Chapter 7 - The Choice Mason Never Expected
Emily did not go alone.
She simply made Mason believe she did.
Alexander stayed three minutes behind her.
Federal agents stayed five.
Emily entered the Whitmore estate through doors she had walked through dozens of times as Mason's fiancée.
Tonight it felt like enemy territory.
Mason waited in the library.
Daniel sat nearby.
Unhurt.
Emily exhaled.
“Let him leave.”
Mason poured himself a drink.
“You came.”
“Congratulations. Your phone works.”
He smiled.
“You've changed.”
“No. I stopped trying to make you comfortable.”
Something cold entered his eyes.
“You think Alexander did that?”
“This isn't about Alexander.”
“It always is.”
Emily frowned.
Mason laughed.
“You really don't understand my family.”
He walked toward the window.
“My grandfather treated Alexander like the second coming. Brilliant Alexander. Independent Alexander. The one who built his own empire.”
“Mason—”
“My father spent his entire life being compared to him. Then I did too.”
Emily stared at him.
“So this is about your uncle?”
“No.”
“It sounds exactly like it's about your uncle.”
Mason turned.
“I was supposed to make something bigger than him.”
“And stealing my family's company was your plan?”
“Northstar would have transformed global cold-chain shipping.”
“Yes.”
“And Carter Manufacturing lacked the capital to deploy it.”
“So you sabotage us, steal it, and call that entrepreneurship?”
His expression tightened.
“I would have made it worth billions.”
“Maybe.”
Emily stepped closer.
“But you couldn't stand the possibility that I might do it without you.”
That landed.
Mason's eyes hardened.
“You would have failed.”
“Maybe.”
She shrugged.
“But it would have been my failure.”
Behind Mason, Daniel watched silently.
Emily asked, “Where's the prototype?”
Mason smiled.
“You marry me.”
She almost laughed.
“Seriously?”
“The wedding can be private.”
“You still think this is romantic?”
“I think it's practical.”
“You publicly humiliated me.”
“I was angry.”
“You tried to steal my company.”
“I was building something.”
“You blackmailed Daniel.”
“I solved his problem.”
Emily finally understood.
Mason could translate every cruelty into a transaction.
Every betrayal into strategy.
Every person into an asset.
She had spent four years believing enough love could reach the man underneath.
There was no hidden man.
There was only Mason.
“No.”
He stared at her.
“No?”
“I would rather rebuild Carter from a garage than marry you.”
Mason's smile vanished.
“You think my uncle wants you?”
Emily said nothing.
“He wants to beat me.”
“You know what your problem is?”
Mason stepped closer.
“You assume everyone loves the way you do.”
For the first time, genuine anger appeared.
“Alexander will get bored.”
“Maybe.”
“He'll leave.”
“Maybe.”
“He'll choose business.”
“Maybe.”
Mason blinked.
Emily smiled sadly.
“But none of that would make you the right man.”
She turned toward Daniel.
“Come on.”
Mason moved toward her.
The library doors opened.
Alexander stood there.
Mason laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Alexander's gaze went to Emily.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
Only then did he look at Mason.
Mason shook his head.
“You couldn't let me have one thing.”
Alexander's expression changed.
“You had her.”
The words were quiet.
“You had four years.”
Mason went still.
“And instead of loving her, you studied what she was afraid to lose.”
Daniel stood.
Mason suddenly reached for the fireplace.
Emily saw the metal case beside it.
“Prototype!” Daniel shouted.
Mason grabbed the case.
“If I can't own it—”
Emily moved before anyone else.
She picked up Mason's abandoned whiskey glass and threw it.
It struck his wrist.
The case fell.
Alexander kicked it away.
Federal agents entered seconds later.
Mason stared around the room as if reality itself had betrayed him.
An agent placed him in handcuffs.
Emily watched.
She expected satisfaction.
Instead she felt tired.
Mason looked at her.
“You think this ends happily?”
Emily stepped closer.
“No.”
She looked at the handcuffs.
“I think this ends honestly.”
He was taken away.
Daniel showed investigators the hidden prototype.
Hours later, Emily stood outside beneath the cold Illinois sky.
Alexander joined her.
Neither spoke for a while.
Finally he said, “Nice throw.”
“I played softball.”
“I'll remember that.”
“You should.”
Their eyes met.
Emily smiled.
Alexander did not.
He looked almost troubled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Alexander.”
He exhaled.
“I want to kiss you.”
Emily's smile disappeared.
He immediately stepped backward.
“But I won't.”
“Why?”
“Because three days ago you were supposed to marry my nephew.”
“Four.”
“That doesn't improve it.”
She studied him.
“You're surprisingly ethical for someone who proposed at another man's wedding.”
“I've received feedback on that.”
Emily laughed.
Then became serious.
“I don't know what I'm feeling.”
“You don't need to.”
“What if I want to kiss you too?”
Alexander went completely still.
Emily stepped closer.
Then stopped.
Not yet.
She smiled.
“Good night, Alexander.”
His expression was almost comically frustrated.
“Good night, Emily.”
She walked toward her car.
Halfway there, she turned.
He was still watching.
May you like
For once, Emily liked being watched.
But this time, she was the one who decided when to walk away.
