"You're going home? Aren't you afraid to face your aunt and uncle?"
"Not anymore. Liam's already at my place."
Emma Johnson practically ground her teeth as she said it. Mia Lewis quickly fumbled for her keys and handed them over, her eyes filled with concern for her friend.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No. I can handle this on my own."
Emma stared at the cold glint in her own eyes and couldn't help wondering how she would resolve this. One wrong move, and her aunt and uncle would find out everything. She was genuinely worried the older couple wouldn't be able to accept it.
Liam Williams drove to the house in no time. The moment she opened the door, she didn't even have a second to acknowledge Little White, who was excitedly nuzzling her feet. Her gaze immediately landed on the man sitting in the living room. He was chatting with her father at that very moment, looking perfectly at ease.
With every ounce of restraint she possessed, Emma stopped herself from hurling her bag at Liam the second she laid eyes on him.
"Wei, you're back. Your mother's in the kitchen cooking. It'll be about an hour before dinner's ready."
Forcing a smile, Emma turned to her father.
"You've lost weight these past few days. Work is important, but you can't neglect your health."
Her father shot a disapproving look at Liam. But knowing his daughter's workaholic nature, he didn't take his anger out on him completely.
"It's my fault, Dad. Emma's lost weight. I'll make sure she gains it back as soon as possible."
Liam's words seemed to satisfy her father. He was about to say more, but Emma grabbed Liam's arm and dragged him into her bedroom like a whirlwind. Even Little White didn't have time to follow them in.
Her father looked puzzled. He wondered if his daughter and son-in-law had been separated for years. What was going on with them?
"Who told you to come here? Liam, are you sure I wouldn't dare say anything in front of my parents?"
Emma glared at Liam furiously. Liam, in turn, greedily took in the sight of the woman before him. It had been a week. She still looked so thin. Only her complexion had recovered a little, no longer as lifeless as before.
"If you would see me, I wouldn't have to resort to this."
Liam had no choice. After all, he was always met by lawyers. And Emma kept refusing to meet with him. He didn't even have a chance to say a single word to her.
"What else is there to see you about? The moment you put those shackles on my hands, our relationship was over. Besides, our marriage was never about love from the start. Wouldn't it be better to end it now? Don't worry. I made it clear in the divorce agreement. I won't tell anyone that I want a divorce. After all, it would affect your company's stock. And I can't tell my parents about the divorce right away. It would be too sudden for them. But this marriage has to end—"
Emma's eyes flew open as she stared in disbelief at the man who suddenly leaned in and kissed her. It was like a storm, making it hard for her to breathe.
After a brief moment of shock, Emma pounded on the man's chest. She tried to struggle out of his arms, but how could Liam let her go? He held her tightly, kissing her fiercely. Only this way could he stop her from saying those words that made him uncomfortable.
Until her lips hurt and she tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth, and she could barely breathe, Liam finally let her go reluctantly.
Emma wiped her mouth with her sleeve, but the scent of Liam still lingered, even his blood.
"Emma, I know no amount of explanation will help. But I want you to know that I never thought about divorcing you in a year. Even when I doubted you, I never wanted you to leave me."
Liam's dark eyes shimmered like clear water as he gazed at Emma intently.
But Emma just stared back at him coldly. The chill in her eyes stung Liam unintentionally.
"Do you think a marriage that started with deception can last? I won't believe you anymore, let alone stay by your side. And from the very beginning, I never planned to stay with you."
"So you never intended to have a child with me, and you always took contraception after every time, right?"
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Liam's mouth. Emma's body stiffened. She hadn't expected Liam to find out about that. But since he chose to ignore it and didn't bring it up, he must have known in his heart that she didn't want to have his child either.
"I've been thinking about leaving you all along. Why would I possibly want your child? Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"
Emma said it without any expression. Liam studied her face carefully, as if trying to see into her heart. He told himself that this wasn't what Emma truly felt. But he couldn't help being affected.
"Liam, I'm really tired. We're not right for each other at all. You and I only got married because of Elijah. I married you just to give my parents an explanation. Our starting point was wrong. It's better to separate now. At least we won't keep wasting each other's time, right?"
Emma tried to calm herself down, reminding herself that she was at home. She couldn't get so worked up. If her parents heard, it would be even harder to end things.
"You feel like you're wasting your time?"
Liam's deep eyes locked onto Emma. Without a moment's hesitation, she nodded.
Seeing the resentment in her eyes, Liam knew how could she ever easily forgive him. But even though he had been prepared for it in his heart, her words still stung.
He knew that even without Elijah, there was probably no place for him in Emma's heart. All along, he had been the one to take the initiative—to get close, to possess. And she had always just passively accepted.
She had never once told him whether she liked it or not.
"So let's end it. If we keep going, it will only bring pain to both of us. Don't make me hate you even more, Liam."
When Emma finished saying this, she felt her nose sting and her chest tighten. Even breathing became difficult, but she forced herself to get the words out.