Chapter 9

A piercing scream shattered the stillness of the villa. Emily's mind went blank as she watched Aria fall from the balcony. She landed hard on the ground, clutching her leg and wailing in agony. It took a moment for Emily to snap out of her daze. Clutching her chest as her heart pounded, she finally bolted downstairs, only to find William was already there. She didn't know when he'd arrived, but he was cradling Aria in his arms, his face twisted in raw, unmistakable anguish. "Mr. Silverstein, I accidentally scared the cat, and it fell off the balcony. It died. Ms. Caldwell got so mad that she slapped me, then pushed me off the balcony. She said I had to pay with my life." As Aria choked out the words through her pain, William's rage flared, burning white-hot. The veins in his forehead bulged. His face was thunderous by the time Emily rushed over, giving her no chance to speak. "It was just a damn cat! Who cares if it's dead? Why would you push her off the balcony, Emmy?" On her way downstairs, Emily had played out countless scenarios in her mind, imagining how William might react to Aria's made-up story. She'd expected him to be shocked or suspicious. Not once had it occurred to her that he'd believe Aria without question. Her blood ran cold in an instant, and she could only stare at him in disbelief. "She says I pushed her, and you believe that?" she asked. "William, we've known each other for years. Is that really who you think I am?" William wanted to believe her. But staring at the blood staining the ground, he just couldn't think straight. "How am I supposed to believe you right now? You actually expect me to believe she jumped just to frame you? What happened to you, Emmy? I don't even know who you are anymore!" His outburst left Emily too stunned to speak. She drew a deep breath and stepped toward him, fingers tightening around her phone, ready to play the recording that would finally prove her innocence. But the moment Aria whimpered in pain, something in William snapped. Without thinking, he shoved Emily aside, scooped Aria into his arms, and took off toward the hospital. Emily crashed headfirst into the flower bed, her forehead splitting open in a bloody gash. Crimson streaks ran down her cheek as she gasped in pain, her body slick with cold sweat. She stared after William's retreating figure, pressing a hand to her wound. And then, against all reason, she smiled, drenched in despair and swallowed by the absurdity of it all. The sky above dimmed. She forced herself to her feet and made it back to her room. Clenching her teeth against the pain, she cleaned the cut and wrapped it with a bandage. For the next two days, William didn't come home. He didn't call or text Emily. Meanwhile, Aria flooded Emily's phone with photos and videos of William looking after her in the hospital, spoiling her with gifts, and coaxing her to take her medicine. Emily gathered them all, along with Aria's messages and the voice recording, then saved everything onto a USB drive. … The day Emily would be leaving arrived with clear skies and crisp sunlight. She went to the immigration office on her own and gathered all the approved documents. On her way home, she called Arthur and Teresa to let them know what time her flight would land. As soon as she opened the front door, she saw William standing there. His expression was as cold and stormy as ever. He stared at her for a long moment before asking flatly, "Emmy, when are you going to apologize to Aria?" Emily met his gaze without flinching, her voice eerily calm. "I'm not planning to." William's expression hardened at her refusal, his voice simmering with anger. "Fine. Then until you're ready to offer a real apology, there's no reason for us to see each other." Without another word, he turned and got into his car, never once looking back. The rumble of the engine swallowed Emily's voice completely. "We're really never going to see each other again." She watched his car disappear down the street. Then, she looked away and hurried up the stairs. She set the USB drive on the nightstand, placing a sticky note beside it with just two words on it—"We're done". Afterward, she grabbed her suitcase and walked out of the villa for good. The golden sunlight wrapped Emily in its warmth. Before boarding, she took one last look at the city she had called home for more than 20 years. This was goodbye, and she knew she wasn't coming back.