Chapter 125

Emily's fingers slid across the screen repeatedly, each call automatically ending before connecting.

The cold robotic voice echoed in her ears: "Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable..."

Her hands trembled as she opened WeChat, recording and deleting voice messages over and over.

"William, I..."

The words caught in her throat. Tears splashed onto the screen, blurring her vision.

She threw her phone aside and curled into a corner of the bathtub. The once-warm water had turned icy, the chill seeping into her bones.

At 2 AM, she finally dragged herself out. The mirror reflected her swollen eyes—a pitiful, abandoned woman.

Her phone screen flickered on and off, but no message from him appeared.

Dawn approached before exhaustion pulled her into a fitful sleep.

Ding—

A WeChat notification jolted her awake. The photo Mia sent made her blood run cold.

William stood in a tailored black suit, a woman in a matching gown clinging to his arm.

Is that Amanda Lin? Her fingers shook as she typed.

Yeah. The Lin heiress is back. Mia replied instantly. They look good together, don't they?

Emily stared at the image, her heart squeezed by an invisible fist.

So that was it.

No wonder he'd left without hesitation last night. No wonder he couldn't even spare her an explanation.

A hollow laugh escaped her, tears streaming down her face.

How pathetic—she'd actually been planning how to apologize.

The bathroom mirror showed her pale reflection. She wiped away the condensation, studying herself.

"Time to wake up," she whispered.

Her phone buzzed again. Mia's new message appeared: Want to come to the engagement party? My brother can get you in.

Emily stared at the words for a long moment before replying: No.

She set the phone down and began packing. Slow. Methodical. Unwavering.

William's shirt still hung in her closet. She took it down, smoothing the wrinkles before placing it in a storage bag.

The mug from their first date sat on the nightstand. She wrapped it carefully and tucked it into a box.

Halfway through, the doorbell rang.

Through the peephole, she saw a familiar face.

Amanda Lin.