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I raise my glass again, taking another sip as everyone continues talking around me, but my mind drifts elsewhere. The taste of victory is bitter, tainted by the lingering absence of the one person I wish could share this moment with me.
Emily.
Even after everything, after the lies and betrayal, she’s the one I ache for. She’s the missing piece, the one who makes everything make sense. Without her, all of this—the title, the success—it feels incomplete.
I realize with a pang that I’ve been lying to myself. Telling myself that I could just move on, build this life without her, fill the void with work and titles and ambition.
But it’s her I want, her I miss. She’s the one who made me feel grounded, whole.
Chapter 39: Emily
I'm at my desk, struggling to keep my focus, when Amy, our operations director, knocks lightly and steps in.
“Hi, Emily,” she says. “I’ve just come from the Lakeside Riviera. It looks fabulous. You should pop by and take a look.”
It’s no secret in the office that I haven’t gone to see the renovations. I can’t bear to see my father’s favorite hotel, the first one he ever built, torn into and remodeled into something that he would have hated.
I smile politely and nod. “That’s good,” I say in a voice that sounds as dull as I feel.
Amy watches me for a second, as if expecting more, but when I don’t say anything else, she gives a small nod and leaves.
I turn back to my screen, staring at the spreadsheets and emails I’ve been trying to work on all day, though none of it holds my attention.
It’s afternoon, and I can’t wait for the day to be over. There’s a drinks date with Lisa that I’m holding onto like a lifeline, the one small point of brightness on the horizon.
I try diving back into my work, but my focus drifts. The words on my screen blur, and the numbers lose meaning. Then my phone rings, and I grab it, grateful for the distraction. Sarah’s name flashes on the screen.
“Hello?” I say, forcing my voice into something resembling cheerfulness.
“I had the baby boy,” she says after we exchange greeting.” Sarah’s voice is warm and full of joy, and a small smile tugs at my lips in spite of myself.
“Congratulations. That’s wonderful.” I reach for a sticky note, making a note to send her flowers.
“Thank you,” she says, her voice softer now. “Emily, I was hoping… I mean, I’d really like it if you’d be Liam’s godmother.”
Her words stop me short. “Me?” My voice wavers, caught between surprise and gratitude. “Sarah, you know Andrew and I are separated?”
“Yes,” she says gently. “But I have faith that you’ll work it out. I’ve never seen Andrew look at a woman the way he looks at you, Emily. He adores you.”
A knot forms in my throat, and I glance away, swallowing hard. “It’s been two months, Sarah,” I say quietly. “I think he’s moved on.”
“He just needs time,” she says confidently. “I know him. Andrew’s hurt, but he’s also the kind of man who sees through to what matters. You’re what matters, Emily.”
I close my eyes, Sarah’s words washing over me like a balm. I want to believe her, more than anything, but I saw Andrew’s eyes. He meant it. We’re done.
“So, what do you say?” Sarah’s voice brings me back to the moment.
“I’d be honored,” I say. “Thank you.”
We exchange a few more words, but I feel the sting of tears and know I need a moment. When we hang up, I take a deep breath, trying to push the emotions back down.
A soft knock on the door interrupts my thoughts, and Catherine peeks in. I fight down my irritation. I can’t seem to get a moment alone.
“Matthew’s here, waiting to see you,” she says.
I take a moment to collect myself, nodding. “Show him in.”
Matthew enters, the spreadsheets and financial reports in hand, and begins explaining the latest financial projections.