All Chapters of Emergence: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

In the bridal boutique, when I stepped out of the fitting room, even strangers nearby gasped.The sales associate smiled. "Ms. Jones, you're so tall and slim. This wedding dress looks absolutely stunning on you.”"Go show your fiancé. He's going to love it."I smiled back. "I wouldn't be so sure. He has very high standards."After over ten years together, Damian Graves always held me to impossibly high standards and never once praised me.Yet today, looking at myself in the mirror with my slender waist and fair skin, I thought I looked perfect in this dress.I thought maybe Damian would like it. Would he compliment me? Would he think I was beautiful? Would he be stunned speechless like the other grooms in the shop?With that hope building inside me, I nervously tugged at the corner of his sleeve. The next moment, my expectations shattered.Damian turned to look at me, his eyes traveling up and down. The first words out of his mouth were, "Elara, you're still too fat."My smile

Chapter 2

Damian matured unusually early because of this.While the other kids in the neighborhood were still playing in the mud, Damian was already competing in math Olympiads and winning awards.His unfortunate family shaped Damian into someone cold and distant. Only with me did he show his sharp-tongued side.When I placed second instead of first, he would tap my head and call me "not smart enough." He would point at my mistakes and snap, "Why can't you get such a simple problem right?"When I only won bronze at a competition while he took gold, he would glance at me with disappointment and coldly label me a "blockhead."Throughout my youth, Mom's favorite refrain was, "Look at Damian. So outstanding, always coming in first, winning so many awards he can't even keep track."I grew up in Damian's shadow. I hated how he always made me feel worthless. I hated how Mom constantly compared me to him.Yet back then, everyone said Damian and I were just "bickering lovebirds." They said the way

Chapter 3

At the thought, my tears fell again. I clung to Lily, sobbing.If Damian was a nightmare in my life that I failed to recognize, then Lily was probably heaven's way of making it up to me.I went to the apartment Damian and I were supposed to share after the wedding to pack my things.When I arrived, I did not expect Damian to already be there.He sat on the couch, barely looking up. "Done throwing your tantrum? Back now?"I tried hard to steady my trembling voice. "I'm not throwing a tantrum, Damian. I'm serious about breaking up.”"I came back to pack my things."Surprisingly, Damian said nothing. He just sat there quietly, legs crossed, hands folded, watching me with an almost mocking smile. I suppressed the discomfort rising in my chest and started packing.I did not have much that truly belonged to me, only a few items. Most of what I owned, Damian bought for me after I moved in.When we first started living together, he looked at my colorful cups and towels and frowned."

Chapter 4

I stood there in a daze. The glowing screen reflected my face.I looked haggard and sad, with obvious redness and swelling around my eyes.How did ten years with Damian turn me into this?Probably thinking he had me subdued, Damian kept going on and on. "You don't actually think writing a lot makes you good, do you? Elara, this garbage is exactly what's filling your head with wild ideas. Now you won't even listen to my criticism."Your figure really isn't good enough yet. I'm just pointing out your flaws. This is for your own good. Why are you throwing a tantrum?"For my own good. For my own good. For my own good.Every time Damian pointed out my shortcomings, he always added "for your own good" to justify himself. But I was sick of hearing it.Even though I had made up my mind to fight back, I could not stop my whole body from trembling or the tears from falling. "Damian, is there anything about me that's good in your eyes?"What I write is worthless. My figure is hideous. If

Chapter 5

The truth was, Mom and I never had a particularly close relationship.Mom was strong-willed and ambitious, determined to turn me into someone exceptional. She was practically a copy of Damian.Her most frequent refrain was, "Look at Damian. He's good at everything. You need to listen to him more if you want to improve."Later, when she found out Damian and I were together, she kept hammering it into me. "Being with Damian is good for you. With your qualities, you won't find anyone better."I came from a single-parent household. Over the years, even though Mom loved tearing me down, she still raised me. Because of that, I always obeyed her.Yet this time, I wanted to be true to myself.The days away from Damian felt bright and clear.Even my editor praised me. "Carefree, your writing has been exceptionally good lately.""Carefree" was my pen name.When I chose it years ago, I hoped I could live carefree and unburdened, no longer trapped by other people's judgments. But the li

Chapter 6

He looked down at me, casting me in shadow. "If you just come back to me, I can let bygones be bygones.""You have no job, average looks, and poor abilities. How are you going to survive without me?"I laughed bitterly and shook off his hand. "Damian, we've already broken up.”"How I live my life is my own business. Please stop judging me so freely."Just then, a staff member waved at me from across the room. I walked straight ahead, ignoring Damian completely.I thought Damian would finally give up and back off. But as I sat on the stage preparing my speech, he appeared again like a bad penny.Damian looked anxious. He grabbed my hand and tried to drag me outside.It hurt. I yanked my hand away angrily. "Damian, what the hell do you want?"Damian frowned and said in a low voice, "Elara, even if you're a huge fan of Carefree, this isn't the place to act out.”"The seat you're sitting in belongs to Carefree. Have you considered that showing up like this and sitting in her seat

Chapter 7

Later, when I broke free from the cage he built around me and emerged from my cocoon, this acknowledgment finally came. But it came at the wrong time.I did not need it anymore. I understood clearly now that I was worthy.Not because others praised me, but because I was inherently deserving.That truth did not require anyone's validation.I thanked Damian politely. "Thank you. I know I'm remarkable."Damian spoke urgently. "Then, Elara, can you come back to me now?""I acknowledge you're impressive now. I won't talk to you the way I used to."I did not answer his question. Instead, I told him about my life after leaving."Damian, do you know something?”"After I left you, I realized that eating slowly doesn't get criticized. You can wear short skirts even if your thighs aren't stick-thin. What I write might not be perfect, but people still read it."Damian seemed to remember something. His face paled inch by inch.He was always composed and strategic, but now he looked unusu

Chapter 8

This became one of the most regrettable decisions of my life. Because when I stepped through the door, I saw Damian.Mom greeted me with a smile. "You're back! Damian made your favorite dishes.”"He's so thoughtful. He knows you like pink things, so he even came over these past few days to redecorate your room!"Damian brought dishes to the table, his eyes full of barely concealed amusement. "You're too kind, ma'am."The two of them echoed each other harmoniously, as if nothing had happened.I gripped my luggage tightly, struggling to keep my voice steady. "Mom, didn't you say you wouldn't interfere with anything between Damian and me?"Mom avoided my gaze and stammered, "I just thought it was such a shame. Damian is such a good kid. You should give him another chance."That feeling of helplessness that followed me for over 20 years surged uncontrollably once again.Everyone stood up for Damian. The whole world felt sorry for him. However, no one ever wondered how I felt. No on

Chapter 9

"So, this time, I won't believe you again."Later, I moved out of Lily's place and used my writing income to buy a small house. I painted all the walls pink, filled my bedroom with stuffed animals, and made everything as colorful and whimsical as possible.This time, no one would criticize me for it.I stopped going home. Even during the holidays, I made excuses about working overtime and spent New Year's alone in my little house.Mom learned her lesson and truly stopped trying to push Damian and me back together. Though she could not help but lament. "Elara, do you think if I hadn't interfered between you and Damian back then, would we be closer now?"Sometimes, she even begged me. "Elara, please come see me just once. I absolutely won't invite Damian this time."She was getting old. I could hear the sincerity in her aging, raspy voice.However, the hurt she caused me would not disappear just because she grew older. So, when she pleaded, I could only choose silence.Later, I m

Chapter 10

I did not know how to respond, so I just nodded again. "Thank you."Seeing that Damian had nothing more to say, I waved at him and prepared to leave.The moment I turned around, Damian finally mustered his courage. "Elara, I still want to formally apologize to you."He smiled bitterly. "You know, my dad always had high expectations of me from childhood. While being harsh on myself, I couldn't help transferring those same expectations onto you.”"You were always good, beautiful, and smart. But when I was with you, I instinctively spoke to you the way my dad spoke to me, with criticism and put-downs."He said a lot, repeatedly breaking down his helplessness and pain, his struggles, and circumstances beyond his control.I listened quietly, feeling nothing, and finally managed only one word."Okay."Faced with my cold response, Damian suddenly looked up, his expression sorrowful. "Elara, even though I had my reasons, you still can't forgive me?"I nodded. "Right."Why should the

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP