Chapter 4

Emmett's sudden outburst made Jolene flinch. Meanwhile, he remained completely unfazed, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on me. Through clenched teeth, he growled, "Since when do you have a fiance?" I met his gaze in silence. It was all I could offer him now, since I was afraid I'd lose control and blurt out, "Why is it okay for you, but not for me?" Once she regained her composure, Jolene scolded Emmett and quickly tried to explain the situation. With a steady breath, I turned and walked away. Their voices trailed behind me, fading with each step. A heavy bitterness weighed on my heart. By the time I reached the elevator, I had finally managed to steady myself. But just as I pressed the button, a hand suddenly grabbed mine from behind. "Where do you think you're going? You haven't even answered me! What fiance are you talking about? How old do you think you are? Don't joke about your future just to spite me!" I stared silently at Emmett's anxious face, a laugh nearly escaping me. In that moment, it dawned on me that he never truly loved me. All those acts of kindness from before meant nothing. Maybe they were only fleeting moments when he saw me as nothing more than a little sister. "And what does that have to do with you? Why should you care?" A bitter, mocking smile tugged at my lips. "Didn't we agree we owed each other nothing?" That one sentence left Emmett utterly speechless. But even after regaining his composure, he kept a tight grip on my hand, his brows drawn together. "I'm only doing this for your own good. If you truly loved me, why would you force yourself to marry someone else?" I stared at him, my expression steady and unreadable. "Because I don't love you anymore. And, just so you know, my working here as a nursing assistant has nothing to do with you. Don't flatter yourself." Emmett's gaze flickered, his face clouding over. Just then, the elevator doors slid open, and Heather emerged. As we crossed paths, her expression froze. A surge of satisfaction swept through me. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. Almost instantly, Emmett released my hand. He turned to Heather, a touch of awkwardness in his voice. "What are you doing here?" As the elevator doors closed, I caught a glimpse of Heather rising on her tiptoes to kiss Emmett's cheek. I pressed the close button, my face betraying no emotion. When I reached the top floor, I whispered under my breath, "It's finally over." Without hesitation, I hurried toward Ambrose's hospital room. Summoning every ounce of courage, I pushed the door open. To my surprise, the bed lay perfectly made. A chilling thought gripped me, causing my heart to race. Panicked, I stumbled into the hallway and asked nearly everyone I passed, "Where is the patient from this ward?" But no one had any answers. Noticing my shaken state, a colleague gently said, "Please accept my condolences." I closed my eyes and steadied myself against the wall, refusing to believe what I'd just heard. Suddenly, a hand gripped my arm. I spun around. It was Emmett yet again. A flash of disappointment passed over my face, but he didn't seem to notice. In a low voice, he said, "I just heard that the Talerico family's heir is fine. It looks like Heather and I won't have to rush our wedding after all." I hid my feelings behind a blank expression. I was too drained to push him away. Emmett frowned, looking both awkward and uneasy. After a long silence, his face flushed red, and he finally blurted out, "I'm saying I can call off the wedding." Still, I remained completely unmoved. "By the way, I looked into your so-called fiance. He's nothing special." Emmett frowned, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I'm advising you to think carefully. Since you saved me last time, I'm willing to help you find someone better." I shrugged off his hand, stumbling forward in a daze and whispering, "Let go of me. I have to find him." With bloodshot eyes, he yelled, "What did you just say?" I shut my eyes and turned away without a word. But before I could take a step, he yanked me back, gripping me tightly. At that moment, a deep, commanding voice from behind us cut through the tension. "Let go of my fiancee."