Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 290

“Theodore.”

Before he could say another word, Emma cut him off. “This is a hospital. Please leave. Don’t disturb Grandma.”

It was the first time Emma had spoken to him all day. He turned to look at her, but all he saw was the cold line of her profile.

“Emma…” He hesitated, searching for words. “I’ll be back soon. As soon as I find Cici, I’ll return—”

“If you’re going to leave, just go,” Larson interrupted, unable to hold back his irritation. “No one cares whether you come back or not.”

But Theodore kept his eyes fixed on Emma. “Emma, don’t you care? Tell him—tell him you don’t care either.”

Emma frowned, her voice flat. “No, I don’t care.”

Theodore’s pupils widened, his eyelids trembling as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. He forced himself to sound calm. “Emma, so much has happened lately. It’s been chaos. Just… wait for me, okay? Let me straighten things out, and I’ll come back—alright?”

Larson let out a derisive snort. “Chaos? In the middle of all this, you somehow manage to figure out what matters most is running after your little soulmate. Impressive, really.”

Theodore looked ready to lash out, fists clenching as he tried to keep himself from exploding. “Listen—”

“Save it,” Larson cut him off. “Just answer this: In all this chaos, who matters most to you?”

Theodore faltered, at a loss for words. He glanced at Emma, then forced out, “Emma, you know—”

“She doesn’t know,” Larson interrupted again, voice like ice. “And if you can’t answer, it’s simple—just leave. But if you walk out that door, don’t ever show your face in front of Emma again.”

Emma thought that her brother still didn’t understand Theodore at all.

How many times had she faced this same choice?

The most harrowing—and the one that finally broke her heart—was the time someone held a knife to her face, and Theodore still chose Cecilia over her.

She was standing here, safe and sound. Did he really think he’d pick her this time?

Sure enough, Theodore looked at her, his voice trembling with desperate sincerity. “Emma, you know me. I’ve never changed my mind about wanting a life with you. I just need to deal with a few things, and then I’ll come back…”

“Get out!” Larson snapped, done listening.

Theodore wanted to say something more, but with Larson there, it was pointless—nothing would get through. Besides, he really couldn’t afford to delay any longer on Cecilia’s side.

He managed, “Emma, wait for me,” before rushing out of the room.

“Alright.”

“Are you sure it’s wise to just let it go?” Latham sounded uneasy. “What if they pull something else?”

“If anything happens, it’ll be on them,” Larson replied coolly. “We’ll let them make the first move. We’ll handle the rest when the time comes. Oh, and one more thing—my dear ex-brother-in-law just left to find that woman. Have someone keep an eye on him.”

“Understood.” Latham chuckled. “He’s looking for someone? That’s rich. Theodore Whitman searching for someone, and all the while, she’s right under Mr. Rossi’s nose.”

“By the way,” Latham added with a grin, “Whitman’s company still wants to work with us. Their VP’s been after me several times.”

“Really?” Larson mused, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Interesting.”

“Their company’s solid,” Latham went on. “Theodore Whitman’s talented, smart—but sometimes luck just isn’t on your side.”

“Luck is earned, don’t you think?” Larson replied, amusement in his voice. “Mr. Fairchild, I’ll probably be at the hospital most of this week. I’ll need you to keep an eye on things.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered,” Latham assured him.

Back in the hospital room, Emma was gently moistening her grandmother’s lips with a cotton swab. When she saw Larson, she said, “Big brother, did Mr. Fairchild need you for something important? I overheard you mention shifting major business back here. If there’s work, go take care of it. I’ll be fine here.”