Chapter 127.

The moment Adrian’s car stopped in front of her mother’s house, Emilia knew she was going to cry.

She had been holding it together since leaving his penthouse.

Someone had sent the photographs to the school. And now, the school had requested her presence.

Someone had taken pieces of their private moments and placed them in the hands of people who had no business seeing them.

And now Blackwood University knew.

Emilia stared through the windshield.

Adrian turned off the engine.

Neither of them spoke.

Emilia’s fingers tightened around the strap of her purse. She didn’t look at him. If she looked at him, she knew she would break.

She couldn’t afford to break again.

She opened the door.

"Emilia."

She stopped.

Adrian’s voice was quiet.

She still didn’t turn around.

"I’ll call you later."

Her throat tightened. She nodded once. Then she stepped out of the car.

She didn’t say goodbye. She didn’t even look back. She just hurried up the short pathway, opened the front door with trembling hands, and rushed inside.

The moment the door closed behind her, everything she’d been holding back collapsed.

"Mum." She called. Her voice was barely audible.

She swallowed. "Mum?"

She got no response, so Emilia took another step inside.

"Mum!"

Her breathing quickened when she still hot no response. Her chest rose and fell too rapidly. She pressed one hand against it.

"Mum!" She yelled, her eyes wide as she looked around the living room.

Footsteps came from the kitchen.

Her mother appeared around the corner, wiping her hands on a small kitchen towel.

"Sweetheart." She smiled. However, the smile disappeared the moment she saw her daughter’s face.

Her mother’s eyes widened.

"Emilia?"

Emilia tried to speak, but nothing came out.

Her lips trembled, and her eyes filled instantly. "Mum." Her voice broke.

Her mother dropped the towel. She crossed the room without hesitation. "Sweetheart, what happened?"

Emilia shook her head.

She couldn’t explain it. She took another step towards her mother. Shen her mother opened her arms, Emilia fell into them.

Her mother caught her immediately.

Emilia buried her face against her shoulder. "Mum." Her first sob escaped her.

Her mother wrapped both arms around her. "I’m here, my little girl."

"Mum."

"I’ve got you."

"Mum!" Emilia’s fingers clutched the back of her mother’s shirt. She cried harder. This time, out loud.

Her mother didn’t ask again.

She simply held her. One hand moved slowly over Emilia’s hair while the other rubbed her back.

"Free your chest, baby."

Emilia shook against her. "Mum..."

"I’m here, baby."

"I..." Her words dissolved into another sob.

Her mother kissed the side of her head. "You don’t have to talk yet."

Emilia closed her eyes. She wished she could stay there forever. She wished she could become a child again.

Just for a few minutes.

Her mother’s hand moved gently through her hair. "Come on."

Emilia didn’t move.

"Let’s sit down." Her mother slowly guided her toward the couch.

Emilia followed like she was sleepwalking.

Her mother sat first and pulled Emilia down beside her. Emilia immediately leaned against her.

Her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Emilia’s breathing was still uneven.

"Slow breaths, sweetheart."

Emilia tried. She inhaled shakily, then exhaled. Her mother rubbed her back. Emilia wiped her cheeks with trembling fingers.

Her mother watched her carefully. "Should I make chocolates for you?"

Emilia shook her head.

"Tea?"

She shook her head again.

"Toast?"

"No, Mum." She sniffed.

Her mother nodded. "Okay."

She didn’t insist. She simply pulled Emilia closer.

Emilia swallowed. Her eyes burned. She stared at the floor. "The school found out, Mum."

Her mother’s expression changed. "Found out what?"

Emilia’s fingers trembled. "About Adrian and me." Her eyes filled again. "Someone stalked us."

Her voice cracked. "They sent photographs to the school."

Her mother slowly inhaled. "Photographs?"

Emilia nodded. "Of us." She wiped beneath her eyes. "Together."

Her mother looked at her carefully. "And that’s what scared you?"

Emilia nodded again. "Yes."

Her mother remained silent for a moment. Then she reached for Emilia’s hand. "Look at me."

Emilia hesitated.

"Sweetheart."

Slowly, Emilia lifted her eyes.

Her mother squeezed her hand. "Did Adrian hurt you?"

Emilia lips parted. "No."

"Did he force you to do anything?"

Emilia shook her head immediately. "No."

Her mother’s eyes softened. "Then breathe."

Emilia stared at her.

"I know you’re scared." Her mother brushed a tear from her cheek. "But you’re sitting here with me."

Emilia’s lower lip trembled. "They’re going to ruin everything."

"Who?"

"The school." She looked down. "My scholarship." Her voice became smaller. "My future."

Her mother listened.

"They could expel me." She swallowed. "They could tell everyone." Her breathing became uneven again. "They could ruin Adrian’s career."

Her mother didn’t interrupt.

"And it’s all because I was stupid."

Her mother frowned. "Don’t say that." She scolded softly.

"I was."

"No."

"I should’ve been more careful."

Her mother’s hand tightened around hers. "Emilia." She finally looked up. "You made a decision."

Her mother spoke slowly. "That doesn’t make you stupid."

Emilia’s eyes filled. "But—"

"No." Her mother shook her head. "You don’t get to sit here and punish yourself because somebody decided to invade your privacy."

Emilia stared at her.

Her mother continued. "Did you know someone was taking those photographs?"

"No."

"Did you invite someone to follow you?"

"No."

"Did you give those photographs to the school?"

"No."

"Then why are you carrying the blame for all of that?"

Emilia had no answer.

Her mother sighed softly. "People make mistakes, sweetheart."bShe tucked Emilia’s hair behind her ear. "Sometimes we make decisions that frighten us afterward."

Her thumb brushed over Emilia’s cheek.

"But making a decision doesn’t mean you deserve to have your life torn apart."

Emilia’s eyes dropped. "I don’t know what to do."

"I also wouldn’t know what to do if I were caught up in this. Rest, Emilia."

"But the school—"

"Will still be there tomorrow." Her mother gave her a small smile. "And you’ll still be here tomorrow."

Emilia swallowed. "You don’t understand."

"Then explain it to me."

Emilia stared at her.

Her mother didn’t look angry, or disappointed.

Emilia’s eyes lowered again. "I..." She struggled to find the words.

Her mother squeezed her hand. "You can tell me."

Emilia took a shaky breath. "I didn’t mean for this to happen.".

Her throat tightened.

Her mother waited.

Emilia looked at her hands. "I like him." She said quietly. The words were almost inaudible.

Her mother’s expression softened.

Emilia swallowed. "I really like him." She blinked rapidly. "I’m almost in love with him, and that’s the problem."

Her mother remained quiet.

"I don’t know when it happened." Emilia’s voice trembled. "At first, I thought I was just trying to get over Noah."

A tiny, broken laugh escaped her. "This is only meant to last for 5 months. And now, we have just two months left."

Her mother smiled faintly.

Emilia wiped her cheek. "When something happened, he’s the first person I wanted to tell."

Her mother gently rubbed her arm.

Emilia’s eyes filled again. "I think..." She stopped.

Her mother waited.

"I think I’m falling in love with him, Mum. This is a mistake."

The words finally came out.

Emilia immediately covered her face with both hands. Her shoulders shook. "I don’t even know what I’m saying."

Her mother gently pulled her hands away. "Hey."

Emilia looked at her through wet lashes.

"Look at me."

She did.

"You don’t have to be ashamed of that."

"This is just an affair between us." Emilia’s face crumpled. "And everything is happening at once."

Her mother pulled her against her chest. "Come here."

Emilia went willingly.

Her mother held her tightly. "You are allowed to love someone."

Emilia closed her eyes.

"Even if things don’t work out." Her mother’s fingers moved through her hair. "Even if you made a mistake."

She kissed Emilia’s forehead.

"Even if the entire world finds out before you’re ready to tell it."

Emilia sniffed. "You don’t hate him?"

Her mother paused.

"I have met him properly enough to not hate him."

Emilia let out a tiny laugh through her tears.

Her mother smiled. "But I care about you more than I care about him."

Emilia nodded against her shoulder. Her lips trembled. "But Mum..."

"Yes?"

"What if everyone thinks I’m..."

She couldn’t finish.

Her mother understood anyway. "What if they think you’re a whore?"

Emilia nodded.

Her mother shrugged. "Let them."

Emilia blinked.

"People will always have something to say." Her mother wiped beneath her eye. "They’ll talk when you’re happy. They’ll talk when you’re sad. They’ll talk when you succeed. They’ll talk when you fail."

She smiled gently.

"You can’t build your life around the mouths of people who don’t have to live it."

Emilia stared at her.

Her mother’s voice softened. "But you do need to make sure that whatever you choose is something you can live with."

Emilia nodded slowly.

"Do you trust him?"

Emilia thought about Adrian. "Yes." She answered without doubt.

Her mother studied her face. "Then don’t make any decisions tonight."

Emilia sniffed. "Tonight?"

Her mother leaned back against the couch. "You’ve cried enough for one day." Her mother smiled. "We’re going to eat something."

"I’m not hungry."

"I didn’t ask."

Emilia looked at her.

Her mother’s expression was completely serious.