Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 126

Chapter 126

“Look at me, Theodore! Say it to my face!” Emma tilted her chin up, suddenly realizing for the first time that Theodore wasn’t much taller than

she was.

Theodore’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Emma, you’re being unreasonable. We’re married–can’t we just talk things through? Acting out like this only hurts you in the end…”

She understood now.

He thought she was the one who set the conference room on fire.

A sharp, wrenching pain twisted in her chest, as if an invisible hand with claws was tearing her heart apart.

She sucked in a shaky breath, as if that might help her swallow the pain, but her eyes still blurred despite herself.

How could anyone be wounded this deeply and not feel crushed?

When she finally spoke, her voice trembled despite her best efforts. “So you really believe… that five years ago, when I saved your life, it was just a ploy to trick you into marrying me?”

He looked away, staring into the distance for a long, heavy moment. At last, he spoke, his voice low and flat. “Yes.”

Just one word–simple, decisive, merciless.

Emma’s tears broke free. With all the strength she had, she slapped Theodore hard across the face.

Cecilia shrieked. Jared and Hanley shouted in outrage; chaos erupted

around them.

Emma, having struck him with all her might, lost her balance and stumbled backward.

She thought she was going to hit the ground. Instead, a pair of arms caught her, and she fell into someone’s embrace.

1/4

08:56 #

Chapter 126

She turned to see a female police officer.

“Are you alright, ma’am?” the officer asked, her voice gentle but firm.

Emma’s face was streaked with tears. She shook her head weakly. “I’m fine. Really, I’m fine.”

With the officer’s help, she sat down in a chair. Behind her, Cecilia was whining to Theodore, fussing over whether he was hurt, while Jared and Hanley hurled insults her way, calling her crazy.

Ignoring the noise, Emma wiped the tears from her face. Her voice quivered, but her words rang out clear and steady. “I have proof they’re lying!”

Instantly, the commotion behind her died to silence.

Emma unlocked her phone and started playing an audio recording.

“Theo… please, can you not call the police?”

“Cici, was it really you?”

“I’m sorry, Theo. I just wanted to play a joke on Emma.”

“It’s not what you think, Theo, listen to me! I never meant to hurt Emma… I just wanted to help Jared and Hanley get back at her, embarrass her at work, so I had Assistant Laurent bring her some mango juice…”

It was a conversation from the hospital, back when Emma was under observation after being rescued from the conference room–when Cecilia had visited her.

“Cecilia admitted it herself–she told Assistant Laurent to bring me the mango juice!” Emma said loudly.

“You… you recorded me!” Cecilia’s face turned ghostly pale.

Jared and Theodore both stared at Emma, shocked and furious. “You had

08:56

hapter

this recording and didn’t give it to the police?”

It was true. In her panic and anger at the time, she’d forgotten about it. Because of that oversight, Theodore’s lawyer hadn’t known about the evidence or planned for it.

Cecilia, scrambling, tried to wriggle free. “So what? All this proves is that I gave you mango juice. What does that have to do with the fire?”

“Exactly!” Jared and Hanley chimed in. “Cici just wanted to embarrass you with an allergy. Who else could’ve started the fire if not you?”

Even now, they were still trying to smear her.

Emma scrolled through her phone again and opened her photo gallery, pulling up several surveillance videos.

One by one, she played them. “Here’s Cecilia talking to Assistant Laurent. Listen to what they’re saying.”

The audio was faint, but clear enough.

Cecilia: “You have to stick to your story. Say you did it because you were jealous of her, because you were upset. Say you gave her the mango juice, say you locked the door yourself. I had nothing to do with it. Once it’s over, you’ll get fifty thousand, Don’t worry–the Whitman legal team will take care of you.”

Cecilia’s face drained of all color. She slumped into a chair, shaking. “How did you… how did you get this?”

“Secretary Chambers!” Assistant Laurent sounded frantic. “What do I do now? You promised nothing would happen! What am I supposed to do

now?”

Emma gave a humorless laugh. “That’s just the beginning. There’s more.”

She opened another video. Cecilia’s voice rang out again: “You need to say you were just doing your job–protecting Mr. Whitman from some crazy woman. Whatever you do, don’t let anyone find out I told you to go. after Emma. Fifty thousand when it’s done.”

2/4

08:56 #

Chapter 126

The receptionist in the video looked terrified, her legs buckling as she slid to the floor. “No, no, Secretary Chambers, you said no one would ever find out! Now what do I do? Am I going to get fired? Are they going to take my money back? I already spent it all, I’m broke–oh God…”

She burst into uncontrollable sobs.

“Don’t worry, there’s more.” Emma pressed play on another video–this time, the screen showed Jared and an electrician.

“You–take the fall for the exposed wiring in the conference room. Fifty thousand for your trouble.”

Chapter