“Youre old! Im embarrassed to bring you to my partners, so Ive taken a mistress!” declares James.
Lately Emma is swamped with work. She has opened her own bespoke tailoring studio in Camden, dedicating every spare hour to the venture, hoping to lift it quickly and claim a spot in the sun. Remembering that tonight is the charity dinner her husband mentioned in passing, Emma snaps to attention.
James says she doesnt have to attend; he understands her busy schedule and will go alone, but he insists it isnt right to treat the family carelessly. Emma calls the event manager and explains that she cant make it because she has evening commitments and must look the part.
She fills the bathtub with aromatic oils, intent on unwinding. As the citrus and pine scents fill the air, she closes her eyes. The phone, perched on the tubs edge, rings. Emma lifts her head, rinses her hands, wipes the foam from her wrist, and answers.
Her daughter, Lucy, is studying abroad. Emma aches for her, longing to hug her tight. Though Lucy is no longer a little girl, she will always be Emmas child.
“Hey, sunshine!” Emma says.
” Mum, congratulations! Ive read about your studiobrilliant work. Dad must be proud, right? Even though you could ignore the business, you went for it. I was surprised when you sent me the link. How do you juggle everything? And you still help Dad too?” Lucy replies.
“I’m not trying to brag, but the shop is already buzzing with orders. I love it; Ive always wanted to try something new. Honestly, the family business we ran with Dad always stifled me. I dreamed of a place where I could be creative, and now that dream is alive,” Emma says.
They chat briefly about the weather before Lucy rushes off to university. Shes on an exchange programme and will return home in six months. Emma smiles, feeling grateful for her family. The thought lifts her spirits until she pulls up to the restaurant where the charity dinner is taking place.
“Sorry, maam, you cant enter without an invitation,” says a stubborn security guard.
“Then call my husband. He has a twoperson invitation,” Emma retorts.
“May I have your husbands surname?”
Emma rolls her eyes. The dismissive tone irks her.
“Besson, James Besson. Check the list.”
The guard scans the list, exchanges a look with his colleague, and chuckles.
“Youre making a mistake, madam. Mr. Besson already entered with his wife.”
“What? With his wife?” Emma asks, puzzled.
“The list shows he came in with his spouse. You cant slip past us. This is a private event, and if youre a journalist who wasnt invited”
“Andrew, whats happening?” a smooth, velvety voice calls from behind.
Emma turns and is stunned to see her old schoolmate David. They havent spoken in years, making the encounter all the more surprising.
“David? I didnt expect to see you! The guards think my husband already got in with his wife, so theyre not letting me through,” Emma complains.
David smiles warmly and nods at the guards. “Shes with me.”
Emma hardly knows how to thank a former classmate. She had planned a surprise for James, not a precall. Perhaps James, like David, had a spare invitation?
She wonders what to say to someone she hasnt spoken to in ages. She never imagined David would rise so high; in school he was constantly failing and being sent to the headmaster. Could he now be a director?
“Hows life treating you? I see youve married wellyour husband looks the part,” David says, still grinning.
“We built everything from the ground up together. Now I run my own studio. If you ever need a custom suit, let me know.”
Emma hands David her business card. Inside the hall she scans the crowd for James.
“And you? Did you exceed the teachers expectations and land a good job?” she asks.
“Those expectations never mattered; grades arent everything,” David replies modestly. “You havent changed a bitstill as lovely as ever. Its nice to run into you like this.”
In school David once asked Emma out, but she, driven to finish her degree and climb the corporate ladder, turned him down. She later left old friends behind when she started university.
Seeing James, Emma thanks David again and hurries to her husband.
“My wife is the best. Shes my inspiration,” James declares proudly, and Emmas heart flutters at his praise.
That moment lasts until James pulls an unfamiliar woman into his arms and kisses her cheek.
“Emma, would you like a drink?” he asks, grinning.
Emma freezes, feeling as if she could collapse. “Emma? Hes introducing another woman as his wife? How dare he?”
“I dont mind,” Emma replies, standing a few metres away from the pair, watching the young, stylish woman and her companions.
James turns, his eyes widening in horror. He coughs, apologises to the companions, and moves toward Emma. The mistressclearly older than their daughterfollows, clicking her heels.
“What are you doing here?” James whispers to Emma.
“I came to support my husband. You said this event was important,” Emma says calmly, watching the woman approach. “Are you not going to explain?”
“You shouldnt be here!” James snaps, then looks at the mistress. “Polly, go get something to eat. Ill be back soon.” He drags Emma by the elbow toward the garden. Once theyre a safe distance away, he glares at her.
“You could have ruined everything. I never invited you.”
“Because you brought someone else?” Emma retorts.
Perhaps Emma has finally stopped trying to start fights. She simply watches James, trying to understand what he lacks. Why, after twenty years, did he feel the need to cheat? His companions certainly arent cluelesstheyve seen family photos before. The mistress looks nothing like Emma.
“You’re old, Emma! Im ashamed to show you to my partners, so I got a mistress. What did you expect? In our circle a wife must sparkle, not look like a tired horse. You do the job well,” James says, as if auditioning for a new lover. Emma feels only deep disappointment.
“Sure, she looks lovely. She doesnt have to worry about the annual report or where to invest to stay afloat. Smart choice, Mr. Besson.”
James merely shakes his head.
“Twenty years of marriage, and you think Im the only one youve ever had? Thats normal, but it wont change our future. Now leave quietly. Ill be home soon and well talk.”
Theres nothing left to discuss. Emma decides she wont stay in a pictureperfect marriage just because others do. She knows a man who cheats once will do it again, so she refuses to cling to fantasies. She resolves to rely on her booming business, which will keep her afloat and earn her half of everything she deserves.
James departs, and Emma sits on a bench under a dim streetlamp, trying to process everything and think how to tell her daughter. David settles beside her almost silently. He respects her space, and his presence oddly soothes her. He recalls school anecdotes, and Emma laughs, letting go of anxiety. For a moment she feels like the carefree girl she once was.
“I always wanted to grow up, but now I wish I could go back to school,” she sighs.
“I get you. If you need anything, just ask. I can even drive you home.”
David watches, draws his own conclusions, and keeps his friendly mask while the other guests keep smiling at James.
“Do you have a wife whod mind?” he asks.
“I dont have a wife. Ive never managed to love anyone seriously. There were relationships, but nothing lasting.”
Emma doesnt ask David where he works or why he drives such an expensive car; money never mattered to her. She dreams of a career and her own home, achievements she earned on her own. When Lucy was born, Emma worked nights to check reports and help James. She was his muse, feeding new ideas into the business, until she finally burned out.
After saying goodbye to David at the door, Emma enters the place that once felt like home but now feels foreign. She decides her daughter is old enough to handle any decision, so she doesnt tell Lucy about the impending divorce nowno need to add stress while Lucys abroad. Shell learn later. James never supported the idea of separating.
“Youre suitable as a wife because the business needs a pretty image, and I provide that,” James once told her.
“Dividing money that doesnt just fall from the sky, right?” Emma snapped back.
“Think about the daughter. Shell need stability. A divorce would hit her hardest. Does that please you?”
“Too late youre thinking about her, James,” Emma says coldly.
They sleep in separate rooms. The next morning Emma decides to move into a flat next to her studio, unwilling to share a roof with an unfaithful husband. James fights the divorce, making it a tough battle, especially when Emma still needs to grow her business. They hire top lawyers and split assets. Initially Emma wanted the house and left the business to James, but now she plans to claim everything she helped build. In the end the court splits everything fairly, despite James attempts to bribe the judge.
James calls Lucy, hoping shell persuade her mother to stay, but Lucy sides with Emma, supporting her fully. She returns home, helps with the studio, and refuses to see her father. She 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 Jamess betrayal, and Lucys support is constant. Jamess ventures flounder without Emmas sharp mind. He begs for forgiveness, promising no more cheating, but trust, once shattered, never fully returns.
The studio gains reputation; orders flood in, prompting thoughts of expansion.
One afternoon the phone rings. An unfamiliar number, but Emma answers.
“This is David. You gave me your card in case I need a suit”
“Oh, Dave, were swamped, but well make an exception for you,” Emma replies, pleased to hear his voice.
“Honestly, I dont need the suit right now; I just wanted an excuse to call. How about meeting for coffee?”
Emma laughs and agrees, sensing a fresh start might be possible. She isnt in a rush; she has learned to value herself above all. Time flies, but she wont panic, believing she wont end up alone in old age. Her heart tells her she isnt wrong, and perhaps she and David have a chance at happiness.
