The next day,
Alex woke up on a couch with a pounding headache, the aftermath of a night of heavy drinking. Blinking groggily, he realized he was in Michael's penthouse. As Michael handed him a glass of water, Alex gratefully accepted, trying to soothe his parched throat.
"You're awake," Michael remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Disappointed you didn't go home with her instead?" he teased, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
"She came?" Alex asked, his memory foggy from the previous night's indulgence.
"Yes," Michael confirmed. "But why didn't she take me home?" Alex questioned, his confusion evident.
Michael narrowed his eyes, sensing a misunderstanding. "Who are you talking about?" he asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.
Alex hesitated, realizing they might be referring to different women in the conversation. Choosing not to answer, he let Michael continue.
"Olivia showed up, but you didn't seem too keen on leaving with her, so I figured I'd better take you myself." Michael explained.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Alex's face as he realized Emily hadn't shown up. He glanced outside, where the morning sun reflected off the towering high-rises, signaling a new day. Checking the time, he noticed it was almost noon. Suddenly remembering something, he hastily got up from the couch and left Michael's penthouse shortly after.
At Harbourview Medical Center,
Emily sat attentively by her grandmother's bedside, engaging in a discussion with the nurse about her grandmother's medical records. "Mrs. Stratton's charts look better than we expected," the nurse explained, prompting a nod and a smile from Emily before she departed the room.
As Emily continued her conversation with her grandmother, the elderly Mrs. Stratton grasped Emily's hand and inquired, "How come Alex didn't come with you today?" It was their routine to visit every Sunday morning and share lunch with Grandma.
"He was working late last night and woke up with a massive headache this morning," Emily quickly fabricated an excuse, mentally noting the real reason: Alex had been out drinking with Olivia, resulting in a late night and a subsequent hangover.
Just as Emily attempted to divert the conversation away from Alex's absence, a voice interrupted from the doorway. "My headache's much better now," Alex announced as he entered the room, apologetic for his tardiness. Emily was surprised to see him and avoided meeting his gaze.
"No need to apologize, my dear," Grandma reassured him. "And don't overwork yourself," she added with a gentle smile.
Just as they were about to resume their stroll, the doctor entered the room, a clipboard in hand. "Excuse me" he began, "I have some good news. The test results are better than we expected, so we can advance your surgery date to next week." addressing the elderly woman.
Both Alex and Emily were taken aback by the unexpected news. They exchanged a glance, and nodded in agreement with the doctor's decision.
With renewed hope for Grandma's health, they made their way to the hospital garden, a serene oasis filled with vibrant flowers, winding paths, and the soothing sound of a fountain. As they wheeled Grandma through the picturesque surroundings, the news of the advanced surgery date filled the air with mixed feelings. Alex took charge, pushing the wheelchair while Emily followed at a short distance. Suddenly, he stopped and intertwined Emily's hand with his arm, silently urging her compliance. They continued the facade of a happy couple throughout lunch with Grandma, but once out of her sight, Emily withdrew her hand coldly.
"I'm going home now. See you next week," she stated curtly as she entered the car and closed the door firmly, instructing the driver, "Let's go home."
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror and inquired, "Isn't Mr. Stratton coming home too?"
"No," Emily replied firmly, but as she uttered the words, the door opened, and Alex entered the car. "Let's go home," he requested. Emily's expression remained inscrutable as they sat in silence for the duration of the ride.
As they sat in silence in the car, Emily couldn't shake the thought of just one more week. After Grandma's surgery, she would proceed with her plans to leave Alex.
Back at Stratton's,
Emily followed Alex into the bedroom. "I don't want to keep fighting with you," she stated firmly. Alex turned around, a hint of surprise in his expression, as Emily continued, "Let's just get through one more week, like how we were before, and then I'll leave."
Disappointment flickered across Alex's face, but he nodded in agreement.
At night, Alex emerged from the bathroom to find Emily already fast asleep. He listened to the rhythm of her breathing, but sleep eluded him throughout the night. The next morning, Emily carried on with her routine as usual. When she noticed Alex dressing up, she approached him to help with his tie, a gesture that had become customary between them.
"I'll do it," she murmured softly. Alex glanced down at her, his eyes lingering on her face. Emily kept her gaze fixed on his neck. "Lower your head a bit. It's hard for me to reach," she instructed without looking up.
Alex remained motionless until Emily finally met his gaze. "You're finally looking at me," he remarked, his voice tinged with frustration. Emily, puzzled by his tone, replied calmly, "Alex, yesterday we agreed to stop fighting. It's just one more week."
Frowning, Alex took a step back. "You don't need to act when it's just the two of us," he retorted before storming out of the room. Emily stood there, a smirk playing on her lips.
Unbelievable, she thought to herself.
As she descended the stairs for breakfast, she found Alex already seated at the table, sipping on his coffee. In the corner of the dining room, two maids were whispering, but they quickly fell silent upon seeing Emily. She joined Alex at the table, greeting him with a cheerful "good morning" and a warm smile. The maids, observing the exchange, were surprised and relieved, thinking that perhaps the couple had reconciled and returned to their former happiness.