Home Is Where The Heart Is (Revenge)

Investigations

Paris, France

Two weeks later

Time was flying, Emily noticed as she looked at the calendar and saw that she had been living in Paris for two weeks now. She had gotten the job as a chambermaid at the Bellevue and was glad to have a job, which she could distract herself. She missed her friends, and although she knew that it was not beneficial to hold on to the past, not a day passed by that she didn't think of Daniel. In the evening, when everything was quiet and she lay in her bed, she wondered whether he thought about her as well or if he had already forgotten her. She knew that it was time to report to Nolan. Especially since she hadn't heard from him since her departure at the airport in New York two weeks ago. But hadn't she asked him herself not to make contact with her? She had been so engrossed in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed that Julia had entered the living room.

"The children are sound asleep," she said smiling and sat down on the sofa to Emily. "Do you want to talk a little? I can't sleep yet."

Emily nodded. Perhaps it was a good opportunity to learn a little more about her roommate. So far, both had worked different shifts and had hardly seen each other at home. Today was Friday, and they were both off from work over the weekend.

"I have to tell you something," Julia began reluctantly, avoiding Emily's gaze. "I should have told you earlier, but I didn't know how. I wanted to get to know you better first and see if I can trust you." She raised her head and looked at Emily with a serious look. "Now I know I can trust you."

"That's... great." Baffled about what that meant, Emily couldn't think of a more intelligent answer. "Is it about your husband?" She said cautiously.

Julia nodded, kneading her hands nervously. "At least indirectly." She took a deep breath. "Julia Hayes is not my real name," she confessed then. "I took on a new identity, because I was afraid that he would find me right away."

What a bizarre coincidence, Emily thought. So she was not the only one to lead a double life. But, unlike Julia, she couldn't risk to reveal her true identity. "That's a... surprise," she exclaimed. And that was it indeed, because among thousands of people who had posted an ad on the Internet, Nolan had sought out someone who shared the same destiny as she did. "Do you want to talk about it?" She began hesitantly.

Julia nodded. "I'm tired of lying all the time! It's good to tell someone the truth."

"Yes, I know the feeling," Emily muttered under her breath, then cleared her throat. "Since when do you live here?"

"For about six months. I'm originally from Ohio. There I also still have family, my mother and two sisters. My dad died when I was a little girl." She took a deep breath. "I never thought I'd leave. I was happy there."

Just like me, Emily thought and sighed inwardly. The last year in the Hamptons had been the happiest of her life. She had found what she had always wanted; a man, a child, a home...

"... And then he lost his job, started to drink and began to punch me..."

As she awoke from her daydream, she realized that Julia had already continued with her story. She tried to concentrate on what the young woman told her, but she was endlessly tired and could barely keep herself awake. The unusual physical work as a chambermaid was exhausting. And hardly an evening passed when she wasn't in bed before midnight. "Excuse me, what did you say?"

"You're tired, aren't you?" Julia said, looking at Emily. "I can still remember how I felt at the beginning. If you aren't accustomed to this kind of work, you have to get used to it slowly."