An Unusual Affair

Chapter 1

'Lily, I have packed your lunch. Come down quickly, or we'll miss the bus,' called Emily from downstairs.

It was Lily's first day at Rivertide Elementary. The mother-daughter duo had recently moved to the town of Rivertide, as it had a reputation for being a very safe place to live in. Emily, Lily's mother, and a young woman in her early thirties was rumored to be a widow. Rumored because her husband went fishing with his friends one morning five years ago and hasn't returned since. No one knows if he has actually died or just left his one-year-old daughter and a young wife and eloped with someone else. 

'Coming Mom,' came Lily's voice from her room upstairs. The school was about a half-hour bus ride from their home. 

'Mom you can stay home to open the bakery on time. Don't worry about me. The bus stops right in front of the school anyway so there won't be any problem.' Lily reassured as she descended the stairs, adjusting her backpack.

'You know I won't rest the whole day unless I will send you off myself.' She gently took Lily's hand, and together they stepped out into the early and chilly winter morning.

Hayden and Richard sat at the breakfast table, the bleak morning sun streaming through the high windows in the dining room.

'Dad, are you going abroad next week?' Hayden inquired.

'Yeah. You can go to stay with your mom if you want. Since your school has started, I won't be able to take you along this time,' Richard replied, engrossed in the newspaper.

'No, I'll stay here. Mrs. Swan is with me. Don't worry,' Hayden reassured, casting a smile towards their housekeeper.

'He's safe with me, Master Richard. You can carry on with your plans without worrying,' Mrs. Swan assured, serving Hayden a sandwich.

Richard trusted Mrs. Swan more than his wife. She had been a part of the Sterling household since her early twenties and had a fondness for Hayden.

'Very well. I'll leave him to you, then, Mrs. Swan,' Richard said, setting down his newspaper. 'And be quick with your food, Hayden. I have a meeting to attend after dropping you off at school.'

With that, Richard stood up and headed outside towards his car. He always made sure to accompany Hayden when dropping him off at school. The driver had already stowed Hayden's bag and Richard's files in the back seat.

The drive to school was unusually quiet today. Hayden felt a sense of sadness because his dad was leaving for a week. He enjoyed going to school with him, but he understood that his dad's work was demanding.

Richard Sterling was the owner of Sterling Security Solutions, the oldest and most renowned company not only in Rivertide but also making a mark in the global market. The Sterlings were the oldest residents of the town, owning most of the houses in Rivertide. In addition to providing security to the entire town, the Sterlings were expanding their business into real estate. Their influence extended beyond just safeguarding the community.

'Don't be sad, Hayden. I'll be back before you even know it,' Richard reassured while driving. The morning roads were not too busy yet.

'I know, Dad, but it's no fun without you around,' Hayden replied, gazing out of the window.

The car stopped at a red light. Richard turned towards Hayden and said, 'I talked to your teacher, but she refused to let you off since the session started just two weeks ago. She wants you to adjust well and make lots of friends.' He patted Hayden's hair. 'Cheer up now. I am going next week, not today.'

Hayden continued to gaze outside. A bus passed by, and he caught a glimpse of a girl staring out of the window, looking sad.

'That girl seems as sad as me,' Hayden remarked, sitting up straight.

'Maybe her dad is also going somewhere without her,' Richard said, chuckling.

In the passing bus, Lily indeed felt a pang of sadness. She turned away from the window, looking towards her mother. Anxious about her first day in a new class, Lily was also saddened by the thought of being away from her mother for most of the day. She understood the hard work her mother put in to provide a comfortable life for her. 

The bus arrived at the school simultaneously with Richard's car. Lily stepped off the bus, holding her mother's hand. As they crossed the pedestrian crossing, Richard caught a fleeting glimpse of the mother and daughter duo as he got out of his car to help Hayden with his bag. In that brief moment, Richard felt a peculiar tug in his stomach as he looked at Emily.

'She has such an innocent and beautiful face,' Richard thought to himself, handing Hayden his bag and hugging him.

'I'll send Peter to pick you up. Don't be mischievous, and be safe, okay?' Richard said, squatting down in front of his son.

'Okay. See you at dinner, Dad,' Hayden replied, heading inside his school.

Richard sat back in the car and kept looking at the gate of the school. Unintentionally, he waited there for a few minutes, in the hopes of seeing that beautiful face again. It was not until his phone rang that he shook his head at the absurdity of the thoughts he was having and drove towards his office. 

Emily helped Lily get to her class. Once Lily had settled down, Emily left the school and hurried back home to open the bakery.

The day went by slowly. Richard's thoughts often drifted to the face that he had seen in the morning. Although he had just seen the woman's side profile, he wondered how she looked. Emily on the other hand was struggling to keep up with her workload. With baking and dealing with customers simultaneously, she found it quite exhausting to keep everything under control. 

In the evening, while having dinner, Hayden told Richard all about what happened in the school that day. 

'Dad there is a new student who has joined our class. Her name is Lily. And guess what, she is the same girl I saw sitting on the bus in the morning.' Hayden said in excitement. 

'That's great.' Richard replied. He wasn't much of a talker while eating food.

'And Dad she is a very beautiful girl. All the boys in the class wanted to talk to her but she was so shy, she couldn't talk to anyone except one person.' Hayden said, looking at his Father expecting some reaction from him. 

When Hayden kept on looking at his father, Richard raised his eyebrows and asked, 'And I wonder who could that be?' Although he had guessed the answer himself.

'Me. She only talked to me because the teacher made her sit next to me.' Hayden said. 

A big smile appeared on Richard's face seeing the proud and satisfied expression on his son's face. His actions while explaining the situation were very amusing.

'Now that's an accomplishment I must say.' Richard said in a teasing tone, suppressing his laughter. 

'Daaaad,' Hayden exclaimed acknowledging the sarcasm. 

'Come on now finish your dinner.' Richard said as his phone began to ring.

Seeing the name on the screen, his expression became somber. He picked up his phone and rushed out of the dining hall.

'Hello!' Richard said answering the call once he was in his study.

'Good Evening Sir. I hope I am not disturbing you at this time.' Mr. Stener spoke on the other end of the call. 

'No, no, it is fine. I was waiting for your call.' Richard replied standing by the window. 

'Thank you, Sir. Sir, your divorce papers are ready as you had requested. But I would recommend that you don't initiate it as yet.' the lawyer said cautiously. 

'Why is that so?' Richard asked coldly. 

'Actually Sir, the amount that is going to be transferred to your wife as per the court's orders is going to be quite high once the case is decided. Your wife has played it very cleverly. We have to think of a loophole.' Mr Stener said quickly, waiting for an angry outburst from his short-tempered client. 

'I'll think about it.' Richard replied and hung up the call.