Is this destiny?

The maid came to tell Charlie that Miss Sparks arrived, and just like Miss Davis and Miss Thompson, she wants to talk to Emma and is willing to wait for whenever Emma is ready to see her.

"That makes three of them?", JoAnna asked.

Charlie confirmed.

"Why the pouty face?", JoAnna aske Emma.

"I don't want to talk to them.", Emma admitted. "What's the point? Does any of them have a time machine to fix the mess from last night? Are they really sorry? Will they change their ways? Other than me getting upset by getting close to them, nothing will happen if I go to the living room."

"You are looking at this in the wrong way, sweetie.", JoAnna told Emma. "Come, let's have a chat. The two of us…", JoAnna held Emma's hand and asked Charlie: "Where can we go?"

In the study…

"Do you want to stay by Charlie's side as his partner?", JoAnna asked Emma.

Emma didn't understand the point of that question, but she responded with a nod.

"Then you need to accept that you can't ignore them. They will NOT go away."

Emma needs more information. "What should I do?"

"You need to show them that you are not easy to bully. They are sitting there for hours, waiting to apologize and be done with it. I hope you know that those women came here because they were forced. They hate your guts and if there is an opportunity, they will ruin you in ways you can't imagine. Right now, you are at an advantage. Use it. I know that your nature is not to hurt others, but they offended you and that reflects on Charlie because you went to that party as his date. If you don't retaliate, they will be coming back. They will see you as a weak person, as Charlie's weakness. Do you understand?"

Emma responded with a nod. She does not like it, but she can't deny that JoAnna is right.

"Any tips?"

JoAnna grinned. "I thought you will never ask. First, we make them dig deeper the hole they are already in…"

…

In the living room, Miss Davis (aka Chelsea), Miss Thompson and Miss Sparks are sitting in silence. All three of them have sullen expressions. They would be anywhere other than here. Actually, they don't mind being here because this is Charlie's villa, but they don't like the purpose of their visit. And they don't like that they are sitting here for hours while being ignored.

All three women lifted their faces and narrowed their eyes when they saw Emma enter the room.

Emma walked in confidently, with a small smile on her face. That frozen unreadable expression came to Emma easier than she thought it will be, because it is a slightly modified version of her professional-patient-comforting face. And looking them in the eyes was not difficult either. After all, nothing can be more difficult than looking at a heavily injured patient and comforting him that it will be all right when you know that it will not.

"I hear that you want to see me?", Emma asked when she took a seat on the chair opposite from the sofa where her 'guests' are seated.

All three women looked behind Emma while trying to confirm that no one else is coming. Is Charlie leaving her by herself? They saw that someone else arrived recently, but they are not sure who that someone was. They exchanged glances and shared an understanding that whoever arrived recently is probably with Charlie, keeping him busy, and that Emma came here on her own. That confirms their suspicion that Emma is not very important to Charlie. If she is, he would accompany her.

Miss Davis is the ringleader of their group, so Miss Thompson and Miss Sparks looked at her, waiting for her to take the lead. Two of them will follow.   

A maid entered the living room and she placed a glass of orange juice in front of Emma. "Madam, Master sent this for you.", the maid said before leaving the room.

Chelsea balled her hands into fists when she heard the maid address Emma as 'Madam'. What Madam? Are they married? Not possible, right? Her mind was spinning while trying to understand what is going on.

"What is your relationship with Charles?", Chelsea could not hold herself back from asking.

"You said it last night. I am his nurse.", Emma responded.

"But the maid called you 'Madam'!", Miss Thompson exclaimed impatiently.

"Why are you concerned how the staff in this house addresses me? You came here to see me, right? My time is limited, so I will appreciate if you don't waste it and get to the point."

Chelsea felt her fingernails getting into her palms. First, her father embarrassed her last night by slapping her in front of everyone… then he slapped her one more time inside his study. He punished her by cutting her allowance for three months! Now she needs to apologize to this no-name nurse, and it needs to look sincere… and she is left to wait for hours, and there is a chance that this nobody is Charlie's wife!

"Who do you think you are to act so arrogantly in front of me?", Chelsea sneered.

Emma sighed exaggeratedly. "If this is why you came here, please leave. I will not see you out." Emma stood up.

"No, please…", Miss Sparks bolted up to stop Emma.

Miss Davis and Miss Thompson are agitated by waiting for hours, but she arrived recently and her father's scoldings are still fresh in her mind. She came here to apologize.

Miss Sparks looked at Emma and spoke quickly the speech she practiced on the way here: "I am sorry for my behavior from last night. It was very inappropriate and unwelcoming and I understand that I hurt your feelings. Please accept my apology and tell me if there is anything I can do to fix what happened last night."

"Why are you apologizing to this nobody?", Chelsea snapped at Miss Sparks. "How many more grievances I need to suffer because of her? Is she better than me? Or you? Just because she caught Charles' eye temporarily, it does not mean that she is important! If she is important Charles would be by her side!"

"But the Whites…", Miss Sparks started in a low voice and Chelsea cut her off.

"What about Whites? What can they do? And who is she for them to back her up? She is just a nurse!"

Emma looked at Miss Thompson who didn't make her stance clear so far. "What do you think Miss Thompson? Is my profession determining my value as a person, or my background, or the people I know?"

Miss Thompson looked at Emma and then at her two companions. Her parents told her to come and apologize, but she is waiting here for hours, just like Chelsea. It's obvious that Emma made her wait so long on purpose. And she is itchy to give her a piece of her mind. She stood up next to Chelsea. "Your value? You don't have any!"

"Do you agree with that, Miss Sparks?", Emma asked.

Miss Sparks' eyes darted few times before she lowered her head.

"Miss Sparks…", Emma called. "Staying silent is supporting the bully."

Emma looked at three women and shook her head. "Your apology is not accepted." She turned around to walk away.

"What apology?! Who will apologize to a nobody?!", Chelsea raged. "Where are you going?! I am not done with you!"

"But I am done with you, for now.", Emma glanced at Chelsea and smirked.

Chelsea wanted to say something, but her face fell when she saw Charlie at the door. He put his arm around Emma's waist and looked at three women. "You are not welcome in our home. Leave now, or security will escort you out."

---

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