Back at the house, Emma sat in her room, the faint ticking of the clock the only sound breaking the silence. It was past 9 PM, and Alex still wasn't home.
She had tried to dismiss her unease, telling herself that he had said he would be home late. But as the minutes ticked by, her worry grew and she couldn't help it.
Was he that busy?
Although she knew this kind of thing came with his job as the CEO, she still couldn't help it. For the past one month that he had taken the role, he had never been this late away. She mused as she headed to the living room to wait for him there.
Twenty minutes later, Emma paced back and forth in the dimly lit living room, her nerves fraying with every passing minute.
The clock on the mantle read 10:45 PM. Alex was never this late without checking in. She clutched her phone tightly in her hand, her thumb hovering over his number.
"Just call him one more time," she muttered to herself and without wasting any more time, she dialed the number.
The line rang, and for a fleeting moment, hope flickered in her chest. But it was short-lived as the robotic voice came through, cold and unyielding: The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.
Emma lowered the phone, her worry intensifying. She stared at the darkened screen, her reflection looking back at her, etched with concern.
He's fine, she told herself. He said he'd be late. He's probably just tied up with something important. She tried to assure herself but the thought didn't quell her anxiety.
She couldn't shake the unease gnawing at her. She walked to the window and peeked through the curtains, scanning the driveway for any sign of his car but there was nothing.
"Where are you, Alex?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Could it be that he was back already and she hadn't noticed? Perhaps he was very tired and didn't bother checking with her?
Thinking about the times he had come checking in on her whenever he returned from work or anywhere he went, she decided to go check on him, to confirm.
Maybe he had come back without her noticing and without his car.
She climbed the stairs slowly, the weight of her worry making each step feel heavier. When she got to his door, she knocked softly.
"Alex?" she called out but there was no response.
She knocked again, louder this time. "Alex, are you there?" she called out again but there was still nothing.
A pit formed in her stomach as different thoughts swirled through her mind. She hesitated for a moment before calling out to the butler. Perhaps he would know something.
Was he truly not back? She mused, deciding to go check with the butler.
"Christopher?" she called, her voice tinged with urgency. She needed to be sure.
The butler appeared quickly. "Yes, ma'am?" he answered, a frown creasing his brows when he saw how worried she looked.
"Have you seen Alex tonight?" she asked looking at him as though she could get the answers from his eyes.
"No, ma'am," he replied. "He hasn't returned since he left this morning."
Emma nodded, her throat tightening. "Thank you, Christopher. That'll be all," she said and returned to the living room to continue her wait.
Back in the living room, she collapsed onto the couch, staring blankly at the front door. Her mind raced with different thoughts, each one worse than the last.
What if something has happened to him?She tried to dismiss the thought when she suddenly felt a piercing pain in her heart at the thought.
"No, don't think like that. He's fine. He's always fine," she told herself.
But as the minutes dragged on, the anxiety clawed at her, relentless and unforgiving.
Unable to bear it, she grabbed her phone again, her fingers trembling as she dialed his number. The line was still off.
Emma leaned back against the couch, closing her eyes as she tried to calm herself. "You have no right to be this worried," she whispered.
"He's not even... He's not yours to worry about. All this was supposed to be a ruse," she told herself as Ivy's smile flashed through her eyes.
No. She wasn't this worried because she loved him like Ivy had suggested but because he had been nothing short of nice to her since all this ordeal and she was only just returning the sentiment.
But the more she told herself that, the harder it became to believe.
Her thoughts spiraled, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced at the clock. It was past eleven now.
She hadn't realized how exhausted she was until her head lulled against the back of the couch.
Sleep claimed her, but her worry lingered, etched on her brow.
The sound of the door clicking open jolted Emma awake. She blinked rapidly, momentarily disoriented as she sat up on the couch.
Her heart raced, though this time it wasn't from worry but from the relief of seeing Alex stepping inside.
He looked exhausted, his tie loosened and his usually immaculate suit slightly rumpled. His movements were deliberate, as though he was forcing himself to maintain composure.
"Alex," she breathed, her voice soft yet carrying the weight of hours of pent-up anxiety.
Alex who wasn't expecting to see her in the living room at that hour, froze in the doorway, his eyes meeting hers.
There was a flicker of surprise in his gaze, quickly replaced by something unreadable. "Emma? Why are you still up? Are you okay?" he asked in a husky tone before clearing his throat.
Emma stood, the phone still clutched in her hand. She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure of how to voice her worry without sounding intrusive.
"I... I was waiting for you," she admitted, her tone gentle. "It was late, and your phone was off. I thought..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Alex closed the door behind him and ran a hand through his hair, his expression softening. "Oh, Em. I'm so sorry," he said, his voice low. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I should've called."
Emma took a step closer, her brows furrowing as she studied him. "Are you okay? You look... different. Did the meeting take up to this time?" she asked cautiously.
For a moment, Alex seemed to weigh his response. He exhaled deeply, offering a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I'm fine, just tired. The day didn't go as planned, that's all," he said and Emma nodded, though her concern didn't wane.
Alex's gaze lingered on her as he thought about telling her but seeing how worried she looked, he didn't know exactly how to explain it without triggering her considering her past with Jake.
"You should get some rest," she said breaking into his pool of thoughts and Alex nodded, grateful for her show of worry.
"Yeah, I think I will. Thank you, Emma," he said turning to walk away.
As he turned toward the stairs, Emma called out softly, "Alex?"
He paused, glancing back at her.
"I'm glad you're okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
For a brief moment, something warm flickered in his eyes. "Goodnight, Emma."
"Goodnight," she replied, watching as he ascended the stairs.
As the sound of his footsteps faded, Emma sank back onto the couch, her heart still pounding. She stared at the now-closed door, wondering what could have caused him to return looking so drained.
Despite her lingering worry, she found a small measure of comfort in knowing he was home and safe. That was all that mattered.