The air in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Liam Williams's commanding presence grew heavier, pressing down on everyone at the table.
Emma Johnson suddenly felt like she had walked into a trap.
Who would have thought Elijah Clark would say something so shameless?
Now she couldn't clear her name even if she jumped into the ocean.
Emma slid her hand under the table and quietly tapped Liam's knee twice. She looked up at him with her clear eyes, desperately trying to gauge whether he was angry.
But after a moment, Liam felt her touch. He lifted his head and asked flatly, "What are you trying to touch me for?"
Emma froze.
Touch him?
Come on, let's be fair here.
She had only gently poked his knee. That was it.
The others at the table exchanged glances, the air thick with unspoken implications.
The smile on Elijah's face froze as he stared at Emma. His expression seemed to harden.
When he turned his affectionate gaze toward Liam, there was a sharp glint in his eyes.
Liam looked up and caught Elijah staring at him. His face instantly turned cold, as if it could freeze everyone in the room.
Emma felt like she was going to lose her mind dealing with these two men tonight.
Seriously!
Could they just drop this already?
Emma sat up straight and said, "How am I touching you, Liam? Can you be reasonable? I accidentally bumped into you, that's all."
Hmph. Anyone could lie.
She had been worried that Liam would be angry, but instead, he had to say something embarrassing.
"Oh, you're that careless? Three or four times in a row? That's not an accident."
He was determined to take this all the way.
"You... I did it on purpose. What are you going to do about it?" Emma snapped, turning away from him in frustration.
Sophia Johnson saw her son-in-law finally speaking up, and her mood lifted. "Emma, don't be so stubborn. Liam is your husband now. You should be gentle."
Emma felt even more annoyed. Why?
It was clearly Liam who was bullying her. How did she become the stubborn one?
"Mom, now that you have a son-in-law, your daughter doesn't matter anymore, does she? You know I'm..." Emma lowered her head helplessly. Forget it. She would just focus on her food.
At that moment, Liam had almost finished eating. He put down his chopsticks and looked at James and Sophia Johnson with a slightly serious expression. "Dad, Mom, there's something I'd like to discuss with you today." He glanced at Emma, who couldn't lift her head, and continued, "I think if you have time, our families should meet to discuss the wedding."
What? Wedding?
How could Liam decide something so important without discussing it with her first!
"Cough..." Emma panicked and choked on her food, coughing until her face turned red. "What wedding? Why didn't I hear you mention it?"
She looked at Liam with a confused expression, only to find that he completely ignored her question.
After a pause, he continued, "I want to hold the wedding as soon as possible. Not long ago, the news of our marriage was reported by all the major media, so..."
"Of course, that's wonderful. Since you've already gotten your marriage certificate, it's only natural to have the wedding quickly, don't you think, James?" Sophia smiled at her husband.
"Yes, our son-in-law is very thoughtful. We can rest easy now." James had been thinking about this for a while but hadn't wanted to bring it up directly.
Now that Liam had taken the initiative, the weight in his heart finally lifted.
Emma hadn't expected Liam to say that. When she heard the word "wedding," her mind was filled with their one-year agreement.
A year from now, if she hadn't fallen in love with him... they would divorce.
Since divorce was inevitable, everything they did now would be meaningless. So... she still thought it was better not to have the wedding.
Elijah's heart sank. He glanced at Emma and noticed the strange expression on her face—hesitation, conflict?
Was there something wrong with the marriage between Liam and Emma?
Thinking this, Elijah's usually carefree face took on a cold, complicated look.
After dinner, they sat on the sofa for a while. Emma checked the time and thought it was late enough. "Mom, we should head back now. It's getting late, so you should rest early."
"You're not staying the night? I've already prepared the rooms..." Sophia had hoped the couple would stay, but it seemed they were determined to leave.
"Mom, next time..." Emma said as she pulled Liam toward the door. These two men absolutely couldn't be left alone together—it would only lead to trouble.
Just as she took two steps, Elijah's voice came from behind. "I'll go down with you. Uncle, Auntie, rest early."
Emma's face darkened.
She wanted to knock this guy out. Elijah, you could really stay a little longer. You don't have to come with us.
But reality was what it was.
In the elevator.
Emma stood between the two men, biting her lip. Ever since their first meeting, she had felt a huge shadow hanging over her. She vaguely sensed that these two were incompatible.
Liam was slightly taller than Elijah. Standing between them, Emma felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. Even Elijah, who was usually so carefree, had gone silent.
The air seemed to solidify.
Emma stared at the elevator numbers as they descended to the first floor, silently praying for them to go faster.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the elevator reached the first floor. Emma wanted to say goodbye to Elijah and then drag Liam away.
But at that moment, Liam, who had been silent the whole time, said calmly, "Wife, I suddenly remember that I left my phone at home. Could you go get it for me? I'll wait for you here."
"Ah... okay. Wait for me here. I'll be right down." Emma looked at Liam uneasily, then turned to Elijah and said fiercely, "You can go now. Really... next time you come to my house, please tell me first."
Next time... Emma really didn't want there to be a next time.
"Alright, I understand. Go ahead." Elijah's voice was as gentle as ever.