Chapter 5

At those words, something inside Emily snapped. The haze clouding her mind cleared in an instant. She didn't know where the surge of strength came from, but she pushed herself upright and snatched her phone out of William's hand. He was caught off guard by how fast she moved. For a long moment, he could only stare at her, dazed and silent. Then, he finally spoke, voice laced with suspicion. "What's going on with you, Emmy?" Emily dropped her gaze. "Nothing. I just don't like other people answering my calls." A tense stillness settled over William as his eyes darkened with something unreadable. "What did you just say? Other people? Is that what I am to you now?" Just as he was about to press her for more, his phone suddenly rang. The second he checked the screen, he shot to his feet. "Get some rest. I'll be right back. Just need to take this call," he said quickly before hurrying out of the room. Emily had barely breathed a sigh of relief when her own phone chimed twice. She tapped the screen and saw a message from Aria. "Do you like my anniversary gift? When it came down to life and death, Liam chose to save me. And now, with just one call, he comes running. Still wondering who matters more to him? You or me?" It turned out the call William had just answered was from Aria. No wonder he'd rushed out so suddenly. As the door eased shut behind him, Emily felt her heart drop. Weak as she was, she pushed herself to her feet and followed him silently. At the stairwell, she saw Aria throw herself into William's arms, tears welling in her eyes. "Liam, you haven't come to see me at all lately. Are you still mad at me? You stayed with me that whole night, so I told you I'd take care of the party. "I just wanted to give you a break, take some of the pressure off. But I ended up screwing everything up, and now Ms. Caldwell's hurt. This is my fault. If you're going to blame someone, blame me." The moment William saw how fragile she looked, something in his chest gave way. "Emmy's injury was an accident. No one could've known the chandelier would fall. It wasn't your fault." "I'm just relieved you don't hold it against me. These past few days, I've kept replaying that moment in my head, wondering what would've happened if that chandelier had fallen on me instead. Luckily, you saved me without hesitation. "You always said you didn't know who your heart really belonged to, but when it came down to it, in that one terrifying moment, you chose me. Doesn't that mean, deep down, I matter more to you than Ms. Caldwell?" Aria bit her lip and looked up at him, her eyes full of longing, desperate for a straight answer. But after hearing her out, William fell silent. Seconds passed as Aria clung to his waist, her face wet with tears. "I don't care. You saved me, so doesn't that mean I'm the most important person to you? I'm not trying to take Ms. Caldwell's spot. I just feel so insecure, and I need to know that I matter to you. "If you can't even give me that much, then let me go. I won't stay by your side, and I won't keep humiliating myself as the one you hide away anymore!" The moment he heard she was leaving, William gave in without a fight and tried to soothe her. "You're the most important person in my life. Please stop crying. And never talk about leaving again. I can't stand it." Upon hearing him say that, Aria's face lit up, the tears vanishing from her eyes. "Then I won't. This was my fault, and I'll accept whatever punishment you give me." William arched an eyebrow and gently brushed the tip of her nose, his eyes soft with affection. "And how should I punish you?" "Same as always, okay?" Though it sounded like a question, Aria was already rising onto her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her lips to his. William pulled her in by the waist and deepened the kiss. Emily watched the two of them locked in a passionate kiss, the color draining from her face. A knot of pain settled deep in her chest, thick and suffocating. Each sharp pang sliced through her like broken glass. She clenched her jaw, but it did nothing to stop the bitter rush of emotion crashing through her. In the end, all she could do was lower her gaze and turn away, her steps unsteady as she forced herself to walk off.