Chapter 11 Then Be with Me

The next morning, she followed the crowd into the elevator, eyes glued to her phone.

The moment she stepped inside, a familiar scent hit her.

Without looking up, she edged into a corner, trying to get as far from him as possible, yet she could feel that sharp gaze fixed on her.

More people squeezed in. The cramped space filled with clashing perfumes and cologne.

Emma covered her mouth, turned sideways, and gagged several times.

Only after the crowd thinned out did she feel a little better.

“What’s wrong, Emma? You haven’t had much of an appetite lately,” Iris whispered, eyeing her pale face.

“I’m fine. I’m just stressing over moving,” she said.

“You’re single now. Want me to introduce someone?” Iris waggled her brows.

Emma shot her a look. “If I wanted a relationship, there’d be a queue from here to the parking lot.”

“Okay, okay. A future celebrity designer has no shortage of suitors, I get it,” Iris teased.

“Oh? Does Emma have romance on her agenda?” Ethan happened to pass by and caught that last sentence.

The three of them shared an awkward laugh.

At lunch, when everyone headed to the cafeteria, Emma called Ryan to request a meeting with Liam.

Once she got the green light, she went straight up to the 30th floor.

“What brings you here?” Liam asked, not looking away from his screen.

He was wearing a white shirt and a vest today, his aura slightly different. Cooler. Sharper.

• Is that the shirt I had made? *

She walked forward and placed a paper bag on his desk.

“I’m returning your jacket. Thanks,” she said.

He glanced at the bag, then looked back at her. “Not feeling well?”

“Yeah…” After yesterday, she’d decided personal matters needed a hard boundary.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back down,” she added quickly.

…

Her dizziness and nausea worsened, so she took the afternoon off and went to the hospital.

After she briefly described her symptoms, the doctor started asking questions.

“Name?”

“Emma Carter.”

“Age?”

“Twenty-two.”

“Have you had sexual intercourse in the past month?”

“Yes, but I took emergency contraception.”

“The pill is only about ninety percent effective at preventing pregnancy. Let’s begin with a prenatal ultrasound,” the doctor said.

Emma’s fingers curled around the hem of her dress as sweat formed on her forehead.

She swallowed hard, clutching the test forms as she waited outside for the results.

Tears burned behind her eyes as old memories surged up. Years ago, her mother had stood in a similar corridor, pregnant by a businessman, giving birth alone, raising Emma through sheer will. Only the two of them knew how hard it had been.

She wandered down the quiet hallway, staring at the words on the ultrasound request slip.

• No. I can’t be pregnant. That would be the end. *

• I’m only twenty-two. *

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself, but the tension only worsened.

She hesitated, wondering whether to call Liam, but he might not even pick up.

She bit her lip, stubbornly holding back her tears.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared at the end of the corridor, walking toward her.

Chloe approached, with the elderly maid Olivia Grant supporting her carefully at her side.

“Here for a checkup too, Emma?” Chloe’s gaze flicked to the clearly marked pregnancy test results in Emma’s hand, her tone razor-sharp.

Her glamorous polish was gone. Her eyes were dull, with deep bluish shadows beneath them, a stark contrast to her usual flawless image.

“Chloe.” Emma folded the sheet and tucked it behind her back.

“You’re quite the schemer,” Chloe hissed through gritted teeth.

“Why so angry?” Emma let out a small laugh.

Compared to Chloe, she’d only lost a scumbag. Chloe had lost her future husband and the father of her child.

“Hmph!” Tears spilled down Chloe’s cheeks. “You must be thrilled the engagement was cancelled! Ben loved you, yet I’m the one who got pregnant. You planned this to get revenge, didn’t you?”

“Whether I knew about your little secrets or not doesn’t matter. I kept my mouth shut,” Emma said, smiling faintly. “It was Charles who exposed everything. How is that my fault? The Carters and Grants were trying to seal a marriage alliance. You only did something this stupid because you were afraid I’d ruin it.”

“Emma! You’re just some girl who grew up without a father. How dare you accuse me?” Chloe snarled, using her background like a knife.

Emma’s expression cooled, and she fell silent.

Only when her name echoed over the PA did she snap back.

“Chloe, let’s stop here,” she said quietly and stepped aside, ready to leave.

Chloe moved in front of her again, blocking the way.

“Emma, it hasn’t even been a month since you ‘broke up’ with Ben. Were you just using that excuse to sleep around?” she spat.

“Chloe, watch your mouth,” Emma said, forcing herself to stay calm.

“Ha! What are you so nervous about?” Chloe suddenly lunged forward and snatched the test results from her hand.

“Give them back!” Emma reached out, but Olivia stepped between them.

“So it’s true,” Chloe whispered, eyes widening as she scanned the page.

Blood rushed to Emma’s face.

“Do you know why I’ve protected you all these years?” Chloe sneered. “Because Ben liked you, and I loved him. I had to act like a saint in front of him. You have no idea how much I’ve despised you.”

The words hit like a slap.

Emma’s eyes widened as the truth landed, and tears slid down her cheeks.

“Give me the report,” she said slowly.

“Name the man, and I’ll give it back.” Chloe’s eyes were vicious.

“Give it back,” Emma repeated, reaching for it.

Chloe slapped her.

Smack.

Emma’s cheek flamed with pain. The corridor fell abruptly silent, the only sound the PA calling over and over: “Emma Carter, please proceed to the examination room.”

Emma lunged again for the sheet, but Chloe’s arm came up for another blow.

Before it could land, a large hand clamped around Chloe’s wrist and forced it down.

Emma looked up at the tall figure in front of her and froze.