Chapter 4

As soon as Sophia finished paying and stepped out of the store, she ran right into Emily. Adam was right beside her. They were arm in arm, and Adam was carrying a small Hello Kitty bag over his shoulder.

"Well, fancy running into you here, Sophia." Emily flashed a fake smile and looked her up and down.

As soon as Emily spotted the gift bag in Sophia's hand, her eyes lit up with greed. She could not hide it for a second.

"Is that a wedding gift for me and Adam?" Emily asked. "Ooh, is it something expensive? It looks pretty big. Why not just open it right here and let us see what's inside?"

Before Sophia could answer, Emily reached out to grab the bag. But Sophia moved it behind her back before Emily could touch it.

Emily's smile vanished. Adam frowned and shot Sophia a look of annoyance.

Sophia just smiled faintly, pretending not to notice. "Yeah, it is a wedding gift for you two. It is something really special. Wait until your big day, and you will see just how much it matters."

She was lying. The gift was real, but it was not the kind of thing they would expect.

Their baby had been so tiny, barely the size of her palm. It never even got a chance to open its eyes.

Emily was annoyed, but she let it go for the moment. She would get her hands on the gift eventually.

She knew Sophia would never risk upsetting their parents by bringing something cheap to the wedding. But she was not about to pass up a chance to show off.

Emily forced a bright smile and grabbed Sophia's wrist. "Adam and I are picking out a wedding tiara. Since you are a designer, help us choose the best one."

With that, Emily dragged Sophia into a jewelry store. Sophia and Adam had been to this store before. They had even ordered a custom couple's necklace there.

The salesperson hurried over as soon as they walked in. "Ms. Nash, Mr. Rivers, what can I help you with today?"

There were two Nashes in the room, but Adam acted as if Sophia did not exist.

He slipped his arm around Emily with a relaxed, almost show-off air. "We are here to pick out a bridal tiara for my future wife. Price does not matter."

The salesperson paused and gave them a couple of surprised glances. Then she quickly launched into her sales pitch, showing them the jewelry in the display case.

Emily's eyes immediately locked onto the store's most impressive bridal tiara. It was gorgeous and heavy, set with rubies, and the price was in the hundreds of thousands.

Sophia was a designer with a love for classic styles. Adam had once given her a bridal tiara to please her, but it was only a display piece.

She watched as Adam took the tiara from the display and placed it on Emily's head. Standing in front of the mirror, they looked like the perfect couple.

Adam leaned in close and whispered in Emily's ear. "If you want it, it is yours. On our wedding night, you will be wearing this tiara under me."

Emily's cheeks flushed, and she buried her face against his chest. They were openly affectionate in public, not caring who was watching.

Sophia stood behind them, her face blank and cold. She did not even react to the salesperson's pity.

Time seemed to crawl by, and every second felt like pure torture. She was trapped in a nightmare that would not end. At last, they paid for the tiara.

When Adam pulled out his wallet, Sophia's photo was gone. It had been replaced by a picture of Emily in her high school uniform.

Maybe he felt uneasy, or maybe Sophia's gaze was burning into him. Adam glanced back and caught her gaze for a split second before looking away.

He did feel guilty about Sophia, but his love for Emily ran deeper. Love could drive people crazy, but not loving someone could make a person cold as ice.

He would rather pretend to be someone else entirely than stay tangled up with Sophia. If anyone were to blame, it would be simply that Sophia had shown up at the wrong time.

Once Adam thought that way, whatever guilt he had simply disappeared.

Just as they were filling out the delivery information, an alarm suddenly blared overhead.

A group of armed robbers burst in through the door.

"Everyone, hands up!" one of them shouted.

"Smash the glass! Grab everything you can!" another yelled.

Screams erupted all around.

Adam had been a special forces soldier before becoming a firefighter. He calmly pulled Emily behind him, shielding her. "Do not be afraid. I am here."

Then he grabbed his radio and called for backup. "There are robbers at Riverdale Mall. Get the police here now."

But just as he was calling for help, Emily saw the tiara about to be stolen and rushed forward without thinking.

One of the robbers grabbed her by the neck.

"Let go of me! Adam, help me!" Emily gasped, tears streaming down her face.

Adam did not hesitate. He stood up and moved forward.

He warned the robbers that the police were already on their way. He tried to convince them to turn themselves in, promising he would help them get a reduced sentence.

The robbers hesitated. "Why should we trust you?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Adam pushed Sophia out of the crowd. "She is my fiancée. Take her, not Emily, as your hostage."

Emily, though clearly unhappy, went along with it to save herself. She nodded quickly. "Yes, my sister is engaged to him. Taking me will not get you anything."