Chapter 3 Breaking the Engagement

Emery felt a heavy weight in her chest. She remained silent and looked at the sticker with a frown. It seemed to be aggressively reminding her of Tessa's presence. It wasn't until the car came to a stop that Emery suddenly let out a laugh. She had just realized that after a trip away, Kieran couldn't even be bothered to refer to Sarah Walker, his mother-in-law, by name anymore. … Kieran had always been punctual. At exactly 10:00 am, he appeared in the hospital room. Unlike his icy demeanor the day before, he was being excessively gentlemanly today. "How are you?" he asked. As he spoke, he placed the expensive supplements that he had brought on the nearby table. He rolled up his sleeves, as though he was feeling warm, revealing his toned forearms. He then pulled a chair over and sat down next to Sarah's hospital bed. Sarah was elated at the sight of Kieran. She propped her frail body up and gathered her breath to say, "I told Emery that you would come and see me once you were done with work, but that damned girl insisted that you were too busy." As Sarah spoke, she shot Emery a disdainful glare before turning her attention back to Kieran. She tried to flatter him as she probed, "Kieran, I haven't seen you in a while. Have you been very busy?" Kieran glanced at Emery, who remained silent, and he sweetly replied, "No matter how busy I am, I'll still come to see you." Emery watched his half-hearted performance, feeling that it was all a pretense. But Sarah, on the other hand, beamed with joy. The two of them put on the act of mother-in-law and son-in-law, and Kieran played the role of the dutiful, good-natured son-in-law well. He answered Sarah's questions without hesitation, which cheered her up considerably. This was something that Emery could never manage to do. She stood aside like a spectator, unable to even get a word in. To Sarah, Emery was nothing more than a stubborn, thick-headed fool. Sarah saw Emery lower her head with a downcast expression. She frowned and scolded in annoyance, "Look at her, with that gloomy and dull personality. She's been like this her whole life, and she was never likable. If it weren't for your kindness, Kieran, she would've died a spinster." As Sarah spoke, her face fell, and she sighed deeply. "She's not like her brother at all. If only he were still alive…" At the mention of the past, Emery's face turned pale. The last thing she wanted was for her faults to be exposed in front of Kieran. She said in a pleading, bitter tone, "Mom, please don't…" Sarah became distraught at the memory of her son, and she glared at Emery. "If it weren't for you…" "Sarah," Kieran interrupted just then with a slight frown. "You've been talking for quite a while. Are you thirsty?" There was an undeniable authority in his tone, which made Sarah freeze for a moment. She quickly snapped back to her senses and dropped the subject. Sarah shakily accepted the glass from Kieran, but she also didn't forget to glare sharply at Emery. The atmosphere grew tense, and it was Kieran who finally broke the silence. He sat with a frown, his fingers gripping the knife's handle as he skillfully peeled an apple. He said, "I've recently acquired a few companies abroad. The market value is likely to rise significantly, and the Carter family should be able to have a good year without any losses." As he spoke, he cut the apple and placed the slices in a bowl. "When you're better, I'll take you shopping abroad." The Carter family's assets were spread overseas, but unfortunately, two years ago, there was internal strife. The family's businesses had then begun failing one after another. They had also almost declared bankruptcy at one point, but it was Kieran who had stepped in to save the situation and brought them to where they were today. Sarah knew that Kieran was an important figure. She didn't understand the market value of stocks, but she knew it was good news if they were making money. Sarah's lips lifted into a bitter and sarcastic smile. She said, "I'm not that lucky. I'm almost nearing the end now." After a pause, she changed the subject. "Kieran, I'm at the end of my life, and my only worry is Emery." Kieran understood the underlying meaning of her words, but he didn't give Sarah a chance to continue. He immediately cut her off and said, "Don't worry." He took Sarah's frail hand, and his voice was deep as he comforted her, "Good fortune favors the worthy. You'll be fine." In reality, the Carter family had already sent someone to prepare for the upcoming funeral. Kieran pretended to be ignorant, even though he clearly understood the situation. He didn't give Sarah a chance to bring up the topic of his marriage to Emery, and he remained unmoved. In the end, Kieran made an excuse to leave. Sarah had no more reason to stop him, and she had no choice but to ask Emery to see him off. There was a frustration within Emery, but she was unable to resist Sarah's urging. She followed behind Kieran in silence. However, not long after they exited the hospital room, after turning a corner, Kieran suddenly stopped and said, "Emery Young." He rarely called her by her full name, but now, with his brows furrowed, he calmly said, "This is far enough." Emery was stunned for a moment. She thought he meant that she was only supposed to send him to this point, so she said, "Okay. Be careful on your way home." But Kieran sneered and raised an eyebrow as he stared at her. He said sharply, "There's nothing more boring than a forced marriage." Emery's face turned pale. She was smart and instantly understood his meaning. "Are you calling off the marriage?" "What else?" Kieran's gaze turned cold. "Why would I marry a woman who's been with my older brother?"