Chapter 19 - The president’s party

After that night, Emily's attitude towards Alex changed dramatically as the day went by. She had become distant and was barely acknowledging his presence. She learned to ignore which Alex didn't seem to notice because he was too caught up in his own affair with Emilia. Emily started spending her nights at her friends' places, giving Alex and Emilia the freedom to do whatever they wanted. She couldn't bear the thought of being in the same house as them, pretending that everything was okay, pretending she was deaf to Emilia’s moans and shouts of his names. Alex took her as a complete fool. However, her behavior didn’t go unnoticed by Justin and her father. One evening, Mr. Johnson asked Emily to join him for dinner at her mum’s favorite before she passed away. Emily agreed, hoping that a night out with her dad would take her mind off things and Alex off her mind. They sat down at the restaurant and placed their order. Then he asked randomly "So, how's Alex?, the love of your life?" Emily paused for a while, she was unsure of how to respond. She couldn't tell her dad what had happened, not yet. "He's...fine," Emily said, trying to sound sweet even if it didn’t come out as expected. Mr. Johnson raised an eyebrow. "Just fine?" he repeated. Emily shrugged. "Yeah, just fine." Mr. Johnson sighed, his expression serious. "Emily, I know something's going on. Justin's been telling me that you've barely been staying at home lately." Emily's eyes widened, surprised that Justin had been talking to her dad. "What else did Justin tell you?" Emily asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Mr. Johnson's expression turned grim. "He told me that Alex has been acting strange, that he's been getting mysterious phone calls and sneaking out of the house at night." Emily felt a lump form in her throat. Her dad knew more than she had thought. "Emily, what's going on kiddo?" he asked with a firm and gentle voice. Emily took a deep breath, unsure of how to respond. She couldn't tell her dad the truth, not yet. But she couldn't keep lying to him either. Everything was giving her a severe headache. "I'll tell you everything, Dad," Emily said, her voice shaking. "But not tonight, okay? Tonight, can we just...pretend that everything is okay?" Mr. Johnson's expression softened, and he nodded. "Okay, kiddo. We'll pretend that everything is okay...for now." He understood she was in a state of processing what had happened. As tempting as it is to snap the wings of Alex for hurting Emily, he decides to be cool about it and allow her to handle it. The rest of the dinner was tense, with Emily's dad trying to make small talk and Emily responding with monosyllabic answers. Emily knew that she couldn't keep her secret hidden for much longer. Her dad was going to find out the truth, and when he did, there would be consequences. It was a sunny Saturday morning, and Alex woke Emily up early, suggesting they go shopping together, due to the party that was going to be held by the president. She was actually taken aback by the sudden suggestion, but she agreed, knowing that Alex was probably trying to ease his guilt and manipulate like the lunch date. As they were getting ready to leave, Emilia appeared in the doorway, looking like she had just rolled out of bed. "Hey, what's going on?" Emilia asked, her voice husky. Alex turned to Emily. "Emilia wants to come with us. Is that okay with you?" Emily raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. She knew that Alex and Emilia were having an affair, and she couldn't believe that Alex was being so bold and blatant about it. But Emily decided to play it cool and be sweet as usual, not wanting to arouse suspicion. "Yeah, sure, that's fine," Emily said, forcing a smile onto her face. Emilia's face lit up with excitement. "Yay, thanks, Emily! I'll go get ready." As Emilia disappeared into her room, Alex turned to Emily. "Thanks for being understanding, sunshine. I know Emilia can be a bit much sometimes." Emily's smile disappeared for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "No problem, Alex. I'm just happy to spend time with you. I don’t going to be attending the party but I don’t mind a walk around the mall." The three of them set off on their shopping trip, with Emilia chattering nonstop about the latest fashion trends. Emily listened politely, all the while seething with anger and resentment. As they walked through the mall, Emily couldn't help but notice the way Alex and Emilia interacted with each other. They were always touching, always laughing together, and Emily could sense the chemistry between them. It was like they were a couple, and Emily was just the outsider looking in. Emily felt a pang of sadness and betrayal, but she pushed it aside, determined to keep up the charade. As they walked through the mall, Emily's eyes landed on a beautiful blue dress in a store window. She couldn't help but gasp in admiration. The dress was stunning, with intricate lace details and a flowing skirt. Alex noticed her interest and turned to her. "Do you want to try it on?" he asked, smiling. But before Emily could respond, Emilia jumped in. "Actually, that's the dress I wanted," Emilia said, her voice firm. Emily's eyes narrowed slightly, but she tried to keep her cool. "Oh, I didn't know you liked it." Emily said trying to keep her tone neutral. Emilia's expression turned possessive. "Yeah, I love it. Can I have it?" she asked, looking at Alex. Alex hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure of what to do. But Emilia's gaze was relentless, and eventually, Alex agreed. "Yeah, sure, Emilia. You can have the dress." Emily felt a surge of anger and disappointment, but she didn't want to cause a scene. So she smiled sweetly and said, "That's okay, it’s not like I’ll be going to the party anyway." She walked away from the dress, leaving Alex and Emilia to argue over who would pay for it. Emily's eyes scanned the racks, and she quickly found a beautiful black dress that caught her eye. As she tried on the dress, Emily couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She looked amazing in the black dress, and she knew that she would be the belle of the ball at the upcoming party. When she came out of the dressing room, Alex and Emilia were waiting for her, Emilia clutching the blue dress in her arms. Emily smiled at them, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, I found something else," Emily said, twirling around to show off her new dress. Alex's eyes widened in admiration, but Emilia just scowled. "You look nice," Emilia said grudgingly. Emily laughed, feeling a sense of triumph. "Thanks, Emilia. I think I'll wear this one to the party tonight." Emilia's face fell, and Alex looked at her in surprise. " you changed your mind, You're coming to the party? " Alex asked. Emily nodded, her smile growing wider. "Yeah, I mean I wouldn't miss it for the world.”