CHAPTER FORTY-THREE Emily
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Emily
I t’s my fifth day here in Joshua’s apartment, and so far, I’ve managed to add a plant and three throw pillows. No, I’m not just leaving marks here, he literally told me to treat this place as I would treat my own, and he insisted that I add anything to make me happy.
And, yes. An indoor plant and white throw pillows with a floral accent make me happy.
I’ve already resigned from the club. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I knew it was the right one. I’m on my way home from dinner with Claire, my heart still racing from the conversation we had. I had an idea to ask for her help in setting up our own firm. At first, I thought she’d hesitate. She’s always been the more cautious one, the one who loves her stability. But, much to my surprise, she didn’t just go along with it—she was on board. She saw the potential too.
At first, there was hesitation in her voice, but it melted away when she agreed. She agreed that it’s about time women in finance have a place where they can feel safe, supported, and valued.
She’s going to be in charge of the legal stuff, since I can’t technically own anything as a non-citizen here. But we’re working to make it a partnership soon. In the meantime, I’m going to handle operations, source clients, and find the right team. I can’t wait to steal Ben’s clients. She’ll make sure the legal side of things is solid. Together, we’ll build it from the ground up, and for the first time in my life, I can see the future clearly. It’s mine to shape.
So, there’s my career. Finally something I can be proud of.
And I’m also proud of myself. I took the first step. I took control. I didn’t wait for permission or for some magical moment when everything aligned. I did it. I made the decision to build something for myself, something that belongs to me and me alone.
And that thought, more than anything, fills me with a sense of peace. A calm that I haven’t felt in a long time. Maybe it’s my time now. And I’m excited to see where it takes me.
I return to the apartment practically skipping, my mind still racing with the conversation I had with Claire. My heart feels lighter than it has in weeks, and I can’t wait to tell Joshua about the new direction I’m considering. But before I even get the chance to drop my things by the door, Joshua comes rushing toward me, his eyes wide with an urgency that’s hard to ignore.
“My uncle’s here,” he blurts out, his voice pitched higher than usual.
“Okay…” I trail off, looking at him, confused. What is so urgent about that?
“He, uh, still thinks you’re my girlfriend,” he adds quickly, running a hand through his hair like he always does when he’s frazzled.
I blink, trying to process the words. “Oh,” I say, arching an eyebrow. “One more for the road, I guess?”
“You’re fine with that?” he asks.
“Sure,” I say. I sneak past him and turn around. “You ready, baby?”
He just blinks, and for a second I freeze. Was I being too callous with this? But then, Joshua’s grin widens. “Yeah, give me a sec.” He puts his arm around me, and we walk inside.
I follow him into the living room, where his uncle is already lounging on the couch, looking at us expectantly. His eyes light up when he sees us enter.
“There you are!” he exclaims, standing up and offering his hand to me. “Emily, so good to see you!”
I shake his hand, a polite smile on my face. “It’s great to see you too, sir.”
“Sir?” He chuckles, shaking his head. “Please, call me Tito Luis. You’re practically family now, aren’t you?”
I glance up at Joshua, who just smiles down at me like this is the most normal thing in the world. “Practically,” I echo with a small laugh.
We settle onto the couch, Joshua keeping his arm firmly around my shoulders. Tito Luis eyes us both with a knowing smile before leaning back into his seat. “So,” he starts, clasping his hands together. “How long have you two been together?”
“About a month,” Joshua says smoothly, leaning slightly forward. His answer is so confident that even I almost believe him.
I nod in agreement, offering a warm smile. Has it really only been a month since this whole charade began? It feels like a lifetime.
“So it’s all new, huh?” Tito Luis says, glancing between us.
“Yeah, all new,” I reply, letting my hand rest casually on Joshua’s thigh. The gesture feels natural, or at least I hope it does. “But we’ve known each other for years, so there’s that.”
Joshua glances down at me, his lips twitching in approval at my quick thinking. Then, with a grin, he says, “In fact, I’ve been convincing her to move in with me.”
I whirl to face him, my eyes wide. “You have?”
Joshua doesn’t falter, his expression softening as he looks at me, his voice dropping into something almost tender. “Of course, honey. We’ve been talking about it for days, remember?”
I blink up at him, my mind racing as I try to keep my cool. “Oh... right,” I say with a forced laugh. “Those late-night conversations. How could I forget?”
Tito Luis beams at us, clearly delighted. “That’s fantastic news! Since you’ve known each other a long time, I guess you’ve skipped the whole getting-to-know stage. Lucky—that stage is usually the deal-breaker.”
“Oh?” I say, tilting my head in mock curiosity. “You’re still in the dating pool, Tito?”
“About to give up on it and embrace singlehood,” he says with a dramatic sigh. “I honestly thought Joshua would follow in my footsteps. Thankfully, you talked some sense into him.”
I chuckle nervously, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “I didn’t really convince him or anything—”
“I didn’t need convincing,” Joshua interrupts, his voice firm but laced with affection.
It’s then that I realize his hand has shifted to my lower back, his thumb tracing small, absent circles there. The gesture is so subtle, so intimate, that it sends a shiver down my spine.
“Well, whatever you did, it worked,” Tito Luis says, raising his mug in a mock toast. “You two make a great team. I’m happy for you, Josh. You’ve got yourself a keeper.”
I laugh softly, unsure how to respond. But before I can say anything, Joshua leans down slightly, his voice low enough for only me to hear.
“Hear that? Great team,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear.
I glance up at him, and for a moment, our eyes meet. The teasing glint in his gaze is there, but beneath it, something softer lingers.
We spend the night chatting with each other. Tito Luis tells stories of when Joshua was younger, how he always worked harder than anyone else. He’s direct, and you can tell he respects the way Joshua has carved his own path. He speaks about Joshua’s work ethic, how he never settles for less than the best, how he always finds a way to overcome obstacles, no matter how difficult.
“There’s not a single project he’s been given that he hasn’t knocked out of the park,” his uncle says, shaking his head in awe. “The kid’s got this rare ability to focus on the details and still see the bigger picture. I’ve seen a lot of people work hard, but Joshua... he works smart. And that’s a rare quality.”
Joshua, who’s been listening quietly, doesn’t seem embarrassed by the praise. Instead, he smiles in that humble way he does, his gaze soft but sincere.
I sigh. Because Joshua isn’t just attractive, or kind, or dependable. He’s all of those things, yes, but there’s more. He’s sharp, humble, and so incredibly capable. And he makes everything feel effortless.
And since today is a day that I decided to want things for myself—from finally making the leap to start building my own firm, to taking control of my career and my future—I’ve also come to terms with something else. I want Joshua. Not just because he’s everything I thought I wanted, but because he’s everything I didn’t know I needed. And that’s a realization I can’t ignore any longer.
Joshua
As Tito Luis leaves, Emily and I are left alone again. Back to reality.
This is the first time we’ve been alone since… well, since I blurted out more than I intended that day in the café. Since she brushed it off. Since she showed up here and started taking care of me when I’m sick and planting flowers and throw pillows in my life like they belonged.
This is so confusing. Should I open it up again? Did she forget what I said yesterday?
“Well, that went well,” Emily says.
“Better than I thought,” I reply.
Silence ensues, and I hate it. Is this what she meant when she said we should just be friends? I don’t like it at all.
“How was your dinner with Claire?” I ask.
“Oh, it was great!” Her face brightens for a moment. “We decided to set up our own firm—well, Claire’s going to lead since, you know, I’m just the immigrant.” She tacks on an exaggerated eye roll, but there’s an edge to her words that’s impossible to miss.
“Emily.” My voice softens, and she looks at me, her expression wary but open. “You’re not just anything. We both know you’re the brains behind all this.”
She blinks, like she wasn’t expecting that. “Thanks,” she says, her voice quiet now.
The air between us shifts. Her eyes meet mine, and suddenly it’s there again—that electricity, humming between us like a live wire. I don’t know if she feels it too, or if I’m just imagining it, but the way her lips part slightly, like she’s about to speak, makes my chest tighten.
We’re still not talking about what I said at the café. About how I let it slip that I wanted to be more than friends. And maybe that’s for the best. This moment feels delicate, like it could shatter if I pushed too hard.
“You’ll do great with the firm,” I say softly, almost too softly. “I’m proud of you, you know.”
Something flickers across her face—surprise, maybe, or disbelief. She looks down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “I don’t hear that often,” she murmurs, as if the words weren’t meant for me.
“You should,” I reply, the words hanging between us, heavy with everything I’m not saying.
Her eyes meet mine again, and this time, I can see something sparkle there.
“You know, you always talk about not being the ‘good guy,’” she starts, her voice trembling slightly. “About how you’re not the kind of guy people should depend on. But…” She hesitates, as if searching for the right words. “You’re the kindest person I know. The most reliable person in my life right now. And I just thought you should know that.”
I want to laugh at that, to tell her she’s wrong, but the way she’s looking at me stops me. Instead, I say, “You make it easy.”
She exhales a quiet laugh, the tension between us easing just enough to make me think we’re okay. But then she shifts, glancing toward the hallway. “We should get some rest.”
“Yeah,” I say, stepping aside as she moves past me.
But she doesn’t walk away immediately. She pauses in the doorway, her back to me. “Good night, Joshua.”
Her voice is soft, almost hesitant, and I feel the weight of everything unsaid pressing down on my chest.
“Good night, Emily,” I reply, and she disappears into her room, the sound of her door closing behind her echoing in the quiet.
I stand there in the empty living room, staring at the space where she stood just moments ago. My heart is heavy with everything I didn’t say, everything I wanted to say.
The sound of her door closing feels like an ending. Or maybe just a pause. An ellipsis that leaves me waiting, hoping, for what comes next.