I rummaged through my bag, finally feeling the smooth surface of my phone against my fingers. Pulling it out, I dragged a chair from the corner of the room and sank into it. With a deep breath, I pressed the power button, and the screen lighting up. I quickly unlocked it with my fingerprint, the familiar routine offering a brief moment of comfort.I tapped the Facebook icon and watched as it loaded, the blue and white interface appearing on the screen. My heart raced as I navigated to the search bar, typing in "Amory." His name popped up almost immediately, and with a quick scroll, his profile picture came into view. I clicked on his page, eyes scanning for any signs of news or gossip about us.Nothing. No mentions, no posts, and no pictures that hinted at the clandestine meeting Mia and I had orchestrated. Frustration bubbled up inside me. Determined, I navigated back to the search bar and began typing in the name of Amory's company. Before I could finish, it auto-completed, and I cl
As I sat in the living room with my family, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. My father, ever the curious patriarch, leaned forward and looked at Amory. “You are the second son of your family?” he asked, his tone laced with disbelief.Amory nodded. “I'm sorry for the late introduction. I'm Amory.”My father chuckled, a mix of surprise and amusement evident on his face. “This was quite unexpected. So, what brings you all the way here?” His eyes were full of concern.“Please, speak to me casually. That's better for me too,” Amory replied with a warm smile.Father nodded as we heard the familiar sound of Mother's shoes echoing in the sitting room. She entered, carrying a tray with cups and coffee. The room grew quieter as she set the tray down and began serving us.“I came to ask for your blessing to marry your daughter,” Amory said suddenly, his words sending a wave of anxiety washing over me. My carefully constructed plans seemed to crumble in an instant. Maybe his presence h
We settled in the garden after leaving my mother’s house, the awful event of Amory confessing his desire to marry me still fresh in my mind. My mother’s insistence on Amory marrying Elena instead echoed painfully. I watched as Amory approached, carrying a plastic bag filled with items from the convenience store. He began placing everything on the table between us. I sat on one of the benches, feeling a mix of relief and uncertainty.Amory picked up the last item from the bag. "I heated it up," he said as he uncovered it, then paused and looked at me. "Or, do it yourself." He set it down on the table and sat across from me, wrapping the bag and picking up a can of drink.After a long, uncomfortable silence, I finally gathered the courage to speak. My voice was weak. "About what you wanted to hear..." Amory raised his gaze, and I quickly looked away, unable to meet his cold, piercing eyes. "The war in Ukraine might go on longer than expected. Then, there will be issues with the supply o
It was early in the morning, and I was sitting alone on my bed, holding the flower placeholder Amory had given me. I felt the weight of everything crashing down on me and broke out, resting my head against the headboard. I slapped my cheeks with both hands, trying to come back to reality. The events of last night felt like a nightmare.Just then, my phone began to vibrate on the pillow on my lap. I quickly picked it up and saw it was Mia calling. "Hello?" I answered, my voice weak."What happened between you and Amory?" Mia asked, her tone rushed and filled with disbelief."What are you talking about all of a sudden?" I asked, my voice trembling."There's an article about the two of you dating," she whispered, as if she didn't want someone beside her to hear."What?" I asked, anxiety creeping into my voice. I quickly reached out for my tablet on the desk near my bed. I opened Facebook, knowing I would likely find it there. I waited impatiently for it to load, and then I began to scro
Getting out of the house, I saw Amory's car parked in front. I couldn't see anyone inside. Just then, my phone began to ring. "Hello?""What are you doing? Get in," Amory said, his voice sharp with anticipation.I chuckled, moving towards the car. "You are so impatient."Reaching the car, I grabbed the door handle and opened it. "Why would you call me inside the car—" I shouted in shock as the person inside wasn't Amory. "Who are you?" I demanded, my voice trembling."I'm sorry!" the man inside shouted, equally startled.I quickly placed the phone to my ear, my hand shaking. "Amory, someone is in your car.""It's my secretary. He'll drive you," Amory said, his voice sharp and cold before hanging up."What?" I asked, side-eyeing the man beside me."My name is Noah. I'll drive you safely," he said, adjusting his seat belt and tie.Noah drove for almost forty minutes. Inside the car, his face was as cold as a bouncer's, built with muscle. When we arrived, he quickly exited and unlocked
Hearing this sent a shiver down my spine, and I adjusted my sitting position, feeling a wave of confusion wash over me. Just then, he looked to his left, then turned his gaze back to me. "Speaking of… what do you think of this place?"I glanced around the surrounding area, mumbling as I spoke. "This is your place."He leaned closer. "How about you move in here?"I blinked in surprise. "You want…," the words caught in my throat, but I forced myself to continue. "The two of us to live together?" I chuckled nervously. "Are you crazy?""I'll… go to my parents' place today," he sighed. "If we want their permission, shouldn't we at least do that?" His tone grew serious."But…," I blinked rapidly, looking around the room again. "How can I be in someone else's place…"Just then, Amory stood up. He walked over to me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me to my feet. He led me to the kitchen, heading straight for the upper cabinet at the top of the room. Placing a steadying hand on my shoulder, he sai
I walked briskly, my heels echoing against the floor with each step. My mind raced, contemplating how things would unfold. Just as I reached the large flower garden, I heard a familiar voice."Emma, let's talk," Zayn’s mother called out from a corner.Her voice distracted me, but I kept moving forward, ignoring her. "I have nothing to say to you."She intercepted me, spreading her arms in front of me to block my path. "If you change your mind and break it off all of a sudden, what about Zayn? What is he supposed to do?" she pleaded.I turned my head away, trying to avoid her gaze. "Do you even know how he's feeling right now?" she continued, grabbing my hand to get my attention.I yanked my hand away, giving her a sarcastic look. "He must be relieved. He won't have to be sold for money," I spat, watching her face twist in shock."What?" she exclaimed, her mouth hanging open.I shifted my bag to my left hand. "The store my family is giving you," I said, stepping closer to her. "You alr
I sat alone in my room, the events from earlier tormenting my thoughts. My stomach churned with frustration, and I wondered how I could ever make changes while still enduring so much. I raised my hand, looking at the date marked on my wrist. "When that moment comes again, what will happen to me?" I whispered to myself, the weight of uncertainty heavy on my heart. "Emma, please… we're family," my mother's pleading voice echoed in my mind. I remembered gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white, trying to blink away the tears. My lip throbbed where I had bitten down hard, stifling my sobs. The taste of blood was sharp on my tongue, mingling with the salt of my tears. Without realizing it, I approached an intersection. The traffic light had turned red, but my distracted mind didn’t register the change. It wasn't until I was almost in the middle of the intersection that panic surged through me, and I instinctively turned the wheel to the left, desperate to avoid
**Emma’s POV** Now I understand that there’s no greater joy than marrying the person you love and knowing they love you back just as deeply. A smile tugged at my lips as both Amory and I signed our names, finalizing our marriage registration. “Now, we just have to…” he said, glancing at me with a playful grin as we both reached for the stamp. “One, two, three,” we counted together, pressing the stamp onto the marriage license. With the finality of that gesture, we submitted our paperwork, and Amory pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as we walked through the lobby. “Congratulations!” voices echoed around us, and I turned to see Catherine, Mia, and some of Amory’s colleagues gathered there, cheering in surprise and joy. “Congratulations, brother! Congratulations, Emma!” Catherine’s voice was bright and happy. Her husband chimed in, grinning, “Just like old times, huh?” I couldn’t help but beam back, the warmth of their celebration washing over me
**Emma’s POV** The sun was barely up, and the morning air held a slight chill, but there was a warmth blooming in my heart that no weather could touch. I reached across the breakfast table, picking up a slice of toast, and took a contented bite. “I think my morning sickness is finally gone,” I said with a sense of relief, smiling as I chewed. My mother’s expression softened as she watched me, her own breakfast momentarily forgotten. “Thank goodness,” she sighed, her hand resting briefly on mine. “I was starting to worry about you, you know, since you’d barely been eating.” She reached over to fill my glass with water, the sunlight catching the faint lines on her hands, a reminder of all the years of love and work she had put into raising me. “Do you have a busy day ahead?” she asked, glancing up at me with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. I nodded, swallowing a sip of water. “There’s a meeting with Dad and Grandpa about the foundation, and then I’m meeting Amory in the evening
Emma POV After leaving Amory's father and grandmother, we finally made it back home. The quiet felt almost surreal after everything we'd been through. I helped Amory settle down on the couch, his steps still unsteady, his recovery a slow process. I could see the weariness in his eyes, but I also saw something else—a lightness that had been missing for so long. We hadn’t been sitting long when a sudden chime from outside caught our attention. I quickly stood, realizing what it was. I hurried to the door, finding a delivery man waiting, a small package in his hands. As I took the package and shut the door, Amory looked over, puzzled. “What is this?” he asked as I placed the package on the table. I couldn’t help but smile. “It’s from my mom. She sent some of her special homemade dishes for you. She thought you’d need the extra strength.” “Your mom actually did that?” he asked, looking genuinely touched. I nodded, feeling warmth at the memory of her kindness. “She took such g
Amory POV It had been almost two and a half months since I’d been confined to a hospital bed, and now, finally, I was going home. My body still felt weak; each step was slow and careful, but I was free. Emma, my mom, and I decided to stop by and visit Grandma and Father before heading home. I knew they’d been waiting anxiously for this moment. As soon as we stepped inside, my mother’s voice rang out, “Mother! Honey!” The joy in her voice was unmistakable. Grandma’s eyes widened as she saw me, her expression shifting from shock to sheer happiness in an instant. She rushed forward, enveloping me in a tight embrace, her joy overflowing. “Amory! You’re home!” she exclaimed, beaming. “You did good. You did good,” she murmured, releasing me and turning to give Emma a hug as well. “You, too,” she added, smiling warmly at her. My gaze shifted to my father, who moved closer, his own smile breaking through the usually stoic expression. “You did good,” he said simply, before pulling me i
**Emma’s POV** Two long, agonizing months had passed since Amory been injured by Fielding leaving him lying motionless in that sterile hospital bed, a shadow of the vibrant man I loved. Every day, I had sat by his side, watching the faint rise and fall of his chest, searching his face for any sign of movement, any flicker of life. Even after his second surgery, he lay unresponsive, leaving me to grapple with an ache that felt impossible to mend. I sat quietly, watching him. He looked so peaceful, as if he were only asleep. I reached for his hand, feeling the gentle warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips, and clutched it close. "Amory," I whispered, my voice barely audible in the stillness, "I finally understand why I was given a second chance at life… why I came back." The quiet beeping of the machines filled the silence, steady and constant, a reminder of just how fragile he was. I took a shaky breath, pressing his hand against my cheek, my tears flowing freely as I whispered, “
Emma POV After Madam Elizabeth left, the room fell quiet, filled only with the hum of machines. I was still processing all that had happened when, to my surprise, Mr. Foden entered. It had been days since I’d last seen him—days since I learned the shocking truth that artist Edward Jones was his father.“You don’t look well, Ms. Emma,” he said, settling into a chair nearby. His gaze was steady, filled with a mixture of concern and curiosity.I sighed, sidestepping his observation. “How’s your father doing?” I asked, shifting the conversation away from myself.“He’s at the nursing home,” he replied, his voice carrying a hint of sadness. He studied me closely, then continued, “What I said at the police station was quite shocking, wasn’t it?”I took a deep breath, the weight of it all pressing down on me. “I thought you might be connected to Edward Jones in some way. I didn’t know you were father and son.”He gave a small, regretful shake of his head. “I was sent to an orphanage so young
madam Elizabeth POV I sat down heavily on the couch, the tension from the hospital clinging to me like a weight I couldn’t shake. Emma was with Amory, still in critical condition after his first surgery, and the doctors were already discussing the need for another procedure. My heart twisted just thinking about it. “So, is there no progress on Amory?” Grandma’s voice was soft, yet tinged with worry. She was sitting across from me, her hands tightly clasped in her lap. I let out a long sigh, meeting her gaze. “They need to operate again. I’m so worried, Mother. What if he…” I trailed off, unable to finish the thought. I couldn’t bear to voice my fears. “Don’t say that. We have to be strong, somehow,” my husband interjected as he stood from his chair. His voice was firm, but I could see the concern etched into his face. He left the room without another word, leaving Grandma and me in a heavy silence. Just then, the sharp sound of the doorbell shattered the quiet. One of the mai
Fielding POV The clanking of the cell door jolted me from my thoughts. A police officer swung it open, gesturing for me to step out. I was handcuffed, and as I stepped into the hall, I saw him: my father, sitting stiffly in the visitor center. His eyes fixed on me as I entered, an expression that was as cold as it was unforgiving.For a moment, I froze, unable to take another step. But I forced myself forward, one heavy step after the other, until I reached the chair across from him. We were separated only by a small table, yet the distance felt insurmountable. He remained silent, his face a tight mask of anger and disappointment.After a painfully long silence, he finally spoke, his voice a low growl. “How could you do such a thing?” he asked, his words dripping with disdain. “I thought, maybe, after all this time, you would change. I thought you’d learn something.” His voice broke, raw and filled with an intensity that made me look away, unable to hold his gaze.He continued, his t
We reached the hospital, and Amory was rushed inside while I was directed to the waiting area. I sank into one of the chairs, numb, with tears streaming down my cheeks as the reality of everything crashed over me.“Emma! Emma!” someone called, but I was lost in my turmoil, barely aware of my surroundings. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Amory’s mother, Madam Elizabeth, standing before me, her face etched with worry.“What happened?” she asked, her voice trembling with fear as she knelt beside me.I took a deep breath, trying to muster the strength to explain, but the words felt heavy, almost impossible to say. “Amory… he got hurt trying to protect me,” I finally managed, my voice barely a whisper as I avoided her gaze, feeling the weight of guilt settle deeper in my chest.Madam Elizabeth gasped, her hands trembling. For a moment, I couldn’t bear to look at her, but she surprised me by pulling me into a gentle embrace, her hand rubbing my back soothingly. “It’s okay,