Chapter 11
Hearing this, Harold clenched the other box he’d kept in his pocket.
It was a ladies‘ Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch, matching the one on his wrist. He’d intended to offer it as a belated anniversary gift.
But now, there was no point.
Emily stayed silent, so Harold wisely avoided mentioning the past.
Finally, he called her name.
“Emily.”
Emily responded with a faint “Hmm.”
Harold’s palm, originally reaching for her hair, withdrew with restrained hesitation.
He said solemnly, “I’m sorry.”
Emily didn’t speak, because she couldn’t say, “It’s okay, I forgive you,” on behalf of her past self.
Harold didn’t insist. Just before turning to leave, he gazed at Emily for a long time. So long that she couldn’t stand it.
Fortunately, before she could speak, he looked away.
After Harold left, Emily swapped her class schedule with a familiar teacher and didn’t go to school.
She looked at the diamond ring on the coffee table, thought for a moment,
Chapter 11
and decided to remove the diamond to make a necklace for the kitten to play with.
After waking up from her nap, Emily had an unread message on her phone.
Sophia identified herself in the text and invited her to meet at a café.
At five in the afternoon, Emily arrived on time for the appointment.
As she sat down. Sophia across from her no longer looked beautiful and elegant. She appeared much more haggard, with dark circles under her
eyes.
She spoke up first.
“Emily, I know Harold has been looking for you these days. What? Have you forgotten what you said? Are you planning to get back together with him?”
Hearing this resentful question, Emily frowned slightly.
“Sophia, what gives you the right to ask me this?”
“In the past, I was Harold’s lawful wife, and you were the other woman. When you played tricks in front of me, I ignored you because I still wanted to save that marriage. Now you’re still dancing around before me. Do you think I’m easy to push around?”
Sophia probably hadn’t expected Emily to become so tough after divorcing Harold.
Her expression went blank for a second before she spoke furiously.
“You have no right to call me a homewrecker! Your marriage was already dead in all but name from the start, wasn’t it? Coming all the way to
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England was just humiliating yourself. You know perfectly well Harold loves me most. Always has been, always is, and always will be.”
“Emily, if I were you, I’d have moved to another city long ago.”
As the words fell, patrons throughout the café turned their gazes toward Sophia. Accusing, disgusted, disdainful….
Sophia only slowly registered their stares.
But her first instinct wasn’t self–reflection. Instead, she glared daggers at Emily. Then she rose abruptly, poised to strike.
But just as Sophia raised her hand, Harold rushed over and grabbed it.
Harold glared coldly at Sophia, his voice low and serious.
“Do you want to hit Emily?”
Sophia struggled, hysterical.
“So what if I hit her? She’s just your backup, your settle–for. But now you’re losing sleep and heartbroken over this settle–for, why shouldn’t I hit her?”
“She’s just a disaster, just a…”
Slap!
Harold, unable to bear it, slapped her, cutting off her words.
In an instant, the entire café fell silent.
Sophia froze, then slowly covered her stinging cheek, staring at Harold in disbelief.
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“Harold, you hit me for Emily’s sake?”
Under everyone’s gaze, Harold rubbed his eyes wearily.
“Sophia, I’ve failed to set proper boundaries with you these past eighteen months. Don’t drag Emily into this.”
He then turned to Emily.
“Head home first. I’ll handle the rest.”
Emily nodded.
Sophia erupted again at that moment.
“You can’t leave!”
Her eyes reddened, tears streaming down.
“Emily, just answer me one thing today. Have you completely given up on Harold? Do you still love him? Give me your answer, and I swear I’ll never bother you again.”
Hearing this, Harold’s heart clenched.
He pursed his lips, staring nervously at Emily as if her answer were the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head.
Emily and Harold exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away from
each other.
She turned to look at Sophia, who was having an emotional breakdown, and shook her head helplessly.
“Sophia, if you keep harassing me, I’ll call the police..”
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Emily paused, then added, “As for the question you asked, it’s my private matter. I don’t have to tell you.”
Having said that, she couldn’t be bothered to look at either of them again and left the cafe directly.
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