Chapter 79 Time to Call It a Day
Emma hurriedly got dressed, applied some light make-up, and then followed him out of the room.
“Have you had breakfast yet?” she asked.
“I’ve already eaten.”
——
In the dining room——
Virgil, Patricia and Kenneth, and even Lillian, had just come down.
“That cocktail last night really hit me hard. I slept like a log, and now my neck is all stiff...” Lillian complained, rubbing her neck.
——
In the Evening.
Emma’s phone rang.
She picked it up.
“Hello, Emma. This is Priya.”
“Hi, Priya. How are you?” Emma asked.
“I’m fine,” Priya said calmly. “I’m pregnant. And I’m going to divorce Dominic.”
...
Emma let out a soft sigh.
Thankfully, my marriage isn’t a business arrangement.
After a while, Lily called her.
"Do you hate him that much?" Her tone was flat.
"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, puzzled.
"Why did you report him anonymously and send him to prison in a wheelchair? Are you that in a hurry? Couldn't you have let him spend the holidays with us first?" Lily pressed.
Emma froze; she had no idea what Lily was talking about.
"When did he go in? Why is he in a wheelchair? He…”
Before she could finish, Lily cut her off on the other line, "Don't pretend you don't know. Does breaking his leg make you happy? Are you satisfied now?"
Emma was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Love Liam well," Lily said before hanging up.
Emma stood frozen to the spot.
She'd never intended to drive Steven to the brink.
Who leaked all this?
Who broke his legs?
Was it Liam?
Or was it that older man from the other day?
Just as she was lost in thought, Liam walked up beside her.
His hands were tucked into the pockets of his long, black wool coat.
Looking up at him, she saw a face with both sharp and delicate features.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she murmured.
He reached out and cupped her soft, slender waist.
"Are you mad? Hmm?" he asked.
"No."
"I'll be gentler next time…" He smiled and gently pinched her side.
"Liam, shut up!" Emma blushed, turned away, and playfully punched him.
"Alright, I won't say another word." He laughed and pulled her closer.
"How about going to the Virgils' party on Boxing Day?" she asked.
"I'll leave it up to you," he said.
——
It was Thanksgiving evening.
The Hayes family arrived at The Vault.
They had reserved a large private room on the top floor.
No sooner had they sat down than Liam's phone rang — it was Ryan calling.
Liam gently patted Emma on the shoulder before walking out.
"Everything's ready," Ryan said.
"Wait a bit longer; not everyone's here yet." Liam held the phone to his ear, leaning against the hallway wall and watching the private room diagonally opposite him.
Ben, Chloe, and the others walked in, their eyes meeting Liam's.
Liam's lips curled into a faint smile.
Averting his gaze from him, Ben saw Emma sitting next to Lillian in the private dining room.
Is a mistress allowed to sit at the table now?
Impossible!
Seeing Emma chatting and laughing with Lillian, he pondered.
Are Emma and Liam married?
No…
A haze of grey clouded his vision.
"It's getting dark; time to wrap things up," Liam's deep voice came from beside him.
Ben's footsteps faltered, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
——
In the private room.
Ben was restless.
"See? The man Emma's hooked up with is someone you could never measure up to," Chloe sneered.
——
Liam sat down next to Emma and saw the cutlery laid out before him, along with his favourite dishes.
His eyes were filled with tenderness.
"Mr. Liam, why don't you take a break from work for now?" Emma teased.
"I know, Mrs. Liam," he replied.
The meal was exceptionally enjoyable.
Hunter transferred money to everyone at the table.
Emma opened her phone and saw an $88,000 notification.
"Grandpa, did you accidentally add an extra zero?" she asked quickly.
"No mistake – it's for you! Grandpa doesn't have much else, just a lot of money."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Lillian and Logan handed Emma a box.
"This is a belated wedding gift for you. It's all your personal property, separate from him, so don't worry," Lillian said with a smile.
Emma accepted the heavy box.
Curious, she opened it and found it was filled with real estate deeds and title documents.
A full twenty-two properties!
"You're twenty-two this year – one for each year of your life." Lillian patted her on the back.
"Thank you, Lillian, my dear mom…" Emma spread her arms and hugged Lillian. "There is so much..."
"Have a few more kids — one for each house!" Hunter laughed.
Everyone at the table laughed along with him.
Embarrassed, she closed the box and handed it to Liam.
"Grandpa, we'll put this on our to-do list," Liam replied with a smile.
Emma gently kicked him under the table.
Twenty-two houses, twenty-two children?
Is he trying to field two full American football teams, complete with a bench?