Chapter 45
William didn't look sick at all. His complexion was normal, his expression clear, and he was holding a half-read book in his hand. Seeing Emily standing at the door looking completely bewildered, he raised an eyebrow.
"Do you need something?"
Only then did Emily snap back to reality. Looking back, she found that Nina and Aiden, who had been following behind her just moments ago, had already disappeared without a trace.
"Those two little troublemakers." She muttered through gritted teeth, her face burning with embarrassment.
"They said you had a fever, a really bad one."
Hearing Emily's explanation, William was stunned at first, then understood. A barely noticeable hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.
He placed the book on the nightstand and got out of bed, throwing off the covers.
Only then did Emily notice he was wearing just a dark gray set of pajamas.
She turned her head slightly away, no longer looking at William.
But William walked up to her, his shadow completely enveloping Emily.
"I'm fine. But why aren't you asleep yet at this hour?" William's voice sounded especially deep in the quiet night.
Only then did Emily remember she had rushed out wearing just a thin nightgown, and her face grew even hotter.
"I was just dealing with some things." She said stubbornly, then turned to leave.
Seeing signs that she was about to leave, William didn't have time to think—his body moved faster than his brain.
He reached out directly and grabbed Emily's wrist, stopping her from leaving.
"About today... I'm sorry." William's voice carried sincerity, his expression somewhat uneasy.
"I shouldn't have accused you like that. I know these years haven't been easy for you, and you've sacrificed a lot for the kids. I was just... a bit worried about you."
Emily stood with her back to him, her shoulders barely perceptibly tensing.
She had originally wanted to keep up her act and stay angry at him.
But William's sudden apology made all her pretenses instantly crumble.
She turned around, meeting William's earnest gaze, and sighed softly. "Forget it. I was wrong too. I shouldn't have been so impulsive."
"No, you weren't wrong." William interrupted her, and their eyes met.
The distance between them was very close. Emily could even see his trembling eyelashes.
"Protecting the children is a mother's instinct. I understand that. I just hope you can understand that no matter what, your own safety is important too."
These words made Emily's heart tremble.
She looked up and met William's gaze. At this moment, his eyes were full of tenderness.
"I understand what you mean."
Emily lowered her head somewhat uncomfortably and said softly, "It's just that sometimes I'm so used to fighting alone that when someone suddenly wants to help, I'm not quite used to it."
William nodded.
Seeing Emily's uncomfortable expression, he didn't continue with this topic but smoothly changed the subject.
"Did you eat dinner?"
His topic changed so quickly that Emily was momentarily stunned.
"I didn't have much appetite."
"What a coincidence," William raised an eyebrow. "I didn't have much appetite either. I didn't eat dinner."
He glanced at the clock on the wall and extended an invitation to Emily. "At this hour, we can go out to get some late-night snacks."
This suggestion surprised Emily.
She hesitated for a moment, but her stomach was indeed hungry, and after the awkwardness just now, she needed time to ease the tension, so she nodded lightly. "Okay."
The two reached an agreement, and each went back to their rooms to change clothes.
They quietly pushed open the courtyard gate and were just about to sneak out when two little heads popped out.
"Where are you going?"
Nina and Aiden blocked their path, both pairs of eyes bright and shining.
Especially Nina, wearing her little bear pajamas and holding a stuffed toy, standing at the courtyard gate with a triumphant expression, was particularly amusing.
Emily and William exchanged glances, both somewhat amused and exasperated.
"We're going out to buy something," Emily replied.
Nina tilted her head. "I want to go too."
"Nina, be good. It's too late today. You and Oscar stay home and sleep, okay?" William crouched down to coax her, but Nina refused outright.
Before he could say anything else, Nina wrapped her arms around Emily's leg and wheedled.
"Mommy, I want to go with you too. You can't go out to eat without Oscar and me. I'm hungry too."
Emily looked at her, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes.
She looked up and saw that Aiden also had an expectant expression.
"Then let's all go together," Emily said, giving William a meaningful look.
Seeing her helpless expression, William's lips curved slightly as he nodded.
"Yay!" Nina jumped up happily.
Emily was about to say something else when she saw that William had already bent down and picked up Nina.
"You and Oscar go change clothes. Dress warmly."
Five minutes later, Nina and Aiden had also changed into their outdoor clothes.
The four of them stood neatly at the door, just like a family of four.
While the atmosphere here was warm, in the police station's visiting room in the western part of the city, the atmosphere was completely different.
Sophia stared intently through the glass window at James inside.
He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was messy, completely at odds with his usual suave image.
"James, have you lost your mind?" Sophia's voice was extremely low, but she couldn't hide the anger within it.
"Of all the people you could go after, you had to target Emily. Do you know she's a woman who's had two children!" Sophia had been called and notified to come. On the way, she had someone find out what happened.
This discovery made her furious. Now facing James, she couldn't even maintain her usual gentle image.
James irritably ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't succeed anyway. Who knew someone would suddenly show up?"
"So you think you're in the right?" Sophia's voice was somewhat shrill, her face full of displeasure.
"Sophia, I was just a bit unwilling to let it go. Other than that, I have no thoughts about her."
He didn't explain much more, but this one sentence was like a needle piercing deep into Sophia's heart.
He was unwilling? Unwilling about what? That he didn't choose Emily back then?
Thinking of this possibility, Sophia's heart completely couldn't accept it.
Emily was just a girl who grew up in the countryside. She used to be inferior to her in every way.
But now James was actively pursuing her, completely disregarding her feelings.
Where did this leave Sophia's pride?
Emily was inferior to her in every way—was James blind?
When she came out of the police station, Sophia felt cold all over.
The night wind blew past, and she shivered hard. The frustration in her heart kept growing, and her gaze finally locked onto a nearby bar.