CHAPTER 7

Her heart would race when she was near him, and she found herself thinking of him in ways that made her blush. But she didn't understand these feelings completely. She couldn't yet differentiate this love from the familial bond she thought they shared. All she knew was that her heart longed for something more, even if she wasn't ready to admit it to herself—or to Ethan.

From the past month, Ethan had been out of town for business, and Emily had felt his absence deeply. Each day without him seemed to stretch on endlessly, and she found herself thinking about him more than usual. She missed his presence—the calm assurance he brought, the way he took care of her, and the warmth he unknowingly filled her world with.

Unable to wait any longer, Emily began asking David, Ethan's personal assistant and best friend, about when Ethan would return. "When is he coming back, David?" she asked, trying to hide the anticipation in her voice, but it was evident she was eager for his return. David smiled, sensing her excitement. "He's finishing up his work, and he'll be back as soon as possible. Most likely, he'll arrive today," David reassured her.

At this, Emily's face lit up, and she couldn't hide her happiness. *Today?* The thought made her heart race. She thanked David and quickly rushed back home, her mind swirling with thoughts of finally seeing Ethan again after so long.

Once at home, Emily felt a nervous, excited energy buzzing within her. She wanted everything to be perfect for his return. She hurried to her room and picked out one of her best outfits, something that would make her feel confident and look attractive. As she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she noticed how much effort she was putting into preparing for his return and wondered why it mattered so much to her.

She tried to push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on making Ethan's homecoming special. With her heart fluttering, she went downstairs and found Margaret. "Can you help me make all of Ethan's favourite dishes?" she asked eagerly.

Margaret, noticing the sparkle in Emily's eyes, smiled knowingly. "Of course, dear," she said, already gathering the ingredients. Together, they set about preparing a welcoming feast, filling the house with the aroma of Ethan's favourite meals.

Emily couldn't wait to see him again. She wasn't sure why she felt so much anticipation or why she was suddenly nervous, but one thing was certain—she wanted to make sure that when Ethan walked through that door, everything, including her, was perfect.

Dinner time came and went, but Ethan still hadn't arrived. Emily sat at the dining table, her excitement slowly fading as she glanced at the clock repeatedly. Margaret noticed her disappointment and gently urged, "You should eat something and get some rest, dear. He'll come soon, don't worry."

Emily nodded half-heartedly, barely touching her plate. She couldn't shake the heavy feeling of disappointment and concern. Why hadn't Ethan come home yet? After a few more minutes of picking at her food, she excused herself and retreated to her room. Lying in bed, she tried not to think too much about it, but her mind kept circling back to Ethan. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and she drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Emily was startled awake by the sound of something downstairs. Her heart raced as she quickly got up, worried that something might be wrong. Rushing to the hall, she found Ethan—disheveled, stumbling, and clearly not himself.

Her breath caught in her throat as she ran to him. "Ethan!" she called out, her voice filled with concern as she reached out to steady him. He was struggling to stay upright, and Emily could immediately tell something wasn't right. His steps were unsteady, and when she got close enough, she realized he had been drinking.

"Ethan, what happened?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice as she tried to hold him up. In his drunken state, Ethan stumbled again, and before she knew it, both of them lost their balance and fell to the floor.

Emily landed beneath him, her heart racing as she tried to make sense of the situation. At first, she thought Ethan might be sick, but the smell of alcohol quickly made her realize what had happened—he was drunk. Her hands trembled as she gently pushed him away, trying to get up to fetch water.

"Ethan, let me help you," she said, attempting to rise. But just as she tried to get up, Ethan's hand caught hers, pulling her closer, their faces inches apart. His breath was warm against her skin, and her heart pounded in her chest. For a moment, their eyes locked, and Emily could see something flicker in Ethan's gaze—something intense, but it wasn't the Ethan she knew.

She froze as Ethan leaned in, closing the distance between them. His lips brushed against hers, soft at first, but then with growing intensity. Emily's mind raced, caught between confusion and shock. She had never seen Ethan like this—never felt this kind of intensity from him before.