Chapter 61: The Line

Emily almost didn’t go.

Adrian had messaged her that afternoon.

Adrian:

Come over for a bit.

She stared at the message.

Emily:

Why?

Adrian:

Just want to talk.

She almost ignored it.

Then another message appeared.

Adrian:

No one’s home.

Emily’s stomach tightened.

That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

She should have said no.

Instead, she typed:

Emily:

For how long?

Adrian:

An hour.

Emily put her phone down.

Five minutes passed.

She picked it up again.

Emily:

Fine.

She immediately regretted sending it.

Adrian’s house was quiet when Emily arrived.

She stepped inside and looked around.

"Your parents aren’t here?"

"No."

Emily nodded.

She kept her bag on her shoulder.

Adrian closed the door.

"You can sit."

She sat on the edge of the couch.

Adrian walked toward the kitchen.

"Want anything?"

"No, I’m fine."

"Water?"

"I’m good."

He nodded and sat in the chair opposite her.

For a few minutes, they talked about nothing.

Her mother’s treatment.

Classes.

The hospital.

The weather.

Anything that didn’t require either of them to acknowledge why she was there.

Eventually, Emily stood.

"I should probably go."

Adrian looked at her.

"You just got here."

"I told you I only had an hour."

"You haven’t even stayed thirty minutes."

"I have somewhere to be."

"With Damian?"

Emily frowned.

"What does that matter?"

"It doesn’t."

"Then don’t bring him up."

Adrian looked away.

"Fine."

Emily picked up her bag.

"Thanks for helping my mom."

Adrian looked back at her.

"You’ve said that already."

"I know."

"Then stop thanking me."

Emily didn’t answer.

She moved toward the door.

Adrian stepped closer.

"Emily."

She stopped.

"What?"

"You really don’t think that kiss meant anything?"

She sighed.

"We’ve talked about this."

"I know."

"Then why are we talking about it again?"

"Because I don’t think you’re being honest with yourself."

Emily turned around.

"I know exactly how I feel."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"You love Damian."

"Yes."

"But you kissed me."

Emily’s jaw tightened.

"I already told you why."

"You were pressured."

"I said I made a mistake."

"You’re making it sound like I forced you."

"I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to."

Emily stared at him.

"I came here because I trusted you to keep this about my mother’s situation."

Adrian’s expression changed.

"I’ve helped you."

"I know."

"I’ve paid for her treatment."

"I know."

"Then why are you acting like I’m some stranger?"

"Because you’re making this about something it isn’t."

Adrian stepped closer.

Emily took a step back.

"Don’t."

He stopped.

For a second, neither moved.

Then Adrian said quietly,

"I just want you to give me a chance."

"I can’t."

"Why?"

"Because I love Damian."

"You keep saying that."

"Because it’s true."

Adrian looked at her.

Then he moved toward her again.

Emily stepped back.

"Adrian."

He reached for her.

Emily pushed his hand away.

"Stop."

He didn’t.

She shoved him harder.

"I said stop."

Her voice was louder this time.

Adrian finally stepped back.

Emily’s breathing had changed.

She grabbed her bag.

"I’m leaving."

"Emily—"

"No."

She moved toward the door.

Adrian followed.

"Wait."

"Don’t follow me."

"I just want to talk."

"I’m done talking."

She opened the door.

Adrian stopped.

Emily walked outside.

She didn’t look back.

She kept walking until she reached the end of the street.

Only then did she stop.

Her hands were shaking.

She pulled out her phone.

Damian’s name was already open on her screen.

She pressed call.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

No answer.

Emily ended the call.

She tried again.

Still nothing.

She looked at the screen.

Damian:

Sorry, in a meeting. Everything okay?

Emily stared at the message.

Her fingers moved.

Emily:

Yeah.

She stopped.

Deleted it.

Typed again.

Can you call me when you’re free?

She sent it.

Damian saw the message twenty minutes later.

He was sitting in a meeting room with Marcus and the legal consultant.

"Sorry."

He picked up his phone.

Emily’s message was still there.

Can you call me when you’re free?

He frowned.

He called her immediately.

She answered after two rings.

"Hey."

Her voice sounded different.

"Hey. What’s up?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Damian leaned back.

"You called twice."

"I know."

"You okay?"

There was a pause.

"I’m fine."

He didn’t believe her.

"Emily."

"I’m just tired."

"Okay."

Another pause.

"I’ll call you later."

"Alright."

"Love you."

Damian smiled slightly.

"Love you too."

The call ended.

Marcus looked at him.

"Everything okay?"

Damian put his phone down.

"I think so."

Marcus nodded.

"Back to the contract?"

"Yeah."

Damian looked at the document.

But his attention wasn’t completely there anymore.

Emily got home and went straight to her room.

She locked the door.

Her mother called from the living room.

"Emily?"

"Yeah?"

"You’re home?"

"Yeah."

"Everything okay?"

Emily stood beside her bed.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

"I’m fine."

Her mother didn’t answer immediately.

"Are you sure?"

Emily nodded even though her mother couldn’t see her.

"Yeah."

She sat down.

Her phone buzzed.

Damian:

You sure you’re okay?

Emily stared at it.

Then typed:

Emily:

Yeah love. Just had a rough day.

His reply came quickly.

Damian:

Want me to come over?

Her eyes filled.

She typed:

Yes.

Then stopped.

Deleted it.

Emily:

No. I’ll be okay.

Damian:

Okay. But call me if you need me.

Emily put the phone against her chest.

That was the problem.

He would come.

He always would.

She knew that.

And now she finally understood how badly she needed to stop keeping him outside.

She just wasn’t ready to open the door yet.

Adrian sat alone in his living room.

He hadn’t expected things to go that way.

He stared at his phone.

Emily hadn’t messaged him.

He opened their conversation.

Typed something.

Deleted it.

He tried again.

Adrian:

I’m sorry about earlier.

He stared at the message.

Then sent it.

There was no reply.

He put the phone down.

For the first time, he wasn’t thinking about getting closer to Emily.

He was thinking about what would happen if Damian found out.

The following morning, Damian woke up to an email from his legal team.

He opened it while sitting on the edge of his bed.

Northstar Review — Preliminary Findings

He read the first page.

Then the second.

His expression changed.

There was more information about Rachel Morgan.

Much more.

Damian sat up.

The acquisition had just become even more complicated.

He read the final line.

Further documentation required before any purchase agreement should be signed.

Damian closed the email.

"Of course."

His phone buzzed.

Ethan.

Ethan:

Football today?

Damian smiled.

Damian:

Yeah.

Ethan:

Good. Don’t disappear into billionaire business mode.

Damian laughed.

Damian:

I’m not a billionaire.

Ethan:

Yet 😂

Damian shook his head.

He got dressed.

There was a company to investigate.

A deal to decide on.

And a girlfriend who had called him twice the previous night and still hadn’t told him why.

For now, he had no idea that those things were about to collide.