On the night of my third anniversary with my boyfriend Adrian, he brought his first love, Lily, along. Someone suggested playing Never Have I Ever. A few rounds in, Lily’s cheeks were flushed pink from drinking. She laughed and said, “I’ve been pregnant with Adrian’s children.” The laughter in the private room died instantly. Lily’s tone carried a note of pride. “More than once. And every single time, he personally took me to the procedure.” Every pair of eyes in the room landed on me. I looked at Adrian. His face went white. His lips moved, but he didn’t say a single word to deny it. My phone screen was still lit up. In the chat window sat the message I’d been about to send him. “After tonight, what do you say we change what we are to each other?” That was my planned proposal hint. My finger hovered over the screen for a long time. In the end, I calmly deleted the message. I made an excuse about the restroom and booked the nearest flight to Paris from inside the stall. Adrian texted me. “Lily’s drunk. Come help her up. Don’t throw a tantrum.” I didn’t reply. At dawn, the plane took off. This time, I only bought myself a one-way ticket. After the plane landed, I turned on my phone. Adrian’s messages popped up one after another. “Emma, where are you?” “Lily threw up. You didn’t actually leave her alone in the bathroom, did you?” “It’s just a third anniversary. We can celebrate again next year. Don’t make a scene over something like this.” The last one was from three in the morning. “Where the hell did you go?” I stood in the terminal at Charles de Gaulle, dragging my suitcase, staring at those words for a few seconds. Then I typed two words back. “Work trip.” The moment the message sent, a call came through. I didn’t answer. He called again. On the third try, I picked up. Adrian’s voice was rough from a sleepless night. “Emma, where are you?” “Paris.” Silence on the other end for two seconds. “Are you out of your mind? Just because Lily said a few things while drunk, you fly to Paris in the middle of the night?” “That wasn’t drunk talk, was it.” His breathing stopped for a beat. I heard a lighter click, then quickly snap shut. “That was all in the past.” “Does being in the past mean it doesn’t count?” He seemed to lose patience. His tone went cold. “Emma, I’m not obligated to tell you every single thing that happened before I met you.” “Then I’m not obligated to stay.” Adrian was quiet for a moment, as if he’d finally reined in his temper. “Don’t say things you don’t mean. Send me your address, I’ll have my driver take you to a hotel. Get some rest. I’ll fly over tomorrow.” “No need.” “Emma. It’s been three years. You should know my boundaries by now. I don’t like people using disappearance as a threat.” I thought of how, in that private room last night, when Lily said those words, everyone had been staring at me. And Adrian hadn’t denied a thing. He just stayed silent. I gripped the handle of my suitcase. “Adrian, I’m not threatening you.” From the other end came Lily’s groggy voice. “Adrian, my head hurts…” Adrian immediately murmured to her, “Drink some water first.” When he spoke again, his tone held a layer of impatience. “You heard her. She drank too much last night. She’s still not feeling well. Can you not make things harder right now?” I let out a small laugh. “So me leaving counts as making things harder.” “Emma, you know that’s not what I meant.” “Then what did you mean?” He faltered. I didn’t wait for his answer. “Take care of her. I’m going to check in.” “Emma, don’t you dare hang up on me.” I hung up. The phone buzzed a few more times. I switched it to silent. My advisor’s assistant stood at the exit holding a name card. When she spotted me, she called my name in English. I walked over. She smiled and took my luggage. “Ms. Ward, welcome back. The gallery space is all set up. Professor Laurent says that if you’re willing to stay this time, the lead creative position will always be held for you.” I clutched the ring box inside my bag. Before last night, I’d planned to propose to Adrian on our third anniversary. That ring—I designed it myself. On the inside of the band, a tiny line of text was engraved. “Only You.” Now it sat at the bottom of my bag. “I’d like to stay.” The assistant beamed. “That’s wonderful.” My phone screen lit up again. Adrian. “Come back when you’re done throwing your fit. Lily has a follow-up appointment tomorrow. I don’t have time to coddle you.” I set the phone face down. This time, I didn’t look back.
I was halfway through the onboarding paperwork when Adrian’s video call came in. Professor Laurent glanced at my phone. “Need to take that?” I shook my head. “No.” The screen lit up and went dark, went dark and lit up again. The assistant slid the contract in front of me. “Ms. Ward, this collaboration requires your real name. The New York partner will also be publishing simultaneously—is that all right?” My fingertip paused. The partner was a jewelry brand under Cole Group. Three months ago, I was the one who’d brokered this project for Adrian. Back then he’d said, “Once this collab succeeds, we’ll get married.” I thought that was a promise. Now I knew—it was just a cheap gesture. I signed my name. “That’s fine.” The moment I set down the pen, Adrian’s message popped up. “Answer the phone.” I didn’t reply. A second later, Lily sent a friend request. The note was a single line. “Emma, Adrian’s going crazy trying to reach you. Don’t make him worry.” I hit accept. She quickly sent a photo. In the picture, Adrian sat in a hospital corridor, holding a payment receipt. Lily’s hand rested on his sleeve cuff, her nails painted pale pink. “Emma, don’t misunderstand. I’m just here for a checkup. My body was hurt in the past, and Adrian’s always felt guilty about it.” I didn’t reply. She sent another message. “I drank too much last night and spoke out of turn. If it bothered you, I can apologize.” Then she recalled a message. But I still saw it. “Though he really was so nervous back then. He signed the surgical consent forms himself.” I set my phone face down on the desk. Professor Laurent asked, “Not feeling well?” I said, “I’m fine.” He studied me for a few seconds, then handed me a design brief. “This is the theme New York proposed. It’s called Second Chance. See if you can work with it.” The instant I turned the page, I saw the note in the bottom right corner. Key visual reference: Lily Hart. I stared at those two words and almost laughed. Adrian really knew how to arrange things. I do the collab work for him, and he makes Lily the inspirational muse. That evening, back at the apartment, I’d barely unpacked when the doorbell rang. A courier handed me an international express package. Sender: Adrian Cole. Inside was a white cashmere scarf. And a note. “Paris is cold. Don’t catch a cold. Come back when you’ve calmed down.” The scarf was new, tags still on. But the smell was familiar. It was the perfume Lily had been wearing last night. I opened social media. Half an hour ago, Lily had posted a photo. “Someone bought two scarves. Said one’s for me, one’s for smoothing things over.” Someone teased in the comments. “Adrian still knows how to take care of everyone.” Lily replied: “Hardly. He just said my health is fragile, so he let me pick first.” I stuffed the scarf back into the box. Adrian’s call came again. This time I answered. His voice had softened slightly. “Got the package?” “Got it.” “Like it?” “Lily’s leftovers?” A beat of silence on his end. “Emma, do you really have to talk like that?” “How else should I talk?” He held back his anger. “I sent you something to make you feel better, not to give you ammunition.” “Adrian, you know I’m allergic to wool.” He sounded like he’d been caught off guard. A few seconds passed before he said, “I forgot.” I set the delivery box by the door. “Then next time, remember. Don’t bother sending anything.” “Emma.” His voice turned cold. “The collab project has an online meeting next week. You’d better get your emotions in check. Business is business—don’t drag personal issues into it.” I looked down at my signature on the contract. “Don’t worry.” I hung up, took the ring box out of my bag, and locked it in a drawer. As the key turned, my phone buzzed. Cole Fine Jewelry’s official account had posted a new update. “Second Chance collection launching soon. Special inspiration guest: Lily Hart.”
The online meeting was about to start. Adrian was ten minutes late. When the screen lit up, behind him was the Cole Group conference room. Lily sat beside him, draped in that white cashmere scarf. She smiled at the camera. “Emma, long time no see. You look so much thinner in Paris.” I opened my files. “Let’s begin.” Adrian frowned slightly. “You have nothing else to say?” I looked at him. “What would Mr. Cole like to hear?” The conference room went quiet. Adrian’s expression darkened half a shade. Lily immediately jumped in to smooth things over. “Adrian, don’t be like that. Emma’s still upset with me.” She pulled the scarf up a little, her voice perfectly soft. “Emma, what happened that night really was my fault. But what’s done is done. Don’t blame Adrian—he was in a difficult position back then too.” I capped my pen. “Ms. Hart, today we’re discussing design, not your medical history.” Someone on the other side ducked their head and coughed. Adrian’s eyes went cold. “Emma, watch your words.” I looked up. “She can publicly discuss these things at my third anniversary dinner, but I can’t ask her to stay on topic during a meeting?” Lily’s eyes immediately rimmed red. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought, since the theme is Second Chance, maybe my experience could help inform the design.” Adrian pushed a cup of warm water toward her. “Don’t cry.” Then he looked at me. “Lily is this project’s inspiration guest. You need to listen to her input.” I pulled up the design files. “Fine.” I shared my draft on screen. “I’m proposing we change the theme to The Break. Past love isn’t reunion—it’s misalignment. The band splits in the center, joined by cold white gold, leaving the gap visually intact. It’s not about wholeness. It’s about acknowledging that beauty still exists after something has broken.” Cole Group’s marketing director’s eyes lit up. “This concept is elevated. Much more memorable.” But Lily gave a soft laugh. “Wouldn’t a gap feel too unlucky, though? Didn’t Adrian say he wants this collection to have a touch of regret but still end in something whole?” Adrian studied the screen, his tone flat. “Change it to a complete circle.” I said, “A full circle has no hook.” “What clients want is sales, not your emotions.” He tapped the table. “Emma, you’ve been unstable lately. Don’t be stubborn.” I looked at his hands. Those hands once held mine while we sketched ring designs together. He’d said, “Your designs have thorns and light. That’s what I love most.” Now he wanted me to pull out the thorns and accommodate Lily’s wholeness. Professor Laurent spoke up from beside me. “Mr. Cole, Emma’s concept is more aligned with international market aesthetics.” Adrian’s expression didn’t change. “The North American market is Cole Group’s responsibility. I said change it.” Lily murmured, “Maybe forget it. Emma doesn’t like me. She won’t accept anything I suggest.” Adrian looked at me. “Apologize to Lily.” I thought I’d misheard. “What?” “She was only offering a suggestion. You embarrassed her in front of everyone.” I laughed. “Adrian, you’re asking me to apologize to her in a meeting?” “This is a professional setting.” “So?” He fixed his gaze on me, enunciating every word. “So don’t make me think you lack basic professional decorum.” No one in the room spoke. I closed the screen share. “Ms. Hart, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have underestimated your ability to package personal drama as professional input.” Lily’s face went white. Adrian shot to his feet. “Emma!” I pulled out my earbuds. “That’s all for today. I’ll send revision notes in writing.” Before I disconnected, I heard Adrian’s voice, tight with fury. “You’d better think carefully about the consequences.” The screen went dark. Professor Laurent was quiet for a moment, then said, “Did he always talk to you like that?” I looked at my hands. My fingertips were ice cold. “No.” Before, he used to introduce me to everyone. He’d say, “This is Emma Ward. The most important person in my life—and the best designer I know.” Somewhere along the way, the most important person became an external consultant who could be dressed down in public. My phone screen lit up. A message from Adrian. “Formally apologize to Lily before tonight, or the lead creative will be reassigned.” I stared at it for a long time, then replied. “Go ahead.” Five minutes later, a Cole Group internal email was cc’d to my inbox. Lead Designer: Lily Hart. Special Consultant: Emma Ward.
The launch event was set for one week later. Cole Group required me to fly back to New York for it. Professor Laurent placed the invitation on my desk. “You can refuse.” I looked at the words “Special Consultant” on the card. “I’ll go.” He frowned. “Emma, you don’t need to endure this kind of humiliation.” I took the ring box from the drawer and slipped it into my bag. “Some things need to be returned in person.” The day I flew back to New York, Adrian came to pick me up at the airport. He wore a black overcoat, standing in the crowd, his features sharp and cold. When he saw me, he reached for my luggage. I stepped aside. His hand hung in midair. His expression tightened. “Still not done with the theatrics?” I pulled my suitcase toward the exit. He followed. “The lead creative thing—you brought that on yourself. If you’d just given Lily a proper apology, I could’ve switched the name back.” “No need.” “Emma.” He caught my wrist. Not hard, but impossible to shake off. “You didn’t used to be like this.” I looked at him. “You didn’t used to put another woman in my place.” Something flickered in Adrian’s eyes, but he recovered quickly. “Lily’s just filling in temporarily. Her health isn’t great. Her career’s just getting started. I’m giving her a hand.” I nodded. “You’ve always been so good at giving her a hand.” “How long are you going to keep dredging up the past?” “Until I stop caring, I guess.” He released my wrist, as if my words had stung him. After we got in the car, Lily turned around from the passenger seat. “Emma, what a coincidence—I just happened to come pick you up too.” She was wearing Adrian’s jacket. The sleeves were too long, covering the backs of her hands. Adrian reached over and fastened her seatbelt. “She gets carsick. She sits up front.” I got into the back seat without a word. Halfway there, Lily suddenly pressed her hand to her lower abdomen. “Adrian, it hurts a little.” Adrian immediately pulled over. “Where’s your medicine?” “In my bag.” He rummaged through her bag with the ease of someone who’d done it a thousand times. Lily watched me through the rearview mirror, her voice soft. “Emma, don’t mind me. The surgeries left some lingering issues. Adrian’s used to taking care of me by now.” I looked out the window. Adrian’s hand paused as he retrieved the pills. “Lily.” She immediately went quiet, her eyes turning red. “Sorry. I said the wrong thing again.” Adrian didn’t scold her. He only murmured, “Drink some water.” Backstage at the launch event, everyone was scrambling. I’d just finished changing when a staff member brought over a badge. “Ms. Ward, here’s your seat assignment.” I looked down. Special Consultant. Second row, end seat. Lily walked over. Her badge read Lead Designer. She touched the nameplate on her chest. “Emma, honestly, I didn’t expect Adrian to trust me this much either.” She leaned in a little. “But don’t worry. I won’t take what’s yours.” I looked at her. “Haven’t you taken enough?” Her smile faded slightly. “That was his choice to give.”
Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260806EhzEGBeYWQ 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni331386”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix
Leave a Reply