“Delilah said you were at the hospital. I thought you were here worrying about Jaxon, but it turns out you’re just playing your little game behind my back!”
Calla instantly covered her face, her body collapsing into Elliot’s arms, the picture of someone wronged. “Mr. Carter, I’m sorry about Jaxon. I never meant to cause any harm. If Emery’s upset, I’ll resign right now. Whatever it takes…”
Elliot’s hand patted Calla’s back in a gentle gesture of comfort. “The one who owes an apology isn’t you.”
He turned his frosty gaze toward Emery. “After all these years, is jealousy all you’ve learned? Apologize to Calla.”
Apologize? To someone who had nearly cost Jaxon his life?
Emery’s chest tightened and her teeth ground together. “I’ll never apologize. Do you even understand why Jaxon had an allergic reaction—”
Before she could finish, Elliot cut her off sharply, “Calla already said it wasn’t intentional and Jaxon’s fine now. Are you seriously asking her to pay for it with her life?”
Even though Emery had expected this exact betrayal, the sharp pain in her chest still cut deeper than she cared to admit. She hadn’t even been given a chance to explain.
Calla lifted her head from Elliot’s embrace, putting on her best-distressed expression. “It’s alright, Mr. Carter. Emery only acted out of concern. We don’t want to upset Jaxon anymore.”
Elliot’s features softened at her words as though someone had just turned the lights on in a dark room. “Alright, we’ll do as Calla says.”
But his gaze turned cold the moment it landed on Emery. “As for you, I think it’s time you reflect on your behavior.”
Without another word, he took Calla’s hand and led her back into the ward, leaving Emery standing there, her heart heavy.
As she watched them walk away, the storm in her chest finally broke. She turned, desperate to escape, but the crowd surged around her. The next thing she knew, she was stumbling down the steps, unable to stop herself, her knees scraping against the concrete as she fell. Her hands and legs burned with the sting of the impact, but all she could feel was the overwhelming ache of everything she’d lost.
A passerby rushed forward, his voice filled with concern. “Let me help you get treated.”
Emery waved him off weakly, her hand trembling. “No, I’m fine.”
The pain in her body was nothing compared to the turmoil in her heart.
Dazed and lost, she stumbled toward the parking lot, her mind foggy, when suddenly she collided with a warm, steady embrace.
She looked up, meeting Landon Kingston’s gaze. His eyes were dark with unspoken pain, the kind that only those who had been through their own suffering could recognize.
“This is how Elliot takes care of you?” he asked, his voice thick with anger.
Without waiting for an answer, Landon reached out as if to lift her but then hesitated, unsure what would make her feel more at ease. Instead, he moved quickly to get a wheelchair and wheeled her toward the emergency room.
The nurse was efficient, cleaning her wounds quickly and with practiced hands. “No bone damage, thankfully, but the wounds are deep. Take it easy for now. Keep them dry to avoid infection.”
Emery was barely aware of the words being said, as though she were behind a thick, invisible glass wall detached from everything. She nodded mechanically. “Thank you. And thank you too, Landon.”
Her voice was barely a whisper, drained of all its usual strength. Landon held back the words that burned in his throat but finally managed to speak. “I’ll take you home.”
Sitting in Landon’s car, Emery slowly began to collect herself. The events of the day seemed to swirl around her, but she forced herself to focus on the present. Glancing over at Landon, who sat calm and composed behind the wheel, she couldn’t help but speak. “You don’t have to stay, Landon. Go back to work. I’m fine on my own.”
Landon’s gaze flicked toward her, steady and unwavering, before he handed her a divorce agreement. “I came to deliver this. Your phone was unreachable and the housekeeper at the Carter estate said you were at the hospital.”
Only then did Emery notice the missed calls piling up on her phone. A wave of guilt washed over her and she muttered an apology. “I’m sorry, Landon. Things have just been so overwhelming lately.”
