Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for Emily and Derek's wedding.
Surveying the bustling attendants and the increasing number of guests, Emily couldn't help but feel a bit nervous."Hey, Emily, you look stunning today."At that moment, Louise's voice suddenly came from behind. She was adorned in a simple black evening dress, smiling at Emily.Emily hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. She then furrowed her brow and nodded gently."Emily, today is a day of celebration. Don't look like that; you need to be happy, like this."Noticing Emily's unease, Louise approached her with concern, making a funny face to lighten the mood. Truth be told, Louise did manage to ease Emily's tension."Thank you, Louise.""Oh my, why are you still here? The ceremony is about to start!"Just then, an officiant hurriedly approached, grabbing Emily's hand and rushing her to the entrance of the venue."And now, we presenEmily and Derek's wedding was like a grand firework, slowly settling down as people marveled at the spectacle. Although the pace of Emily and Derek's lives remained unchanged, it was perhaps the so-called spirit of commitment that bound them even more closely after the ceremony.So, when Derek showed up at the diner to sit side by side with Emily, there were moments when she felt like they had been together for decades."Emily, could you pass the ketchup for me?" Derek smiled, casting a doting look at Emily that momentarily left her feeling a bit woozy."Okay, sure." Emily, a little flustered, handed the ketchup to Derek."Why do I feel like you're in need of more exercise..." Derek teased, his eyes lingering on Emily as he took a bite of his croissant.Emily, fully aware of his implication, blushed and pretended not to hear him, hastily turning on the TV to divert attention."The latest news from this station: Serena, the eldest daughter of The Sanchez family, returned home today. He
Derek's eyes glowed, causing Emily's heart to clench violently.She dared not touch his eyes at all, fearing she might succumb.Twisting her fingers, she hastily changed the topic, saying, "By the way, about what I mentioned last night regarding the child's education, have you had a chance to consider it?"Derek fixed his gaze on her and replied, "I respect all of your opinions, as well as any choices the children may make. If the children agree to go to kindergarten, I won't oppose it."The corner of Emily's lips curled into an arc. "Good, I'll find some time to ask the two of them."However, Derek's face darkened a bit.Initially, Emily had rejected him, but it was the children that had slowly led her to accept him. Now, as she was willing to marry him, there seemed to be two reasons: to give the children a complete family and, secondly, because he had once saved her.A woman would always harbor gratitude for the man who saved her. Yet, how much
Emily's eyes slowly opened to find Derek staring at her with an expression she couldn't place. Her head rested against Derek's chest."Does it hurt?" Derek asked, breaking the silence between them.Emily blushed. "No.""Good," Derek replied, then gazed at the ceiling. Emily expected Derek to leave soon. Instead, he lay next to her for a moment, then slid off the bed and headed for the bathroom.Curious about Derek's actions, Emily sat up. When the sound of running water came from the bathroom, Emily saw Derek walk back in. Totally confused, she wondered, "What was Derek doing?"But Emily didn't bother to ask. Derek picked her up and took her to the bathroom.He put her feet on the floor and joined her. The hot water felt soothing on Emily's skin. Though she didn't understand what was happening, she refrained from saying anything to avoid ruining the moment, letting Derek do as he pleased.Derek's hands brushed over Emily's skin with a wet rag and s
The uneasiness in her heart intensified, rendering it impossible for Emily to remain still.Before long, the car they were in pulled up in front of the villa, with a layer of frost still clinging to Derek's face.Observing that Derek showed no intention of leaving the car, Emily sensed that he might have something important to share, perhaps related to Serena.At the thought, Emily's heart sank a little.Breaking the silence with a light cough, she carefully began, "Derek, though I'm unaware of how your conversation with Serena unfolded, I respect whatever choices you make. After all..."Emily paused momentarily before continuing, "I understand that our marriage initially revolved around the children. Now that Serena is back, you..."Reluctantly, Emily admitted, albeit quietly, that she was saddened by her own words."Emily..."However, Derek abruptly interrupted her with a sudden outburst, fixing his deep eyes on her with seriousness.He
After tucking a couple of kids into bed, Emily and Derek returned to their room."Derek, I wanted to ask you how it went with Serena," Emily inquired after much deliberation.Derek gave Emily a teasing look. "Are you jealous, honey?"Emily looked away, a little embarrassed. "No, it's just..."However, Derek suddenly interrupted her. "Look, it's all in the past between Serena and me. You're the only one in my heart right now, so don't worry about it. Serena's return isn't going to have any effect on our lives, okay?"After saying that, Derek reached out and touched Emily's head.Hearing Derek's sincere tone, Emily's face couldn't help but turn red. "No, Derek, I'm feeling a little off. Listen to me; I saw you tonight before we met at the bar, and you were talking to Serena.""What?" Derek frowned at Emily's words."Yes, but the next second, you were gone, and then I walked over to talk to Serena for a moment, only for you to suddenly come out t
When Emily returned home from work in the evening, the only occupants of the living room were her four adorable children and the busy nanny."Where's your daddy?" Emily asked with a smile.Aaron blinked and replied, "I just saw Daddy heading outside. I don't know what he went to do."Chris nodded. "Daddy looked like he was in a hurry."Emily frowned. She didn't know why, but her heart suddenly felt uncomfortable, and her right eyelid started to twitch.Emma suddenly came over with a smile on her face. "Derek went out for something."Emily pursed her lips. "What did he go out to work on?""Something happened to the Scott Group's branch abroad," Emma lowered her voice and said. "Derek may have to travel for a while."The cloud of uncertainty in Emily's mind grew thicker. Why didn't Derek call her about this?She took out her cell phone and said, "Mom, I'll call Derek first."Emma's eyes flashed, and she smiled. "Okay, go ahead."E
Emily found herself disoriented, unsure of her location. Suddenly, a dense fog of blood obscured her vision, vast swaths of it advancing towards her. The suffocating sensation intensified as she struggled to breathe, gasping for air amid the crimson mist. Yet, within this eerie atmosphere, a familiar male voice cut through the murk."Emily...""Emily..."The voices echoed like desperate cries on the brink of demise."Who are you? Where are you?" Emily hissed, her words resonating through the blood-laden haze. However, there was no response. Her heart clenched, as though a knife had been ruthlessly twisted at its core.Suddenly, a huge pain came from her heart.And the pain soon engulfed her entire body...Emily abruptly opened her eyes, realizing it was merely a nightmare.This recurring dream had haunted her for over ten consecutive nights. Each time, the voice calling her name belonged to Derek. Perhaps, it was the result of their prolonged separation and her intense longing for him
The next day.Emma sat in the living room watching TV when she heard Emily coming downstairs. She snapped back to reality and momentarily froze upon seeing Emily, then quickly regained her composure."Emma, I'm heading to work," Emily announced as she stood in the foyer changing her shoes, her face calm and unruffled.Derek had disappeared the previous night after she fell asleep, and there was no sign of him when she woke up. And the kids had already left for school.Approaching Emily with a smile, Emma inquired, "Don't you want breakfast? Last night..." Emma hesitated, then continued, "Did you sleep well?"Emily nodded lightly and replied, "Derek came back in the middle of the night yesterday. Did you know that?""I... I just knew that..." Emma averted her eyes and sighed, "Derek is a workaholic. When he's focused on work, he forgets everything. Emily, don't be upset with Derek for this, okay?"Emily stared at Emma for a moment, kindly smiled, an