Chapter 7

Tyler just stood there, watching as Emma walked away without looking back. A wave of dread washed over him like never before. He instinctively started to go after her, but Janice's soft hand gently held him back. Janice looked up, her face pale as a sheet and her voice soft and gentle. "You should go after her, Tyler. She's been with you for so many years. You can't just let her walk out like that. Our trip can wait." He couldn't take his eyes off Emma's fading silhouette. It felt as if something was tightening around his chest. Yet, he suppressed his unease and said sharply, "Forget about her." When he shifted his gaze back to Janice, his expression was calm once more. "She's clearly out of line, so she doesn't get to join us on the trip. Let her stay home and think things through." With that, he took out his phone and called Keith Hartman, his assistant. "Get the private jet ready. Janice and I are leaving right now." … Meanwhile, as Emma made her way through the mall, she drew stares and hushed whispers as people pointed her way. Some even tried to sneak photos with their phones. Wearing only a strappy top, she headed out of the mall, her forehead bruised and her gaze steely. Everything about her suggested there was more beneath the surface. But she wasn't the least bit flustered. She walked with quiet strength, her eyes unwavering, as if the chaos around her had nothing to do with her. She went to another store and grabbed a plain white tee and a pair of jeans. After changing into them, she paid and left without a word. Now that she had finally done 100 things for Tyler, it was time to walk away. When she returned home, her phone buzzed with a message from him. "I'm taking Janice to Solara Bay, and we'll be back in a week. Stay home and think about what you've done. I want to hear you apologize when I get back." Emma laughed as she read the message. There was nothing for her to reflect on, and she had no reason to apologize. By the time Tyler returned, he would realize that the obedient "bodyguard" who used to follow his every word had vanished without a trace. Besides, her identity as an undercover police officer was classified. No matter how influential he was, he wouldn't be able to track her down. Emma glanced at her phone with a detached look, thinking Tyler wouldn't even care enough to search for her. Without hesitation, she cut off all contact with him, grabbed her suitcase, and headed out the door. She didn't leave a note, nor did she spare a final glance at the place she had called home for three years. The soft click of the door felt like the end of everything. From this moment on, she was just Emma. She was done being a shadow of someone else and playing the role of a bodyguard.