Chapte 100 Taking steps forward
Chapter 100: Taking steps forward
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Richard thought for a moment. “I can help you get a court order to keep your mother–in–law away from you and Henry,” he said. “But first, we need to find you a safe place to live.”
Emma nodded, grateful for his help. “I thought about staying with my sister, but she just got married. I don’t want to mess up her new life.”
“I understand,” Richard said. “But I have another idea. I own an apartment that you could rent.
Emma’s eyes lit up. The thought of having her own place far away from her mother–in–law made her feel hopeful. “I’ll take it,” she said right away.
“Just one thing,” Richard warned. “Don’t use your husband’s money to pay for it. We don’t want him to have any control over where you live.” Something in his voice made Emma think there was more to his warning than he was saying.
“I won’t,” Emma promised. “My sister Anya can help me pay for it.”
Richard looked at her and then away quickly. He wanted to tell her she didn’t have to pay anything, but he knew she wouldn’t accept that.
After Richard left, Emma went back to watching Henry sleep. She felt a little better now that they had a plan. She knew things would still be hard, but with Richard’s help, she felt more hopeful about their future:
Meanwhile, at Anya’s house, she and her new husband Daniel were in their bedroom. Daniel was looking through their closet, trying to decide about furniture.
“What do you think–should we get a king–size bed or keep the queen?” he asked with a
Grape 100 Tabung steps forward.
smile, holding up some pillows.
Anya laughed. “We need a king. I move around too much when I sleep,” she said. “But we don’t need that many pillows. What if you push me off the bed?”
Daniel pretended to be hurt, hugging the pillows. “I’m the best person to share a bed with,” he joked, his eyes sparkling.
Anya blushed at his joke, but before she could answer, her phone rang. When she saw it was Emma calling, she quickly answered.
“Sorry, I need to take this,” she told Daniel, who nodded and went back to organizing the pillows.
“Hey Em, what’s up?” Anya said cheerfully.
But as soon as she heard Emma’s voice, her heart dropped. Emma was talking fast, clearly
upset.
“That horrible woman tied Henry up and locked him in a room. When I found him, he had passed out,” Emma said, crying.
“What?!” Anya shouted in shock. “How could she do that?!”
Anya gripped her phone so hard her knuckles turned white. All the happiness from moments ago disappeared, replaced by burning anger.
“His face was so pale,” Emma continued, her voice shaking. “The doctors said we got him here just in time. If we hadn’t…”
Anya felt sick thinking about her nephew, tied up and locked away by someone who was
“I want them to pay, Anya. I want their whole family to hurt. I want that woman to feel pain,” Emma said darkly, her emotions taking over.
“They will,” Anya said, tears filling her eyes. Daniel noticed and sat down, waiting to hear what was wrong.
“How’s Henry now?” Anya asked softly, her heart aching.
“He’s sleeping,” Emma said, sounding tired but determined. “But I can’t go back there, Anya. I won’t.”
“That’s good–you can stay with me,” Anya offered right away.
“No. You just got married. You should be enjoying your new life, not dealing with my problems,” Emma refused.
“How is this dealing with problems? You’re my sister–you should be here!” Anya insisted.
“Don’t worry. Richard offered to rent me one of his apartments. I just need you to pay him for me; I don’t want to use any of that family’s money,” Emma explained.
“Of course. I’ll call him and set everything up.”
away f
Anya’s mind was racing. She knew Emma and Henry needed to get
that dangerous situation, and she would do anything to help. “ll be there first thing tomorrow morning,” she promised. “We’ll figure this out together.”
After hanging up, she turned to Daniel, her eyes now fierce with determination despite her tears. “I need to go help Emma tomorrow morning,” she said firmly. “She’s moving out, and
Daniel could see how upset and angry she was as tears ran down her face.
Daniel and Anya helped Anya move and hide away for a few weeks. But in only a few weeks, Anya got news of Charles keeping a mistress. A childhood sweetheart? She scoffed and had the news passed to the press.
Emma, on the other hand, has been too busy putting Henry through therapy. Making sure he is healed mentally. She did not have time to deal with Charles and honestly did not care.
Richard finally gave her the go–ahead to send over the divorce papers. He told her to send it by mail, but Emma wanted to send it herself. After all, there was still a lot she had not gotten from that house.
She needed to go back and get her things. She only opened her phone and saw an article.
Emma stared at the article in her hand with a blank face. The maids in the living room held their breath when they saw her reading it. The article read, Actress Melanie getting picked up by her husband.
She scoffed at this. She felt stupid. It was not the first time this had happened. Yet this was the first time it had happened so publicly.
She was disgusted as she stared at the images of her husband and Melanie. She felt her stomach turn and the slight urge to vomit.
Melanie was the woman her husband, Charles, was supposed to marry, but things went wrong, and she ended up marrying Charles instead. But the Jones family had stuffed her in.
When she got to the door and walked inside, she saw the staff cleaning up. It seemed they had
a party last night. No one called to ask about her son.
As she watched them clear the table, she felt numb. She picked up her phone and texted Charles, telling him that she had seen the photos. “Let’s get a divorce,” she said and put the phone down.
She sighed. Why had she this? Why did she let the Jones family force her into this to be disrespected this way?
It did not take long for Charles to call her back. She guessed that he must have seen the message. The moment she picked up the call, he was furious.
“Are you crazy? What nonsense are you playing at now? I know you said it was your birthday, but do I need to be there? When have I ever attended your birthday willingly? I have told you to know your place. Melanie is back, and I need to take care of her. Keep your childish tantrums at bay!” he scolded. Emma felt dead inside. She was sure that all this scolding he was throwing her way, Melanie was probably beside him when he was doing so.
“Where are you?” She asked, “Are you with her?!
“Emma, it seems leaving you alone has made you grow wings. When was it your place to ask about my schedule?” he asked.
“Fine, let’s get a divorce,” she repeated, and the other line went silent. Charles was tired on his end; why is she threatening divorce? He had a deal with her family. She could not get out of
- it.
“What game are you playing now?” he asked.
“What game? Don’t tell me you are one of those men who would think their wives want a divorce to get their attention. You are not that stupid, right?” she asked. When she got silence. on the other end, she knew she had guessed right
