Emma was a little too excited to break up with Daniel. This would be her first step to setting everything right.
Unable to control her anticipation, she ended up in front of the café, their meeting place, earlier than the decided time.
While waiting for Daniel, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. As she played on her phone, she felt bored about responding to the various messages she received.
Although they showered her with the utmost attention and love now, willing to do anything for her, they were the first ones to turn their back on her when her father died, and her family went bankrupt.
After her father died, she humbly begged at the doorsteps of many of them, asking for some kind of help and support for keeping her business. But all of them turned her down with the excuses of their helplessness.
Maybe Emma was seething with anger and depression then.
But now, it brought a self-depreciating smile on her face.
She saw everything much clearer now. These people were brought to her side by the money and power, not by her sincerity. How could they be willing to stay by her side once she had lost that?
She was too naive and pathetic, believing that the world revolved around her.
Emma's trail of thought was broken when she felt the shadow fall on her. Raising her head, she found Daniel standing before her, wearing his usual solemn expression.
His neatly yet effortlessly styled black hair framed his handsome face. Those deep brown eyes of his were steady and composed. The slight, natural curve at the end of his eyes made them mesmerizing, serving as a contrast to his otherwise calm temperament. The first thing that attracted Emma about Daniel were his beautiful eyes.
Emma did not have to check the time to know he was right on time. No matter how upset he felt with her, the man never failed to be punctual.
Not a second earlier, not a second later.
And this precision of him agitated her a lot in her previous life, leading her to create troubles with him. She fought over how she was always the one to arrive early, making her feel as though she was the only one looking forward to their dates. She expected him to feel pity for her or even be touched by her.
However, most of the times, the man would silently stare at her throw a tantrum, bored.
Now, Emma understood how to Daniel this was like a horrible job. Although he hated it, he had to go through it.
Only if he liked her would he arrive early on dates out of anticipation of meeting her.
"You are here."
Daniel furrowed his brows. "What is the urgent matter you needed me for?"
"Let's sit inside first," Emma suggested politely.
Emma thought for a second that the man would reject her, saying he had important affairs to tend to, but after a moment of silence, he entered the café to her surprise.
Emma blinked, trying to process it, before rushing in after him.
°°°
The steaming hot coffee sat in front of her, the vapor rising in the air. Emma took in a deep breath, trying to compose her emotions. Daniel stared at her- the impatience in his dark eyes increasing.
Just as Emma was about to speak, a loud female voice interrupted her.
"Did you harass my brother again and force him here? You're truly shameless, aren't you!? When are you going to the fucking clue that he doesn't like you and stop pestering him like an annoying pest!?"
When Emma turned her head, she found Melody Yang, Daniel's younger sister, standing there. Rage was written in her eyes as she glared at Emma, as if wishing to tear her off. She wore the uniform of the café, indicating she worked there.
Emma felt a headache incoming.
She forgot that Melody worked here or else she wouldn't have selected this place.
Although to an extent, she owed Melody and knew Melody had every right to be mad at her after she blackmailed her brother, Emma wasn't in the mood to deal with her.
But before she was able to open her mouth, Daniel sternly stated, "Go and do your work, Mel. This is no child's matter."
Melody pouted. "I am hardly two years younger than you. Don't treat me like a child. Daniel, I am telling you that you can't go soft on her or be scared of her. It is a society ruled by laws. She wouldn't be able to go too far."
Emma Lin was unwilling to exchange words back and forth.
She was here with the intent of apologizing and breaking up.
Her nails dug into her hand in nervousness as she attempted to gather her courage. Then, taking in a deep breath, she stood up, about to speak up when her hand hit the cup of coffee on the table.
A startled scream left her mouth as the steaming hot drink fell on her hand. The cup crashed on the ground, shattering into pieces. Emma jumped back as the drink splashed on her feet.
"Are you alright?" asked Melody.
Tears welled up in Emma's eyes due to excruciating pain. Before she would have immediately burst out and made a fuss, however, now, her temperament had calmed down a lot.
Emma was about to reply how she was fine when a pair of hands grabbed hers.
Daniel asked, "Where is the tap?"
Daniel's concerned voice made Emma forget about her pain for a fraction of a second. As Melody directed him, Daniel pulled Emma over to the running water supply as she remains little in a daze.
He placed her hand under the water. The cold water washing through her hand lowered her pain.
Next, Daniel brought her over to the staffroom and gently took care of her wounds. Emma silently watched him put his care towards the injuries.
Although she was a despicable human being to her, he didn't spare her from gentleness every time she was in pain.
His sporadic kindness always gave her the illusion that maybe she had a place in his heart.
If she was in Daniel's position now, Emma wouldn't bother and believe he deserved it. She probably even would have laughed at his pain.
Once he was done bandaging her hand, Emma softly smiled at him. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"Thank you," Emma expressed.
Daniel frowned. Confusion was written in his eyes.
"You still need to see a doctor for the wounds. This is just temporary," Daniel advised.
Emma was no longer a delicate young lady. These wounds didn't bother her much.
"There is no need for that. It will heal in a few days."
She could see that Daniel was displeased with her reply.
Melody curled up her lips mockingly and passed a comment: "Look at you, being so polite and calm, as if you weren't screaming like an arrogant shrew last time.
Don't tell me that you learned a few tricks and are trying to change the way to earn my brother's love? Are you not going to force my brother to take you to the hospital? After all, you probably spilled that cup on purpose to get my brother's care."
Emma raised her head to look at Melody and sighed.
"If that is what you want to believe, I can't change your mind."
Melody stared at her strangely. Was this woman in front of her still Emma? There was no way she didn't break out into an outburst after she said all those harsh words to Emma.
Emma understood the look in Melody's eyes.
Although Melody was Daniel's younger sister, Emma wasn't willing to tolerate her rude behaviour. Melody hated her to the core, and well, Emma wasn't exactly fond of her as well. Two of them always broke out into fights- sometimes they became physical- whenever they met.
Thinking about how passionately she fought with someone two years younger than her, Emma was truly embarrassed of her past self.
It wasn't as though Melody was in the wrong.
Melody felt a little awkward due to Emma's personality.
"Daniel, do you think she has been possessed? I just cringed. What the fuck is wrong with her? She disgusts me more like this." Melody shuddered.
The corner of Emma's lips twitched.
Wasn't this girl being a little too dramatic?
"Mel, don't you have to work?" asked Daniel.
"Oh, right. I will be going. I won't be able to stand her like this anymore," Melody voiced out before running off.
Emma and Daniel was left alone in the room. Nervous, Emma stared at the ground, not daring to look at Daniel.
"I would suggest you better see a doctor instead of treating it casually," Daniel brought up.
Emma pulled her lips into a thin line. Although she didn't care about to see a doctor, she just nodded her head for the sake of ending the topic.
Daniel's phone then rang. Receiving the call, he stepped out of the room.
Emma was silently sitting for a while when it hit her that she didn't bring up the matter she wanted to talk with him today.
About breaking up and apologizing.
She instantly got on her feet and ran out of the door before she collided against someone. Emma was about to fall back when someone grabbed on to her back to stabilize her.
Raising her head, she was met with Daniel's face in front of her.