Emma Johnson clutched her stomach, about to order takeout, when her phone buzzed with a text from Olivia Davis:
[Honey, let's grab lunch together. I'm dying to see you!]
The Waterfront was a cozy spot specializing in Southern cuisine. Not huge, but elegant. It had a solid reputation around town.
It was Emma and Olivia's favorite haunt. The owner, Mia Lewis, had been their college classmate. Mia was the picture of a classic Southern beauty.
Well, Olivia was worried about eating alone.
So Emma shot back a reply:
[Yes, your majesty.]
She grabbed her bag, hailed a cab, and headed straight to The Waterfront.
Mia wasn't in the shop. Emma arrived first, waiting a bit before Olivia finally showed up.
"How are you, Vivi? Marriage treating you okay?" Olivia asked the moment she walked in.
"Terrible. I'm thinking about divorce." Emma sighed.
"Take it easy. You don't have feelings now, just nurture them. What do you think?" Olivia said with a grin.
Emma wanted to argue, but then she remembered her one-year deal with Liam Williams.
She paused, saying nothing.
Anyway, in a year, it would all be over.
Emma just hoped nothing would change during that time.
"Enough about you, Vivi. I've got shocking news. You have to sympathize with me, pity me, care about me. After all, I've really been through it." Olivia looked pitiful, like she might actually cry to prove how much she'd suffered.
"Come on, I'll comfort you."
No wonder.
Then Olivia launched into her story.
Olivia sniffled, tears streaming. "Vivi, you know what? I just switched companies and started working..."
After eating alone and returning to the office, Emma dove into her work, zoning out as she put in overtime.
When she finished, it was already nine in the evening.
All her colleagues had left one by one.
Emma still had two articles to read, so she decided to stay a bit longer.
Suddenly, her phone rang. Emma picked it up and saw it was a text from Noah Taylor:
[Emma, can we meet?]
After hesitating for a moment, Emma figured since she was married and Noah was about to get married, there was no point in them meeting.
So she replied: "No, I'm working overtime today. Besides, there's no need for us to meet."
Then the world went quiet.
Noah didn't send another harassing text.
But her heart—did she really think that?
Emma lowered her head, feeling a bit lost.
...
The Williams family. Windsor Manor.
It seemed livelier than usual tonight. As soon as Henry Williams got home, he immediately ordered the servants around.
Because guests were coming in the evening, they had to be treated well.
So at eight o'clock sharp, the butler, Oliver White, ordered a big table prepared.
Henry had specifically asked him to come home early to meet his future sister-in-law.
Even Benjamin Williams, who usually didn't come home at night, went home early and sat on the living room sofa watching TV with Henry.
He was just curious—what kind of girl had actually gotten his big brother excited?
But to everyone's surprise, Liam Williams came home alone.