"Now that we have a lead, catching the mastermind behind this won't be a problem. I'll handle the investigation personally. You don't need to get involved."
Liam Williams informed Captain David Reed rather than greeting him. Captain Reed understood perfectly—any man would want to handle things personally when someone targeted his woman. Liam was no exception.
Emma Johnson arrived home in the early morning hours, but Liam hadn't returned yet. She headed to the bathroom for a quick shower, then settled on the sofa to wait for him.
But as she waited, drowsiness crept in. Her eyelids grew heavy, fighting a losing battle. She struggled to stay awake, desperate to learn the truth. In the end, exhaustion won, and she drifted off on the couch.
When Liam finally walked through the door, he found her there—a woman in a silk nightgown, hair still damp, curled up on the sofa, fast asleep. This woman never learned her lesson, did she? Had she forgotten that getting chilled meant days of fever?
He carried her to the bedroom. He honestly wondered how she'd survived the past twenty years on her own.
But the moment he laid her on the bed and reached for the blanket, her eyes fluttered open.
She'd been genuinely terrified last night. Even in her exhaustion, she hadn't fallen into a deep sleep.
"You're back?"
Emma struggled to sit up. Liam looked at her sleepy eyes, feeling both concern and helplessness. But then the image from last night flashed through his mind, and his heart turned cold again. His face hardened, devoid of warmth.
"Yeah."
His response was flat. Emma didn't mind. Her mind was still consumed by that boy who'd thrown sulfuric acid at her. Now that Liam was here, she could finally get some answers.
"Did you find out why? Why did he throw acid at me?"
"He's a deranged fan of Scarlett Martinez. He blames you for her being in prison."
Liam's explanation was straightforward. Emma was genuinely shocked. She never expected that to be the reason.
She'd heard stories about obsessive fans doing insane things—framing people, hurting others for their idols. But those were just stories. They'd never touched her life directly, so she'd never truly understood.
Now that it had happened to her, cold sweat trickled down her back.
Those obsessive fans were truly terrifying.
"If Mia hadn't been there, I'd be disfigured by now."
Emma grabbed Liam's hand, her voice trembling with fear. He looked at her terrified expression and instinctively pulled her into his arms. He patted her shoulder gently, like comforting a child.
"It's over now. You're safe."
"Yeah. Liam... if I had been disfigured, would you have ended our marriage sooner?"
Emma didn't know why she asked that question. But once it left her lips, she found herself anxiously awaiting his answer.
"Do you think I'm that shallow?"
Liam looked into her eyes.
"Looks have always mattered. It's human nature."
"I don't speculate about things that never happened. So I won't answer that."
His response both relieved and disappointed her. He hadn't given the answer she feared, but he hadn't given the one she'd hoped for either. It left her hanging in uncertainty.
But she supposed she was being foolish, asking such a pointless question.
That was a question for people truly in love. But what were she and Liam? Husband and wife? Lovers?
Even though they had a physical relationship, she still didn't feel like a real wife to him.
Their current relationship left Emma feeling confused.
That accident had shattered the fragile balance of their marriage, catching everyone off guard. It made their original agreement seem meaningless.
But Emma knew one thing clearly—their separation at the end of the year was inevitable. The only thing she could protect now was her own heart.
That way, when they parted, it wouldn't hurt as much.
"Liam, if possible, don't be too harsh on that boy. That's what Mia and I both agreed on. He's still young, impulsive, rebellious. I believe he'll grow out of it."
Emma remembered what Mia had said last night and thought it made sense. She told Liam she no longer wanted to pursue charges against the young man.
"Are you sure about this? No regrets?"
Liam looked into her eyes, asking again.
Emma nodded firmly.
"Alright. I'll talk to Captain Reed. You should get some rest. You haven't slept all night—you must be exhausted." Liam laid her back down and pulled the blanket over her himself.
"What about you?"
Emma looked at him. She knew he must have been up all night too.
"Don't forget—I'm a special forces soldier. Staying awake for a few days is nothing to me."
Fine. Emma had to admit he was tough. There was a world of difference between them.
Liam gently closed the door behind him, his gaze sweeping across the room with a complicated expression.
Emma, if you can be this kind-hearted, why did you get involved with the Black Feather criminal organization? Was it for love? Liam had always prided himself on being a psychology expert, but he couldn't figure out Emma Johnson's true nature.
It seemed he could never stop investigating her. No matter how close they became.
Some things couldn't be resolved with sincerity alone.
Adrian Frost had been in City A for a while now. It was finally time to leave. There was too much waiting for him back in Europe.
As he boarded the plane in disguise with a fake identity, the image that came to mind was of young Emma Johnson in her high school study.
He wondered if he'd have the chance to get her before Elijah Clark did. Otherwise, such a pure, beautiful woman would simply disappear from this world. After all, there were people who wanted her dead, who would stop at nothing to see her six feet under.
It would be such a waste. Adrian sat in the cabin, staring at the clouds outside the window, thinking regretfully.
If Elijah could figure things out, he should speed up his efforts to win Emma's heart. But Adrian was afraid Elijah would never figure it out.