As a reader who loves betrayal stories I often wonder how the previous hero or heroine feels when their partner moves on with someone else. I've always wanted a glimpse into how it makes them feel to see them happy with someone else, when once upon a time they were yours.
So this is a little bonus epilogue. It's Grant's POV of seeing Emily at a wedding three years after they break up. How he feels seeing her and knowing he still loves her. Probably always will. Seeing her with Aidan.
Enjoy x
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I couldn't believe I was in the same room as Emily. I hadn't seen her in over three years. She'd cut all contact with me after I blew our world apart. It had taken me months to accept it but a conversation with my father finally made me let her go. He'd made me realise that what I was doing wasn't right and that if I didn't stop she'd eventually go to the police. It wasn't the threat of the police that made me walk away, it was the way my mum had cried when she'd described how upset Emily was when she'd sought them out to try and talk me into leaving her alone.
I still missed her and looking at her today she was even more beautiful than I remembered. Nobody compared to her.
I'd been with a handful of women in the last three years but nothing serious. How could I give my heart to anyone when she still owned it. I felt my stomach turn as I approached her. Unsure of the first thing to say to her after all this time I kept it simple.
"Hi Emily."
She turned at the sound of my voice and smiled. That beautiful smile I'd taken for granted was pointed in my direction for the first time in over one thousand days. Oh how I'd missed it.
It had to be a good sign that she was smiling right. She wasn't scowling at me or telling me to fuck off. Her smile felt genuine, as if she was happy to see me. She stepped forward and placed a soft kiss against my cheek as I held her to me. She still smelled the same. God how I'd missed her smell. I hated letting her go but didn't want to scare her by coming on too strong.
"Hello Grant. I didn't know you were coming to the wedding."
"I wasn't going to be able to make it originally but I shifted some things at work and was able to RSVP last minute."
At the mention of work her face fell a little before she smiled, a little less brightly now. Fuck! Why would I mention work. Thank god she didn't know I'd only RSVP'd yes once I'd heard from a mutual friend that she was attending.
"Not sure if you remember but I don't work at Kent and Brockman any more Emily. I couldn't stay there after what happened. I'm at Baxter and Finch now. Not as prestigious a firm but much better people."
She gave me a sad smile and then reached out to touch my arm.
"In spite of how we ended Grant I'm very sorry that happened to you. I wish you'd spoken up earlier. You didn't deserve to lose your job. Those men were truly awful people. You shouldn't have been basically fired."
She couldn't help but be kind to me. Even after all I'd done. That's just who she was.
"I'm not sorry. I never should have stayed working in a company with that environment. I'll regret it every day for the rest of my life. The way I hurt you. I'll never forgive myself for that. I'm still sorry."
She took a sip from her glass of wine and I knew I had to shoot my shot. I'd regret it if I didn't at least try.
"Emily I've changed a lot these last three years, I was wondering..."
I never got to finish that sentence because she was now looking past my shoulder. A smile on her face that completely lit her up. The kind of smile she used to greet me with when I came through the door after a long day. A very different smile to the one I'd just received.
Turning my head I saw a tall, dark haired man approaching us.
"Sorry Em. I got caught up helping Gia with her grandparents."
"No problems honey. I know she was worried about them getting through that car park with all the loose gravel so I'm glad you were there to give her a hand."
Without even acknowledging me he leaned in and kissed her. It was a claiming kiss, with both hands on either side of her face and she melted into him. The blush on her face afterwards reminded me of so many moments in our past. Moments I'd never have again because I chased after the wrong things.
"You looked so beautiful walking down that aisle I could barely stay in my seat. I've been dying to kiss you for the last thirty minutes."
He wasn't wrong. She'd been the most beautiful bridesmaid today. I wouldn't say it out loud but she definitely outshined the bride too.
Acknowledging me finally he turned and extended his hand.
"Hello. I'm Aidan. Emily's husband."
At the word husband I felt the colour drain from my face. Looking down I noticed the large ruby and diamond rings on her left hand. How had I missed that? His name rang a bell. Then I realised he was the fucker who was on stage with her that night. He was the one who whisked her away from me. He was the owner of that Hoodie I'd shoved into the hallway garbage chute.
She was now shifting her feet awkwardly. Looking from Aidan to me. I could tell she felt uncomfortable and was worried about me causing a scene. The last few times we'd seen each other I'd been so volatile it was no wondering she was anxious. I didn't want that. I didn't want her upset by me ever again. I cleared my throat and for once chose to be a decent guy.
"Congratulations Emily. Aidan you've got yourself a great girl. The best."
"I know."
Just two words and his voice was hard but the smile she gave him made my heart ache. The way she looked at him. Those smiles used to be mine. When she turned to me her smile dropped a little and she looked sad. There were tears in her eyes the longer she looked at me. Was she thinking about all the times we'd talked about getting engaged and I'd never followed through. Talked about the kind of ring I'd buy her and never did. The ring she didn't know about that I still had in my bedside drawer, that I'd never have a chance to give her now. I wondered if she ever thought about our conversations about the type of wedding we'd have one day. How excited my mum was at the prospect of having a daughter to take wedding dress shopping. Because of me our one day never came.
No more tomorrows for me. They were now all his.
"Emily we need you for photos." The wedding coordinator was beckoning her towards the side door that lead to the garden.
"You go beautiful. I'll see you later. Don't forget to ask if the photographer can get a shot of us in front of that jacaranda tree out back. I know how much you love those flowers."
She gave him a happy smile then. Obviously thankful he'd remembered such a small detail about her. Had I remembered that? I didn't think so.
"Okay. Hopefully we won't be too long. I know Sophie doesn't want too many posed shots. Good seeing you Grant. Hope you enjoy the evening."
With that she walked away from me and I realised that would probably be the last conversation I ever had with her. My fantasy of coming to this wedding and us reconnecting after she'd seen all the changes I'd made was now irrelevant. She belonged to another man. And she belonged to him in a way she'd never belonged to me.
He was looking at her with so much love and as much as I hated the guy at least she was with someone who'd treat her right.
"I know who you are." My voice was rough as he turned back to face me. I wouldn't make a scene but it was going to be hard to play nice with the guy who had my girl.
"Yeah. I know who you are too. We've talked a lot about you over the years. As I helped her heal from the trauma you caused her. But that's okay man. I didn't mind the work. Happy to put in the effort to help her heal so that she'd get to a place where she'd wear my ring. Where I get to love her properly for the rest of her days."
I felt myself bristle at his insinuating I didn't love her, or that he loved her more.
"I loved her you know. You might not believe me but I did. Everything I did was for her. For our future. As fucked up as my approach was, she's the only woman I've ever loved."
"I do believe you. But it doesn't matter because you didn't love her right. And now I get to love her better. Nothing comes before Emily. No family. No job. No amount of money. Nothing. We are each other's number one priority. Always. I don't want to argue with you man. It's Sophie's wedding day and Emily would be upset if we got into it. Just know this. I do not like you. She's got a big heart and has forgiven you. But me, I just see her face that first night at Club Rouge and every single time I held her while she cried over you. Her guilt for crying over one man while she fell for another. Fell for me. That's on you and I hope to fuck you learned your lesson so you don't break any other women for good men to have to fix."
With that cutting comment he walked away from me and I sat down in the closest chair. My second chance fantasy completely shattered.
I managed to stick it out through dinner and the speeches but once the dancing started I knew I had to get out of here. I couldn't watch her in his arms when all I could think about was how she used to feel in mine.
As I walked across the carpark towards my car I heard my name being called. Turning towards the double doors I spotted Emily. She was hurrying towards me.
"Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?"
"I thought it was best." I gave her a sad smile as she walked the last two steps to get to me.
"Well I wanted to say goodbye. We spent a lot of years together Grant and I'd hope that if we run into each other at a wedding or on the street we could at least give each other a genuine smile."
This woman. She didn't even realise she was killing me all over again with her beautiful soul. If the roles were reversed I'd never want to see her face again. The way I'd hurt her was unimaginable yet she was still showing me kindness. I knew I'd never find another Emily. I'd never love someone the way I loved her.
Losing her would be the biggest regret of my life.
"I'll always have a smile for you Emily. Be happy sweetheart. You deserve it."
"I am so happy Grant. He treats me so well, he adores me. I didn't know love could be like this. You probably don't want to hear that but it's the truth. You broke me and he helped me heal and become better." God how that hurt. Her words although delivered softly were killing me.
She took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"I'm not telling you that to hurt you. I'm telling you because I want you to know that you can find that too. I want you to be happy like this Grant. I hate to think of you alone. Find somebody and love them the right way. Be the boy who healed my heart me when my father broke it in two. Any girl would be lucky to love that man. I know I was. Take care."
With that she gave me one last soft kiss on the cheek and headed back to the doors into the hall. Aidan was standing there hands in his pockets waiting. When she approached he wrapped one arm around her and she stood on tip toes so she could kiss him before he held the door for them both to walk inside.
Out of my life forever.
THE END