Chapter 3
How could she ever forgive him for that?
She raised her wrist, the bruises from the handcuffs had turned a deep, nasty purple—so bad it made her shudder.
With tears in her eyes, Emily whispered, "Ryan, you never treated me like this before."
His expression shifted, guilt shadowing his features. "Because you've been so upset about Sophie lately. I was scared. And angry."
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Then why do you keep doing things you know will hurt me?"
A long, heavy silence stretched between them. When he finally spoke again, his voice was thick with anguish, "Emily, please don't be rash about this. We're just colleagues. We have a critical mission to work on together..."
"Just go. I want to rest," Emily said, her voice flat and tired.
"Alright, I'll be right here if you need me," Ryan replied softly.
Emily was discharged from the hospital the very next day, and Ryan never left her side. For the next week, he was practically glued to her, changing her bandages and even feeding her himself. No matter how cold she was to him, he never got upset.
But Emily still noticed—he'd sneak out to the balcony to make calls, and every time, she'd catch him smiling softly to himself.
She knew exactly who was on the other end, and that made her heart hurt even more.
But on the third day after Emily got home from the hospital, Sophie moved in next door.
After that, Ryan started making two plates every time—one for Emily, and the other for Sophie next door. He'd always stick around and eat with Sophie before heading home.
Whenever he came back to Emily, he'd always say, "It's an assignment from the department. We were just discussing the mission details."
Emily would watch the trace of a happy smile he hadn't quite managed to erase, and her heart would shatter all over again.
Ryan made a point of keeping her and Sophie apart. But one day, after dressing with unusual care, he announced, "It's our anniversary. I've booked a table on the cruise ship tonight. Candlelit dinner, just for us."
Emily opened her mouth to refuse, but he was already ushering her out the door. And there, waiting in the hallway, was Sophie.
"Hey, Emily! Hope you don't mind me being the third wheel tonight," Sophie said, flashing a playful grin.
Ryan smiled, then turned to explain, "Sophie wanted to see what the cruise was like, and since we had an extra ticket, we're all going together. Emily, you... don't mind, do you?"
Emily let out a sarcastic laugh, lowering her eyes. "Of course not."
What right did she even have to care? Their marriage was just a sham, nothing but a facade.
*****
The day they boarded the cruise ship, the weather was perfect—clear skies and a gentle breeze.
Ryan and Sophie walked side by side, chatting and laughing like they were the only ones there, leaving Emily feeling like a total outsider.
The whole ship was decked out in glittering decorations, like it was getting ready for some huge celebration.
That night, Ryan pulled out all the stops for a candlelit dinner. Emily sat across from him, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
"This is a good chance for us to really talk," Emily said, keeping her tone calm.
Ryan beamed, gesturing to the plates before them. "Absolutely. But first, try the red wine sauce with the steak. I had it specially prepared for you."
His eyes softened with a touch of nostalgia. "Remember our first date? We had steak, but you insisted on having it well-done. The waiter's face was priceless—I can still picture it now."
Emily sliced the steak without thinking, put a piece in her mouth, and her smile barely held together.
"Yeah, I remember that day. You promised you'd always protect me, that I'd never get hurt," she murmured.
However, Ryan missed the bitter edge in her tone, and she quickly composed herself.
"There's something I need to—" Emily began, but before she could finish, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her.
She saw Ryan quickly stand up and steady her, his voice soft and caring. "Emily, you're drunk."
A cold dread settled in her chest.
The tiny bit of red wine in the steak couldn't possibly get her drunk. Did Ryan put something in it?
But before Emily could make sense of it, darkness swallowed her whole.
Emily struggled to wake up, her mind foggy. When her memories finally returned, she was furious.
Ryan had the nerve to drug her!
She was in a room on the cruise ship. After taking a moment to collect herself, Emily stumbled out of the room. As soon as she stepped onto the deck, she heard the sound of people cheering.
Not far away, the area was aglow with candlelight and bright lamps. Guests had formed a circle, and Emily spotted many familiar faces from the organization, all gathered around two people in the center.
Behind them stood a massive glowing sign that said: [Sophie, Happy Birthday.]
A chill seeped into Emily's bones.
The crowd erupted again as Ryan presented a gift. The happy birthday song began, followed by the clinking of glasses and more cheerful chatter.
From her distance, she could read Ryan's lips as he leaned toward Sophie. "Make a wish. Anything you want, it's yours."
Numb and unsteady, Emily retreated to her cabin. The cold truth washed over her in relentless waves.
Now it all made sense. Ryan had booked out the whole cruise ship, not for their anniversary, but just to celebrate Sophie's birthday.
He even drugged her just so she wouldn't get in the way.
The sounds of the party drifted in until the early hours. When silence finally fell, it wasn't long before her door clicked open.
The light, careful footsteps weren't Ryan's. Emily looked up to see Sophie walking in, holding a plate with a slice of cake.
"I know you're awake. I saw you come out earlier. Have some cake. Bet you're not feeling great right now, are you?" Sophie said with a smug smile, setting the cake down on the table.
Sophie was hoping to see anger or pain on Emily's face, but Emily just sat upright on the edge of the bed, looking back at her with a cold, steady gaze.
"Take your cake and get out," Emily said coldly.
Sophie's expression hardened. "Your husband threw me a massive birthday party. Don't you understand what that means?"
"So what if I do? Don't bother me. Whatever you two do is none of my business. And you don't need to stake your claim here. Ryan and I are over, so you don't need to rub it in," Emily replied, waving her off.
She ushered a scowling Sophie out and lay back down.