**This Door Isnt for You: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, and Inheritance**
Emma was just settling into bed when an unexpected knock rattled the front door. Reluctantly, she shrugged on her dressing gown and padded downstairs. There he stoodher ex-husband, James.
“You?” she gasped, squinting against the dim porch light. “What do you want?”
“We need to talk. Mind if I come in?” he said, flashing a hollow smile. “Its not like Im a stranger here.”
Emma stepped back without enthusiasm. James swept past her into the sitting room, sinking into the worn-out sofa with a glance around.
“Nothings changed, has it?” he muttered. “No fresh paint, no new furniture. Like times stood still.”
“I like it this way,” she countered. “Did you come to inspect the place, or were you planning to foot the bill for a renovation?”
She wasnt afraid of sharp words anymore. Once, shed bitten her tongue, swallowed her pride, endured his jabs in silence. But now? Why bother? Theyd been strangers for yearsif not downright enemies. Their daughter, Lily, was grown now, living her own life and barely speaking to either of them.
“Something smells good,” James abruptly changed the subject. “Cooking? Fancy sharing?”
Emma nearly laughed. She knew hed split from his new wife months agothe same Sarah hed left her for a year and a half earlier.
That night was etched in her memory. James had come home from work and started packing, calm as you please.
“Im leaving. Been having an affair. You knew, didnt you? Just pretended not to see. Im done.”
Emma had stood frozen, stunnedthough part of her *had* known. Sarah, the twenty-year-old intern from his office, had turned his head in weeks. Emmas best mate, who worked at the same firm, had told her everything. But shed swallowed her pride, refusing to wreck their family over a fling. Shed thought it would pass. It hadnt.
James had moved into a flat, filed for divorce. “A gentleman,” hed said, waiving his share of the house.
“You and Lily stay. I dont need anything.”
Emma had cried for nights, begged him to come back. Hed been ice.
“Finally, Im in love,” hed said. “This is real. What we had was empty.”
In those bleak months, only her mother-in-law, Margaret, had stood by her. Already ill, Emma had helpeddoctors visits, errands, prescriptions. James had barely shown his face. Too busy with his “new family.”
Margaret had taken Emmas side outright. Disgusted with her son, shed refused to see him. Then shed passed. Emma had been there till the end, arranged the funeral. James had only appeared for the wake.
Two weeks later, the will was read. The houseleft not to him, but to Emma.
“You wormed your way in! Played the saint, fed her lies!” hed raged.
Emma had said nothing. The choice had been Margarets. Now, as she turned to the window, moonlight pooling on the sill, she realisedshe could finally breathe.
**Lesson learned:** Some doors close for good reason. Walk away, and dont look back.
