Her body tensed at my words, and she didn’t require me to finish my thought. She understood precisely what I was hinting at. Her gaze flickered towards her daughter and her uncle, who was now beside Emily, striking a pose for a photograph as Lizzie sprawled on the ground, eager to capture the perfect shot of the uncle-niece duo.
The resemblance between them was uncanny; their laughter echoed in harmony.
I couldn’t help but notice the way Alyssa’s jaw tightened, a telltale sign of her inner turmoil.
“You knew?” I asked softly, my heart racing.
“Yes.” Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper, as if the admission pained her.
The ground seemed to shift beneath me, and I instinctively grasped the edge of the table to steady myself.
“How long?”
Alyssa hesitated, her eyes filling with tears that she blinked away as if she had rehearsed this moment.
“Since the day I walked into his office with a folder in my hand,” she murmured, her voice laced with sorrow. “I always knew.”
A knot twisted in my stomach. “Why, Alyssa?”
She averted her gaze, shame flickering across her features like a candle struggling to stay lit. “Because I had no choice.”
“What do you mean by that? Are you pulling my leg right now?”
“No.”
“You always have a choice,” I said, my voice lowered now, the weight of my words hanging in the air. “You always do. I know I did.”
“I get what you’re saying,” she whispered, her voice fragile. “But you have to understand-“
“I do understand,” I interjected, my tone sharper than I intended. “You think you’re the only one who’s faced impossible choices?”
Her lips parted, yet no sound emerged.
“I know what it feels like to be submerged in despair,” I continued, my heart racing. “I know the pain of losing something before you even had the chance to hold it. But I still made a choice.”
A heavy silence enveloped us.
“That was different, Sav.”
“Was it?” I whispered, my voice barely audible, filled with uncertainty.
She remained silent, her quietness echoing louder than any words could convey.
My voice trembled, a mixture of frustration and empathy. “Alyssa… he’s been married for seven years. Emily’s five. You don’t need my help doing that math.”
Her expression crumpled slightly, a flicker of guilt passing over her features. “Sav-“
“You said you didn’t have a choice, but you did. And you chose a married man. Why would you make the same mistake?”
The dam finally broke. Tears streamed down Alyssa’s cheeks, and she hastily wiped them away, her jaw set in a tight line as if to keep the world at bay. “Because I was desperate, okay?” Her voice trembled, betraying the strength she tried to project. “Because I was just an intern, and he was my boss. I was broke, terrified, and I didn’t want to crawl back home just to be treated like a failure.”
I inhaled sharply, shaken by the rawness of her admission. “But why didn’t you come to Dad? He would have helped you with anything. You know he loves you.”
A bitter laugh escaped her lips, sharp and cutting. “Right. So he could flaunt me as the golden child who messed up her life? Please. Dad only loves winners. Like Chloe. I did what I had to do to survive.”
Her words struck me like a punch to the gut, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of agreement deep within.
“I didn’t plan for Emily,” Alyssa confessed softly, her gaze dropping to the floor as if the weight of her words was too much to bear. “But the moment I found out she existed, I vowed to protect her. From everyone. Even from him.”
I studied her, really studied her, taking in the exhaustion etched around her eyes, the invisible burden she had been shouldering all alone.
“You should have told me,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
She swallowed hard, her voice cracking. “You would have hated me.”
“No,” I insisted quietly. “I would have fought beside you.”
A heavy silence enveloped us, thick with unspoken words and emotions. From across the room, Roman’s laughter floated toward us, warm and genuine, and I caught sight of Emily beaming with joy.
But Alyssa turned her gaze on me, and I could see the accusation in her eyes. Strangely, I felt as if I had let her down. She had always been my rock, steadfast through every storm.
“Emily is mine. She’s my daughter. I’m raising her on my own just fine. I don’t need anyone telling me I’m the greatest sinner-because I never claimed to be a saint.” Her arms folded tightly across her chest, her stance resolute. “What’s done is done, and Emily is here now. I’m a grown woman; I don’t need scolding. Least of all from you, Sav.”
The air left my lungs, and I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of her words settle heavily on my shoulders.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m probably in no position to speak on morals.”
Alyssa didn’t respond. Her eyes remained fixed on Emily, blinking rapidly as if trying to hold back more tears.
“Congrats on Emily’s discharge. I’m genuinely glad she’s back,” I said with a forced smile, turning away to seek out my fiancé.
I found him lounging on the sofa, a can of soda in hand, his legs crossed comfortably, his eyes trained on Emily as she posed for photos with Chloe and Mom and Dad. He tilted his head, as if assessing the scene with a mix of amusement and pride.
“I’ve never been photogenic,” I blurted out, trying to lighten the mood. “So don’t look for me over there.”
Roman smirked, setting the soda can down on the stool beside him and pulling out his phone.
When he tapped on the gallery, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, Roman. I get your point.”
“Savannah, you’re the most photogenic person in the room,” he shot back, his voice playful. “They’re just jerks for leaving you out.”
I smiled, warmth flooding through me at his words.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.