Chapter 4
Chapter 4
They were playing some game where Ethan and Emma were sitting really close, sharing a cookie mouth-to-mouth.
Ethan had his back to me, his ears burning red. Emma caught sight of me from the corner of her eye.
The second our eyes met, she gave me this challenging look and deliberately bumped forward. Their lips locked together.
“Oh… sorry, I didn’t mean to!”
Ethan was speechless, his face flushed crimson – whether from the drinks or something else, I couldn’t tell.
But then he just smiled and ruffled Emma’s hair.
“It’s fine. I actually liked it.”
Their friends started cheering and making a big scene. I couldn’t watch another second. The heartbreak was so overwhelming it actually dulled the physical pain in my stomach.
I’d totally underestimated how deep Ethan had gotten under my skin.
Why was it always raining? My mind was spinning as I headed down the stairs. I missed a step and went tumbling hard.
People screamed and scattered. Hotel staff rushed over to help me up. My stuff was everywhere, including that business card lying
on the marble floor.
I stared at it. The name jumped out at me: Adrian Cross.
Everything clicked. That nagging feeling of recognition finally made sense.
He was Ethan’s uncle.
The old man’s bastard son. Ethan’s biggest threat
For four years, Ethan and I had been fighting against this exact man.
I borrowed the hotel’s landline and called Adrian Cross.
He picked up fast. My voice came out weak and desperate:
“It’s Mia. Please… can you help me again?”
There was a pause, then his voice, low and serious:
“Where are you?”
After I gave him the address, I curled up by the front desk, sweating from the pain.
Less than ten minutes later, a guy in a sharp black suit walked into the lobby, his face stone cold.
When he saw me, his jaw tightened. He scooped me up without a word.
We didn’t talk the whole ride. Just me trying not to whimper from the pain.
by the ume we got to the hospital, I was barely conscious. I just remember being held against someone warm.
“You’re okey now, Mia”
His voice was so gentle. I let my eyes close
When I woke up, it was morning again.
Adrian was sitting beside my bed. When he saw I was awake, he called for the doctor and stepped out politely.
After the exam, he came back with breakfast.
I hesitated, then asked what had been bugging me:
“How did you just happen to be at the cemetery that night?”
Adrian raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning serious, then finally let out a sigh.
“Your parents and I… we had history. I was just visiting them.”
I wanted to ask more, but another sharp pain shot through my stomach.
When it finally passed, Adrian looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. That’s when my phone rang.
It was Ethan.
His voice was frantic when I picked up:
“Mia, where’s that design brief for ‘Heart of True Love? I can’t find it anywhere! Send it to me now it’s urgent!”
I was confused. He was clearly losing his patience:
“This is an emergency! I don’t have time to explain. Stop wasting time!”
I hesitated, then sent him the file anyway.
When I turned back to Adrian, his face was dark, his brow furrowed.
“You’re really gonna take this lying down?”
I stared at him, completely lost.
He paused, then continued:
“Do you even realize what he just made you do?”
I shook my head without thinking. Adrian’s expression got even darker.
“Today is Emma’s big debut show here in the States. ‘Heart of True Love’ is her grand finale piece.”
“I thought you knew you were basically gift-wrapping your work for her.”
My whole body went cold. Everything started clicking into place.
“Heart of True Love” was my masterpiece. Four years of my life, countless revisions, perfecting every single detail.
It was supposed to be part of my wedding jewelry. I’d dreamed about wearing it on my wedding day with Ethan.
My hands shook as I pulled up the live stream. The camera zoomed in on the necklace I’d poured my soul into
But the woman standing behind it was Emma.
Her voice was bright and smug
“This piece is really just a transitional work for me right now. Nothing too spectacular.”
“Once I take some time to rest and get back in the zone, I’ll definitely create something way more amazing for every
Ethan stood beside her, looking completely smitten. He stared at her like she was the rarest treasure on earth.
He said almost in the gentlest voice: “My incredibly talented Emma is the most brilliant designer I know.”
The reporters and crowd went wild over his totally romantic declaration.
Hearing it through my phone felt like getting stabbed in the ears. The whole thing was just pathetic and cruel.
I couldn’t stop shaking.
My voice came out barely a whisper as I asked Adrian:
“Do you want to take Cross Industries back?”
