Chapter 6

If an earthquake occurred and the ground beneath opened up, Emma would happily jump into it. That is how eager she was to escape the predicament she was currently in.

On the other hand, the man who is the cause of this predicament was enjoying every bit of the moment.

“E-Ex?”

Richard’s eyes bounced between Christopher and Emma to find any hint of a joke before he looked at his twin, who looked equally surprised by the revelation.

“How are you, Emma?”

Christopher ignoring the baffled expressions on his friends' faces, smiled and asked in a gentle tone while taking in her features.

“I am good. When did you return to the country?”

“Not pleased having me back, are we?”

“There is nothing to be pleased or not to be pleased about. It was just small talk.”

“Since when did you start liking small talk?”

“5 years is a long time for me to start liking anything.”

Nothing betrayed Emma’s steady voice and calm smile as she looked straight into Christopher’s eyes. Despite her sweaty, cold palms, there was no change in her expression which might give away how nervous she was meeting him after their last encounter.

“Miss. Grayson, I am getting late for my next appointment. You can mail the documents to me after you’re done making the changes.”

“I apologise for the delay, Miss. Wright. I will have the documents sent to the Watson Residence by tonight.”

“Thank you.”

Emma smiled softly at Royce before nodding at Richard and then glancing briefly at Christopher before side-stepping them and leaving the office.

Turning around to look at her retreating back, Christopher had a deep look on his face making Richard softly pat his shoulder.

“You are still not over her?”

“We barely dated for a week, before I decided she wasn’t it for me.”

“Then what is with that melancholic look?”

Richard asked in amusement as Christopher shook his head with a small chuckle.  

“It is not melancholy. I am just trying to understand that woman.”

“Understand her for what?”

“She has always been a puzzle for me. In university, she always steered clear of all materialistic temptations. If not for a stupid dare, she wouldn’t have dated me for a week, either.”

Christopher chuckled humorlessly as he let out a long troubled sigh, looking outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

“Is your ego hurt? That woman did not want you if not for a stupid dare?”

“Not really. I respect her choice. Everyone has a different taste, but choosing Shayne at the end? Her choice is really questionable.”

“Chris, humans often make stupid decisions because they were simply dumb enough to make them or they were left with no other choice. You shouldn’t judge without knowing both sides of a coin.”

Royce chided Christopher with a slight frown as she made her way back to her table, while Richard and Christopher sat down on the leather couch.

“Why are they divorcing, anyway? That too after 5 years?”

Christopher asked with an amused chuckle at the odd timing. He had to leave the country when they got married and now that he was back; they were getting divorced.

It was as if destiny was saving Emma for him, but too bad she was too docile and good-tempered for him.

“Shayne Watson is divorcing Miss. Wright because she couldn’t give him an heir even after 5 years of their marriage.”

“Is that even a valid reason for divorce?”

Richard almost spat in indignation at the reason for divorce.

Seriously in what era were they living in that a husband is throwing away 5 years of a happy marriage for an heir?

“It is consensual divorce, so it is valid. I think it is better for Miss. Wright as well.”

“How is it better for Miss? Wright? Going back to the common man’s life would be difficult, even torturous for her after experiencing the lifestyle of the wealthy.”

“Even a heiress with influence marrying into a noble family would need an heir to secure her position, let alone a common woman with zero influence among high society.”

Royce scoffed at the reality of women even in the 21^st century.

A woman without a child is an incomplete woman. No matter how much she has accomplished in her life, without becoming a mother, she will always be a failure.

“That is the only reason for divorce?”

Christopher asked with a frown.

As far as he knew Emma and Shayne were both healthy individuals, there shouldn’t be a problem with conceiving but even if they did, IVF, surrogacy even adoption, the options for an heir were endless with today’s medical advancement, so why chose to divorce?

“That is what uncle told me. What else could be the reason?”

“A mistress?”

Richard questioned the probability, as Royce immediately denied the possibility.

“Shayne Watson might not be a gentleman, but cheating on his wife isn’t possible for him.”

“Why?”

“Watson's family is a family full of snakes ready to bite each other's head off. If he is caught of cheating, then he can forget being the next head of the family. He won’t even be part of the family. The risk is too high just for a mistress.”

Royce analyzed as she continued to type away on her desktop with a measured speed, briefly pausing to read through before continuing.

“Wha-“

“Enough about it. Where are we hanging out in the evening?”

Royce cut off Richard’s next question with an annoyed glare. She still had to get the papers ready on top of the other files. If this continued, she would have to pull an all-nighter.

“Rose and Ryan are choosing the spot.”

“You let Rose and Ryan to choose a spot together?”

“Yeah?”

“That is the perfect combination for a disaster. They never agree on the same thing.”

Royce groaned in annoyance and how stupid her twin was. Everyone who knew Rose Grayson and Ryan Monroe knew they were technically each other’s nemesis.

They wouldn’t stand each other if not for them being in the friend group, even which they avoid whenever possible.

This time, if not for Christopher's return, they wouldn’t agree to meet up so easily.

“They happen to be the only people free enough to check for free VIP spots. And they agreed.”

Richard shrugged, not caring much unless and until he had a DJ and was drunk by the end of the night.