Emily smiled faintly as she slipped past the glittering high-society crowd. Her mask was perfect—calm, elegant, unshaken. Inside, she was breaking.
From the corner of her eye, she caught them.
Sara, flawless in her golden glow.Andrew, gaze locked mostly on her.
The power couple. The illusion of perfection.It stabbed deeper than Emily wanted to admit.
She kept walking, steps steady until she finally reached her room. Only then did her facade shatter. Her breaths came in sharp bursts, her temples pounding.
Stay strong, Emily. You promised yourself.
She tossed her clutch on the bed and searched frantically. Her bag wasn't where she left it. Panic clawed at her chest.
"Shit, shit, shit—where is it?"
Her hands shook as she yanked open drawers, flung aside scarves. The dizziness worsened, her heartbeat racing.
Finally—her bag. She dropped to her knees, fumbling the zipper open. Pills rattled inside the small bottle. Relief surged as she gulped down water, swallowing the medicine with trembling hands.
The sting of humiliation burned.
Why am I still so weak? I told myself I was stronger now. I'm not that broken girl anymore. I survived. I left. I rebuilt. So why… why does Sara still have the power to ruin me?
Her eyes blurred with unshed tears, anger mixing with shame.
She stole my world once. I pieced it back together. This time, I refuse to let her or Andrew..shake it..again!
A knock startled her.
"Emily? Em?" Edward's voice.
Emily scrambled, shoving the medicine bottle back into her bag, masking the moment with practiced ease. She grabbed her phone, pretending she'd just ended a call.
The door creaked open. Edward stepped in, his sharp eyes scanning her. "You okay?"
Emily forced a faint smile, phone clutched tight in her hand. "Yeah. Just work."
He studied her for a beat, then nodded, giving a small, approving smile. " Mom wants you downstairs. There's someone she wants you to meet".
She smoothens her dress and keeps her bag with medicines aside and walks to Edward,"Let's go".
"Who is it?" Emily whispered as they descended the steps, the dining room coming into view.
Her mother stood near the center, Richard beside her, and a young man who looked to be in his late twenties. Polished, polite, yet clearly caught off guard by the sudden attention.
Edward leaned closer, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I don't know who he'll be to you," he murmured with a grin, "but I'm pretty sure he's a prospective son-in-law… at least according to Mom."
He gave her a subtle thumbs-up and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Emily to face the young man alone.
The dining room buzzed with conversation, the chandeliers glittering overhead. Her mother's eyes sparkled as she gestured toward a young man.
"Emily, this is Davis Smith," she said warmly. "He's… Richard's assistant. But I thought you two should meet properly."
Emily blinked. Davis Smith. She hadn't expected someone so young. He looked sharp, polite, and slightly uncomfortable,like he didn't expect this.
As her mom and Richard leave her alone with Davis,Davis shifted uneasily. "I—I wasn't expecting this," he said, voice low. "I came to get my boss's signature… I didn't know…"
Emily forced a small smile. "It's alright. I get it. You're in a tight spot."
The tension eased. Slowly, their conversation started to flow. Emily laughed at his self-deprecating jokes, and Davis began relaxing, matching her humor with quick, clever retorts.
For the first time all night, Emily felt herself genuinely at ease.
Unseen by her, Andrew's eyes flicked toward her. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he watched her laugh, effortlessly engaging with Davis.
Sara noticed immediately. Her lips curved into a thin, venomous line, a flicker of jealousy sharpening her gaze.
"She's changed, isn't she?" Sara murmured under her breath, tone casual but dripping with sarcasm. Not ugly… not completely an outsider… but still hiding. Still trying to climb to their level.
Emily, she had no idea someone's eyes were on her.
Andrew watched silently, amused, yet hidden behind the crowd. Sara's eyes followed his glance, narrowing as her jealousy flared.
While Sara,behind her composed mask, wheels were turning in her mind—calculating, ruthless. This time, I'll make sure she can't recover so easily. I'll destroy her… worse than before.
Emily, oblivious, continued laughing at one of Davis's jokes, unaware of the storm brewing across the room.