Emma insisted on not resigning, and Liam couldn't really force her. All he could do was try to persuade her.
In the dead of night, Emma's phone suddenly rang. It was Mia.
The moment she answered, Mia's sobbing, breathless voice came through the line.
"Emma, I feel terrible."
Emma was startled. Mia rarely cried, and never like this—so heartbroken.
"Mia, what's wrong? Don't cry. Talk to me slowly."
"What's wrong with me? Why doesn't he like me?"
Mia's voice sounded slurred, like she'd been drinking. Emma knew that if Mia drank too much, she'd break out in red welts the next day that would take days to fade.
"Mia, put down the bottle right now. I'll come over, okay?"
Emma hung up, threw on some clothes, and rushed through the living room, tossing a quick word to Liam.
"I have to go out. I might not be back tonight."
Without waiting for his reaction, she hurried out the door.
Liam frowned, watching her go. Where could she be going so late?
Emma sped to Mia's place. The housekeeper let her in. She found Mia clutching a bottle of red wine, more than half of it already gone, tears streaming down her face. Emma rushed over and pried the bottle from her hands.
"No matter how bad you feel, you can't mess with your health. You know you'll get a rash if you drink too much."
"I don't care. Let me drink. Don't stop me."
"What happened? Talk to me. Maybe it'll help."
Under Emma's persistent questioning, Mia finally told her friend why she was so upset.
It turned out Mia had heard that Elijah had called in sick at the hospital. So, being kind, she'd bought a bunch of fruit and gone to see him. At first, Elijah had been polite, and the atmosphere between them was fine.
But when Elijah went to the kitchen to wash the fruit, Mia wandered around his room. She ended up in his study and noticed a row of books on the shelf. She was about to pick up one of the thick volumes when Elijah suddenly shouted at her to stop. His attitude turned icy, as if she'd done something terribly wrong. It made Mia feel awful.
She couldn't stay a second longer and left. Elijah didn't even try to stop her—he practically ushered her out the door.
"Emma, tell me—even if there's no battalion, there's still a platoon. Why am I so pathetic? I just like him."
Mia clung to Emma, sobbing, clearly wounded by Elijah's reaction.
Emma didn't know how to comfort her. Elijah was always a gentleman. Had Mia really touched on some taboo of his to make him act that way?
Half an hour later, Mia finally cried herself out. As she calmed down, a sudden thought struck her.
"Oh no, I left my bag at his place."
She'd been so upset and in such a hurry to leave that she'd forgotten it.
"Emma, can you go get it for me? There's a contract I need for tomorrow."
"Me?"
Emma pointed at herself, surprised.
"I'm not going back there. He doesn't like me, so why should I humiliate myself again?"
Mia begged Emma, over and over. Emma was torn.
She hadn't planned on seeing Elijah again so soon. Even though she believed what he'd said, there was still that awkwardness between them. She didn't know how to face the man she'd always thought of as a brother.
But Mia insisted the contract was important. After a long internal struggle, Emma finally agreed.
She took Mia's car keys and drove to Elijah's place alone.
It was late at night, the air cool and still.
A truck was driving on a suburban highway. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the truck that had been moving steadily screeched to a halt. Two gunshots rang out in the quiet night. Moments later, a man covered in blood was thrown from the vehicle.
After a brief pause, the truck continued on its way.
The man lay on the ground, barely alive. With his last strength, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"Captain Reed, my cover's blown. A truck carrying frozen pork is heading into the city. License plate is..."
He finished speaking, then his arm went limp. His breathing grew shallow as he lay on the cold concrete.
Back at home, Liam was reviewing company project files when his phone rang. It was Captain Reed.
"Liam, we've got a lead. The organization linked to the Black Feather group is active in the city. I've got intel that a truck disguised as a frozen pork carrier is actually smuggling weapons. They're about to make a deal on Willow Creek Drive."
"Got it. I'm on my way."
Liam hung up, tossed the files aside, and opened a drawer under his desk. Inside was a loaded pistol. He tucked it away and left the apartment.
Emma drove toward Elijah's house. Just as she was about to pull up, she saw his car leaving the villa, heading in a certain direction.
Where was he going so late?
Emma wanted to call Liam and ask him to stop the car. But when she pulled out her phone, the battery was dead.
Forget it. She'd just have to catch up with Elijah first.
She followed his car, hoping to intercept him.
But then she realized they were on Willow Creek Drive. Because of the nearby cemetery, hardly anyone came here at night.
Emma suddenly remembered that the nanny who'd taken care of Elijah when he was a child was buried here. Since Elijah's family was abroad, he'd been very close to her.
Her death had hit him hard. Emma remembered that clearly.
But had the nanny died around this time of year? And even if Elijah wanted to visit her grave, he'd usually come during the day.
Emma was confused. Then she noticed that Elijah's car had disappeared at an intersection.
Great. Now she had no idea how to find him. She drove around for a while, hoping to spot his car, but no luck. To make matters worse, Mia's car was almost out of gas, so Emma had to stop at a nearby station to refuel.
Will you get pregnant?