Chapter 4 The scheme

"Hey, why are you moody? Are you okay?" Bryan asked concernedly, sitting opposite her in bed. He had dropped by the house to see Emily.

It's been weeks since they last saw each other, all due to Bryan's struggle to deal with his emotions. Emily distanced herself from him ever since the day he unexpectedly kissed her.

She met him a year after her breakup with Daniel Hartman, and from that point forward, she has been attempting to return his affection for her. However, it has been an ongoing wrestle. The day Daniel ended their relationship, it felt like he also ended something within her. She found it hard to both love and allow herself to be loved, but Bryan remained steadfast, patiently awaiting her reciprocation of his affection. Emily, on the other hand, held out hope that one day she would be able to do so.

She looked at him with her puffy red eyes. She had been crying in her room ever since she got back home from work.

"I got fired from work," She managed to say, smiling sadly in between.

The situation was undeniably a serious matter but at the same time, it appeared funny to her. Like, how would she pay her bills now that she got fired? It was just unbelievable that she was amused by it.

Bryan sighed. He moved a little closer and engulfed her in a warm embrace.

"Emily, I'm so sorry to hear about your job. How are you feeling?" Bryan said softly

Emily replied, her voice quivering, "I can't believe it, Bryan. I lost my job. I don't know what to do,"

"It's going to be okay, Emily. We'll figure this out together. You're not alone in this," Bryan said, reassuringly.

She looked at him, nodding her head in approval. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

His phone chimed, demanding his attention. He dipped his hand in his pocket and pulled it out to check the notification and it turned out to be a text from Lugard.

Lugard's message: Bryan, the documents for the transfer are ready and we need Emily to sign them immediately

Bryan's eyes darted briefly to the text before he pocketed the phone, hiding his response from Emily. He wore a facade of concern as he turned back to her, but his expression concealed a sinister intent. It was a smile that betrayed the knowledge of a secret scheme that would change Emily's life forever.

"Mommy!" Olivia cried out, dashing to her mother for a warm hug. Her school bus had dropped her off at the gate a few hours after their short journey away from school.

Frantically, Emily wiped away her tears, forcing a false smile as she said, "Liv, my dear. Welcome home. Mommy missed you so much,"

"I missed you too, Mommy," she replied, completely disregarding Bryan. However, Emily nudged her, gently reminding her to acknowledge him.

She held an inexplicable dislike for him, unable to pinpoint the reason. It was as though there was something about him that didn't sit right with her. She had attempted many times to express her concerns to her mother, but the response was always, "You're just a child, Olivia. What do you know? Uncle Bryan is a good person; learn to accept him,"

"Good afternoon, Uncle Bryan," she whispered.

"Hey, Liv. How was school today?" Bryan asked, smiling showing a facade of sincerity. Putting up with Olivia's hatred towards him since the day he entered their lives has been a tough thing for him. He knew that she'd be a hindrance to his plans if he didn't win her over.

With a stoic expression, she replied, "School was fine, Uncle Bryan. Thank you for asking,"

Emily sat there watching the drama unfold before her, she couldn't help but chuckle. Olivia was quite a difficult child, a trait she undoubtedly inherited from her father, Daniel, which was no small source of concern.

Speaking of Daniel, he had given her a very hot slap the day Emily tried to talk him into doing a thing her way.

Flashback

"Shut up, Emily. Listen to me and listen very carefully, you're going to do what I say and that's final!" He thundered. He had always insisted on having his way in family decisions without considering Emily's opinion.

Emily attempted to speak but was silenced by a forceful, stinging slap. She clutched her cheek, tears streaming down her face, rendering her speechless and overwhelmed.

He closed the gap between them, locking eyes with her and gripping her wrist firmly. Through gritted teeth, he said, "You're not attending any art exhibition in New Zealand, and that's the end of it!" With that, he angrily stormed out of the room.

***************

"Mommy, I'm hungry," Olivia whimpered, pulling Emily out of the eerie moment.

She jolted at her words, "Liv, go to your room, I'll serve your food in a minute," she replied

Olivia smiled heartily.

"Okay, Mommy," she replied, making her way to her room.

Bryan who had been there watched them closely, admiring and smiling at them. He admired their connection and couldn't help but smile, longing for Emily to reciprocate his feelings. It frustrated him that despite all the time they had spent together, she remained unyielding when it came to acknowledging his affection. He resented the fact that she didn't regard him with the same affection that she had for Daniel, and each time she encountered anything related to him.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked genuinely

Bryan looked at her with so much longing and said, "Emily, I know I've told you before, but I can't help but say it again. I love you, more than I've ever loved anyone. You mean the world to me, and I wish you'd consider giving us a chance. I want nothing more than for you to love me back the way I love you, with all my heart." Bryan's eyes glistened with the earnestness of his emotions, waiting for a response that would mean everything to him, but Emily didn't utter a word. Instead, a tender smile graced her lips, and she leaned in, closing the distance between them, gently, she kissed him passionately.

As their lips parted, she moved into a warm embrace, wrapping her arms around him, and Bryan, with a knowing smirk, hugged her back. His eyes sparkled with the realization that his fake confession had indeed started to work its magic.