As Ethan settled into his new life with Samantha and Lily, Jessica continued to complicate things. She used every opportunity to undermine him, manipulating Emma and feeding her resentment toward Ethan. Jessica's bitterness over the divorce had only grown, and she wasn't about to let Ethan move on easily.
One afternoon, while Ethan was at work, he received a call from Jessica.
"You're really something, Ethan," Jessica sneered. "Moving on so quickly, parading your new girlfriend around."
Ethan frowned, leaning back in his chair. "Jessica, what do you want?"
"I just thought you should know that Emma's been talking about how you've replaced her mother with your new fling," Jessica said, her tone dripping with malice. "She's hurt, Ethan. You're just making things worse."
Ethan clenched his jaw, trying to keep his temper in check. "This isn't about Samantha. Emma's upset because of the divorce, not because I'm seeing someone new."
"Keep telling yourself that," Jessica said with a cold laugh. "But don't be surprised when Emma wants nothing to do with you anymore."
Ethan ended the call, his hands shaking with frustration. Jessica was trying to turn Emma against him, using their daughter as a pawn in her own twisted game. It was a cruel tactic, but one that Ethan couldn't fight directly. All he could do was continue being there for Lily and hope that Emma would eventually see through her mother's manipulation.
But the more Jessica meddled, the harder it became for Ethan to believe that Emma would ever forgive him.
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Deception in Silicon Heights
Short StoryHere's a compelling story description In the heart of Silicon Valley, Ethan Turner is an ambitious employee at one of the country's biggest tech companies, struggling to balance his demanding career with a troubled home life. Married to Jessica, a m...
