Chapter 47
Annie stood in a daze, watching the door close behind Emma, the whole scene seemingly like a nightmare come to lit thought of Emma here, so close to Alexander, so in his life, turned a twist in her stomach. Angry thoughts raced throu head, with her heartbeat running wildly while she tried to process exactly what she was seeing. It couldn’t be. She shoc head as she thought. Emma was supposed to be out of their lives for good.
She tried to control her anger with a sudden intake of breath, and stepped forward. She needed to have some answers. she needed to have them now.
“What is she doing here, Alex? Annie took a step closer, her voice low and shaking with accusation and fear.
Alexander’s face clouded as he turned to her; his words were cold, warning. “I don’t owe you an explanation, Annie. Go home. You have no business being here, and you know it,” he snapped.
The instructionfrom Alexander and his sister Vivian had been loud and clear over the years: Annie was not allowed in t hospital. Their mother, suffering from dementia for the past four years, had become unsettled on more than one occasi by Annie’s presence, and they didn’t want to risk her getting upset again. But Annie suspected that there was more to it, especially now.
“Now I see, she spat, the volume of her tone escalating with each syllable. “This is why you did not want me here. You wanted freedom, freedom to sneak around your ex–wife like some cheap affair. I knew you could never be trusted, Alex! How dare you betray me like this?”
“Annie, enough, Alexander growled, his voice tight as he fought for control over his temper. “We will talk about this at
home.
“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” Annie shot back, crossing her arms in a defensive manner. Her voice echoed shrilly downt quiet hospital hallway “I won’t leave until you tell me what’s really going on. Why is that woman here, in your office? I was worried about you, thinking you were unwell or overworked because you haven’t been eating breakfast, and this is why?”
Alexander fought the rising tide of frustration and shook his head. Without another word, he turned and strode out of his office, leaving her fuming. He needed air, something to get away from the now cloying weight of the hospital walls that threatened to close in on him with the scent of Emma still lingering on the air. He could still hear Annie’s voice, shrill and angry. behind him, but he made himself keep going, beelining for the elevator.
As he stepped inside and the doors slid shut, he exhaled a tight breath, hoping for distance now more than anything. The accusations Annie flung at him still rang in his ears, but most of all, his heart ached with the turmoil of feelings stirred by Emma’s sudden appearance.
“Emma” Annie’s voice boomed down the corridor, reverberating off the hospital walls. Emma turned round almost in slow motion, as if she had been expecting it; her face was composed but wary. She knew Annie wouldn’t take seeing her here at al lightly, and she was well–prepared for whatever storm was coming.
She turned her head, saying to Kevin, “Please take my kids out of here.” Kevin nodded and hurried them down the hall and out of sight. The vision of Kevin carrying Emma’s children seeped to enrage Annie even further. Her fists clenched, her body taut with barely restrained anger. She was livid, desperate to lash out at someone, anyone, and Emma was right there in front of her.
Annie stormed up to Emma, her eyes afire with anger, the pent–up lava of fury unmistakable in her gaze. Eminu was a reminder of all she dreaded losing, and she couldn’t stand it.
“Leave my man alone!” Annie spat, stopping inches from Emma And before words could leave Enuna’s lips, Annie’s hand flew across her face in a loud ringing slap. Gasps echoed from plisersby, their eyes wide in shock as they watched the scene
unfold
Emma didn’t flinch. Instead, she raised her hand without a secol thought and slapped Auntie three times in a row. The
1/2
Tue, Dec
Chapter 47
force of it sent everyone backward, most of all Annie herself. Where was this coming from? This wasn’t the Emma she soft–spoken and always ready to walk away from a conflict. This was not Emma at all; unflinching, fierce in her Th Emma was someone Annie had never met before
eyes.
Emma’s voice was direct, composed, but cold. “He was mine long before you stepped in and stole him from me, Annie.” face didn’t project anything; on the inside, there was anger that bubbled beneath the surface.
Annie’s face colored with just a little embarrassment, but she was angrier. She moved in close to Emma, so close they we almost touching noses. “I won’t let you take him away from me, he hissed.
Emma smiled wryly. Take him? I’m not interested in leftovers, Annie. You can have him all to yourself. I couldn’t care le “Then why are you here? Annie flared up. “If you don’t want him, what’s the point of you being here?
Emma’s expression did not change. “Why I’m here is none of your affair. But let me assure you, it has nothing to do with likes of you. Perhaps you should check a mirror, Annie, you’re looking ten years older.”
Annie’s eyes narrowed while her tone became a low growl. “Watch your words, Emma.”
“Or what, Annie?” Emma stepped forward, her tone daring and icy. “You’ll send those men after me again?
Annie’s face turned white; her expression changed in a second, as if she had just seen a ghost. For that instant, there was fi across her face, confirming all of Emma’s worst suspicions. All those things she once blamed on Alexander; the threats, th accidents–all of it had been Annie. The thought made Emma feel sick.
Emma’s voice sounded so full of disgust. “How low can you go, Annie? All that, hust for a man?
Annie’s glare sharpened and her voice was low, dripping with menace. Tll go as low as I need to if it keeps you in your plac Leave the country, Emma. Or I promise, you’ll regret staying.”
Emma crossed her arms unimpressed by the veiled threats. “Is that fear that I hear in your voice? I thought your great love with Alexander was unbreakable. Sounds like it’s not going all that great at home when you’re this threatened by me. Let m make one thing crystal clear, Annie: I’m not afraid of you and your little threats. We’re not in the same league anymore, an the next time you even raise a finger toward me, it better be worth it, because I won’t take it next time. I’m through with being your victim.”
With that said. Emma turned and walked away, leaving Annie to stew in anger helpless.
SEND OIFT
