Chapter 48: A complicated favour

"What was that?"

Emily looked at Ethan.

For a few seconds, she didn’t answer.

The sound of Adrian’s BMW had already disappeared down the street, leaving behind nothing but the quiet hum of traffic in the distance.

Emily adjusted the strap of her bag.

"It was Adrian."

Ethan stared at her.

"I know."

She looked away.

Ethan glanced toward the road again.

"You were with Adrian?"

"Yes."

There was another pause.

Ethan didn’t know what to say.

He had come here because Damian had asked him to check on Emily.

He hadn’t expected to see her stepping out of a BMW with Adrian driving.

And judging by the look on Emily’s face, she hadn’t expected to see him either.

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck.

"Okay."

Emily looked at him.

"Okay?"

"Yeah."

He nodded slowly.

"Okay."

She frowned.

"You’re being weird."

"I just saw my best friend’s girlfriend getting dropped off by the guy who used to like her."

"When you say it like that..."

"It sounds exactly like what happened."

Emily sighed.

"Ethan."

He raised both hands.

"I’m not accusing you of anything."

"Good."

"I just..."

He looked toward the road again.

"What were you doing with him?"

Emily hesitated.

"We had lunch."

"Lunch?"

"Yes."

"Just lunch?"

Emily looked at him.

"Ethan."

"I’m asking."

"And I’m answering."

He studied her face.

She wasn’t smiling.

She didn’t look excited.

She didn’t look like someone who had just spent a romantic afternoon with someone else.

If anything, she looked exhausted.

That made Ethan pause.

"Is your mom okay?"

Emily’s expression changed.

"She’s stable."

"Good."

Ethan nodded.

That was the part he understood.

He already knew Emily was dealing with family problems.

He just hadn’t expected Adrian to be involved.

"So he knows?"

Emily looked down.

"About my mom?"

"Yeah."

She nodded.

"I needed help."

Ethan immediately understood.

Not everything.

But enough.

He looked at her carefully.

"Did you borrow money from him?"

Emily’s silence answered for her.

Ethan exhaled.

"Right."

"I’m going to pay him back."

"I figured."

"He helped when I needed it."

Ethan didn’t argue.

He couldn’t.

If Emily’s mother needed treatment and Adrian had been willing to help, that part was understandable.

But there was something else bothering him.

"Does Damian know?"

Emily’s head lifted.

"No."

Ethan stared at her.

"You haven’t told him?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don’t want to."

He was quiet.

Emily looked away.

"He’ll help if I tell him."

"Yeah."

"He’ll probably try to solve everything."

"Yeah."

"And I don’t want that."

Ethan nodded slowly.

"So you went to Adrian."

"Yes."

Ethan looked toward the direction the BMW had disappeared.

"And he just gave you the money?"

Emily hesitated.

"He lent it to me."

"That’s different."

"I know."

Ethan could hear something in her voice.

She knew it was different too.

He didn’t push.

Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"So what’s the deal?"

Emily looked at him.

"What?"

"You don’t look happy."

She didn’t answer immediately.

Then she sighed.

"He wanted something in return."

Ethan’s expression tightened.

"What?"

"Nothing like that."

"I didn’t say anything."

"You were thinking it."

"I was absolutely thinking it."

Emily almost smiled.

Almost.

"He wants us to spend time together."

Ethan blinked.

"What?"

"Dinner. Events. Hanging out. Things like that."

Ethan stared at her.

"So basically..."

"Don’t."

"He wants girlfriend privileges without actually being your boyfriend."

Emily gave him a tired look.

"It’s not like that."

"Emily."

"I know what he’s doing."

That stopped Ethan.

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Then why agree?"

Emily looked down at the pavement.

"Because my mom needed the money."

Ethan didn’t have a joke for that.

He looked at her for a long moment.

Then nodded.

"Okay."

Emily looked at him.

"That’s it?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don’t know."

Ethan sighed.

"I’m not going to judge you."

She looked relieved.

"But..."

"There it is."

"But you need to be careful."

"I know."

"Seriously."

"I know, Ethan."

He nodded.

"Good."

For a few seconds, neither said anything.

Then Ethan’s expression changed.

"Wait."

Emily looked at him.

"What?"

"You said he wants you to spend time with him."

"Yes."

"Does Damian know you were with Adrian today?"

Emily shook her head.

Ethan closed his eyes briefly.

"Okay."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Ethan."

He looked at her.

"I came here because Damian asked me to check on you."

Emily froze.

"He did?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Earlier."

Her eyes dropped.

Ethan continued.

"He was going to come himself."

Emily looked up quickly.

"What?"

"I stopped him."

"Why?"

"Because I figured if you saw him after I told him you were dealing with family stuff, you’d probably think I told him everything."

Emily stared at him.

"You didn’t?"

"No."

"Thank you."

Ethan nodded.

"I figured you should tell him when you’re ready."

Emily’s expression softened.

"You’re a good friend."

"Obviously."

She smiled faintly.

Ethan pointed at her.

"Don’t get emotional. I have a reputation."

Emily laughed quietly.

The tension eased for a moment.

Then Ethan’s eyes moved toward the road again.

"But I’m still not loving that Adrian thing."

Emily sighed.

"I know."

"He’s not doing this because he suddenly became your best friend."

"I know that too."

"Then don’t let him push you into something you don’t want."

"I won’t."

Ethan nodded.

"Good."

He started walking away.

Emily watched him.

"Ethan."

He turned.

"Yeah?"

"Please don’t tell Damian."

Ethan’s expression softened.

"I won’t."

She nodded.

"Thank you."

He turned around again.

Then stopped.

"One thing, though."

Emily raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"If Adrian starts acting weird, tell me."

She smiled.

"I can handle Adrian."

"That’s exactly what people say before things get complicated."

"Goodnight, Ethan."

"Goodnight."

He walked away.

Emily stood outside her house for a moment.

She looked at the road again.

Adrian was gone.

But his presence still felt like it was hanging around.

She unlocked her phone.

A message from him was already waiting.

Adrian:Got home?

Emily stared at it.

She typed.

Emily:Yeah.

A reply came.

Adrian:Good.

Then another.

Adrian:Next time, I’ll pick somewhere you actually like.

Emily frowned.

She didn’t respond.

She locked her phone and walked inside.

Across the city, Damian was sitting at a small café with Claire.

He looked at his phone.

No message from Ethan.

No message from Emily.

Claire noticed.

"You expecting someone?"

Damian looked up.

"No."

"You’ve checked your phone three times."

"Have I?"

"Yes."

Damian smiled.

"Didn’t realize."

Claire took a sip of her drink.

"You’re distracted."

"A little."

"Business?"

"Not really."

She studied him.

"Emily?"

Damian smiled slightly.

"Maybe."

Claire shook her head.

"You two are really something."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

She looked away.

Damian laughed.

His phone buzzed.

He checked it.

It was Ethan.

Ethan:She’s fine. Don’t worry.

Damian stared at the message.

He smiled.

Damian:Thanks, bro.

He put the phone away.

Claire looked at him.

"Everything good?"

"Yeah."

"What did Ethan say?"

"He checked on Emily."

Claire nodded.

"Good."

Damian leaned back.

For some reason, he felt relieved.

He hadn’t realized how much he’d been worrying about her until then.

"Anyway," Claire said, "you were telling me about that company."

Damian looked at her.

"The acquisition?"

"Yeah."

He nodded.

"I got some of the information."

"And?"

"Still figuring it out."

"Good."

Claire smiled.

"You’re actually taking your time."

"I learned my lesson."

"From what?"

"Westbridge."

She laughed.

"Fair."

Damian took another sip of his drink.

His mind briefly returned to the acquisition.

The company had recurring revenue.

Existing users.

A functioning product.

But the debt figures bothered him.

Something didn’t add up.

He needed someone who understood financial due diligence better than he did.

He wasn’t going to throw millions at something just because the asking price looked cheap.

He had enough money now to make mistakes that were expensive.

That thought alone made him more cautious.

Claire interrupted his thoughts.

"You’re doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Thinking about work."

Damian smiled.

"Sorry."

"Don’t be."

She leaned back.

"You’re allowed to have a life, you know."

"I know."

"Then stop looking like you’re about to buy another company."

"I haven’t bought anything."

"Yet."

Damian laughed.

"Fair."

That night, Emily sat beside her mother’s bed.

Her mother was sleeping.

The room was dim, illuminated only by the small light near the bed.

Emily looked at her phone again.

There were two unread messages.

One from Adrian.

One from Damian.

She opened Damian’s first.

Damian:Goodnight, love. Hope your mom is okay.

Emily stared at it.

Her fingers moved.

Emily:Goodnight babe. She’s okay.

She sent it.

Then she opened Adrian’s message.

Adrian:Don’t forget Saturday.

Emily frowned.

She had forgotten already.

She typed:

Emily:What about Saturday?

The response came quickly.

Adrian:The event.

Emily stared at the screen.

She remembered now.

She had agreed to go with him.

Her stomach tightened.

She glanced at her mother.

Then back at the message.

Emily:Okay.

She put her phone down.

She didn’t like this.

Not because she had feelings for Adrian.

She didn’t.

Not because she wanted to be with him.

She didn’t.

But because she had made an agreement she couldn’t pretend didn’t exist.

And Adrian was already starting to use it.

Emily leaned back in the chair.

She closed her eyes.

For now, she could handle it.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

Across town, Damian was completely unaware.

And Ethan was the only person who knew enough to realize just how complicated things were becoming.