Chapter 3

At those words, Emilio tensed even more. I remained calm and smiled again. "Really? Our meeting must've been written in the stars, then."

Christopher laughed at our exchange. "Amber, after all these years, you're still so awkward when trying to get close to others."

She playfully nudged his arm, their familiarity evident.

Meanwhile, Emilio stood to the side like an outsider. His eyes narrowed—a sign I knew meant he was furious.

He said to Christopher, "Since you're here, I'll leave Calista to you. I'm heading out."

But Christopher stopped him and held out a set of keys. "Perfect timing. Why don't you give Amber a ride home?"

Emilio stared at the keys, unmoving, refusing to take them. Finally, Amber pushed Christopher's hand back. "There's no need to trouble him. I can get home on my own."

With that, she bid Christopher goodbye and thoughtfully wished me a speedy recovery. Then, she turned and left in a hurry.

Emilio's gaze didn't leave her the entire time.

Christopher looked at him helplessly and sighed loudly. "Man, I gave you a chance, and you still didn't take it. Aren't you going to chase after her? Do you really want to miss out on her again?"

At that, Emilio instinctively glanced back at me, his expression darkening. He snapped, "Are you drunk on coffee or something? What nonsense are you spouting?"

Christopher was taken aback, puzzled by Emilio's sudden anger. He rolled his eyes and pushed past him, heading out while jingling his car keys. "If you're not going to drive her, I can't sit by and watch as Amber goes home alone."

Soon, Emilio and I were left alone in the hospital room. Neither of us spoke.

My calm demeanor seemed to make him uneasy. He opened his mouth to explain, but before he could, a nurse came in, saying I needed to go for more tests.

Emilio nodded and gently helped me up, instructing the nurse not to hurt me. He was as attentive as ever, but from start to end, his mind was elsewhere.

As I followed the nurse down the hall, I caught sight of two familiar figures in the opposite corridor. Christopher leaned against the railing, saying, "From the way you acted just now, it seems like you're really not interested in getting back together with Emilio."

Amber lit a cigarette and exhaled slowly before smirking. "Get back with him? Over my dead body, maybe."

As her final word landed, I noticed Emilio standing frozen at the end of the corridor. He stared at Amber, as if they were the only two people in the long hallway.

Christopher stubbed out his cigarette and patted Amber's shoulder. "Well, this'll be interesting. You two take your time. I'll wait in the parking lot."

But after he left, Amber and Emilio didn't just talk. They looked more like they were arguing. Though I couldn't hear the specifics, Emilio's heated gestures told me it was intense.

I stood across the hall, my heart tangled in complicated emotions. This was the first time I'd ever seen Emilio lose control.

He was always nonchalant at high-stakes business events and composed even during dangerous races. But now, because of something Amber had said, he was unraveling completely.

I didn't watch any longer. I turned and followed the nurse away.

When I finished my tests and came out, I heard Christopher's voice again. "Amber, if I'm not wrong, you came back for Emilio. You clearly still have feelings for him, so why say something like that? Aren't you afraid he'll get mad and actually give up on you?"

She laughed as if she'd heard the most absurd joke. "Him, give up on me? From day one, I've always been the one who has the right not to want him. You don't know Emilio, Christopher. He's the type who responds to tough love, not softness.

"If we don't fight, how else will he remember the pain of our breakup? Pain is love. I want him to recall what it felt like to love me."

"The feeling of loving you?" Christopher pulled out his phone, scrolling through photo after photo of Emilio with his ex-girlfriends. "Look at this—Emilio's never forgotten what it's like to love you. Sure, he's dated a lot of women over the years, but every single one looks like you.

"They were all just flings, too. The moment he heard you were coming back, he dumped them all. I didn't even realize he was that devoted to you…"

Amber glanced at the photos briefly before looking up, her tone carrying a deeper meaning. "Dumped them all? I wouldn't be so sure."

Christopher frowned, looking confused. "No way. He's head over heels for you."

She merely chuckled without explaining. "He does love me, but it's not enough. It's nowhere near enough. If he'd been head over heels for me back then, why would I have left?

"Everyone thinks I left for my career, but the truth is, his parents forced me to go abroad after my family went bankrupt.

"They wouldn't let me be with Emilio, let alone marry him. That's why I have to use these tactics to make sure his heart belongs to me alone. Only then will he have the courage to stand up to his parents."

Amber patted Christopher's shoulder reassuringly when she saw the stunned look on his face. "Don't worry about it. We may have fought today, but all it'll take is a little sweet-talking for him to come running back to me."

With that, she and Christopher headed downstairs. As she left, she glanced upstairs, where I stood. I clearly caught the provocation in her gaze.