End the Secret Affair

I've been in a relationship with my brother's best friend, Emilio Slater, for three years, but he's never been willing to make our relationship public. Still, I never doubt his love for me. After all, he's been with 99 women before, yet he stops looking at anyone else because of me. Even if I have a slight cold, he drops billion-dollar projects and rushes home to take care of me. But on my birthday, when I'm excitedly preparing to share the news of my pregnancy with Emilio, he forgets my birthday for the first time and vanishes without a trace. The housekeeper tells me he's gone to pick up someone important from the airport. I rush there and see him holding flowers, his face full of nervous anticipation, waiting for a woman—one who looks strikingly like me. Later, my brother tells me she's Emilio's first love, the one he can never forget. Emilio defied his parents for her, and he fell apart after she dumped him. He sought out 99 women who resembled her to fill the void. My brother speaks with admiration for Emilio's deep devotion, unaware that I'm one of those stand-ins. I watch Emilio and his first love for a long, long time. Then, I return to the hospital without hesitation. "Doctor, I don't want this child anymore." Chapter 1 "What? Ms. LeBlanc, do you want to terminate the pregnancy? But just earlier today, after learning about it, you were so excited to share the news with your boyfriend!" The doctor looked at me incredulously, his astonished cry sounding particularly loud in the empty examination room. I kept my head down as I clenched the hem of my dress tightly. Choking up, I said, "Please don't ask me anything. I just know I don't want the baby anymore." The doctor watched me for a while before sighing heavily. "Ms. LeBlanc, I don't know what happened to you, but you're obviously emotional right now. Maybe you should calm down and reconsider." He slid the abortion consent form back to me, and his gaze landed on the ultrasound attached to it. "This is a life, after all." I looked up at the small black shadow on the report, and my eyes reddened further. After a long while, I tucked the form into my bag and left the hospital. As I walked home, distraught, a red Ferrari suddenly skidded to a stop in front of me. A pair of exquisite leather shoes stepped into a puddle, and a handsome face appeared before me. Emilio Slater ran to me while holding an umbrella. He pulled me into his arms and took off his suit jacket, draping it over my shoulders. "How could you not bring an umbrella with you when you left the house? You're not a child anymore. You've never been in the best of health—what if you catch a cold?" I looked up at his profile and saw how anxious he was. I felt transported back to when we'd first started dating. He'd treated me like I was a treasure, as he was doing now. However, I knew that there was no going back. I looked down at his navy blue suit and smiled bitterly. He'd had it tailor-made a month ago for my birthday celebration. On this day, my birthday, he's wearing it, but it's not for me. This afternoon, while preparing for my birthday celebration, I suddenly started throwing up. I thought it was my stomach acting up, but the doctor told me I was pregnant. Learning that a new life was growing within me on my birthday felt like a gift from the heavens. But when I hurried home to tell Emilio the good news, he was nowhere to be found. Laura Brown, the housekeeper, noticed my confusion. "Mr. Slater said he was heading to the airport to pick up someone important. He also said that you could eat without him if you were hungry. He told you not to wait for him." It was my birthday, and he'd promised to throw me a grand celebration. Yet now, he was saying I didn't need to wait for him? I suppressed my anger and asked Laura, "Who's this important person?" She hesitated, then stammered, "I-I'm not sure, either. All I know is that Mr. Slater was pretty happy when he left. He even checked his appearance in the mirror for a long time." For some reason, that response gave me a bad feeling. After some hesitation, I asked the driver to take me to the airport. It was packed, but Emilio was easy to spot. He was tall, handsome, and always the center of attention. Sure enough, I found him standing amid a crowd. However, I didn't approach him because I saw my brother, Christopher LeBlanc, beside him. Emilio held a bouquet, and his gaze was fixed on the arrival hall's exit. His lips were pressed together tightly, and he seemed nervous. I'd never seen him like that before. Even when we'd almost exposed our relationship in front of Christopher, Emilio had remained calm and composed. Who was it who was making him act like that? I trained my gaze on the exit, too. Then, I saw an alluring woman walk out. Emilio immediately waved at her. "Amber!" She took off her sunglasses and headed toward him and Christopher, but she didn't take the bouquet. Instead, she ignored Emilio outright and linked arms with Christopher. In that instant, I saw the flicker of jealousy in Emilio's eyes. Although Emilio used to be a ladies' man, he never took them seriously and only fooled around with them. He couldn't even bother to sweet-talk them when they were upset, let alone be jealous over them. I couldn't help but give the woman a second glance. Amber… Amber Granger? It hit me. I'd grown up abroad, but Christopher, who was based back home, told me plenty about his two childhood friends. One was Emilio, and the other was Amber. The three of them were Jeston's three musketeers. But from what I'd just seen, it was clear the relationship between Emilio and Amber wasn't just friendship. With curiosity gnawing at me, I called Christopher when he went off to collect Amber's luggage. "Christopher, I heard from Mr. Slater that Amber is back. How are they related? He seemed really agitated, and he skipped a meeting for her." Christopher was taken aback, then laughed. "He even told you that? Looks like he's really excited. He and Amber dated for a few years, and boy, they were madly in love. Amber chose to leave the country when his love for her was at its deepest, and he lost his mind. "He might seem cold and aloof now, but he constantly cried and ranted to me back then. He even threatened to end his life. In the end, he found all those stand-ins…" "Stand-ins?" My hand trembled as I gripped my phone. Christopher hummed in agreement. "Yeah. You probably haven't met Amber yet, but you'll know how much those women Emilio dated resembled her when you see her. Hey, now that I think about it, you look a little like her, too. Of course, you're prettier…" I didn't hear the rest of his words. My ears buzzed, and my body grew colder with every word he said. I looked up dazedly at the alluring woman ahead. I'd already seen her. "Calista? Why aren't you saying anything? Anyway, why are you asking this?" Christopher continued talking on the other end of the line, but I no longer had the strength to reply. I said softly, "I'm just looking out for my boss. It's only right. Oh, and don't tell Mr. Slater that I asked you about this." After he responded in the affirmative, I hung up. When the screen went black, I saw my reflection. Then, I looked up at Amber again. Did we look alike? I smiled bitterly. The dimple at the corner of my mouth was identical to hers. We did indeed look similar. I had no recollection of leaving the airport that day. All I knew was that it was pouring outside. … When we got home, Emilio grabbed a towel and dried my hair. Then, he made me some warm soup and fed me. As he stroked my hair, he said, "Guess what, babe. I almost slipped up today. Christopher said he has a friend who wants to get to know you, and he was actually thinking of arranging for you two to meet. I lost control and shot to my feet in objection. Man, was he stunned." I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes. "And? Did he find out?" "Of course not. He's so dense—he would never imagine that his best friend is dating his sister. If he found out, do you think I'd be back in one piece?" When I heard how light-hearted he sounded, I reached up to stop his hands as he dried my hair. I asked seriously, "Emilio, do you really see me as your girlfriend?" He was taken aback at my question. Then, he laughed and crouched before me, pinching my cheek affectionately. He asked gently, "If I didn't, why would I have gotten mad when Christopher said he wanted to introduce someone to you?" His expression darkened at the mention of this man we'd never met. He yanked me into his arms and brushed his lips against my neck. "The thought of you being with someone else—even if it's just sitting down together for a meal—makes me feel awful." My body went weak as his warm breath fanned over my neck. Right before I succumbed to him, I shoved him away. "I'm tired, Emilio." Emilio faltered. Then, thinking I'd caught a cold from the rain, he hurriedly scooped me into his arms and carried me to the bed. He felt my forehead when he thought I was asleep, only leaving the room when he was sure I didn't have a fever. As the door shut with a click, I slowly opened my eyes. I turned and buried my face in the blanket, crying so hard that I couldn't breathe. A girlfriend? I was just a stand-in for Amber. I remembered how Emilio always told me that he loved my smile and wanted me to do it more. I felt disgusted. Tears blurred my vision, and my temperature rose. As my head grew foggy, I suddenly remembered things from the past. When I was 18, Christopher had brought Emilio with him when picking me up at the airport. It took only one look for me to fall for Emilio, who was tall and handsome. Later, I gave up the cushy lifestyle of a wealthy heiress and asked Christopher to get me an internship in Emilio's company. Emilio and I didn't have much to do with each other at first. He was either busy negotiating deals or racing at the racetrack. The women who occupied his passenger seat changed one after another. Once, during a business dinner, a rival drugged him. He stumbled to the restroom after realizing something was wrong. Worried that something would happen to him, I'd given chase. However, I lost him after a few steps. As I stomped in frustration, a pair of hands suddenly reached out and yanked me into a storage room. I screamed and struggled, only calming down when I smelled Emilio's unique herbal scent. He panted lightly. The top three buttons of his white shirt were undone, and the drug made a blush spread across his taut chest. He looked beyond sexy. I couldn't help but swallow, and Emilio saw that. He chuckled and tilted my chin up, his voice husky and lazy as he asked, "Like what you see?" I pushed him away, embarrassed that he'd seen through me. I stammered, "N-No…" He pulled me into his arms again, pressing my hands to his chest. His brows furrowed, and he looked like he was in discomfort. "Help me if you like me…" Emilio leaned in to kiss me before I could respond. My eyes widened in shock before I slowly got caught up in this dominant yet restrained kiss. When I woke up again, we were naked as we lay beside each other on a bed. Emilio had his head propped on one hand as he looked down at me. The drug's effects had worn off, but his eyes still burned with lust. That day, he said to me, "I'll take responsibility for this." And he did. He stopped fooling around with other women and became exclusive with me. Meanwhile, I rejected many offers to form marriage alliances with other men and stayed in Emilio's company. I stayed by his side. Whenever Christopher saw me bury myself in work while other heiresses partied it up abroad, he would ask me what about Emilio's company had me so enthralled. Countless times, I wanted to tell him about my relationship with Emilio. However, Emilio was adamant that we keep it a secret, when he usually went along with everything I said. I originally thought it was because he was scared Christopher would get mad at him after finding out, but now, I knew the truth. Christopher had witnessed Emilio's love for Amber and knew how he'd threatened to take his own life for her. How could he possibly bear to leave me in Emilio's hands? How could Emilio dare to let Christopher find out about this? Well, Emilio wouldn't need to worry about that anymore because we would no longer have anything to do with each other. Now that Amber was back, I would return Emilio to her. As for our time together and the love we'd shared, I'd picked them up in the past, and I could set them down now. Chapter 2 The next day, I woke up to find it was already the afternoon. I'd been burning with a fever all night. My head pounded, and my throat was so hoarse I couldn't speak. I checked my phone and saw dozens of unread messages. "Happy birthday, Calista! I bought you a yacht—let's take it for a spin soon!" "Callie, your dad insisted on flying back to celebrate your birthday. Honestly, I can't do anything about him." "Happy 25th birthday, Callie! I'll always love you!" The screen was filled with birthday wishes from my parents, who were abroad, Christopher, friends, and classmates. They'd all sent their blessings. But Emilio, who slept by my side every night, hadn't sent a single message. I sighed, my mind fuzzy as I vaguely recalled asking Emilio to get me a glass of water in the middle of the night. However, he'd been on the balcony, taking a call. After ending the call, he'd left in a hurry, and he hadn't come back since. I dragged my exhausted body out of bed. The fever made it hard to stand steady. Just then, the door opened. Emilio was back. He carried a pile of gifts, each one clearly expensive from the packaging alone. Noticing my gaze, he hurried over. "Why are you only waking up now, sleepyhead?" I turned my head, dodging his outstretched hand. I looked down at the gifts and said softly, "My birthday's already over, Emilio." He froze, his hand hovering in the air for a long moment before slowly dropping. He glanced at the calendar on the wall and quickly set down the gifts, looking guilty as he grabbed my hand. "Babe, I'm so sorry. Work was crazy yesterday. Let me make it up to you today, okay?" "Don't bother. You missed it, and that's a fact." I rejected his offer without hesitation. Emilio watched as I trudged back to the bedroom, the guilt in his eyes deepening. I sat in the bedroom, feeling like my head was heavier and dizzier. Half an hour later, I stepped out again to find that Emilio was gone. Laura noticed my confusion and explained, "Mr. Slater went out to buy you a birthday gift, Ms. LeBlanc. Don't be upset with him. He really was tied up with something important yesterday." I faltered and looked at the pile of gift bags on the table. "He's buying me a gift?" Laura followed my line of sight and hurriedly moved the bags to a cabinet, as if afraid I'd touch them. "Ms. LeBlanc, these are for Mr. Slater's important clients. He instructed that no one should touch them." Important clients? I immediately understood when I saw the cosmetics and women's handbags. To Emilio, the most important person besides his parents was probably Amber. In fact, she probably meant more to him than they did. After all, he'd once fought with them to the point of cutting ties just to marry her. So, Emilio hadn't forgotten my birthday by mistake. He'd never thought of it at all. He could've pretended to have mixed up the dates and used these things he'd already bought to appease me, but he didn't. Anything meant for Amber was untouchable by others. Amber had only just returned to the country, and I'd already lost completely. I didn't dare think about how many more times Emilio would make me lose in the days to come. … When Emilio returned with a bouquet of flowers, I was lying in bed, blankly scrolling through my phone. Noticing my glumness, he sat on the edge of the bed and ruffled my hair. "Babe, don't be mad. I bought you lots of things. If you're still upset, how about you give me a slap?" As he spoke, he took my hand and pressed it to his cheek. Seeing him act so humbly made my heart ache even more. He wasn't someone with a good temper. In the past, when his girlfriends threw tantrums, he never bothered to placate or coax them. He would just dump them and move on. But with me, he was endlessly indulgent, even humbling himself to beg for forgiveness like this. I wondered whether he was so good to me because he loved me, or because I resembled Amber the most. With that thought, I turned to look at him and raised my hand, letting the slap land. Emilio froze, clearly not expecting me to actually hit him. However, he didn't mind, assuming I was just angry. Sporting a clear handprint on his face, he quickly turned to grab a gift box. Inside was a necklace—a new piece by my favorite designer that had been released two weeks ago. I'd been trying to get my hands on it but couldn't. I hadn't expected Emilio to get it in just half an hour. It must've cost him a fortune. Suddenly, I couldn't understand what he was thinking. He was still so good to me, so good that it was enough to make everyone envy me. The only flaw was that I would always come second to Amber. Emilio smiled faintly when he saw my stunned expression. He brushed aside my hair, wanting to put the necklace on me. But when his hand touched my neck, his expression turned serious. "Why are you so hot?" He finally noticed my fever and scooped me up without another word, rushing me to the hospital. Before leaving, he shouted at the maids, "Didn't any of you notice that Calista has a fever? You're all fired as of tomorrow!" Then, he hurriedly drove me to the hospital, running a dozen red lights on the way. At the hospital, the doctor asked about our relationship. "He's my brother." "I'm her boyfriend." We spoke simultaneously. The doctor eyed us in confusion, and Emilio repeated firmly, "I'm her boyfriend." I looked at him, puzzled. In the past, he would never have admitted our relationship in public. Even when no one we knew was around, he would call me his sister. Over time, I'd gotten used to introducing myself that way, too. To think he would now openly acknowledge our relationship out of guilt. I smiled self-deprecatingly as I watched the IV drip slowly release its contents. A nurse standing nearby couldn't help but say, "Good thing you brought her here in time, or the ba—" I coughed violently, cutting her off. Emilio turned to get me water, and in that moment, I shook my head at the nurse, signaling her to stop. I'd already decided to end things with Emilio, so I didn't want him to know about the child. Thankfully, he didn't think much of it. He helped me sit up and fed me water. Just then, Christopher burst through the door and rushed to my bedside. "Calista, why didn't you tell me you were—" He stopped short as he locked eyes with Emilio. Emilio returned to his senses first and calmly set the water back on the table. "Why are you here?" Christopher asked. "Calista collapsed from exhaustion at the company. I happened to see her and brought her to the hospital." Emilio's lie was delivered smoothly, but his expression changed instantly when he saw Amber outside the room. She, on the other hand, walked in with a fruit basket. She smiled and held her head high. "I was catching up with Christopher at a cafe when he heard his sister was sick. He was so worried he nearly forgot to pay the bill. I tagged along to check on things. You don't look too happy to see me, Emilio." Emilio's expression darkened. As he met Amber's gaze, his eyes held an emotion I couldn't decipher. Then, it hit me. The emotion was anger—something I'd never seen in him before, sparked by Amber's indifference. As the atmosphere grew tense, I got out of bed and extended my hand to her. "Hi, I'm Calista LeBlanc." She looked me up and down. Then, her eyes widened as if in realization. She smiled faintly and shook my hand. "Hi, I'm Amber Granger, Christopher's friend." Emilio stiffened at her introduction and unconsciously clenched his fists. I forced a bitter smile at his reaction. Suddenly, Amber gasped and covered her mouth daintily. "What a coincidence, Calista. You have dimples, too! You look so pretty when you smile, and you look a bit like me." Chapter 3 At those words, Emilio tensed even more. I remained calm and smiled again. "Really? Our meeting must've been written in the stars, then." Christopher laughed at our exchange. "Amber, after all these years, you're still so awkward when trying to get close to others." She playfully nudged his arm, their familiarity evident. Meanwhile, Emilio stood to the side like an outsider. His eyes narrowed—a sign I knew meant he was furious. He said to Christopher, "Since you're here, I'll leave Calista to you. I'm heading out." But Christopher stopped him and held out a set of keys. "Perfect timing. Why don't you give Amber a ride home?" Emilio stared at the keys, unmoving, refusing to take them. Finally, Amber pushed Christopher's hand back. "There's no need to trouble him. I can get home on my own." With that, she bid Christopher goodbye and thoughtfully wished me a speedy recovery. Then, she turned and left in a hurry. Emilio's gaze didn't leave her the entire time. Christopher looked at him helplessly and sighed loudly. "Man, I gave you a chance, and you still didn't take it. Aren't you going to chase after her? Do you really want to miss out on her again?" At that, Emilio instinctively glanced back at me, his expression darkening. He snapped, "Are you drunk on coffee or something? What nonsense are you spouting?" Christopher was taken aback, puzzled by Emilio's sudden anger. He rolled his eyes and pushed past him, heading out while jingling his car keys. "If you're not going to drive her, I can't sit by and watch as Amber goes home alone." Soon, Emilio and I were left alone in the hospital room. Neither of us spoke. My calm demeanor seemed to make him uneasy. He opened his mouth to explain, but before he could, a nurse came in, saying I needed to go for more tests. Emilio nodded and gently helped me up, instructing the nurse not to hurt me. He was as attentive as ever, but from start to end, his mind was elsewhere. As I followed the nurse down the hall, I caught sight of two familiar figures in the opposite corridor. Christopher leaned against the railing, saying, "From the way you acted just now, it seems like you're really not interested in getting back together with Emilio." Amber lit a cigarette and exhaled slowly before smirking. "Get back with him? Over my dead body, maybe." As her final word landed, I noticed Emilio standing frozen at the end of the corridor. He stared at Amber, as if they were the only two people in the long hallway. Christopher stubbed out his cigarette and patted Amber's shoulder. "Well, this'll be interesting. You two take your time. I'll wait in the parking lot." But after he left, Amber and Emilio didn't just talk. They looked more like they were arguing. Though I couldn't hear the specifics, Emilio's heated gestures told me it was intense. I stood across the hall, my heart tangled in complicated emotions. This was the first time I'd ever seen Emilio lose control. He was always nonchalant at high-stakes business events and composed even during dangerous races. But now, because of something Amber had said, he was unraveling completely. I didn't watch any longer. I turned and followed the nurse away. When I finished my tests and came out, I heard Christopher's voice again. "Amber, if I'm not wrong, you came back for Emilio. You clearly still have feelings for him, so why say something like that? Aren't you afraid he'll get mad and actually give up on you?" She laughed as if she'd heard the most absurd joke. "Him, give up on me? From day one, I've always been the one who has the right not to want him. You don't know Emilio, Christopher. He's the type who responds to tough love, not softness. "If we don't fight, how else will he remember the pain of our breakup? Pain is love. I want him to recall what it felt like to love me." "The feeling of loving you?" Christopher pulled out his phone, scrolling through photo after photo of Emilio with his ex-girlfriends. "Look at this—Emilio's never forgotten what it's like to love you. Sure, he's dated a lot of women over the years, but every single one looks like you. "They were all just flings, too. The moment he heard you were coming back, he dumped them all. I didn't even realize he was that devoted to you…" Amber glanced at the photos briefly before looking up, her tone carrying a deeper meaning. "Dumped them all? I wouldn't be so sure." Christopher frowned, looking confused. "No way. He's head over heels for you." She merely chuckled without explaining. "He does love me, but it's not enough. It's nowhere near enough. If he'd been head over heels for me back then, why would I have left? "Everyone thinks I left for my career, but the truth is, his parents forced me to go abroad after my family went bankrupt. "They wouldn't let me be with Emilio, let alone marry him. That's why I have to use these tactics to make sure his heart belongs to me alone. Only then will he have the courage to stand up to his parents." Amber patted Christopher's shoulder reassuringly when she saw the stunned look on his face. "Don't worry about it. We may have fought today, but all it'll take is a little sweet-talking for him to come running back to me." With that, she and Christopher headed downstairs. As she left, she glanced upstairs, where I stood. I clearly caught the provocation in her gaze. Chapter 4 When I returned to the hospital room, Emilio was gone. All that remained was a payment receipt with his signature, which had been left on the bed. The nurse explained, "He paid the bill and left in a hurry. He probably had something urgent to handle." I stared at the receipt. After a long pause, I asked softly, "What was he like when he left?" The nurse thought for a moment before saying, "He didn't seem okay. His eyes were red, like he'd been crying." Crying? I gripped the paper tighter. I'd underestimated how much Emilio cared for Amber. "Are you okay, miss? Are you feeling unwell again?" I shook my head and turned to the nurse. "Please process my discharge." She looked surprised. "But you're still—" "I don't want to stay here anymore." I didn't want to stay in a place that still carried the faint scent of Amber's perfume. Instead of going back to the villa I shared with Emilio, I went to my own home. Christopher was shocked to see me. "Calista, weren't you in the hospital? Why are you back so suddenly?" I welled up and threw myself into his arms, allowing my tears to soak his shirt. "Oh, my. What's wrong, Calista?" Amber's voice rang out. I pulled away from Christopher and turned to her. "Why are you here?" Christopher explained, "We're having a welcome-back party for Amber here. She's the star of the show today." My eyes met Amber's. Hers were filled with clear provocation and mockery. Christopher ruffled my hair. "Calista, what's wrong? Why were you crying? Did someone upset you?" I shook my head and wiped my tears haphazardly. "It's nothing." Then, I headed toward the door. "Hey, where are you going? Calista, what's wrong?" Christopher started to follow, but Amber grabbed his hand. She said softly, "Let me talk to her. You don't understand how women feel." The sound of high heels followed me. Amber leaned close and whispered, "Calista, shall we have a chat?" I shook off her hand and said coldly, "We have nothing to talk about." Instead of getting angry, she laughed. "Oh, really?" She leaned in further, her voice low enough for only me to hear. "After all, we've both slept with the same man." I jolted. Amber led me back to the living room, where her friends were gathered. Their eyes brimmed with malice. She must've already told them who I was. Still, she put on an act and introduced me to the crowd. "This is the piece of trash Emilio hasn't gotten around to throwing out." Her offensive words made me turn to her coldly. "And what are you? A manipulator who wants to trick Emilio into falling for her by playing hard to get?" Amber faltered, clearly not expecting me to fire back. Her expression darkened instantly, but her friends jumped in to attack me. "A manipulator?" "Ha! At least Amber genuinely won Emilio over, unlike you!" "Yeah. Didn't she come in crying earlier? She's pathetic." "Wanna bet how long it takes for Emilio to dump her?" "I say one day!" "I say one hour!" I hurled a glass onto the floor, the sound echoing sharply. The room fell silent, but Christopher rushed out from the kitchen. Amber immediately picked up the glass shards, gently holding my hand and asking if I'd been burned. In that moment, I wasn't repulsed. I merely felt relieved. So, this was the scheming woman Emilio had been unable to forget all these years. I suddenly wondered how he would react if he knew that all his pain and hysteria over Amber were just part of her game. Of course, that had nothing to do with me anymore. I turned and headed to Christopher, saying, "I heard from Mr. Slater that you wanted to set me up with someone." He blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah. He even told you about that? Since when did you two get so close?" For a moment, I was tempted to tell him that Emilio and I weren't just close. We kissed every day, touched each other, and called each other pet names. But all I did was smile bitterly and say, "We're not close. As for that guy you wanted to introduce me to—I'm game." I kept my head lowered as I walked out, adding the guy's contact on my phone. His profile picture was a seascape, old-fashioned and quaint. Soon, he responded to my message with one of his own. "I'm Rowan Sterling." The name felt familiar, like I'd seen it somewhere before. Suddenly, my phone was snatched away. Emilio had shown up at some point, looking displeased. "Why didn't you tell me that you got discharged?" His gaze flicked to my phone, and he frowned. "Rowan Sterling? That's a guy's name. Who is he? Why haven't you mentioned him before?" I grabbed my phone back, ignoring his barrage of questions. I said coldly, "You left without a word, too, didn't you?" He stiffened. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, Christopher waved him over. "Perfect timing! Today's Amber's welcome-back party. Come have a drink." Emilio looked at Amber, who stood in the center of the crowd. He growled, "A welcome-back party I wasn't told about?" Sensing the tension, someone chimed in, "Oh, Amber only invited close friends. Don't take it personally." "Yeah, and her crush, Jon Clarke, is here. It'd be awkward to invite you." "Crush? Jon Clarke?" Emilio's expression darkened completely at that. I knew he was on the verge of losing it. If I weren't there, he might've already stormed over to Amber to confront her. I smiled bitterly at the sight of his furious, trembling figure and turned to Christopher. "I'm heading home." My steps were unsteady because my fever hadn't fully subsided. Emilio instinctively reached out to steady me but stopped when he glanced at Amber. His hand dropped silently. "Calista, you don't look well. Why don't you let Emilio take you home? He's got nothing better to do here, and I'm busy entertaining other guests, anyway." Amber brushed past Emilio and grabbed my hand. He turned to look at her, the sorrow in his eyes piercing my heart like a sword. I shook my head. "There's no need to trouble Mr. Slater." Emilio froze. He stepped forward to follow me but ultimately stopped himself. In the end, Christopher was the one to take me home. I leaned against the car window without saying a word. My phone pinged with a message from a number I didn't recognize. The sender revealed that she was Amber, and she sent a photo of Emilio's profile as he sat in the driver's seat. "Oh, he's so petty. The moment you left, he punched Jon and dragged me away. Poor guy—he was just playing along with my act. I'll have to make it up to him later. "You still don't know how to handle men, Calista. You need to be hot and cold; be nasty one moment and nice the next. Keep them on a leash, and they'll never forget you." I zoomed in on the photo, noticing blood at the corner of Emilio's mouth. It was probably from his fight with Jon. "Calista, what's going on with you?" Christopher pulled over and turned to look into my red-rimmed eyes. "You've been off all day. Tell me what happened, and I'll take care of it for you!" I pursed my lips. Just as I wanted to speak, a Porsche pulled up in front of us. Emilio and Amber got out. He yanked her out of the car, and they started arguing again. But this time, it didn't end with them parting ways. He suddenly pinned her against the car door and kissed her fiercely. He gripped her waist and deepened the kiss. I started trembling as I watched them quietly. Christopher noticed me staring and chuckled, thinking I was curious. "Don't be so surprised. That's just how they are. One second, they're fighting. The next second, they're getting a room. I'm used to it by now. After all this time apart, Amber still has Emilio wrapped around her finger." He glanced at me, panicking when he saw me sweating profusely. "Calista, what's wrong?" I clutched my abdomen and said weakly, "Take me… to the hospital…" Chapter 5 When I woke up in the hospital again, Christopher stood by the bed, his face dark with anger. He threw a pregnancy test report at me. "Calista LeBlanc, who is the father?" I pursed my lips and gripped the bedsheet, saying nothing. He went on for a while, but I stayed silent. Then, Emilio walked in, and my heart leapt to my throat. "Why are you here?" Christopher asked, puzzled. Emilio said calmly, "I heard from a colleague that your sister was sick. As her boss, it's normal for me to check on an employee, right?" Christopher frowned but didn't think much of it. He said impatiently, "Get out. I need to talk to her." Emilio was taken aback. His gaze landed on the report. I coughed, and Christopher quickly hid the paper behind his back, shouting, "Get out!" Emilio hesitated but ultimately left the room. It was just me and Christopher now. His tone was grim as he repeated, "Who is the father?" I wanted so badly to tell him it was the man he'd just kicked out. But what right did I have? Emilio had just called me his employee, and last night, he'd kissed another woman like his life depended on it. How could someone like that deserve to be my child's father? I smiled bitterly and snatched the report from Christopher. Then, I tore it to shreds. "Don't ask, Christopher. This is my business." He barked out an exasperated laugh and stepped back. "Fine. Fine! You're all grown up now, and I can't keep you in check anymore! Did you stop to think about what would happen when Mom and Dad find out about this, Calista? You're carrying the child of a man you refuse to name!" Guilt flooded me when I saw his face become blotchy with rage. Finally, I looked up at him solemnly. "Give me a little time, okay? I'll tell you everything." Christopher looked into my eyes for a while before leaving, slamming the door behind him. Emilio was startled by the loud bang. He slowly walked into the room and asked, "What were you two talking about? Why was he so mad?" When I didn't answer, his head shot up sharply. "You didn't tell him about us, did you? Calista, I told you—" "I didn't," I cut him off, irritated. Even now, he was terrified that I might reveal our relationship to Christopher. Of course, he was—he'd cheated right in front of Christopher. He wouldn't have the nerve to own up to anything. "Sorry," he said. "I got ahead of myself." Emilio sat by my bed and gently touched my hand, which was hooked to an IV. "Why were you in such a rush to leave the hospital? Your fever hasn't broken." I didn't respond. Instead, I fixed my gaze on his neck, where a mark that I hadn't left stood out. He noticed my stare and quickly adjusted his collar. "It's a mosquito bite. The weather's been warm lately." I looked away and said softly, "Must be a lot of mosquitoes." How else could there be so many love bites on that small patch of skin? Emilio was relieved by my response. He poured me a glass of water and made small talk. Suddenly, he glanced at his watch. "I've got some company business to handle. I'll head out now and send Laura to stay with you." He was lying again. Before, when I'd merely sprained my ankle, he'd chosen to stay by my side, even if it meant missing multimillion-dollar deals. At that time, he said I was more important than anything in the world. But now, I knew that while I might outshine the world, I would always lose to Amber. Sure enough, an hour later, Amber posted on her social media. The photo showed no faces, just two hands clasped under a sunset. The caption read, "How long will it take to let go this time?" I had to admit that she knew how to play men. Instead of saying she loved Emilio, she hinted that they would part again if he didn't try harder. When I snapped to my senses, I saw a comment below from Emilio. It was short and simple. "Never." I smiled, gave the post a like, and took a screenshot. Then, I stumbled out of bed and went to the clinic I'd visited not long ago. This time, I said firmly, "Doctor, I don't want the baby." The doctor was taken aback. "Ms. LeBlanc, are you sure?" I nodded with a smile. "I'm positive. After all, the child's father doesn't want it anymore." After scheduling the abortion, I left the hospital. Amber sent me another message. This time, it was a photo of two plane tickets. She and Emilio were going on vacation. At the same time, Emilio messaged me. "Babe, I'm going on a business trip. I'll be back soon." I smiled. After years of lying to Christopher, Emilio could spin falsehoods without batting an eye. I didn't reply to him, but I replied to Amber. "Have a great trip." They were embarking on their journey together, and I was ready to start my own. I returned to the villa and began packing my things. I took only what was mine and threw out everything tied to Emilio, like the wooden carving he'd given me and the first racing medal he'd won. When I was done, I looked back at the empty house, my eyes stinging. This place had seen our laughter, our intimacy, and the countless "I love you" we'd exchanged. I wouldn't be coming back here anymore. Chapter 6 I rented a small apartment to stay in temporarily and started drawing again. In university, I studied design and even won several prestigious international awards. But to be with Emilio, I'd chosen to work as an ordinary industrial product designer at his company. Truthfully, I didn't enjoy it. I loved designing jewelry and clothing—beautiful things always brought me joy. Life began to settle into a quiet routine, but Amber wouldn't let me have peace. Every day of her vacation with Emilio, she sent me messages. One showed her lying on a beach while he massaged her with essential oils. Another showed a tangled bedsheet with their hands tightly intertwined. One more even showed scattered clothes on the floor and a trash can overflowing with condoms. My heart, though already numb, still ached. My stomach twinged with pain, too. But it was fine. Soon, it wouldn't hurt anymore. With a little more time, I wouldn't hurt anymore, either. I blocked Amber everywhere and threw myself back into drawing. … A week later, Emilio and Amber's vacation ended, but only he returned. Amber had been abducted. Unexpectedly, the next time I saw Emilio was at my home. His hair was disheveled, his face was bruised, and his eyes were bloodshot. He was frantic, almost deranged, as Christopher held him tightly, keeping him in place. "Have you lost your mind? You want to trade your life for hers? I've already sent people to investigate this, so don't worry! Amber will be fine!" Soon, Emilio's parents arrived and ordered their bodyguards to pin Emilio down. "If you dare go to that hostage exchange today, consider yourself disowned! Amber Granger is just an ordinary woman, but you're the Slater family's heir! Your life is worth millions of hers, and yet you want to trade it for her? You're insane!" his father yelled. His mother, Mrs. Slater, sobbed beside him. "Exactly! I heard that Crimson Flame is the one who abducted her—haven't you heard of that gang before? No one comes out of their hands alive! Their hostages leave with missing arms or organs at best! "You almost lost a limb racing for her before. Have you forgotten that pain and torment? I won't let you do anything stupid for her again!" But Emilio wasn't listening. He thrashed like a madman, shoving past everyone as he bolted out of the house. In the chaos, he knocked me to the floor. Blood instantly gushed down my legs, and I curled up in agony. "Calista!" Christopher shouted and ran to me. My vision blurred as I clutched my abdomen. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emilio glance back at me. His gaze was shocked—he hadn't realized it was me he'd pushed. But his attention was fleeting. He turned away after a brief pause and jumped into his car, speeding off. The roar of the engine was deafening, and the thick exhaust fumes choked me until my nose prickled. I watched as the red Porsche vanished into the distance. Then, I slowly closed my eyes. … When I woke again, my stomach was flat. The heartbeat was gone. I'd already decided not to keep the child, so why did losing it still hurt so much? Christopher sat beside me. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he hadn't slept in days. When he saw I was awake, he tensed. "Calista, you…" He slammed his fist against the wall. "Damn Emilio! I wish he were dead! He caused your miscarriage!" I smiled weakly. "It's okay. I didn't want the baby, anyway." Judging from what he said, Emilio was probably fine. Christopher showed me a video from the abductors. In it, Amber was bound tightly, while Emilio was pinned down by a group of men. He roared, "Let her go! Didn't we agree on a life for a life? I'm here now, so release her!" The leader sneered. "Release her? It's not that simple. I hear you're the Slater family's heir. That's quite the prize—I've never had a rich boy kneel to me before. Do it and prostrate yourself before me, and I'll let her—" Before the man finished, Emilio got to his knees and slammed his forehead against the floor so hard that it instantly drew blood. The leader sat up, intrigued. "You're desperately in love with her, aren't you? Too bad I was just messing with you." "You!" Emilio's eyes were bloodshot. He choked up as he asked, "What will it take for you to let her go? Name it, and I'll do it." The leader twirled a knife before holding it inches from Emilio's eye. "Your eyes look nice. I want them." Without a second's hesitation, Emilio said, "Deal." The leader grinned and plunged the knife toward his eyeball. Emilio screamed in agony, clutching his face as blood streamed down. The video ended there. Christopher locked his phone and sighed. "Thankfully, they were rescued. Emilio's eye is fine—the cut wasn't deep. He's insane for going that far for Amber. If she'd died, he'd probably have gone with her." "She won't die," I said flatly. I knew because I'd clearly seen her sitting in that chair and smirking as she watched Emilio struggle. She was far more terrifying than I'd imagined. Christopher sighed and pulled a tiny piece of clothing from his bag. "I thought I was going to be an uncle." I stared at the tiny garment, unable to snap out of it. I didn't cry upon seeing Emilio and Amber's intimate photos, nor did I cry when he caused my miscarriage to save her. But now, I couldn't take it anymore. I threw myself into Christopher's arms and sobbed until I couldn't breathe. He stroked my head gently. "It's okay. I'm here for you. But if I find out who the bastard is who got you pregnant, I'll tear him apart!" Suddenly, I realized that even without Emilio, there were still so many people who loved me. While Christopher stepped out to buy food, I started opening the gifts my friends had sent to me during my hospital stay. Among them was a small box containing a piece by my favorite designer, Diske. It was an amethyst necklace. It was a piece I knew Diske had refused to sell despite the bidding price going up to three million dollars. What was it doing here? I searched for the gift card to see who sent it, but there was no name. As I puzzled over it, the door was kicked open. Emilio stormed in, looking livid. He snatched the necklace and hurled it to the floor. "How can you be in the mood to mess with this junk? You almost got someone killed!" I stared at him in disbelief. "What are you talking about?" "Stop playing dumb!" He shoved me onto the bed. "Amber told me everything! She heard the mastermind talking to you on the phone! Tell me the truth—was it you who had her abducted?" In that moment, it all clicked. I looked at him coldly. "Oh? She heard that? Did she tell you what I said?" He froze. I scoffed. "So, you don't even know what I supposedly said, but you're ready to condemn me because of something Amber threw out there. You've never explained your relationship with her to me from the start, Emilio. And now, you're attacking me for her…" My voice trembled, and my abdomen cramped in pain. My face became as white as a sheet. Emilio faltered. Just then, a nurse burst into the room and cried, "Ms. Granger's having a panic attack! You need to come now!" When Emilio heard that, his face filled with panic and concern. He steadied himself against the wall and hurried off, but he paused at the door to look back at me. "I'll get to the bottom of this. If it really was you, we're done. I won't be with someone so vicious." With that, he left the room. The moment he was gone, my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. When Christopher returned, he saw me on the floor and dropped the lunchbox he held. "Calista!" After settling me back in, he grabbed the nurse. "What the hell happened? She was fine when I left!" She stammered, "I-I don't know… All I know is that Mr. Slater was here, saying something about breaking up with Ms. LeBlanc. Then, she fainted…" "Breaking up?" Christopher froze. The next second, he charged upstairs like a madman. He kicked open the door to find Emilio at Amber's bedside, gently feeding her soup. "Christopher? Why are you—" Christopher knocked the bowl from his hands. "You want to break up with Calista? You're the bastard who got her pregnant, huh?" "What? Pregnant?" Emilio was stunned.