"Elijah, tell me... if I turned into a bad person one day, would you still consider me a friend?"
Emma Johnson's question came out of nowhere.
"No matter what you become, Emma, your place in my heart will never change."
The certainty in Elijah Clark's eyes remained unwavering. Emma hadn't expected him to answer so firmly. She was stunned for a moment.
"Alright... maybe I'm overthinking things."
Emma sighed. Elijah could tell something was weighing on her mind. After he pressed her several times, she finally opened up about what was troubling her.
"I know Liam Williams taught Daniel Taylor a lesson to stand up for me. But I was already angry that night. He really didn't need to set Daniel up like that. I just don't understand why he'd use such underhanded tactics, especially coming from a military background."
When Elijah heard her say this, his breath caught in his chest. But he kept his expression neutral.
So she still believed Liam was behind Daniel's scandal. A sudden fear gripped him. What if Emma found out that he was the one who actually planned everything? How would she see him then? Would she break up with him?
No. She could never know about his dark side. She was a woman who lived in the sunlight. How could she ever accept someone as twisted as him?
Whether she misunderstood or not, the deeper the rift between her and Liam, the better his chances were with Emma.
He didn't think he was any worse than Liam. He was tired of watching Emma from the shadows.
"Liam used to be a special forces soldier. He's been through all kinds of dangerous situations. Using any means necessary is just a survival instinct. It's no surprise he did what he did."
Elijah's words were meant to comfort her, but they only deepened the knot in Emma's heart.
"Come on. Let's go to my office. I make excellent coffee. Don't you want to try some?"
Elijah led Emma toward his office. Behind them, the door to Emilia Clark's hospital room was cracked open just a sliver.
When the two figures disappeared around the corner of the corridor, the door quietly closed again.
I see.
This is a good opportunity for Elijah. I hope he makes the most of it.
Her phone rang at that moment. The girl glanced at the caller ID and didn't dare hesitate. She answered immediately.
"Boss."
"We found a bone marrow match for you. You can have the surgery in a month."
The voice on the other end was still hoarse and cold, but the news made the girl's heart leap.
"Really? Is that true?"
Tears streamed down her face. She was trembling with excitement.
"Yes. But I need you to do something for me first."
"I'll do anything."
"Tomorrow, a package will be delivered to your ward. Inside, there's a box of medicine. The pills are colorless and tasteless. Every time you see Emma Johnson, I want you to put one in her glass."
"Boss... will Emma die?"
Even though she was loyal to her boss, the girl still felt a twinge of fear at the thought of taking a life.
"Don't worry. She'll be fine."
"What does the pill do?"
"You don't need to know. That's all."
The line went dead. The girl put her phone away.
Don't blame me, Emma Johnson. You're the boss's target. Even if one day he tells me to kill you, I won't hesitate.
Because my boss gave me my life.
After leaving the hospital, Emma planned to go straight back to Sunrise Manor. But she thought about the wonton noodles and decided to queue for half an hour to buy a bowl for Liam.
She tried to convince herself not to care so much about what kind of person Liam really was. They were just partners bound by a contract. They'd go their separate ways in a year.
After all, they weren't really married. And even if Liam's methods were wrong, his intentions were for her sake. Why should she be so bothered?
Christopher Martin felt like today had been the hardest day of his life. Starting from the morning meeting, his boss had ruthlessly criticized every department head. Every word was sharp and logical, leaving no room for argument. And his own new business proposal had been torn apart. He almost wanted to go back to university and study harder. He was starting to wonder if he was completely useless.
When it came to cutting someone down without using a single curse word, his boss was unmatched.
The worst part was that he had to return to Sunrise Manor with his boss in the evening to plan the upcoming business reception. Every time he thought about how dark his boss's expression had turned when discussing the Taylor family, Christopher wanted to shrink into a corner and disappear.
Who knew when he'd step on another landmine and set off his boss's temper again? If he got beaten up again, he might start questioning his entire existence.
Fortunately, when they got back to Sunrise Manor in the afternoon, he saw the bowl of wonton noodles Emma had bought for Liam. The dark clouds on his boss's face seemed to clear instantly.
Even though his expression was still cold, Christopher had been with him long enough to recognize the pleasure hidden beneath the surface.
Christopher silently marveled at the miraculous power of wonton noodles. He decided that whenever his boss was in a bad mood, he'd have the secretary department buy a bowl. It might just save his life.
While Liam was eating his wonton noodles, Christopher asked Emma for the exact address of the shop. Emma thought he wanted some too, so she kindly asked a servant to bring a small bowl and told Liam to share half with Christopher.
Christopher felt his boss's icy glare pierce through him like a freezing rain. He quickly waved his hands and said no.
Emma looked at him, confused. If he didn't want to eat, why ask for the address? What a strange assistant.
Thanks to that bowl of wonton noodles, the two of them seemed to have made peace on the surface.
Amelia White was annoyed to see Emma at the dinner table.
After dinner, Christopher and Liam went back to the study to discuss business. Emma played a few games of chess with the old man, then returned to her room.
She was just about to lie down when her phone buzzed.
Who's texting so late?
[Cousin, I'm leaving. I wish you happiness.]
It was a message from Isabella Miller. Emma immediately sat up in bed. What did this mean? A terrible feeling crept over her.
She quickly dialed Isabella's number. The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.
Emma's unease grew stronger. After thinking for a moment, she finally called Noah Taylor. After all, the two of them lived together. He would know where Isabella was.