Chapter 2

Emma’s POV

My heart sank to the bottom of my chest, suddenly breathing had become difficult to do. “You cant do this to me Alex” I had nowhere else to go, no business to fall back on. I had made the man the center of my world and now it was turning back on me.

“Sign it now Emma or else you will regret the day we ever crossed paths” his voice was cold and so were his eyes. He meant the words and something told me I didn’t want to find out what would happen if I defied him.

There was nothing else to say, I signed the papers and handed them over to him, the tears were close to falling but I blinked it back enough so he didn’t see.

“You can now leave” Isabella said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I turned around and walked away,my cheeks burning red with embarrassment as I did so. Everyone was watching as I was humiliated, tomorrow, the press would have a field day with this divorce and somehow it still hadn't clicked well.

Just as I reached the door, Alex’s voice reached out to me, “Don’t take the car, it belongs to the company and since you are no longer a member, you can no longer use it”

My steps halted, the urge to turn around was strong but I didn’t want to endure any more than I needed to. I rushed out of the room and towards the entrance while booking a cab. Thankfully he was quick so as soon as I was outside, the cab was waiting.

There was only place I knew I could go.

“Take me here” I showed the driver the address and sat back. For the first time since everything had begun, I allowed myself breakdown.

Tears began to run down my cheeks, quick and harsh, my breathing sped up the more I tried to keep the sobs in. I was sure that the careful make up I had done was now ruined.

The entire drive consisted of me crying and trying to keep my sobs within me. My hand was held over my mouth in my attempt to do so.

“We’re here ma’am” the driver said after several minutes of silence.

I looked out to find Marie’s apartment building stare down at me.

After paying the driver, I head into the building, taking the lift instead of the stairs although hers was the second floor.

Immediately I knocked, she was standing there, towel in hand with surprise on her face, “Emma?”

I dropped into her arms, allowing the tears flow freely. “It’s over Marie, all of it”

She dragged me in, leading us both to the sofa where she held me. “Sshh,” she comforted, her hands wrapped around my shoulders. “What is over?’

When my sobs had reduced enough for me to speak, I answered her, “My marriage with Alex. He ended it” I broke the news, hearing it from my own self and making it real.

“What?” she gasped out loud. “Tell me you’re joking”

I shook my head, “I really wish I was but I am not. It’s done Marie, he ended it”

After she had calmed me down, I spent most of the night telling her what had happened and how I found Isabella in his arms, both of them kissing passionately.

“He was cheating!” she exclaimed.

“He was” was all I could manage in response.

She sighed, “I’m not sure what to say but you can’t let this keep you down for long”

“I don’t have anything Marie, the properties are in his name and we had a prenup, the cars, the houses, all of it. I have nothing left.”

“That’s wrong” she said quickly.

I glanced over at her, “How is it wrong?”

“Have you forgotten of the company that was yours? Before you decided to help him you were a business woman with a company that you abandoned. All you need to do now is continue from there”

My eyes widened and I nodded slowly, “You’re right” and she was. The company had been passive income, I had never made it as big as it could be but I knew how big it indeed was.

She helped me sit back up, “You wont give up and I wont let you. Just focus on getting it back up and you have me anytime”

“I do” I pulled her in for a hug, enjoying the warm softness of her.

“You need to see this”

It was morning and Marie and I were sitting at her kitchen table. She had her phone in her hands while I drank some tea she claimed would help with my headache.

I already had an idea what she could have seen. “I don’t want to see anything from him. I don’t care” that was a lie.

But of course, Marie was Marie, “Business mogul, Alexander Cross’s stocks have dropped by one percent due to cheating and family scandal. All eyes are watching closely to see if there will be any other drop”

The news should have made me happy but somehow it didn’t matter. “It doesn’t matter now” I told her.

“But it’s a good thing that he isn't going Scot free from all of this anyway.”

I picked my phone up, “Maybe”

There were a few notifications waiting for me. One of them from the manager of my company. It was the first time in a long while we were speaking. “Good morning ma’am, an investor has pulled out of the company just this morning”

My eyes burned as I read the message before heading to the index on news channels. My company’s stocks had dropped by five percent.

Just then my phone began to buzz it was a call and I waited for the contact to show.

It was his name, still saved like it had been before, “Alex baby”

Almost immediately, I went to click the accept option with hardly any delays but I stopped myself. I looked at Marie, “It’s Alexander”

She looked from her phone to me, “Let’s see”

As soon as I picked the call, he spoke, “Come to the mansion now”