Chapter 130: It Takes Time
Emma
Life wasn’t easy for Mother either. Who would have known everyone she truly loved would be the demon in her life? There was not only Father but even the next man her parents had forced her to marry; she faced severe violence, all because she refused to bear another child. I didn’t want to lean on her claims that she refused to bear another child because, she wanted to reunite with me one day, she wanted to face me with pride that she never replaced me, what I didn’t get was why Fiona then and though I wanted to ask that question and show her a little sympathy, I couldn’t do that not when Fiona was there.
“Such fun history, guess I am useless then, what are you going to do to me now? Throw me away? Disown me?” There was a kind of rage in Fiona’s tone; however, it seemed as though she was trying to control it. And we had just succeeded in concluding Granny’s burial, I had no strength left in me. So I got up from the bare ground right before Granny’s grave, dusting myself off. Grace followed suit, helping me dust my clothes.
“I’ll call Derek and Serene to return now.” Grace begins, but a laugh catches our attention.
“Why are you always so quick to leave? Come on, c’mon, let’s settle this now. Who’s going to own M&A now? Mother, are you going to throw me aside now? Do I need to find another source of leaving–”
“Enough, Fiona!” Harietta shot up the ground, visibly stressed out and provoked, but I didn’t pity her on this one. She should have known her daughter and the kind of personality she signed up for from her.
“I told you, we are not discussing it; it is not your place. I still treat you as a daughter; however, I have warned you several times not to get greedy, not to cross the line, and you are doing that now. Don’t make me come to a decision about you.” She pointed at Fiona, sending a clear warning, to which Fiona shook her head with a bitter chuckle.
“I was just asking as the adopted one, no one seems to want. If you find that offensive, I guess you have already come to a conclusion, but I refuse to leave with a harm or two.” She smirks, shoving both of her hands into the pocket of her jean mini skirt.
“What did you do, Fiona?”
“Nothing much, the law is against selling illegal drugs and illegal drug intake, so I just-” Fiona is unable to complete her words as Harietta rushes to her and slaps her cheek. Fiona’s head was abruptly forced to the other side at the impact, and her eyes widened.
“Don’t you ever try to lay a hand on my daughter. I have covered your shit for years, tried endlessly to correct you, given you everything that you wanted; if you do not see that as the act of a mother who loves her child, then I can not help you further. No, I won’t give you up. Yes, Emma is my biological child, and I won’t stand by and watch either of you hurt each other. If you take my correction as me being an evil step-mum, so be it.”
I swallowed, getting uncomfortable, so I signalled for Grace to begin walking. “I’ll be taking my leave now,” I announced without eye contact with anyone as I turned to leave; however, I halted as Harietta spoke up.
“I’m always with you, Emma. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.” Then I walked away without responding to her.
Grace had called up Selene and Derek, with Derek, who drove us out of the cemetery. I had asked them to take me to Liam’s penthouse instead. I couldn’t return home now, the memories were still raw, and I would only break further when I got to an empty space. Grace also stayed with me at Liam’s penthouse. It was hard for her as it was for me, but she stood like a pillar by my side. I had also guessed she had been the one to call Liam up and inform him we were at his penthouse.
“I’ll leave you both. If you need anything, I’m in the guest room.” Grace informed us before leaving Liam and me in the living room alone. Ms. Racheal wasn’t around today, I didn’t ask for the details about that but it was just Liam and I and I rushed into his arms, his embrace, comforting me, but I need more, I needed a distraction and Liam gave it to me just right, he shifted the dynamics of my tears, touched me in the best way possible, took me out of the reality of my life and it worked. I was so exhausted that sleep was starting to sweep me off my feet when he whispered.
“I’ll never leave you, Emma. I’m always with you, I hope you know that.” And just like that, I had blacked out.
Waking up the next morning, my eyes had fluttered open to meet a smiling Liam. “Grace and Ms Racheal are waiting to have breakfast with us. Selene and Derek also came around to spend the day with us.”
“A full house, I see,” I muttered as I rose from lying, scratching sleep off my eyes. “Let’s go meet them then.”
Liam tilted his head, then pursed his lips into a thin line, suspicious, but it didn’t take me long to understand. Of course, I’m going to wash up first, I shook my head, coming down the bed while I held back a smile.
“Okay, I’ll be here waiting.”
And he did wait for me. We went down the stairs together, and Selene was the first to rush up and hug me. Grace's eyes looked heavy, and I made a mental note to have a private time with her after all these, after all, we were both like Granddaughters and the closest to Granny. But she ate well, we all did. Until two people walked in. Mr and Mrs Anderson.