The first word that escaped Christian's lips was, "Emma..."His voice cracked with disbelief, touched with hurt he hadn't prepared himself for.Allison, still on the phone and clearly on loudspeaker, must have heard it too. Her voice came quickly, as if she had been waiting for this exact moment."I told you they haven't broken up yet. Do you believe me now? Have you gotten to the hospital?"Christian didn’t answer. His eyes were locked on the scene before him. His phone sat on the passenger seat, still connected to the call, but he had forgotten it. All his focus had shifted to the two figures in front of him—Emma and David.Emma stood in David's arms. It was a quiet, intimate pose, even though it wasn't overly romantic. Still, it was too much for Christian. David’s arms were wrapped around her protectively, and Emma had nestled her head lightly against his chest, as if it were the most natural place for her to be.Christian stared, his eyes hollow. He had turned on his high beams no
Few hours earlier…"Doctor Morgan, he's awake."Lily's voice pierced through the silence of the office as she stepped into the room, her face.Emma, who had been reviewing a medical file, looked up immediately. Her pen stilled in her hand."Grandpa?"Lily nodded with a soft smile. "Yes. Mr. Buckman Snr. regained consciousness this morning and has been moved to the special ward."Emma sighed, long and deep."Thank you, Lily," she said sincerely.With a polite nod, Lily took her leave.Emma leaned back into her chair, her eyes drifting up to the ceiling as she felt relieved that Grandpa was making a fast recovery. It seemed that the Buckman genes were really strong. They often recovered really fast whenever they were admitted into the hospital… well, except for Henry, whose health condition was a bit more critical.She should go see him. In fact, she should have gone long ago. But she hadn't. It had b
Allison sat lazily, curled up on the plush grey couch in the living room, her eyes glued to the TV.Her fingers clutched a bowl of caramel popcorn as her eyes widened with amusement. The screen showed a dramatic moment from her favorite soap opera—a rich heiress faked a coma to spy on her cheating husband, only to witness him propose to her best friend in the hospital chapel. Allison let out a sharp laugh.“Oh, Lorna, you sneaky cow,” she muttered with a grin, flinging a piece of popcorn at the screen. “Serves you right.”Just as she reached for another kernel, her phone buzzed on the coffee table.The name flashing on the screen made her sit up straighter: Tristan.She reached for the remote, lowering the volume of the soap opera. “Hello?” she answered, voice calm but curious.“It’s me, Tristan, ma’am. Just thought I should let you know—Miss Emma just walked into Mr. Buckman Snr’s ward.”Allison’s wine glass froze halfway to her lips.The amused glow on her face immediately vanished.
"I'm coming, Sophie! Just want to throw the trash out real quick," Emma called out over her shoulder as she grabbed the small trash bag and headed toward the apartment door. Sophie was still in the kitchen, rinsing the dishes they had used for brunch.Emma's fingers curled around the doorknob, and she twisted it open. Just as she took the first step, she heard the familiar creak of movement echoed faintly from the hallway—more specifically, from the apartment directly across from theirs. Christian's.She froze.Her heartbeat picked up as she heard the faint but unmistakable sound of footsteps. Her grip tightened on the trash bag, the plastic rustling slightly in her tense hand. Without a second thought, she turned back inside and quietly shut the door behind her, rushing back into the living room.Emma pressed herself close to the doorframe. Her ears strained, waiting for another sound, another hint that Christian might be coming out.But what she didn’t expect was a voice—soft yet su
Emma slowly paced along the hallway downstairs. She had been walking aimlessly, trying to shake off the emotional turmoil that clung to her like a second skin. She rubbed her arms lightly, as if trying to comfort herself, but it was of no use.She couldn’t just shake off the tightness in her chest.Lily had come down a few minutes ago, letting Emma know that grandfather had been taken into the VIP recovery ward. Emma had nodded and waved Lily off, but her mind was far from the notice.Something inside her continued to churn.She’d told herself she wouldn’t feel this way anymore. She’d made herself believe that she was past this—that whatever that concerned David wouldn’t affect her anymore. And yet here she was, feeling this way.“Seriously, Emma?” she whispered to herself in frustration. “Get a grip.”Her lips curled into a faint grimace as she tsked, pacing faster. “You’re with Christian now, and David is with Allison. That chapter is over. Done,” she reminded herself, but at the
Allison stood perfectly still, arms extended above her head, one leg bent at the knee in tree pose. She stood on her yoga mat, her breathing was measured, eyes closed, face calm and serene.She had recently started practicing yoga again, not because she enjoyed it, but because her new trainer had insisted it was good for her “priceless and goddess figure.” She liked those words. Goddess. Priceless.She was both, and more. Anything that preserved that status—whether it was cutting carbs or early morning meditations—was worth the effort.Her mind was halfway between mindfulness and a to-do list when her phone buzzed sharply beside her yoga mat, shattering her brief illusion of peace.Her eyes flicked open with a slight frown as she lowered her arms. She reached for the phone and glanced at the screen.Gavin. Again.A hiss slipped through her teeth as she stabbed the "silence" button with her finger.Did people never learn?This was the third time this week. How pathetic could one man
David sat in the hallway of the hospital, his elbows resting on his knees, and his hands clasped tightly together like they were the only thing keeping him steady. His eyes remained fixed on the double doors of the emergency room, patiently waiting.He had been there for hours now, but they felt like nothing to him. His grandfather's collapse had shaken him more than he dared to admit.When he had first seen Emma rushing down the corridor with her assistant, he wasn’t sure what expression to wear.Relief? Frustration? Anger?He wasn’t even sure anymore. A part of him had hoped she had a good reason for ignoring his calls—three of them in a row—but deep down... he couldn't help the anger he felt.Fortunately, he was in Grandpa’s house when he collapsed. David and the butler had carried the old man out of the study, his face pale and breathing labored, and rushed him to the hospital. It was in that frantic moment, as Dr. Allen examined Grandpa with urgency in his voice, that the older d
The moment Emma heard the voice on the other end of the phone, her heart skipped a beat. The words "emergency" and "come immediately" were enough to wipe away every trace of joy Christian’s surprise had brought her. She barely said a word into the phone before ending the call, standing up in a rush. Her hand trembled slightly as she grabbed her coat."I have to go," she quickly said as she gathered her things.Christian stood up as well, eyes filled with concern. "Let me drive you."Emma shook her head. "No, don't worry. I'll just go on my own. Thank you, Christian. I’m really sorry about tonight."She leaned in and kissed him—quick, soft, and filled with apology. He brushed her cheek and gave her a small smile. "Just be safe, okay? Go."Emma nodded and rushed out the door.The cold air hit her again, harsher this time, but she didn’t notice. Her thoughts were racing as fast as the wheels of her car. The night outside was blurred by streetlights as she sped toward the hospital.When s
It had been a long, grueling day. Emma’s legs ached and her shoulders were heavy from hours of standing and managing emergencies. The cold wind outside didn’t help either, cutting through her coat as she finally made it to her apartment building. Her only plan tonight was to take a long, hot bath and pass out in bed.As she stepped into her apartment, her brows furrowed. The entire place was dark. Strange. Sophie and Claire were usually up at this hour—Sophie often scrolling through her phone, Claire trying to sneak in extra cartoons before bed. She gently closed the door behind her and instinctively reached out for the light switch. The moment the switch flicked, her tired eyes widened in disbelief.The living room was filled with a soft, golden glow. Fairy lights twinkled around the ceiling edges. Candles flickered gently on the table. The soft aroma of flowers lingered in the air, mixed with a faint hint of vanilla. There were flower petals spread neatly on the floor, leading from