Liam Williams' phone buzzed. Glancing at the caller ID, he didn't answer right away. Instead, he murmured something to Emma before retreating into his study to take the call.
Watching him walk away without a second glance, the fury in Amelia White's eyes burned unchecked.
"How much trouble do you have to stir up before my brother finally sees reason? Since he married you, my life has been nothing but chaos. You're nothing but a walking disaster."
Amelia's words grew uglier by the second. Emma met her gaze coldly.
"If I recall correctly, your brother and I are husband and wife. That means the place we live is called home. Right now, you're an outsider living under our roof. So tell me—who's the real troublemaker here?"
Emma's blunt retort made Amelia spin on her heel, refusing to engage further. She knew from experience that she could never win a verbal battle with Emma. The more she said, the more she only ended up humiliating herself.
With a cold smirk, Emma walked into the bathroom, stripped off her smoke-stained clothes, and turned on the faucet. The black soot clinging to her skin washed away under the stream of water.
"Sir, I'm afraid Thompson's entertainment company is about to go under. What's our next move?"
Christopher Martin's voice came through the phone.
"I've looked into his new real estate project in Oakhaven County. Word is he bribed local officials to force land sales at rock-bottom prices. Several villagers were injured in the process. If it's true, gather the evidence and hand it over to the court."
"Understood, sir. I'll get right on it."
Christopher hung up immediately to execute the order.
Liam lit a cigarette, then another, sinking into the leather chair in his study. The air grew thick with smoke, but it couldn't mask the restlessness churning inside him.
By the time he'd finished an entire pack, he finally emerged from the study. Amelia was curled up on the sofa, wearing a flimsy lavender lace nightgown. The living room lights were off, the only glow coming from the television.
"Brother, are you okay? You don't look well. I'm worried about you."
Seeing him come out, Amelia hurried over, her voice soft and sweet. A seductive rose fragrance clung to her body, her delicate curves barely hidden beneath the lace. She pressed herself so close to Liam that she was practically glued to him.
Liam frowned and stepped back, putting distance between them.
"Why are you dressed so lightly? Don't you know how cold it is?"
"It's not like we're outside. How could I be cold?"
Amelia smiled sweetly, her doll-like face radiant in the dim light. She looked like a vision of temptation.
"I've already spoken to Father. He said he won't force you into any more blind dates. I'll have Uncle Frank pick you up tomorrow. It's not suitable for you to stay here any longer."
Liam's tone was flat, devoid of emotion. He delivered the decision like a brother laying down the law.
Amelia's smile froze. The faint hint of intimacy in the air evaporated instantly.
"Brother, you can't wait to get rid of me."
"I told you—this isn't the right place for you. And you're not a child anymore."
"But I'm still your sister."
Amelia forced the word "sister" out through gritted teeth. If she wanted to stay close to him, that was the only identity she could cling to now.
"I know. That's the only reason I still care. I'll arrange a position for you at the company in three days."
Liam said it so casually, as if it were nothing. He was cold by nature. If Amelia weren't family, he wouldn't have bothered at all.
But his words didn't bring her any joy. She stormed out of the living room, slammed the bedroom door behind her, and the lingering rose scent finally faded.
Liam stared at the closed door of his bedroom, unable to hide the emptiness in his eyes. At least Amelia still knew how to care about him. But Emma—did she even realize why he'd been so distant?
The next morning, Emma spotted Uncle Frank at the apartment door, carrying Amelia's suitcase. She knew Liam had arranged everything—Amelia was being sent back.
A flicker of relief passed through her. After all, Amelia had been nothing but a thorn in her side, openly and covertly fighting her at every turn. It was exhausting.
But a new worry crept in. Tonight, she'd have to share a bed with Liam again.
To her surprise, however, Liam voluntarily moved into the study that night.
Seeing Emma's wide-eyed confusion, Liam's smile carried a hint of bitter irony.
"You've never liked sleeping with me anyway. From now on, you can rest easy on your own."
With that, he disappeared into the study. Emma didn't understand why, but his words left a hollow ache in her chest. It felt like she was losing something, but she couldn't quite grasp what it was. And that unsettled her.
The next morning, the usual light, delicious breakfast was missing from the table. Instead, everything had been bought by Liam's assistant from a takeout place.
"My husband had to leave early for work, so he won't be having breakfast at home."
Christopher Martin said with a polite smile, though he couldn't help wondering what company business required such an early start. But since it was the president's decision, he had no right to question it.
Emma stirred the wontons in her bowl with a spoon, but she had no appetite.
When had she gotten so used to Liam's company every morning? Even if they always bickered, it had still been... nice.
But what was happening now? She'd almost been buried in a fire yesterday, and Liam hadn't even asked her a single word of concern. He hadn't even bothered to have breakfast with her.
Emma didn't understand. And it made her angry. She threw the spoon into the bowl and pushed the breakfast away.
She told Christopher to leave first, then cleaned up and headed to the office. The media was now busy reporting the news that Scarlett Martinez's entertainment company was about to collapse, and the entrance to the New York Fashion Magazine building had finally returned to its former peace.
Once Emma was back at work, her life seemed to return to normal. But something was different. Liam hadn't come home for days. Every night, she'd hear him open the door long after dinner. But she was always too angry to open her own door and ask why he was so late.
They were just a contractual couple, after all. Liam had no obligation to fulfill a husband's duties, did he?
But every night, she tossed and turned for hours before finally falling asleep. And by morning, Liam was already gone.