Chapter 44
Most of what Emma knew about Lawrence's changing habits had come from the family's longtime housekeeper, who had a habit of mentioning little things whenever Emma was around.
Lawrence was drinking less. He was sleeping better. He'd even started eating at normal hours.
Emma had simply remembered those details at the right moment.
And she hadn't exactly lied. If a paid stand-in had managed to improve Lawrence's life this much, imagine what Isabelle could do once the real thing was back in the picture.
As far as Emma was concerned, her birthday speech had been perfectly reasonable.
It also had the advantage of costing her nothing.
If she'd actually wanted to buy Mrs. Vance a gift, they could have stopped somewhere on the way. Emma just hadn't felt particularly inspired to spend her own money on a birthday present for a woman she'd never met.
Lawrence, meanwhile, was still thinking about what she'd said.
She was right. His habits had changed. He hadn't realized how many of those changes Emma had noticed.
His expression softened as he looked at her.
She really did care about him.
The irony was that Emma hadn't needed to bring anything in the first place. Lawrence had already given his mother an antique porcelain piece and told her he'd chosen it with his girlfriend.
At this point, Mrs. Vance's expectations for the woman Lawrence chose were surprisingly simple. More than anything, she wanted someone who genuinely cared about her son and put him first.
From everything she'd heard, Emma seemed to be exactly that kind of woman.
In fact, Mrs. Vance was the reason Emma was here tonight.
The family's longtime housekeeper had spoken well of her, and after hearing about Emma often enough, Mrs. Vance had become curious.
The fact that Emma had originally entered Lawrence's life because of Isabelle didn't concern her much.
Whatever the arrangement had been at the beginning, feelings could change.
She wanted to meet Emma herself.
Isabelle's smile had gone stiff.
She'd gone to considerable trouble to choose a birthday gift, only for Emma to walk in empty-handed and somehow turn Lawrence himself into the better present.
Worse, Mrs. Vance actually seemed amused.
"Mrs. Vance, you look younger every time I see you," Isabelle said, trying again.
Mrs. Vance walked toward the sitting area.
"What good would that do me?"
Isabelle opened her mouth, then closed it again.
A member of the household staff approached. "Mrs. Vance, would you like us to serve dinner?"
"Not yet." Mrs. Vance checked the time. "We're still waiting for someone."
Isabelle's attention sharpened.
Someone else was coming?
It didn't take long for her to guess who.
Nathan Grant.
The current head of the Grant family.
Lawrence clearly knew he was expected. He glanced at Emma and said, "Come upstairs with me."
Emma nodded and followed him without asking why.
Isabelle watched the two of them disappear up the stairs, irritation twisting in her stomach. What did Lawrence need to discuss with Emma that couldn't be said in front of everyone else?
Was he doing this deliberately?
Did he really expect Isabelle to be the one who swallowed her pride and begged him to take her back?
Mr. Vance noticed she was still standing.
"Have a seat, Isabelle. No need to stand around."
"Thank you."
She sat, though she had no idea what to say next.
Mrs. Vance had never cared for crowded social gatherings, especially at home. When she said family dinner, she meant it. She didn't invite people she wasn't close to, and she had no interest in surrounding herself with guests simply so they could flatter her.
Isabelle had shown up uninvited. Mrs. Vance wasn't going to throw her out on her birthday, but that was about as far as the hospitality went.
So Isabelle sat beside Mr. Vance and tried to make conversation.
It wasn't going particularly well.
Upstairs, Lawrence opened the door to his old bedroom.
He'd grown up in this house, though he hadn't lived here for years. There had been a period when things between him and his family were particularly strained because of Isabelle, and he'd moved out. Even after the relationship with his parents improved, he'd never bothered moving back.
Living alone suited him better.
His bedroom, however, had remained almost exactly as he'd left it. Someone still cleaned it regularly, and very little had changed.
Emma walked in behind him and immediately noticed a framed photograph on one of the shelves.
Lawrence and Isabelle.
They were standing side by side somewhere outdoors, looking very much like two tourists posing for a vacation photo. There was nothing particularly intimate about it, but Lawrence looked younger, and his expression carried a trace of awkward shyness Emma had never seen on him before.
Huh.
Kind of cute.
Lawrence followed her gaze and frowned.
He'd completely forgotten that photo was still there.
He rubbed the side of his nose. "Emma, I need to talk to you."
She turned back to him, and her expression softened almost automatically.
"What is it?"
Lawrence took a breath.
"I'm ending our contract."
Emma blinked.
"Okay."
Lawrence paused.
That was calmer than he'd expected.
Emma, on the other hand, had known this day would come eventually. The timing was a little sudden, but contracts ended. Clients moved on.
That was the job.
"I've already had my assistant transfer everything I owe you," Lawrence continued. "Including tonight."
Emma reached into her purse for her phone.
Sure enough, a bank notification had arrived a minute earlier. Her pay for the month was there, along with the extra amount for the late evening and her transportation expenses.
Emma's mood improved immediately.
Lawrence Vance remained an excellent client right to the end.
At this rate, if he and Isabelle ever got married, Emma might even send them a card.
"Next—"
A knock at the door interrupted him.
"Mr. Vance? Your mother wants you downstairs. Your guest has arrived."
Lawrence stopped.
He'd wanted to finish this conversation before Nathan arrived. Once everything was clear between him and Emma, he could introduce her properly as his girlfriend rather than as someone bound to him by a contract.
But keeping Nathan waiting downstairs would irritate his mother.
It could wait a few minutes.
Emma would understand soon enough.
"We'll finish this later," Lawrence said. "Come on."
Emma slipped her phone back into her purse and followed him downstairs.
Nathan had already arrived.
Mrs. Vance's manner toward him was noticeably warmer than it had been with anyone else that evening.
"You came alone?"
Nathan sat across from her with a cup of tea in one hand.
"Aunt May told me you've been seeing someone," Mrs. Vance continued. "Nearly a year, apparently, and you still haven't brought her to meet me."
Nathan lifted the cup to his lips.
He was just about to answer when Lawrence's voice came from the staircase.
"Nathan."
Nathan looked up.
Lawrence was coming down the stairs with Emma beside him.
His hand stilled around the teacup.