Nathan Sided With Emily

Victoria looked toward her son.

“Nathan.”

He shook his head.

“No.”

Her expression changed.

“No what?”

“Don’t drag me into defending this.”

“I was trying to protect you.”

Nathan laughed once.

“From a woman giving me directions?”

Victoria looked embarrassed.

Madison stepped beside him.

She had been quiet until then.

Now she looked directly at Victoria.

“If she had actually been flirting with Nathan, would that make hitting her okay?”

Victoria answered:

“Of course not.”

Madison replied:

“Then why are we still discussing who Emily is?”

The room went quiet again.

That question landed harder than anyone expected.

Richard Made a Decision

He looked toward the event manager.

“Daniel.”

The manager stepped forward.

“Yes, sir?”

“Please make sure Emily is okay.”

Then Richard looked at Victoria.

“And please arrange transportation for Mrs. Caldwell.”

Victoria looked shocked.

“You’re asking me to leave?”

Richard replied:

“Yes.”

“This is my son’s engagement party.”

Nathan spoke before Richard could.

“Mom.”

Victoria looked at him.

Nathan said quietly:

“You should go.”

That hurt more than anything else.

Victoria looked around the ballroom.

Dozens of guests were pretending not to stare.

She picked up her purse.

Then stopped in front of Emily.

For a second, everyone expected another argument.

Instead Victoria said:

“I shouldn’t have touched you.”

Emily said nothing.

Victoria continued:

“And I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.”

Emily nodded once.

It wasn’t forgiveness.

But it was acknowledgment.

Victoria left.