Chapter Seventy Eight

Ryan asked Emily to conceal the truth when it had barely come to light.

She saw him standing by the elevator with his coat buttoned and his expression purposefully blank as she exited Sophia's office. Seeing him rekindled the all-too-common need to resolve issues before an argument could even begin. Emily gave in to that impulse.

Ryan murmured, "Emily." "We need to talk, it is about our marriage."

Emily said, "There's nothing more I can say regarding our marriage."

"Then just listen. Please," he said.

Sophia came out and stood close to her and said, "If this is about the divorce, Ryan, you can talk to me."

"It is Emily I want to talk to," Ryan said, his gaze locked on her. "I need her to postpone the proceedings."

"Are you asking me to put off the divorce?" Emily asked as she stared at him.

Ryan said, "Only until the merger is finished in a few weeks."

Searching for the justification for the request, she scrutinized his features. She had discovered that Ryan's pain wasn't always a sign of his sincerity, even though he appeared uneasy.

"Why should I?" Emily asked.

Ryan momentarily turned to stare in Sophia's direction. "There are some things I cannot discuss here regarding business."

"You mean issues you don't want to talk about," Emily said.

His jaw tightened. "I'm trying to prevent unnecessary harm," he said.

"To your business? Or is it to your good name?" Emily asked.

Ryan didn't say anything.

Emily felt the solution hanging between them. She didn't know about his debts or the legal advantages that their marriage brought, but she could tell that he was asking her to bear a load without telling her what it was.

"I want this marriage to end, that is why I filed for divorce," Emily explained. "I'm not going to put my life on hold to protect something you're unwilling to explain."

Ryan's composure gave way. "You could make this simpler," he said.

"I've tried to simplify matters for you in the past but where did that lead me?" Emily said in response.

The doors to the elevator opened automatically. Ryan caught Damian's attention as he left Emily. His face turned cold.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Damian asked.

"No," Emily said. "Ryan was simply trying to convince me to postpone my divorce."

Damian's shoulders stiffened. "So what did you say in response?"

"I said no."

Ryan looked at Damian. "It's not your business what I tell my wife," he said.

"Soon to be ex-wife you mean?" Damian said.

His voice carried more danger than wrath due to the control. Emily made a move before either guy could make another competition out of the moment, even if Ryan's expression became more stern.

"Stop!" exclaimed Emily. "Neither of you has the authority to represent me."

Damian lowered his eyes. "You're correct," he said.

Ryan's phone rang, Ryan seemed prepared to fight but he was held back by the sound of his ringtone. Someone was calling him  so he promptly looked at the screen and flipped it facedown after glancing at it.

Emily caught the motion. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Something that shouldn't bother you," Ryan said.

Emily responded, "You don't need me to hold anything up if that's the case."

Ryan's mouth opened, then closed. He left, taking his unexpressed request with him promising to get back to her.

"Kindly avoid contacting me directly concerning the divorce," Emily said. "Speak with Sophia instead."

Without looking back, Ryan left.

___

After Ryan left, they went back to Sophia's office. While Emily sat down, Damian remained at the door. Even if she was too worn out to tell him she was okay, she could tell he was worried about her.

"You shouldn't have had to handle that by yourself," Damian said.

Emily said, "I wasn't by myself." "And I don't want you to advocate for me with Ryan."

"I wasn't going to," he said.

She gazed at him.

Damian exhaled. "I wished to."

Emily's expression mellowed despite the residual pain between them. "I understand."

They almost got at the truth for a second, but they still couldn't bring themselves to say it.

Sophia's phone started to ring. Then she picked up a notepad and brought it closer to her after hearing what was said.

"The investigator has obtained the contractor's original statement," Sophia said as soon as the conversation was over. "He has established a formal identification regarding the second approval as well. The contractor's story is plausible, but we must complete the identification before we can rely on it," she added.

Emily once again experienced the familiar dread. "What about Victor?" She asked.

Sophia replied, "His counsel is still pushing for access." "Before it is officially verified, the investigator believes Victor might be attempting to challenge the testimony."

Damian's expression became more serious. "After that, we ensure the procedure is protected."

Emily stood up. "And we don't let it take over everything," she said.

Damian gazed straight into her eyes and said,"I concur."

Sophia's phone vibrated again as lucas's message popped up on the display:

The contractor has established the person that delivered the second authorization. Emily Carter is requested to show up in person for the confirmation by the investigator.

“Who us the person,” Emily asked as she looked up.

Sophia reread the message, her face growing pale this time.

"The investigator will not mention the name in a text," Sophia stated. He says he must tell us in person.

Emily's heart beat quicker. Ultimately, the truth was within her grasp, but someone else had already made an effort to conceal it from her.