Love's Wild Card

"Please change out of that outfit, I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable," Alex gently pushed Emma away as she leaned against him on the sofa.

"Really? Maybe you'll get used to it with time!" Emma smiled mischievously, still pondering their earlier conversation.

Just then, Alex's phone rang. Before he could finish his greeting, an angry voice cut through: "Alex!"

"Who is this?" he asked, genuinely puzzled. There weren't many people who would be this furious with him, especially since he hadn't done anything particularly outrageous lately.

"I saw everything!" the voice declared ominously.

"Oh god..." Alex suddenly remembered the open curtains and turned slowly toward his balcony. There stood Emma Winter at her window, radiating pure fury.

He'd forgotten to close the curtains! Had she witnessed the whole fashion show? Including the maid outfit? He'd never live this down.

"Voyeurism is a terrible habit, even if you miss me that much," Alex tried to joke while moving to close the curtains.

"I saw EVERYTHING," Emma Winter repeated, each word dripping with judgment.

Before Alex could respond, Emma Carter emerged from her room wearing her matching heart t-shirt. "Alex, who's at the door? Do we have guests?"

Emma Winter's face darkened further at the sight of their matching outfits. "How long has this been going on?"

"A week now," Emma Carter answered proudly. "Why?"

"Living together?" Emma Winter's voice had gone dangerously quiet.

"Living together?" Emma Carter glanced between them before smiling brightly. "Yes, we are! What about it?"

Before Alex could protest, Emma Winter stormed into his apartment. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife as the two women faced each other.

"You have no right to be here!" Emma Carter declared, stepping protectively in front of Alex.

"And you do?" Emma Winter challenged.

"Of course! We're even wearing matching outfits now," Emma Carter pulled Alex closer, clearly enjoying the other woman's reaction.

Alex wisely kept silent. Getting between two arguing women was never wise. Better to let them sort it out themselves than risk turning their combined wrath on him.

"How can you be with someone like him? He's..." Emma Winter started.

"What exactly is wrong with me?" Alex finally spoke up. This was getting personal.

"You're not a good person!" Emma Winter declared.

"Really? Tell me exactly what I've done wrong. If you can't, this conversation is over." Alex crossed his arms, genuinely curious about what crimes she thought he'd committed.

Emma Winter opened her mouth, then closed it again. Apart from their subway incident, she couldn't actually point to anything specific he'd done wrong.

"You're... you're a pervert!" she finally managed.

"A pervert? How? Unless..." Alex's eyes widened in mock realization. "Don't tell me you've fallen for me? Is that why you're so upset about finding out I live with another woman?"

"That's it!" Emma Carter clapped her hands delightedly. "You must be in love with Alex!"

"You two..." Emma Winter's face had gone red with fury.

"Let me ask you one thing," she finally managed, turning to Emma Carter. "What exactly is your relationship with this man?"

"Can't you see we're living together? We're even wearing matching outfits! You can't compete with me this time, little sister!" Emma Carter declared triumphantly.

"Sis...sister?" Alex's brain short-circuited. Both named Emma, both with the surname Carter... The CEO had two daughters? All those office rumors about "Miss Carter" - had they actually been referring to "Big Miss" and "Little Miss" Carter?

"You haven't won anything yet, big sister," Emma Winter - or rather, the younger Miss Carter - declared coldly.

Alex collapsed onto the sofa, head spinning. The CEO's daughters. Both of them. Here. In his apartment.

Could someone please explain what exactly was going on?

The living room had fallen into a tense standoff. The two sisters sat on opposite ends of the sofa with Alex trapped between them. Emma Winter's icy glare met Emma Carter's cheerful defiance, with enough sparks flying between them to make Alex fear for his safety. He kept his head down, wisely choosing not to get involved.

"*yawn*" After about thirty minutes of this silent warfare, Alex couldn't suppress a yawn. He'd been up since early morning, and the clock on the wall showed it was already past ten.

Both sisters immediately turned their laser focus on him. Emma Carter maintained her usual adorable expression, while Emma Winter's gaze could have frozen hell over.

Alex instantly regretted that poorly timed yawn.

"Tired?" Emma Winter's voice could have cut glass.

"A bit," Alex admitted honestly.

"You want to sleep?" 

"Mm-hmm." He nodded again.

"How can you think of sleeping at a time like this? Don't you realize you're the center of this situation?" Emma Winter demanded.

"Well... this seems like a matter between sisters. I don't think an outsider should get involved," Alex ventured carefully.

"Outsider? Aren't you living with her now?" Emma Winter's tone dripped with sarcasm.

"Living together means sharing a home, not sharing a bed," Alex clarified quickly. "Emma and I have a completely platonic relationship. Don't misunderstand!"

"Then explain the matching outfits," Emma Winter pressed, eyes narrowed.

"If you knew your sister well, you'd understand without me having to explain," Alex replied diplomatically.

Emma Winter paused, considering this. Before she could respond, Emma Carter snuggled up to Alex.

"Darling, are you trying to abandon me?" she asked with tears sparkling in her eyes.

"D-darling?" Alex stammered, looking between Emma Carter's theatrical performance and Emma Winter's thunderous expression. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you want me anymore? Didn't we agree I'd serve you for life?" Emma Carter continued, playing the role of wronged wife to perfection.

"Miss, please don't make things up! When did I ever say anything like that?" Alex tried to edge away from her sparkly-eyed gaze.

Emma Winter grabbed his collar. "What else have you done to my sister?"

"Nothing! There's absolutely nothing between us!" Alex protested desperately.

"Don't treat him like that!" Emma Carter pulled Emma Winter's hand away and stood protectively in front of Alex.

"Have you lost your mind? He's clearly taking advantage of you, yet you're still defending him?" Emma Winter demanded.

"Please, I'm innocent! Emma, stop playing and explain!" Alex pleaded.

"Darling? You don't want me anymore? I suppose I was just a plaything to you. I'll try to forget everything. I wish you happiness!" Emma Carter covered her face and ran to her room.

"Wait, honey—" Alex called after her, then immediately regretted letting the endearment slip out.

Looking between Emma Carter's closed door and Emma Winter's furious face, Alex could only wonder how his peaceful life had turned into such a melodrama. The Carter sisters were going to be the death of him.