Novel Square
Chapter 36
The solemn weight of the world seemed to rest on Emily’s shoulder as she slowly turned the key in the door, nothing could’ve truly prepared her for the gravity of what she’d just learned. The truth about her fathers, her mothers lies contrasting, the dull ache at the back of her head, it all felt too much.
As the door swung open, Emily took in the unfamiliar scent of the house, a scent that was now a bittersweet comfort in this house that was now quite her home, like a home away from home. She blinked away the tears that threatened to spill, burning her eyes with the gravity of the truth. She wished she could unsee the letter’s cruel script and unknow the truth about it.
Emily’s heart ached fiercely, each throb a reminder of the discovered scars etched upon her childhood memories.
The room was dim, lit only by muted glow of city lights which seeped through the sheer drapes, that was when she noticed Ethan seated on the dove-gray chaise lounge deeply engrossed in a book.
Ethan looked up at the sound of the closing door, his keen eyes immediately registering the pained look across Emily’s usually smiling eyes. Concern etched on his brow as he set the book aside and rose to his feet, his movements swift as he closed the gap between them, drawing her in his arms.
“Emily?” He called out tentatively, his voice laced with worry. “What’s wrong, talk to me”
Emily didn’t respond, the tears she had fought so hard to hold back now streaming unbidden down her cheeks. Her knees felt weak, and the room seemed to tilt and blur in a nauseating dance. She stood frozen on the threshold while Ethan had reached her already in three long strides, his strong arms wrapping around her in a protective embrace. Emily collapsed into him, her sobs building up as she buried her face in the soft fabric of his shirt.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay” Ethan murmured, his voice a soothing balm. His hand cradled the back of her head, fingers threading through her hair in a gentle caress “I’ve got you Emily, I’m here baby”
“It was all a lie, she lied to me” Emily drew a shuddering breath, allowing herself to find refuge in the solid reality of Ethan’s arms. He felt warm and real, a stark to the cold revelations that began to seem like her reality.
Wordlessly, Ethan led her to the couch sitting beside her and keeping a protective arm around her shoulders until her tears eventually subsided leaving her hollow and spent. She took a moment to recollect herself before looking into Ethan’s earnest blue eyes, she fought the urge to compare.
“I found a letter from my father” she began, her voice barely above a whisper “or rather the man I believed was my father. My whole life has been a lie Ethan, my mother lied to me”
Her confession hung in the air, and she saw the flash of confusion dart across Ethan’s features.Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.
“I don’t understand” Ethan said
“I lost my memory as a child, my mother made me believe my father did it, hit me in the head in a fitful rage but she did it, and she wished I died because I halted her life. She wanted to be a big star and i held her back” Emily explained, her voice breaking into sobs again “She stole everything my father had, faked her death and made him kill himself”
“What!” Ethan said in shock as he pulled her closer “That’s awful, I’m so sorry”
“I waited for her all these years, wondering why she abandoned me, telling myself she probably had a really good reason to but it was a lie” Emily cried and Ethan cupped her face, wiping her tears with his thumb.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m here now” he said, pulling her closer to him and she let him before looking back at him, the weight of her next words heavy on her tongue as she contemplated the implications of them.
“Ethan” she started and he held her gaze, urging her to go on.
“The thing is” she continued, her breath hitching with the magnitude of her next words “She told me who my real father is, and apparently he’s still alive”
“Who Emily?”
“CEO of Brown’s TV Production”
The room felt eerily silent as the implications of her words settled heavily around them. Emily could see his mind racing, trying to reconcile the news with the history they both shared, a history now punctuated by a connection neither of them imagined.
Emily could see a range of emotions sit across Ethan’s face – shock, empathy and something else she couldn’t quite identify.
“Anita’s father!”
“Damn!”