Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO

The evening that Emily had been waiting for finally arrived.

Her eyes sparkled as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

This wasn't her first time wearing expensive clothes and jewellery. But the feeling tonight was … different. For once, it felt like she was meant to wear them. As if she was born to carry the weight of luxury and command the room with elegance —and more importantly, entitlement.

"Ms. Brown, you are —" one of the stylists who was helping her in getting ready for the party began to praise her, but the words froze mid-sentence the moment Emily shot a cold glare her way.

"What did you call me?" she asked, her voice low and threatening.

The poor woman stiffened and immediately paled.

"I … I —"

"Did you forget who you have come to serve here?" Emily snapped, her tone sharp with suppressed rage. All these days, she has been trying to make everyone remember one thing, yet they keep forgetting it. "Address me correctly. I am the heiress of the Quinn family, and from this day forward, I will represent the Quinns. I am no longer a Brown."

The woman's head bowed instantly. "I am sorry. Ms. Quinn. I forgot."

Emily turned back to the mirror, her lips curling in satisfaction. Her eyes glimmered with arrogance. "It's fine," she said coolly, brushing her hair back. "Soon, after tonight, you all are going to remember it anyway."

The rest of the staff exchanged glances and shook their heads internally. Disapproval was clear in their gazes but they hid it well. They didn't stand the position to comment.

Just then, the phone on the dresser rang.

Emily picked it up swiftly, her posture straightening. A sickly-sweet smile played on her lips. "Mom, I was waiting for your call."

The voice on the other end snapped before she could finish savoring the greeting.

"Emily, how many times have I told you not to call me that unnecessarily? When not compulsory, call me either Aunt or Mrs. Quinn. I am neither your mother nor do I want to be."

Emily's smile faltered. Her jaw clenched, her fingers curling tightly around the edge of the dresser. But she kept her voice pleasant and respectful.

"I am sorry, Aunt Catrin," she said, swallowing her pride. "I was just practising. After all, tonight is an important night, and I wouldn't dare do anything to embarrass you."

There was a beat of silence on the other end before Catrin responded with an icy tone.

"Good. Make sure you remember that throughout. You are wearing our name —not yours."

Emily smiled and nodded, looking at her reflection. "Of course. I wouldn't dare to forget it. After all, after tonight, it would be the legacy I would carry forward."

Officially.

Catrin didn't respond to that; instead, she simply asked, "Did you get ready?"

"Yes, I am ready. Is it time for me to enter the banquet hall?" Emily asked, her tone clearly eager. She couldn't just have patience anymore. She just wanted the party to begin, and Catrin to announce her as the next Quinn in line.

"Hold on!" Catrin spoke through the line. "I have someone to escort you to the banquet hall. Go with her and slowly try to meet and greet the guest. Also, remember to pull out your role. You are going to get introduced as the Quinn family's heiress today. Your aura and charm should match the title."

"I understood, Aunt Catrin. Don't worry, I have prepared myself for it." Emily spoke confidently and expected Catrin to encourage her.

But instead, Catrin gave a simple hum before disconnecting the line with aa sharp click.

Emily's jaws clenched, but staring at herself in the mirror, she smiled, not letting her charm falter. She was dressed to shine tonight. She wouldn't allow anyone to falter her today.

"You all can leave now. Your job is done," she said to the team of stylists that had been there with her, helping her get ready.

They nodded and soon left. And right after they left, a knock interrupted her again. When she turned to look, she found it was her mother there.

"Mom, what are you doing here? You know Aunt Catrin didn't want you to attend the party tonight. Why are you still here?"

It wasn't Catrin, it was Emily herself, who didn't want her mother to be around tonight. She doesn't want anything or anyone to embarrass her at the party. And she feared her birth mother would end up doing something that would be humiliating.

"Emily, I came to see you," Mrs. Brown said, looking at her daughter from head to toe. "It's a big day for you. And as a mother, I should be around."

"No, you shouldn't be around, Mom. Did you forget that from today, I am no longer going to be your daughter? I will be Quinn, and I will only address Uncle Idris and Aunt Catrin as mom and dad."

"Emily, how could you say that? I have birthed you and carried you for nine months. Was it all just to hear this from you today?" Mrs. Brown said disappointedly.

But Emily only rolled her eyes at her. "Really, Mom? Are you going to put that drama up? Didn't I tell you that every month I will be sending you the money?"

The disappointment with Mrs. Brown's face at once vanished. Smiling with pride, she looked at her daughter and said, "That's like you. I just came to remind you that after getting into your uncle's family, don't forget me. I am your mother, and you need to take care of me till the end of my life."

"I know, Mom. I already promised you that," Emily sighed.

Even though her mother was once a part of the Quinn family, she never got to enjoy the privileges before the marriage; the state of the Quinn family wasn't stable enough, and when it all recovered, she was already married into a middle-class family.

"Mom, you need to leave first." Emily hurried her up. "Aunt Catrin has just called me. She has sent someone to escort me to the party. She shouldn't come to know that you were here."

"Fine, I will leave first. You just remember what you promised. Don't forget it." And with that said, Mrs. Brown turned to leave.

Emily watched her, and only when she was gone, she sighed in relief. She wanted to make the evening as perfect as possible. And only with unwanted people gone, it would be perfect.

She turned to look back at herself in the mirror. Satisfied, she felt confident about herself. With her looking like this, nothing could dull her presence.

"Ms. Quinn," a voice from the door interrupted her, and she turned to look. There stood a woman, formally dressed. "I am Karen, and Mrs. Quinn has sent me to escort you to the party. Please come with me."

Emily nodded with a smile. Then, turning to take one last look at herself in the mirror, she whispered, "Let's go."

Finally, the day she had been waiting for desperately had come.

'Arwen, let me see how you act after today. The title that once belonged to you would become mine. You will lose it to me.'