A beautiful morning greeted the day, the kind people wrote about in novels, where the sun rose with golden hues, casting its warmth over everything it touched.
The birds sang their familiar melodies, the trees swayed gently as if greeting the morning breeze, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. For an optimist, the day could easily have been called "blessed."
But in the silence of the grand house, something lingered in the air that no amount of sunshine could erase. Alex descended the stairs dressed casually but impeccably, his mind more focused on the heavy thoughts swirling in his head than on the beauty of the morning.
He sat down at the dining table, where the house staff had already laid out the breakfast: eggs, toast, fresh fruit. Everything was meticulously prepared. Yet, the empty chair across from him cast a shadow on the otherwise perfect setting.
"She hasn't eaten anything decent since they returned from the hospital," Alex muttered, a frown creasing his brow.
His patience was running thin, but his concern was genuine. Emma hadn't been herself, and the last thing he wanted was for her to fall ill. He motioned to one of the maids, who hurriedly came to stand in front of him.
"Go upstairs and tell her to come down for breakfast."
The maid nodded obediently and headed up the stairs, pausing briefly at Emma's door before knocking lightly. Without waiting for a response, she opened the door just a crack.
"Ma'am, Mr. Sterling requests that you join him for breakfast," she said gently.
There was a long pause before Emma's thin, almost fragile voice floated from the room. "Tell him I'll be down shortly."
The maid delivered the message, and Alex went back to scrolling through an article on his phone, though his mind was more on Emma than the words on the screen.
Emma stood before her mirror in her room, the weight of everything she had endured pressing down on her. She looked at her reflection, eyes hollow with sleeplessness and lips that hadn't curved into a genuine smile in what felt like forever.
After a long, drawn-out sigh, she settled on a long-sleeved floral dress, which was among the dresses she had picked the previous day.
It covered her arms, hiding the vulnerability she felt inside, the layers an unspoken shield against the world.
When she finally made her way downstairs, she chose a seat far from Alex, the distance between them both physical and emotional. As she sat, she felt his gaze on her, heavy but soft, like he was trying to understand something he couldn't reach.
"Good morning, babe," Alex said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Good morning," Emma replied flatly, picking up the cup of tea in front of her. Its warmth did little to thaw the chill inside her chest.
Alex, sensing her coldness, pressed on gently. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, I did." Her voice was sharp and clipped as she reached for a piece of toast and quietly began to eat.
Though she didn't feel like eating anything, she tried to eat. Alex was there, and he was watching her.
There was a beat of silence before Alex spoke again, this time a little hesitant. "So, about dinner with my sister yesterday... She invited Vanessa over," he said, Emma's heart skipping a beat.
Although Emma didn't want to hear anything about Jake, especially his mistress, she couldn't help but ask, "Vanessa?"
Alex nodded. "Yes. Claire has started planning to put Vanessa into my life. I thought about telling her I was married..."
"Did you?" Emma cut in immediately, her heart pounding heavily in her chest.
"I didn't. I thought it would be too soon. Although I know they're going to find out sooner or later, I just thought it would be all too overwhelming if I told her about our marriage now," Alex said, and Emma sighed in relief.
"Thank you for giving me time," Emma said, and Alex looked at her for a moment.
"It won't be for too long, though. I didn't say anything to her yesterday, but I'm planning to make our marriage public after I resume at the company on Monday," Alex said, watching Emma intently.
Emma's heart stopped for a moment, her hand frozen in midair. "What?" she breathed, panic lacing her words. "Isn't that a little... too soon?"
Why would he decide not to tell Claire anything if he was planning to announce it so soon?
"I don't think so," Alex replied nonchalantly. "People need to see that you're not as broken as they think. You're stronger than that."
Emma's eyes flicked up to meet his, a mix of fear and confusion swimming in them. "But I am broken, Alex. I'm not... strong," she whispered, her voice shaking.
Alex leaned forward, his voice soft yet firm. "You are strong, Emma. You've been through so much, and look at you, you're still standing. I just want to help you become even stronger, to show you that you're capable of more than you think."
His words hit her harder than she expected. Was he just saying that because it was the right thing to say, or did he truly mean it? Emma swallowed hard, her throat tight as emotions welled up.
She didn't know whether to believe him or to push him away, to protect the small pieces of herself that were still intact.
After a moment, she asked, "Can you wait for a little while longer, at least?"
Alex sighed and then nodded. "If that's what you want. But honestly, if you ask me, I think the sooner you start fighting and showing them that they couldn't break you, the sooner you'll heal," Alex said since he hadn't exactly planned to announce their marriage. He had just said it to see her reaction.
Emma nodded. "Thanks," she said as an awkward silence settled between them.
After a while, Alex cleared his throat. "So, what's your favorite color? And what do you do for fun?" Alex asked, wanting to talk about things that might distract Emma from her problems for a while.
"I don't think I really have a favorite color, and I don't really know what fun is anymore," Emma replied in an awkward manner.
"Right! What about your likes and dislikes? I would love to hear them," Alex said, overlooking her response as his gaze was completely on her.
Emma's face hardened when she thought about the question. It reminded her of Jake.
"I don't have likes or dislikes anymore; it was my likes that actually put me in this situation," Emma responded as she stood up from the dining table. I... I need to go," she said, retreating up the stairs before he could stop her.
Alex watched her disappear, a mixture of frustration and concern etched across his face. He let out a deep breath, letting her go for now.
He was going to keep trying until he could get her to talk without feeling bad or getting hurt all over again when she recalled the past. Alex told himself as he pushed away from the table as well.