It was then when I saw the crack in Hunter’s calm demeanor. Panic and embarrassment were written all over his face as if he had been found guilty of something. He frowned and stood quietly between the two women.
Delilah was a smart woman who knew better than to air dirty laundry in public. She still had on a megawatt smile as she accepted Emery’s invitation and followed the crowd into the office. Owing to the power and status of the Moore family, many reporters had shown up at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The crowd was so large that I could only stay with Emery most of the time.
Unfortunately, that also meant I had to be with Hunter.
Even though Hunter and I were distracted, Emery remained friendly and professional the entire time. Whether it was reporters or friends, she entertained them all with a natural flair and charisma.
Her being oblivious to the ugly truth about Hunter made me feel even worse. I hated to see her being kept in the dark and betrayed by the person she loved so dearly. But I was also worried that she wouldn’t be able to handle the truth.
When the ceremony finally came to an end, Emery made her way downstairs to see her guests off, leaving Hunter and me behind at the reception area.
Hunter tugged at his tie when he saw Emery walk into the elevator. His anxiety was even more palpable now.
“Did you invite her here?” I asked solemnly.
Hunter glanced at me but remained silent, his expression even more somber now.
I had had enough of his aloofness and could no longer control the rage that had been boiling inside me. “I knew you were good at teaching, but now I know you’re even better at breaking promises.” The words came out of my mouth dripping with sarcasm.
Hunter continued to stay silent, though his face had turned red with anger.
“Emery is my best friend, and I hope you don’t forget what you’ve said before, Mr. Zane. I don’t wish to see a repeat of what happened today.”
I knew firsthand how humiliating it was to be provoked by homewreckers. I couldn’t stand aside and let Hunter and Delilah play Emery like a fool.
My words had pushed Hunter over the edge, and he was about to object when the elevator doors opened. Emery lifted her gown and walked out, still as graceful as ever.
Hunter had no choice but to bite his tongue. To prevent Emery from noticing the rage in my eyes, I lowered my head and looked away from her.
The combination of exhaustion and the fact that her guests were long gone meant that Emery no longer needed to keep a smile on her face. “What have you been talking about?” she asked wearily.
“Nothing much,” Hunter said as he walked up to hold her hand. “It’s been a long day. Why don’t we head home early to rest? The staff can clean up the rest.”
“Alright, as you wish. Let’s send Sienna home first,” Emery replied with a grin.
I dreaded the prospect of being in the same car as them, especially after the tension between Hunter and me. “No need, our family chauffeur is waiting outside. You guys can go on ahead,” I politely declined.
With that, they bade farewell to me and took their leave.
Seeing their retreating figures, I couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.
They’re perfect for each other, so why did Hunter still go astray despite having such a happy family?
“If you stare anymore, she’s going to know something’s up.”
Anthony showed up so suddenly that it gave me a scare. He cut a dashing figure as always, with his suit unbuttoned and hands in his pockets.
I tried to act threatening and squinted at him. “Oh? So you’ve figured out what I was thinking about?”
Aston loomed over me before sighing. “Your acting skills are terrible. I wonder how Armond even fell for them in the past?” he asked while patting my head.
I pulled away from him immediately, afraid that there might still be reporters lingering around. If anyone realized that our divorce was a farce, the repercussions would be gnarly.
After looking around and confirming that it was just Anthony and me, I finally relaxed a little. “Armond fell for my act because he was afraid of losing me as his bargaining chip. That had nothing to do with my acting skills. Wait, do you mean to say that my actions earlier were very telling?”
Anthony shrugged nonchalantly. “You were pretty much on par with that Delilah woman.”
“Does that mean you saw through her?”
“It wasn’t difficult at all,” Anthony said matter-of-factly.
Seeing him being so sure of himself left me speechless. If even someone like Anthony could see through the act, surely Emery would be able to as well. After all, she was excellent at reading body language.
But if that was the case, why did she act like everything was fine earlier?
Also, if Anthony’s this good at reading people, why wasn’t he like this with Rylee? Or was it just like the old saying where only the outsider sees most of the game?
I could only hope for that to be true. Otherwise, it would be too cruel to Emery.
“You should go home now. It’s late, and it’s also time for your medication.” Anthony reminded, his voice full of concern.
I was still steeped in anger, knowing that Hunter had cheated on Emery. And the more I looked at Anthony, the more I was reminded of Rylee, which only made me even angrier.
“If you could tell, why didn’t you say anything? Are all men alike? Do you all always help one another keep your dirty secrets?”
“You didn’t come clean to Emery either, did you?” Anthony said with a frown.
Fine. He’s right.
“Didn’t you also think that there was nothing more to Rylee becoming closer to you?” I retorted as a sudden urge to cry came over me.
For two years, I had been so troubled over the affairs of the heart that I never had a good night’s sleep. I continued to be plagued by those memories even to this day.
Anthony’s expression softened as he held my gaze. “If I had known I’d fall for you, I never would have made you sad.”
I bit down on my lip as I saw the sincerity in his eyes. An immeasurable amount of warmth filled my heart and I felt myself even more on the verge of tears.
Even though Anthony had made mistakes in the past, he never went to the extent of going all the way with Rylee. On the other hand, Hunter had no problem betraying his love when faced with the temptation of the flesh.
“Can we go home now?” Anthony’s voice once again brought me out of my daze.
“You go on first. I feel like going over to Emery’s,” I mumbled, still trying to hold back my tears.
“Emery doesn’t need your pity now,” Anthony replied. “The fact that she could act like nothing was wrong even when her love rival had turned up shows how much she values her pride. Do you want to ruin that for her?”
“I don’t!”
“Then it’s best to leave it be and let her handle it on her own. Go home now. It’s almost time for your injection.”
Even after so long, Anthony still never failed to surprise me. “I thought you’d know Hunter better since you’re both men. Who knew you’d relate with Emery even more,” I remarked.
“Is that weird?”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t think it’s weird at all,” he replied as he pushed the button for the elevator. “You’re my wife, Emery’s your friend, and Hunter’s not. It’s obvious who I would understand more, isn’t it?”
When the elevator doors opened, he was quite the gentleman as he gestured for me to step in. “After you, Mrs. Featherstone.”
Back at the Stanhope residence, I had barely stepped into the house when I heard Summer and Emma still up and playing.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply