Chapter 267: Going For A Ride

The last time that she had slept with Derek. She had managed to sneak out her embroidery piece from the penthouse. Emily had been working hard at it through the nights. Her hours of sleeplessness from Monday to Wednesday, helping her push the project along.

Come Thursday morning, Emily had completely finished with the heart and her whole soul was singing. Excitement thrumming through her veins as she tried to think of what Derek’s reaction would be.

She wondered if the missing piece that Derek had would be a clue to yet another game.

That sounded exciting, but Emily had a feeling that it would not be that. It just seemed too predictable for it to be something that Derek would choose.

But what could it be?

That was the question that plagued Emily throughout the day. She attended meetings, sent emails, made sure that Derek’s needs were taken care of, and through it all, her mind would not let the topic rest.

Turning scenarios this way and that. Trying to come up with the one that was most likely to be true.

The only rest that Emily got from her game of ’What is Derek’s plan with the puzzle piece’ came at around lunch time from a very unlikely source. Being a caregiver. It was not easy for her mother to go out during the day. But that Thursday, the moment that lunch rolled around. Emily got a text.

’I am waiting for you downstairs. Can you join me for lunch?’

Seeing that Derek was busy in his office, going over some document. It was a no-brainer to say yes to her mother’s suggestion. And now the two of them were in the park that Derek and Emily sometimes visited

The Molson women sat side by side. Scattering seeds for the birds to eat. Once all of the bird seed was gone. Only then did the two of them turn to their meals. Eating quietly for a few minutes.

Meals done, they sat together in companionable silence for a while. Just letting the world go on around them. But then Emily decided to just find out what was going on.

"Are you dying?" She asked, only to wince. She had not meant to go from zero to hundred so quick. Her mother gave her a look, but she went along with it.

"We are all dying Emily, it is part of being alive,"

Which was fair, but it also did not answer Emily’s question. "I mean do you have a terminal illness that you wish to tell me about?" She had stumbled upon the topic by accident, but Emily felt the need to pursue it. Only breathing a sigh of relief when her mom shook her head. Putting Emily’s fears on that to rest.

"Then why did you suddenly show up and want to have lunch? I know how difficult it must have been for you to arrange this. So whatever it is that has made you come all this way, it must be important,"

Emily had barely finished the words before she was drawn into a hug. Her mom holding her close. When she pulled back, the older woman had a fierce look in her eyes.

"You know that I love you, don’t you, Emily?" She asked. And Emily nodded, not really sure why her mother was looking so fearsome, all of a sudden.

"If ever you are in any trouble, or you find yourself in a situation where you think that you are stuck. That you cannot get out, you know that you can rely on me, right? I will not abandon you no matter what," Emily was really starting to freak out now.

What if she had been right in her first guess? What if her mother really was dying. The way that she was behaving was very out of character.

Even so, Emily found herself nodding. Knowing that she had made the right decision when her mother seemed to relax a bit.

"What is wrong? Tell me. Whatever it is, the two of us can try and work on it together," Emily said, keeping her voice gentle. Whatever it was that her mother was going through. It clearly needed her to use a softer approach.

"What is wrong, mom?

Please tell me," She pleaded again and her mother gave her a watery smile before she wiped her eyes and opened her mouth to speak. Only she never got to say what it was that she had come to say. The two loud beeps of her mother’s phone interrupted her.

The older woman reached for it, letting out a sigh once she had read the message.

"It’s work, I have to head back," She said regretfully. Drawing Emily into a brief hug before standing, and getting ready to leave.

"You and I are going to talk tonight, okay?" She said, and Emily’s heart sank, but her mum shook her head.

"No, not like that, sweetheart. You are not in any trouble. We just need to talk about some things. That is all," She said.

"Promise me that you will be there," Emily nodded without a second thought. Glad that she was not trouble, and believing with everything in her that she would be able to meet up with her mom.

Hours later, when she broke that promise to her mother, she felt bad. But she had arrived at the apartment at her usual time. Only to find that her mother was nowhere in sight.

She hung on for as long as she could, waiting for her mother.

But when it seemed like her mother’s late arrival would make Emily miss her chance to go see Derek that night. She finally decided to just go without seeing her.

It was a tough choice to make. Especially since her mother had looked as though she had something really important to say. But still, her overnight bag carrying the puzzle as well as her now complete heart. Emily felt as though she had made the right decision in leaving.

That feeling though lasted her a record of five minutes.

Walking the streets late at night, Emily made her way to the bus stop. It was a journey that she had made multiple times, but that night things were different. Halfway there she was stopped by a man stepping into her path.

When she tried to sidestep him, he followed.

"Back off, or I will scream," She told him.

Her hands slowly moving into her pocket. Reaching for the pepper spray that she kept there.

"That would be very ill-advised, Emily Molson. I do not want to hurt you, but if I have to, I will," In a move too fast for her to follow, the man ended up holding both her bag, and her pepper spray.

Fear settled over her so quick, that Emily actually stopped breathing for a few seconds. Just staring at the dark haired man.

"Now stop wasting time and get into the car," He gestured to the side, and sure enough there was a car there waiting. How come Emily had not noticed it before?

Terror fully kicking in, she tried to take a step back, her intent to blend into the crowd.

But the man merely shook his head.

"Get into the car now, or I can make your life a living hell," The man said. Emily found herself obeying without meaning to.

Fear robbing her of free will.

She could only sit petrified as the car pulled into the late night traffic, carrying her to places unknown.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read