Chapter 26

John's voice dripped with anger.

Emily was stunned for a moment, then slowly got up and asked, "Is Veda dead? If she is, then I can throw a party."

John couldn't believe her lack of remorse, her shamelessness.

"Veda's your sister. You've been at each other's throats since you were kids.Do you really want her dead now?"

Emily was done explaining herself to John. She smirked and mocked him.

John's anger flared, but he held back from slapping her, remembering how she stood up to him today.

He said, "And it's not just that. You've always tried to outdo me. I got into stone gambling, and you followed Grandpa to learn. You mastered it in three days, picking stones worth millions."

He went on, "I got into racing, and you followed. On the track, you smoked me!"

He added, "At ten, you were doing my homework and writing top-notch papers,yet you stiIl ended up at the same high school as me. Emily, are you trying to show everyone you're better than me?"

"From childhood till now, you've been scheming. You have left a dark shadow on my psyche, and seeing you makes me sick!" John finally

shouted.

Emily listened quietly to his rant. Sure, she could write papers at ten,but she just wantedI to grow up with John, which is why she went to the same high school with him.

She got into stone gambling and racing because those were John's interests,and she wanted to spend more time with him.

What she remembered as a cherished childhood connection,John saw as nothing more than a lingering shadow cast over his soul. She was someone he found disgusting.

But now, Emily felt explaining was pointless. She sighed and said, "You won't believe me no matter wwhat I say because all you see is Veda now. So,John, let's just part ways."

It was then that John noticed she was packing.

He sneered, "Are you playing hard to get now?"

Emily only had some clothes and jewelry at the mansion. She finished packing and zipped her bag.

She walked up to John, calmly saying, "IIl explain everything to them later.

Just then, the butler called them for dinner. Emily carried her suitcase downstairs.

Seeing this, Calliope asked, "Emily, are you going on a business trip?"

With everyone gathered at the dining table, Emily spoke seriously,"Grandpa, Mom,Dad, I have something to tell you."

Everyone was puzzled; Emily rarely looked this serious.

Emily smiled slightly. "Thanks for taking care of me all these years. I've decided to move out and live on my own."

Everyone was shocked. Wilder saw John coming down and immediately punched him. "Did you mess with Emily again? I've been away from the company for a few days, and you brought Veda in. Do you think you run the place? Tomorrow, get Veda out of the company, or you're leaving with her!"

Calliope looked at Wilder in surprise. "Is this true?"

Calliope and Wilder immediately started giving John a joint beating. The scene was both funny and ridiculous.

Out of breath from chasing John, Calliope demanded, "Apologize to Emily right now!"

John, with his lips tightly pursed, didIn't think he had done anything wrong.

Emily stopped Calliope. "Mom, actually, John and I were never really married."

Everyone was momentarily shocked again.

Emily explained slowly, "When John and I were in the middle of our marriage registration, he was called away by Veda. But he didn't want to upset you, so we decided to buy fake marriage certificates online."

With just a few words, she laid everything out. The living room fell into a tense silence. After a few seconds, Calliope accepted the truth, feeling that Emily not marrying John was probably for the best.

Emily hurriedly held Calliope, patting her back to calm her down.

"Mom, since he has chosen Veda, there's no point in me clinging on."

That day outside the Royal Venue, even if she had shown everyone a marriage certificate, it would have just humiliated herself. John's choice had always been Veda.

In this moment, Emily's once numb heart seemed to feel a dull pain.

She had truly loved John with all her heart. But that was all in the past.

There was a clear slap mark on John's face. He never thought Emily was serious this time. He thought, 'Is she forcing me to choose between her and Veda?' He looked at Emily with a dark expression.

Emily calmly said, "Dad, Mom, John is an adult now. He doesn't have to like me."

Calliope said, "But you grew up together from childhood, with such deep feelings. I always treated you as my daughter-in-law."

Emily just smiled. John and Veda were the ones who truly had deep feelings.

"Grandpa, Mom, Dad, even if I leave the Williams Mansion, you will always be my family in my heart."

Her biological parents did not give her the love and care she needed,butJohn's parents did. They unconditionally favored Emily, giving her the best of everything. When she was first brought back, there was no welcoming party for her to return to the family. Her parents thought she was not presentable. Finally,after much effort, they held a party, but Emily showed up in tattered clothes, becoming the laughingstock of everyone.

It was Calliope who took Emily to change into a beautiful princess dress and introduced her to the wealthy guests downstairs, declaring her as the true daughter of the Johnson family and she would become Mrs. Williams of the Williams family in the future.

Just with the title of Mrs. Williams, everyone present had to respect her.

Calliope also said that if Emily ever felt unhappy at the Johnson Mansion,she could come to the Williams Mansion to find her. So her timeat the Williams Mansion was longer than at the Johnson Mansion. In Emily's heart,Calliope was her real mother.

Reluctant to see Emily leave, Calliope hugged her, tears streaming down her face, saying, "It's good that you're leaving. You don't have to waste any more time on John. If anyone bullies you in the future, just say you are the daughter of the Williams family. If the Johnson family doesn't care for you,I will."

Emily was amused by her words and nodded. "You are my mother; of course you should care for me."