**Diary Entry**
From the time she was little, Emily knew she was prettyeveryone said so.
“Our daughter is lovely, truly stands out among the other girls,” her mother would proudly tell her colleagues and friends.
And indeed, everyone agreed. No one could deny it, though the neighbour did raise an eyebrow now and then.
“All children are pretty,” shed say. “But not everyone stays that way as they grow up. Not that Im saying itll happen to her, but you never know.”
Emily grew tall and striking by the time she reached secondary school. Haughty and spoiled, she knew she could wrap boys around her fingerthey stared after her with longing.
After school, she didnt get into university, though shed dreamed of higher education. Instead, she had to settle for college, earning a diploma in retail management.
“Darling,” her mother said, “why dont I get you a job at the factory lab? Its easy workno heavy lifting, and youre far too delicate for anything rough.”
“What about my diploma?” Emily asked.
“Oh, who actually works in their field these days? Besides, retails beneath you,” her mother decided, having spent her own life at the factory alongside Emilys father.
So Emily became a lab technician. By then, shed grown even more beautifuland knew it. She fell for James, an engineer from the next department. Their affair was passionate, heady. Within months, he proposed.
“Before someone else snatches you away, marry me,” he said, grinning as he offered his heart. “Well? Will you?”
“Yes,” she replied, beaming.
The wedding was standard for the timeheld in the factory canteen, modest but crowded with guests.
Not long after, Emily realised she was pregnant.
“James, were expecting,” she told him.
“Thats brilliant, love. Absolutely brilliant,” he said, kissing her.
Their daughter, Sophie, was bornjust as pretty as her mother. Life was good.
But time passed. Sophie grew, started nursery, and Emily and James kept working. After maternity leave, Emily changednot in looks, but in attitude. She acted like a queen, belittling James more each day. He took over raising Sophiepicking her up from nursery, reading bedtime stories, tucking her in.
Emily was always busy. She came home late, blaming work, though James knew no one in the lab worked overtime. He never confronted hershed scream the flat down. He couldnt bear Sophie seeing them fight.
“James, your wife was spotted with the lead engineer at that fancy restaurant,” colleagues murmured. Hed just lower his eyes.
“James, why marry a beauty?” his friends asked. “You know a pretty cake doesnt stay whole for long…”
They all said it outrightEmily thrived in high society, while he was just an ordinary engineer. By then, she was seeing Anthony, a ministry official. He spoiled her with jewellery, designer clothes.
James became a shadow of a man. He handled everythingcooking, cleaning, Sophie. Emily just barked orders. Divorce never crossed his mindhe couldnt do that to Sophie.
Then the economy crashed. Anthonys position wobbled.
“Emily, if anyone asks about me, keep quiet,” he warned. “I dont think well see each other again.”
He was right. Anthony vanishedarrested, she later learned. Worse, the authorities dragged her in for questioning. She begged, cried, swore she knew nothing.
Eventually, they let her gono proof. But her reputation was ruined. She came home feeling like shed crawled through filth. Everything was gone. Savings vanishedJames had sold half their belongings just to keep her afloat. The factory sacked her. James refused to divorce her, for Sophies sake, but they lived like strangers.
Once, he nearly leftbut couldnt bear hurting Sophie.
Emily, swallowing her pride, begged, “Dont go, James. Please. It wont happen again.”
He stayed, but couldnt stand touching her.
“You slept with other men,” he said.
“I did it for us,” she shot back.
She strayed againthis time with a young assistant, Tom. Money returned. Her marriage? A polite arrangement. James knew about Tom but rarely mentioned it.
“If youd paid me attention, I wouldnt need him,” shed sneer.
“I cant stand the thought of touching you,” James would reply.
Years flew. Sophie married and moved to Scotland. New Year approachedEmily flew to China for business; James celebrated with friends in Norway.
When they reunited, James stared. “Emily… whats happened? You look younger.”
She didno wrinkles, her recent weight gone. Slender, striking, like her youth had returned.
“How much did that cost?”
She laugheda sharp, brittle sound. Then, coldly: “Everything. I gave it all.” She held out bare fingers, emptied her purse. “Chinese treatmentsacupuncture, massages. Very expensive.”
She couldnt stand ageing beside Tom. “Youre old,” she told James. “Not me.”
“Were the same age.”
She just laughed.
But money dwindled. The treatments cost a fortune, profits shrank. Then James had a heart attack. Hospitalised, frail, he couldnt work.
“God, is that what Id look like?” Emily muttered, studying her reflection after glancing at him.
“Stay with me,” James sometimes whispered.
“I dont have time. Time is money.”
One day, Tom met her at the shop with a folder.
“Read this.”
“What is it? I dont have time for paperwork.”
“Its not paperwork. Its ownership documents. Everythings mine now. Youre done.”
Her lawyer sighed. “Emily, Im sorry. Theres nothing I can do. Hes covered every angle. And every transfer document has your signature.”
“But I thought it was temporary!”
“You shouldve read themor come to me sooner.”
“Your fees are outrageous.”
“Then dont complain when corners cut you out.”
Defeated, she slunk home.
“I need money. A lot of it,” she told James.
“We have nothing left.”
“What about the flat?”
“No. Not that.”
“Well sell it, buy something cheaper outside the city,” she snapped.
“And what will I do?”
“Ill buy you a computer. You can live online.”
“What kind of life is that?”
“A virtual one,” she laughed.
Emily knew shed rise againsell the flat, rebuild. Like a phoenix from the ashes. She always did.
