Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63

She wasn’t afraid of Theodore’s anger–never had been.

Sebastian instinctively moved to shield her again, which only made Theodore bristle with frustration. “You–stand over here. Now!”

Emma needed to go forward anyway; her name had just been called. Why wouldn’t she step up?

She walked right up to Theodore, met his eyes, and offered a small, polite smile. “This is my appointment. I’m here to have my foot checked. Are you planning to take my place?”

At the mention of her foot, Theodore’s expression turned ashen, as if all the color had

been drained from his face.

That word–foot–was his sore spot, the unspoken wound at the heart of their

marriage.

“Theo…” Cecilia caught his sleeve, her voice soft and pleading.

He tried to compose himself. “Cici…”

“Don’t worry about it, Theo. I don’t need the appointment. Let Emma go first. After everything we owe her already…” In an instant, Cecilia dropped her usual edge and became the picture of gentle understanding, her eyes even welling up with dramatic

tears.

“It’s not fair to you,” Theodore murmured, his voice low and apologetic.

She shook her head, managing a gracious smile. “It’s fine, Theo. If I don’t understand you, who will?”

With that, she gently pulled Theodore away from the doorway and turned to Emma, voice warm and conciliatory. “Emma, go ahead. I’ll come back another day.”

Standing there, Emma realized that no matter how this standoff ended, she’d already lost.

If she surrendered her appointment to Cecilia, she’d lose outright. Yet even now, as she moved to enter the doctor’s office, it still felt like defeat…

But so what?

Winning or losing didn’t matter anymore.

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“I’ll wait for you, Emma. Let me help.” Sebastian hurried to her side, steadying her with a hand on her arm, lending her the strength she needed to walk forward without a

limp.

Emma didn’t refuse. She was worried her emotions might get the better of her, and she didn’t want to break down in front of Theodore and Cecilia.

Behind her, she heard Cecilia’s voice as she spoke to the receptionist. “Could I book another appointment? Can you check your earliest slots?”

“What’s the reason for your visit?” the nurse asked.

Cecilia hesitated, then said softly, “Well… I’m having trouble conceiving…”

Despite Sebastian’s support, Emma’s ankle wobbled, and she nearly stumbled.

Trouble conceiving…

Emma would bet anything Cecilia had said it loud enough for her to hear. But were they moving that quickly–had things really gone that far?

Theodore’s words echoed in her mind, cold and cutting: “I don’t need any of that. Even if I had a child, I could raise it myself. Besides, I’m better off without one right now.”

She dug her nails into her palm, hard enough to hurt. Pain was still pain, no matter how much you braced for it…

Sebastian tightened his grip on her arm, worry etched in his voice. “Emma…”

She shook her head, signaling she was fine, but suddenly someone grabbed her right

arm.

She didn’t even have to look; she already knew. Theodore.

Five

years of marriage had made him a stranger–and yet, no one was more familiar.

“If you’re seeing a doctor, I should be the one with you,” Theodore declared, his grip firm. “It’s my responsibility.”

Sebastian gave a cold, sharp laugh. “Your responsibility? Isn’t that for the woman outside–the one who can’t have kids?”

Theodore’s eyes narrowed. “This is a family matter. It’s none of your business.”

Meanwhile, the doctor, who’d been waiting inside for quite some time, finally called out, “Next? What’s going on out there?”

Sebastian and Theodore stood on either side of Emma, neither willing to give an inch.

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Emma yanked her arm away from Theodore and looked him dead in the eye. “Are you proud of this, Theodore? All these people waiting outside, and you want to create a scene about our relationship? Is this really what you want to have everyone

watching?”