Chapter 253

Chapter 253

On the other end of the line, Daniel's voice carried a hint of fatigue but remained steady.

"What's up, Emily?"

Emily gripped her phone, her gaze fixed on the line connecting "Daniel" and "Delbert" on her small blackboard. She cut straight to the point.

"Daniel, I need to ask you about someone. Do you know a Delbert? He says he was your college classmate."

The line went silent for a beat.

Daniel's tone turned slightly puzzled, but he answered honestly.

"I do know him. I actually met up with him recently—he'd just gotten back from overseas. We had dinner together, and I mentioned you too."

"You mentioned me?"

Emily's surprise was genuine.

"Why would you tell him about me?"

Daniel cleared his throat, sounding somewhat sheepish.

"We got along pretty well back in school. And since you've relaunched your studio, I figured out—he's in the jewelry business too. Might be a good collaboration opportunity."

Daniel was being truthful. As far as he was concerned, any connection that could be useful was worth cultivating. His own company operated overseas and had nothing to do with jewelry, so he couldn't help Emily directly. When Delbert appeared offering potential business synergy, he naturally wouldn't pass it up.

Emily caught his drift and said a half-hearted thanks.

Daniel's curiosity was piqued now.

"Is that all you called to ask? Did he reach out to you? Oh, and by the way—when exactly are you and Charles having the wedding? My schedule is almost wrapped up. If you two don't set a date soon, I'll have to head back."

The barrage of questions caught Emily off guard. Considering the current situation, she decided against revealing too much. Instead, she deflected smoothly.

"We are exploring a potential collaboration, so I was just asking casually. As for the wedding, we're still planning. Probably in about a month."

Her tone shifted, taking on a slightly petulant edge.

"Why are you in such a rush to get back to the company? Every time you come home, you're swamped with work. We've barely had a proper meal together. Take some time off after you're done—treat it like a vacation."

"Go home? To your place, you mean? I'm not sure Charles would appreciate me crashing his newlywed bliss."

Daniel laughed teasingly, clearly not thinking much of the Delbert question.

They chatted idly for a few more minutes before hanging up.

Emily stared at the blackboard, where the web of connections was becoming clearer. Her fingertip traced over Delbert's name, and a cold glint sharpened in her eyes.

His appearance had come earlier than she'd anticipated.

But why was he targeting her specifically? That remained the biggest mystery.

Emily drew a large question mark beside his name. Unable to puzzle it out, she finally folded the blackboard away.

 

By the time dusk settled over the studio's floor-to-ceiling windows and the sound of the door lock turning echoed softly.

Emily had been tidying the design drafts on her desk. At the sound, she looked up—and found herself caught in the warm glow of Charles's gaze. Her fingers paused on the papers.

"What are you doing here?"

She hadn't told him she would be finishing early today, much less given him a specific time.

Charles approached, naturally taking the papers from her hands. His thumb brushed lightly across the back of her hand.

"The Manor called. They want us to come back for a bit—to discuss wedding arrangements."

Emily felt a subtle easing in her chest, paired with a faint, unexpected warmth.

These past few days, Delbert's sudden emergence had kept her nerves taut, like a string pulled to its breaking point. Now, hearing the words "wedding" and "the Manor," she felt an odd sense of stability wash over her.

She didn't hesitate. With a soft nod, she said, "All right. Let's go."



 

The ride was quiet. Charles held her hand, his palm radiating warmth.

He had originally planned to take her back to their cozy little home for a quiet evening alone. But when the elders called—especially about something as important as the wedding—there was no refusing.

A faint sense of grievance stirred in him. Just when he could finally spend uninterrupted time with her, they had to share her with the entire family.

When they arrived at the Howard Manor, lights blazed cheerfully, and a warm, lively atmosphere greeted them at the door.

Dinner was harmonious. The elders didn't pry into their private affairs, only occasionally asking Emily if the food was to her liking.

Once the meal ended, what should have been three couples sitting separately turned into something else entirely. Carol and Kelly flanked Emily on either side, pulling her into an intimate huddle. The three women chatted warmly together.

The men were left to claim the opposite sofa.

Emily didn't mind much. Kelly, though sharp-tongued in the past, was now kept in check by Carol's presence and spoke pleasantly enough.

Charles, however, was less than pleased. He sat pressed against his father's side—closer than they'd been since elementary school.

Robert looked even more miserable, glancing helplessly toward his wife. Sandwiched between father and son, he felt utterly out of place.

Unfortunately, the women were absorbed in discussions of wedding dress styles and venue arrangements, paying zero attention to the men.

Charles sipped his coffee, his gaze drifting repeatedly toward the other sofa. He watched Emily surrounded by the older women, a faint smile softening her features. The cold tension that usually lined her eyes had eased, replaced by a rare sense of relaxation.

The petulant resentment in his chest softened as well—though his lips still pressed into a faintly aggrieved line.

Emily caught his "abandoned puppy" expression out of the corner of her eye. She lowered her gaze to hide the smile tugging at her lips, her mood lifting further.

 

The conversation flowed smoothly. The wedding dress and venue had already been delegated to trusted professionals, so the topic naturally shifted to the guest list.

The air stilled slightly.

Carol was the first to pause. She reached over and gently took Emily's hand, her tone softening with careful consideration.

"Emily, don't feel any pressure about inviting relatives or friends. This family doesn't operate on rigid rules. Invite whoever you want—or don't. It's entirely your decision. No one will force you."

Kelly hesitated briefly before nodding in agreement.

"It's your wedding. You two should be the ones making the choices. If you don't want a big crowd, just having our family there is fine too."

Though she said it, Kelly couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment. Charles was her only child—of course she wanted a grand celebration. But Emily's complicated family situation was a minefield. If the wrong people were invited, the entire wedding could be derailed.

They all knew how strained Emily's relationship with the Windsor family was, and how much she'd endured over the years. No one wanted her most important day marred by lingering wounds.

A warm ache rose in Emily's chest. Her eyes stung faintly as emotion swelled—bittersweet and tender at once.

She gently squeezed Carol's hand in return, her voice steady and clear.

"Thank you, Grandma. I'll invite a few friends and Daniel. As for the rest... you can decide. I don't really know the Howard family relatives anyway, so I don't have any preferences."

"Good. Having Daniel there is more than enough."

Carol agreed immediately, not pushing any further.

"As for our side, the relatives are scattered all over. The ones we're close to have either moved abroad or live too far away. The only ones nearby are Scarlett and her family."

She paused, then glanced toward Charles and lifted her chin toward him.

"Charles, go to the study and bring down the family portrait. Let Emily get familiar with our relatives. We should also figure out who to invite."