Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 246 The Struggle

After hopping out of the car, I grabbed the cupcakes and strolled into the pitch-black Broadway Alley. I remember bringing a cake here on my birthday years ago. Haven't been back since.

These days, Broadway Alley felt like a ghost town, like everyone packed up and left. Standing downstairs, I glanced up. The building was mostly dark, just a few lights flickering here and there. Emily's place? Completely dark. I headed upstairs and stopped at her door. Dust covered it, like it hadn't been opened in ages. I wondered, 'Did she move? Get married?'

Jason had been overseas for years, and I hadn't heard any news about him getting married. It was tough for two people to stay together with all the family drama and future plans.

I thought, 'If Emily did get married, who did she end up with? Is she happy?'

I placed the cupcakes at her doorstep. I never had the guts to knock on it, not back then, not now. Leaning against the wall, I lit a cigarette and started reminiscing.

What did I feel for Emily? I had no clue. I felt guilty about Fiona, and with Emily, I couldn't even face my guilt or seek redemption.

After a long time, I thought I'd never see Emily again, but then she suddenly appeared.

At the top of the hill, I didn't recognize her at first. She was a mess, hair all over the place, dirty. I couldn't connect this disheveled woman to her.

But when she looked up, one desperate, injured look, and I knew it was her.

Emily! How did she end up here like this? The encounter was so sudden, I panicked.

Seeing her silent, I almost took off on my bike. Over the years, I'd learned to stay calm, but Emily's sudden appearance threw me off. I stopped and heard her crying, so desperate.

I'd been avoiding this for years, and finally, fate brought us together. It felt destined. So, I decided to go with the flow. I turned my bike around, trying to act calm and composed, like it was our first meeting, to hide my inner chaos.

I decided to be a good guy and take her to the hospital. I heard her calling a friend, thinking about her disheveled state and how heartbroken she was after hanging up.

I went to wash my car, seeing the blood-red stain

me nervously. I waved him off, walked to

of my skin, trying to wake myself up. But my mind kept flashing

thought, 'Ethan, calm down! Don't get involved. You don't deserve

night, I didn't sleep at all. The next morning, I didn't go to the

but

with a sense of justice, encountering her situation, might not be able

hospital. When I arrived, I saw her being bullied by that despicable

bullied everyone I cared about, first Fiona, then Emily. At that moment, I decided to ruin Arthur. I protected Emily behind

I beat him up, he couldn't even stand straight, and his eyes were black and blue. It was normal that he didn't remember me well. But I definitely couldn't forget Arthur, because back then I wanted to beat

Emily seemed to lose all her strength and was about to collapse. After enduring a night of torment and pain, she finally couldn't hold on any longer and

mind was a mess. I had called her and rushed to the hospital just to check on her. But I couldn't let myself get too involved. After much thought, I

month, I kept myself busy, forcing myself not to think about Emily. Several times I wanted to call and ask about

either; she must have forgotten about our chance

see her a few times, always at night. But I only looked at the lit window from downstairs, not daring to

like the encounter on the hill, she appeared so suddenly. That night, Emily was stunning. Compared to a month ago, when she was disheveled and miserable, she was now so beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes off her.

trying to

a sign from above, and I suddenly had an impulsive urge. I introduced her to others as

went out with her friends, she didn't come back, and while I was in the booth, my heart had

I finally couldn't resist going out to find her, I saw her being bullied by Arthur and his new fling, with

protective instinct kicked in, wanting to stand up for her,

kissed her, I had already decided. Since I was going to intervene, I

a trap. When I took Emily into the casino, she was very uneasy. She had been a good girl since childhood and probably had

was afraid Arthur would lose.