Emily's pov
I should be used to this, the spotlight trailer in the back to my step sister like it belonged only to her.
Our entire lives had been like this, but it never got easier, watching my parents fawn over her for doing something as basic as breathing while I would come home with straight A's and receive a distracted "Good job."
My heart dipped, wondering if Mr Williams would also be charmed by her, I mean… this wasn't even a real relationship, he was simply my boss and I was his employee entangled in an affair that means nothing beyond paper.
So maybe he too would–
"What happened to that man who you were with at the hotel?" Mr Williams brought him up and I remembered how her partner had slapped her across the face that night.
Olivia's face shifted from bed sheets white to blood red in a second, blushing from her neck. She stood up slamming her palms on the table making every single piece of cutlery rattle intensely.
"I think I'm full," she said, covering her face and running out of the dining room. Mr Williams continued with his food passively, hardly giving her anything more than a brief glance over his shoulder before shrugging and returning back to chewing.
Sasha ran after her daughter probably to console her, as for my father he remained at the table asking for details which Mr Williams easily provided.
Father's brows furrowed.
"I think you might have been mistaken, Olivia would never treat her sister rudely," he said immediately jumping in defense, he looked at me as if I was supposed to do the same but instead I became intensely interested in the peas on my plate.
"Aren't you going to say anything to defend your sister?" he probed.
I shook my head and watched as his fingers tightened around his spoon.
"I thought that you had finally decided to change when you came back, even if you didn't admit to stealing from her,"
"I never stole from Olivia!" I screamed suddenly. Then a flush ran through my cheeks, remembering that my boss was here seeing all the icky sides of my family that I have been trying to hide.
What happened to faking a stomach ache? I recalled it and was about to launch the plan into action when he stretched his hand over the table and wrapped my fingers in his.
"Mr Brown, Emily is no thief, she's one of the only honest people I know and my trust isn't cheap."
Father looked flustered, Mr Williams had this overwhelming aura. It was the type that drew people in and kept them under his thumb listening to his every word.
Mr Williams turned to me, "Sweetheart, it's getting late, let's say goodbye to your father for today,"
My whole body warmed up when he called me 'sweetheart' with that deep, ear caressing voice of his, he should have given me a heads up.
He stretched his arm towards me, carefully placing it on my waist and guiding me up from my chair with elegant ease.
"Until we see ourselves again, Mr Brown." he said to my father with friendly formality, and nobody could tell there was bubbling tension underneath his voice.
As soon as we left the house his face ruffled up even more, "Is this what you have to put up with?"
I flushed with embarrassment, the last person on Earth I ever wanted to know about my dysfunctional family was Mr Williams, he was always so perfect. I didn't want him to see me as less than because of the uncontrollable flaw that was my family.
"It's not always this bad, today was just off," I don't even know why I was minimizing what they did to me, internally I cursed at them for what they put me through and now the first time that it feels like somebody is finally on my side I was taking theirs.
Mr Williams gave me the kind of look that someone would often give to an injured little hamster, but for some reason it didn't feel infantilizing or humiliating. No, for the first time ever I felt seen.
My feelings were not over the top or too much, they were just right. I was justified in feeling hurt, feeling oppressed and I didn't deserve to be treated this way.
"Don't worry about them," I said, my voice wobbling a little bit from emotion.
"Neither should you," he said, holding the car door open. I was held back by this gentlemanly move but accepted it gracefully without being too awkward.
"I really wanted your parents approval because well…I had no idea they were like this, but I should have known that there was somebody enabling your step sister," I'd never seen Mr Williams look so upset, even when the grizzly executives got on his nerves.
And to think I was the reason.
That warm, fuzzy feeling was spreading through my chest and I caught it with an iron tight grip refusing to look at Mr Williams for the entire drive.
I was afraid that if I looked at him, even if it was just once. I'd forget myself and ask if what he'd done just now was only for the contract?
If so, why was he still steaming after we left the house?
Gosh this man, if he kept acting like this then….
When we got back to the mansion my phone was blowing up with calls and texts from my father all of them disapproving of the most eligible Bachelor in the country, Mr Williams.
One of the texts read; "he pretends to be polite but I know his type, the scheming ones, and he doesn't look like the type to understand the first thing about loyalty. Come back home Emily, I'll forget everything and we can live like a family again,"
I read it over and over again, not sure if I should laugh or cry, then I tossed my phone to the side and buried my face in my pillow.