Landon shook his head, his voice calm and reassuring. “It’s nothing, just delivering a document.”
His gaze lingered on Emery’s injuries, but his thoughts seemed to wander elsewhere. Deep down, he was thankful he had come today.
Back in their university days in the US, Landon had been a step ahead of Emery. He had already secured a place in the graduate program at Evergreen University while she had just begun her studies. Though they shared the same passion for debate, their paths hadn’t crossed much.
It wasn’t until much later, when Landon returned to the US as a lawyer, that they reconnected. He brought her news of her biological mother, a revelation that brought them closer.
Emery sat in silence, lost in thought, as they made their way to the Carter house.
When they arrived, Landon was taken aback by the emptiness of the sprawling estate.
Noticing his confusion, Emery shrugged lightly. “Elliot doesn’t like having people around. The housekeepers don’t stay overnight.”
Her voice was casual, but there was a flicker of something in her tone that made Landon feel a pang of sympathy.
Once he made sure she was settled in, he left to get some food.
When he returned with a table laden with Grilled Grouper with Wild Rice Pilaf and a box of butterfly pastries, Emery couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. “Thank you for all your trouble today, Landon. Once I’ve sorted things out, I’ll treat you to a proper meal.”
Landon smiled gently, pouring her a glass of warm water. “I’ll hold you to that. I still have work, so I’ll head back. But if you need anything, call me. If you’re feeling uneasy, I can ask Nathaniel to stay with you.”
Emery blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected Landon to remember her timid nature from their university days. The thought brought a soft, nostalgic smile to her face.
“Don’t worry, Landon. I’m not a kid anymore.”
The timid girl Elliot had once known was long gone, buried under the weight of years of hardship.
As Landon disappeared from view, Emery sat down on the sofa, her mind still reeling from the conversation. She absentmindedly flipped through the divorce agreement while taking small bites of food.
There was no need to fight for custody of Jaxon nor any desire to claim any of Elliot’s wealth. The Carter Family had raised her and for that, she was thankful.
Just as she neared the end of the document, the sudden sound of a door creaking open shattered her focus. She looked up, startled to see Elliot standing in the doorway, his expression thunderous.
Her voice caught in surprise. “What are you doing back?”
Elliot slammed the door behind him, his stride purposeful and furious as he advanced toward her. “Was it Landon who brought you back? Emery, can you really not live without a man?”
“If I hadn’t come back for some files, I would never have known you were involved with him too.”
In a fit of rage, Elliot grabbed her face, his grip fierce. “First, it was that student you sponsored. Now it’s Landon. How many other men are you hiding from me?”
Emery didn’t flinch. Instead, she opened her mouth and sank her teeth into the base of his thumb, the sharp taste of blood filling her mouth as his grip loosened.
Her voice was low, raw. “The charity work was your mother’s trust. I’ve only met that student once. Why are you so determined to suspect me? If you don’t believe me, hire a private investigator.”
Elliot’s lips curled in a mocking sneer. “Still in denial, huh? Do you think I don’t have proof, Emery? I had Calla investigate you long ago.”
The mention of Calla’s name sent a cold shock through Emery. Suddenly, everything she hadn’t understood before began to click into place.
Elliot’s eyes then caught the divorce agreement on the sofa. His expression twisted into something ugly. “Oh, Landon the Great Lawyer, giving up criminal cases just to draft your divorce papers? It must’ve cost a fortune, huh? Or maybe... how many times did you sleep with him to get these papers?”
“Emery, you’re despicable.”
Looking at Elliot’s disheveled, menacing figure, Emery felt completely drained. The man she had once known, the one who trusted her without question, was long gone. Only the remnants of her painful past remained, a haunting shadow she couldn’t escape.
Every word he spoke pierced her like a sharp blade, leaving her soul raw and bleeding.
At that moment, she felt no desire to argue. With a heavy heart, she picked up the pen from the table and handed it to him. “Let’s divorce, Elliot. Just let me go.”
Her eyes, cold and unyielding, sent a chill through him, but his fury flared, overtaking any sense of reason.
He leaned in, pinning her beneath him and grabbed her wrists with brutal force. “Since you’re willing to trade yourself for everything else, why not see how far you’ll go to get me to sign this?”
