Chapter 64

Mia

We got into the car with Sasha. Apparently, his brother was the driver. The atmosphere in the vehicle was a mix of tension and resolve. Well, the brother seemed well at ease. As we drove towards the casino, I couldn’t help but be grateful to have something else to focus on but my own mess of a life. At the same time, I kept thinking about my mess of a life. between the visit from Albert's would-be lawyer and Sophia yelling at me. I had really thought that the day wouldn't get more dramatic.

Thought about it. Who was she actually?

"That lawyer lady?" I said, drawing Sasha's attention. " Is she Albert's ex-girlfriend or something?"

The two of them snickered. "I'm pretty sure she would have liked to have been. I know her father would have liked them to have been."

"Cherry on top of she actually got pregnant."

Sasha scoffed. " Couldn't think of a worse faith in getting roped into that crazy family... They've never dated. Albert's never had any interest in her. Not romantically, anyway. They're friends at best and grew up together."

I nodded, feeling a bit better and wanting to kick myself for feeling that way. Hadn't I decided that there was no future for us?

"For the record, Albert would never let Polina be his lawyer. Aside from the conflict of interest, she's a hot-head."

"That much is clear," I rolled my eyes.

The lights of the casino came into view, and I prepared myself for whatever might come when we found Ethan, if we found Ethan.

"I didn’t expect to be a chauffeur for a crusade against infidelity tonight," Nikki laughed. "This must be a taste of civilian life."

Sasha and Nikki laughed. As Nikki drove through the city streets, I turned to Emma. She looked more and more about the second.

“How did you end up with Ethan?”

Emma took a shaky breath before speaking. “Ethan and I met through mutual friends. He was charming, and we got along well. He seemed genuinely interested in me, but over time, I started noticing changes. He was more distant, and he started showing signs of... well, not being entirely faithful.”

I nodded, trying to piece together the situation. “I'm sorry you only just got evidence about it... Are you in danger financially? He told me that you work for your parents, right?"

Emma looked down at her hands, fidgeting nervously. “We have a prenuptial agreement. It keeps our finances separate for five years. After that, he’s entitled to a substantial amount of my money if we divorce.”

I frowned. “He said you were in your fourth year... so it's likely that he's preparing to break it off for the money."

She sniffled. She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “I had a feeling, but hearing it out loud is different. I thought he loved me, but now it seems like he’s just been playing a long game.”

Sasha glanced back at us in the rearview mirror, his amusement fading into a more thoughtful expression.

“We could break his legs for you."

Her jaw dropped open.

"Or not," I said, shaking my head. "Once you get confirmation, I’d suggest you start the divorce process as soon as possible.”

Emma nodded, taking in my advice. “I will. I just... I don’t even know where to start...” She sniffled. "I can't imagine that this is what my parents wanted for me..."

I reached over and patted her hand reassuringly. “You know it's not. Let’s figure out what’s going on with Ethan tonight, get some evidence to take to your lawyer. I'm sure your dad will have him skewered alive."

She laughed. "Yeah... But only if there's something left of him after my mom."

The casino’s neon lights grew brighter as we approached, casting a gaudy glow on the street. I could feel the tension in the car as Emma’s anxiety. Nikki pulled up in front and Sasha got out to help us out.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” I said, trying to give Emma some confidence. “Let’s go.”

Emma took a deep breath and nodded, her resolve steeling as she stepped out of the car. Sasha led us in. As we walked toward the casino, I started smiling. It felt a bit like stories Katie would tell about confronting her friends' boyfriends. I'd always wanted to be a part of a friend's group like that.

When we entered the casino, the clamor of slot machines and the murmur of voices filled the air. The bright lights and luxurious décor seemed almost surreal. Sasha spoke with one of the guards, and I kept an eye out for Ethan.

Emma’s anxiety was palpable. She clung to her purse like a lifeline, her eyes darting around as if expecting to see Ethan at any moment. Sasha came back.

“Per the security, he’s usually at the high-stakes tables. A thrill-seeker.”

Emma sniffled pitifully and we followed Sasha. We navigated through the maze of gamblers and waitstaff, and finally, I spotted Ethan. He was seated at one of the high-stakes tables, surrounded by a group of wealthy patrons. My stomach churned when I saw the woman draped over his lap. She was elegant, dressed in a form-fitting gown that screamed luxury.

It was the woman from the photo, and we really could have been sisters.

“That’s him,” Emma said, her voice trembling. “And that woman...”

“Yeah, I see them,” I replied. We approached the table, weaving through the crowd.

Ethan was in the middle of a game, chips piled high in front of him. He glanced up, his eyes widening slightly when he saw Emma. The wealthy woman on his lap looked up too, her expression shifting to one of surprise and confusion.

“Ethan!” Emma called out, her voice cutting through the noise of the casino.

Ethan sputtered. “Emma, what are you doing here?”

"I could ask you the same thing,” Emma said, her voice gaining strength despite her tears. “Who is she? And why are you with her?”

The woman stood up. "Who is this woman?"

Ethan stood up, trying to compose himself. “Emma, this isn’t the time. This is no place for you."

I stepped forward. "Actually, Ethan, this is exactly the time." I looked at the woman. "Did you know he's married with a baby on the way?"

Her jaw dropped and she pulled back from Ethan with disgust. "You're married?"

Ethan’s face flushed with anger. “You have no right to come here and make a scene like this!”

"I have every reason! I'm your wife!"

"You fucking--" He lifted his fist and before I realized it, I had swung. My fist connected with his face with a viciousness that felt good, as if punching Ethan has released all the anger I'd been holding in about everything that was going on around me.

He stumbled.

"You're just as much of a sleaze ball as you were in college."

The woman scoffed. "Did you just raise your hand to hit a woman?" She shook her head. "Absolutely not. Get the hell away from me."

"But my chips--"

"You didn't win a single chip on this table," she said. "Guards! Someone get this freeloader out of here, and don't believe him when he says I'm paying his debts."

"Wait a second!" Ethan yelled and whirled back on us. Ethan’s gaze shifted between Emma and me, frustration and fear evident. “Look, let’s talk about this somewhere private.”

"You have gambling debts?" Emma asked. She shook her head. “No, Ethan. We’re done here. I’m getting a divorce, and you’re going to have to deal with the fallout from your actions.”

As Emma turned to leave, I stayed close, making sure Ethan didn’t try anything desperate. The tension in the air was thick, and I could see Ethan’s mind racing as he tried to come up with a response.

“You can’t do this! You don’t know what’s at stake here! I—”

I cut him off with a cold stare. “And I don't care. No one cares."

Ethan shook his head. "You can't do this to me! What about me? You got fat and mopey. I deserved to be compensated--"

"I'm pregnant, you ass!"

“You can’t do this to me!” he yelled at Emma, his voice cracking with desperation. “You’ll ruin me! I’ll make sure you regret this!”

Emma turned to face him, her face set in a resolute expression. “You're the only one whose going to regret anything as soon as my father finds out about this. He's going to tear you apart!"

"You fucking bitch!" He made a move toward her, his hand swinging as if to strike her. Emma gasped, stepping back in shock.

Before Ethan could land a blow, his arm was wrenched back and a sharp crack filled the air. Ethan let out a howl of agony and I looked up to see Albert behind him. Ethan crumpled to the ground, wailing.

"My hand!"