One Door Closes

Chapter 2

It's funny how quickly my feelings about Graham have changed. I walk beside him, pretending everything is fine, but deep down inside I'm enraged. I can barely look him in the eyes without suppressing the urge to hit him and scream at him.

Emma is very helpful, though. It helps that we're both going through the same situation. We're both mad at ourselves for not seeing the signs sooner, but I'm not mad at her and she appears not be angry with me. Neither of us knew, but now we do and we're not going to let it pass.

I look around the room. Graham invited me to his firm's annual party and I accepted his offer. Everyone is a copy of everyone, it seems. They're all dressed in black and white, but it seems Graham forgot to give me that memo, because I'm wearing a deep purple dress.

Graham tugs my arm and brings his lips to my ear. "I'm going to the bathroom. Meet me there in five minutes?"

I hold back a smile. I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity and he's giving it to me, just like that. "Baby, we're at a party. It's inappropriate." I pretend to be all flushed and hot, but I'm not. I would've been had he not been having an affair for almost two years.

"No, no, it'll be hot. See you in five minutes." He winks and hurries towards the bathroom. I sip my cocktail, raise my eyebrows and smirk as I leave the party to go outside.

Emma is waiting in the hallway of the firm's building. She's wearing an elegant pink dress and her hair is well styled. "How'd it go?" she asks and walks towards me.

"He doesn't suspect a thing. I.. I can't stand to be around him, though. How do you do it?"

Emma tenses her shoulders and swallows. "I feel like blowing my brains out every time he touches me. Yesterday, he visited me during his lunch break and I had to keep myself from yelling at him. I hate him for betraying both of us like this."

I sigh and give Emma a hug. She looks like she could use one and I know I do. It's only been three days since I met her, but it feels like we've been suffering through this for months.

"He's waiting in the bathroom for me to join him. It seems like the perfect opportunity for you to swoop in. If you're still on board."

"Of course I am. Oh, I am going to revel in his discomfort," Emma says and I smile. We take the elevator upstairs to the party, but we don't enter the room at the same time. Perhaps someone knows about Graham's affair, we wouldn't want them to figure out our plan.

We're going to stress him out, make him lose his mind. A party with both of us present seems like the perfect way to start torturing him.

~~~~

Emma's P. O. V.

I've never met any of these people before. In hindsight, I can't believe how incredibly ignorant I've been. There were so many signs that should've made clear what Graham was doing, but I was in love. Well, I don't love him anymore.

The bathroom is not hard to find, even though I've never been here before. I don't know whether Graham will be in the women or men's room, but I suspect the latter. It's not the first time I'll be meeting with him in a public restroom, he really likes it, but it is the first time that he's not expecting me here. He's never said anything to me about a business party.

All stalls are vacant except for one and I knock on its door. "Hi, baby." I cringe. He uses the same nickname for Regina as he does for me and I suddenly hate the word.

I inhale deeply, steadying my nerves, as he opens the door. His face falls. "What are you doing here?" He sounds worried and I try not to show my joy.

"Accompanying you, of course. Your colleague said you were in the bathroom? Who were you expecting?" He seems in utter distress, but I keep my cool.