Emma stopped running the moment she saw him.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved.

The noise of the busy street disappeared. The reporters, the employees, the traffic, everything faded into the background.

Only Ethan, Emma, and the little girl remained.

Sophia was still holding Ethan’s hand.

She looked from Ethan to Emma with innocent curiosity.

“Mommy.”

“Do you know him?”

Emma couldn’t answer.

Her heart was beating so loudly that she could barely hear anything else.

Five years.

Five long years.

She had imagined this moment countless times.

Sometimes she imagined slapping him.

Sometimes she imagined crying in his arms.

But now that he was standing in front of her, she felt completely numb.

Ethan slowly stood up.

His eyes never left Emma’s face.

She looked older.

Not because of age.

Because of pain.

The bright smile he once loved had become quieter.

But she was still the same woman he had never forgotten.

“Emma…”

Her name escaped his lips like a prayer.

Emma took a deep breath.

“Thank you for saving my daughter.”

Her voice was calm.

Too calm.

It frightened Ethan more than anger ever could.

Sophia smiled.

“Mommy, he saved me from the big van.”

Emma gently pulled Sophia close.

“I know, sweetheart.”

She looked at Ethan again.

“I appreciate what you did.”

She turned to leave.

But Ethan couldn’t let her walk away again.

“Emma.”

She stopped without looking back.

“We need to talk.”

“There is nothing left to talk about.”

“There is.”

“No, Ethan.”

“There was five years ago.”

“Not today.”

She started walking.

Ethan followed.

“Please.”

She stopped once more.

For a moment, she closed her eyes.

When she finally turned around, there were tears in them.

“You lost the right to ask me for anything the night you never came.”

Those words hit Ethan harder than any insult could have.

“I wanted to come.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I had no choice.”

Emma laughed bitterly.

“Everyone always has a choice.”

“You chose your family.”

“You chose your company.”

“You chose your future.”

She placed her hand on her chest.

“And I chose to survive.”

Silence surrounded them.

Sophia looked confused.

She tugged at Emma’s sleeve.

“Mommy.”

“Why are you crying?”

Emma quickly wiped away her tears and forced a smile.

“I’m alright.”

Sophia looked at Ethan.

“Are you making my mommy sad?”

Ethan couldn’t answer.

Because the truth was…

He had been making her sad for five years.

---

Inside Blackwood Industries…

The reporters continued waiting for Ethan.

His assistant, Michael, hurried outside.

“Sir.”

“The board meeting starts in ten minutes.”

Ethan didn’t move.

“Cancel it.”

Michael stared at him in shock.

“Sir?”

“I said cancel it.”

“This is more important.”

Michael looked at Emma and the little girl.

For the first time, he understood why his boss had never loved anyone else.

---

Emma finally spoke.

“What do you want, Ethan?”

“I want to explain.”

“Explain what?”

“The engagement?”

“The silence?”

“The five years?”

Ethan lowered his head.

“Everything.”

Emma looked at Sophia.

“Sweetheart.”

“Go sit on that bench for a minute.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Sophia nodded and walked away, hugging her little teddy bear.

As soon as she was out of hearing distance, Ethan stepped closer.

“I never married Victoria.”

Emma’s eyes widened.

“What?”

“The engagement was real.”

“But the marriage never happened.”

Emma stared at him without speaking.

“I ended it before the wedding.”

“Why?”

“Because every time I looked at her…”

“I saw you.”

Emma looked away.

“I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“But it’s the truth.”

He reached into his wallet.

Carefully, he removed something wrapped in soft cloth.

The old silver ring.

Emma froze.

“You kept it?”

“I never stopped carrying it.”

Her hands began to tremble.

Five years.

And he still had it.

She looked at him with tears filling her eyes.

“Why now?”

“Because I spent five years looking for you.”

Emma frowned.

“You disappeared.”

“I searched every city where we had ever dreamed of living.”

“I hired investigators.”

“I visited your old apartment.”

“You were gone.”

Emma was speechless.

She had changed cities after Sophia was born to protect herself from painful memories.

Neither of them had known the other was searching.

Fate had kept them apart.

Not distance.

Not hatred.

Just cruel timing.

Before either of them could say another word…

A black luxury car stopped outside the building.

The rear door opened.

A tall woman wearing dark sunglasses stepped out.

She removed them slowly.

Her eyes locked onto Ethan.

Then onto Emma.

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

“Well…”

“So this is the woman.”

Emma looked at Ethan.

“Who is she?”

Ethan’s face became serious.

“Victoria.”

The air suddenly became heavy again.

The past had finally caught up with them.

End of Chapter 3.