Later that day, Michael returned to the mansion after a long day of meetings. He found Emily in the garden, sitting on a wooden bench under the shade of a large oak tree. Her face was pale, and there was a new, unsettling depth in her eyes.
- Is everything okay? — he asked, sensing her unusual quietness.
Emily hesitated, unsure how to begin. — We need to talk, — she finally said, looking up at him.
- That sounds serious, — he replied, his expression hardening slightly.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself. — I… I’m pregnant.
The words had an immediate effect. For a long moment, Michael said nothing, his face a mask of conflicting emotions: shock, doubt, fear, and something else he couldn’t name.
- Are you sure? — he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
- Yes, I’m sure, — Emily replied, crossing her arms as if to shield herself.
The silence that followed felt unbearable. Michael began to pace back and forth, his mind reeling. He had always prided himself on planning every step of his life. This was not part of any plan.
- What are we going to do? — he finally asked, stopping in front of her.
- I am going to have this baby, — Emily said firmly. — But I don’t expect anything from you, Michael. I don’t want you to think I’m using this to manipulate you.
The idea that she, of all people, would do such a thing felt insulting, but the fact that anyone could think that way infuriated him.
- Don’t say that, — he replied, his voice serious. — This baby is mine, too. I will take responsibility.
Her expression softened, but her posture remained guarded. She wasn’t sure she could fully trust his promise.
In the days that followed, Michael tried to wrap his head around the idea of becoming a father. He didn’t know how to handle the rush of emotions, but he also began to realize that Emily’s pregnancy had brought something unexpected with it: a new perspective. For the first time in years, he questioned his priorities, the hollowness of his obsession with revenge.
But things were never that simple.
Jessica, as always, was keeping a close watch on Michael’s life. When she heard the rumors of Emily’s pregnancy, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to destabilize them. At a high-profile art auction, Jessica approached Michael with her signature arrogance.
- Congratulations, Michael, — she said, her voice sweet but dripping with poison. — I hear you’re going to be a father. It seems Emily is more clever than I gave her credit for.
His eyes narrowed. — What are you trying to say?
- Oh, nothing, — she replied with feigned innocence. — Just that it’s… interesting how quickly she got pregnant. Don’t you think?
- Watch what you say, Jessica, — his voice dropped to a low, threatening growl.
- I’m just saying that some women know how to secure their position. A baby changes the rules of the game, doesn’t it?
Michael didn’t respond, but his clenched fists spoke for him. He knew Jessica was trying to plant a seed of doubt, but for the first time, he realized just how petty and insignificant her games had become.
Later that night, back at the mansion, he found Emily in her room. She was sitting on the bed with a book in her lap, but she looked distracted.
- Jessica knows, — he said bluntly.
Emily looked up at him, surprised. — How?
- It doesn’t matter, — he replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed near her. — What matters is that she’s going to try to use this against you.
She sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. — Of course she will. All she wants is to ruin us.
- She won’t succeed, — Michael said firmly.
Emily looked at him, startled by the conviction in his voice. Despite all her fears and doubts, she felt that maybe, for the first time, Michael was truly committed to protecting something more than just his own reputation. The pregnancy had changed everything. It brought new challenges, but also the chance for a new beginning. And though their path was still uncertain, there was a feeling in the air that, together, they might just be able to face whatever came next.
The day was overcast when Michael received a text from Jessica requesting a meeting. He knew it was a risk, but something in her phrasing—»to settle unfinished business»—piqued his curiosity. Despite knowing her manipulative nature, a part of him hoped this could be the final, clean break he needed to truly leave the past behind.
They agreed to meet at a discreet, high-end restaurant in SoHo, far from the usual prying eyes. Michael arrived first, as always, and took a corner table where he could watch the entrance. Outwardly, he was calm, but inside, his mind was running through a dozen different scenarios, trying to anticipate what Jessica could possibly want this time.
She appeared a few minutes later, exuding confidence in a dress that seemed tailor-made to command attention. Her smile was familiar, but this time, it stirred nothing in him.
- Michael, — she said, sliding into the chair without an invitation. — Thanks for coming.
- Get to the point, Jessica, — he responded coldly, with no intention of engaging in small talk.
Jessica leaned forward, her elbows on the table. — There’s no need to be so cold. I thought after everything, we owed each other an honest conversation.
- Honest? — He raised an eyebrow. — Honesty was never your strong suit, Jessica.
She laughed, a brittle attempt to maintain her composure. — I know I made mistakes, but… we’re human, aren’t we? We mess up. We can still find a way back.
- Is this a speech, or are you trying to justify something? — he cut in sharply, crossing his arms.
Jessica paused for a moment, studying him. For the first time, she sensed that Michael wasn’t playing by her rules. He didn’t seem hurt or angry, just… indifferent.
- I still care about you, — she said, her voice softening.
Michael gave a skeptical smirk. — If you cared, you wouldn’t have betrayed me.
- It was a mistake! — Jessica exclaimed, the first crack appearing in her facade. — I was confused, and you were so consumed with work, so distant.
- This isn’t about what I did or didn’t do, Jessica, — he interrupted, his voice low and cutting. — You made a choice to betray me. And it wasn’t just a betrayal of me, it was a betrayal of what we were building.
Jessica looked away for a second before snapping her gaze back to his. — And now you’re with Emily. A woman who has no idea how to navigate this world. She’s… convenient.
Michael’s eyes narrowed. — Don’t talk about her.
- Why not? Because you know it’s true? — she pressed on, leaning closer. — Michael, look at me. You and I are the same. Emily doesn’t understand your ambition, your drive. She can’t keep up.
A heavy silence hung between them. Jessica expected her words to plant a seed of doubt, but to her astonishment, Michael smiled—a cold, almost pitying smile.
- You know what’s funny, Jessica? — he said, leaning back in his chair. — For a long time, I thought I needed you. I thought your betrayal was some kind of proof that I wasn’t good enough.
Jessica stiffened, unsure where he was going with this.
- But I see now that my obsession with you wasn’t about love, — he continued, his eyes locked on hers. — It was about ego. I wanted to prove a point because I couldn’t stand losing. But now… you mean nothing to me.
The words landed like a physical blow. Jessica tried to hide her shock, but her trembling hands gave her away.
- You can’t be serious, — she whispered, her voice laced with desperation.
- I’ve never been more serious, — Michael replied calmly, pushing his chair back to stand up. — Our past is over, Jessica. My present is with Emily.
Jessica was frozen in her seat as he pulled out his wallet to pay the bill. But before he could leave, she played her final card.
- What happens when everyone finds out the truth about your marriage? — she hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
Michael paused but didn’t turn around.
- What do you think will happen when people find out it was all just a business deal? That Emily is only with you because you bought her?
He turned slowly, his eyes colder than ice. — If you think you can threaten me with that, you’re even more desperate than I thought.
- You have a lot to lose, Michael, — she said, trying to regain her footing.
- And you have nothing left to gain, — he replied, and walked away without looking back.
Jessica was left alone at the table, the full weight of her defeat crashing down on her. For the first time, she realized Michael was no longer the man she knew. He had changed, and the control she once held over him was gone for good.
When Michael returned to the estate, he found Emily in the garden. She was watering the roses, but she immediately noticed the tension in his shoulders when he approached.
- Did something happen? — she asked, putting down the watering can.
He hesitated for a moment before stepping closer. — I met with Jessica. She tried to threaten us.
Emily crossed her arms. — What does she want this time?
- Nothing she can have, — he answered, his gaze softer than usual. — I told you I could handle this on my own. I don’t need you to—
- Emily, — he interrupted, his voice quiet. — You don’t have to handle this alone.
She froze, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. Despite all the doubts she still harbored, she felt there was something real in his words.
That night, reflecting on the day’s events, Michael realized something fundamental had shifted within him. For the first time, he wasn’t consumed by the past. For the first time, he wanted something real. And that «real» was starting to look a lot like Emily.