He Chose His Assistant So She Married Another Man Chapter 08
Emma came back two months later.
The moment she returned, Daniel found her.
“Baby…”
His voice shook without him meaning it to.
Emma’s expression was blank. She looked at him the way you’d look at a stranger.
The moment Daniel registered this, he went still.
“Just call me Emma.” Her tone was even. “We’re not that close.”
One sentence, and Daniel couldn’t speak.
Three years together, and he’d never seen Emma like this.
Her tone—distant. Her eyes—even more so.
“I…”
Daniel licked his dry lips, his voice dropping.
“I’m sorry.”
“Emma, I’m sorry.”
Emma didn’t say anything. She just watched him quietly.
Daniel instinctively reached forward, trying to take her hand.
She stepped back.
His hand hung in the air for a long time before he slowly let it fall.
“Which part are you sorry for?” Emma stepped back, looking up at him.
Before he could answer, she continued, slowly and deliberately.
“The part where you and Chloe were all over each other?”
“Or the part where you picked fight after fight with me because of her?”
“Or maybe the part where you mocked me for never being able to leave, said I had no self-respect in this relationship?”
“Which one?”
Daniel couldn’t answer. Couldn’t say a single word.
What exactly was he apologizing for?
One thing? Or all of it?
He knew the answer. All of it.
But he couldn’t get the words out.
“I’m sorry, Emma, I…”
He choked.
“I’m sorry.”
On the way over, Daniel had rehearsed what he would say. The apologies, the pleas—he’d gone over them in his head a hundred times.
But standing in front of Emma now, he found that none of it would come.
“I lost my mind. I hurt you.” His voice was raw, barely holding together. “But I never wanted to break up with you.”
“Emma, I swear—I never once wanted to break up with you.”
“I don’t love Chloe. What I feel for her is…”
Daniel looked at her, his voice fading with every word.
The rest wouldn’t come.
What did he feel for Chloe, exactly?
On her birthday, the gift he’d “thrown together” was a necklace worth a small fortune.
When she complained about thin walls in her rental, he moved her into a better apartment the same week.
When she pretended to be upset, he coaxed her back.
And his girlfriend?
He’d never coaxed her. Not once.
“So what are you trying to say?” Emma asked. “That you can’t live without me? That I’m the one you love?”
“It’s my fault.” Daniel’s eyes burned red. “But Emma, I really do regret it. I really… can’t do this without you.”
Emma’s expression didn’t change.
“Daniel, I’m married.”
“I don’t care.”
His voice scraped against his throat.
“Divorce him. We can go register tomorrow.”
“Emma, I can pretend none of this ever happened. Chloe’s already been transferred to another department. She won’t be anywhere near us again.”
“There was never anything between us. I swear.”
“I care.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“I said—I care.”
Emma looked him dead in the eye, enunciating every word.
“Daniel, it’s not that you can’t live without me. You’re just used to me revolving around you. Used to me coaxing you, putting you on a pedestal.”
“I’m not around anymore, and you’re uncomfortable. That’s all this is.”
“That’s not true, Emma…”
But looking into her calm, unwavering gaze, the rest of his words died in his throat.
No matter what he said, it would all sound like excuses.