Chapter 8
1240words
Elias Thorne took back the contract without even glancing at it, as if completing a trivial transaction. He glanced toward the shadows by the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him.
"Julian," he said, "inform Lawson to activate the 'Artemis' protocol. Have the medical aircraft ready to take off in twenty minutes."
"Yes, master." The ghostlike assistant emerged from the shadows and immediately began making calls.
Everything was happening. Leo's life was being saved.
And Emma's was being terminated.
"One more thing." Elias turned to her, those golden eyes devoid of any warmth, "Contract, clause seven. Cut off all connections."
He placed Emma's phone on the table in front of her. The screen was lit—Liam's name and photo occupied the entire display, showing "15 missed calls" and "32 new messages."
"Now." Elias commanded, "In front of me."
Emma's blood instantly froze. "You... what do you mean?"
"It means," Elias's voice was flat and emotionless, "call him. Tell him you will never see him again. In a way... that makes him give up completely."
"I..." Emma's throat tightened, "I can't... I at least need to..."
"You have no room for negotiation right now, Emma." Elias interrupted her, his voice carrying a hint of cold mockery, "Or, I can have Julian stop calling for the private jet. Your choice."
He was threatening her. With Leo's life.
Emma closed her eyes in humiliation. She knew she had to do this.
She trembled as she picked up her phone and unlocked it. She dared not look at Elias; she could feel his substantial, icy gaze fixed upon her, enjoying her breakdown.
She pressed the callback button.
The phone barely rang half a tone before it was answered.
"Emma!"
Liam's voice came through the receiver, filled with hoarseness, extreme panic and relief. "God, Emma! You finally answered the phone! How are you? Are you safe? That bastard... that bastard from the coffee shop, he didn't hurt you, did he?"
Emma's heart was pierced by this genuine concern. She bit her lip, almost hard enough to draw blood, just to stop herself from crying out loud.
"Emma? Baby? Are you listening? Please, say something."
"...Liam." She finally spoke, her voice so hoarse it didn't sound like her own.
"I'm here! I'm right here!" Liam said urgently, "Listen, Emma, I... I know everything now."
Emma froze. "...Know what?"
"Last night... after you ran away, I was going crazy. I went to find Meg. I begged her to tell me everything..." There was deep remorse in Liam's voice, "About your brother, Leo. About his illness, about the medical expenses. God, Emma... I... I was such a bastard."
Emma's tears broke through the dam instantly. No, Liam...
"I've been talking to you about some damn house, some five-year plan..." Liam's voice choked up, "while you... you've been carrying so much by yourself. And I was pressuring you like that at the party. I'm such a selfish idiot!"
"No... you're not..."
"I am!" he interrupted her, "But now I understand. Emma, listen to me, I've figured it out."
He took a deep breath and spoke with unprecedented determination:
"I've already contacted the agent, I'm going to withdraw the down payment for that house. I know it's not much money, but at least... at least it can help you cover things for now! I don't care about that house anymore! I don't want anything else!"
Emma covered her mouth, crying silently. She turned away, not looking at Elias.
"Emma, I love you," Liam continued, his voice gentle yet firm, "I don't need any damn plans anymore. We can live in the moment. I can wait. If you don't want to get married, we won't. I would even... I'm willing to work with you, to earn money together to save Leo. No matter how long it takes, I'll stay by your side. As long as you... as long as you come back. Okay?"
This was everything she had once longed for.
A Liam who understood her, supported her, and was willing to fight alongside her. He had finally awakened, finally become what she needed most.
At this moment when everything was too late.
Emma looked up, and through her tear-blurred vision, she met Elias Thorne's cold, golden eyes filled with judgment.
She instantly sobered.
She couldn't go back.
If she told Liam the truth now—"Liam, a Vampire is threatening me with Leo's life, come save me"—what would he do?
He would come.
He would rush over desperately, just like he did at the coffee shop, with his mortal, fragile body, trying to "save" her from Elias.
Then, he would die.
He would die silently like a crushed ant under the monster's feet.
She couldn't let him die.
Emma quickly wiped away her tears. She must protect him. The only way to protect him was to make him hate her.
"Liam," her voice changed, becoming cold and calm, as if she wasn't the same person who had been sobbing moments ago.
"...Emma?" Liam sensed something was wrong.
"All these things you're saying," Emma said word by word, "it's too late."
"What? No...not too late! Emma, I can change..."
"You can't change." She interrupted him, her voice without a trace of emotion, "You can't change the fact that you have no money."
On the other end of the phone was a deathly silence.
"...What...what did you say?"
"I said," Emma's heart was bleeding, but her tone was as sharp as a knife, "I've had enough, Liam. I'm tired of calculating coupons with you, tired of worrying about next month's rent, tired of your ridiculous 'down payment'."
"Emma... you... you're not this kind of person..."
"I am!" she raised her voice, with a hysterical cruelty, "Why do you think I left with that man? Who do you think he is?"
"He just... while you were on the phone, signed a check." Emma laughed, a laugh that sounded worse than crying, "He paid for all of Leo's treatment expenses in Switzerland. All of them, Liam. What does your 'down payment' amount to? Is it even enough to buy a plane ticket?"
"Emma... you... for money..." Liam's voice was trembling, filled with heartbroken disbelief.
"Yes."
This "yes" consumed her last ounce of strength.
"I chose him, Liam. I'm tired of being a poor boy's," —she used this word, knowing it would hurt the most— "girlfriend. I chose him."
"......He's dangerous, Emma......" Liam was still making his last struggle.
"He's rich." Emma coldly corrected him, "That's enough. Don't call me anymore, Liam. We're over."
She didn't give him any chance to reply.
She pressed the end call button, severing the only connection between her and her past.
The phone slipped from her powerless hand, falling onto the expensive carpet. Emma finally couldn't hold on anymore, slumping over the desk, her shoulders violently trembling, suppressed, heart-wrenching sobs surging from deep within her throat.
Elias Thorne stood before her, looking down at her breakdown.
He didn't comfort her.
He just picked up the contract on the desk and calmly placed it into his coat's inner pocket.
"Very good," he said coldly.
Julian had somehow already walked over, holding a black coat in his hand.
"Master, the private jet has taken off."
"Emma," Elias called her name, as if she hadn't just endured torture, "stand up. Julian will take you to the penthouse to gather your things."
