Chapter 4: Emma’s Last Smile
Chapter 4: Emma’s Last Smile
Daniel did not sit.
Instead, he pointed at Emma.
“You think you won because you brought papers? You’ll come back. You always do.”
Emma stood then.
Slowly.
Gracefully.
The room watched her rise.
For the first time, she did not look like Daniel Carter’s wife.
She looked like someone who had already walked out in her heart and only returned to collect her name.
Jonathan placed a pen beside the documents.
Emma signed first.
Her signature was steady.
Then she looked at Daniel.
“I’m not asking your permission.”
Daniel gave a bitter laugh.
“You’ll regret this.”
Emma almost smiled.
“No. I regret waiting this long.”
Margaret’s voice cracked.
“Emma… why tonight?”
That was the question everyone wanted answered.
Emma turned to her mother-in-law.
“Because tonight was your anniversary dinner,” she said. “The night this family celebrates loyalty.”
Her eyes moved back to Daniel.
“And I wanted everyone to understand the difference between loyalty and silence.”
No one spoke.
Emma picked up her purse.
Jonathan closed the briefcase.
The ring remained on the table.
May you like
Daniel stared at it as if it might somehow return to her finger by itself.
But Emma was already walking toward the door.
