S E V E N T Y - F I V E


    ALIYA.


    She''s shaking. She''s shaking too fucking much from all over and my heart is jumping in my chest in


    fear for her. In fear of what might happen to her.


    "Deep breathes, Eva. Deep breathes. " I try my best to calm her down, but the sobs don''t stop and the


    trembles only increase, till a point where I''m fucking scared she has no control over it either.


    "Please, Eva. You need to take deep breaths. " I tell her again, rubbing her back to try to provide some


    warmth and her head only presses harder against my shoulder, her grip on me getting tighter as no


    words fall from her mouth other than cries, and my heart both hurts and shakes for her. I know the


    extent of Eva''s love for Emerson, and I''d have thought of everything, but this. They might have


    misunderstandings and fight when the timees for it to happen, but never would I have thought that


    Emerson Ford would take the big step of leaving her. Not this way. Not with her like this.


    We remain in the position and after several minutes; Eva''s sobs start to lessen and it turns into loud


    hups as she takes inhales.


    I pull back to look into her eyes, and they''re full of tears. "Evie. Look at me, babe. " She raises her head


    to mine and it only takes one look for me to recognize the familiar pain and sadness that swims around


    those blue orbs.


    "I''m here. I''m here, Evie. " I tell her but she says no words, other than hup again. My chest falls in a


    sigh and I start to move up, curling my hand around her wrist to drag her up with me. She loses her


    bnce, but I''m quick to wrap a hand around her waist, steadying her on her feet.


    "You should take a shower to get some relief. " I let out at the sight of the tangled mess her hair has


    be over her head, and the tears that roll down her cheeks with her mouth closed.


    "Eva, please. Come with me. " I speak again, but she doesn''t move and she doesn''t say a word. "Eva,


    the bathroom?" I repeat my request and it takes a while before she slowly shakes her head as a revolt


    against my words.


    "You don''t want to go to the bathroom? I think you should take a bath to calm—"


    "No. " The one word is powerful enough to cut through my words and she finally lifts her eyes to me


    again. "No. I– I can''t go. He''s there. "


    "He? There? What are you talking about?" I furrow my brows in confusion and she starts to shake her


    head non-stop as she opens her mouth, "I can''t go in there. He''s there. He''s there, Aliya. He—


    Emerson is— he''s there to torment me. He will—" the rest of her words turn into cries and I hold a hand


    over the back of her head as I bring her into my arms again, my eyes burning with tears at the meaning


    behind those words.


    He''s there. So many memories of him in there with her and it''ll kill her to step in there now that he''s no


    longer here. Now that he decided to leave her.


    Eva hugs my body tightly, and her body is cold against mine; the pounding of her chest loud against


    mine and I don''t know what to do other than to continue hugging her.


    I don''t know how to tell her he''ll be back by her side when he has left. I don''t know how to tell this


    hurting girl in my arms that everything will be fine when I know it won''t; not like this. I don''t know how to


    tell Eva that I''ll always be here for her because I know that''ll never be enough.


    The only thing I can do is hope that she doesn''t fall back into the hole she once fell into.


    EMERSON.


    √NEW YORK CITY.


    "And look who''s back. " The woman in front of the desk smiles at me as she swirls a strand of her hair


    around her finger and I throw her a bored look, "Is my brother around?"


    "So straight to the point like always, pretty boy. Don''t you—"


    "I don''t have time for your jokes. Just tell me if my brother is in or not. " I snap at her and she flinches a


    bit before she clears her throat and jerks her head in the other direction. I give her one nce down


    before I walk away from her and in the direction of the man I''m here for.


    Standing in front of his door, I don''t ce a knock before I push it open and stride inside the room, and


    he''s sitting elegantly behind his desk with his eyes focused on the screen before him.


    "The one with the focus as always. " I speak out and his head snaps to me, surprise masking his


    expression as he slowly rises from his seat. "Emerson? What the hell are you doing here?"


    "Hello to you too, brother. " I greet him, the smile that always apanies those words now lost and


    nowhere to be found.


    "Why are you here?" He asks again and I push away from the door to make my way toward him. When


    I stand in front of him, he proceeds to say, "You didn''t do anything stupid, did you?"


    "I did. " I confirm, settling in the seat in front of his. "And I''m here because of it. "


    Elias sighs before he takes his seat again, dragging the chair closer as he ces his hands in front of


    him. "What did you do this time?"


    I remove my gaze from his, staring at my fingers as I mumble, "I left. "


    "Left who?" Elias questions and I say, "Her. I left her. " And if it wasn''t the toughest decision I''ve ever


    had to make in my entire life.


    "Her?" When my gaze settles back on my brother, there''s a look of confusion in his eyes before


    realization dawns on him. "Her, " he repeats firmly this time. "The girl you told me about? Why? I


    thought you said you love her. "


    I let out a sad chuckle. "I had no other choice, Eli. "


    I don''t say another word before Elias mutters the only name that could have been my reason for it.


    "Father. "


    ~FOUR DAYS EARLIER~


    "Can''t believe you''re leaving me to go meet your girl?" Jaxon whines on my way to where my car is


    parked and I give him a look of irritation. "Fuck off, dude. I''m not your bitch. "


    "But you yearn to be. " He says as he throws a hand over my shoulder and I jerk his hand away as I


    take a step to the side, away from him. "Stop being sickening, Jax. "


    "Oh, right. I wouldn''t want to fuck an annoying jerk like you either. I wonder how Eva puts up with you. "


    He says as we stop in front of my car, and I open the door before I turn to him with a small smirk on my


    face. "She has no other choice; she''s trapped in my charm. "


    "Like the lot of them all. " He retorts and I give him my middle finger, earning augh from him before I


    slide inside the car and into my seat. I fasten my seatbelt and Jaxon taps on my window before he


    waves and walks back inside.


    I shake my head, a smallugh leaving my lips before I take my hand to the steering wheel, stopping


    when my nce catches the screen of my phone and there''s a new text.


    "I''m on my way, baby. " I mumble under my breath as I stop the car and grab the phone to reply to her


    text, only to find out it isn''t from Eva but dad Instead.


    DAD: I want you at my office.


    I hiss and attempt to throw the phone to the side, only for another text toe in.


    DAD: You''ll pay for it, if you dare ignore my message.


    I let out a groan of frustration as I toss the phone to the other seat and start the car, heading in the


    direction of his office. I just need to listen to whatever bullshit he has to say, and I can head over to


    Eva.


    ~


    Stopping the car in front of thepany, I move out of it and head inside, taking the elevator that leads


    me to his office and when I arrive inside, he''s standing by the window.


    "I''m here. " I announce, but he doesn''t move nor does he give me a response so I try again, "You called


    for me. " Again, it''s silence and I cuss under my breath as I stride closer to his side. When I''m almost


    near, he turns around and I halt my steps as his eyes meet mine. They''re the familiar coldness they''ve


    always been, with him wearing his signature frown but there''s something different about his face that


    tells me I won''t like this meeting before dad ever opens his mouth.


    "And how long did you think you could hide it from me?" He queries and I lift a confused brow, "I don''t


    understand. "


    "Did you honestly think that you could get close to Matt''s daughter and keep me in the dark?" He


    chuckles darkly as he sidesteps me and my heart is thumping in my chest as I turn around to his view


    with wide eyes, "Matt''s daughter? How— how did you know that?"


    "The world is too small for Mason Ford, don''t you think?" He responds as he drops to his seat, settling


    his ss in front of him and I pace closer to him. "I love her. "


    "I expected no lesser nonsense words from you, kid. " He chuckles. "But there might just be one use for


    it. "


    When I lift a brow at him, he says, "You might be just want I need to get rid of Matt Carson


    permanently. You''re close to his daughter, and as far as I know; he treats the girl like she''s his whole


    world which means she''s close to her father and she''ll help you in getting everything I need to bring


    Matt Carson—"


    "No fucking way. " I interrupt him, knowing where he''s going with the rest of his words. "I''ll not help you.


    Eva is my fucking girlfriend, and I''ll never do anything that''ll harm her or her family. "


    "I thought you''d say that, " heughs, sinking back in his seat. "You''re the useless one after all, aren''t


    you? But again, you don''t have a choice here, kid. If you want to be with her, you have to go along with


    what I say; if not, I''ll not this rtionship progress any further. "


    "Why the hell do you hate me so much?" I ask him in a low voice and he ms his hands on the table


    before him, leaning over it as he speaks, "Give me one reason why I should not?"


    "Because I''m your son?" I reply and he snickers. "A son who killed my wife. "


    My breath catches in my throat as I open my mouth again. "I– I didn''t. I didn''t do that. "


    "Yes, yes, you did. " He persists as he moves back and walks around his desk to stand in front of me.


    "You killed your mother. You killed my wife. "


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    "I didn''t. " I repeat the words as I take a step back and he takes another forward. "You did! You took her


    away from her family, and me! All she ever wanted was for her children to befortable and have


    everything they could ever want in life, but what did you do? You whine and whine about not getting


    attention like the goddamn bastard you are!" He spats and I flinch, but he doesn''t stop there. "If she


    never got into that ne for you, she''d still be here. But of course, you wanted her toe there to


    give you the goddamn love you are always wanting and you fucking took her away from me!"


    "No, I didn''t, " I mutter, shaking my head. "I didn''t kill her. I didn''t take her away. It was meant to


    happen, and I— I didn''t. I didn''t do that. I didn''t. "


    "Yes, you did. " He growls and I shake my head again, "I fucking didn''t. Please. Stop. Just please. "


    "You did. You killed your mother! You killed the one who wanted nothing but good for you! You''re


    worthy of no one, Emerson. You''re a failure and a useless piece of—"


    "Fucking stop!" I yell, not thinking about my next action as I swing my hand out, and throw my fist in his


    face. He staggers backwards and I watch as he falls to the floor, a chuckle leaving his mouth as he


    spits out blood.


    "Yes, that''s what you are, kid. You''re meant to destroy things and that''s why you''ll never be worthy of


    anything– or anyone. " He spats and I turn my back to him, shutting my eyes to hold back the tears that


    threaten to fall.


    "Give into my offer, or you''ll lose the girl the hard way, Emerson. " He speaks behind me and I turn to


    look at him. With bitternessced through my voice, I speak, "You stay the fuck away from her! Stay the


    fuck away from me! You have no fucking right to meddle in my life and decide the choices I make!" And


    I turn to walk out of his office.


    "You''lle back begging, kid. Mark my words. "


    His words echo behind me and the tears finally fall.


    ~PRESENT~


    "So let me get this straight; the girl you''re in love with is the daughter of dad''s rival, and now that one


    reason is threatening your rtionship with her?" Elias asks for rification in front of me and I give


    him a nod. "And I don''t know what he''d do. "


    "So you thought the next right thing to do is to leave?" He raises a brow and I sink my teeth into my


    bottom lip at the mention of the decision I took; one that I''m not so proud of, but I made regardless


    because I can''t be that selfish. Not to her.


    "Emerson, you told me you don''t find yourself living without this girl?" He reminds me of the words I


    once uttered to him and I say, "You don''t understand, Eli. Our rtionship isn''t just causing Mason to


    react; it''s drifting her away from her parents and I can''t do that to her. I can''t take that away from her. "


    "Did shein about it?" He asks and I shake my head. "She didn''t. "


    "She didn''tin, and yet you saw it as an issue?" He says and I respond with, "She didn''t


    it''s like to have your parent loathe you. I know what it''s like to get no affection from the people who


    gave birth to you. I know the impact it could have on her, and I don''t want that for—"


    "Can you hear yourself, Emerson?" Elias cut in before I can finish my words, and when I remain silent,


    he continues. "You''re saying you took it upon yourself to decide for the both of you. She was willing to


    give up her parents for you, and you think she doesn''t understand the weight of her decision? You think


    she''lle to regret it?"


    "The rtionship between a parent and their daughter will always remain the most important. " I tell him


    and he says, "Yet she was willing to abandon that rtionship for you. Because she loves you.


    Because you are what she wants. You think you won''t be enough, but she knew you''d be. Look,


    Emerson; you know I give and know no shit about love, but if I were in your shoes and a girl is willing to


    turn her back on her family for me? It''d be her and me against everyone else. "


    "But that''s not the only obstacle in our way. I don''t want a rtionship with her where we''ll have to be


    afraid of what''ll happen tomorrow. I don''t one where we''ll have to be cautious of how we move because


    there are people who don''t want us to be together. I don''t want one filled with troubles; I can''t give her


    that, Eli. She deserves more than that from me. She deserves to be with me, in love and happy, without


    having to worry about what hers or my father would pull up next toe between us. I want to be with


    her and I want to love her in peace, but why''s that so hard to have?"


    Elias sighs. "What did she say when you decided to leave?"


    "I didn''t tell her I was leaving, " I answer, and when he arches his brows, I proceed to say, "Not to her


    face. I couldn''t have. I wouldn''t be able to bear it, and I''d have never been able to leave her. I left her a


    note instead. "


    "And what does your note says?" He questions further, and I lick my lips, taking a gulp at the


    remembrance of the number of times I had to rewrite the note because my tears wouldn''t stop ruining


    the previous ones. "That I''m leaving to make things right, and I need her to be strong for the both of us


    while I''m away. " She should have read the note by now and it''ll hurt her. She''ll feel sad, and she might


    even cry, then after that; she''ll be strong like I know her to be.


    A sigh leaves my brother''s mouth again and when I lift my gaze to him, he shakes his head, "I think you


    let Mason influence you into making the wrong decision, little brother. This move of yours may seem


    right to you. You''re doing this for yourself and the girl you''re in love with. You''re doing this to have a


    future with her, but think of it from her perspective. Right now, she''s on bad terms with her parents and


    the reason for that left her. This is no more than leaving her at her lowest, Emerson and I''m afraid it


    won''t be easy for you after this. "


    "It won''t. " I agree. "But it''ll be worth it in the end. "


    "Will it?" He raises a brow and I hum, "It has to. It will. "


    "Is that why you''re here? To make it worth it?" He asks and I say, "I have to try, Elias. "


    Elias moves from his seat and walks to my side. His hand drops on my shoulder as he opens his


    mouth, "I gave up my life so you could have everything you want. I let Mason control me, and I work my


    fucking ass off for him so you could get to live your life. I think it''s time to remind our father that he''s to


    keep to the end of his promise if he wants me to keep to mine. You''re going back to Washington, little


    brother. "