Chapter 18
Emily looked at Daniel with surprise.
After three years in detention, Daniel had become much more withdrawn.
She had assumed he would prefer living alone rather than sharing a space with her.
Facing Emily's questioning gaze, Daniel felt a wave of nervousness.
He took a deep breath and forced a casual smile. "Our situation isn't exactly comfortable right now. I have a spare room at my place—we might as well save money where we can!"
Emily found herself tempted by the offer.
She desperately needed to conserve funds, and if she couldn't increase her income, reducing expenses was the next best option.
"Thanks, Daniel. I appreciate it."
Daniel sighed with relief, though a flash of guilt crossed his eyes.
Afraid Emily might notice, he quickly smiled and ruffled her hair. "Since when did you start being so formal with me?"
Forty minutes later, Emily arrived at Daniel's current residence.
It was a small apartment in Oak Heights, one of the city's rougher neighborhoods. Though spacious at around 500 square feet with two bedrooms, a living area, a kitchen, and a bathroom, both the surrounding environment and interior conditions were poor.
Seeing that, Emily's eyes grew misty.
Daniel ran a hand through his hair and shrugged with forced nonchalance. "Compared to where we grew up, this place is a palace. At least the roof doesn't leak when it rains! Come on, let me show you your new room."
He guided Emily to the inner bedroom and proudly opened the door.
Daniel had clearly been planning to bring Emily here for some time. He'd even taken the trouble to prepare the small bedroom, barely 150 square feet.
The pink bedding set was brand new, the soft pink curtains freshly washed, and several decorative items gave the room a distinctly feminine touch.
Emily stood motionless, staring at everything as her empty heart gradually filled with emotion.
In her mind, she heard Daniel's words from years ago.
He had been just thirteen or fourteen then, his voice still boyish but his tone determined. "Someday I'll make lots of money and buy a big house for you to live in."
Daniel must have been thinking of that promise too, because he said gently, "I couldn't manage the big house, so you'll have to make do with this room for now."
As soon as he finished speaking, Emily turned and wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug.
"Give me some time, Daniel. This time, I'll be the one buying you a big house."
Daniel froze, his sun-darkened face flushing red.
He carefully returned the hug with a light touch on her shoulders before quickly letting go. "I'll hold you to that."
After that, Emily began unpacking her belongings and setting up her old laptop on the desk by the window.
The ten-year-old notebook computer was painfully slow. Emily rested her chin in her hands while waiting, occasionally chatting with Daniel, who stood behind her.
"By the way, how much is rent here? You must have spent quite a bit on all this. Do you have enough money?"
Daniel hesitated with an "Uh" but didn't immediately answer.
When Emily turned to look at him questioningly, he finally smiled and said, "The construction site provides this housing pretty cheaply. The furnishings weren't expensive either. Don't worry, I had some money saved up."
Emily's intuition told her Daniel wasn't being entirely truthful.
However, she didn't press the issue, simply smiling and saying, "Alright. If you ever need money, just let me know."
Emily had just completed the first draft of her research paper when she received Sophie's call.
She planned to submit it around the time she started at Matthew's company, hoping it would strengthen her professional credentials.
When her phone rang, Emily answered without checking the caller ID. "Hello?"
The voice on the other end sounded remarkably cheerful: "Ms. Ward! It's Sophie Laurent. Do you have time to meet?"
Emily's good mood instantly evaporated.
She took a deep breath and replied coldly, "I'm sorry, Ms. Laurent, but I'm busy."
Even if she weren't busy, Emily had no desire to see her.
She thought her blunt response would discourage Sophie from pursuing the matter.
To her surprise, Sophie actually laughed. "Ms. Ward, lying isn't a good habit! You clearly don't have anything urgent to do right now, do you?"
The comment was even more offensive, and Emily grew more irritated. "Who told you I'm not busy right now?"
Sophie laughed again, this time with unmistakable contempt. "Is that supposed to be some kind of secret? Why pretend otherwise?"
Emily felt like a deflating balloon, suddenly deflated.
Of course. Sophie was Alexander's golden girl, the Foster family's idea of the perfect daughter-in-law, and Victoria's admired sister-in-law.
Learning about Emily's current situation would be effortless for her.
Alexander's cold, handsome face flashed briefly in her mind.
Emily had no choice but to concede to harsh reality.
If she didn't resolve this situation with Sophie, even working at Matthew's company might not provide the peace she sought.
"Fine. Where should we meet?"
An hour later, Emily arrived at the agreed-upon café wearing only the lightest touch of blush.
This time, Sophie didn't play games by arriving late. She was already there and had even ordered Emily an unsweetened iced Americano.
"I heard from Alexander that you're quite used to hardship, Ms. Ward. Try this coffee—is it to your taste?"
She pushed the brown liquid toward Emily with a brilliant smile that barely concealed her malice and mockery.
Emily had no interest in the coffee. She took out paper and pen, her expression neutral.
"I'm sure you're a busy person too, Ms. Laurent, so let's not waste time. Regarding your defamation case, I have several questions. For the case to proceed smoothly, please be completely honest with me. Understood?"
She presented herself as a professional attorney, opening with a serious statement that momentarily caught Sophie off guard.
Recovering quickly, Sophie covered her mouth with a delicate laugh. "Of course, I'll cooperate fully."
Emily cleared her throat and asked deliberately: "Ms. Laurent, is your relationship with Mr. Foster entirely proper?"
Sophie hadn't expected such a direct question and was momentarily stunned again.
She recovered quickly, however. "I'm curious, are you asking me this question as an attorney or as Mrs. Foster?"
She didn't seem embarrassed at all, and even asked with surprising confidence.
Emily replied calmly, "As an attorney, of course. Your answer determines which direction I'll take in your defense."
She paused briefly, her lips curving with sarcasm.
"Besides, as Mrs. Foster, I hardly need to ask you this question. After all, those photos and recordings you distributed weren't sent by accident."Emily had completely stripped away any pretense, directly exposing Sophie's past actions!
She had expected the woman to show at least a hint of embarrassment, but Sophie merely smiled. "If you're asking me as an attorney, then my answer is..."
"Entirely proper."