Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 72

Hadn’t he left with Cecilia and the others? Why was he here again?

Theodore was still wearing his suit from the gala, looking just as polished as the rest

of the city’s elite, though his hair was a little tousled now.

He stood on the bottom step, unmoving, as if waiting for her to come down.

“Let’s take this way,” Sebastian suggested, gesturing to the side.

Emma nodded.

But just as they started to move, Theodore strode up the steps and blocked her path.

“You see me standing here, and you’re still going to leave with someone else?” His voice was calm, almost unreadable.

In truth, tonight must have shaken him. If he was upset, well, in the past, he’d probably have blamed Emma without a second thought.

Emma managed a faint smile. “Didn’t you want me to pretend I don’t know you?”

“When did I ever say that?” he shot back.

She found this kind of argument pointless. She’d claim he did, he’d deny it, and they’d go around in circles forever.

“Excuse me, Mr. Whitman,” she said, lowering her head and trying to brush past him.

She never expected Theodore to lose it a little–he bent down and swept her right off

her feet.

“Theodore, what are you doing?” she gasped, completely taken aback.

He didn’t answer, just carried her down the steps,

The gala was just ending, and people were coming and going all around them. Emma really couldn’t make a scene–she’d die of embarrassment.

Theodore leaned in and warned her, “You’re my wife. You’d better tell your dear Sebastian Remington to keep his distance. I’m not from around here—I have nothing to lose if I make a scene. But does your precious Mr. Grant want to be caught making a move on a married woman? Let’s see whose reputation takes the bigger hit.”

“Not everyone is as shameless as you!” Emma shot back, furious as he held her.

Still, she didn’t want Sebastian dragged into any scandal because of her. She gave

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Sebastian a look, telling him not to follow. It didn’t matter who she went home with–she just wanted to go home.

Theodore had driven himself tonight. His car was parked just outside the ballroom steps. He carried Emma all the way there, opened the passenger door, and all but tossed her inside.

“Where do you live?” Theodore asked once he got in behind the wheel.

Emma refused to answer.

“Fine, have it your way,” he said, and started the car, pulling away from the curb.

Emma had no idea where he was taking her, but she wasn’t about to be stupid enough to try jumping out of a moving vehicle. Her foot was still healing, and she wasn’t risking another injury.

Let him drive wherever he wanted. For all Theodore’s faults, he wasn’t the kind of man

to sell her off or do her real harm.

Objectively speaking, Theodore wasn’t a bad person.

Over the last five years, he’d treated her decently enough.

On their wedding day, he’d sworn before his grandmother that he’d always take care of her and never let her down.

And after that, he’d more or less kept his word.

He’d brought in the best doctors for her injured foot.

Anything she wanted–or even didn’t want–he’d buy for her without a second thought.

If she coughed at night, the next morning he’d have Fallon drive her to the hospital, and even have Fallon prepare some soothing herbal broth for her cough…

Things like that–there were countless examples.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have put up with it for five years, right up until Cecilia came back.

If he was guilty of anything, it was this: he didn’t love her.

Because he didn’t love her, the scales were always tipped toward the people he did

care about.

Theodore finally pulled up in front of a hotel.

He got out, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and lifted her out.

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“So, am I carrying you in, or are you going to walk yourself?” he asked, standing at the open door with her in his arms.

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“I can walk by myself.” She frowned.

Chapter 73