Chapter 2

Tears had fallen without her noticing, smudging the fresh makeup around her eyes. Emily glanced down at the diamond ring on her left hand, a sense of foreboding spreading through her.

The sudden appearance of this woman might shatter the happiness she had been waiting for. She couldn’t just stand here. She had to know who this woman was.

After a moment to gather herself, she headed back to the hotel.

The plane flew from Merika State back to Haven State.

At Lichfield Hospital, Emily stood at the door of a hospital room, arms crossed, trying to see inside through the window.

Justin’s friend, Zac White, the director of Lichfield Hospital, along with other doctors, were examining the restless woman on the hospital bed. Two female nurses held her steady as they conducted their checks.

On the plane, her face had already been cleaned, and she had been given fresh clothes.

“Emma Xander? Hasn’t she... disappeared for the past four years?” Zac was shocked. Where had Justin found her?

The Yates and White families had pulled every string they could to find Emma, but after four years with no trace, they had finally given up. And now, here she was.

After completing their examination, the doctors and nurses left the room. A heavy silence fell over the space.

A moment later, Justin’s voice seemed to echo from a distance as he gazed at the woman, now sound asleep after a sedative. “How is she doing?”

“She’s malnourished, traumatized, and a bit disoriented, but otherwise fine. She just needs some time to recover.”

Justin stood by her bedside, clearly prepared to stay with her. Zac hesitated, wanting to say something, but thought better of it and left the room. He opened the door to find Emily waiting outside.

Feeling awkward for his friend, Zac adjusted his silver-framed glasses and greeted her with a polite smile. “Hi, Miss Yates.”

Emily nodded in acknowledgment. “Dr. White, what’s her name? And what is her relationship with Justin?” she asked bluntly, desperate to know who this woman was.

Zac hesitated, uncertain how to explain that Emma was Justin’s long-lost first love. This was his friend’s private matter, after all, and not his to reveal.

Before he could find the words, Justin opened the door and saw them standing outside. He frowned, clearly displeased.

“Didn’t I tell you to go home? Why are you still here?” Justin’s voice dripped with disdain and impatience, as if his irritation had taken on a life of its own.

Emily stood her ground, unafraid. She needed answers. “You proposed to me in Merika State just 16 hours ago, but now you’re holding another woman and completely ignoring me. And you’re not even coming home? Staying out all night?”

“Stop being unreasonable. Leave. Now,” he ordered, his voice cold and commanding, his gaze on her as though she were an unruly employee who had crossed the line.

Seeing Justin’s dark expression, Zac stepped in, concerned that Emily might end up on the losing side of this argument. When Justin was angry, it rarely boded well for anyone.

“It’s late. Let me arrange a car to take Miss Yates home,” Zac offered, trying to ease the tension.

Emily, however, refused Zac’s offer. She wasn’t leaving without answers. “You think I’m being unreasonable? I’m your fiancée. You left me on the street in a foreign country to carry another woman away without a second thought. Did you ever consider how I felt?

“I’ll go, but only if you leave the hospital with me. There are doctors and nurses here to care for that woman. Right now, you’re coming home with me.”

Desperate, Emily reached out to grab Justin’s arm. But before she could make contact, her arm was blocked by Justin’s personal bodyguard, William Carter.

Emily was stunned, unable to believe what she was seeing. It felt as though her heart was being torn in two.

Justin had always been there for her, always caring, always the first to pick up her calls, no matter if he was in a meeting or on a business trip. If she ever needed him, he would show up immediately. If she couldn’t be reached, he would search the whole city until he found her.

But now, with this woman in the hospital room, he wouldn’t even let her near him?

“What do you mean by this?” Emily’s voice trembled, mirroring the unease in her heart.

Justin didn’t respond. He stared at her with cold, detached eyes, as if she were a stranger and not the fiancée he had just proposed to. Time seemed to stretch, each second feeling like an eternity.

Finally, he spoke, his words sharp and emotionless. “Don’t be childish.”

Childish? Once, he had said he loved how she depended on him, how she claimed him for herself. And now he was calling her childish?

“If you want to stay here with her, then what about our marriage? You proposed to me just today!” Emily’s heart ached, squeezing painfully in her chest.

She knew it wasn’t the right moment to bring this up, but she couldn’t accept the idea that her future husband would spend the night in the hospital with another woman.

Zac stood nearby, listening in shock. Marriage? Had Justin really proposed to Emily? And what about Emma in the hospital room?

Justin glanced over his shoulder, worried that the woman asleep in the hospital bed might hear them and wake up.

Emily noticed the concern in his eyes. It was an expression she had seen many times when he had worried about her. But now, that look was for someone else.

He turned back to Emily, his voice still icy. “If you don’t want to get married, we can call it off. This isn’t the place for your drama. William, have the driver take her home.”

He didn’t like being threatened, especially when it came to his marriage. Without another glance at her, he opened the door to the hospital room and went back inside.

William stepped forward, maintaining his respectful tone. “Miss Yates, please don’t make this difficult for me. It’s time for you to go home.”

Zac looked at Emily with sympathy. “Miss Yates, it’s late. Maybe it’s best to talk things over with Justin another time.”

But how could they ever discuss this again? Her fiancé had just left her humiliated, choosing to stay with another woman without a care for her dignity.

The hospital hallway lights felt harsh, blinding her with their brightness. Realizing that staying there made her look like a fool, Emily decided she wouldn’t let herself be a spectacle for others to watch. Clenching her purse tightly, Emily turned to leave.

As she took a step, her vision blurred, and she nearly collapsed. Both Zac and William rushed to steady her, their grip gentlemanly but firm.

“I’ll walk you to the car,” Zac offered.

Leaning against the wall, Emily took a moment to steady herself, then shook her head. “I’m fine. I can get back on my own.”

Her footsteps wobbled as she walked down the hallway, but she managed to keep her head high until she was out of their sight.

After returning to the hospital room, Justin glanced down at Emma, who lay pale and frail on the bed. A strange weight settled in his chest, and the pervasive smell of antiseptic only added to his irritation. He tugged at his shirt collar, unbuttoning the top two buttons, but the air still felt suffocating.

He stepped back out into the hallway, finding Zac and William waiting there. Emily was gone.

“She left?” he asked, visibly more at ease now that she was no longer around. He didn’t want her disturbing Emma’s rest.

“Yes, she’s gone,” Zac replied, hands in the pockets of his lab coat, nodding.

With both of them standing there, Justin didn’t bother asking how Emily had left. “I’m stepping out for a smoke,” he said.