Chapter 63

Will’s eyes shot daggers in Spencer’s direction while his arms tightened around Emma. She tried to wiggle free, but Will’s held her in a vice grip.

​ “Again, I’m sorry about him,” she apologized, but her tone was angry. “Drive back safely.”

​ Spencer didn’t say anything, his eyes shocked as he looked back and forth between Will and Emma. After a few moments a knowing smile stretched across his face. He chuckled, but the sound was awkward and forced.

​ “Be good to her,” he said to Will. His voice was light and conversational, but will could detect the veiled threat beneath it.

​ “You can go now,” Will glared at him.

​ “Bye, Emma. I’ll see you later,” Spencer said, ignoring Will. He got in his car and drove away. Emma wedged her arms in between her and Will and shoved him away from her.

​ “What the hell was that about?” she shouted at him.

​ “Why were you there all day?”

​ “You have got to be kidding me!” Emma yelled, but realized they were still outside. “Inside. Now. We’re not doing this out in the open. I refuse to be that trashy.” Emma grabbed Will by the arm and dragged him inside. She knew Will was letting himself by dragged in by her. But she didn’t want to think about that. When they were inside the apartment, Emma continued her tirade. “It is none of your business who I spend my days with, where I spend my days at, or what I spend my days doing!”

​ “You’re my wife!”

​ “And this isn’t a real marriage! Are you jealous?” she smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that it? Are you upset that I was hanging out with another man?”

​ Will glowered at her, completely thrown by her attitude.

​ “I don’t like him,” Will admitted. “I don’t want you to see him.”

​ Emma threw her head back and laughed, but the sound held no humor. She was someone else entirely, and Will didn’t know what to do with this Emma.

​ “Oh, that’s funny. So, let me make sure I get this right. I’m your wife, so there are restrictions on who I can or cannot see. Even though I was 100% truthful with you. You’re my husband, but you can go and fuck off with whoever you want and you can lie to me about it. Like yesterday. Is that right?”

​ Emma was fuming. She could feel the steam rising off of her skin. It was then that Will realized that all of this was because he hadn’t told her where he was yesterday. She was right to be upset, but he never expected she would be this angry about it.

​ “Okay, I know I messed up yesterday by not telling you. And I’m sorry. But whatever you think was going on isn’t right. It’s complicated, but I can explain…”

​ “I don’t need your explanation,” Emma seethed. “Go and get a mistress if you want. Get ten of them. I’m not your wife in any way that actually matters. I don’t care what you do.”

​ “It seems like you care!” Will yelled back. He was so confused. Emma’s words said one thing, but her tone and actions said something else. “Believe it or not, I was looking forward to coming home yesterday. It finally seemed like things were okay between us, and here you go and just ruin everything! If you gave a chance to explain, instead of this foul attitude, then you understand what happened!”

​ They were a storm of flared tempers and flailing hands. Emma couldn’t believe him. He was going to stand there and try and justify himself to her? He’s the one who went behind her back.

​ “If you don’t like my ‘foul attitude’, maybe we should just separate. I’ll still keep up this fake wife bullshit, but I can live somewhere else.”

​ “No,” he snapped. “Absolutely not. “You don’t think I know what you’re planning? You want to be with Spencer. I let you go, and you’ll run straight to him! I won’t let it happen. You’re not going to leave me for him, Emma! I won’t allow it!”

​ “You are so ridic—” Emma’s rant was interrupted by Will’s phone ringing. He looked at it, and the fight in his eyes fell away. Concern took its place. Will scrambled to answer.

​ “What happened?” All the color drained from Will’s face as he listened to caller. “Okay. We’ll be there.” He hung up and looked at Emma. His expression scared her.

​ “What’s wrong?” she asked, all of her previous fury was falling away.

​ “It’s Pop. He fainted and was rushed to the hospital. They don’t know what’s wrong, but he’s not well,” Will’s voice was small, like a child. “We have to go.”

​ Emma nodded and they rushed out of the apartment. The silence between them was severe. The intensity of their argument still hung between them, but there were more pressing matters.

​ When they arrived, they were escorted by a nurse to his room.

​ “He’s fragile right now,” she informed them. “Normally, I wouldn’t let anyone in to see a patient in such delicate condition, but he insisted that I let his grandson and granddaughter-in-law in to see him as soon as they arrived. Please, it’s this way.”

​ She let them in to his room and left to give them privacy. Will collapsed to his knees at Conrad’s bedside and took one of his hands. Emma stood on the other side of the bed. As close to Conrad as she could be while still being as far from Will as possible.

​ “Pop,” Will’s voice wavered. “What happened?”

​ “Such a fuss,” Conrad’s voice was weak. Emma hadn’t thought of him as an old man before. But as she looked at him, that’s all she could see. An old man that was tired and finally wanted to rest. “I’m old, Will. That’s what happened. It happens to everyone.”

​ “Don’t talk like that,” Will said. “You’ll be better soon, and then we can take you home. You know,” Will babbled. “That house is far too big for just you. Maybe you could come to live with Emma and me. Or we could move in with you.” Emma could tell that Will was spiraling. He couldn’t stand to see his grandfather this way.

​ “You two don’t fool me,” Conrad wheezed. “You’ve been fighting. I can tell. You never knew this, but your grandmother and I got into out fair share of quarrels. She could be quite explosive, and I was a very jealous man.”

​ “Don’t talk so much,” Will said. “You should be resting.”

​ “Let me finish,” Conrad admonished. “We fought like cats and dogs in the early years of our marriage. We almost separated. But I loved her. Too much. I know that now. But that’s what’s important. That you love each other. If you’re fighting for each other, then fight. Because marriage and true love takes work. You have to learn how to love each other.” Conrad looked over to Will, and lifted a weak hand to his grandson’s cheek. “I know you love her, Will. You just have to let yourself know it. And you, my dear Emma,” he turned to look at Emma. “I know my grandson can be difficult. In fact, sometimes I think he tries to be difficult on purpose. For some strange reason, he believes that love is weakness. Help him find strength in it again.”

​ Emma’s heart broke as she listened to Conrad. He barely knew her, but treated her like family from the moment he met her. Part of the reason she even let herself get into this mess was for him.

​ “Conrad…” Emma whispered.

​ “I know what you’re thinking. That I’ve not known you long at all, and how could I possibly know that you’re the right one for my darling grandson? You remind me so much of my beloved Aveline. She would have adored you. We had our misunderstandings, but we always made sure that no matter how angry we were, we always gave the other a chance to explain.”

​ Conrad’s words melted Emma’s anger. She was still upset with Will. What he did hurt her, but she knew she had not given him a chance to explain what happened. He’d tried to a few times, but she continued to shut him down. There was a chance that there wasn’t a good explanation at all. But she should figure that out before wasting her energy being angry at speculation.

​ At the end of the day, all she wanted was for Will to be honest with her. He could see whoever he wanted, as long as he didn’t lie about it. *That’s all I can expect in a relationship like this.*

​ “Will, would you give me a moment with your wife?” Conrad asked.

​ “Whatever you want, Pop. Let me go talk to a doctor.” Will got up and left them alone.

​ “Come closer, dear,” Conrad gestured for Emma to come closer. She perched on a chair beside his bed. A large lump settled in her throat as she looked at him. He didn’t look well and she feared the worst.

​ “I’ve got a present for you,” he smiled, his head leaning back against the pillow.

​ “The best gift you could give me is your recovery.” A sob caught in Emma throat.

​ “You’re sweet, my darling. But we both know what’s going on. I’ve set up a trust fund for you. After I die, you’ll be allocated a sum of money every year. As long as you and Will are married.”

​ “Conrad,” Emma cried. “I don’t need—”

​ “I wish you had come into our lived much sooner. Aveline would have adored you. She would have doted on you like her own grandchild. And I would have as well. You are a remarkable young lady. Take care of Will for me. He’s going to need someone to love him.”

​ Emma couldn’t hold back her tears. She felt like the most horrible person on Earth. She’d never forgive herself for deceiving him. This kind man who owed her nothing, cared for her so much.

​ “I’m right about you,” Conrad placed a soft hand on Emma’s face and wiped her tears away. “I know I am.”

​ “Oh, Conrad,” Emma sobbed. She couldn’t hold back, and wanted desperately to tell him the truth. He deserved it. “Will and I—”

​ “No! Hell no!” she heard Will shout from outside of the room. “What are you doing here?”