“Thank you both so much,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.
I was grateful for their warmth and strength, for allowing me to break free from the mire and find the courage to begin again.
“Thank you for never abandoning me.”
With my family’s support, I was the most relaxed I had ever been. In that comfort, inspiration blossomed again.
Soon, I took on a custom wedding dress commission.
For a long time, because of my troubles with Callum, I had avoided designs related to love. But now, with my heart at ease, I found joy in adding a touch of brightness to someone else’s love story.
One day, as I sketched out designs, Emmet, who had once stood up for me, called unexpectedly.
“Eloise? Hey, did you know? The real mastermind behind the rumors about Hannah seducing Callum has been exposed!
1/3
“It turns out it was Hannah herself–self–directed and performed. Unbelievable! That woman may be young, but her scheming knows no bounds.
“Word is Callum is furious. He’s demanding the Kiplings kick Hannah out of the house,” Emmet shared with unrestrained enthusiasm.
1, however, wasn’t surprised at all.
A woman who could charm Callum, wrap him around her finger, and integrate herself into his circle as an adopted daughter was anything but innocent.
Her motives were obvious–first, to ensure Callum would despise me enough to finalize our divorce.
Second, a subtle push to pressure Callum into marriage.
After all, given the intimacy of their actions, it would be hard for them not to end up together.
“And one more thing, Eloise,” Emmet continued.
“You and Mrs. Bolton are kindred spirits despite the age gap. She berated Hannah in front of numerous media outlets and declared that Bolton Corporation would never sign her on.
“Now, Hannah has nowhere to go in the Marina Shores‘ entertainment industry.”
I didn’t consider myself a particularly magnanimous person.
Though I no longer cared about those two, knowing that they were having a hard time still brought me some satisfaction.
I tapped my phone to turn on the speaker and placed it on the table, sketching as I chatted with Emmet.
“Oh, by the way, Callum’s looking for you. He’s been digging around, trying to find your whereabouts.
“He’s been acting extremely volatile–drinking heavily every day and getting violent with
anyone
who tries to talk sense into him.”
My hand stopped mid–sketch.
“You’re not speaking on his behalf, are you?”
“Of course not!” Emmet quickly assured me.
“I saw how much you suffered because of him. Besides, my girlfriend admires you so much- she’s already dreaming about the wedding dress you’ll design for us. How could I possibly stand up for him?”
That cold night when I collapsed from a fever on the mountainside, if Emmet and his girlfriend hadn’t happened to find me on their way down, I might have been frozen to death.
2/3
+25 BONUS
I felt deeply grateful and smiled as I thought of them.
“Alright, when you two get married, I’ll design a one–of–a–kind wedding dress as a gift.”
“Wow! Thanks, Eloise!” Emmet said enthusiastically.
“But, Eloise, you know Callum’s temper. If he’s determined to find you, you won’t be able to avoid him. Just be prepared.”
Though I knew Emmet had a point, I didn’t expect that day to come so soon.
