“Emily,” he said softly, his tone laced with concern. “Stop. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
She didn’t answer, didn’t even glance back. Instead, she straightened her back and quickened her steps, even though her body protested.
She’d rather collapse from exhaustion than give him the satisfaction of seeing her falter.
Nicholas’s frustration grew. He knew how stubborn she was, but he couldn’t stand to see her pushing herself like this.
“Emily, listen to me!” he called out, his voice firmer now. “You’re going to tire yourself out. Please, just stop.”
Emily finally paused, her breath ragged. She turned around, her eyes blazing. “Why do you care, Nicholas? You’ve made it perfectly clear that my choices don’t matter to you. So why pretend now?”
Her words stung, but Nicholas didn’t back down. He took a cautious step closer, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. “Because I care about you, whether you believe it or not. I always have.”