Even though the first lady was arrogant and headstrong, no one could deny her intelligence. She wouldn't dig a trap for herself. Christopher Martin knew more or less about this young lady's character.
In the hallway, Captain David Reed and Emma Johnson were left alone.
"Hao has woken up. His gunshot wound is deep, but luckily it didn't hit anything vital. He just needs to rest for a while. Do you want to see him?"
Captain Reed thought that after yesterday's incident, where Situ Hao had nearly sacrificed his life, Emma would be at least a little moved.
But Emma simply shook her head, her eyes flickering.
"I don't want anything more to do with him. You should go back."
Without waiting for Captain Reed's reaction, she turned and walked back into the ward. Captain Reed stared at the closed door and let out a helpless sigh.
Well, what else could he do?
It seemed winning back his wife wouldn't be so easy for Hao.
Some time later, Emma's father, James Johnson, had almost fully recovered and was finally discharged from the hospital. On the day of his release, Liam Williams came to see him. After all, it was unrealistic to try to hide from him.
James's attitude toward Liam's apology was neither warm nor cold. Finally, when Liam asked to speak with Emma alone, her father agreed.
Though Emma didn't know what Liam wanted to talk about, she listened to her father and walked with Liam to a tree not far away.
"Emma, are you really refusing to forgive me?"
Liam's eyes were sharp and deep. He hadn't expected that during his time in the hospital, Emma would truly be willing to give up on him.
"One of the biggest regrets of my life is meeting you."
Emma's delicate, beautiful face was expressionless, but her heart ached. Still, some words had to be spoken ruthlessly to avoid future entanglements.
Liam's pupils contracted sharply, and his face turned even paler, as if drained of all blood.
"I don't want to say anything more. Liam, let's end it here."
She turned away, refusing to look at him anymore. Bearing the pain in her chest, she walked step by step toward her parents. When she reached them, she forced a comforting smile onto her worried face. The family of three got into the car and drove away.
Liam remained standing under the locust tree, staring at the car that had disappeared through the gate. He didn't move for a long time.
What a cruel woman!
After what felt like an eternity, a bitter smile spread across his face. The setting sun cast long shadows, making his figure seem even more lonely.
"Are you really leaving?"
At the Waterfront restaurant, Mia Lewis and Olivia Davis stared at Emma in surprise. The woman across from them looked calm and composed, clearly not acting on impulse.
"I think if I stay in A City now, I don't know what might happen. I can handle it myself, but I can't put my family in danger because of me. I can't go through that a second time. So leaving now is the best choice. In a few years, I think the people behind me will forget I ever existed."
Emma's words left Mia and Olivia unable to argue, even though they wanted to persuade her to stay. But who could guarantee that she—or even her parents—wouldn't continue to be in danger?
"Well, is this the only way?" Olivia sighed.
"Yes, it's the only way."
Emma's hand gently touched her abdomen. She had already decided to keep her baby. But she didn't want Liam to know. So choosing to go abroad to have the child was the best time.
For now, she hadn't told Mia or Olivia about her pregnancy, not even her parents. It wasn't that she didn't want to—it was that she didn't know how to say it. She planned to wait until after the baby was born. Slowly, they would find out.
When Emma's parents heard that their daughter wanted to study in France, they didn't say much. They knew their daughter well. Now that she had spoken, it meant she had a plan in mind. Though the two elders were reluctant, they respected her decision. They also hoped that going abroad for a few years would help her relax. When she came back, she would be able to let go of things like the divorce.
Emma arranged the handover of the Waterfront restaurant and then decided to go to France alone. This time, she left quickly, so fast that even Liam didn't have time to react.
When he found out, the last glimmer of hope in his heart finally died.
Had he lost her forever?
Five years later.
"Mommy, this person looks a little like you."
On the plane, a delicate and adorable little boy stared at the female model on the screen with his big, innocent eyes. He blinked and said to the woman beside him.
"Well, she's Mommy's cousin."
The woman holding the little boy had a soft, beautiful face, even more stunning than the model on the catwalk. Her voice was light, simply stating the fact to the boy, with no hint of warmth.
"Oh."
The little boy blinked again and didn't ask any more questions. He twisted his chubby little body and snuggled into the woman's arms.
The woman smiled and kissed the boy on the forehead, her eyes full of tenderness and love.
When the little boy fell asleep in her arms, the woman looked at her cousin, now a top model in China, and her eyes turned cold.
She still remembered that two years ago, when she first arrived in France, her cousin had contacted her. They met at a restaurant.
If they were truly family, her cousin wouldn't have sneered at her because of her divorce. Every word seemed to comfort her, but each one cut like a knife. Back then, the reason her cousin had made up with her and always clung to her when she was in trouble was because of the aura that the man behind her brought.
People always see the true faces of those close to them when they're in trouble. Even though she was divorced, she wasn't really down and out. But in her cousin's eyes, she was no more important than her previous identity. So it was only natural for her cousin to look down on her.
After that, the woman cut ties with her cousin again. And she was glad she hadn't brought her son to meet her. When her parents found out, they decisively cut off contact with her aunt as well. The woman sighed but didn't stop them.