There was no chance for Liam to refuse.
In the end, Liam ordered takeout. Amelia couldn't force her way into having dinner with them that evening.
When it came time to sleep, Liam shut himself in his study, buried in work, while Amelia shared the bed with Emma.
"This is the first time I've shared a bed with someone, and I wish it wasn't you."
Once the lights went out, Amelia's sweet voice vanished, replaced by an icy tone. Emma didn't appreciate it and spoke slowly.
"If you're uncomfortable, the sofa is an option. It's quite comfortable."
With that, Emma turned over and closed her eyes, ready to sleep. She didn't see the venomous glare the woman behind her fixed on her back.
The next morning, Emma got up and walked into the living room. She found Amelia wearing the apron Emma had bought for herself, looking like a devoted wife as she placed a nutritious breakfast in front of Liam.
"Brother, your shoulder is injured. You need to watch what you eat. Luckily, I'm here now. I'll cook lunch for you at noon."
Emma rubbed her sleepy eyes and watched Amelia standing before Liam, explaining each dish's flavor and nutritional value. She realized that even though three people were in the room, she felt like an outsider, completely out of place with the two at the table.
"Emma, you're awake."
Liam noticed her first. The young woman was wearing a white nightgown. The loose fabric couldn't hide her stunning figure, and with her fair complexion and dazed, beautiful face, Liam would have pulled her into his arms and teased her if Amelia hadn't been there.
"Sister-in-law, you slept well."
The implication was clear: the sun was already high, and she was still in bed—hardly the behavior of a proper wife.
"Yes, I didn't get up as early as you. That's a good thing. Having someone make breakfast saves us from buying it outside. Hmm, we're really lucky."
Amelia nearly dropped her bowl. She stared at the faint smile on Emma's face and felt it was full of mockery, as if she were nothing more than a free maid.
Everything she did was for her brother's approval, but Emma was just reaping the benefits.
After breakfast, Liam left for the company. Emma and Amelia were left alone in the room, and the atmosphere turned icy.
Emma planned to visit Emilia at the hospital and asked if Amelia wanted to join. Amelia agreed and went with her.
"Sister Emma, Sister Amelia, you're both here."
Emilia's fragile, quiet face looked much better.
"Congratulations, you finally found a suitable bone marrow donor. I told you, you'd be fine."
Amelia stepped forward to take Emilia's hand, a kind smile on her face, quietly pushing Emma aside.
"Thank you, Amelia."
Emilia liked Amelia very much, and the two girls soon started chatting warmly. Emma didn't mind. She sat on another chair, scrolling through news on her phone.
As Liam had predicted, it was revealed that Scarlett had seduced the married director of the Cultural Bureau. At the same time, it was exposed that her backer was William Thompson, a man who dabbled in both legitimate and shady businesses. No wonder the director's wife had given up exposing Scarlett, fearing for her daughter's safety.
The news had only been out for an hour, but it had already topped the trending list on social media. It would surely dominate headlines for the next few days.
The stock of Scarlett's entertainment company began to plummet. As Liam had said, this was a lesson for William Thompson for burning down his processing plant.
Within half a day, news broke that Scarlett's movie queen title was tainted by scandal. Since William Thompson was a major shareholder in the sponsors of the film festival that year, Scarlett's award was also bought.
Now, in just a few hours, not only had Scarlett's reputation been ruined, but William Thompson was also implicated. Emma had witnessed the power of the media. They must be feeling the heat now.
At noon, Emma received a call from Scarlett.
"Emma, where are you now? Let's meet up."
Scarlett's voice was strained, barely hiding her agitated tremor. If Emma actually showed up, she might find a woman with a knife waiting to tear her apart.
"I'm sorry, I don't have time to see you right now."
Emma hung up without ceremony. Everyone had to face the consequences of their actions. Sometimes, it wasn't that justice wasn't served—it just hadn't arrived yet.
"Sister Emma, if you're busy, you can go ahead. Amelia is still here with me."
It was clear that Emilia and Amelia got along very well.
"It's nothing. Just a nuisance call. You two talk. I'll go sit with Elijah for a bit."
Emma stood up and headed to Elijah's office. As she approached, she saw a man coming out. He had a sinister face, and his slender brown eyes seemed to hold endless temptation. When two young nurses passed him, they couldn't help but glance back, their faces blushing like ripe cherries.
Emma felt like she had seen him somewhere before, but she couldn't recall where. Had he been a model for New York Fashion Magazine?
"Miss, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Adrian Frost stopped, just a step away from Emma.
His light, moist lips curled into a slight smile, and his eyes looked at her with just the right amount of curiosity.
"Ah! Ha ha, no, you misunderstood."
Emma laughed dryly, feeling embarrassed that she had been caught staring, making her look like a brainless girl. How shameful.
"Is that so? But you're so beautiful. I'd like to get to know you. Would you be willing to give me your number so we can stay in touch?"
Emma's eyes widened. She couldn't believe this man was asking for her number the first time they met. It was too frivolous and rash. What a waste of such a handsome face.
But then she thought about how she had married Liam the first time they met—she was even worse than him. So she couldn't bring herself to make a sarcastic remark to this man face to face.