Chapter 59

“Jess!” Emma called after her. But she didn’t stop. If anything, she seemed to walk faster. Emma tried chasing after her, but she disappeared into the crowd. What was going on? Jess was clearly hiding and it seemed she didn’t want to be noticed. Was she in some kind of danger? Emma kept trying to spot her, but she was gone.

​ “I have to get to judging,” she said, taking one more look before going inside. The same judges who saw her last time were there, and they smiled as she approached.

​ “Miss Wells,” the older judge spoke. “Congratulations on your recent nuptials.” She blushed.

​ “Thank you,” she responded. “But how did you know?”

​ “You must know that’s it in every magazine,” another judge spoke. “Congratulations, indeed.”

​ “Thank you very much,” she repeated.

​ “Now, to the matter at hand. We scored you very favorably. It’s not often that a newcomer to the contest, such as yourself, impresses us as you have. You show true promise young lady. We are very excited for your presentation.” The judges’ words bolstered her confidence.

​ “I am honored to be here and humbled that such a prestigious organization has even noticed me.”

​ “Please begin.”

​ Emma practically skipped out of the judging hall. The presentation couldn’t have gone any better. They loved her design and her concept. She was disappointed that she hadn’t seen Spencer there, but she didn’t think of him much. Her thoughts drifted back to Jess as she walked to where Jack had parked.

​ “How did it go, Miss Emma?” Jack asked.

​ “Very well,” she answered brightly. “The best it could have gone. Now I have to wait for the results.”

​ “Do you think you’ll win?”

​ “I wouldn’t dare hope for that much. I’m surprised I even made it to the final.”

​ “Are we going home, then?”

​ “Yes, please.”

​ Jack smiled and drove her home.

​ *What could be wrong with her,* she pondered. Jess had always been so tough. She wasn’t afraid of anything. What was so wrong now that she felt she had to hide from everyone? Was someone trying to hurt her? Had she done something, or gotten involved with something bad? She thought about her conversation with Sabrina about it. Sabrina seemed to know something about it. She would have to ask her. Why would they keep something from her?

​ *You lied to them about Will,* a voice inside her said. *Why would they trust you with something like this?* Ugh. The voice was right. But she would still mention seeing Jess, and see if that got any information out of Sabrina.

​ It felt strange being home with nothing to do. There was no school work to do, no contest to prepare for and no Will to fight with. What did rich married women do when they’re husbands weren’t home? Maybe she should get a pet, so that she had something to care for when Will wasn’t around. As though she has summoned him with her mind, Will called her.

​ “Hey,” she answered, checking the mail.

​ “How did it go?” he asked about the contest.

​ “It was amazing. The judges really liked me,” she said with not as much enthusiasm as Will expected.

​ “You don’t sound as excited as you should be.”

​ “Oh, I am. It’s just that now I have nothing to do. No schoolwork, no contest. You’re not even here for me to argue with.”

​ Will laughed at that.

​ “I can’t help with the first two, but I can help with that last one. Everything is finally solved here and I’m coming home. I should be there tomorrow.”

​ Emma wanted to squeal with delight, but didn’t want to give herself away.

​ “That’s great,” she said. “Do you know around what time?”

​ “If everything thing works out the way it supposed to, I’ll be there early afternoon.”

​ “Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

​ “See you soon.”

​ They hung up and Emma noticed that their marriage licenses had come in. It was official. They were truly legally married. She noticed on the document that Will’s birthday was coming up soon.

​ “I should surprise him when he gets home. But how?” She looked around and saw the bouquet of lilies on the coffee table. The idea struck her. She could bake him a cake and decorate it with sugar lilies. She worked at a bakery for a little while, and picked up some skills. It should be something she’d be able to do. She called Jack and asked him to go to the store to pick up supplies and ingredients. While she waited, she looked up recipes on line for the perfect cake.

​ “What are you doing with all these?” Jack asked when he returned with her items.

​ “I’m surprising Will. He gets home tomorrow and his birthday is coming up. Making him a cake seemed to be the perfect way to celebrate that.”

​ “Why not have one ordered to your specifications? I’m sure that would be easier.”

​ “It would, but I want to make him something. Making something for someone shows you care about them.”

​ Jack smiled.

​ “He is lucky to have you, Miss. I’ll take my leave.” Jack left her alone and Emma got started on the cake. As she fluttered around the kitchen, she felt like a real wife doting on her husband. Her mom would bake cakes for her father all the time. It was a tradition she wanted to carry out in her marriage. This marriage may not be real in terms of love, Will was her husband. And so, she would make him a cake. Even if this cake was the only one.

​ She finished and admired her masterpiece. It was perfect. She found herself excited for tomorrow. She hated to admit it, but she missed him. Again, the ardent hope burned in her heart that things would be better between them. The saying goes, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” It certainly had for her. She only hoped that worked that way for him too.

​ The next morning was bright and sunny, and Emma squealed and flitted around the house as she got ready. A teal chiffon dress with pleating in the front was her outfit of choice for the day as she thought Will would like it on her. As she got dressed, she received a call from Will.

​ “Are you almost home?” she asked barely veiling her excitement.

​ “No, not yet. I called to tell you that I need to go to the office first. But I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

​ “Oh,” she deflated a bit. “Okay.”

​ “Sorry,” he added.

​ “No, it’s fine. I’ll be here.” They hung up and Emma looked at the cake. She decided that she didn’t want to wait and that she would go and surprise him at his office. She packed up the cake and had Jack drive her.

​ When she arrived, the office staff were surprised by her arrival, and seemed to be whispering when she passed them.

​ “Oh, hello Mrs. Stewart,” his secretary greeted. “What brings you here?”

​ “I wanted to surprise Will.”

​ “He’s… in a meeting right now. I can have you wait in his conference room.”

​ “That will be fine.”

​ Emma waited in the conference room for over half an hour. Her patience was wearing thin. She got up to leave when she overheard people gossiping in the hallway.

​ “She’s here,” one whispered.

​ “I know. How terrible. She came to surprise him, and he’s got some other woman in his office.”

​ “No,” Emma said to herself aloud. “Not this again.” Her mind flashed back to that stormy night when all this began and she caught Matt with Vivian. “I can’t go through this twice.” She marched out of the conference room towards Will’s secretary. “Where is he?”

​ “He’s… um… still in that meeting,” she answered, looking at everything except Emma.

​ “Oh my God, it’s true,” she whispered.

​ “Do you want me to call him?”

​ “No. Don’t even tell him I was here.” She ran out of the building, cake in tow. Why did he have to lie to her? She knew all along that this was a contract marriage. If Will wanted to see other women, she didn’t care. But why would he lie to her? Why would he be sweet to her over the phone, and then lie about being excited to see her? Emma wanted to throw the cake in the street, but she refused to cause a scene. She wandered in the parking lot, not ready to go home yet, when she overheard a what seemed to be a couple arguing.

​ “Please, I made a mistake. You can’t mad at me forever,” a woman pleaded.

​ “A mistake? Yeah okay,” a man retorted.

​ “Yes. It was a mistake. But I’ve dumped him and I’m ready for us to start again. I know you still love me.”

​ “No, I don’t. I’ve enough of this. I don’t want to see you anymore.”

​ The man’s voice was familiar. Emma finally got a look at them.

​ It was Spencer, and he had seen her too.