Hearing that, Ethan glanced at his watch. It was almost six.

"Okay, let's head out."

...

Sunhold Grand Hotel.

"Emma, once the event starts, make sure to talk to as many people as you can. It'll really help with your future career," Amy reminded her.

"Got it, Amy," Emma nodded gently.

She looked around the grand, dazzling lobby and instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. It felt cold around her shoulders.

Half an hour earlier, Amy had dragged her to a stylist, saying her original outfit was way too plain. Now, she was wearing a strapless nude-colored gown, and her long hair flowed freely down her back.

Sure, she'd attended fancy events back when she was at the Grace household, but nothing on this level. This was a whole new world.

Taking a deep breath, Emma put on a polite smile, champagne in hand, trailing behind Amy as they mingled with the crowd.

Since this was a design award gala, the place was packed with design industry elites. Surprisingly, Emma managed to connect pretty well with everyone.

Then Ethan walked in-and what he saw stopped him in his tracks. Emma, his so-called wife, was chatting with men, smiling and looking completely at ease.

"What the hell is she doing here?" he muttered, frowning. Watching her express herself so confidently like that, Ethan suddenly realized how little he really knew her.

It was his first time seeing her look this sexy and vibrant. There was something off-puttingly unfamiliar about it.

"Mr. Hunt, those two ladies are representing Daisy Design Studio tonight," his assistant quietly informed him from behind.

"Alright, I get it," Ethan said, brushing off the weird feeling in his chest. Without another glance at Emma, he walked away.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 36th Annual Blossom Design Awards!"

As the host's voice echoed through the hall, Emma's attention shifted to the stage. But as she took a closer look at the people up there, her eyes widened.

What's Ethan doing on stage?

"Hey, I heard that Ethan took over Hunt Group when he was still pretty young. Only took him three years to turn the whole place around and expand it like crazy. That guy's legit impressive," someone whispered behind her.

Emma lowered her eyes, the emotion in them unreadable, and quietly slipped away toward the restroom.

Up on stage, Ethan noticed her leaving.

What, see me and immediately turn the other way?

Completely unaware of what he was thinking, Emma just kept her head down and walked on.

But she hadn't gone far before a man suddenly stepped in front of her.

"Hey beautiful-are you here alone?"

In the dim corner near the restroom, a chubby man with a sleazy look blocked her path, eyeing her up shamelessly.

Emma instinctively stepped back. "Excuse me... who are you?"

"Doesn't matter who I am. What matters is-I know who you are." Ronald Howard licked his lips, his gaze glued to her.

He'd noticed her the moment she walked in. A sweet-looking beauty like this? No way he was gonna let her slip by tonight.

"I-I don't know you." Emma's voice trembled a little as she caught the greedy glint in the man's eyes. It was the kind of look a starving wolf might give a piece of fresh meat. She turned abruptly, trying to leave.

"Hey now-where do you think you're going?" Ronald Howard grabbed her by the waist, his act completely dropped. "Pretty girl like you, how could I let you walk off just like that? C'mon with me, I promise you'll be taken care of..."

He leaned in, breath reeking of alcohol. Emma jerked her head to the side, trying to dodge him, but he was too strong, no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't shake him off.

Right then, she spotted a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye-Ethan had just finished speaking and was stepping down from the stage.

"Ethan-" She opened her mouth, trying to call out. But just as her voice was about to leave her lips, he looked over. His gaze fell on her, paused for a brief moment, then... he turned away, blending right back into the crowd like nothing had happened.

Watching his back disappear, a cold ache spread through her chest.

Just then, a deep voice suddenly cut through the air behind her. "What do you think you're doing?"

Emma and Ronald froze and turned. Standing behind them was a tall, sharply-dressed man with a serious expression.

Michael Owens had just stepped out of the restroom and walked right into the scene. His brow furrowed on reflex. But when he saw who the woman was, his face changed instantly. "Emma? What's going on here?"

The concern deepened between his brows as he reached out and pulled her toward him without hesitation.

"You... you know her, sir?" Ronald asked nervously, eyes darting between Michael and Emma.

"She's a friend of mine. Got a problem with that?" Michael's gaze turned cold, and there was an unmistakable threat in the way he looked at Ronald.

"N-no, not at all..." Ronald stammered as he backed away with a sheepish grin, then bolted out of sight.

"Emma, are you okay?" Now that Ronald was gone, Michael bent down slightly to meet her eyes, voice filled with worry.

"I'm okay... Thanks, Michael." She forced a small smile, still flustered and more than a little embarrassed to be caught in such a mess by him of all people.

"You don't have to thank me. What happened? How'd you end up here? Maybe I should take you home, huh?" Seeing her pale face and shaking legs, Michael offered kindly.

"I..." Before Emma could respond, a cold voice snapped through the air behind them.

Ethan had walked off the stage after wrapping up his speech, only to catch sight of her being dragged around by some sleazy guy. Strictly speaking, she was the one being harassed, but to him, her outfit was the real problem. Maybe if she hadn't dressed like that, she wouldn't be attracting trouble.

But after just a few steps, Ethan stopped himself and turned back.

And what he saw made his jaw clench.

She was leaning on another man's shoulder, being doted on like something precious.

All at once, something hot and irrational flared in his chest just as Michael spoke again, and Ethan couldn't help but cut in.

"No need. I'll take her home."

Michael turned around in surprise and frowned when he saw who it was.

"Ethan? What the hell are you doing here?"

The irritation in Michael's voice was plain, and not entirely unwarranted. Ethan, for his part, just let out a short laugh.

"Really? That's your question?" he scoffed. "She's my wife. You seriously think I don't belong here?"

"Wife? Are you kidding me?"

Michael's eyes widened in disbelief, like someone had just punched him straight in the chest. It hurt. Bad.

He stared dazedly at Emma, who had been standing close to him just a second ago until Ethan stepped in and yanked her away, jaw tight, tension written all over his face.

"What, do we need your permission to get married now?" Ethan shot him a sarcastic smirk, not even bothering to check Michael's reaction before turning on his heel, dragging Emma along.

Emma barely had time to react when she felt a strong grip on her wrist, and the next second, she was being pulled out, stumbling as she tried to keep up.

Once they were outside the main hall, Ethan finally snapped. The anger he'd been holding in erupted, his voice sharp and laced with mockery. "Seriously, did Matthew never teach you manners? You're my wife now. Start acting like it. Don't embarrass the Hunt family."

Emma slowly lifted her head, only to meet a cold, disdainful glare from him. She laughed bitterly to herself.

Emma, are you really still holding onto the hope that you matter to this man?

She forced a smile, nodded lightly, and said, "Fine," her tone empty and weightless. She didn't spare him another glance, missing the brief flicker of conflict in his eyes when he caught her smile.

That one word made Ethan oddly uncomfortable, especially seeing how calm and unfazed she looked while he was an emotional mess. Something about that bothered him more than it should have.

"I don't care how you wormed your way in here, but don't show your face at places like this again." He tossed the words at her like they were nothing, straightening his cuffs and turning to leave.

"Why?" Emma blurted out, unable to stop herself. She looked up at his sharp profile, needing an answer.

Like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard, Ethan turned back, stared at her face for a solid second, then said, slowly and deliberately, "Because you. Don't. Deserve to be."

And just like that, he was gone.

"I don't deserve to be?" Emma echoed the words under her breath, her heart sinking like a stone.

It hadn't even been a week since she last heard those same, crushing words from him.

Big, silent tears rolled down her cheeks and hit the polished floor with soft little splashes. She covered her chest with one hand, mouth parted as memories of everything she'd ever shared with Ethan started playing on a loop in her mind.

And she realized, painfully, it had always been one-sided.

When she finally looked up again, her tears had dried.

Sometimes, when the hurt runs deep enough, you can't cry anymore, even if you wanted to.

...

Three days later, in the Hunts' mansion-second floor bedroom.

"Bzz-bzz-"

The soft buzz of a text woke Emma up from her sleep.

Rubbing her temples to ease the dull ache, she glanced at the bedside clock. It was already 8:30 AM.

Emma casually glanced at her phone-it was just another boring weather alert. She sat up from bed, tossed the phone aside, and slowly made her way downstairs, feet dragging.

Ethan hadn't been back home these past few days-not surprising. Honestly, Emma thought it might be better this way, less awkward for both of them.

She yawned and didn't notice the floor was still damp from the cleaning. As her soft slippers slid to one side, a sharp pain shot up from her ankle the next second.

"Ow-"

She gasped, leaning against the wall, carefully lifting her foot without daring to move it again.

She tried rotating her ankle just a little, but the searing pain nearly made her stop breathing. Left with no choice, she gritted her teeth, clung to the wall, and slowly shuffled toward the nearest room, the study.

At the top of the stairs, a set of steady footsteps echoed, and a tall figure appeared on the second floor. Emma didn't notice.

...

9 a.m.

At the corporate tower's top floor, inside the CEO's office of Hunt Group.

There was a meeting at 10. Ethan flipped through the folders on the desk and suddenly realized a document he needed was still at the house.

He rubbed his temples, then picked up the phone. He was about to ask Andy to grab the missing file from home, but for some reason, before his finger hit the call button, a face flashed in his mind-that woman, with tear-filled eyes after he'd spoken those cutting words to her.

The phone never got dialed. Instead, as if on impulse, Ethan drove back to the house himself.

When he walked through the door and saw how empty the place was, that strange flicker of anticipation in his heart vanished instantly.

She should've gone to work by now.

With that thought, he tossed his keys on the shoe cabinet and headed upstairs straight to the study.

But once at the door, he noticed it was halfway open-his brows immediately furrowed.

Didn't he tell the staff not to enter the study when he wasn't home? Someone clearly didn't listen.

Hand on the handle, Ethan pushed the door open, only to find Emma sitting on the sofa, her back to him.

"What are you doing here?" He realized the moment he said it-that came out all wrong.

"Sorry," Emma said softly, knowing he hated people being in his study without permission. She hadn't expected him to suddenly come back, and now with her messy hair and no makeup, she quickly dropped her gaze and tried to stand.

But she completely forgot about her ankle. The second she put weight on it, her leg gave out, and she collapsed back onto the sofa.

"Ah-"

The sound of pain made Ethan freeze. When he glanced down, his eyes locked onto the red, swollen ankle and her tightly drawn brows.

"You twisted it? Why didn't you call a doctor?" His brows drew in sharply as he set his phone aside and strode over, suddenly scooping her up in his arms.

Emma let out a startled yelp, instinctively grabbing his neck for balance. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you to the doctor, what else do you think I'm doing?" Ethan shot her a sideways glance, a slight sarcastic smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Emma opened her mouth, but no words came out. Seeing the blank expression on his face that hovered somewhere between a smile and a sneer, she figured there wasn't much point in saying anything.

Her silence didn't sit right with Ethan for some reason. He carried her back to the bedroom, put her down gently, and pressed the button on the landline.

"Jacob, get the family doctor up here."

After hanging up, he turned and found her quietly rubbing her ankle, staring at the floor without saying a word.

"How'd this even happen?"

His voice had a faint bite to it, and for a second, Emma thought she'd imagined the concern in it.

Was... was he actually worried?

"I twisted it walking out of the room. Didn't really notice at first," she replied, her tone softer as she slowed her motions. Just then, Jacob arrived at the door with Dr. Ramos.

"Mr. Hunt," Dr. Ramos greeted him with a nod, followed by a nurse carrying a medical kit.

"Check her ankle."

"Of course."

Even before Ethan gave the order, Dr. Ramos's eyes had already gone to Emma's swollen red ankle. He squatted down, pressing gently on the tender area. The sharp inhale from Emma was immediate.

"Ma'am, could you try rotating your ankle a bit?"

Emma did as asked, but the motion only made the pain worse.

After watching her struggle with the movement, Dr. Ramos stood upright and faced Ethan with professionalism.

"It's a simple sprain. No damage to the bones or ligaments. Use an ice pack wrapped in a towel for the first couple of days, then switch to warm compresses. It should heal on its own in less than a week."

Ethan gave a small nod. "Jacob, show them out." Then he left the room as well.

As he walked away, Emma let out a breath and gave a half-smile, one filled with helplessness.

She should've known. Any kindness he showed her always came with that air of detachment. Just scraps.

But the moment she saw the towel and ice in his hands, her thoughts hit pause.

"What are you doing? Sit back down," Ethan said firmly when he noticed her trying to get up. Dropping the towel and ice beside him, he gently pushed her shoulders down to stop her.

"Lift your leg," he instructed, motioning towards the small padded bench beside the bed.

"Huh? Oh, okay..."

Emma, totally thrown off by his unexpected care, dazedly followed his instructions and propped her foot on the bench. A chill crept over her skin almost instantly.

Looking down, she saw him leaning over, carefully placing the cold towel on her ankle, his expression calm and focused.

That one small act-so deliberate, so gentle-it felt like he'd thrown a pebble into the still water of her heart, rippling straight through her.

He was actually icing her ankle himself.

She couldn't even begin to explain what she was feeling right now. All those thoughts of letting go that she'd worked so hard to build... crumbled completely under this unexpected tenderness.

"So, still hurts?" Ethan asked quietly.

While gently pressing the ice against her ankle, Ethan casually spoke up like it was habit. But when he looked up, he found Emma staring at him with bright, hopeful eyes.

"Ahem."

Right then, it hit him-just how intimate what he was doing looked.

He quickly dropped the towel from his hand, not even caring that the ice cubes scattered across the floor, and stood up, clearing his throat like it'd cover up the awkwardness.

What the hell was wrong with him today? He actually did all that, and it felt kind of natural.

Since he could remember, only one person had ever made him act like this-Lily.

The longer he looked at Emma's sparkly eyes, the more flustered he felt, a kind of panic creeping up on him that he didn't know how to handle.

"Don't overthink it. I just don't want people knowing that the Hunt family's daughter-in-law can't do anything but embarrass herself."

Throwing those words behind him, Ethan turned and walked straight out of the bedroom without so much as a glance.

The moment his words hit, the sparkle in Emma's eyes slowly faded.

She looked down at the towel tossed on the ground and the melting ice scattered around-and that little warmth she'd felt seconds ago went cold, just like that.

So yeah... she was mistaken again.

...

A week later.

7 p.m.

Daisy Design Co.

"Emma, don't stay too late, alright?"

Stepping out of his office, Manager Lee saw Emma still working intently at her desk.

"Got it, Amy."

She'd taken three days off because of her foot, which had set her back a bit. So, she'd been squeezing in extra hours to catch up. Now she was finally down to the last piece of her design.

"And... done!"

Finishing the final line, Emma leaned back with a big stretch, relief written all over her face.

She saved her draft to her hard drive, grabbed her bag, and finally left the office.

It wasn't until she stepped outside that she realized the sky had already gone dark.

"Pretty sure the buses stopped running by now..." she muttered, walking along the roadside, eyes scanning for an empty cab.

Then came the blaring of a car horn behind her. A sleek, silver Maybach pulled up right next to where she was standing.

Emma paused, frowning slightly as she glanced at the car. When the window slowly rolled down, a face she knew all too well appeared.

"Michael? What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised and a little puzzled.

She was sure the Owens Group was based on the west side of the city-here was the east side.

"Had some errands to run over here. Didn't expect to run into you, though," he said, stepping out of the car with that polished smile of his.

"Ah, my office is just over there," Emma replied, chuckling lightly as her guard dropped a bit.

"So, done for the day then? Need a ride home? Not easy to find a cab around here at this hour."

As he spoke, Michael casually watched her reactions, taking in every subtle change in her expression.

After that gala night, Michael had someone look her up. That's when he found out her marriage to Ethan was just business, with barely any love between them.

Which was exactly why he showed up now-no need to hold back anymore.