On occasions that demanded it, Emma Johnson had begun trying to step into the role of a proper lady.
As the face of Milan Fashion House's winter wear campaign, Isabella Miller changed through several outfits during today's runway show. Each look would undoubtedly become the cover story for major magazines and media outlets. After today, Emma suspected Isabella's fame would skyrocket, pushing her closer to becoming a top model in the near future.
After a long, exhausting day, Emma felt like her feet, trapped in high heels, were about to swell twice their size. Even her smile had turned stiff. But thinking about how successful the show had been made the fatigue a little more bearable.
She glanced at Liam Williams in the car, took a deep breath, and made up her mind to speak.
"Thank you for covering the thirty million for the jewelry store. I'll write you an IOU when we get back. I'll do my best to pay you back as soon as possible."
Making that promise took a huge amount of determination. Thirty million was no small sum. Maybe for Liam, it was just the cost of a house or a yacht—barely a tenth of what he'd invest in a single project. But still, he had no obligation to cover her losses. Even the police had said the chances of recovering the jewelry were slim. So she had to shoulder the debt.
"How long do you plan to take to pay me back?"
Liam turned, his handsome face carrying a hint of amusement as he looked at her.
"Five years." Even five years felt too short to Emma. But she was afraid that if she said longer, he'd think she couldn't pay it back at all.
There's always a way, she thought. After all, no one could predict if she'd suddenly hit the jackpot or win the lottery in the next five years. Maybe she'd strike it rich overnight.
"Alright."
Liam's agreement put Emma at ease. She'd been terrified he might say something like, "You don't need to pay it back." That would only weigh heavier on her heart.
After all, she was never his real wife.
Back at the apartment, Emma didn't waste any time. She wrote out the IOU simply and clearly, promising to return the full thirty million to Liam within five years.
When she saw him put the IOU away, Emma felt a sudden weight settle on her shoulders. For the first time, she understood the pressure Emilia Clark must have felt.
Being in debt was no joke.
She decided she'd start buying lottery tickets tomorrow. She remembered her mother once telling her about a neighbor in their old building. For over two years, the man had bought the same lottery number without fail. Then one day, he won five million. He became the first millionaire in their neighborhood.
Emma found that story incredibly inspiring. She'd buy ten lottery tickets every day starting tomorrow. She refused to believe she couldn't win at least a million in three years.
"You don't have to worry about it so much. Actually, I have a better way to settle this debt."
Seeing Emma's furrowed brow and deep-in-thought expression, Liam knew the little woman was probably already planning how to make money tomorrow. He couldn't help but smile.
"What way?"
Hearing his suggestion, Emma's head shot up, her eyes fixed on him.
Liam looked at her curious gaze, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. Finally, he spoke slowly.
"If you cancel our contract and become my permanent wife, you won't owe me anything."
Emma hadn't expected him to say that. She stared at his serious face, at the light in his eyes. For a long moment, she didn't know how to react.
"Liam, that joke isn't funny at all. Don't tease me."
After a pause, she forced a smile.
"Is it?"
Liam's voice was faint, his smile barely there. In the end, he seemed to let her words stand, letting it pass as a joke. But deep inside Emma, a storm was raging. She could hear her own heart pounding so fast she wondered if something was wrong with it.
Later that night, as she soaked in the bathtub, she didn't dare lie back and relax. She was afraid her heart would suddenly race so violently that she'd never get up again.
Really, that joke wasn't funny at all.
"Sister Wei, did you hear me?"
Emilia Clark's voice, raised a few decibels, rang in Emma's ears inside the break room of the Pinnacle Corporation building. Emma snapped out of her thoughts about what Liam had said yesterday. She looked at Emilia, who was staring at her face, and realized she'd been talking to her.
"What did you say?"
Emilia looked exasperated. "Sister Wei, in the half hour since we walked into this break room, I've seen you zone out three times. What's wrong with you? Wasn't yesterday's press conference a huge success? Every media outlet is praising it today. So why do you look so distracted?"
"Oh, I was just thinking about something else."
"Sister Wei, are you still worried about the lost jewelry? The CEO already took care of it for you. What else is there to worry about? You don't have to struggle with debt like I do."
Emilia's careless words struck a nerve in Emma's heart. And that nerve would keep nagging her for years to come. Emma sighed bitterly, thinking she'd probably become more and more sensitive to numbers in the future.
"Alright. Let's not talk about that. I didn't catch what you were saying earlier."
Emma steered the conversation back. She hadn't told Emilia about her debt to Liam. There was no need.
"I was saying, when I went to Brookhaven General Hospital for my check-up yesterday afternoon, I saw Elijah Clark. According to the nurses, he came back from Italy the day before yesterday. I don't know if it's because he was preparing for Mayor Reed's surgery, but even though the tumor removal was successful, Mayor Reed doesn't seem to be recovering well. I think Elijah looks thinner than before."
Emilia repeated what she'd just said.
Was Elijah's health failing? Emma was stunned by Emilia's words. She remembered that when she'd gone to Milan not long ago, he'd been in great shape. Full of energy. How could he have lost weight just because of one surgery?