Chapter 54 Buried Truths
"Alright, Henry, time for the important questions," Roxanne declared, twirling her fork in the air like a gavel. "If you had to be any kitchen utensil, which one would you be? And before you answer, know that your entire credibility as Emilia's boyfriend hinges on this."
Henry, who had just taken a sip of water, nearly choked as he chuckled. He glanced at Emilia, who was already shaking her head as if to warn him that this was only the beginning. He reached for her hand under the table, lacing his fingers through hers while giving her a soft squeeze, as if bracing for whatever interrogation Roxanne had in store. The warmth of his palm against hers sent a reassuring wave through her, grounding her in the moment.
"I suppose I'd be a spatula," he said thoughtfully, watching Roxanne's reaction.
"A spatula?!" Roxanne gasped, scandalized. "That is the most noncommittal utensil! You're just flipping things over, no strong opinions, just going with the flow. I don't know, Henry. I expected more from you."
Emilia laughed, squeezing his hand back. "Be careful, Henry. Once she starts, she doesn't stop."
"Fine," Henry conceded. "Then I'd be... a whisk."
"A whisk?!" Roxanne clapped her hands together. "Now we're talking! So, you like to stir things up, keep things moving? Love a little controlled chaos?"
Henry raised a brow. "Is that a good answer?"
"It's acceptable," Roxanne said with a regal nod. "But let's really get into it. What's your go-to karaoke song? And if you say something like 'I don't do karaoke,' I swear I will make you sing right now."
Henry smirked. "Oh, I do karaoke." He turned to Emilia. "You want to tell her, or should I?"
Emilia groaned, covering her face with her free hand. "You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, but I would," Henry said, grinning. "It's 'Livin' on a Prayer.'"
Roxanne gasped again, as if he had just confessed to a great crime. "Henry Kingsley, you're a legend. Do you go all in? High notes and everything?"
Henry nodded solemnly. "All in."
Roxanne turned to Emilia with wide eyes. "And you're dating this man? Knowing full well he does a dramatic rendition of Bon Jovi?"
Emilia peeked through her fingers. "It was a risk, but here we are."
Roxanne cackled. "I love it. Okay, okay, now for the real dirt. Has Em ever told you the time she tried to give herself a haircut in college?"
Henry turned to Emilia, who groaned even louder. "No, but I absolutely need to hear this."
"No, you don't," Emilia insisted, but Roxanne was already on a roll.
"So, picture this—Emilia, sophomore year, decides she's tired of her ends looking 'blah.' Mind you, she has no haircutting experience, but that did not stop her from grabbing a pair of kitchen scissors and going to town in the bathroom mirror." Roxanne paused for dramatic effect. "Only to realize, mid-chop, that she had no idea how to cut in a straight line."
Henry bit his lip to keep from laughing. "How bad was it?"
"Let's just say," Roxanne said, "she walked around for two weeks with a side part so deep it looked like a comb-over. I had to beg her to go to a salon."
Emilia groaned again, but there was a smile on her face. "You are the worst."
"No, no," Roxanne corrected. "I am the best, because now your boyfriend knows all your secrets."
Henry brought Emilia's hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "I love knowing all your secrets."
Emilia rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile as Roxanne threw her hands up in victory. "This is the best day ever," she declared. "I should have interrogated you sooner, Henry. This is delightful."
Henry just laughed, then tilted his head at Roxanne. "Well, I hope when the time comes, you'll be there to grill me at the wedding too."
Roxanne smirked. "Oh, Henry, I won't just be there—I'll be front and center with a microphone and a list of even harder questions."
Henry chuckled, looking at Emilia with warmth in his eyes. "I'd expect nothing less."
As Emilia stood to start clearing the table, Henry placed a firm yet gentle hand on her arm. "No way," he said, shaking his head. "You and Roxanne just sit and relax."
Roxanne's eyes gleamed with approval. "I like this one," she declared before grabbing Emilia and practically dragging her toward the couch. "Come on, we have important lounging to do."
As soon as they sat, the conversation took off in every direction—movies they hadn't seen, books Emilia still needed to read, why Roxanne was convinced every person should own a pair of fuzzy socks.
Henry finished clearing the table and pulled out his phone, sending a quick text before making his way to the couch. Without hesitation, he took a seat next to Emilia, draping his arm casually across the backrest.
"Alright, back to business, Henry. More hard-hitting questions," Roxanne announced.
Henry chuckled. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
After several more rounds of playful interrogation, Henry leaned forward slightly. "Actually, before we get too carried away, I have something for both of you."
Roxanne narrowed her eyes. "Oh? A surprise?"
Henry smirked. "I've scheduled an entire pampering day for you both—massages, facials, the whole works."
The room fell silent. Emilia blinked. Roxanne stared.
"You... did what now?" Roxanne finally managed.
Henry shrugged. "You both deserve it."
Roxanne clutched her chest. "Henry, I take back every hard question. You are my favorite person."
Emilia was still processing. "You... how did you even—?"
Henry just smiled. "Because I know you. And I love you."
Roxanne threw her hands in the air. "Emilia, if you don't marry this man, I will."
Emilia looked at Henry, touched beyond words. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Everything will be fine," he murmured. "I have some work things to attend to, but I'll be seeing you both for dinner tonight at La Belle Lumière."
Emilia blushed and whispered, "Thank you."
Henry brushed his fingers against her cheek. "Always."
With that, Emilia and Roxanne headed out for their spa day, while Henry walked out with determination in his stride.
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Henry was walking to his parents' suite, his phone still in his grip after sending the text. He knew his brothers would be here soon, but that did little to calm the storm brewing inside of him. [This story is exclusively available for free only on Wattpad. If you see it anywhere else, it has been stolen.] The images, the threats, the razor blade—someone was playing a cruel game, and Emilia was the target.
Elias and Linda were outside, basking in the gentle warmth of the sun on the front deck of their suite, when they spotted their son approaching. The furrow in his brow, the tension in his jaw—Henry was troubled.
Linda immediately stood, concern washing over her features. "Henry? What's wrong?"
He glanced between his mother and father, his voice tight. "Can we talk in private?"
Moments later, Beau and Jason arrived, their faces etched with curiosity and worry. Once inside, Henry took a deep breath and told them everything—the disturbing photos, the game, the razor blade, and the horrifying connection to Zoey's favorite cake.
As the weight of his words settled over the room, Linda's breath hitched. "Red velvet... I remember." She exhaled sharply, a memory surfacing. "I made a chocolate cake once. A rich, delicious one. Zoey hated it. She took one bite and threw it at the wall. She only wanted red velvet. I should have known... she was always so particular."
Elias rubbed a hand over his face. "We believed she died, Henry. We were told. Her mother was at the hospital... I remember her calling us, breaking down over the phone. But now that I think about it... we weren't allowed to see her."
Henry's stomach twisted. The room felt smaller, tighter, suffocating. He had spent years believing Zoey was gone, buried under the weight of her own demons. But if what his parents were saying was true, if they had only ever been told she was dead, then what did that mean? His mind raced through every memory, every conversation. Had they all been lied to? And if so—why?
Linda nodded, eyes distant. "It never made sense, but we didn't question it. We were just told she was gone. That was it."
Jason ran a hand through his hair. "So, if she's alive... does that mean she's the one behind all this?"
Beau folded his arms, shaking his head. "Or is someone else using her name, her memories? Someone who wants us to think it's Zoey?"
Henry leaned forward, his hands gripping his knees. His heart pounded. "What do I do? I need to protect Em, but this is too much. Who would be targeting her?"
Beau's gaze darkened as he mulled over the possibilities. "Maybe it's the ex-fiancé?"
Henry shook his head immediately. "Chase Blackwood was just as shocked as I was when I got that voice message. He even wanted to come with me to find Em, but I left without a word."
Jason smirked, attempting to lighten the mood. "Yeah, well, he's too busy with Hallie Rogers anyway."
Linda shuddered. "That Hallie Rogers is a terrible actress. I worked with her once. She was over the top, always trying too hard. Nobody liked her."
Elias brought the conversation back into focus. "We need to figure out if this is Zoey or someone else. If it's her... why now? And if it isn't, who the hell is behind this?"
Beau nodded. "We need a plan. We split up—one of us digs into Zoey's past, see if there's any trace of her. Another looks into Emilia's past, in case there's something we're missing."
Henry exhaled sharply. "And Em?"
Jason straightened. "We tighten security. No more going anywhere alone, not even for a second. I'll call in some guys I trust to keep an eye on her from a distance."
Elias added, "I'll reach out to some of my contacts. If Zoey is alive, someone knows something. We just have to find the right person."
Henry swallowed hard. "And if it is Zoey?"
Linda placed a hand on her son's shoulder, her voice firm, unwavering. "Then we stop her. Or whoever is doing this. We will protect Emilia at all costs, Henry. She's your happy ending. And we all love her."
Elias nodded; his eyes heavy with emotion. "No matter who or what we're up against, we end this."
A silent agreement passed between them all. The storm was coming, but Henry knew one thing for certain—he would fight tooth and nail to keep Emilia safe.
Because happy endings were worth fighting for.
Even if it meant going through hell to get there.