Chapter 312: Confessions in the Dark
Ever since Emily had left him, Derek had been so focused on his heartache, that he had ignored other emotions that he had been feeling over the whole thing. And one of those emotions was disappointment. Not in himself but in Emily for leaving him without a word.
Then when his mother had accidentally revealed her role in their breakup. Derek had felt that disappointment grow because as far as he was concerned. It should have been obvious to Emily that he would not do such a thing. He was a man who prided himself on his word, and his loyalty.
She should have known that he would not hurt her in such a way. But now that Derek had heard the full story, he understood.
His mother had been playing three-dimensional chess while Derek and Emily had not even been able to find the board.
The trap that she had set had been so well executed that if Emily had believed anything other than the facts that his mother had presented. Then she would not have been human. His mother had done her job so well, manipulating both of them so effortlessly.
That she had even recruited Derek into her scheme, without him even realising that he was killing his own relationship just by answering a few simple questions, and saying a few statements without really thinking them through.
Derek loved his mother.
That was something that would never change.
But he had to admit she was one terrifying woman. How on earth had she even come up with the plan that she had used to get in between him and Emily? That took some serious malicious intent to come up with, let alone implement.
It was horrifying to think about but Derek pushed it to the back of his mind. His mother was a topic for another time. In that moment he needed to focus on Emily and Emily alone.
She was currently looking at him as though she were beginning to hope. But had been hurt too deeply to allow herself to just give in to the emotion without being sure of everything.