Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 180

Theodore studied her for a long moment, as if making absolutely sure. “You’re really not upset?”

“I’m really not!” Emma replied. “Every time I say I’m not mad, you never believe me.”

“Emma, about Cici, she—”

“I know,” she interrupted, reciting his old lines almost by heart. “She’s the most important person in your life, the one who brought you light during your darkest days. She was there for you and your grandmother at the very end, gave you support and companionship. If I had someone like that in my life, I’d treasure them too. And now she’s having a rough time, so of course you want to look after her.”

He seemed relieved that she understood. Emma couldn’t help but find it amusing, and actually laughed. “Alright, I need to change. Out you go.”

Three days left.

Each day felt tighter, more suffocating, and his face was the last thing she wanted to see.

But Theodore only smiled. “And where are you off to after you change?”

“I’m going to the Wellness Center.”

“I’ll drive you.”

Emma considered, then nodded. “Fine.” No point in making him suspicious.

She changed into something comfortable, grabbed her bag, and headed out with him.

When she got in the car, she noticed the wooden charm hanging from the rearview mirror again.

“Oh, look at that—it’s back.”

Theodore gave a noncommittal grunt. “Cici said she wants me to have her and Grandma’s blessings with me.”

Emma nodded. “That’s nice.”

He glanced at her, checking her expression to see if she was really okay. “Emma, if you’d always been this understanding, things would’ve been easier.”

“I’ve always been understanding!” She’d lost count of how many times she’d wished happiness to him and his beloved Cici.

Her grandmother was staying there.

Emma headed upstairs and went straight to Grandma’s room. She swiped the keycard, stepped inside, and was surprised to find Vivian there as well.

“What are you doing here?” Emma asked, closing the door behind her.

To avoid her parents tracking her down, Emma hadn’t booked the room under her own or her grandmother’s name. Instead, she’d gone to Vivian’s shop and asked her to help with the check-in.

She’d assumed Vivian would just register the room and leave. She hadn’t expected her to stick around.

“I wasn’t comfortable leaving your grandma alone. Besides, it’s my name on the room—I may as well enjoy a nice hotel for a bit. It’s not a bad deal for me,” Vivian replied, grinning.

Emma smiled, feeling a pang of gratitude. “I’m really putting you through a lot.”

She hadn’t expected much when she first met Vivian, just another acquaintance from the luxury resale shop. Yet here they were, tangled together by fate, and Emma had a feeling this was just the beginning of their story.