Chapter 31
The city of New York stretched out beneath Emma as she gazed out of her apartment window, her fingers tracing the edge of her glass of water. The skyline shimmered in the dusk light, but her mind was a world away, wrapped in an ever-present fog of conflicting emotions. Alex’s face—so handsome, so distant—haunted her thoughts. The echoes of their last conversation, when he insisted on a divorce, played in a loop inside her head.
“We were a mistake from the start, Emma.”
His words had been cold, calculating. And yet, despite everything, a part of her couldn’t believe them. She had spent months trying to break through his walls, to show him that they were more than just a contract, more than just a business arrangement. But the more she tried to get closer, the more he seemed to retreat, as if terrified that his heart might betray him.
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to shake off the pain. But it clung to her, like a shadow she couldn’t escape. The worst part was that even now, after everything he had done—pushing her away, keeping secrets, and denying her their shared history—she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. Not fully.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, seeing Thomas’s name. She hesitated for a beat before answering.
“Emma,” his voice was calm, soothing as always. “How are you doing?”
She took a deep breath, forcing a smile she didn’t quite feel. “I’m… managing. Just thinking about things.”
“You’ve been doing a lot of that lately,” Thomas remarked gently, his words always so perceptive. “Would it help if I took you out for dinner tonight? A change of scene might do you good.”
The offer, simple as it was, felt like a balm. Thomas had been there for her through it all—helping with the corporate battle against Luka and Elliana, supporting her when the world felt like it was crumbling. He never asked for anything in return, never pushed her to move faster than she was ready to go. His kindness had become a steady anchor in a sea of uncertainty.
“I would love that,” Emma finally replied, her voice softer than she intended. “I’ll be ready in an hour.”
“Perfect,” Thomas said with a warmth that reached her even through the phone. “I’ll pick you up then.”
As the call ended, Emma set her phone down, her chest tightening with a strange blend of gratitude and guilt. Thomas had been a rock for her, unwavering in his support when her life felt like it was falling apart. He had become her confidante, her anchor amidst the chaos. But lately, something had shifted, subtly and unexpectedly.
She found herself thinking about him in quiet moments, replaying the way he spoke to her—always steady, always reassuring. There were times when his hand lingered a second longer on her shoulder, his touch warm and grounding. Times when his eyes met hers and held, unflinching, as if silently promising that she wasn’t alone.
Those moments stirred something within her. Something she hadn’t felt in what seemed like a lifetime. It was small, like the first flicker of a flame, but undeniable. And that scared her.
It wasn’t just the feeling itself—it was what it represented. A glimmer of hope, a potential for a new beginning. But to embrace it felt like a betrayal of what she had once shared with Alex. The love they had built, now fractured and distant, still weighed on her heart.
How could she ignore what Thomas made her feel? And how could she deny the kindness and strength he’d given her so freely?
Later that evening, the restaurant was warm, bustling with the hum of conversation and clinking glasses. Emma and Thomas sat in a quiet corner booth, the soft glow of candlelight flickering between them. It was a far cry from the tense business dinners Emma was accustomed to. Here, in this intimate setting, there was no talk of mergers or corporate takeovers. Just a moment of peace—a fleeting moment when the world outside seemed to fall away.
Thomas was watching her, his blue eyes intent but not probing, like he was waiting for her to say something, to share whatever burden weighed her down. Emma felt it—the pressure to speak, to open up, to acknowledge what had been simmering beneath the surface.
“I keep wondering if I’m doing the right thing,” she admitted, the words slipping out before she could stop them. “Part of me wants to hate Alex for what he’s done. For pushing me away, for not trusting me, for the way he’s kept so many secrets.” Her voice faltered. “But… I can’t. I still care about him.”
Thomas’s expression softened. He reached across the table, his hand resting over hers in a gesture so simple, yet so full of meaning.
“It’s okay, Emma. I don’t think anyone could just turn off their feelings like that. What he’s done—it’s hurtful. But it doesn’t erase the history you two share. You’re allowed to feel conflicted. You’re allowed to be angry and heartbroken. But you’re also allowed to feel love, even if it’s for someone who’s made mistakes.”
Emma swallowed hard, her chest tightening. It felt like an admission, one that she wasn’t sure she was ready to make.
“I don’t want to betray what I felt for Alex. But sometimes, I wonder if I’ve been fooling myself. That maybe it’s easier to hold on to the idea of him, than to face the reality of who he really is.”
Thomas squeezed her hand, his grip firm but gentle.
“I understand. And I want you to know, no matter what, you’re not alone in this. I’m here. For whatever you need.”
The words lingered between them, a quiet promise in the midst of the storm. Emma felt a shiver of emotion run through her, something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in so long—hope.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Thomas,” she said quietly, her voice carrying a weight of sincerity she hadn’t expected to reveal.
He smiled, that warm, understanding smile that never failed to disarm her. “You’d be just fine, Emma. You’re stronger than you think. But I’m not going anywhere. Not while you still need me.”
His words were simple, but they hit her like a wave. She felt it then, as his hand rested lightly on the table beside hers—an unfamiliar yet undeniable warmth spreading through her.
Thomas wasn’t just a safe harbor in the storm of her life; he was her steady anchor, her quiet strength. She’d always known she could rely on him, but now, sitting across from him in this moment of calm, she realized something more.
She needed him. Not just as a friend, not just as someone to lean on, but in a way she hadn’t allowed herself to acknowledge. Her heart still ached for Alex, the shards of their broken love still sharp and painful. But with Thomas, there was a spark of something new—a flicker of hope, of possibility.
Emma’s gaze lingered on him, her breath catching. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“For what?”
“For… being you,” she said, her lips curving into a small, genuine smile. And in the warm glow of the restaurant, with Thomas’s steady presence across from her, Emma felt the smallest hint of a future she hadn’t dared to imagine.
* * *
Alex sat in his office that night, staring out over the city. His fingers tightened around the glass of scotch in his hand, but the warmth of the liquor did little to numb the ache in his chest. He had made the decision to distance himself from her, to push her away for her own good. But every day, every hour, it felt like a punishment. He hadn’t expected it to hurt this much.
We were a mistake from the start, Emma, he had told her.
I don’t love you.
The words still felt like acid on his tongue. He hadn’t been able to look her in the eye when he said them. And now, in the quiet of his office, he couldn’t escape the truth: he loved her. He had always loved her. Their relationship had never been just a business arrangement. Not to him. From the very first moment they had met at business school, there had been something between them—an undeniable spark that neither of them could ignore.
And now, he was left to wonder if it was too late.
He thought of her, sitting across from Thomas, smiling at him. The image cut through him like a knife.
Was that what she wanted now? To move on? To find solace in the arms of someone who wasn’t so broken, someone who didn’t carry the weight of so many mistakes?
Alex’s jaw tightened, and he stood abruptly, pacing across the room. The truth was, he didn’t know how to fix this. He didn’t know how to take back the words he had said or undo the damage he had caused. And the more he tried to convince himself that it was for her own good, the more he realized that it wasn’t just about her safety—it was about his own fear of losing her forever.
But maybe I already have.
A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see his assistant standing in the doorway, holding a file in her hands.
“Mr. Barrett, there’s something you need to see.”
Reluctantly, Alex walked over and took the file from her. As he opened it, his heart sank. The documents inside detailed everything—the planned takeover of Barrett Industries by Luka and Elliana, the financial crimes, the manipulation, the illegal dealings.
His stomach churned. If Emma and Thomas were involved in exposing this, if they were uncovering the depth of Luka’s treachery… then it was only a matter of time before they found the last piece of the puzzle. The one secret that would destroy him for good.
He had been trying to protect her, to keep her safe from this world of corporate war, and yet here she was, in the thick of it. His own actions, his own choices, had led her right into the heart of the storm. Buried himself in work, spending long hours at Barrett Industries and avoiding his penthouse, where every corner seemed to hold a memory of Emma. But no matter how busy he kept himself, he couldn’t escape the gnawing sense of loss.
Every time his phone buzzed, he hoped it would be Emma, even though he knew she had no reason to reach out. Every time he saw a headline about her, his chest tightened with a mix of jealousy and regret.
