Emma closed the door to her room quietly behind her.The soft click of the lock sounded louder than it should have, and for a moment, she stood there, her hand still resting on the handle, and her chest rising and falling too fast. The room felt unfamiliar, like it no longer belonged to her. Every object inside seemed to stare back at her, accusing her of being foolish.She walked slowly toward the bed and sat down, her movements stiff. Her mind was a mess. Thoughts clashed together, refusing to slow down.“How could I trust him?” The question kept repeating in her head.She pressed her palms against her face, dragging them down slowly. Her hands trembled, she had trusted Liam, defended him and believed his calm words, his careful silences. She had told herself he was different from the men she despised. Different from the powerful, wealthy men who ruined lives and walked away untouched.And now?Now she wasn’t sure who he was at all.She stood up suddenly and paced the room, barefoo

“Did you kill my brother?”The words landed hard and for a second, no one moved, and no one dared to breathe.Liam stood in front of Emma, his hand still halfway raised as if he had been about to touch her arm. His face did not change, but something in his eyes shifted ever so slightly.Then the next second, the dining room exploded in chaos.“What kind of question is that?!” Margaret shouted, pushing her chair back and standing up with the support of her cane.Victoria stood up sharply too, glaring at her daughter. “Emma, have you lost your mind?”Tara’s mouth fell open in disbelief. “Are you serious right now?”Emma didn’t look at any of them. Her eyes stayed on Liam, locked and unblinking, like she didn’t want to miss anything, even a single blink.Margaret stepped forward, voice shaking with outrage. “Your brother died in an explosion. An explosion. Do you even hear yourself?”Victoria scoffed loudly. “This man can barely afford decent shoes and you’re asking if he killed someone?

Emma didn’t remember grabbing her bag.She didn’t remember passing the gate or getting into the car. All she knew was that she was driving with no destination in mind, her hands gripping the steering wheel so hard her knuckles hurt.She needed noise or silence. Anything that wasn’t the echo of Liam’s voice in her head.She pulled into the first place she saw with lights still on—a small, quiet restaurant she’d been to once years ago. Nothing fancy, just neutral ground.She walked in without checking her reflection.The hostess looked up. “Table for—”“One,” Emma said quickly, cutting her off.The woman nodded and led her to a corner booth. Emma sat, dropped her bag beside her, and stared at the table like it might tell her what to do next.A waiter approached. “Can I get you something to drink?”“Water,” Emma said. Then paused. “Actually… wine. Red and alcoholic.”The waiter nodded and walked away. Emma exhaled slowly and pressed her fingers to her temples. How could she have been so

Emma came back to the house when the sun had long gone down and the moon had replaced it.She had driven for hours, sat in places without ordering anything and watched people move around her like they had somewhere to go, while she didn’t. By the time she returned, her anger had dulled into something heavier and she felt incredibly tired.She entered the bedroom first. The door opened easily. The room was neat and the bed was made. There was no jacket on the chair, no shoes by the wall and no trace of someone who had slept there the night before.Liam wasn’t there.Emma stood in the doorway for a moment, her fingers still wrapped around the handle. She scanned the room slowly, like she expected him to appear out of nowhere if she looked hard enough.But there was nothing. She stepped inside, walked to the closet, and opened it.Nothing was gone. Everything looked clean and in order but deep in her heart, she knew Liam was gone. “So dramatic,” she scoffed, muttering to herself. “He’ll

Emma did not sleep. She lay on her bed long after the house had gone quiet, staring at the ceiling, listening to the emptiness beside her. By morning, she was exhausted and restless. Staying in the house felt suffocating, thinking felt worse.She got up early, showered quickly, dressed without care, and left without speaking to anyone. No breakfast and no explanations.Her driver took her straight to Titan Global. The moment the car stopped at the entrance, she knew something was wrong.People were rushing in and out of the building. Phones pressed to ears, loud voices and faces tight with panic. Security guards were arguing with reporters at the gate, trying to keep them back.Emma stepped out of the car slowly. A few people noticed her immediately.“Mrs. Clarke—”“Ma’am—”She ignored them and walked straight inside. The lobby, usually clean and calm, was loud and chaotic. Screens flashed red numbers, assistants moved quickly between desks and a group of executives stood in a circle,