Amory leaned in closer, his breath ragged with fury as he grabbed Fielding’s shirt tighter. His knuckles whitened as his grip tightened, his face only inches away from Fielding’s. The room felt charged, the kind of static tension that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Without warning, Amory shoved him back with full force, causing Fielding to stumble. His supportive cane fell from his hand, clattering noisily as it hit the marble floor. The sound echoed through the room, reverberating with a kind of finality that made everyone stop. Time seemed to slow as Fielding’s body followed, crashing hard onto the marble tiles with a thud that sent a shiver down my spine. The silence that followed was deafening. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Fielding, now lying flat on the floor, his cane a few feet away, spinning slowly before settling still. Amory, not yet finished, leaned down again, grabbing Fielding’s shirt with renewed fury. I could see the storm of emotions brewin
My eyes roamed around the ventilated room, which was adorned with images of handcrafted gods and artifacts mounted on the walls.“I must have lived a long time now,” the Shamanka’s voice was soft as she sat back after lighting the candles in the corners of the room. “Famous politicians and businesspeople have been my regulars. Yet, you never came—until now,” she said, her gaze locking with the Chairwoman’s eyes.Chairwoman chuckled, pressing on. “Back then, I had no questions. But today…” She shifted her gaze toward me, sitting beside her, and continued, “I’m here because she asked.”“Who is this girl?” the Shamanka asked, her voice low and anticipatory.“She’s the beloved granddaughter of Mr. Smith, one of your regulars,” the Chairwoman replied, nodding in confirmation.The Shamanka’s eyes flickered with recognition. “I see. And what do you want to know about her that brought you here together?”Chairwoman inhaled deeply before speaking. “What does this child mean to Smith? When his
"Where are you? Have you eaten?" Amory's voice came through the phone, deep and steady, but I could sense the underlying concern in his tone as I picked up."Yes, I ate with Grandmother," I replied, a soft smile pulling at my lips. There was a certain warmth in saying it aloud."Who?" His voice came out in disbelief.I chuckled lightly. "The chairwoman," I clarified. "She told me to call her Grandmother from now on. We went on a little date today.""What's the occasion?" Amory asked, his voice sharp, curious, waiting for the explanation.I paused, standing still next to a lamppost, my gaze trailing off as I gathered my thoughts. "You know..." I began, my tone growing more serious, "I owe you an apology, Amory. I was careless. I kept telling you to stop running from things, to face your fears, without knowing the full story. I... I didn’t know what it meant." I hesitated before pressing on, my voice filled with sincerity, pleading even. "So, I want to lead by example. I'm done running
Realizing it was Mrs. Smith's voice, tension and anxiety grabbed both me and Grandpa. His hands were shaking as he hurriedly gathered the items on the table, stuffing them into his pockets."Emma, hide yourself somewhere," he said, his voice thick with urgency. He grabbed my hand, pulling me up from the chair while frantically shoving the rest of the papers into his coat."Get me the key to this room. Now!" Mother's voice bellowed from the other side of the door, full of anger.Grandpa’s voice trembled. "Come here," he muttered as he led me to his closet, each step heavy with dread. He swung the closet doors open, his fingers shaking as he pushed his clothes aside to make room.We heard the sound of the key sliding into the lock, turning with a menacing click. Grandpa tipped me gently into the wardrobe. As I stumbled inside, the photograph in my hand slipped free, fluttering to the ground just before he shut the closet doors. The door to the room swung open with a creak."Oh, hello. I
Mother let out a dry, mocking laugh. "You’re surprisingly reasonable today," she remarked, the satisfaction dripping from her tone. "Then, will you give Elena the shares you're holding?"Grandpa paused, the silence heavy and ominous. I could just barely see the hem of his jacket from the crack in the wardrobe door. "Sure, I should," he muttered finally. "Why don't you schedule a board meeting? Let's settle everything at once.""Great idea," Mother’s voice chimed with an eerie satisfaction. Her tone was almost celebratory. "Then, please don't tell Emma things she doesn’t need to know. Can I trust you?"Grandpa’s voice quivered with curiosity. "Things she doesn’t need to know?"Mother paused, and I leaned closer to the closet door, straining to hear every word."For example..." Her words came slowly, each one calculated, each one stabbing through the silence. My heart raced as I pressed my ear closer to the wardrobe door, every muscle in my body tense. "...Emma, you are our family’s rea
Amory's POV."Where did she go? She's not answering her phone..." I muttered to myself, pacing through her room, my mind racing. I dialed her number again, my hand trembling slightly as I waited for the familiar sound of her voice. But there was nothing, only the monotonous rings that felt like tiny needles poking at my growing anxiety. I glanced at the clock—much too late for her to be out without letting anyone know. It gnawed at me, this eerie feeling that something was terribly wrong. Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I closed her door behind me, my heartbeat quickening with every step.Suddenly, the phone in my pocket vibrated violently, the sensation spreading tension through my body. I fumbled for it, pulling it out with haste, half-hoping it was her, yet dreading what it could be. An unknown number. “Yes, this is Amory,” I said, my voice low, thick with worry.“This is the police speaking. You are Emma Smith’s emergency contact, correct?” A calm, official voice spoke on
“Look at you, all dolled up. Doesn’t change where you came from, though,” Mother’s voice cut through the silence like a blade as she entered the room. I sat motionless, staring at my reflection in the mirror, my bridal makeup freshly done. Her presence was like a dark cloud looming over the most important day of my life.“Father can’t make it today. He’s not feeling well,” she said, her gaze locking onto mine as I remained seated on the white couch, feeling the weight of her disdain. She smirked, tilting her head slightly. “You didn’t expect him to walk you down the aisle, did you?” she asked, her words dripping with mockery.Her next words struck deeper than I anticipated. “You’re not even really family. Anyway, congratulations on your marriage,” she added with a bitter tone. “If you think you’ll be happy... go ahead. Try to be happy.” I stayed silent, my mind swirling with memories of the torment I endured in that house. The countless beatings for things I never did. The times I to
“You are becoming Amory’s bride today,” Amory said, bending down to meet me on the floor, his voice calm and steady. He continued, his eyes locked onto mine. “At the most exquisite venue, looking your most beautiful. You need to smile like you’re happy, so that everyone can be envious of you,” he added softly, wiping a tear from my cheek. “So tell me, how can I make you smile?”“I’m going to destroy... my family... and Hannah Smith’s group,” I said, my voice shaking as more tears spilled over. “I’ll destroy them all with my own hands. Can you help me?”Amory’s face lit up in quiet amusement, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He nodded slowly, his expression both soft and understanding.“I promised you when I made you that ring out of grass. I’ll help you, but for now,” he said, his voice low and full of reminder, “smile.” I tried, but the bitterness still clung to me, the memories too heavy to shake off. My lips trembled as I forced a weak smile, but it was quickly drowned
**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,