Chapter 49
Emma exhaled, the weight of the decision pressing heavily on her shoulders. Accepting Alex’s proposal meant stepping back into a world she had fought so hard to leave behind—a world that had nearly destroyed her. The corporate battleground of Barrett Industries was fraught with betrayal and manipulation, and the thought of reentering it filled her with unease. Yet, the idea of reclaiming her reputation, of finally taking control of the narrative that had been ripped from her, stirred something fierce within her.
A sharp knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Setting her mug down, Emma rose and crossed the room, her steps hesitant but deliberate. When she opened the door, Thomas stood on the other side, his presence calm and steady as always. His warm expression softened when he saw her, and for a moment, the weight on her chest lifted just slightly.
“Hey,” he said gently, stepping inside. His gaze quickly swept the room, lingering on the stack of documents spread out across the table. “Alex’s proposal?”
Emma nodded, closing the door behind him. “Yeah. He wants me to come back to Barrett Industries. Says it’s the best way to clear my name and fight the rumors.”
Thomas followed her to the couch, sitting beside her and studying her face as much as the papers on the table. “And what do you think?”
Emma sighed, dropping onto the cushions. Her fingers twisted together in her lap, her unease manifesting in the nervous motion. “I don’t know. Part of me feels like it’s the right move. Like it’s my chance to take back what was stolen from me. But the other part…” She hesitated, then glanced at Thomas. “I don’t trust his motives. What if this is just another way for him to manipulate me?”
Thomas’s expression hardened slightly, but his voice remained gentle. “It’s natural to feel that way, especially after everything Alex has put you through. But honestly? This doesn’t sound like manipulation to me. If anything, it sounds like he’s finally realizing just how much he’s relied on you—and how much he’s let you down.”
Emma frowned, leaning back into the couch. “You think I should do it?”
Thomas tilted his head, considering her carefully. “I think you should consider it. Not for Alex. Not for Barrett Industries. For you. This is about reclaiming your reputation, your future, and the future of your twins. You’ve worked too hard to let anyone else define your story.”
Her lips quirked into the faintest of smiles. “You always know what to say.”
Thomas returned the smile, though something unreadable flickered in his eyes. “I just want what’s best for you, Emma. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”
She nodded slowly, his words settling into her mind like seeds taking root. “I just… I don’t want to feel like I’m going backwards. Like I’m giving him any kind of control over me again.”
“Then don’t,” Thomas said firmly. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Make it clear that this is your decision, on your terms. If you choose to go back, it’s because you’re taking control—not because you’re giving it up.”
Emma’s gaze drifted to the documents on the table, her mind turning over his words. The idea of taking back her narrative, of standing tall in the face of the media and the board, felt powerful. For weeks, she had felt like a pawn in everyone else’s game. Maybe it was time to make a move of her own.
“And if he tries to take credit for it?” she asked, her tone skeptical.
Thomas chuckled softly. “Then you remind him who’s in charge now. You’ve survived everything he’s thrown at you, Emma. If you can handle that, you can handle this.”
Her smile widened slightly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. “You really do make it sound simple.”
“It’s not simple,” Thomas admitted, his voice steady. “But it’s possible. And you’ve proven, time and again, that you can handle the impossible.”
Emma’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “You always know what to say.”
Thomas returned the smile, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. “I just want what’s best for you, Emma. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”
Later that afternoon, Jack arrived, his usual easygoing demeanor subdued as he listened to Emma recount her conversation with Alex. He sat cross-legged on the floor, flipping through the documents with a critical eye.
“So, he wants you to come back to Barrett Industries,” Jack said, glancing up at her. “What’s your gut telling you?”
Emma sighed, leaning against the armrest of the couch. “That it’s a trap.”
Jack snorted. “I mean, it’s Alex, so… maybe. But it also sounds like he’s desperate. And desperate people can’t afford to be sneaky.”
Emma laughed despite herself, the sound easing some of the tension in the room.
Jack set the papers down, his expression turning serious. “Look, Em, this is your call. No one else can make it for you. But if you’re asking for my advice… I think you should do what feels right for you. Not for Alex, not for Thomas—for you.”
Emma frowned slightly. “Thomas thinks it could be good for the twins, too. To clear my name and set things right.”
“And he’s not wrong,” Jack said with a shrug. “But that doesn’t mean you have to do it if it doesn’t sit right with you. At the end of the day, you’re the one who has to live with the decision.”
As evening fell, Emma found herself alone in the quiet of her apartment, her thoughts racing. The conversations with Thomas and Jack had helped, but the choice still felt monumental.
She walked over to the nursery, the soft pastel walls and neatly arranged baby furniture offering a small sense of peace. Standing beside the crib they had assembled, Emma rested her hand on her belly, feeling the faint movements of the twins inside.
This is for them, she thought. Everything I do now is for them.
She closed her eyes, letting the rhythm of her breathing steady her. The path forward wasn’t clear, but one thing was: she couldn’t let anyone else dictate her life. Not Alex, not Thomas, not the media.
If she returned to Barrett Industries, it would be on her terms.
