The Affair

“And you?” Emma asked coldly. She was having difficulty absorbing all this. The only thing that seemed clear and evident was Vera Shaw’s mad hatred. “Did you take up with him? Did you mean anything to him? Or is all of this some fiction you’ve created in your head because you know deep down you never meant anything to Michael Montand, and that you only hold Va

“Laurel wasn’t his mother,” Vera shrieked. “Haven’t you been listening? And Michael’s and my relationship was above sex. He seduced women with ease. His conquests meant nothing to him, just like you mean nothing to Va

Emma shook her head, staring at the woman in mounting wariness. She felt nauseated. All she wanted at that moment was to be away from Vera Shaw. She was a twisted, hateful woman who clearly saw Emma as some kind of threat to her ordered but delusional world. She’d somehow morphed Va

“I’m not really sure why you’re telling me this . . . this story, but I think I should be going. You don’t seem—” Right in the head, Emma stopped herself from saying at the last minute. “Well,” she finished with a glare. She started toward the door.

“I have proof!”

Emma was caught off guard when Vera shoved the piece of paper in front of her chest. She hauled up short and found herself staring at what appeared to be an official document.

It was Va

Emma staggered back as if she’d been shoved, the force of Vera’s vitriolic excitement was so great.

“He hates her with a white-hot passion. Cristina killed Adrian—her own son, Va

“It would kill him,” Emma gasped, too shocked and set off balance to say anything but the truth.

Vera’s smile was an ugly thing. “Perhaps he deserves to know the truth.”

“No,” Emma said forcefully, anger fortifying her. She stepped toward Vera, meeting her stare in preparation to fight. “You say you care about him. You know very well finding out Cristina was his real mother would . . . unhinge him. Do you really want that for him?”

“No,” Vera said, her chin going up. “Do you?”

Emma inhaled slowly, reading the truth in the woman’s glittering eyes. “Just tell me what you’re pla

“I’ll keep the secret until my grave. If you promise never to see or speak to Va

The refrigerator hummed on in the tense, horrible silence that followed.

“You must realize this thing with Va

“All you’re doing is blackmailing me,” Emma interrupted coldly. A fury started to build in the pit of her belly, melting her icy shock over the bizarre unfolding of events. “You know as well as anyone how much Va

“You claim to care about him as well,” Vera challenged, showing her teeth. “Would you make him suffer, just so that you can satisfy your lust for a few more nights? Don’t try to tell me Va

Emma refused to answer, but perhaps Vera saw the flash of doubt in her eyes. Vera smiled.

“I didn’t think so,” Vera said in a low, victorious tone. “You’ll have to tell him that you decided to end it now, since you know it’ll end sometime soon, anyway. A girl like you, so sweet and fragile . . . it’d pain you too much to keep things going until they inevitably end.”

Emma snarled in a very unfragile ma

“How do I know you won’t tell him anyway, even if I agree to this? How do I know you won’t harm him in another way, you crazy bitch?” Emma demanded.

For a few seconds, Vera looked like she was ready to resort to violence, but Emma was ready. She waited. Vera inhaled, regaining her composure.

“He’s like a son to me,” Vera said. “I’ve never done anything to harm him. Has he ever mentioned that I have?”

“No,” Emma said. “He doesn’t think about you much at all, let alone talk about you.”

Her arm went up instinctively, blocking Vera’s striking hand. She gripped her wrist tight when Vera tried to jerk it away. Vera’s attempted blow at her face had brought her closer. Emma stared unblinkingly into Vera Shaw’s eyes while her heartbeat roared in her ears. A memory came back to her in that harrowing moment: Niki Dellis staring at her, sadness and concern in his dark eyes as he spoke of Va

She couldn’t bear the idea of him learning that Cristina was his real mother. Just imagining his pain felt as if it took her breath away.

“Promise me you won’t tell him about Cristina,” Emma grated out. “Promise me you won’t do anything to harm him.”

“I promise it easily,” Vera hissed. “If you promise to walk away now.”

Emma shoved the other woman back with force. Vera stumbled back, looking outraged. She started to lunge toward Emma again, but suddenly came up short when their stares met.

“I know someone who will keep an eye on you,” Emma said fiercely, cha

Vera laughed. “Are you referring to my stupid sister-in-law, Michelle? Or maybe my a

“Unfortunately, all too well. You’re pitiful,” Emma said, casting a glance of cold disdain over the woman before she walked out of the kitchen.

Previously, Emma hadn’t allowed herself to imagine too greatly what it would be like when she eventually was forced to walk away from Va