The Monster Within

Chapter 23

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?!" Emma gasps, trying to keep her voice low in the crowded food court. The other women in the group were also stunned by the sudden news.

"It's an anonymous bid, I'd need to email to get more information."

"How much higher is it than ours?"

"Substantially, it's over the asking price," she shows Emma the bid. The blonde's jaw dropped at the offer. There was no way that either her or Killian's salaries could even match it.

"Is there any way to turn it down?" Elsa asks.

"It's up to the owners of the property. Often, it's hard to even get the person to agree at a lower price, but this will be an offer they can't refuse."

Emma swallows a large lump in her throat and fights back tears. This was the house she wanted to move into; where she, Killian and Henry would have a fresh start. To leave as much trauma as possible behind and prepare for the new addition to the family. The place would allow her children to grow and thrive as much as possible as well as provide stability and reassurance, something she'd lacked most her life. It was also a place that would mean a lot to Killian, recapturing the happy memories down by the harbour and hopefully open new doors for all of them. Now, it seemed as if the rug had been pulled right out from under her feet and she was falling, further and further into confusion and disappointment. She and Killian hand sunk a large amount of their savings into the bid on the place, with the hope for a brighter future and now it looked like it wasn't going to happen.

Regina can see the sadness in her client's eyes. She could always show the family other houses, but it wouldn't be quite the same. She saw the way Henry's face lit up when he picked which room would be his, she watched Killian stare out the window in awe at the harbour from one of the upstairs windows, and she'd seen the hope in Emma's eyes as she tried to picture a happy life here.

"Don't freak out just yet," she says. "I'm going to find out more about the buyer and maybe can persuade them to purchase something else. Or convince the landowners to take your offer instead."

"You'd do that?" Emma says quietly.

"For you and Henry, anything."

The blonde embraces her friend tightly and then the real-estate agent rushes off to begin her search.

Once she gets back to her apartment, Regina opens her email and briefcase, prepared to get to work. She calls the landowners and does her best to persuade them to consider taking the first offer. It was less, but she made up reasons as for why it would benefit them overall. She discusses that the home would be put to good use for a growing family and they would enjoy many years out of it. Unfortunately, the owner wanted the higher price because they'd make a large profit from the home and could finally move to a condominium in Florida. Despite being disgusted with the man's selfish means, she thanks the person before hanging up. She makes several more phone calls to her company office to see if she can dig up information, but all they can give her is the bid and phone number.

With little confidence, she dials the phone number to try and get in touch with the buyer.

"Hello?" an oddly familiar voice says.

"Hello, my name is Regina Mills. I'm the agent of the house you are looking to purchase."

"Ah yes, and tell me, dear sister, ask Emma how it feels to have her happiness taken away like that?"

...

Regina marches into her half-sister's office without an ounce of calm inside of her. She was overflowing with rage, ready to confront this wicked woman.