Mom, you simply must find a new husband right away! Very, very urgently!
Claire almost drops the coffee cup, and some spills on the tablecloth. She places it on the table, clears her throat, and looks closely at her daughter.
“Explain what this is about,” she asks, trying to speak evenly. “Why this demand?”
The girl shifts her weight from one foot to the other, lowers her eyes, and starts examining the carpet pattern. Emily feels awkward, but she is certain her action is right.
“You see… Today I told dad that you have a man,” she sighs heavily. “He just torments me with questions! He always asks if you found someone! All this time I say ‘no’ and then he starts a long speech about what a big mistake you made leaving him. That you understand nothing in life since you lost such a wonderful man!”
She lifts her gaze to her mother. Her eyes show annoyance, confusion, and anger at her father.
“And he keeps repeating that you will soon understand you were wrong and come back. That you won’t find anyone better. So I snapped. I said you met someone.”
Claire passes a hand through her hair. Memories of her former husband’s familiar intonations surface – that pretended confidence, the way he turns any conversation into a monologue about his correctness.
“I can imagine the colorful descriptions he uses,” she says with light irony. “He still can’t accept that I left him, the perfect man. Sometimes I think David only wants your weekend visits for his monologues. He doesn’t care about talking to you, just getting fresh gossip. He heals his self-esteem that way.”
Emily sighs heavily and drops onto the sofa, tucking her legs under her habitually. Resting on a pillow, she runs her hand absently over the soft upholstery fabric, trying to collect her thoughts.
“Yes, I think so too,” she says, looking to the side. “I have to listen for an hour and a half about how amazing he is. The rest of the time I’m free – he doesn’t even ask how I am. He doesn’t ask how I’m doing in school or if I need something…”
The girl speaks about this in a matter-of-fact way, as if describing the usual schedule: rising, breakfast, school, homework. For Emily this has long been everyday – so much that it causes no emotions.
She leans back on the sofa back and stares at the ceiling, mentally replaying the recent talk with her father. As always, it begins with his latest success – this time he describes in detail how skillfully he conducted negotiations with partners. Then he moves to his future plans, the difficulties at work, how everyone underestimates his input. An hour and a half monologue – Emily even notes the time mentally so she won’t forget to mention it to mom.
When she tries to tell about her school math olympiad, father only nods absently and switches the topic to his matters. “Well done, of course, but you know, at my age I already…” – and again the chain of stories about his successes.
The girl shrugs slightly, pushing away the memories. She has long grown used to this order. As long as Emily can remember, dad has always been absorbed in his own self. Other family members exist somewhere on the edge of his attention – important, but not enough to distract from the main – himself.
He always reduces any talk to himself and his problems. If mom complains of tiredness, he immediately tells how hard it is for him at work. If Emily shares worries about friends, father finds a way to shift to his school years – naturally, much brighter and fuller. He seems not to notice others’ concerns or considers them unimportant.
Emily still can’t understand how mom endured fifteen years with such a person. He is literally fixated on his brilliant self! Perhaps mom stayed only for her, not wanting the daughter to grow without a father. In childhood Emily sincerely believed that someday dad would change, start noticing them, showing interest in their lives… But years go by, and nothing changes. And only after the divorce does the girl discover with surprise that life without him is much calmer! No one pulls all attention to himself, considering others’ small things.
“And why am I supposed to urgently find myself a life companion?” Claire’s voice sounds a bit sharper than she probably wants. “You said it and said it – what’s the big deal?”
“You see, when dad hears this, he changes completely!” Emily winces involuntarily, pressing one of the scattered sofa pillows to her chest. “First he pales, then reddens and starts yelling so that even the neighbor runs over! Honestly, I even get a little scared.”
She falls silent for a moment, recalling that scene. Father’s voice, unusually high and cracking, his fists clenched, his darting look. It seems he is about to burst from the emotions filling him.
“He demands that I name that man’s name and describe him in all details,” Emily continues, fingering the pillow edge. “I refuse, say that you asked not to tell anything, especially to him… I won’t be surprised if he soon starts calling you and attacking you.”
Claire slowly turns, leans on the windowsill and looks closely at her daughter. An interesting day awaits her… She can easily imagine David’s level of hysteria… Good job, daughter, nothing to say…
Claire sits on the sofa next to Emily and sighs heavily, hugging her daughter. Well, now nothing can be done. The words were spoken, and taking them back is impossible…
“Why did you make this up?” she asks quietly, slightly rocking Emily in her arms. “We were living peacefully! Now we will have to listen to his hysterics and whining again. I even want to turn off the phone.”
Emily gently slips out of the embrace, sits straight and looks seriously at her mother. Genuine conviction shines in her eyes.
“Because you are wonderful!” she says confidently. “You are beautiful, smart, you have many friends, and you are popular with men! Do you think I don’t see? And dad always says nasty things about you! I’m tired of it!”
The woman gently strokes her daughter’s hair, carefully running fingers through the soft strands. Tenderness and slight confusion read in her gaze.
“I understand, sunshine, I understand,” she says softly. “Honestly, I thought you wouldn’t want me to start serious relationships. After all, only six months have passed since the divorce from your father.”
These words are not easy for her. Somewhere deep in her soul she fears that the daughter might see the new romance as betrayal or an attempt to replace the father. Claire looks closely at Emily’s face, trying to catch the slightest signs of discontent.
“Nonsense!” Emily snorts, and such sincere determination sounds in her voice that Claire smiles involuntarily. “The main thing is that you are happy!”
The girl crosses her arms on her chest, smiling at her mother. At this moment she looks surprisingly adult – wise beyond her years and ready to defend her opinion.
Claire continues to look at her daughter, and the anxiety in her heart gradually melts. Emily speaks so confidently that doubts begin to recede. Maybe she really thinks too much about the past and is afraid of the future?
“You are my clever one,” Claire says quietly, again pulling her daughter to her. “Thank you for caring so much about mom.”
Emily presses to her, comfortably settling at her side. At this moment both feel how it becomes even warmer and calmer between them – as if their small family, no matter what, only strengthens with each day…
Claire sits at her work desk, trying to concentrate on the report. The lines blur before her eyes, and a dull pain pulses in her temples. It only slightly hinted at its presence in the morning, but by lunch it has grown to unbearable size. The woman tiredly massages her temples, hoping to ease the condition a little. The movements are slow, almost mechanical – she has already done them dozens of times today.
After thinking for a couple of minutes, Claire still decides and asks a colleague to stop by the pharmacy – it is literally two minutes’ walk from the office. Returning with the tablets, she washes them down with water from the carafe and tries again to read the documents. Useless. Her head feels like it’s filled with lead, and every sound – the clack of keyboards, the hum of the air conditioner, distant conversations in the hallway – responds in her with a sharp wave.
At this moment the security guard looks into the office. His face is polite, but his eyes show some caution.
“Claire, you have a visitor,” he says, slightly opening the door. “Your ex-husband insists on a meeting. Will you come down or should we help him leave?”
Claire freezes. A wave of irritation mixed with fatigue rises inside. She takes a deep breath, trying to maintain external calm.
“I’ll come down now, sorry for the inconvenience,” she replies, rising from the desk.
Mentally she swears. How untimely! Everything is going worse than bad. The workday is already heavy, her head is splitting, and now David has decided to appear without warning. Why didn’t he call? Why did he come straight to work, where there are plenty of strangers? Does he really want to make a scene right in the office?
She slowly heads to the exit, trying not to hurry – sharp movements only increase the headache. The corridor is lively: employees hurry on business, someone laughs at the coffee machine, someone discusses a project at the board with notes. Claire walks past them, feeling tension tightening her shoulders.
Claire enters the hall and immediately sees David. He paces from side to side, now approaching the reception desk, now stepping back a couple of steps. His movements are sharp, impulsive – he waves his arms emotionally, proving something to the guards, periodically raising his voice. On the faces of the security staff is restrained displeasure: they try to remain polite, but are clearly ready to move to more decisive actions if the situation gets out of control.
“What do you need?” Claire asks without preamble, coming closer. Her voice sounds even, although irritation grows inside. “What kind of performance are you putting on here? Do you want to get to know the police better? I can arrange that.”
David turns sharply at the sound of her voice. His face is red, his eyes burn with an unclear fire – either from anger or from excitement. He jumps to his ex-wife, accusingly pointing a finger at her, as if he caught her in some crime.
“You!” he exclaims. “You! Emily told me everything! Only six months after the divorce, and you have already found yourself a new man?”
In his voice mix disbelief, resentment and obvious jealousy. It seems he hoped to the last that the daughter was mistaken or just trying to prank him. But now, looking at Claire’s calm face, he understands that this was no joke.
Claire raises her eyebrows in surprise, slightly tilting her head to the side. Her pose remains relaxed, but a cold glint flashes in her eyes.
“Should I keep fidelity to you forever?” she asks in an even tone. “Even after divorce? You want too much, dear. Especially considering that even in marriage you didn’t consider fidelity an obligatory virtue.”
David freezes for a moment, as if not knowing how to react. His hand, still extended toward her, slowly lowers. Something like confusion flashes in his eyes – he clearly did not expect such a calm, confident rebuff.
Around them people continue to walk: employees, visitors, couriers… Someone throws curious glances in their direction, someone tries not to pay attention. But for David and Claire the whole world for a moment narrows to this small space between them – a space filled with old grievances, unspoken reproaches and a new reality that is hard for him to accept.
“You… you just…” he finally squeezes out, but Claire does not let him finish.
“Let’s not make scenes, David,” her voice becomes a little softer, but no less firm. “If you need to discuss something, we can talk calmly. But not here and not like this.”
“Scenes? I’ll show you a scene!”
David almost shouts, and his voice echoes through the spacious office hall. His face is covered with crimson spots, veins stand out on his neck, and his fists clench and unclench involuntarily, betraying extreme nervous tension. He takes a step forward, then steps back, as if he cannot decide how best to convey his threat.
“I will not allow my daughter to live under the same roof with an unknown person!” he shouts, not noticing that he attracts the attention of passing employees. “I will take Emily from you! You will never see her again! You…”
His words sound sharp, almost hysterical, but Claire only slightly raises an eyebrow, keeping an expression of calm indifference on her face. Take the daughter? Well, she would like to see that! Any court will side with her!
“Everything said? Quite the artist,” she says in an even, slightly mocking tone. And clarifies: “From the circus.”
“What is going on here?”
David freezes mid-sentence and turns sharply to the unfamiliar voice. In the doorway leading to the hall stands a man in an elegant dark blue suit. His posture is casually confident, and his gaze is calm and attentive. The guards, who had previously tried to delicately restrain David, instantly stand at attention – obviously, this is a person who holds a significant position in the company.
“Don’t interfere!” David hisses, throwing an irritated glance at the stranger. His face still burns from anger, and his voice carries open hostility. “This is a personal matter, it doesn’t concern you.”
The man does not hurry to answer. He slowly walks forward, stopping a little distance away, so as to see both interlocutors. He smirks, which irritates David even more.
“A personal matter is when you talk to your wife in private,” he says finally. “When you arrange a scandal in a public place, it stops being personal and becomes public.”
Claire silently observes this scene, feeling the tension in the air become almost tangible. She did not expect Robert Harrington’s appearance, but his intervention, though unexpected, seems appropriate to her – at least, it knocks David off his usual track of threats and shouts.
David takes a step toward the man, clearly intending to respond sharply, but he does not even flinch. His gaze remains calm, almost impassive, as if he is used to dealing with much more emotional opponents.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?” David hisses through his teeth, trying to maintain the remnants of composure. “Sticking your nose in someone else’s business!”
Robert Harrington takes several confident steps forward. He approaches Claire, who still stands in slight stupor, not fully understanding what is happening, and gently puts his arm around her waist. Demonstratively, leaving no room for imagination.
“Who am I?” he says in an even, almost everyday tone, but there is such cold determination in his voice that even David involuntarily steps back. “I am the one who makes Claire happy. You allow yourself to shout at my woman, and I do not forgive that. A trip to the police will not be enough, I will make sure you have more problems than you can handle. And if you dare to make the daughter a bargaining chip… I think you understand me, right?”
David freezes. His face, recently burning with anger, gradually loses its crimson shade, replaced by paleness. He shifts his gaze from Robert Harrington to Claire, as if trying to realize that the situation has gone out of his control. Something like confusion flashes in his eyes – he clearly did not expect to meet such a confident and cool-headed opponent.
For several minutes he stands silent, clenching and unclenching his fists, as if struggling with the desire to say something sharp. But the words do not come – either because of the overwhelming confidence with which Robert Harrington speaks, or because of the realization that his usual methods will not work here.
Finally, he grimaces, mutters something indistinct, barely distinguishable, and turns sharply. His gait, recently assertive and aggressive, now looks constrained, as if he is trying with all his might to preserve the remnants of dignity. Before leaving the hall, he turns, throws over his shoulder:
“You can forget about the child support!”
“I don’t need it anyway,” Claire snorts as soon as he disappears behind the door. Her voice sounds light, almost mocking, but there is genuine relief in it. “At least Emily won’t have to go to her father’s anymore!”
A moment later Claire suddenly realizes that the warm, confident hand of the CEO is still on her waist. This touch, so simple and at the same time significant, makes her slightly embarrassed. She involuntarily lowers her gaze, feeling a light blush spreading on her cheeks, and carefully steps away, trying to do it as naturally as possible.
With a light, slightly confused smile she turns to her unexpected savior:
“Thank you very much, Robert. You can’t even imagine how much you helped!”
Her voice sounds sincere, without a shadow of pretense. At this moment she really feels enormous gratitude – not only for intervening in an unpleasant scene, but also for how confidently and calmly he did it.
The man smiles slightly, his eyes warming for a moment.
“Shall we discuss this over lunch?” he proposes, extending his hand in a gesture of invitation.
Claire freezes for a second, considering the proposal. The usual doubts flash through her head – isn’t it too soon, won’t it look frivolous? But almost immediately she dismisses these thoughts. Robert Harrington is behaving correctly, respectfully, and she really wants to talk to him without fuss and strangers.
Moreover, curiosity is stirring inside: who he really is, why he decided to intervene, what is hidden behind this calm confidence?
“Of course,” she replies, placing her palm in his hand.
The touch turns out to be unexpectedly pleasant – firm, reliable, but without intrusiveness. Claire feels how the tension that has gripped her since David’s appearance gradually goes away, leaving room for light excitement and even anticipation.
Later, at a cozy table in a small restaurant near the office, the conversation flows more freely. The soft light of the lamps, unobtrusive music and the aroma of fresh pastries create a welcoming atmosphere.
Gradually, in the course of a casual conversation, she learns that her savior has long had tender feelings for her. He tells about this simply, without pathos and beautiful phrases – rather as something natural that has long matured inside, but found no outlet.
“I hesitated to approach for a long time,” he admits, stirring his coffee with a spoon. “You always seemed so focused, serious… I understood that you were going through a difficult period after the divorce, and I didn’t want to pressure or seem intrusive.”
Claire listens without interrupting. There is no trace of arrogance or self-satisfaction in his words – only sincerity and respect for her personal space.
“And today, when I saw how this man was shouting at you…” Robert Harrington frowns displeasedly. “I just couldn’t stay aside!”
The woman cannot hold back a soft smile. So that’s how it is! She had noticed the boss’s glances before, but had misunderstood them! Robert is quite likable to her, but because of the difference in position she would never have risked taking the first step…
Three months after that tense scene in the office Claire and Robert officially become husband and wife. The wedding turns out lavish, the man embodies literally all of Claire’s dreams, fulfills any wish.
Emily sincerely rejoices for her mom. On the wedding day she helps Claire get ready, carefully makes sure everything is perfect – from the hairstyle to the last button on the dress. When the newlyweds exchange rings, the girl smiles and hugs both tightly.
“I am so happy for you!” she whispers, and genuine joy shines in her eyes.
At the same time Emily immediately honestly warns that she is not yet ready to call Robert dad.
“I like you, Robert,” she says on one of the first evenings when they are left alone together. “And I am glad that mom is not alone. But dad… No matter what he is, I already have a dad.”
Robert nods without a shadow of offense:
“I understand. And that’s right, Emily. The main thing is that we are together.”
David also receives an invitation to the wedding – rather as a mockery than seriously. Claire hesitates whether to send him the envelope, but in the end decides – let him know that her life continues, and without him. She sends the invitation by mail, without a cover letter – just a card with the date, time and address.
Naturally, David does not appear at the wedding. He does not even seriously think about coming – the very thought of it causes in him a mixture of irritation and bitter resentment. Instead, he finds another way to vent the accumulated discontent: he begins to call mutual acquaintances.
He makes the first call already the next day after receiving the invitation. His voice sounds deliberately calm, but tension clearly shows in the intonations.
“Imagine, she invited me to her wedding!” he blurts out, without waiting for the interlocutor to finish the greeting. “After everything that happened!”
The interlocutor (an old university friend) politely inquires what exactly seems so outrageous to David. But he only waves it off:
“How could she? Humiliate me like that!”
In the following few days this scene repeats again and again. David dials one number after another, and each conversation begins the same way – with this phrase about the invitation, spoken with barely restrained indignation. He seems to be trying to find confirmation of his rightness in others’ words, hoping that someone will say: “Yes, that is really disgusting.”
But the interlocutors react restrainedly. Someone nods sympathetically, someone gets by with general phrases like “Well, everyone has their own life”, and someone just stays silent, not knowing what to answer. And the more often David repeats his monologue, the more clearly he understands that his arguments sound unconvincing.
Then he begins to assert that Claire is rushing with the new marriage too much:
“Only six months have passed! Is it possible to find true love in such a time? This is just an attempt to run away from reality. She is just trying to forget me, you understand?”
Then he suddenly switches to something else:
“She didn’t even give me a chance to fix everything! If we talked, I could…”
He doesn’t finish what he could – get her back, change something in himself, start everything anew.
And sometimes his claims take a completely strange turn:
“I did so much for her, and she… Didn’t even say thank you. Just took and left. And took the daughter with her!”
These accusations of “ingratitude” sound especially unconvincing. The interlocutors exchange glances, shrug their shoulders, and someone cautiously remarks:
“And why should she thank you? You were married, that’s natural!”
David falls silent, feeling frustration growing inside. He understands that his words do not produce the effect he counted on. No one shares his indignation, no one calls Claire “indecent” or “frivolous”. On the contrary, everyone seems to think that she has the right to live on – and this angers him even more.
In the end, tired of fruitless conversations, David stops calling. He sits in his apartment, looks at the small things left from Claire – a forgotten hairpin on the shelf, an old photo album in the cupboard, a pair of dresses that have become too small – and understands – no matter how you twist it, life goes on. Only he has not yet managed to find his place in this new life.
In the end, tired of fruitless conversations, David falls silent. And the life of Claire, Robert and Emily goes on as usual – calm, measured, filled with small joys: shared dinners, weekend walks, funny arguments about which movie to watch in the evening.Mom, you simply must find a new husband right away! Very, very urgently!
Claire almost drops the coffee cup, and some spills on the tablecloth. She places it on the table, clears her throat, and looks closely at her daughter.
“Explain what this is about,” she asks, trying to speak evenly. “Why this demand?”
The girl shifts her weight from one foot to the other, lowers her eyes, and starts examining the carpet pattern. Emily feels awkward, but she is certain her action is right.
“You see… Today I told dad that you have a man,” she sighs heavily. “He just torments me with questions! He always asks if you found someone! All this time I say ‘no’ and then he starts a long speech about what a big mistake you made leaving him. That you understand nothing in life since you lost such a wonderful man!”
She lifts her gaze to her mother. Her eyes show annoyance, confusion, and anger at her father.
“And he keeps repeating that you will soon understand you were wrong and come back. That you won’t find anyone better. So I snapped. I said you met someone.”
Claire passes a hand through her hair. Memories of her former husband’s familiar intonations surface – that pretended confidence, the way he turns any conversation into a monologue about his correctness.
“I can imagine the colorful descriptions he uses,” she says with light irony. “He still can’t accept that I left him, the perfect man. Sometimes I think David only wants your weekend visits for his monologues. He doesn’t care about talking to you, just getting fresh gossip. He heals his self-esteem that way.”
Emily sighs heavily and drops onto the sofa, tucking her legs under her habitually. Resting on a pillow, she runs her hand absently over the soft upholstery fabric, trying to collect her thoughts.
“Yes, I think so too,” she says, looking to the side. “I have to listen for an hour and a half about how amazing he is. The rest of the time I’m free – he doesn’t even ask how I am. He doesn’t ask how I’m doing in school or if I need something…”
The girl speaks about this in a matter-of-fact way, as if describing the usual schedule: rising, breakfast, school, homework. For Emily this has long been everyday – so much that it causes no emotions.
She leans back on the sofa back and stares at the ceiling, mentally replaying the recent talk with her father. As always, it begins with his latest success – this time he describes in detail how skillfully he conducted negotiations with partners. Then he moves to his future plans, the difficulties at work, how everyone underestimates his input. An hour and a half monologue – Emily even notes the time mentally so she won’t forget to mention it to mom.
When she tries to tell about her school math olympiad, father only nods absently and switches the topic to his matters. “Well done, of course, but you know, at my age I already…” – and again the chain of stories about his successes.
The girl shrugs slightly, pushing away the memories. She has long grown used to this order. As long as Emily can remember, dad has always been absorbed in his own self. Other family members exist somewhere on the edge of his attention – important, but not enough to distract from the main – himself.
He always reduces any talk to himself and his problems. If mom complains of tiredness, he immediately tells how hard it is for him at work. If Emily shares worries about friends, father finds a way to shift to his school years – naturally, much brighter and fuller. He seems not to notice others’ concerns or considers them unimportant.
Emily still can’t understand how mom endured fifteen years with such a person. He is literally fixated on his brilliant self! Perhaps mom stayed only for her, not wanting the daughter to grow without a father. In childhood Emily sincerely believed that someday dad would change, start noticing them, showing interest in their lives… But years go by, and nothing changes. And only after the divorce does the girl discover with surprise that life without him is much calmer! No one pulls all attention to himself, considering others’ small things.
“And why am I supposed to urgently find myself a life companion?” Claire’s voice sounds a bit sharper than she probably wants. “You said it and said it – what’s the big deal?”
“You see, when dad hears this, he changes completely!” Emily winces involuntarily, pressing one of the scattered sofa pillows to her chest. “First he pales, then reddens and starts yelling so that even the neighbor runs over! Honestly, I even get a little scared.”
She falls silent for a moment, recalling that scene. Father’s voice, unusually high and cracking, his fists clenched, his darting look. It seems he is about to burst from the emotions filling him.
“He demands that I name that man’s name and describe him in all details,” Emily continues, fingering the pillow edge. “I refuse, say that you asked not to tell anything, especially to him… I won’t be surprised if he soon starts calling you and attacking you.”
Claire slowly turns, leans on the windowsill and looks closely at her daughter. An interesting day awaits her… She can easily imagine David’s level of hysteria… Good job, daughter, nothing to say…
Claire sits on the sofa next to Emily and sighs heavily, hugging her daughter. Well, now nothing can be done. The words were spoken, and taking them back is impossible…
“Why did you make this up?” she asks quietly, slightly rocking Emily in her arms. “We were living peacefully! Now we will have to listen to his hysterics and whining again. I even want to turn off the phone.”
Emily gently slips out of the embrace, sits straight and looks seriously at her mother. Genuine conviction shines in her eyes.
“Because you are wonderful!” she says confidently. “You are beautiful, smart, you have many friends, and you are popular with men! Do you think I don’t see? And dad always says nasty things about you! I’m tired of it!”
The woman gently strokes her daughter’s hair, carefully running fingers through the soft strands. Tenderness and slight confusion read in her gaze.
“I understand, sunshine, I understand,” she says softly. “Honestly, I thought you wouldn’t want me to start serious relationships. After all, only six months have passed since the divorce from your father.”
These words are not easy for her. Somewhere deep in her soul she fears that the daughter might see the new romance as betrayal or an attempt to replace the father. Claire looks closely at Emily’s face, trying to catch the slightest signs of discontent.
“Nonsense!” Emily snorts, and such sincere determination sounds in her voice that Claire smiles involuntarily. “The main thing is that you are happy!”
The girl crosses her arms on her chest, smiling at her mother. At this moment she looks surprisingly adult – wise beyond her years and ready to defend her opinion.
Claire continues to look at her daughter, and the anxiety in her heart gradually melts. Emily speaks so confidently that doubts begin to recede. Maybe she really thinks too much about the past and is afraid of the future?
“You are my clever one,” Claire says quietly, again pulling her daughter to her. “Thank you for caring so much about mom.”
Emily presses to her, comfortably settling at her side. At this moment both feel how it becomes even warmer and calmer between them – as if their small family, no matter what, only strengthens with each day…
Claire sits at her work desk, trying to concentrate on the report. The lines blur before her eyes, and a dull pain pulses in her temples. It only slightly hinted at its presence in the morning, but by lunch it has grown to unbearable size. The woman tiredly massages her temples, hoping to ease the condition a little. The movements are slow, almost mechanical – she has already done them dozens of times today.
After thinking for a couple of minutes, Claire still decides and asks a colleague to stop by the pharmacy – it is literally two minutes’ walk from the office. Returning with the tablets, she washes them down with water from the carafe and tries again to read the documents. Useless. Her head feels like it’s filled with lead, and every sound – the clack of keyboards, the hum of the air conditioner, distant conversations in the hallway – responds in her with a sharp wave.
At this moment the security guard looks into the office. His face is polite, but his eyes show some caution.
“Claire, you have a visitor,” he says, slightly opening the door. “Your ex-husband insists on a meeting. Will you come down or should we help him leave?”
Claire freezes. A wave of irritation mixed with fatigue rises inside. She takes a deep breath, trying to maintain external calm.
“I’ll come down now, sorry for the inconvenience,” she replies, rising from the desk.
Mentally she swears. How untimely! Everything is going worse than bad. The workday is already heavy, her head is splitting, and now David has decided to appear without warning. Why didn’t he call? Why did he come straight to work, where there are plenty of strangers? Does he really want to make a scene right in the office?
She slowly heads to the exit, trying not to hurry – sharp movements only increase the headache. The corridor is lively: employees hurry on business, someone laughs at the coffee machine, someone discusses a project at the board with notes. Claire walks past them, feeling tension tightening her shoulders.
Claire enters the hall and immediately sees David. He paces from side to side, now approaching the reception desk, now stepping back a couple of steps. His movements are sharp, impulsive – he waves his arms emotionally, proving something to the guards, periodically raising his voice. On the faces of the security staff is restrained displeasure: they try to remain polite, but are clearly ready to move to more decisive actions if the situation gets out of control.
“What do you need?” Claire asks without preamble, coming closer. Her voice sounds even, although irritation grows inside. “What kind of performance are you putting on here? Do you want to get to know the police better? I can arrange that.”
David turns sharply at the sound of her voice. His face is red, his eyes burn with an unclear fire – either from anger or from excitement. He jumps to his ex-wife, accusingly pointing a finger at her, as if he caught her in some crime.
“You!” he exclaims. “You! Emily told me everything! Only six months after the divorce, and you have already found yourself a new man?”
In his voice mix disbelief, resentment and obvious jealousy. It seems he hoped to the last that the daughter was mistaken or just trying to prank him. But now, looking at Claire’s calm face, he understands that this was no joke.
Claire raises her eyebrows in surprise, slightly tilting her head to the side. Her pose remains relaxed, but a cold glint flashes in her eyes.
“Should I keep fidelity to you forever?” she asks in an even tone. “Even after divorce? You want too much, dear. Especially considering that even in marriage you didn’t consider fidelity an obligatory virtue.”
David freezes for a moment, as if not knowing how to react. His hand, still extended toward her, slowly lowers. Something like confusion flashes in his eyes – he clearly did not expect such a calm, confident rebuff.
Around them people continue to walk: employees, visitors, couriers… Someone throws curious glances in their direction, someone tries not to pay attention. But for David and Claire the whole world for a moment narrows to this small space between them – a space filled with old grievances, unspoken reproaches and a new reality that is hard for him to accept.
“You… you just…” he finally squeezes out, but Claire does not let him finish.
“Let’s not make scenes, David,” her voice becomes a little softer, but no less firm. “If you need to discuss something, we can talk calmly. But not here and not like this.”
“Scenes? I’ll show you a scene!”
David almost shouts, and his voice echoes through the spacious office hall. His face is covered with crimson spots, veins stand out on his neck, and his fists clench and unclench involuntarily, betraying extreme nervous tension. He takes a step forward, then steps back, as if he cannot decide how best to convey his threat.
“I will not allow my daughter to live under the same roof with an unknown person!” he shouts, not noticing that he attracts the attention of passing employees. “I will take Emily from you! You will never see her again! You…”
His words sound sharp, almost hysterical, but Claire only slightly raises an eyebrow, keeping an expression of calm indifference on her face. Take the daughter? Well, she would like to see that! Any court will side with her!
“Everything said? Quite the artist,” she says in an even, slightly mocking tone. And clarifies: “From the circus.”
“What is going on here?”
David freezes mid-sentence and turns sharply to the unfamiliar voice. In the doorway leading to the hall stands a man in an elegant dark blue suit. His posture is casually confident, and his gaze is calm and attentive. The guards, who had previously tried to delicately restrain David, instantly stand at attention – obviously, this is a person who holds a significant position in the company.
“Don’t interfere!” David hisses, throwing an irritated glance at the stranger. His face still burns from anger, and his voice carries open hostility. “This is a personal matter, it doesn’t concern you.”
The man does not hurry to answer. He slowly walks forward, stopping a little distance away, so as to see both interlocutors. He smirks, which irritates David even more.
“A personal matter is when you talk to your wife in private,” he says finally. “When you arrange a scandal in a public place, it stops being personal and becomes public.”
Claire silently observes this scene, feeling the tension in the air become almost tangible. She did not expect Robert Harrington’s appearance, but his intervention, though unexpected, seems appropriate to her – at least, it knocks David off his usual track of threats and shouts.
David takes a step toward the man, clearly intending to respond sharply, but he does not even flinch. His gaze remains calm, almost impassive, as if he is used to dealing with much more emotional opponents.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?” David hisses through his teeth, trying to maintain the remnants of composure. “Sticking your nose in someone else’s business!”
Robert Harrington takes several confident steps forward. He approaches Claire, who still stands in slight stupor, not fully understanding what is happening, and gently puts his arm around her waist. Demonstratively, leaving no room for imagination.
“Who am I?” he says in an even, almost everyday tone, but there is such cold determination in his voice that even David involuntarily steps back. “I am the one who makes Claire happy. You allow yourself to shout at my woman, and I do not forgive that. A trip to the police will not be enough, I will make sure you have more problems than you can handle. And if you dare to make the daughter a bargaining chip… I think you understand me, right?”
David freezes. His face, recently burning with anger, gradually loses its crimson shade, replaced by paleness. He shifts his gaze from Robert Harrington to Claire, as if trying to realize that the situation has gone out of his control. Something like confusion flashes in his eyes – he clearly did not expect to meet such a confident and cool-headed opponent.
For several minutes he stands silent, clenching and unclenching his fists, as if struggling with the desire to say something sharp. But the words do not come – either because of the overwhelming confidence with which Robert Harrington speaks, or because of the realization that his usual methods will not work here.
Finally, he grimaces, mutters something indistinct, barely distinguishable, and turns sharply. His gait, recently assertive and aggressive, now looks constrained, as if he is trying with all his might to preserve the remnants of dignity. Before leaving the hall, he turns, throws over his shoulder:
“You can forget about the child support!”
“I don’t need it anyway,” Claire snorts as soon as he disappears behind the door. Her voice sounds light, almost mocking, but there is genuine relief in it. “At least Emily won’t have to go to her father’s anymore!”
A moment later Claire suddenly realizes that the warm, confident hand of the CEO is still on her waist. This touch, so simple and at the same time significant, makes her slightly embarrassed. She involuntarily lowers her gaze, feeling a light blush spreading on her cheeks, and carefully steps away, trying to do it as naturally as possible.
With a light, slightly confused smile she turns to her unexpected savior:
“Thank you very much, Robert. You can’t even imagine how much you helped!”
Her voice sounds sincere, without a shadow of pretense. At this moment she really feels enormous gratitude – not only for intervening in an unpleasant scene, but also for how confidently and calmly he did it.
The man smiles slightly, his eyes warming for a moment.
“Shall we discuss this over lunch?” he proposes, extending his hand in a gesture of invitation.
Claire freezes for a second, considering the proposal. The usual doubts flash through her head – isn’t it too soon, won’t it look frivolous? But almost immediately she dismisses these thoughts. Robert Harrington is behaving correctly, respectfully, and she really wants to talk to him without fuss and strangers.
Moreover, curiosity is stirring inside: who he really is, why he decided to intervene, what is hidden behind this calm confidence?
“Of course,” she replies, placing her palm in his hand.
The touch turns out to be unexpectedly pleasant – firm, reliable, but without intrusiveness. Claire feels how the tension that has gripped her since David’s appearance gradually goes away, leaving room for light excitement and even anticipation.
Later, at a cozy table in a small restaurant near the office, the conversation flows more freely. The soft light of the lamps, unobtrusive music and the aroma of fresh pastries create a welcoming atmosphere.
Gradually, in the course of a casual conversation, she learns that her savior has long had tender feelings for her. He tells about this simply, without pathos and beautiful phrases – rather as something natural that has long matured inside, but found no outlet.
“I hesitated to approach for a long time,” he admits, stirring his coffee with a spoon. “You always seemed so focused, serious… I understood that you were going through a difficult period after the divorce, and I didn’t want to pressure or seem intrusive.”
Claire listens without interrupting. There is no trace of arrogance or self-satisfaction in his words – only sincerity and respect for her personal space.
“And today, when I saw how this man was shouting at you…” Robert Harrington frowns displeasedly. “I just couldn’t stay aside!”
The woman cannot hold back a soft smile. So that’s how it is! She had noticed the boss’s glances before, but had misunderstood them! Robert is quite likable to her, but because of the difference in position she would never have risked taking the first step…
Three months after that tense scene in the office Claire and Robert officially become husband and wife. The wedding turns out lavish, the man embodies literally all of Claire’s dreams, fulfills any wish.
Emily sincerely rejoices for her mom. On the wedding day she helps Claire get ready, carefully makes sure everything is perfect – from the hairstyle to the last button on the dress. When the newlyweds exchange rings, the girl smiles and hugs both tightly.
“I am so happy for you!” she whispers, and genuine joy shines in her eyes.
At the same time Emily immediately honestly warns that she is not yet ready to call Robert dad.
“I like you, Robert,” she says on one of the first evenings when they are left alone together. “And I am glad that mom is not alone. But dad… No matter what he is, I already have a dad.”
Robert nods without a shadow of offense:
“I understand. And that’s right, Emily. The main thing is that we are together.”
David also receives an invitation to the wedding – rather as a mockery than seriously. Claire hesitates whether to send him the envelope, but in the end decides – let him know that her life continues, and without him. She sends the invitation by mail, without a cover letter – just a card with the date, time and address.
Naturally, David does not appear at the wedding. He does not even seriously think about coming – the very thought of it causes in him a mixture of irritation and bitter resentment. Instead, he finds another way to vent the accumulated discontent: he begins to call mutual acquaintances.
He makes the first call already the next day after receiving the invitation. His voice sounds deliberately calm, but tension clearly shows in the intonations.
“Imagine, she invited me to her wedding!” he blurts out, without waiting for the interlocutor to finish the greeting. “After everything that happened!”
The interlocutor (an old university friend) politely inquires what exactly seems so outrageous to David. But he only waves it off:
“How could she? Humiliate me like that!”
In the following few days this scene repeats again and again. David dials one number after another, and each conversation begins the same way – with this phrase about the invitation, spoken with barely restrained indignation. He seems to be trying to find confirmation of his rightness in others’ words, hoping that someone will say: “Yes, that is really disgusting.”
But the interlocutors react restrainedly. Someone nods sympathetically, someone gets by with general phrases like “Well, everyone has their own life”, and someone just stays silent, not knowing what to answer. And the more often David repeats his monologue, the more clearly he understands that his arguments sound unconvincing.
Then he begins to assert that Claire is rushing with the new marriage too much:
“Only six months have passed! Is it possible to find true love in such a time? This is just an attempt to run away from reality. She is just trying to forget me, you understand?”
Then he suddenly switches to something else:
“She didn’t even give me a chance to fix everything! If we talked, I could…”
He doesn’t finish what he could – get her back, change something in himself, start everything anew.
And sometimes his claims take a completely strange turn:
“I did so much for her, and she… Didn’t even say thank you. Just took and left. And took the daughter with her!”
These accusations of “ingratitude” sound especially unconvincing. The interlocutors exchange glances, shrug their shoulders, and someone cautiously remarks:
“And why should she thank you? You were married, that’s natural!”
David falls silent, feeling frustration growing inside. He understands that his words do not produce the effect he counted on. No one shares his indignation, no one calls Claire “indecent” or “frivolous”. On the contrary, everyone seems to think that she has the right to live on – and this angers him even more.
In the end, tired of fruitless conversations, David stops calling. He sits in his apartment, looks at the small things left from Claire – a forgotten hairpin on the shelf, an old photo album in the cupboard, a pair of dresses that have become too small – and understands – no matter how you twist it, life goes on. Only he has not yet managed to find his place in this new life.
In the end, tired of fruitless conversations, David falls silent. And the life of Claire, Robert and Emily goes on as usual – calm, measured, filled with small joys: shared dinners, weekend walks, funny arguments about which movie to watch in the evening.
