An Unusual Affair

Chapter 28

It was almost midnight when Richard knocked at the door again, cautiously not to wake the quiet neighborhood.

'Emily? Emily, are you in there?' he called out, his voice tinged with desperation. When no answer came, he knocked louder this time.

Emily, sound asleep on the sofa, woke with a start, startled by the knocking. At first, she thought she was dreaming. Confused, she looked around and it took her a few moments to realize where she was. The door knocked again, making her jump. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall—it was half past eleven. 'I've slept for six hours,' she muttered, startled. 'Who could it be at this hour?'

As she searched for her mobile to call Mrs. Swan, Richard knocked once more, feeling a mix of disappointment and anxiety. Emily, hearing the persistent knocking, crept toward the door to retrieve her bag, which she had left near the entrance along with her mask and hat.

Richard was about to leave, his hope dwindling, when he heard a faint creak behind the door.

'There's someone inside. Emily? Emily? Oh please God, let it be Emily. Emily?' Richard called out, his voice growing more urgent.

Hearing the desperation in Richard's voice, Emily quickly opened the door, feeling a surge of guilt. Richard's face lit up with relief as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, plunging them both into darkness.

'Richard, I'm so sorry. I don't know when I dozed off. I should have informed Mrs. Swan that I was here,' Emily said apologetically.

Richard stood there silently, his concern palpable.

'Richard? Richard?' Emily asked, noticing his silence. 'Wait, let me turn on the lights. It's so dark in here.'

She started to move toward the light switch when Richard gently held her hand, stopping her. 'Stay. Please,' he said, his voice laced with concern. He kept holding her hand and continued.

'When I met Vanessa for the first time, I didn't realize she had approached me on purpose because of my money. I liked her friendship. She was lively. She was dependable. By the time I realized she was just with me for my money, I was madly in love with her. And when I discovered she was cheating on me, we were already married and had Hayden. It broke me to pieces.'

He looked up at Emily, the faint street light seeping through the window revealing the pain in his eyes.

'I thought I'd never trust anyone again. I thought I'd never be able to love again. Vanessa's betrayal left a big hole in me that I thought would never heal.'

Richard took a deep breath and continued, 'Last night, Mrs. Swan told me I should not let you and Lily leave us. She said the only way to keep you two beside us was to marry you. I'll be honest. I was scared. I doubted myself as a good husband. I doubted my ability to love again. But I was sure of one thing—I loved you.'

Emily could feel her heartbeat quickening.

'I don't know when it started. I don't know how it started. But I knew for sure that you made me fall in love once more. I needed time to gather the courage to say it out loud. I don't know what the name of the relationship we have right now is, but I wanted to be sure that when I confessed, you would be able to accept me too.'

He moved closer to Emily and said, 'I wanted to heal your wounded heart just as you had healed mine without knowing. I wanted to be a trustworthy presence in your life. I didn't want you to feel that I was proposing because I love you. I wanted it to be a two-way relationship.'

'When I got home today, Mrs. Swan told me you were not there. I called you so many times but there was no answer. It was as if you had disappeared from my life. I panicked. I didn't want to lose you. It was at that moment I realized I could not wait any longer. I needed to make my feelings known.'