Dinner ended just after seven.
Elijah wanted to take Emma to the opera house in Milano. But Emma was thinking about meeting the Aurora Band tomorrow. She needed to review their materials. Without a solid understanding of them, even offering a high performance fee wouldn't guarantee their agreement to perform.
Elijah felt a pang of disappointment but had no choice. He drove Emma back to her hotel.
As she stepped out of the car, a gust of wind swept by, blowing the silk scarf from her shoulders to the ground. Elijah quickly crouched down, picked it up, and gently draped it back over her.
At that very moment, Alexander Wilson drove up to Emma's hotel. He witnessed the scene and captured it with his camera.
That night, Alexander sent the photo to Liam Williams's phone. Liam stared at the image of Elijah carefully adjusting the scarf for Emma. His face darkened, turning grim and terrifying.
Emma Johnson, I never expected you to rush off to Milano just to meet Elijah. Liam's grip on his phone tightened, as if he might crush it.
After saying goodbye to Elijah, Emma returned to her hotel room. Remembering she hadn't called Liam, she checked the time. Knowing he was usually busy in his study at this hour, she dialed his number.
"Hello."
The phone rang for a long time before Liam finally answered.
"I've arrived in Milano. I'm meeting the Aurora Band tomorrow."
"I see. Anything else?"
Liam's voice was light but cold. Emma thought about telling him she had met Elijah today, but she knew he wouldn't be happy to hear that.
"Nothing else."
Emma decided to keep it to herself.
A moment of silence hung on the other end of the line. Just as Emma thought Liam had hung up, his voice came through again.
"Then get some rest early."
Before Emma could even respond, the line went dead.
Emma stared at her phone in confusion, listening to the dial tone. She wondered if she was imagining things, but Liam's voice had sounded unusually cold.
Liam tossed his phone aside. He got up, walked to the kitchen, and grabbed two bottles of whiskey. He downed both bottles, yet remained completely sober. His eyes were icy as he stared at the moon outside the window. A cold, bitter smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
The wavering in his heart solidified into a firm resolve.
Emilia Clark was still fast asleep in her bed. Emma marveled at her sleeping ability. She had slept for nearly seven hours on the plane, and now she was still sound asleep. It was truly amazing.
Emma went to the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out, she quietly slipped into bed. Soon after lying down, she fell asleep.
Elijah returned to his villa in Italy. Before he could turn on the lights, he noticed a dark figure sitting on the sofa, holding a bottle of wine.
His expression didn't change much. He silently turned on the light and looked at the man in his living room, his tone laced with displeasure.
"Don't you know basic visiting etiquette? Next time, please ring the doorbell from the gate. And that bottle of wine in your hand is my father's treasure. He's coming back in three days and was planning to drink it. Now you've finished it. I'm afraid he won't let you off. Are you interested in lying on the operating table and being cut open with a scalpel?"
Hearing Elijah speak in such a light, casual tone about such a cruel and cold matter, the man on the sofa froze for a second. The next moment, a charming, indifferent smile hung on his face.
"Don't worry. I'll give my uncle a better bottle than this one. So he won't want to see me as his experimental subject."
Adrian Frost poured himself a glass of red wine. The blood-red liquid looked like fresh blood, dangerously alluring.
"That's quite an expense."
Elijah took off his coat and hung it by the entrance. Then he walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa opposite Adrian. Soon, a pale servant who seemed almost lifeless poured a cup of tea for Elijah.
"I don't know who you learned this habit from. I don't remember my uncle drinking tea."
Adrian raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at Elijah.
Elijah didn't tell him that it was because, when he was young, he often went to Emma's house and saw her father, James, enjoying making tea. It was a deep memory. When he grew up, he unconsciously started getting used to making tea himself. Although the tea was bitter, it carried the best memories of his childhood.
"Do I have to be like him? It's you I'm worried about. Showing up here at this hour makes me uneasy. But the contract signing is the day after tomorrow. Aren't you a bit early?"
Elijah looked at Adrian and said faintly.
"Of course not. I'm not worried about you. But I heard the woman you love has also come to Italy. I thought you would bring her here tonight, but I didn't expect you to come back alone. You really disappointed me." Adrian sneered and shook his head, as if he hated to see iron not turn into steel.
"I won't bring her here."
Elijah's eyes darkened, and his voice turned cold.
Adrian raised his eyebrows slightly, a clear smile on his lips. True. This huge villa is as cold as an ice cave. Even the servants have no color in their faces because of my father's strange hobby. If you don't have the courage to see it, you'd think they were zombies. If you weren't scared to death, you'd run away.
Emma was a delicate woman. How could Elijah possibly bring her here?
"That's a pity. I wanted to say hello to her and thank her. After all, she went to the hotel last time to get medicine for me."
Adrian expressed his regret. Elijah suddenly stared at him coldly, his gaze like a sharp steel knife. It seemed that if Adrian wasn't careful, he would be cut by the sharp edge.
"I warn you, if you let Vivi know about the connection between you and me, I won't let you go."
He said it very clearly.
"Alright, why are you so nervous? Don't worry, am I that reckless?"
After Adrian's assurance, Elijah withdrew the murderous intent in his eyes. He returned to his usual image of a gentle and elegant doctor.
Early the next morning, Emma was awakened by a rustling sound. Emilia looked at her apologetically.
"Sister Wei, did I wake you? I tried to keep it down."