Emotionless

Violet,

I used to love love-triangle stories.

The silent girl who harbored feelings for the male lead but never confessed. The one who acted cocky, annoying even, because deep inside, she feared losing the friendship she held dear. The one who longed for his attention yet never had the courage to demand it.

That girl? That was me.

I was bold in everything else, but when it came to love, my consciousness became an obstacle. What if I ruined everything? What if I lost the friendship we had built for years? What if we could never go back?

But in the end, none of that mattered.

I found myself in the role of the side character, watching as he prioritized someone else. I wasn’t surprised when he fell in love with another woman. But what hurt—what truly tore me apart—was how easily he discarded me. He never spoke to me, never explained, never even met me again. And all because she hated me.

I should have been angry at him, but I wasn’t. I was angry at myself.

I had placed him above everything, only to realize that I wasn’t even an afterthought to him.

He left the house after that confrontation. He had his own jet, yet he took mine just to make his fiancée happy.

I was pissed. But at the end of the day, what I truly felt was betrayal.

Knox had changed, and it was unbearable.

I lay on the couch, staring through the glass wall at the darkening sky. Something inside me felt broken. I had held onto love so dearly, but now, I had no choice but to let it go.

When night fell, I still hadn’t booked a flight. Every attempt was met with complications. Maybe Knox had done something to stop me from leaving.

"What a frustrating situation," I muttered to myself. "I knew I was signing up for pain, but this is ridiculous."

Resting a hand on my forehead, I closed my eyes, forcing myself to sleep. For the past five years, I had dedicated myself to that project, only to lose it all because of the man I loved.

Then, my phone rang.

I groaned, tempted to ignore it. My parents had been trying to reach me all day, but I wasn’t in the mood to talk. My relationship with my family had always been strained.

But when I glanced at the screen, I saw Mirah’s name.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up. My phone was filled with unread messages from my family and Knox’s, but I ignored them.

"Yes?" I answered, pressing my face into the cushion.

"Boss! Have you heard the news? Your family has been trying to reach you!" Mirah’s frantic voice made me sit up instantly.

My heart pounded. "What happened? I haven’t checked my messages."

Mirah took a deep breath before delivering the news that shattered my world.

"Sir Knox and his fiancée were in a car accident. A truck hit them on their way home. They're in the ER. Please come to the hospital as soon as possible!"

My phone slipped from my grasp. My hands turned cold.

"Accident? Knox?"

I couldn’t breathe. It felt like something had reached into my chest and ripped my heart out. Before I even realized what I was doing, I grabbed my car keys and ran out.

The hospital was chaos. Reporters swarmed the entrance, their cameras flashing.

"Where is Knox Silverfang?" My voice was sharp as I pushed through the crowd.

"Ms. Violet, Sir Knox and his fiancée are in the ER," one of the guards informed me, making way for me to pass.

I nodded and rushed inside. The first faces I saw were my mother and Auntie Silverfang.

"Aunt! Mom!" I called out, my breath ragged.

My mother sighed, her face drawn with worry. "Both of them are badly injured."

I swallowed hard. "How did it happen? Did the cops arrest the driver?"

"The truck lost control, and the driver was injured too," she said. "We don’t know what’s going to happen."

My throat tightened. His parents sat in silence, their expressions filled with tension. A few unfamiliar faces stood nearby, but my focus was on Grandpa and Grandma Silverfang, who were speaking to the police.

"Violet!"

I turned toward my second older sister, Anna, who was crying. She grabbed my hand tightly.

"What will happen now? They’re supposed to get married next month!" she sobbed.

I watched her, unable to say anything. Everyone knew about the upcoming wedding, but at this moment, sitting here, waiting for news, none of that mattered.

All the heartbreak, pain, and betrayal I had felt only hours ago disappeared like fog.

Please, God. Just let him live. I don’t need his love. I don’t need him to reciprocate my feelings. Just let him stay in my life.

I kept my head high in front of Anna, but inside, I was pleading.

"I’ll handle the situation outside," I said calmly.

"Violet! Can’t you show a bit of emotion? This is your best friend! I know we hid things from you, but this is too much! How could you be so emotionless?"

I glanced at her, then at Auntie and Uncle Silverfang. Their horrified expressions mirrored Anna’s. I lowered my gaze and turned on my heels.

"I’ll arrange dinner for everyone," I said before walking away.

That was the truth. I couldn’t shed a single tear. I hadn’t cried in years.

But for the first time in seven years, I felt something unfamiliar clawing at my chest—terror.

Fear of losing him. Fear that I would never get the chance to make things right. That I would never get to tell him that, no matter what, I would always support him.

My fingers twisted together, my chest tightened, and my heart pounded painfully against my ribs.

Cold sweat gathered under my clothes, along my hairline, and on my forehead.

What if something happened?

What if I couldn’t see him again?

What if he hated me for choosing my work over him?

"Boss? Are you okay?" Mirah’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She placed a hand on my shoulder. My breath felt heavier, stuck into my throat.

"Boss! Breathe! Take a slow breath!"

"I’m fine," I murmured, leaning against the wall, trying to steady my shaking hands. "Is everything outside under control? What about the reporters?"

"They’re uncontrollable. But..."

Before she could finish, a familiar voice interrupted us.

"It’s Sam. The surgery is over."

I turned to see my brother, Sam Riverwood, walking toward everyone. His expression was grim, and the sight of it twisted a knife in my chest.