Chapter 16

“Emma, you're awake?” After the surgery, Emma blinked open her weary eyes, her blurred vision resting on a face she hadn’t seen in a while—calm, familiar, and steady. “David... you’re back?” Her lips were dry and cracked, but she still tried to force out a small smile. Yet no matter how hard she hid it, her pale, fragile look only made David’s heart ache more. “I’m sorry. I was stuck overseas on a case when your dad passed. You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?” “I’m okay...” Emma shook her head faintly. “How... how long was I out for? Have you been...” Floating between consciousness and dreams, she vaguely recalled hearing Ethan shouting like he’d lost it. She wasn’t sure if it was a cry of regret or just rage. But the moment she saw David, all the messy emotions in her heart slowly settled down. “He left right after I showed up,” David said softly, helping Emma sit up and giving her a few sips of warm water. “Emma, I think... I think he recognized me.” Emma murmured, “It was only a