Back at her apartment, everything was silent, the kind of silence that made your ears ring. But inside her head, it wasn’t quiet at all.
She hadn’t slept.
She stared at the wall, unmoving, her legs curled under her on the couch like a statue of herself. Not a single photo of Chase remained. She’d cleared them out before the sun rose. One by one. Swipe, delete. Swipe, delete. Gone.
But she left one message unread, just to look at it.
CHASE (12:04 AM)
Please. Let me talk to you. Ivy didn’t mean it. Just let me fix it.
Fix it?
She almost laughed.
Instead, she stood up. Walked barefoot to the bathroom. Looked in the mirror.
Then said out loud to her reflection, “I’m marrying Ash Redmond.”
Her mouth didn’t even flinch at the lie.
Because maybe it wasn’t one.
Not anymore.
The next morning, the Vale family dining room smelled like heritage and power.
Heavy wood. Polished silver. Decades of tradition.
Emery stepped inside wearing ivory trousers, a pearl-buttoned blouse, and no makeup. Her skin was pale, but her expression was clear.
Her parents were already seated. Her father, Gregory Vale, with his reading glasses balanced on the bridge of his nose. Her mother, Alina, sipped from a bone china teacup like nothing had gone to hell in the last 48 hours.
Chase was there too already seated, pressed navy suit, every hair in place. As if that changed anything.
And Ivy.
Ivy sat beside him, too close, wearing pastel like she was mourning someone else’s life. Her eyes darted up as Emery entered, eager, but scared.
“Emery,” Alina greeted warmly. “Come sit.”
Emery nodded, walking slowly toward her chair at the end of the table. The one she’d always had, since she was seventeen. The “good daughter” spot.
She took her seat. Folded her hands. Waited.
Her father cleared his throat.
“I trust you’re feeling better.”
“I’m alive,” Emery said. “That counts for something.”
Her mother smiled gently. “How are you feeling, darling?”
“Still a little foggy,” Emery replied. “But better.”
Her father wasted no time.
“Your mother told me you’ve lost some memory,” he said carefully.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Emery shrugged. “Enough.”
Gregory leaned forward slightly. “Do you remember being engaged to Chase?”
Chase looked up immediately. His eyes were soft. Practiced.
“I remember… a ring,” Emery said slowly. “But not him.”
Her father pressed. “You understand why this matters, don’t you? The wedding arrangements. The trust. The families. There are expectations. Commitments.”
“I understand,” Emery said. “But it’s hard to make commitments when you don’t even know who you are to someone.”
Gregory narrowed his eyes. “So you’re saying the marriage is… uncertain?”
“I’m saying I’m uncertain.”
“Em,” Chase said gently, “I know you’re shaken, but you and I, we’ve been together for three years.”
“I’m sure we were,” Emery said coolly. “But I don’t feel it.”
Chase frowned. “What does that mean?”
“You watched me drown,” she said suddenly.
The room went quiet.
“What?” Gregory asked.
Alina stiffened.
Emery didn’t look at Chase. “When I fell into the water, it was Ash who jumped in. Not Chase. Not Ivy. Just Ash. So if I’m supposed to trust someone with my life…”
Her voice turned colder.
“I chose the man who didn’t hesitate.”
Ivy’s eyes widened. “You’re seriously saying you’d marry Ash?”
“I’m not saying it,” Emery said, standing slowly.
“I’m announcing it.”
A silence stretched, until Ivy stood abruptly, smoothing her dress.
“Emery,” she said with a soft, practiced smile, “can I speak to you privately? Just for a minute?”
Gregory raised a brow. “Is that necessary?”
“I think it’ll help,” Ivy said. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. She trusts me.”
Emery nodded slowly. “Okay.”
The door clicked softly shut behind them. Ivy’s voice dropped low the second they were alone.
“Em,” she began, reaching for her hand, “this is a lot. I know. But I need you to listen to me, like you always have.”
Emery stared at her, letting her hand be held. “Go on.”
“You and Chase have been together for years. You’re in love. You just don’t remember because of the trauma. The fall. Everything’s scrambled.”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Ivy smiled too fast. “Of course it does. I was there, remember? I helped with the wedding planning. I picked out centerpieces with you. We FaceTimed about veil styles for two hours, remember?”
Emery blinked like she was trying to recall it.
“You trusted me,” Ivy whispered. “I’m your best friend.”
“I know.”
“And I wouldn’t lie to you, would I?”
Emery gave a small, innocent nod.
“So you’ll tell them it’s Chase.”
“I will,” Emery said softly.
Ivy squeezed her hands like she’d won.
“Thank you. Thank you. You’re doing the right thing.”
“I’m glad you reminded me,” Emery said. “I’d be lost without you.”
Ivy hugged her like she owned her again.
Back in the dining room, Ivy slid back into her seat beside Chase with a syrupy smile. She leaned close, lips grazing his ear as she let her fingers trail under the table to his thigh.
“It’s handled,” she whispered. “She’s going to say yes to you.”
Chase barely concealed his grin. He reached down and laced his fingers with hers under the table.
“I knew you’d fix it,” he murmured back.
At the head of the table, Gregory straightened. “So. Emery.”
Everyone turned to her.
She didn’t sit.
She looked at every face in the room like she was studying a chessboard.
“I had some clarity just now,” she said, voice even. “Thanks to Ivy.”
Ivy smiled proudly, leaning back.
“So I’ve made my decision.”
Gregory nodded. “And?”
Emery took a breath.
Then she met Chase’s eyes dead-on.
“I’m marrying Ash Redmond.”
She let the words settle. Let the air tighten.
“The one who saved me when no one else did.”
She glanced at Ivy. Then at her parents. Then back to Chase, slowly.
“I will marry Ash, my fiancé.”
