Is he really?" Michael demanded. Emma reeled back as if she had been slapped, his words hurt so much. How dare he imply that she was some sort of trollop?
"I am going to tell him," Emma whispered defiantly. She had to tell him now. She might have been frightened of his reaction but she still wanted him to know none the less. How could her father be asking her to do such a thing?
"No, you are not," Michael said, his voice very low. Erik longed to say something but knew that it would only make the situation worse. But as he gazed at Emma's father there was a deep hatred in his young eyes.
"Or what?" Emma demanded. She had no idea what was pushing her to talk like this but she had this deep instinct to protect her new family, and she would do anything to do so.
"You tell him and I will kill that bastard growing in your stomach!" he hissed. Emma and Erik both gasped and Erik laid himself against her stomach, somehow wishing to protect the small being that he had barely found out about but already loved.
"You wouldn't!" Emma cried. This could not be happening! She just wanted to live a normal life with Erik, Nadir, and their baby? Was that to much to ask for?
"You know I will," he growled. He left the room and Emma ran to the door, but not before he had successfully locked it from the outside. She pounded her fists against it, demanding that her father open the door. Tears choked her and she collapsed on the floor. Erik went to her and she pulled him against her. Erik allowed her to cry into his hair, not knowing what he could do to make the situation better. So he just let her hold him.
"What am I going to do, Erik?"
End of FlashbackÂ
Erik smiled tenderly at Christine and wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes. He was becoming more and more used to telling Christine these stories of his past every night before they went to sleep. It always made him feel better afterwards that he was able to tell someone else and not have to bear it all on his shoulders. Plus, it was making him closer and closer to his wife because they had those private moments to themselves and Erik was able to let everything out and she listened with willing ears.
"Anthony is not my whole brother..." Christine whispered her voice barely above a whisper. Erik shook his head. Christine pulled away from his strong arms and moved off of the bed. She slipped a robe on and went to the window, wrapping her arms around herself. Her world was collapsing around her. Everything she had thought she had known had been one big lie and she did not know what to think or do. Nadir Khan had a son that he did not even know about up to that day and Anthony was almost going to turn twenty-five. It was not right that Monsieur Khan had not been a part of his son's life and she wondered if it would be her place to tell Anthony the truth. Erik seemed to read her expression and he got out of bed, walking over to her and standing by her side.
"Some things are better left the way they are, Christine," he told her softly. Christine turned to him.
"Erik! My brother and Monsieur Khan have a right to know!" Christine cried. Erik wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.
"Let me finish this chapter of the past...
May 1860
Delauney Manor
"What is that, Emma?" Erik asked, indicating the parchment in her hands. Emma shrugged and sat down at the desk in the library. Erik turned back to his book and began to read. It had been a few weeks since the incident with Emma's father and no matter how hard they had tried they could not get word to Nadir and he never came to visit any longer. Whenever Emma or Erik wanted to leave the house either Isaac or Leroy were always present and the household staff had informed them that they were not to leave the estate without one of the gentlemen. Emma had not been herself ever since and Erik was beginning to worry.
He looked up sharply when Emma cried out and dropped the letter, a hand going to her mouth and her eyes going round in absolute disbelief. Erik ran to the desk as fast as his little legs could take him and he snatched up the letter, even when Emma tried to pull it away from him. He was far too curious to let this go and for a boy of his age he read amazingly well.
Mademoiselle Delauney
I found it is with great cowardice that you had to write me a letter to inform me of your sudden shunning of me. Your letter was rather cold and to the point but I understand perfectly. My money is not in great amounts and like a fool I always believed that money did not matter to you, obviously I was wrong. But when I made love to you...no, I will not dwell on the past. Do not worry, I will never see you again, as your letter clearly told me you want. I thought you were different, Emma, and I suppose that too was a lie. I hope you are happy with your gentleman friend but I find that I do not wish to see you again.
Khan
"No, Nadir, no!" Emma whispered repeatedly. What letter was he talking about? What gentleman friend? She was having his baby for God's sake and now she was never going to see him again! She could tell by the letter that he hated her and no amount of love was going to make this better.
"Your father, Emma!" Erik whispered. Emma's head snapped up to look at him and she realized the truth. Her father had written him a letter, pretending to be her, and informing Nadir that she no longer cared for him and never wanted to see him again. Emma flung herself from the chair and nearly flew from the room. Erik was not far behind her. When they reached Michael's study he was grinning from ear to ear. Emma went to him and slapped him, the sound echoing in the room. Erik could not believe Emma had just done that. Michael's face grew red in his anger and he grabbed Emma's wrist, painfully pulling it back. She cried out and he flung her to the ground.
"How could you!" she screamed.
"I told you that he was never going to find out about the baby, you little brat! Can you imagine the shame that would bring this family! My daughter has a foreigner's bastard! You are nothing but a slut!" he raged at her. Erik ran to Emma and laid her head in his lap, whispering to her that he loved her and he would help her get through this. Michael snorted and stormed out of the room...