The soft glow of the chandelier illuminated the dining room of David's grandfather's mansion, casting a warm, golden light over the elegant table set for an intimate family dinner.David and Emma had arrived not long ago, greeted with open arms by grandpa, an imposing yet kind-hearted man who had always held Emma in high regard. "Emma, my dear," grandpa said with a wide smile, rising from his chair as they entered. His eyes lit up with genuine affection as he approached her. "It's been far too long since you’ve graced this house with your presence." Emma returned his smile, her thin frame and weary eyes betraying the burdens she had been carrying lately. But she masked her emotions, unwilling to trouble the old man with her worries. “I've missed you, Grandpa,” she said softly and hugged him warmly.Noticing her pale face up close, Grandpa immediately clapped his hands to summon a servant. "Prepare Emma’s favorite dessert immediately," he commanded. Then, turning back to Emma, h
Emma groaned softly as she opened her eyes to wake up to an empty bed. David hadn't come home at all, instead he chose to stay with Allison, who had acted weak and desperate for sympathy the night before. But Emma knew better; her sister's asthma was rarely severe anymore, and fainting was likely a manipulative tactic. Yet, David had stayed with her all night. A sudden ringing cut through her thoughts. She grabbed her phone quickly, hoping it was David. But when she saw the name on the screen, her heart sank. It was her friend, Sophie.“I'm picking you up soon. Get dressed and let’s go out. You need a break,” Sophie declared before Emma could even utter a word, leaving no room for argument.Emma managed a weak smile and agreed, grateful for her friend’s concern, though she wasn’t sure if a distraction would really make her feel better. Still, she needed something—anything—to take her mind off of the mess her life had become.---Meanwhile, David remained at Allison’s side, watching
Emma sat across from Sophie in the quiet restaurant, her gaze unfocused and fixed on the table. The remnants of their lunch were still on the table, but Emma wasn’t hungry.Sophie glanced at her phone, a brief frown crossing her face. Looking up, she noticed Emma sitting quietly, her gaze fixed on the table, lost in thought. "I have something I need to take care of, Em," Sophie said, her voice suddenly calling Emma's attention. "I’ll step outside to make a quick call." Emma, completely immersed in her thoughts, gave a faint nod, barely acknowledging Sophie’s words as she continued staring blankly at the table.A few minutes passed before someone slid into the seat across from her. Assuming it was Sophie, Emma didn’t look up.A deep, magnetic voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her attention away. “Here’s your favorite dessert. Want to try it?” Emma froze. Her head snapped up, and she met David’s tender gaze. He was sitting across from her, holding out a plate.Her face darken
David sat in the sterile hospital corridor, his fingers tapping the armrest of the chair as he waited for the doctor to clean and suture Allison's wounds.His mind was a whirlwind of confusion, and despite the quiet surroundings, the noise inside his head was deafening. He didn't understand why Emma hated Allison so much. Emma had always been close to Allison; So why was she suddenly so agitated and angry around Allison ever since she came back? It was hard for him to imagine that the woman he had known, who had always been kind and considerate, could intentionally hurt anyone, let alone her own sister. The more David thought about it, the more a sinking feeling gnawed at him. If the problem wasn't Emma; Was it possible that Allison had intentionally hurt herself to provoke a rift between him and Emma? Just then the door opened and his gaze landed on Allison. Her face was pale from pain, beads of sweat clinging to her forehead, and her lips were bitten, swollen, and trembling. He
"Henry, Allison's child, she gave birth to him abroad," David immediately spoke first after recovering from the shock of seeing Emma.Emma’s eyes widened in shock as she turned to Allison in disbelief. “When did you get married? And where is the child’s father?”Allison began, “Henry’s father is-”“His father is abroad. Allison brought the child back alone,” David suddenly interjected, cutting her off. His tone carried a subtle warning as he turned his attention briefly to Allison, who fell silent, sensing the sharpness in his words.Allison clenched her fists in anger, realizing that David clearly did not want to acknowledge Henry. She was so furious, but she knew better than to challenge him further. She could only swallow the unspoken words unwillingly.Seeing that Emma showed no signs of remorse or concern for Allison, and noticing that even David seemed to stand firmly by her side since the moment she entered the room, Emma's stepmother could no longer hold back her rage.Her fac
Emma walked slowly with Henry in her arms, unsure of where to go. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions, and she needed somewhere to gather herself. The only place that came to mind was the amusement park—the very one she loved to visit since she was a child as she thought it might help calm her down.As she walked through the park, she noticed Henry seemed tense. His silence made Emma uneasy, and when she glanced at him, he avoided her gaze. She frowned, wondering if it was because of her outburst earlier. She had raised her voice, and now, he seemed afraid of her. The realization made her feel a bit guilty.She slowed her pace and crouched down to his level, her voice gentle. “Do you think we look scary when we argue?”He didn’t answer right away, but his eyes flickered up to meet hers for a brief moment. Emma smiled softly, hoping to reassure him.“Hey, it’s okay, don’t be scared,” she continued, kneeling down to his level. “Sometimes families argue. But we always forgive each
"Mrs. Lawson, after the examination, everything looks fine," the doctor said, looking at Emma with a sharp gaze. "I would advise you to be more cautious in the future. Avoid climbing too high. Even if you don't think about your own safety, consider the child's safety."Emma, wrapped in bandages, looked like she had been through a rough ordeal. Her clothes were worn at the elbows, back, and legs, with the exposed skin showing varying degrees of abrasions. Her appearance was a mess, and she felt really embarrassed.Emma’s guilt weighed heavily on her, and as the doctor spoke, her shame grew even more. She shifted uncomfortably and then, with a trembling voice, asked, “Doctor, how is the child? Is he okay?” The doctor sighed then gave her a kind smile. “The child is fine. Don’t worry. Even though it’s only one month old, the embryo is very strong—” Emma’s head began to spin before he could finish. The words blurred in her mind, and a loud ringing filled her ears. She stared at the d
Emma stood outside the door, her blood running cold as the truth shattered her reality. She had never dreamed that Henry was actually the child of David and Allison!Her mind raced, trying to piece everything together. David’s strange behavior, his nervousness, and his anger about Henry getting hurt now made sense.She thought that as long as she explained the situation clearly, David would believe her, but it was so obvious that he was clearly venting his emotions on her because he loves his son so much, hence her explanation wasn't important to him at all. A pang of sadness and anger immediately surged through Emma. How dare David lie to her and accuse her so sanctimoniously? She clenched her fists, her body trembling with the urge to storm in and slap everyone in that room. But as her hand subconsciously touched her belly, the reality of the situation sank in. What about her child? She didn’t want her baby to grow up without a father. If she told David about the pregnancy, would
"The investigation into the overseas branch is getting deeper," Mr. Coleman, the Finance Director, said grimly, flipping through a folder. "They're looking into money laundering claims now. If we don’t act fast, it’s not just the fines we’re facing — it's possible criminal charges for the involved parties."A tense murmur passed through the room.David sat at the long polished conference table, his fingers loosely tapping a pen against his notepad. The heavy atmosphere in the boardroom matched the stormy skies gathering outside the tall glass windows. Around him, the board members of Lawson Enterprises discussed the growing list of problems their company was facing.He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His voice, calm but firm. “We need to cooperate fully with the investigators. Scrub all accounts clean, audit every department, and terminate anyone even remotely involved. Transparency is the only way we survive this."Some nodded in agreement, others shifted uncomfort
After that chaotic and painful day, Emma's life gradually returned to its familiar rhythm.She picked up her work at the hospital again, focusing on her patients and responsibilities. Claire resumed school, her cheerful giggles echoing once more in the mornings. To outsiders, everything seemed back to normal — the same Emma, the same daily life.But inside, something had shifted.Emma and Christian were no longer just friends. They had crossed a line they hadn’t dared cross before, and although it still felt a little new, a little strange, Emma welcomed the quiet comfort it brought her. Christian's presence was steady and warm, and it wrapped around her like a safety net she didn't realize she had needed for so long.Still, some days, it surprised her just how much their relationship had changed.Like today.Emma was juggling her handbag, Claire’s lunchbox, and a folder of school papers as she stepped out of her apartment. Claire was already waiting in the backseat of the car, hummin
"Christian… would you… be willing to be with me?”The moment the words left Emma's mouth, she shut her eyes, unsure if she had said too much or not enough. Her heart was pounding now.There was a pause on the other end. For a second, she thought maybe the line had gone dead.Then his voice came through, gentle and serious."Are you still at home?" he asked."Yes," she replied quietly."Don’t go anywhere. Just wait for me."Before she could say anything else, he hung up.Christian stared at his phone for a second, as if trying to process what just happened. Then a wide smile spread across his face. His heart raced, his hands felt a little shaky, but in the best way possible.Without wasting a second, he grabbed his keys and headed straight for the door. He didn’t care how late it was or how tired he felt. All he knew was that he needed to see Emma right now. When Christian got to Emma’s apartment, he didn’t even wait for her to buzz him in—she was already by the door, waiting.He stoo
Christian pulled up in front of Emma's house. The car ride had been quiet, really quiet. As he parked, Emma unbuckled her seatbelt and said, "Thank you." Her voice was soft, almost distant.Christian watched her closely as she reached for the door handle. He wanted to say something—anything—that would make her pause, look back, maybe smile. But Emma just stared ahead, her face tired and unreadable.Before she could step out, he gently reached for her hand.“Emma,” he said softly, “how are you feeling?”She turned her eyes to him, surprised by the touch. There was a long silence before she finally shrugged.“I’m okay,” she muttered, but even she didn’t sound convinced.Christian gave her hand a small squeeze. “Don’t think too much about everything that happened tonight, alright? I know it feels heavy right now, but things will settle. Your dad… he’ll come around.”Emma let out a bitter scoff and looked away. “You think so? He’s too wrapped up in Isabel and Allison’s vines of lies to s
Christian stepped out of the car and walked straight toward David. His face was cold, and his eyes were sharp."I've given you enough chances, David," Christian said firmly. "More than once, and now, you've lost all your chances."David frowned, confused by the sudden confrontation. Before he could ask what Christian meant, Christian went on."I gave you the first chance to protect Emma. You failed. Then, I gave you a second chance—this time, to take her away with you. I deliberately stayed out of it, hoping you'd finally make a move. But, as always, you hesitated.”David opened his mouth to respond, but Christian cut him off."You decided to still be the same coward Emma fell in love with five years ago," Christian said bluntly.David's eyes showed a flicker of emotion, but he tried to stay calm. Christian just didn't care."Do you know the difference between the both of us?” Christian suddenly asked. “You don't need to answer that; I'll tell you myself. You're a very selfish man.”"
Christian didn’t waste anymore second.He stepped forward and pulled Emma’s hand away from David’s grip. His face was calm, but his eyes were sharp and cold. There was no need for words—his action said it all.“It’s getting late already,” Christian said, “Since the restaurant manager is here to handle things, and no one’s talking about what happened anymore. So, I guess everything’s fine and we can take our leave now.”David stayed quiet, his hands by his side, but his eyes followed Emma sadly.Christian turned to Mathew and gave a small, stiff nod. “Thank you for your hospitality tonight,” he said.And just like that, he turned to leave with Emma by his side.But they hadn’t gone far when Mathew called out.“Emma,” he said loudly.They stopped walking. Emma turned around slowly, her face calm but tired.Mathew walked toward her with a guilty look on his face. His voice was quiet and unsure.“I’m sorry… for how things turned out tonight,” he said. “I-”“This is the last time,” she sai
The garden had fallen into complete silence. Allison's words hung heavy in the air, like a bitter fog no one could escape from.David stood frozen, still holding Emma's wrist, but the strength in his fingers slowly weakened. His mind was in chaos, and guilt spread through his heart. Allison's voice kept repeating in his head, making him wonder if he had truly failed as a father.Emma felt David's grip loosen. She looked up at him and saw the guilt written clearly on his face. Her heart ached as she realized what he was thinking. He believed Allison's words. He believed he had been a bad father.Emma couldn’t stay silent anymore. Enough was enough. For too long, she had allowed Allison to control the conversation with her false accusations, her self-pity, and her guilt-tripping. But not anymore.She pulled her hand away gently from David and stepped forward, facing Allison head-on. There was a cold sneer on her lips as her sharp gaze met Allison's teary, dramatic expression."I don’t c
Christian, standing silently at Emma's side, had his eyes fixed on Isabel, but even he couldn't predict what was about to happen. He froze for a second, caught off guard. His instincts screamed for him to protect Emma, to shield her from the flying vase, but before his body could react, another figure shot past him at lightning speed.In that split second, Emma, standing still in shock, raised her arms halfway to shield herself. Her eyelids tightly closed, bracing for the sharp sting of glass and the crushing pain that was sure to follow.But the pain never came.Instead, she felt something else entirely. Strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a protective embrace.CRASH! The vase smashed against the figure's back with a loud, bone-jarring crack. The sound made Emma flinch even more as she closed her eyes even more tightly. Her heart was racing, her breath hitched, but the arms around her didn’t loosen even an inch.A loud voice broke through the heavy silence that followe
The commotion from the garden was impossible to ignore.The loud noise quickly pulled the attention of the guests inside the restaurant. Mathew and his family were not left out. They hurried to the garden, confused and anxious, only to find Allison sitting on the grass, tears running down her face. Emma stood a few feet away, her hands on her waist, her face calm but cold.Isabel let out a gasp the moment her eyes landed on Allison. Without a second thought, she rushed to her daughter’s side, crouching and cupping Allison's cheeks with trembling hands, her voice breaking as she asked, "Allison, what happened?! Who did this to you?!”Allison didn’t answer right away. She was in so much pain that she could barely speak. She was holding her cheeks, which still stung from the heavy slaps Emma had given her. For once, she wasn't faking the pain or the tears. Her head felt light, almost dizzy, from the force of the slaps.David, who had also seen the heartbreaking sight, stepped closer.