Chapter 4

Emily looked at him. Noah had a handsome face. He had a sharp jawline, deep-set eyes, always carrying that cold expression. She'd watched that face for seven years, but right now, it felt like she was looking at a stranger living next door.

Emily said quietly, "You're reading too much into it. I want out."

Noah stared at her for a long time, his fingers tapping twice on his knee.

"Alright," he said, standing up and picking up his phone from the coffee table. "I'll get the lawyer to draw up the agreement."

He paused at the door. "The kid's mine."

Emily gripped her crutch tighter. She thought of Jayden's little face last month, when he blurted out, "I don't want my mom," and that picture of Amber taking him to the amusement park, holding his hand.

"Alright," she replied.

Noah opened the door and left, never once looking back at her.

Emily sat alone on the couch, the living room so quiet she could hear the second hand of the wall clock ticking away. She looked down at her left hand, still wrapped in gauze, faint bloodstains visible on the back.

Not once did he ask how her three days in the hospital had been, or how bad the cut under her bandage was, or what it was like being stuck in that wreck for two hours.

The only thing he cared about was who got the kid.

Emily stood up, leaning on her crutch as she made her way upstairs. She was going to pack up her things. There wasn't much. Her things were enough to fit in one suitcase.

Seven years, and all she'd left behind in this house could be packed into a single suitcase.

*****

The next morning, the lawyer dropped off the divorce agreement at the house.

Emily sat in the study, looking over the agreement. The terms were straightforward. She'd give up everything they owned together, and the kid would stay with him. At the bottom, there were two spots for their signatures.

Just as she was about to sign, the study door swung open.

Dorothy walked in, with Noah's aunts, Verena Oliver and Janet Oliver, trailing behind. The three looked like they were here for a full-on negotiation.

"So, I hear you're signing the papers today?" Dorothy said, stepping up to the desk and giving the document a quick once-over. "Walking out with absolutely nothing, huh?"

"Yes," Emily replied.

"Emily, do you think pulling this 'leave with nothing' act is going to make Noah feel bad for you? That he'll suddenly have a change of heart?" Dorothy scoffed, her voice full of seasoned cynicism. "That move is way too obvious."

Verena chimed in, "Yeah, Emily, if you want to make Noah nervous, you don't have to use such a clumsy trick. Just talk it out with him."

Janet leaned against the doorframe, tapping her nails on her phone case. "See? I told you. Girls from orphanages are never quite the same. What kind of respectable wife keeps bringing up divorce?"

Emily held her pen, looking at the three faces in front of her. Dorothy's expression was calculating, with a touch of superiority. Verena's face was all fake concern, and Janet's was blatant disdain.

Emily said, "I'm not putting on a show. I'm really leaving."

"Then you'll have to wait," Dorothy said, snatching the agreement right out from under her nose. "It's not that simple. You think you can sign and leave? What about Jayden? Who's going to take care of him after you go? Amber?"

"Aren't you already having Amber take care of him?" Emily shot back.

Dorothy's face changed a bit.

Emily continued, "Last month, Amber went to Jayden's parent-teacher meeting. The month before, she picked the name for his birthday cake. She took him shopping for new clothes for the season, too. He's already gotten used to it."

Dorothy opened her mouth, but for a moment, she couldn't find anything to say.

"Give me back the agreement," Emily said, reaching out her hand.

Dorothy gripped the agreement tighter and stepped back. "No. I need to talk to Bruce about this first, so you'll have to wait."

The three of them left one after another. The door slammed shut behind Emily.

Emily sat at her desk, putting her pen back in the holder. Her fingers unconsciously brushed the edge of the bandage on her forehead. The wound was healing, and it was starting to itch a little.

She pulled out her phone and texted Noah: [Tell Dorothy to give me back the agreement.]

Five minutes later, a reply came through.

Noah: [We'll talk about it next week. Don't cause any trouble these days.]

Emily stared at Noah's message, her eyes lingering on the words "cause any trouble." Then she locked her screen and didn't reply.

*****

On Friday night, the Oliver family held a family dinner at the old house. Emily hadn't planned on going, but Bruce called her himself, saying he had something important to discuss.

She changed into something appropriate and had Isabella drive her over. As she stepped inside, she realized the place was packed. Verena's family, Noah's second uncle's family, all three cousins with their wives and kids, plus Dorothy and Noah. Everyone was there tonight.

Amber was there, too.

She was standing right next to Noah, dressed in a beige dress with her long hair down, bending over to chat with Jayden. Jayden was smiling up at her, reaching out to grab at her dress.

When Emily walked in with her crutches, everyone turned to look at her.