Chapter 3 - A Door Closed in the Rain
Emma moved into a small apartment belonging to her friend, Dr. Lena Ortiz, a pediatric nurse at St. Mercy Hospital.
Lena listened as Emma described the messages, the hotel photographs, and Vincent’s refusal to trust her.
“Something is wrong,” Lena said. “This doesn’t sound like him.”
“Maybe I never knew him.”
“You were together for three years.”
“And it took him three minutes to believe I cheated.”
Emma placed one hand over her stomach.
She had not told Vincent that the pregnancy was medically complicated.
Her doctor had warned her that she would need close monitoring and as little stress as possible.
Instead, her life had become a constant state of anxiety.
Vincent tried to contact her the following day.
His calls did not reach her.
Brooke had convinced a technician working for Hale Development to add Emma’s number to a corporate security block list. She told him Emma was harassing Vincent during a legal crisis.
The technician obeyed without questioning her.
When Vincent attempted to visit Lena’s apartment, Brooke intervened again.
She told him Emma had left Chicago with Daniel.
“She doesn’t want to see you,” Brooke said.
“I need to hear that from her.”
“You’ll only humiliate yourself.”
Vincent looked toward the rain-covered windows of his office.
He had not slept.
The photographs had planted doubt in his mind, but the doubt was beginning to feel unnatural. Emma had never hidden her work from him.
“Send me Daniel’s contact information.”
Brooke’s expression tightened.
“Why?”
“Because I’m calling him.”
She quickly changed direction.
“Vincent, the board is waiting. The city inspector is threatening to suspend the South Side project. You can deal with Emma after the company is stable.”
Vincent allowed himself to be pulled back into the crisis.
That decision would haunt him.
Two days later, Emma came to the Hale family estate during a charity dinner.
She knew Vincent would be there. She planned to tell him about the medical risks and demand a private conversation.
But Brooke met her outside.
Guests could be seen through the tall windows. Music drifted from inside.
“You can’t be here,” Brooke said.
“I’m not asking your permission.”
Emma moved toward the door, but Brooke blocked her path.
“He doesn’t want to see you.”
“Move.”
Brooke removed her phone and played a recording.
Vincent’s voice filled the rainy air.
I can’t build a future with someone I don’t trust.
Emma froze.
The recording was genuine, but Brooke had removed the rest of the sentence.
Vincent had actually said, I can’t build a future with someone I don’t trust, and I hate that I allowed you to make me doubt her.
Brooke stopped the recording before those final words.
“He asked me to make sure you stay away,” she said.
Emma’s strength seemed to leave her.
Inside the mansion, Vincent entered the main hall and looked toward the front windows.
For one brief second, he thought he saw Emma standing outside in the rain.
Then Brooke appeared beside him.
“You look distracted.”
“I thought I saw someone.”
“No one is there.”
By the time Vincent reached the front door, Emma’s taxi had already disappeared down the road.
That evening, she made a decision.
She would protect her child without him.
She changed her number, moved into a studio apartment near the hospital, and told Lena not to share her address with anyone.
Brooke believed she had won.
But separating them was not enough.
Emma’s medical records still listed Vincent as her emergency contact.
May you like
As long as his name remained there, one unexpected event could bring him back into her life.
Brooke needed to erase him more completely.
