The Marriage Bargain - ENGLOT

Chapter 17: I'm her wife

Emory's PoV:

I was in the middle of a conversation with Cadence, trying to keep my cool and failing miserably. Deep down, I was jealous and wished I could be the one she kissed. Just as I was starting to feel anxious, my phone rang and I saw Quinn's name pop up on the screen.

"Excuse me for a moment," I said to Cadence, answering the call.

"Hey, Emory!" Quinn exclaimed on the other end. "Just wanted to check if you watched the video I sent you."

I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed. "Yes, I watched it," I replied, trying to keep my tone even.

"And what did you think of that kissing scene with her and Daniel?" Quinn teased.

I could feel my face turning red as I gritted my teeth. I knew that Quinn was just teasing me, but it still bothered me to hear her talk about Cadence in that way.

"Quinn, I don't want to talk about it," I said, my voice sharp.

Quinn laughed knowingly. "Come on, Emory. You can't deny that you're a little jealous of Cadence's scene-stealing kiss."

My heart sank as Quinn's words hit me hard. I knew I couldn't deny the fact that I was feeling jealous, but I didn't want to admit it to her. "I'm not jealous," I said weakly.

Quinn snorted. "Please, Emory. It's written all over your face. You're practically in love with Cadence!"

I felt my face growing hot and I suddenly felt flustered. "W-what? I'm not!" I stuttered.
I felt caught off guard, like Quinn had just revealed a secret I had been trying to keep hidden. Even from myself.

Quinn's laughter rang through the phone, followed by a sigh. "Oh, Em. Just admit it already. You're head over heels for Cadence. It's written all over your face whenever we talk about her."

I shot a quick glance over at Cadence, who's walking towards her room, her back facing me. The ache in my chest intensified, and I gritted my teeth, trying to regain some composure.

"It's not that simple, Quinn," I muttered, barely above a whisper. "I can't just tell her how I feel. We're just partners for this charade, and she deserves someone who can give her more."

Quinn's tone softened, and for once, she dropped the teasing facade. "Em, it's your journey to share or not share your feelings. But you need to make sure you're honest with yourself. Keeping all of this bottled up won't help."

Frustration bubbled within me, and I lowered my voice to a hushed level. "What's the point, Quinn? Cadence will never feel the same way about me. We're just pretending and we'll never be more than that."

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Quinn finally responded, their voice gentle. "Em, you never know unless you try. Life's too short to let fear hold you back. Take a chance, because you deserve happiness too."

The weight of her words settled on my shoulders, and a sense of longing coursed through me. As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but feel torn. On one hand, Quinn had a point. Holding my feelings inside was only causing me pain and preventing me from being honest with myself and Cadence. But on the other hand, I didn't want to risk ruining our partnership or making things even more awkward between us.

I glanced over at Cadence's door, seeing it close behind her. I couldn't deny that my feelings for her had grown stronger over time, even though I tried to push them away. But what if telling her the truth made things worse? What if she didn't feel the same way?

I went back inside and close the balcony door, leaving the chilly air outside. As I walk towards Cadence's room, I let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the hallway wall, my mind racing with all the what-ifs. I knew I couldn't keep pretending forever, but the thought of being vulnerable and potentially getting hurt was terrifying.