The following day, Emma woke up feeling like she needed to step out of Alex's apartment and get to feel the cool breeze outside.
Not having anywhere else to go, she decided that grocery shopping was what she needed to do.
She felt a bit reluctant to stand up from her bed, but she did eventually as she quickly went about her morning routine.
A few minutes later, she descended the stairs dressed casually: a blue top with the inscription at the front, "Game on," a black Jean trouser, black sneakers, and a matching Gucci bag.
As she made her way downstairs, a wave of reluctance washed through her as a thought flickered through her mind.
"What if I see someone I know at the grocery store? I really don't want to talk about the incident with Jake anymore. Or should I just stay home?"
Emma sighed, shaking her head as she decided against the latter. She needed some air.
Just before she could get to the foot of the stairs, Alex joined her.
Alex couldn't help but be surprised. His eyes flickered as he observed Emma from her head down to her legs.
"You look good. Where are you headed to all dressed up like this?" He asked with a pleasant smile.
"Good morning, Mr Sterling. I hope you had a good night's rest." Emma said sarcastically, smiling. She looked at Alex and immediately averted her eyes.
"I'm sorry. Good morning, Emma. I'm just surprised to see you up this early and dressed," Alex said, his eyes still on Emma as he observed.
"Well, I'm headed to the grocery store; I just wanted to get a few items," Emma said, her voice very calm and steady.
"Grocery store? Dressed like this? You look really beautiful to go grocery shopping," he said again, and Emma smiled.
"I suppose it's thanks to you, then, seeing as you were the one who got me the clothes. Thank you anyway," Emma said, looking at the time on her phone and at Alex in a manner that signified she wanted to leave.
Alex put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his black card. "Here, buy whatever you need," he said, and Emma took it.
"Thank you. I will be on my way now," she said, but before she could leave, he stopped her.
"Why don't we go together? The driver will drop you off and then take me to the office. By the time he returns, you should be through," he offered, and after considering his suggestion, she shrugged.
"Let's do that then," she said, and Alex flashed her a smile before leading her to the dining area, where they had breakfast before going on their way.
A couple of minutes later, Emma made her way into the store, pushing a cart down the aisles and grabbing the items she needed without much thought.
It wasn't until she stepped out, her bags in hand, that she heard a familiar voice call her name.
"Emma! Emma!" The voice was soft but urgent, cutting through the murmur of the busy parking lot.
Emma paused, a chill running down her spine as she feared it might be a reporter. She looked over her shoulder, and there, standing near the entrance, was Ivy.
She sighed in relief, but not for long, as a wave of anxiety washed over her. Ivy had been one of her closest friends in high school, but that felt like a lifetime ago.
They had remained friends even in college, but shortly after she married Jake, she cut off all contact with everyone she had ever known because Jake had told her he wasn't comfortable with them.
Perhaps he had done that because he didn't want anyone around her who might have asked too many questions or seen things differently and might have called her attention to it.
Guilt pressed in on her chest as Ivy walked toward her with that same warm smile she remembered so well.
"Hey, Em! How are you? It's been ages!" Ivy's voice was full of genuine excitement.
Emma's throat tightened. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out at first. She quickly forced out a smile, feeling her heart race. "Hi, Ivy! It's been so long. How are you?" She asked before averting her gaze to the ground, not wanting to make eye contact.
"I've been fine," Ivy replied, her smile not faltering. "I'm just thrilled to see you! It feels like forever."
Emma looked at Ivy, trying not to let the guilt show. She shifted uneasily, her voice quiet. "Yeah, happy to see you too."
"Yeah. How have you been?" Ivy asked, and Emma shrugged.
"Just here, surviving," she said, and Ivy nodded in understanding.
There was a brief pause, a silence that felt heavier than it should have. Then Ivy's face softened, concern creeping into her eyes. "I saw the news," she said gently. "I can't even imagine what you've been through. I just wanted to say... I really hope you're doing okay now."
Emma swallowed hard. She could feel the weight of Ivy's words pressing down on her, the memories of everything she'd tried to bury rushing back at her.
She nodded slowly, the flicker of tears stinging the back of her eyes. "It's... it's been hard," she confessed, her voice small. "But I'm learning to move on. One step at a time," she added with a determined look.
"I'm really glad to hear that," Ivy said softly. I just wanted you to know that I'm here, you know? Even though we haven't seen each other in forever, I'm here, and if you ever need someone to talk to, just call me," Ivy said. When Emma looked at her with a confused frown, a small laugh escaped her mouth.
"Yeah, I'd love to keep in touch with you, that's if you don't mind," she said, looking directly into Emma's eyes.
Emma hesitated for a moment, a wave of conflicting emotions sweeping over her. She wasn't sure what to say—she hadn't exactly kept in touch with anyone from her past, especially not after everything with Jake, and keeping in touch now might just seem like she was using Ivy.
"You don't have to feel guilty about cutting me off all these while. I just.... want to be here for you in this difficult time of your life," Ivy said, and Emma nodded.
To think that Ivy didn't even judge her by the news she had seen but was even offering her comfort showed that she needed someone now.
It just made her realize she didn't want to close off that door completely. Maybe this was an opportunity to reconnect and to move forward.
"Yeah, let's keep in touch. I'm sorry for cutting you off the way I did," Emma said, the words coming out more straightforward than she expected.
"It's fine. As long as you don't try to do the same thing again," Ivy said as she pulled out her phone and gave it to Emma.
"I won't. Thanks for this," Emma said before typing in her contact information and handing it back to Ivy.
Ivy smiled brightly. "Thanks, Em. I really hope we get to talk more soon."
Emma managed a thin smile, nodding as Ivy waved goodbye and walked back into the store.
But as Emma turned to walk to the car where the driver was waiting already, a flash of bitter regret hit her. How had she let herself become so isolated? Was she so consumed by Jake to the point of pushing everyone away?
She stopped for a moment, standing still in the parking lot, staring at the ground. How much of a fool had she been? How much had she sacrificed for someone who wasn't worth it?
But just as quickly as the thoughts came, Emma pushed them away. It didn't matter anymore. She couldn't change the past. She could only move forward. She had to become a better person, for herself and not for anyone else.
Shaking her head, she got into the car. As the driver pulled away, she focused on the road ahead, determined to leave the past behind and find a way to make things right.