Justin didn’t offer any explanations, and Emma didn’t ask for any. They both understood the unspoken things between them, and as long as Justin chose her, that was all that mattered.Over the past few days, Justin had been by her side almost constantly. Aside from necessary work obligations and sleeping separately at night, they had spent nearly all their time together. However, there was one thing that left Emma feeling unsettled.Despite being together, they hadn’t made any real progress physically. The most they had done was hold hands or share a few light embraces. It wasn’t that she was in a rush to take things further. She still had other matters to address first. What truly bothered her was that Justin hadn’t clearly defined their relationship.Without an explicit confession or being officially declared as his girlfriend, she felt like she was stuck in a gray area. To her, it was essential to secure a defined role as his partner. Only after Justin acknowledged her publicly
Justin looked at Emma’s thin face, his brows furrowing with concern.“She’s way too skinny,” he thought.Glancing at his watch, he said, “I’m out of time. I need to go.”“I’ll walk you out,” she offered.Emma walked him to the elevator, watching as the doors closed and he disappeared from view. She returned to her apartment, shut the door, and immediately pulled out her phone.The first thing she did was search for hospitals online, deliberately avoiding Lichfield Hospital. She found a public hospital and booked an appointment for a Hymenoplasty. The confirmation appeared on the screen, and she let out a satisfied chuckle, her eyes glinting with a hint of triumph.Meanwhile, back in the car, Justin leaned back in the seat, exhausted, as William drove. Justin rubbed his temples and sighed deeply, clearly worn out. He hadn’t been sleeping well these past few nights. Every time he managed to fall asleep, he would dream either about Emily falling into the pool, with him unable to r
Harry was using a shell company to tap into RC Corporation’s resources and connections to run his own ventures. It seemed he was planning to launch his own international trade company to compete with RC Corporation. Ten billion dollars? That was a bit on the low side. Harry must have privately invested shares into LS Enterprise.“Deny the loan and return the appraisal report along with the file,” Justin instructed, handing the documents back to Sam. “No need to include the investigation results.”He was still giving his uncle some leeway, choosing not to expose his misdeeds directly.“Yes, Mr. Yates.“The urban development project we bid on with the Northport city government has been completed, and the inspection is scheduled for the 21st. You’re invited to attend.“And there’s a lunch meeting with the CEO of YY Global on the 20th, and the afternoon is open, so we can arrange a private flight to Northport,” Sam continued, glancing at his watch. “In about fifteen minutes, there’s
Harry's eyes flashed with malice. After hearing Harry’s suggestion, Justin glanced at him briefly before shifting his gaze to Mr. Ziegler, who looked smug. “So, this is the plan after the loan was denied?” Justin thought. As the Vice President of RC Corporation, Harry had been trying to siphon off company funds through a shell company. It seemed his uncle was getting sloppy with age.Over the years, Harry's projects had become less and less profitable, while he been lending more and more money to his questionable friends. Justin had turned a blind eye, largely out of respect for his grandfather. If it weren't for that, Harry would have been removed from his position a long time ago, replaced by someone more competent.“Mr. Ziegler certainly has experience, but he’s been overseeing the traditional sectors. A project focused on developing new energy technologies is better suited to someone younger,” Justin replied calmly, his authority undeniable.Despite being publicly oppose
“The antacid is gone. Bring me a new box,” Justin said, his voice weaker than usual. He had always assumed the company kept it in stock and hadn’t given it much thought.Sam stood there awkwardly, clearly hesitant to speak.Justin frowned impatiently. “What are you waiting for? Go get it.”After a moment of deliberation, Sam finally spoke up, “Miss Emily was the one who always arranged the antacid for you.”Every time Justin was close to running out, she made sure to have more ready ahead of time. Now that he and she were no longer together, naturally, she wouldn’t be sending any more. But Sam was tactful enough not to say that part aloud.Justin froze. He hadn’t realized Emily had been quietly taking care of that for him.“I’ll go get some medicine right away,” Sam quickly offered, noticing the shift in Justin's expression.Left alone in the office, Justin’s gastric pain grew worse as frustration began to creep in. He had resolved to erase Emily from his life, to act as if she
The next morning, Emily got ready and headed out for her art class. She hailed a taxi on the street, something she hadn’t done in a while. Back when she was with Justin, she always drove one of the cars he had gifted her, but after she left, she hadn’t taken any of them. The cars and the jewelry he had given her, were all left behind at Villa One.As the taxi drove through the city, it passed the luxurious villa community where she used to live. Emily noticed a sleek black luxury car pulling out from the gates of Villa One. It was hard to miss, with its unique all-8 license plate, a rare sight in Lincourt City. She glanced at it briefly but quickly turned her attention to the scenery outside the opposite window, not wanting to linger on the past.The taxi driver, however, couldn’t help but comment. “Did you see that limited-edition luxury car that just passed by? With a license plate like that, people living in this area are definitely loaded.“These villas are worth millions!”
“Remember, ladies, always steer clear of stingy men or you’ll end up with nothing!” one of the influencers said as their gossip faded. They were trailing behind Emily at a discreet distance as they all entered the building.Emily, preoccupied with thoughts of her withdrawal from school, paid no attention to the quiet chatter behind her. The voices were soft enough that she didn’t catch any of it.In class, after one lesson had ended, the teacher called out just as the students were about to leave, “Hold on a second, everyone.”The class paused, turning back to listen.“Next week, the school will be hosting a commercial art exhibition. We’ve invited several wealthy and influential guests, and even the government has taken an interest. This is an incredible opportunity to showcase your best work and potentially launch your career. Don’t let this slip by and make sure you give it your all!” The teacher smiled brightly, clearly excited about the event.The class responded with enthusi
Hearing the noise from the next room, one of the students, who had been gossiping about Emily earlier that morning, rushed over. “Emily, are you okay?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. “Where does it hurt? I’ll call the teacher. Don’t worry!” She quickly pulled out her phone.Emily’s right side was throbbing with pain, tears streaming down her face as she lay there, feeling numb and barely able to move.The teacher arrived shortly after, clearly alarmed. “Call an ambulance, quickly!” she instructed, her voice sharp with urgency.Emily wanted to assure everyone she was fine, but as soon as she tried to speak, the pain surged again, and more tears flowed uncontrollably.When the ambulance arrived, the teacher turned to the students. “You all stay here and keep selecting your pieces for the exhibition. I’ll go with her to the hospital,” she said, her tone firm yet reassuring.At Lichfield Hospital’s emergency room, the doctor reviewed the X-rays. “There’s no fracture, just
Sean tightened his grip on his utensils, his knuckles turning white, barely suppressing the anger from being called out so directly. “I’ll grow. I’ll fix all of this in time,” he said through gritted teeth, his voice firm but strained. “You might grow, but Emily doesn’t need to waste her time waiting for you,” Wilfred replied calmly. Sean’s suspicion only deepened. Wilfred was clearly interested in Emily. “If I can’t give her happiness, what makes you think you can?” *Meanwhile, Zac left Heidi’s room once he was sure she was fully recovered. Walking from the hallway to the main hall, he scanned the crowd but didn’t see Emily anywhere. Had the Yates family driven her off? If Emily had gone to vent to Helen, Zac was sure Helen wouldn’t let this slide. The mere thought of Helen causing trouble for him sent a chill down Zac’s spine.Spotting Justin in the crowd, Zac waited until he wasn’t surrounded by others before approaching. “Where’s Emily? Did she leave? Aft
“Miss Yates?” Wilfred turned to Emily after Sean declined the invitation, his tone polite yet insistent. Emily hesitated, caught in a dilemma. She wanted to hear more about Haley’s artistic inspirations, but turning down Sean’s dinner offer only to accept Wilfred’s would feel wrong. Sensing her discomfort, Wilfred added with a calm smile, “Please, don’t feel obligated. I simply dislike owing favors.” That made sense. Though Emily didn’t know much about Wilfred’s background, his presence at Heidi’s exclusive birthday celebration hinted at significant influence. People of his stature likely avoided debts that could lead to unreasonable demands. But if anyone owed a favor here, it was Emily. Wilfred had helped her earlier by speaking up in her defense. With that thought, she spoke up. “Actually, it should be me treating you to dinner, Mr. Wilfred. After all, you helped me back in the room.” “Well then,” Wilfred said with a light chuckle, “as we say back in Haven State, i
“Mr. Wilfred,” Emily nodded politely. “What’s going on?”“Oh, we’re out of gas,” Wilfred replied with a small chuckle. “Trying to figure out how to get down the mountain.”The Mandale Hotel was nestled halfway up a coastal hill.“My apologies, Mr. Wilfred,” his assistant interjected, clearly embarrassed. “I completely forgot to refuel.”Emily hesitated, feeling awkward. She wanted to offer them a ride since Wilfred had just helped clear her name. But then she remembered that she hadn’t driven here. She had come with Sean.“You can ride with us,” Sean offered smoothly, breaking the tension.“That’s very kind of you. Thank you,” Wilfred said with a warm smile.The four of them climbed into the car. Sean took the driver’s seat, and Wilfred’s assistant quickly claimed the front passenger seat, leaving Emily and Wilfred in the back.Sean couldn’t help but feel a twinge of annoyance. He had wanted Emily in the front with him, not chatting away with Wilfred in the back.“So, Miss Yat
Emma hadn’t been intimate with Justin yet, and this was the one subject she absolutely couldn’t stand being brought up, especially not by Emily.Emily and Justin’s first time had been awkward. He was inexperienced, almost like a fumbling teenager, and his skills were lacking. But with time, he had grown more experienced and skilled.Snapping out of her thoughts, Emily’s eyes turned cold as she faced Emma. “If you’re so fond of used men, Miss Xander, you can have him.”With that, the elevator doors slid open. Emily stepped inside without sparing Emma another glance.As the doors closed, Emma’s face twisted in barely concealed fury.Inside the elevator, Emily cast her gaze downward, pressing the button for her floor with disinterest. Emma wasn’t worth her attention.When the elevator reached the ground floor, the doors opened to reveal Sean waiting outside. “Why are you here?” Emily asked, surprised. Sean looked mildly aggrieved. “I knew you’d try to sneak out without telling
“I heard about the incident and simply shared what I witnessed. I hope it helps with your investigation,” Wilfred said politely. Standing at 6'3", Wilfred easily looked past Justin’s shoulder to meet Emily’s gaze. He offered her a gentle smile and a nod of acknowledgment. Though Emily didn’t know Wilfred personally, she appreciated his willingness to testify on her behalf. Returning his nod, she smiled back in gratitude. “I’ve said all I know. I’ll take my leave now and let you handle your affairs,” Wilfred concluded, preparing to exit the venue. “Sam…” Justin began, intending to have his assistant escort their guest. “Justin, allow me to see Mr. Wilfred out,” Steven interjected, stepping forward eagerly. "Mr. Wilfred, let me accompany you," Steven offered with a tone of respect laced with flattery. "Thank you," Wilfred replied graciously. As they departed, Wilfred turned back briefly, giving Emily one final nod.Watching this, Emma tilted her head with feigned
“The surveillance footage caught it all!” Heidi exclaimed, tossing the tablet onto the floor near Emily.The thick carpet softened the impact, but the tablet landed screen-up, playing back the recorded footage. On the screen was a scene of Emily sitting on the sofa.“What do you have to say for yourself now?” Heidi demanded furiously.Zac, growing increasingly anxious, jumped in to defend Emily. “This doesn’t prove she poisoned anyone. It just shows she sat on the sofa. There’s no footage of her actually tampering with anything.“Besides,” he continued, “there were multiple glasses of wine. How would Emily even know which one Heidi would take?”Emily glanced at Zac with a look of gratitude.Heidi, however, was unmoved. “Zac, whose side are you on?” she asked, her frustration boiling over.“I’m on your side, of course,” Zac replied, his tone firm and righteous. “We can’t let the real culprit go unpunished. But maybe the poisoning wasn’t caught on camera, or the method used was so
Emily left the restroom, thinking about Justin’s promise to arrange a car for her to leave. She didn’t want to stay at the party any longer and decided to wait quietly in a corner while texting Sean to let him know she was heading out. As she waited, she noticed a group of people hurriedly carrying someone away from the area where she had been sitting earlier. The distance made it hard to see who it was, but she didn’t give it much thought.Bored, Emily continued waiting. Before Sam contacted her about the car, Sean appeared instead.“Why are you leaving so early, Emily? Are you still mad at me for tricking you into coming? I didn’t mean to upset you. I just didn’t want you clinging to Justin!” Sean’s voice was full of concern.Emily had been angry earlier, but her frustration had subsided. In truth, it was the hope of escaping Justin’s grasp that had lured her here. She now realized that leaving would be something she had to figure out on her own.“I don’t enjoy events like this
Zac placed some of the food residue in a bag for testing and instructed the hotel staff to clean up the mess on the floor. “How’s my mom?” Justin asked, his worry evident. “She’s out of danger for now but we’ll need to put her on an IV drip shortly.,” Zac replied, his tone reassuring. Hearing this, Justin finally exhaled in relief. “It appears to be poisoning, but we’ll need to test the food residue at the hospital to confirm,” Zac said, his expression grave. “From her symptoms, it seems like organophosphate poisoning.” “Organophosphate? You mean… pesticide?” “Yes. Fortunately, the dose she ingested was small enough to allow for rescue.” “Who could be so malicious as to try and kill Heidi?” Stella blurted out. “Can’t you keep quiet?” Justin’s uncle, Steven Yates, shot her a warning glare. Stella scoffed and rolled her eyes at her husband but didn’t press further. At that moment, the ambulance arrived at the hotel. The sirens were turned off to avoid drawin
“I was taking a dump,” Emily replied bluntly.Emma was momentarily stunned, her expression freezing. How could Emily be so uncouth, speaking so crudely?Without waiting for a response, Emily stepped past her and walked away.Emma glanced at the restroom entrance, her teeth gritting in frustration as her hand clenched tightly into a fist.*On a sofa by the side of the banquet hall, a group of well-dressed socialites sipped wine and nibbled on desserts while chatting. As soon as Emma left the room, their restrained conversation turned into gossip."Heidi, I must say, your son, Justin, is incredibly devoted. Three years, and he still can’t let go of Emma, even managing to bring her back into his life," one of the women remarked.The high-society circle wasn’t that large and any tidbit of gossip quickly spread.Heidi set her wine glass down, her expression sour. “Honestly, I wish he weren’t so single-minded. I don’t care if he finds someone of similar status or if it’s a business