DOMINATING HIS FOES

Chapter 10 - Stressed

The doorbell rang, its shrill sound cutting through the soft hum of Emily’s home. Edward stood in front of the door, running a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the lingering stress of the day. His heart was beating fast. After everything that had happened with the deal, his mind was a mess, but he had no choice but to keep his composure for her.

He wiped his palms on his pants and exhaled sharply. Then, with a deep breath, he reached for the handle and walked inside.

“Edward!” Mrs. Deborah's voice was warm, but there was an edge of concern in it as she walked down the hallway toward him. Emily was just behind her mother, appearing in the doorway of the living room, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

“Edward, you’re here. It’s good to see you,” Mrs. Deborah said, but her smile was strained, a question lurking in her eyes.

“Good to see you too, Mrs. Deborah,” he replied, offering her a brief but sincere smile, though his mind was elsewhere.

His gaze flicked to Emily, her eyes narrowing in on him. Emily's expression was unreadable.

“Edward,” Mrs. Deborah began, her voice measured, “how’s everything going? How is the business situation? Last I heard, things were rather uncertain. Is everything under control?”

Edward froze for a moment, then forced a calm, reassuring smile. His stomach churned. The business situation. That was an understatement. The deal he had just signed with Mr. Mancini weighed heavily on him, but there was no way he was going to burden Emily or her mother with the truth right now. They didn’t need to know how far he had fallen, this might ruin his reputation. He doesn't want Emily to fall out of love with him. He needs to maintain his status until he figures things out.

But For how long will this be hidden from them?

He cleared his throat and stepped further into the house, careful not to let his unease show. "Everything's under control, Mrs. Douglas," he said smoothly, though the words felt foreign on his tongue. "It’s just been a bit hectic, you know how it is. But I’ve got it handled." He paused, taking a moment to steady himself before adding, “I’m working on a new contract. With a top businessman, it's almost sealed and whatever I had promised you would be at your doorstep soon.”

Emily didn't seem entirely convinced, but her mother was excited.

“Did you hear him, Emily? This is the kind of person I want as my future son-in-law.” Mrs. Deborah stated with her voice mixed with happiness.

Emily folded her arms across her chest. She eyed him closely for a moment before speaking again.

“I have been worried about you,” Emily said, her tone softening just a little, though there was an unmistakable edge of concern in her voice.

Edward forced a chuckle, trying to play it off, but it came out hollow. "I’m fine, really. Just making sure everything is working out. I promised I’d take care of it, and I have done that, I made some few calls, and everything is going smoothly." he said,

Emily’s gaze softened at his words, though her brow furrowed slightly. She stepped closer to him, concern still written on her face.

Edward reached out, gently taking her hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze, doing his best to look confident, even though doubt gnawed at him from the inside.

He looked at Mrs Deborah, then back at Emily. His stomach twisted again. The guilt was eating at him. Lying to them, especially Emily, felt like a betrayal. But it was the only option he had left. He couldn't let them see how deep the hole he was in really was. He couldn’t afford to have them worry. He needed to pull through, for her, for both of them.

“In a few months, we will start our wedding preparations. I want our wedding to be the biggest and the talk of the town. You know my family got contacts, I don't want a small wedding but a wedding that would be remembered by everyone in this city and around the globe.” Edward uttered.

As he spoke, the heaviness of the lies weighed on him like a lead blanket. But for now, he had no choice but to play this part. He had to get Emily and her mother to believe that everything was going to be fine, even if he wasn’t sure himself.

"I trust you," Mrs. Deborah smiled, her eyes darting from Emily to Edward. “I can't wait for that day, I will make sure I paint the city red to prove to everyone that my daughter is getting married to one of the richest men.”

If only she knew what Edward was going through at the moment.

Edward let out a soft chuckle, as he placed his hand around Emily's waist.

The conversation fell into a somewhat awkward silence, as Mrs. Deborah excused herself to tend to something in the kitchen. Emily remained, standing close by, watching him with a careful expression.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, her voice softer now.

Edward nodded again, forcing a smile. "Yeah. I am okay. The company is back in shape, you don't have to feel scared.”

Emily didn’t look entirely convinced, but she didn’t press further. Instead, she stepped closer, reaching for his hand again. "I’m here for you, Edward. You know that, right?"

His heart clenched at the sincerity in her voice. He wanted to be able to tell her the truth, to unburden himself. But right now, that wasn’t possible. "I know," he said quietly. "And that's why I am here. Mr Zack Sinclair is hosting a party later tonight. I want you to look your best, we are going together.”

Emily smiled, “What would you like me to put on.” She asked, wrapping her hand around his neck.

“I want you to look your best, wear something sexy.” He replied.