2: 2
2
I took the agreement Joshua handed me and settled in to read it through carefully.
The moment I did, Joshua froze. Whenever he'd put something in front of me to sign before, I'd never looked at it this closely.
And this time, watching me pore over the document, he clearly hadn't expected it.
"Emily, it's just an accident insurance policy, there's nothing to read!" he said quickly.
"Sign it, and we can go!"
There was still that urgency in his voice as he pressed me to hurry up and sign.
"Emily, it only takes a second to sign. Joshua and I both did it!"
Olivia, beside him, looked straight at me. "What is there for you to worry about, Emily?"
"You two signing yours is your business," I said.
"Am I not allowed to read mine properly?"
My face was cold as I looked at Olivia and said it flatly.
When I finished, Olivia turned to Joshua with a wounded look.
Joshua stared at me too. "Emily, Olivia and I have already signed!"
"It's only an insurance policy!"
He kept pushing me to sign, and I only shook my head lightly. "Joshua, there's something wrong with this policy. And why is there a transfer deed in here too?"
I pulled out the two documents and asked, "Why are you the beneficiary on my policy?"
"And if something happens to me, why does everything I have go to you?"
I held both documents and looked at Joshua.
"Emily, what are you talking about!"
He answered fast. "I'm your boyfriend. Isn't it normal for me to be the beneficiary?"
"Besides, you don't have any other family," he added, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
I listened to him and smiled. "Joshua, you and I are only dating."
"On top of that, if something happens to me, everything I own is yours. Do you really think that's reasonable?"
My voice was ice as I looked at him.
By now, I no longer had the slightest doubt about what Grandma had told me.
"Emily, you're an orphan. Joshua is your boyfriend. What's wrong with naming him as the beneficiary?"
She said it without a shred of hesitation, and I smiled. "You said it yourself. Joshua is only my boyfriend."
"Since when does a boyfriend get to be my beneficiary?"
When I finished, Joshua spoke up. "Emily, we're going on a trip. Buying insurance is normal!"
"And Olivia and I both signed!"
He kept his eyes on me as he said it.
I smiled. "Joshua, who did you and Olivia name as your beneficiaries?"
The second the words left me, both their faces shifted.
Of course I knew there was no chance either of them had named me.
"Emily, my beneficiary is Joshua!"
"And who else would you name, if not Joshua?"
Olivia looked at me, her face full of disgust. "Everyone knows you're an orphan!"
I heard her out, then turned to look at Joshua.
A few years ago, the only person who'd cared for me, my grandmother, passed away, and after that I became an orphan. Joshua knew this. I'd told him countless times that being reminded of it was the one thing I hated most.
And now here he was, with Olivia, the two of them saying over and over in front of me that I was an orphan.
"Joshua, is this what you want too?"
