Emma Johnson said goodbye to Mia and Elijah, then drove back to Sunrise Manor.
Earlier, Liam had called to say he had evening business and wouldn't be home for dinner. So when Emma arrived, the house was empty.
She wasn't hungry—she'd eaten plenty earlier. Only the old master and Amelia had dinner.
Emma assumed Liam was busy with clients. But she didn't know he was actually meeting Alexander, who had just returned from Milano. Captain David Reed was with them.
"You're saying the Black Feather Group runs an underground black market in this city?"
After hearing Alexander's report, Liam narrowed his eyes.
Alexander nodded. "It wasn't easy finding this lead. We almost lost an undercover operative, but luckily he made it out alive. I heard the black market is planning to trade a shipment of smuggled weapons early next year and move them overseas. This batch is bigger than the last one we intercepted—the quantity is staggering. I suspect they're selling to a country experiencing civil unrest. And there are over three thousand Chinese citizens in that country's war-torn city. If those weapons reach the battlefield, our innocent people could be caught in the crossfire."
Alexander's face grew grim. Liam's expression turned cold as he grasped the severity of the situation.
"We need to locate the black market before the transaction goes through. Otherwise, once the deal is done, countless innocent lives could be lost."
After Liam spoke, Alexander and Captain Reed nodded in agreement. The three discussed their next steps and search targets until well past midnight before finally parting ways.
"Now that you're back, you don't need to keep following Emma anymore. She commutes with me every day, so there's nothing to watch. Focus on finding the black market's location."
Before they separated, Liam gave Alexander his orders. Alexander nodded in acknowledgment.
Emma's car was already equipped with a tracking device, so human surveillance wasn't necessary.
Elijah drove Mia home before returning to his own villa. But as he approached the house, he noticed lights on in the living room. His instincts flared with caution. He pulled a well-hidden pistol from the car's dark compartment, tucked it behind his back, and quietly opened the door.
"Back so late? Looks like Dr. Clark's nightlife isn't so lonely after all."
As Elijah stepped inside, a mocking voice greeted him from the living room. He recognized the man and lowered his gun.
"What, thought I was an enemy? You're so careful, it's no wonder no one can find your address."
Adrian Frost's sarcastic tone cut through the air.
"Didn't you get arrested in this city? How dare you come back?"
Elijah's eyes turned icy as he stared at Adrian, his gaze as cold as the weather outside.
"The boss doesn't trust you to handle such a big deal alone, so he sent me to help. Besides, the Arab came personally—that shows how important this arms trade is. If we cooperate well this time, he'll be a major financial backer for us in the future. We can't afford to miss this opportunity."
Adrian met Elijah's gaze without flinching. Elijah's pupils contracted, a chill flashing through them. He understood what Adrian meant. The last arms deal had failed because of police intervention, so the boss's caution was understandable.
"There's one more thing I need to tell you."
As Adrian spoke, a barely perceptible flicker crossed his eyes, though his face remained its usual arrogant smirk.
"What is it?"
"The boss said after this transaction, you're to return to Milano. There are matters he needs you to handle."
"And what about here?"
Elijah's face showed surprise as he asked Adrian in disbelief.
"Don't worry—someone will replace you. Make your preparations. Arrange what needs arranging, and say your goodbyes while you still can."
Adrian's words carried a deeper meaning as he looked at Elijah. Elijah was momentarily stunned, then slumped onto the sofa. He had just settled everything here. Though he could still manage things in Milano from a distance, he wouldn't be able to see Vivi anymore.
That was the hardest part for him to accept.
Adrian headed upstairs to the guest room but paused at the stair corner, glancing back at Elijah in the living room. He wondered if Elijah would understand.
If it were him, he wouldn't have so many scruples. But they had grown up together, after all. Maybe Elijah cared too much about what others thought.
Adrian shrugged and continued to the guest room to rest.
When Elijah asked Emma to meet him, she felt a bit surprised. They had just spent the whole afternoon together yesterday, and she couldn't figure out why he wanted to see her again. Maybe he wanted to talk about Mia?
Emma's eyes lit up at the thought. She figured she'd be eating their wedding cake in a few months.
But when she met Elijah, he didn't mention Mia at all. Emma found this strange and couldn't help asking if he had something to say.
Elijah looked up, stirring his coffee with one hand but not taking a single sip. His expression clearly showed he was struggling to speak. He moved his lips several times but couldn't get the words out.
How could he just blurt it out? It was so sudden, so unprepared. Even he felt ridiculous—how much more would Emma?
He didn't know how many years he'd be gone from here. Maybe just one, but even that felt unbearable to him.
Because even a year was neither short nor long.
"Emma, are you happy right now?"
Elijah's sudden, out-of-the-blue question caught Emma off guard. She looked at him, confused, wondering if he had seen through her emotions.
"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
Emma gave an unnatural smile. Truthfully, she couldn't say whether she was happy. Though Liam cared about her, she knew this relationship might not last. After all, theirs was a contractual arrangement.
"I just feel like you haven't been as happy as I thought you'd be since you got married. And things keep happening to you. I worry. I was thinking... if you had another chance, would you choose to marry someone else?"