Chapter 30: Michael Finally Replied

Emerald’s POV

As soon as I stepped inside my dorm, I placed my bag on the chair and took out my phone.

I briefly stared at the contact I had saved this afternoon. Professor King.

I released a slow breath before opening our chat. After thinking about my wording carefully, I began typing.

Good evening, Professor King. It’s Emerald Hugo. I apologise for texting without notice and so late this evening.

I read the message once. Satisfied, I pressed send, then began typing another.

I got your number from the administrative office today. I think you forgot to send me your bank account details so I can refund the money you spent for me at the supermarket. That’s why I’m reaching out. Have a good evening, Sir.

This time, I read through the message twice before pressing send.

The two messages sat neatly on my screen. For some reason, I felt relieved. At least now, he knew why I had contacted him. Whether he replied tonight or not was entirely up to him.

I locked my phone and placed it on the desk.

After freshening up, I changed into something more comfortable before returning to my room.

Out of habit, my eyes drifted towards the phone. The screen was dark, so I double-tapped it to wake it up. There were no new notifications, so I turned my phone’s screen to face my desk.

I smiled to myself. He was probably busy. Pulling out my laptop and notebook, I settled down to study.

The next hour passed quietly. Apart from the occasional sound of pages turning, the room remained still.

Then my phone suddenly rang. The sound startled me, and I automatically reached for it. For one brief moment, my heart skipped.

Could it be Professor King?

The thought disappeared the instant I turned my phone over and looked at the screen.

Mum.

I quietly released the breath I had been holding. After a moment’s hesitation, I answered the call. "Good evening, Mum."

"What took you so long to answer?" Her voice carried the same sharpness I had grown accustomed to over the years.

I chose silence. There was no point explaining anything to her. Besides, I wasn’t in the mood to argue.

This was the first time she had called me since I arrived at Lanard Business School, so I would rather keep the conversation peaceful if possible.

Perhaps sensing that I wasn’t going to respond, she dropped the matter. "Next Saturday is your cousin’s wedding."

"I know."

"I expect you to be there."

I lowered my eyes. "Mum... classes have already started. I don’t know if I’ll be able to—"

She cut me off immediately. "Busy?" Her tone rose slightly. "You claim to be busy, but are you busier than your father and I, who are running multiple businesses?"

I pressed my lips together. Dad, perhaps. But Mum? I doubted it.

She certainly had responsibilities of her own, but she also had far more free time than she liked to admit.

I kept those thoughts to myself regardless.

She continued before I had the opportunity to speak again. "Everyone who lives outside LA will be flying in. I don’t want to be looking for you on that day."

A brief pause followed. Then, in a tone that almost sounded considerate, she added, "If your schedule is really that tight, come down a day before the wedding. Showing up on the wedding day itself is out of the question. It reflects badly on the family, so don’t even think about it."

Before I could answer, the line went dead. I slowly lowered the phone from my ear. A long sigh escaped me, and the room became quiet again.

I leaned back in my chair, my thoughts drifting towards the wedding.

The bride, Vera Hugo. She was the eldest daughter of the Hugo family, and the youngest child of my father’s eldest brother.

More importantly... she had never liked me.

Ever since Mum and I became part of the Hugo family, Vera had made sure I knew exactly where I stood.

When we were younger, she bullied me whenever the opportunity presented itself. Sometimes behind closed doors. Sometimes right in front of everyone else.

She never seemed afraid of being called out. Perhaps that wasn’t surprising. After all, she was Grandfather Darius Hugo’s beloved first granddaughter.

There were times when I genuinely wondered whether she feared anyone at all.

Now... with everything that had happened between Kelvin and me... I could already imagine the looks I would receive if I attended that wedding.

The whispers. The questions. The fake sympathy.

Some would pity me, while others would quietly laugh behind my back. The thought alone was enough to drain what little energy I had left.

My fingers slowly curled into fists as the image of Kelvin flashed through my mind. Followed closely by Maya.

I instantly got reminded of the betrayal, the humiliation. Everything they had done returned with startling clarity.

My jaw tightened. "I really wish you hell."

The words left my mouth in a low whisper.

It wasn’t a passing remark. Nor was it something I said solely in anger. It was the most sincere wish I could offer Kelvin Mercer.

After everything he and Maya had put me through... It was the only thing that felt honest.

My phone slipped from my hand onto the desk. I closed my eyes and slowly exhaled. There were times I genuinely wondered if things would ever become easier.

Just then, a notification sound broke the silence of the room.

I opened my eyes. For a moment, I simply stared at my phone. Then, without much interest, I reached over and picked it up. The moment the screen lit up, my eyes froze.

Professor King.

My heart skipped a beat. He replied?

I stared at the notification for several seconds. I had almost convinced myself he wouldn’t respond tonight. Yet here it was, right when I least expected it.

Somehow, the heaviness weighing on my chest eased ever so slightly.

My fingers trembled as I unlocked the phone. Then I tapped on the message, and the chat opened.

Immediately, my eyes dropped to his reply.