Chapter 78 537

She sighed, glancing at the city lights streaming past her window. The silence was unbearable. Finally, she turned to him, her voice soft and worried. "Is anything the problem?"

"Nothing, Jaden replied curtly, his voice chipped and low. His hands gripped the wheel tighter, his frustration palpable.

Emma frowned, her worry growing. "Jaden."

He sighed heavily but didn't look at her. "Emma, it's nothing. Just drop it."*

But it wasn't nothing, and Emma could feel the weight of his anger bearing down on her. She watched him in the dim light. the lines of his face hard and unforgiving.

Inside, Jaden's emotions churned in chaotic storm. He felt like a fool. No, worse-a pawn. The woman he cared for, the one he had defended and admired, had played him. Or at least, that's how it

tfelt

He had talked for a whole week about the CEO of W2 HOLDINGS. marveling at her power and her vision. And Emma had sat there, quiet, listened to him ramble on, never once giving a single hint. He wasn't upset about her success-far from it. He did admire her ambition. How could she keep such a monumental thing from him? Can't she have trusted him enough to tell him even minutes before everyone else!

His mind had been racing as he pulled up in front of her apartment building. He didn't help her out of the car, he didn't even look at her. His heart felt heavy, but his pride wouldn't let him act otherwise.

"Goodnight," Emma murmured hesitantly, but Jaden didn't reply

a word, he sped off into the night, and left Emma standing on the curb-the

his eyes haunting her. She hadn't meant to hurt him. She

in anger. "You need to

my girlfriend, Dad. And one day, I intend to make her

someone who will bring strength to our family name, not drag it through

to decide who I love. The line

up, and

replayed before his mind, anger mixing into a volatile cocktail. It wouldn't be taken back-he couldn't regret the defense given to Emma against his father-but he couldn't shake this sting pressed onto his silence Eventually, he pulled up to

the alcohol trrored the bitterness in his chest.

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21.18 Tue Dec 17

Chapter 78

speeding, the wailing siren a faint echo in her disoriented mind.

I she croaked, her voice

ma'am. We're on our way to the nearest hospital," one paramedic responded

brow furrowed as fragments of the night came rushing back to her. She remembered standing-rising to her feet, clapping stiffly for that insufferable, manipulative Emma. It had been for the cameras, nothing more than a forced gesture to maintain appearances. But then came

she yanked the needles from her arm, ignoring the sting of pain. "No! This can't be happening!" she

a paramedic was at her side, trying to restrain her his hands firm yet gentle as he pressed her back onto the stretcher. "Ma'am, please relax.

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