«Youre ancient! Im ashamed to bring you before my business partners, so Ive taken a lover!» David declares.
Emma has a mountain of work these days. She just opened her own tailoring studio in Camden, spending every spare hour on the business, eager to lift it into the spotlight. She remembers today is the charity dinner his colleagues mentioned in passing, and a flicker of panic hits her.
David says she doesnt have to attend, that he fully understands his wifes hectic schedule and will go alone, but he insists it isnt right to treat the family so carelessly. Emma calls the event manager and explains that she cant make it tonight because she has pressing commitments and must look presentable.
She draws a warm bath with scented oils, intending to unwind. As citrus and pine aromas fill the room, she closes her eyes. The phone perched on the tubs edge rings. She wipes the foam from her hand, grabs a towel, and answers.
Lucy, her daughter, is studying abroad in Dublin. Emma misses her terribly and longs to hug her, even though Lucy is no longer a little girl; she will always be her child.
«Hey, sunshine!» Lucy chirps.
«Mom, congratulations on the studio! Youre brilliant. Dad must be proud, right? I cant believe you actually launched it after all those talks. How do you juggle everything, even helping Dad?» Lucy asks.
Emma smiles. «I didnt want to brag before it was official, but the work has started and orders are already coming in. I love it; I always wanted a creative outlet. Honestly, the family business with David felt suffocating. Ive finally chased my dream.»
They chat briefly about the weather, then Lucy rushes off to her university. Shes on an exchange and will be home in six months. Emma feels grateful for her family, a warmth that stays with her until she pulls up outside the restaurant where the charity dinner is taking place.
A bouncer blocks the entrance. «Sorry, maam, we cant let you in without an invitation.»
«Then call my husband. He has a twoperson pass.»
«Whats his surname?» the guard asks.
Emma rolls her eyes at the dismissive tone. «David Barlow. Check the list.»
The guard scans the list, looks at his colleague, and chuckles. «Theres a mistake, madam. David Barlow already checked in with his wife.»
«What? With his wife?» Emma repeats, baffled.
«Thats what the list says. Its a private event, and if youre a journalist not on the list» The guard trails off.
A smooth, familiar voice calls from behind, «James, whats happening?» Emma turns and is stunned to see her old schoolmate James Whitaker. They havent spoken in years.
«James! I didnt expect to see you. The guards think my husband already entered with his wife, so they wont let me in,» Emma explains, exasperated.
James flashes a warm smile and nods at the guard: «Shes with me.»
Emma cant decide how to thank him. She had hoped to surprise David, but perhaps a quick call would have been wiser. She wonders if David, like James, will slip through his own invitation.
James asks, «Howve you been? I hear youve married wellyour husbands a big name in this sort of circle.»
«We built this from the ground up together, and now I run my own boutique. If you ever need a bespoke suit, just let me know.» She hands him her card.
Inside the hall, Emma scans for David. James leans in, And you? Surpassed the teachers expectations and landed on your feet?
«Those old grades mean nothing now,» James replies modestly. «You havent changed a bitstill gorgeous. Its a pleasure to bump into you like this.»
Back in school, James once asked Emma out, but she, a careerdriven woman, turned him down to focus on her degree and future. After university she drifted away from old friends.
Emma eventually spots David and thanks James again before hurrying to him. David beams, «My wife is my greatest inspiration,» he declares, and Emmas heart flutters at his praiseuntil David pulls a strikingly young woman into his arms and kisses her cheek.
«Polly, would you like a drink?» he asks the newcomer, his tone casual.
Emma freezes, feeling as if the floor might give way. «Polly?» Hes introduced his lover as if she were his wife. The audacity!
«I dont mind,» Emma replies, standing a few metres from the scene, watching the flirtatious pair.
David coughs, apologises to his guests, and turns back to his wife. The newcomer, a stylish woman a shade younger than Emmas daughter, follows him, clicking her heels.
«You here to support your husband?» David whispers to Emma, halfshouting over the music.
«Exactly what you saidimportant event, so Im here,» Emma answers, eyeing the young woman. «No explanation needed.»
«You shouldnt be here!» David snaps, then looks at the lover. «Polly, step aside, grab a bite. Ill be back soon.» He grabs Emmas elbow and drags her toward the garden.
In the quiet outside, he glowers. «You could have ruined everything. I didnt invite you.»
«Because you brought someone else?» Emma retorts, her voice steady.
She watches Davids face, trying to understand why he would betray his wife after so many years. His partners dont seem surprised; theyve seen pictures of the couple before.
«Youre old, Emma! Im embarrassed to show you to my partners, so I took a lover. Thats how it works in our worldwives should sparkle, not look like a tired old nag,» David declares, his words cutting.
Emma feels a wave of disappointment. «Shes beautiful, sure, but she doesnt have to worry about annual reports or where to invest the companys money. Good choice, Mr. Barlow.»
David just shakes his head. «Twenty years together, and you think Im supposed to have only one? It wont change our future, but you should leave quietly. Ill be home soon and well talk.»
There is nothing left to discuss. Emma decides she will not stay in a pictureperfect marriage just because its what others expect. She knows a man who cheats once will do it again, so she refuses to cling to fantasies. Her boutique is thriving; she will claim what she deserves, and perhaps David will finally see that.
David storms off, and Emma sits on a bench beneath a dim streetlamp, trying to process everything. James settles beside her, quietly supportive. He doesnt intrude, but his presence steadies her. They reminisce about school antics, and Emma laughs, letting the tension melt away. For a moment she feels like the carefree girl she once was, before adulthood stole the simple joys.
«I always wanted to grow up, but now I wish I could go back to school,» she sighs.
«I get it. If you need anything, just say the word. I can even give you a lift home,» James offers.
James watches her from a respectful distance, aware that the night has shown him the hollow façades people wear. He knows the partners will keep smiling at David, playing their parts without rehearsal.
«Does your wife mind?» James asks slyly.
«I have no wife. I cant love anyone properly. Ive had relationships, but nothing lasting,» James admits.
He decides not to reveal how much Emma has lingered in his thoughts all these years, fearing it would only complicate things. Emma accepts his offer without probing his job or the expensive car he drives; money never mattered to her. She has built her career and a home on her own. Even when Lucy was born, Emma worked late nights sorting accounts and supporting David, becoming his muse and idea generator. Now she feels burnt out.
After saying goodbye to James at the front door, Emma steps back into the place that once felt like home but now feels foreign. She knows her daughter is an adult who can handle any decision, so she doesnt tell Lucy about the impending divorce. It will be better this way; David never supported the idea of splitting.
«Youre exactly the kind of wife I need for the image,» David once told her. «I shape the pretty picture, you keep the money flowing.»
«Money doesnt grow on trees, does it?» Emma retorted when he complained about finances.
«Think about Lucy. Shell need stability. A divorce would hit her hardest. Does that please you?» he asked.
«Its too late for you to start caring about Lucy,» Emma replies, voice flat.
They sleep in separate rooms, and the next morning Emma decides to move into a flat next to her studio, unwilling to share a roof with an unfaithful husband. David fights the divorce, making the process grueling, while Emma needs the energy to expand her business.
Negotiations stall, so they bring in solicitors and split the assets. Initially Emma wanted the house, leaving the business to David, but she now aims to claim everything she helped build. In the end the court divides the wealth evenly, despite Davids attempts to bribe the judge.
David phones Lucy, hoping shell pressure her mother, but Lucy sides with Emma, refusing to visit her father. She returns home, helps at the boutique, and cant forgive his betrayal.
Emmas life gradually steadies. Letting go of twenty years of marriage isnt easy, but she moves forward. Her work keeps her mind off Davids infidelity, and Lucys support is unwavering. Davids business falters without Emmas input; he tries repeatedly to win her back, pleading and promising change, but trust, once broken, doesnt return.
The boutique gains a reputation, and orders flood in, forcing Emma to consider expansion.
One afternoon her phone rings. Its an unfamiliar number, but she answers.
«This is James. You gave me your card for a suit»
«Hey, Jim. Were swamped, but well make an exception for you,» Emma says, delighted to hear his voice.
«Honestly, I just needed an excuse to call. How about coffee?» James suggests.
Emma laughs and agrees, seeing a chance to start fresh. She isnt in a rush; she has learned to value herself first. Time flies, but she refuses to believe shell end up alone in old age. Her heart tells her she isnt wrong, and perhaps she and James have a chance at happiness.
