Chapter 4

Sure enough, that afternoon, I was practicing my violin in the crew lounge.

Mason showed up with her, looking all awkward and uncomfortable.

When they walked in, James was standing by the door, watching me with a faint, ambiguous smile. There was a hint of gloating in his eyes.

Mason hesitantly spoke up, "Emmy, uh, Olivia said she already discussed it with you that the church violin part would be switched to her. Is that correct?"

Olivia cut in before I could respond, flashing a smile. "Let's make it me playing the piano instead. A piano performance in the church would set the mood, don't you think?"

I cut her off. "She never talked to me about replacing the performer."

An awkward look immediately flashed across Mason's face.

James called out from the doorway, his voice icy. "Well, now you've been told."

Olivia wore a smug grin, making no effort to hide how pleased she was.

She was all cocky and bossy, but her voice stayed sugary sweet. "James told me that if the crew can't give me a tiny part, he might rethink whether he wants to play the male lead."

Mason's face darkened with anger as he shot a glare at James by the door.

James, meanwhile, looked unfazed, a subtle smile in his eyes as he leaned casually against the doorframe.

He was obviously letting Olivia get away with her nonsense.

Mason's face turned livid with anger. After a long moment, he finally snapped, "This is nonsense."

He couldn't bring himself to ask me to leave, but he was powerless to do anything about it.

I picked up my violin and stood up, keeping my voice cool. "Go ahead, let her have it. It doesn't matter to me."

Olivia's smile became more carefree.

Mason stormed off, fuming.

I slung my violin over my shoulder and walked out.

As I walked past James, I couldn't hold back and said, "She's not right for you." I wasn't trying to judge. I had to warn him.

And with that, I started to walk away.

But James suddenly reached out and grabbed my arm.

As I looked down, I saw the veins bulging on the back of his hand.

Olivia walked over with a look of sorrow on her face and softly called out to him, "James."

James's expression grew visibly agitated. Suppressing his temper, he said in a low voice, "Go wait outside."

Olivia gave me a dirty look, full of resentment, but she still left first.

It had been years since I'd been alone with James, and my palms were already damp with sweat. I hadn't noticed when it started.

I couldn't pull my hand away, so I looked up at him, doing my best to steady myself. "A word of advice, take it or leave it."

James's face was stormy as he yanked me inside, his grip rough and forceful.

He lifted his foot again, kicking the door shut with a roughness he had never shown before. With a loud bang, the lock clicked into place.

My heart gave a violent jolt, and for a split second, my scalp tingled.

James's broad palm gripped my shoulder.

He pressed me against the door, his gaze sharp as a blade, like he could burn a hole right through me. "She's not right for me? So what, are you saying you are?

"Emily, what have you been doing all these years? Was I your game to mess with?"

His grip kept getting tighter, and my shoulder was starting to hurt.

I watched as anger and resentment surged in James's eyes, no longer hidden.

I took a shaky breath. "James, we're over. Calm down. If what I said bothered you, then I apologize. Forget I said that."

The anger on James's face deepened, and his heavy breathing seemed to carry hatred. "Words can't be unsaid, and actions can't be undone.

"Emily, because you want to erase it, why should I have to act like it never happened?"

I'd never seen James so stubborn and unwilling to let things go.

Five years ago, when he was completely disappointed in me and wanted to break up, he said it, and that was it.

I said yes and walked away.

After that, we never spoke again.

Dragging things out like this was never his style.

My head started to ache. "So what exactly do you want from me?"