Sophia was totally showing off with that photo of her and Michael hugging. Emily stared at her phone for what felt like forever, her eyes practically burning holes into the screen. It was like she was torturing herself, constantly reminding herself that Michael didn't love her. The pain in her chest was all too real.
"Mrs. Smith, there's a call for you downstairs," Ava, the servant, knocked on the door, snapping Emily out of her trance. She quickly turned off her phone, took a deep breath, and headed downstairs. She didn't need to answer to know who was calling.
"Emily, you've got some nerve blocking me!" The rough, angry voice on the other end was loud enough to be heard without putting the phone on speaker.
"What's up?" Emily asked, her voice flat and emotionless as she stared at the sofa. She couldn't bring herself to feel anything for her real father, especially since he was a womanizer who had abandoned his wife.
The voice on the other end seemed taken aback by her cold tone. "You know your sister is back in the country, right? Come home tonight."
Emily couldn't help but laugh bitterly, feeling a bit nauseous, probably because of her pregnancy. She rubbed her stomach to ease the discomfort. "Sister? Last I checked, my mom only had me. Where did this 'sister' come from?" She thought of the photo Sophia had just sent her.
On the other end, Hayden Brown was clearly holding back his anger. "Emily, don't push your luck. Don't forget you're part of the Brown Family. And don't think I don't know where your mother is."
Emily's grip on the phone tightened. "What do you want? I'm warning you, don't mess with my mom, or you'll regret it."
Hayden knew exactly how to manipulate Emily, especially when it came to her sick mother.
"I should be the one warning you. Tonight is Sophia's welcome party. Whether you like it or not, you have to come." With that, he hung up.
Emily's fingers turned white as she gripped the phone. 'Fine, if they want to push me, I won't make it easy for them at the party.'
Her recent anxiety wasn't just because of her pregnancy; it was also because of Sophia. She didn't want to acknowledge this half-sister, but she couldn't deny that Sophia was the result of Hayden's affair.
Back then, Hayden had sent her to boarding school, letting her come home only once a month. They used her absence to target her mother. By the time she heard about her mom's suicide, it was too late. Now, they twisted she was the illegitimate child, and her mom, Isabella Taylor, was the mistress. All because of Sophia and her mother.
After gathering her thoughts, Emily sent Michael a message on Facebook, asking if he could go with her to the Brown Family. After a while, she saw that Michael hadn't replied. She expected it, but it still hurt a bit.
Before heading out in the evening, she instinctively reached for her high heels but remembered her pregnancy and swapped them for flats.
She had decided to keep this child. No matter what happened between her and Michael, this child was her family.
Besides Isabella, no one else would love her, and she hoped her child would.
The Serenity Villa was lit up like a Christmas tree, and Emily could hear the laughter inside before she even stepped in.
"Sophia, you're not leaving again this time, right?" That unmistakable sharp voice belonged to her grandmother.
"No, I'm staying, Grandma. I missed you so much while I was abroad." Sophia clung to the old woman's arm, acting all cutesy.
"You're still act like a child." Hayden shook his head with a smile, looking at Sophia like she was the best thing since sliced bread.
"Isn't it okay for me to act like a child? Doesn't Michael like it?" Sophia playfully winked at Michael, who was standing right next to her.
"I do," Michael replied.
Emily froze at the door, her hand on the doorknob. So, he hadn't missed her message or forgotten to reply; he just didn't want to come with her. She couldn't hear what they were saying anymore, just a buzzing in her head.
Suddenly, the door swung open from the inside. "Miss Brown? Why aren't you coming in?" The servant exclaimed. The laughter inside stopped abruptly.
The servant hurried out to take out the trash, leaving Emily standing there, dazed. Her eyes met Michael's across the room, and she saw the coldness in his gaze. She quickly looked away.
"Emily, you're here! We've all been waiting for you." Sophia looked overjoyed.
Emily ignored her and walked straight to the end of the table, sitting down with a blank expression.
"What kind of attitude is that? We've all been waiting for you, and you show up late with such a bad attitude." Her grandmother, Amelia Martinez, was the first to speak, as sharp-tongued as ever.
"Oh, Grandma, don't blame Emily. She must have been held up by something, right, Emily?" Sophia smiled sweetly at Emily. If Emily didn't know better, she might have thought Sophia was genuinely trying to help.
"Aren't we here to eat? Let's get on with it. I have things to do afterward." Emily directed her words at Hayden.
Hayden's face turned red with anger, but he held back because Michael was there. "Emily, is this how your mother raised you? No manners at all, not even a greeting when you arrive."
Emily didn't even want to pretend anymore. She coldly scanned the room. "Is there anyone here worth greeting?"
Hayden was about to explode, but Michael cut in, "Emily, don't forget you're still the mistress of the Smith Family."
Michael's words made Emily suddenly calm down. He meant that as long as she held the title of the Smith Family's mistress, she couldn't disgrace him or the Smith Family?
Emily looked seriously at Michael, the man she had lived with for two years, the man she had carefully taken care of for two years, the man she had loved cautiously for her entire youth.
At this moment, he seemed like a stranger. As her husband, he sat beside another woman. Though he still appeared noble, elegant, and dignified, in Emily's eyes, he had become ugly and repulsive.
She stared at him, suddenly feeling nauseous. She immediately got up and ran to the bathroom. Her sudden action left everyone looking at each other in confusion. Michael's face twitched for a second, and he felt nauseous. He immediately stood up and followed her.
"What's wrong with Emily?" Sophia feigned surprise and concern.
"Could she be pregnant?" Amelia snorted.
"Impossible." Sophia suddenly retorted sharply.