He Thought I’d Never Leave Chapter 03
Margaret settled Claire back onto the couch, then turned to me. Her face was thunderous.
“Emily. Did you drag Claire out here?”
“She just gave birth. She needs rest. How could you be so thoughtless?”
I actually laughed.
“Do you even remember that I’m the one your son is supposed to be marrying?”
“He had a child with another woman. Your entire family knew. And not one of you told me!”
Margaret let out a cold laugh, contempt in every line of her face.
“Emily. This whole wedding was something you had the audacity to beg for. What’s your background? What’s your family? What part of you deserves someone like our Ethan?”
“I told him years ago—find a girl from a good family. Good for the family, good for the business. But he wouldn’t listen. He let you cling to him and drag it out this long.”
I clenched my fists.
“Undeserving or not, at least I’d be better than a son who can’t keep it in his pants and knocks up his mistress.”
“What does the Walker family teach its sons? How to betray their fiancées—”
Crack.
Before I could finish, Margaret’s hand came across my face.
I turned my head aside. My cheek burned.
Ethan took two steps forward. “Mom!”
“Stay out of this!”
Margaret pointed at my nose, face flushed dark red.
“Who do you think you are, speaking to me that way?”
“Let me tell you something, Emily. If you hadn’t shamelessly clung to Ethan for eight years, he’d have flown much higher by now!”
“Claire is a hundred times the woman you are. Gentle. Considerate. She never forgets a holiday, always brings me gifts. I’ve wanted her as my daughter-in-law for years. You? You’re nothing but dead weight!”
“Auntie, please stop!” Claire rushed to my side, reached toward my burning cheek, then pulled her hand back. Tears streamed down her face. “Emily… does it hurt?”
I didn’t answer.
I was remembering college. That night I’d cried to her about how Ethan’s family didn’t like me.
Her eyes had gone red with rage. She’d slammed her fist into the dorm mattress.
“That’s because they’ve got no taste! If Ethan ever does you wrong, I’ll be the first one to make him pay!”
The memory drained away. I looked at her tear-streaked face and tugged at the corner of my aching mouth.
“Claire. Are you happy now?”
She shook her head desperately.
“That’s not it, Emily… I didn’t…”
I didn’t wait for her to finish. I turned and walked out.
Ethan called after me.
“Emily!”
I didn’t turn around.
“Just listen—”
He caught up and grabbed my arm, yanking me back.
“You know what my mom’s like. It’s not the first time you’ve seen her like that. Her tongue’s sharp, but she doesn’t really mean it. Can we deal with all this after the wedding? There are so many people already here to celebrate us. Don’t embarrass everyone.”
I shook off his hand. My gaze went cold as ice.
“Ethan. Eight years. Have you ever once spoken up for me?”
He was silent.
“If you’d spoken up for me once, I would’ve felt like these eight years were worth it.”
“But you didn’t. Not once.”
My voice cracked on the last word.
Then I turned around and walked out of the hotel without looking back.