As the event came to an end, he couldn't find Emilia. After approaching Cosby he was informed that Emilia has already departed. It bothered him that he couldn't break the wall yet and have her by his side at all times. He yearned for her beyond measure.
Once he returned to the hotel, Patrick followed him as always. Christopher entered his room which was truly more of a penthouse and poured himself a drink.
"Why did she chose to marry me?" He asked Patrick the dreaded question. He was afraid to know the answer.
"Excuse me, sir?" Patrick turned paler.
"Why did Emilia marry me?"
"I cannot say for sure but I suspect that the financial security was one of the reasons." Patrick said carefully.
"And you've said that she was your acquaintance?"
"Indeed."
"How do you know her?"
"Well…" Patrick's pale skin changed to red. "She lived in the same apartment block as myself and I had a chance to meet her as my neighbour on a number of occasions."
"She was your neighbour?" Christopher raised his brows.
"Indeed, sir. But sir… you must know that I wouldn't have just picked a stranger off the street. Miss Vincent has been the kindest person I knew and she was always talked with the highest regard in my community. I've heard of her months before I even met her."
"How did she found out about me wanting marriage?"
"I've told Miss Vincent about it as she shared with me her concerns about her finances. Hence, I suspect it to be the main reason that she signed the contract." Patrick spoke quickly but carefully. He didn't want to disclose now that he never told Emilia that she was indeed married to Christopher. He wouldn't dare to reveal it now.
"What made you think that she should be considered?"
"She was kind and also very eloquent. The way she carried herself was what I envisioned to be appropriate for your future wife, sir." Patrick fidgeted uncomfortably. "Mr Hayden, May I inquire as to why you're asking me these questions now?"
"I'm curious." Christopher answered somewhat honestly. "You might retreat for the night."
"Good night, sir." Patrick bowed his head as he left. He paused just outside, looking at a door of the room which was recently occupied by Emilia but which now stood empty.
Emilia's head was an absolute mess after the event. She couldn't forget the smile and laugh of Christopher Hayden.
Every recent interaction was ingrained in her memory perfectly.
But during the event she received a call from Maria that her mother's condition has worsened. She decided that it was a good opportunity to distance herself from Mr Hayden as her heart was not ready for the heartbreak Christopher was going to cause. And she knew that it was the only outcome of it.
With Patrick's permission, after she informed him of the crisis at home, she rushed to pack her suitcase in the hotel, and she was way in the way to the airport by the time Christopher even got back from the gala dinner.
Emilia's heart was pounding throughout the entire flight, her anxiety causing bouts of nausea and headache. And as she reached the English soil she hurried to the hospital where her mum was.
"Maria, what happened?" She asked without a single word of welcome.
"Oh, Emilia, she's been taken in after falling unconscious. Her pressure was horrible, and her heart rate has been high."
"Thank you for taking care of her while I was away. Go home and rest." Emilia ordered before running towards the room.
"Miss Vincent?" A doctor approached her not much later.
"Yes?"
"I wish to speak to you of your mother's condition."
"Yes?"
"It should hardly be a shock that your mum isn't getting better."
"No, it isn't."
"The tumour has grown and it is now pressing onto a vital organs and her venous system cutting off the blood flow. Unfortunately, due to the location of the tumour we are hesitant to operate. We want to see your mum out of the ICU and her state stabilised before we even attempt it. We suggest another bout of chemotherapy to see if the tumour can be shrunk just enough to reduce the pressure on the veins."
"Is there any other alternative?"
"End-of-life care."
Emilia squeezed her hand against her chest, trying her hardest to hold the tears. This news didn't come as a surprise, but it was still a hard decision. After a moment she nodded in agreement although she felt like she was just postponing an inevitable and making her mother suffer more due to her own selfishness and minuscule hope she had left.
She stayed in the hospital by her mother's side for days, occasionally distracting herself by doing her university work, but mostly attending to her mum.
*
Christopher's resolution to attempt to showcase his changed attitude and his feelings hasn't changed.
As soon as Patrick Cosby mumbled that Emilia has returned back to England due to a family emergency, Christopher packed his own bags and followed - a mere day after Emilia.
He was not any less hurt to find that she wasn't around in the manor when he returned. His irritation only grew when he reached his study and found a stack of letters, with the same envelope as before gracing his desk.
"Another one." Christopher sighed as he passed the letter to Patrick. "Send it to the detective."
"Are you not concerned, sir?" Patrick asked carefully.
"Not yet. They have been loud but inactive so far." Christopher shrugged in reference to yet another threat.
Patrick left the room leaving Christopher alone in his contemplation.
After his impatience grew, he went and knocked on the door to Emilia's room, but there was no answer. A few hours later he did so again. The result hasn't changed.
He was ready to tell her what he felt and bare his feelings to her but she wasn't there.
His mood was slowly shifting as frustration and powerlessness overtook him. He was walking through the manor, scaring his staff off more so than ever. The only creature unbothered by his changed attitude was Barky who joyfully followed Christopher while wagging his tail.
"Sir, there's an event tonight at Mr Bleam's residence." Patrick announced in the evening about three days later.
"Bleam?" Christopher's interest piqued for the first time since his return.
"Charles Bleam, sir."
"Accept."
"Also…" Patrick hesitated feeling that he was threading on a very fine line again. "The jewellery you have ordered has been finally finished. Would you like me to collect it?"
"Yes." Christopher agreed, eagerly waiting to show off the wedding band he had designed for Emilia, even more reassured that it was the right choice.
Frankly, Christopher's reason to go to the event was to gauge Jacob Bleam and his family a bit more. It was a needed distraction from Emilia's absence.
"Mr Hayden, it is a pleasure to see you here." The father of Grace and Jacob welcomed Christopher warmly. He was a man in his fifties with grey streaks in his hair and the same eyes as Jacob.
"A pleasure to be here." Christopher lied. "I was genuinely curious to see the father of two people who have lifted a startup so much in the past few months."
"Grace and Jacob? From what I've heard, they were smart enough to find someone else to do it for them."
"Emilia?"
"Ah yes. Dr Emilia Vincent. She's Grace's close friend too!"
"They must be smart if they could recognise Emilia's talent and let her bring it out in their company."
"Uh-huh. Although I give the credit to that girl over my own kids." Charles chuckled. "Not that my kids are stupid, of course. But Emilia is definitely the smarter one. If you're interested, Emilia is around tonight. She is my daughter's VIP guest and I couldn't say no."
"I hope that you do not mind that Emilia sits beside me tonight." Christopher said calmly although there was a storm of emotions inside of him. Excitement and fear being the main ones.
"No, not at all. Are you interested to meet her or did you already have a pleasure?"
"I very much so already had a pleasure." Christopher smiled, picking a glass of champagne from a side table.
"How do you know Dr Vincent?" Charles inquired further.
Christopher opened his mouth and closed it again, trying his hardest to compose the answer.
"Emilia is my wife, Mr Bleam." He said truthfully.
Charles started choking on the champagne that he was just sipping. It was a reaction that Christopher wasn't fully expecting, nor did he expect to have champagne spat out at him. Christopher picked up a napkin and wiped his face with clear disgust written all over it.
"I'm sorry, Mr Hayden." Charles said quickly as he offered Christopher yet another napkin. "But did I just hear you right?"
"Emilia Vincent is my wife of nearly six months." Christopher said calmly but his tone had a hint of impatience.
"I just didn't expect it. But certainly, I'll ensure of it that you sit beside your wife."
"Thank you."
As Christopher looked sideways he noticed Jacob Bleam looking at him with his eyes and mouthwide open. He stood paralysed, speechless, staring at Christopher with disbelief.
Christopher looked up and down at Jacob and then he turned around and walked away. He didn't have the patience to deal with any of the people. At least not since he learnt that Emilia was around.
As promised, Emilia ended up sat beside Christopher with Grace on her other side.
Emilia had a much more serious composure
than usual as she took her seat.
"Good evening, Mr Hayden." Emilia welcomed him but her tone of voice didn't seem quite as chirpy as usual.
"Good evening, Emilia."
"Are you sure that you're okay?" Grace asked Emilia as she sat down on her other side.
"Yes, thank you, Grace." Emilia faked the smile before turning her head back to Christopher. "I hope that you enjoyed your stay in the America, sir?"
"It was okay, thank you."
"That's good." Emilia nodded. Her usual cheerful demeanour was overshadowed by a cloud in her eyes. If only Christopher wasn't focused on his end goal so much maybe he would've noticed, but the nerves were eating him up. "The weather must've been much better than in here."
"I didn't stay long enough for it to bother me"
"That's good, sir." Emilia nodded. She was unusually silent throughout the meal. If her own mind wasn't preoccupied with thousands of worries she might've noticed Christopher's nervous fidgeting or Jacob looking at her with his eyes still wide open from overhearing the earlier conversation between Christopher and his father.
Emilia reminded herself that her job was to represent Christopher in a positive light and not to entertain him. However, the latter became a crucial part of her life. She forced a smile on her face and with all her will she started a conversation.
"I've heard that Crimson Tech is looking to open a new site up North."
"Yes, indeed. We have a large customer base up North, not to mention trying to tap into the talent pool from that side of the country."
"Sounds like a good idea. Which part of your company will you pursue there?"
"I thought that the new site can support our day to day activities."
"There's a few universities with a very good business departments up there so it might be a good place to have a few entry level jobs available there."
"Exactly. That is certainly an intend as well."
After what felt like the most strenuous conversation, Emilia excused herself and found a quiet room on the side of the hallways to message Maria for updates.