Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

Aubree felt a mix of pity and frustration as she realized this woman must have been duped by someone with the same name. Sighing, she took her phone back.

"Alright, got it. No worries then, Mr. Lynch. Say hi to Bri for me, will ya?"

After hanging up, Aubree turned to the woman who was still in shock.

"See? Wrong guy. The world's full of Dustins. You might wanna keep looking. And hey, if you're really pregnant, try to stay calm. If that dude doesn't want the kid, going through with it might be tough on both you and the baby, right?" It was the harsh truth, one that Emma found too much to bear alone.

After Aubree left, Emma felt her legs give way. Leaning against the wall, she felt nauseous. Twenty thousand to forget that night, to act as strangers henceforth. To him, her cries were just a whisper in the wind. She was demeaning herself, playing a solo act from start to finish. His memory of that time was hazy; he was so dignified that recalling that episode probably felt sordid and repulsive.

Sitting there, Emma felt a chilling cold seeping through her, hands and feet icy. With barely a hundred in her pocket, a hotel was out of the question. Too late to look for a job now. She had to get through the night, earn for a few days, and then head back to her small town. Her mother was waiting. She'd pretend she never came to Beaconsfield, never had this humiliating episode.

Meanwhile, Aubree had just gotten into her car when Dustin called. Before she could drive off, she answered.

"She said her name was Emma? Emma, as in the one from Luoyang?"

King had mentioned a doctor named Emma who had once saved him, but Dustin had been too busy to remember. Only now did it click. But the specifics eluded him. Aubree, unsure of the details, got out of the car. "She hasn't gone far. I'll go ask."

Aubree quickly approached the distant figure. Emma, still seated, rested her chin on her knees, her eyelashes wet.

"Hey, Dustin called. He asked if you're the Emma from Luoyang?"

Emma stiffened, lowering her lashes. "No, my last name's Luo."

No point in dwelling on unfamiliar connections. Even the thought of asking seemed foolish, tainted. He was a cloud, untouchable.

Aubree relayed the message, and Dustin didn't pursue further. After hanging up, Aubree still offered Emma her number, written on a piece of paper.

"You seem lost in Beaconsfield. If you need help, call me. I'm Aubree, an actress."

Emma, feeling defeated, hesitated to even consider borrowing money. "Thanks," she managed.

After ensuring she had done all she could, Aubree returned to her car, her involvement ending there.

Emma stayed put until midnight, then moved towards any light she could find, curling up against a walk to spend the night. The cold

bothered her, and she dreamt of net

being forced back into the Odeberg family, a fate she hoped her

Kindness over the years would spare

her from.

Awakened by passersby, Emma, embarrassed and hungry, found a public restroom to freshen up before heading to a diner. Opting for the cheaper vegetarian option, she felt the pinch of her finances. She needed a job to afford the train ticket back home.

Eventually, Emma spent a day

washing dishes at a restaurant, sleeping on an outside bench

าวน

afterward, before finally buying a train ticket back to her village. After a long journey and feeling ill, she returned home to her mother, a doctor, who mustn't suspect her condition.

thirtynet

“Emma, you're back! How'd it go - the surgery okay? Mr. Wang mentioned a five-day hospital stay; was about to visit. Look, the Odeberg family sent over thirty- thousand as a dowry. Did you buy yourself something nice? I've spoken with the Odebergs; they're expecting you to start helping them out as soon as you return."