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
Just then, Justin pushed the door open and entered the hospital room.Emily frowned, giving him a puzzled look, and asked coldly, “What are you doing here?”Justin glanced at her, as if looking at an idiot. “The school called, saying you got hurt.” With that, he tossed the bag in his hand onto the hospital bed.It was only then that Emily remembered. Since she had lost her memory and had no family, she had listed Justin as her emergency contact when she enrolled.She walked to the bed, picked up the bag of medicine, and muttered an awkward, “Thanks.”Justin was a bit surprised. She actually said thank you? Didn’t she act all fierce just a few days ago?“Where’s Sean?” he asked casually, like he was just gossiping with an acquaintance. “Why didn’t he come to the hospital?”“That’s none of your business,” Emily replied, clearly annoyed, as she checked her face in the small mirror by the hospital bed.At least her face was unharmed.Justin let out a mocking laugh. “So, did he pla
Emily looked back at her with calm confidence, smiling slightly. “Thank you both for going out of your way to visit me.”Emma opened her mouth to say something else, but Justin interrupted, turning to Emma. “Didn’t you say you were going to get the medicine from Zac? Did you get it?”“I did!” Emma answered, her gaze filled with happiness as she looked at him.“Then let’s head out. There’s still work to do at the office.” Justin took the bag from her hand and, with a smooth motion, intertwined his fingers with hers as they walked out of the hospital room together.Emily’s eyes flickered briefly as she watched their fingers locked together, a shadow passing over her face for just a moment.“Bye-bye, Emily!” Emma turned back, giving a cute wave before matching her steps to Justin’s.The door closed behind them.Emily tossed her clothes onto the bed and sat down, feeling suddenly drained of all her strength. They looked perfect together, happy, like they had never been apart. These
After Emily got home, the bruised areas from her fall started to ache, and there was a dull pain in her chest as well.She went to her room, took off her clothes to apply medicine. The bruise was on her right side, so she clumsily applied the ointment with her left hand. Once she was done, she felt hungry but didn’t feel like cooking, so she ordered takeout.Halfway through her meal, her teacher messaged her, first checking on her well-being and then offering to cover her medical expenses. Emily politely declined, as she had already withdrawn from school. After all, it was her own misstep that led to the fall, not the school’s fault. It was her teacher and classmates who had called the ambulance and gotten her to the hospital.She sent a message thanking them and resumed watching her show while eating her takeout. After finishing her meal, she continued binge-watching. Now that she didn’t have to attend school or work at the school’s art exhibit, she could focus on recovering.Mean
“I might go to another city, or even abroad. I haven’t decided yet,” Emily said, leaning back on the sofa, her tone calm.“Either one sounds great,” Helen agreed, surprisingly enthusiastic. “You could go to the Merika State. My family’s over there. I’d love to take you to visit!”Emily fell into thought. The Merika State was the place where Emma and Justin reunited.“Fleure Academy is in the Merika State, too,” Helen suggested cheerfully. “You could continue your studies there.” She could tell from Emily's expression that she was hesitating. “Merika’s huge! The chance of running into that jerk Justin is pretty slim! And unless you plan on leaving Earth, there’s no avoiding him completely!” Helen added.Helen made a good point, and Emily’s mind suddenly cleared. Fleure Academy was the pinnacle of art schools. It would be a shame not to give it a shot just because of one heartbreak.With renewed determination, Emily nodded. “Alright, then. The Merika State it is.”“Great! Just wa
Sean walked in, carrying takeout bags in both hands. “Didn’t Emily say she took a fall and can’t go out? So I figured, why not bring the food here myself?“Besides, you probably don’t feel like cooking, right? So takeout it is.” He placed the dishes on the table. “It’s from Seven Kings. I know she loves it,” he added with a cheerful smile.“Oh, I’m impressed, kiddo! You’re really thoughtful!” Helen teased without a care, turning toward the kitchen to grab some plates and utensils.Sean’s smile faltered a bit at being called “kiddo.” He subtly glanced at Emily, worried she might see him as too young and be put off. When he noticed she didn’t react much, he felt relieved.“You really didn’t need to go to all this trouble,” Emily said casually. “You saved me at the pool last time, so I should be the one treating you to a meal.”“What’s the difference? You can take me out once you’re all better,” Sean replied, clearly happy just to spend time with her.During the meal, Sean was atten
“Just a week. Remember to be in Bay City by the 21st for the handover with the local government.”Emily received the contact information for the Bay City government liaison shortly after.“Got it.”A week later, she boarded the plane to Bay City, carrying her finalized artwork submission.As soon as she settled into her seat in first class, a familiar voice sounded beside her.“Emily!” Sean’s cheerful voice rang out again.“Sean? What are you doing on this flight?” Emily asked, surprised and confused.“Why, going on vacation, of course!” Sean replied, taking the seat next to hers.“So? Same flight?”“Yep!”Emily’s face clearly showed her disbelief.Sean chuckled and explained, “Helen told me you’d be working in Bay City. She gave me the flight number and seat assignment, too.”“Since we’re heading the same way, why not travel together!”As Sean explained, he took out his phone, adjusted the beauty filter and his posture, and snapped a quick selfie with Emily. He added a ca
Emma always acted as if she were superior and set apart from others, hinting at a special relationship with Mr. Yates. Yet how could she not know he took private jets for business trips? Emily, by contrast, was far more modest and polite.The gossip about Mr. Yates, Emily, and Emma had spread all around the secretary team. Being on the same floor as the CEO’s office, they had access to all the juicy details.“Alright, I’ll give him a call and ask,” Emma replied, trying to look casual.The secretary left the lounge.It was only today that Emma learned Justin would be traveling to Bay City for business. She had rushed over at noon in hopes of joining him, only to find out he had already left.Emma dialed Justin's number. After just two rings, he picked up.“Justin, why didn’t you take me along on your business trip?” she pouted, a hint of complaint in her voice. “I wanted to be with you. I don’t feel safe without you nearby.”On the other end, Justin rubbed his forehead, soundin
“Being the boss sure comes with a lot of responsibilities and stress,” Mrs. Zimmer said with a warm smile.Since Justin hadn’t come back yet, Emily decided to pass the time by turning on the TV. She connected her phone to the screen and started streaming a drama. Sitting on the couch with Mrs. Zimmer, they shared some fruit while waiting.Seven turned into eight, then eight-thirty. By the time it was almost nine, Justin still hadn’t shown up.Mrs. Zimmer yawned repeatedly and stretched her legs, shaking off the numbness from sitting too long. “Do you think he’s caught up in a last-minute meeting and can’t make it back? He’s done that before.”Justin occasionally had meetings that ran late, but he usually arranged for Sam to call ahead and let them know. He would never leave them waiting like this without a word.Emily pulled out her phone. “Let me call him and check.”The dial tone rang endlessly, but no one picked up. Frowning, she walked to the window, looking out at the glowin
If Emily found out about this, what would happen? Justin couldn’t bear to imagine it. A sudden wave of fear washed over him at the thought of her learning the truth. That night, Justin had been drunk at the gala. He had no memory of how he ended up in the room or how anything happened with Emma. The only thing he remembered was waking up the next morning to find Emma lying naked beside him, the sheets messy and stained with blood. “Justin, it’s not your fault, it’s mine,” Emma had said tearfully the next day, her beautiful eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I took the morning-after pill, but if I had taken it a bit earlier, maybe none of this would have happened.” She wiped her tears as they began to fall, her voice trembling as she blamed herself. Her tone softened, becoming almost pitiful. “I know you’re with Emily now. I don’t want to be the reason she misunderstands you or comes between you two. I’ll…I’ll terminate this pregnancy…” Emma was in tears, sobbing so hard
Not long after Emily replied to Mrs. Zimmer’s message, her phone buzzed again. This time it was Helen.“Hey, remember that little takeout place near my college? They’ve expanded and turned it into a full-fledged restaurant. It’s their grand opening today. After my afternoon classes, I’m grabbing double portions of their signature spicy fish and bringing it over for dinner!” Helen followed up with another message, “I’ll also get your favorite fried snacks and beer, extra spicy with sweet dipping sauce.” They both had similar tastes, especially when it came to bold, flavorful comfort food. Most people wouldn’t think twice about it, but Justin’s refined palate had no appreciation for such “casual” food. He also didn’t let Emily eat it. So whenever Justin was tied up with work or traveling, Emily and Helen would sneak off to enjoy their guilty pleasures. Over time, the two had tried nearly every takeout joint and food truck in Lincourt City. Still, nothing quite compared to
Emily looked puzzled. “You’re great too.”Unintentionally, she handed Justin a *nice guy* card. Receiving the *nice guy* card left Justin feeling frustrated. He tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, his mind obsessing over her words. The next morning, Emily slept in until 8 a.m. When she woke, Justin was nowhere to be found. He must have gone to work. After washing up, she sat down to have breakfast. *In the special project meeting room, Emma sat discussing key points of the project’s development. Suddenly, a foul odor filled the room, making her feel nauseous. At first, she managed to suppress it, but soon, she couldn’t hold back and gagged audibly. The sound was jarring in the otherwise serious atmosphere. “Mr. Quinn, I need to step out to the restroom,” Emma said, quickly leaving the meeting room. Once she was gone, the team members didn’t hold back their complaints. “How are we supposed to get this project done when she’s like this all the time? It’s
It must have been Justin who orchestrated all this. Only he had the power and motivation in Lincourt City to swiftly bring Jack down. The official announcement of Jack’s termination from RC Corporation was delivered to all employees via email as a warning. Emma scrolled through her mouse, her expression darkening. She hadn’t expected Justin to go this far for Emily. “But what about me?” she thought bitterly. “What did I mean to him three years ago?”The office buzzed with chatter about Jack’s sudden dismissal. First, Jack’s secretary, Tina, was let go, and now Jack. Employees speculated wildly, suggesting it was part of internal power struggles among the upper management. Unbeknownst to them, Justin had already locked down the news of Jack’s involvement in Emily’s kidnapping. As Emma walked through the open office area, she heard fragments of gossip. As someone who knew the truth, their baseless assumptions irritated her. Wearing a sharp business suit and high hee
In the CEO’s office of RC Corporation, William stood respectfully in front of Justin, delivering his report. “Those men are a group of street thugs. They’re unemployed and survive by scamming people and committing petty crimes. After leaving the hospital last night, they used a public payphone to contact someone.“Tracing the number, we found the other party used a disposable phone card. When we looked into the bank account records tied to the payment, we discovered the funds were transferred internationally and then wiped from the records. Even after recovering the data, the identity linked to the account belonged to a local overseas resident.”The office was dimly lit, with Justin sitting behind his desk. He tapped his fingers lightly on the surface. “So, they’re experienced and left no trace behind,” he said in a low voice. William nodded silently. After a brief pause, Justin instructed, “Start by investigating the people around me.”Emily was an orphan with no known ene
“Come and go as you please? Do you think this is a playground?” Justin’s calm voice carried an unmistakable authority. The three men froze, their bodies stiffening as fear took over, their legs stopping in place on instinct. “W-what do you want?” one of them stammered, his voice trembling. Justin’s commanding presence was overwhelming, making their hearts pound with terror. They braced themselves, convinced Justin would order the bodyguards to deal with them. Their imaginations ran wild, and they were so scared they were nearly shaking. But to their shock, Justin simply let them go. *On a narrow side road outside the hospital, the three men huddled together, their faces filled with frustration. “What now, boss? The plan didn’t work. We couldn’t take the woman, and now we won’t get paid,” one of them muttered bitterly. “Damn it!” the leader of the group sighed heavily. They had been hired to pose as Emily’s biological father and abduct her. The plan was to a
Thinking about the promises they had been given, the men had no choice but to sit and wait.Justin had just finished a team meeting about the collaboration project with Wilfred and was on his way back to his office. As he walked, he felt his phone vibrate—a message from Zac. Glancing at it briefly, his brows furrowed instinctively. Sliding the phone back into his pocket, he handed the file in his hand to Sam.“I need to step out for a while. Reschedule the afternoon team meeting to an online session tonight.”“Understood, Mr. Yates,” Sam responded efficiently.Just then, Emma hurried after Justin with a file in her hands. “Justin, I have a question about something. I need your guidance.”Justin stopped briefly but didn’t take the file from her. Instead, his gaze shifted to Sam. “I’m heading out. If you have any questions, Sam can handle them.”With that, he strode toward the elevator, his pace quickening.“Oh…” Emma watched him disappear down the hallway, her gaze reluctant an
Biological father? Emily had lived as an orphan for the past three years, and she had never heard anything about her biological parents looking for her. Where did this ‘biological father’ suddenly come from? *“What’s all the noise about? Can’t I get a nap around here?” Richard, a night owl who often stayed up late and caught up on sleep during the day, groggily emerged from his room, running a hand through his disheveled hair, irritation clear on his face. One of the men spotted him and immediately said, “Young man, you’re just in time! Help me out here. The patient in this room is my daughter. I want to take her home, but these two thugs won’t let me. Where’s the justice in that?”He glared angrily at the black-suited bodyguards. “What you’re doing is illegal! If you don’t let me take my daughter, I’ll call the cops!”Richard, already grumpy from being woken up, scoffed. “Just because you say she's your daughter doesn't make it true. Stop making up nonsense and get los