Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 78

Emma jumped, startled, thinking she’d forgotten to delete some travel details about her upcoming trip.

She leaned over to check and saw Theodore scrolling through her messages with a

brand sales associate.

He was staring at a particular exchange where the associate thanked her for being such a loyal customer.

Emma’s reply was, “Of course! I have to support the ambassador!”

After looking up the brand ambassador, Theodore tossed her phone back with a cold laugh. “Well, well, Emma. Didn’t expect you to be a fan girl. So that’s why you’ve been buying clothes from this same brand for years–spending my money to support some celebrity?”

He had it wrong, actually.

The ambassador she supported wasn’t the current one.

He’d scrolled back through old messages–all the way to last year. That’s when she’d sent that reply, back when the ambassador was one of her old classmates from the Dance Academy.

Her own career in dance was over, but seeing her former roommate make it onto TV still made her proud. So, she bought everything from that brand–makeup, perfume, clothes–as a small gesture of support.

They had a new ambassador now, but by then, Emma was just used to the brand. Besides, both she and Theodore looked good in their clothes, so why bother switching?

But really, what was so wrong if she did have a crush on a male celebrity?

Theodore glanced down at his shirt and snorted, “Funny. Feels like I’m wearing a big green suit every day,”

Emma: …

Five years into marriage, and only now did she realize this man actually had a sense of humor.

Maybe it was Cecilia’s return that brought him back to life.

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She waved him off. “Honestly, these days, who isn’t a little foolish in love? Life goes

on.”

Wasn’t she just as “foolish“?

Once, she’d loved him so deeply and let it all go. What right did he have to complain

now?

“Get some sleep, Theodore. I’ve got an early flight tomorrow,” she said, sounding calmly detached–nothing like the woman she used to be.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Sebastian calling.

“Hello?” She answered as she walked to the bedroom.

“Who is it?” Theodore called after her, his voice sharp.

She ignored him, continuing her conversation.

From the other end, Sebastian’s voice came through. “My mom and Florrie both wanted to make sure you made it to the hotel. They gave me a hard time for not seeing you off.”

Emma chuckled, picturing Ms. Remington and Florrie taking turns scolding him.

Then Florrie grabbed the phone. “Emma! I didn’t get to spend enough time with you today. Next time, I’ll come visit you in Cresthaven!”

“Deal,” Emma replied, feeling her heart warmed by the kindness of these new friends, her smile growing brighter.

She’d reached the bedroom by then, half–reclined on the bed, wrapping herself in the comforter and settling in with the cheerful voices on the other end. She didn’t notice–or simply didn’t care–that Theodore had followed her and was now standing right in front of her.

When she finally hung up, saying her goodbyes, she found Theodore still watching her, his expression unreadable.

Her smile lingered as she looked up and saw his face–dark, brooding.

The phone screen still displayed “Sebastian,” the contact name glowing on the screen

before it faded to black.

Theodore’s gaze bored into her–first at the screen, then at her. “Mrs. Whitman, I never realized you could smile like that. Not in five years.”

He’d been married to her for half a decade. In all that time, Emma had always seemed

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anxious, tiptoeing around him, forcing a polite smile. Sometimes it felt like he was living with a ghost. Who knew she had a real, genuine laugh?

Emma sighed. What did he expect her to say? That every unhappy moment in her life had come from him?