Emma

Chapter Twelve.

"Are you sure you do not want to stay a little bit longer?"

"No, thank you Emma. I have important business to take care of in South Africa," answers Ahmad.

"I understand. Well, take good care of you both"

I turn toward Amsia and she walks over to me to hug me. I let my head rest on her shoulder and I try, as hard as I can, not to cry.

"Everything is going to be okay," she murmurs to my ear.

Then, I step back to look at her.

"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness," she says softly.

***

"Madam, are you okay?"

I look up to Ackley who is staring at me through the mirror.

"I am fine, thank you"

"Are you sure? You have been incredibly quiet since Mrs and Mr Alatas left"

I cannot stop thinking about what Amsia told me. Why would she talk about love when everything that surrounds Mr Shelby is madness?

"Madam, I think we have company"

I put my eyes on the front window and see that a car is parked in front of my castle. A woman is standing next to it. I never saw this car before, who could it be? Ackley parks the car right next to the other one and when I get out of the car, the woman walks toward me. Immediately, I recognize her.

"Mrs Thorne, what are you doing here?"

"I understood you were going to leave town for a while"

How does she know that?

"Who told you?"

"Doesn't matter. I need to talk to you, in private"

Once we are seated in my living room with tea, I look up to Mrs Thorne and ask her to explain why she is here.

"First of all, how did you know I was about to leave the county?"

"I'm a Shelby. We know everything"

How can they have so much power? Who are they?

"There is something I do not understand," I say. "How can you, and your family, have so much knowledge about everything that surrounds you?"

Now, she is the one who seems to not understand. It looks like my question is irrelevant to her, or maybe stupid.

"Are you being serious?" She asks.

"Very"

"Have you not talked about this with Thomas?"

"I have not," I answer seriously.

Ada sighs. Why do I have the feeling she is uncomfortable with my answer?

"We are quite powerful, Emma"

"But how come you are?"

"Thomas is very..." it seems like she is looking for the right word. "Invested in the city's life. And, he has a lot of control over different services"

Do I want to know what exactly?

"But, maybe it'll be better if I showed you"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you be ok to follow me in town?" She asks while getting up.

"Why?"

"Because I think you need to get the fuck over yourself and talk about all this shit with Thomas"