was he? And what right did he have to touch her like that?
I stood frozen as the car sped off, taking Isabel away. I felt torn between the urge to chase after them and the realization that I had no claim over her anymore. She wasn’t mine to protect. Not anymore. But the anger didn’t fade. It only grew, simmering beneath the surface, twisting into something darker.
I stared in the direction they had gone, my thoughts a tangled mess. Without thinking, I pulled out my phone and called my assistant. How’s the banquet preparation going?” I asked, my voice sharp.
“It’s coming along, sir. Everything will be ready as scheduled,” she replied.
“Good,” I said, my mind already shifting gears. “There’s something I need you to do…”