The Billionaire's Pearl Ring

Chapter 3 - The Long Stretch

Chapter 3 - The Long Stretch

Thomas's POV

"Just find me that damn ring, Lucy. What is so hard?" I yell at my sister but the little brat doesn't even flinch. I'm sick and tired of the same excuses she gives me every time. If I didn't know better, I would think she has no desire of finding our mother's lost engagement ring.

"I've been trying, alright? Trust me. It's like it just vanished. What do you want me to do, magically turn into a ring?" She huffs before our usual staring match begins. God, I wish my mom was here right now to scold us for being so silly.

"You just don't want me to have it, you're jealous because mother left the ring for me and not for you." I knew this was a low blow as soon as the words left my lips, but it was too late. This is mistake number one, and the damage is already done. I really should know better than to fall in Lucille's traps.

My sister is looking at me with those big puppy dog eyes, brimming with tears. I mean come on, where the hell did those tears come from? I swear the brat can cry on cue. Despite knowing better, I start feeling guilty. The little hellhound can smell weakness and remorse from a mile away, and I know it will bite me in the ass, but still, I apologise. Our mother raised me too well.

"Listen Lucy, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Please forgive me? I'll do anything." This is mistake number two, because I can see the grin on my sister's face already appearing, and I roll my eyes. She gets me every time, and I still allow her to.

"I want to go to London. Can you please lend me your jet?" She bats her eyelashes like she just asked for money to buy herself a coffee.

"You know that's not to be abused, you can book a seat on a commercial flight, business class, my treat." I counter.

"Do you want to find the ring or not?"

I know she's playing me, but I cave in anyway, mistake number 3. "Fine, you can go, and take the jet, but you better either have the ring when you get back, or a solid idea on where it could be."

"Thanks bro. I really hope you're not as easy with your business partners, though." Lucy's tears magically disappear and a bright smile is etched on her face, instead. That little brat got me again. I started chuckling, but what can I say, she's the only woman that can do whatever she wants with me, and I'll happily let her.

Emily's POV

I guess I shouldn't be staying here, I think after I wake up and see that Robert is now long gone. I'm not sure if he remembers our talk from last night, but I sure do, and as awful as it may sound, I'm relieved at the possibility of being free of him, and excited to start my new life.

It quickly dawned on me that I will have to tell my parents about what happened, and ask them if I could stay with them for a while, until I can get back on my feet. They will not be happy about my news, but I'm sure they will understand. They are my parents after all, and they want me to be happy, right? Siked with that thought in mind, I started packing a light bag with enough clothes and toiletries to last me a few days.

I call myself a taxi and give the driver my parent's address, practicing the speech in my head like I had a test to take at school.

"Emily, darling, what a lovely surprise. Where's Robert?" My mom asks after pecking me cheek lightly and craning her neck to look behind me as if hoping my husband would magically pop up.

"Hi mom, it's just me." I can see the flash of disappointment on her face, but choose to ignore it.

My dad helps get me inside the house and seeing the bag I'm carrying decides to c***k a joke. "What's with the bag, Emmy, did you run away or something?"

I cringe when I hear my dad's words, not knowing if I should spring it on them that indeed, I kind of ran away.

"Can we sit for a moment, I need to tell you guys something." My parents exchange some confused, yet knowing looks, and make their way to the sofa, waiting for me to sit as well. I gulp and try hard to control the bundle of nerves that is tightening in my stomach. God, why is this so hard? I'm a grown woman, I can tell my parents I'm getting a divorce, it's not like I'm 12 and got a bad grade in school, or anything.

"Robert and I are getting divorced." There, I've said it. Did I say it? Neither my mom or my dad are making a sound or having any reaction at all. It makes me wonder if I actually said the words out loud or not. I frown, but before I could say anything else, my mom's shrill voice takes over the room.

"I told you. Didn't I tell you, Jon? I just knew this day would come the day that she will screw it all up. Oh, poor Robert!" My mother wails, but my dad only sighs loudly, and looks like he's nursing a headache. Great start Em, I think to myself.

"Everything is going to be fine, Laura." He tries to calm her down but she's on a roll now. Oh, how I haven't missed my mom flipping the switch like that. She is the best mom, on the outside. Whomever sees her thinks that I am the luckiest girl to have such a caring mother like her, but trust me, behind closed doors, the switch can be flipped and Laura has a side that is neither motherly nor caring. OK, it is caring, but in a different meaning. She cares about appearances, painting the image of this perfect little middle class family. The best day of her life was when Robert proposed to me, because it meant her family was moving up the social ladder.

God! I love my mother, I really do, but it's best to love her from a distance. Unfortunately right now I don't have a choice but to upset her even further by seeking shelter in her home.

"I'm sorry." I whisper feeling genuinely bad that I've upset them. "Could I stay with you for a while?" I dare to ask the question I've been dreading. They are my parents and love me in their own way, but a part of me still is scared that I would get denied by them.

"Oh course you can, sweetheart." My dad answers before my mother could, and is left to face the daggers she's glaring at him.

I take that as my cue to excuse myself from the room, and taking my bag, I go get settled in the guest room.

A soft knock on the door wakes me up from my slumber. I didn't realise I had fallen asleep, and now my neck is stiff, and my right arm numb. I groan and try to get up, but my mom beats me to it and the door opens wide before I can get to it.

"You look terrible darling." She eyes me up and down disapprovingly before closing the door shut behind her.

"I must have fallen asleep." I mutter, but she pushes me in front of the mirror as if to show me what she meant. I get it, my hair is all messed up and my clothes wrinkled.

"Make yourself look presentable, Emily. We have a guest joining us for dinner." Before I could tell her I wouldn't be the best company for dinner, and try to get out of it, the stern look on my mother's face made me eat my words. "Do be down in half an hour, dear." She holds me by the shoulders and takes a deep breath before releasing me and leaving the room.

Well, that was weird, but I don't want to get on my mom's bad side, not when I need a place to live for a few days or maybe weeks, I muster all the energy I could, and reluctantly start getting ready for dinner.

I managed to be ready just in time so as to not embarrass my mother, and I started making my way downstairs to the dining room. I can hear laughter and voices of people talking and instantly freeze when I hear my husband's voice. He is casually talking to my father about some new deal that is going down in his company, while my mother congratulates him in a proud voice.

Briefly contemplating if I should go back upstairs and sneak out of the bedroom window, I decide not to be silly and go join them for dinner. We are all adults, Robert has always gotten along really well with my parents, so I wouldn't expect that to change just because we are getting divorced. And plus, our separation didn't come after a huge fight or a cheating scandal, so one can say we're parting on civil terms. Dare I say, we can even remain friends after this is over. Taking another step down, I change my mind. We would never be friends, more like civil ex spouses. Happy with that thought, I entered the dining room, only to have the conversation stop and all eyes rest on me, like vultures circling their prey.