Chapter 49 Don't Reject Me, Emily

"You don't have to rush to reject me." John's heart sank. He stood up in a panic, almost knocking over his fork. His hands shook, and his eyes were pleading. "Why, Emily? Do you really have no feelings for me at all? Just give me a chance to take care of you. I promise I'll do it right."

Emily never thought John would have feelings for her. Since they were kids, she always saw him as her best friend. John's confession was something she never saw coming.

Emily knew exactly how she felt. John liked her, which made her feel guilty and uneasy about it. John was always so good to her, and she genuinely cared for him, but it was the kind of affection for a good friend, not the passion between lovers.

She sincerely wished John would find a beautiful love. Plus, with her current situation, she didn't think she could make him happy.

Seeing John's affectionate gaze, Emily knew she couldn't drag this out any longer. She stood up, took a deep breath, and said, "John, I'm pregnant."

John's spoon clattered to the ground. He looked up in disbelief, glancing at Emily's face and then at her still-flat belly.

He never imagined Emily could be pregnant. "Is it James' child?" John asked, struggling to get the words out.

"Yes."

"I'm going to find him!" John took a deep breath, his emotions in turmoil. Overwhelmed by anger, he couldn't think straight. He jumped up, grabbed his coat, and headed for the door. "You're carrying his child, but he still dares to break your heart. I'm calling him over right now!"

"Don't go, John!" Emily grabbed his arm, touched her belly, and gave a faint, bitter smile. "John, please don't. The child is his, but he already has a fiancée. I don't want any more entanglements with him. This child will have nothing to do with him. I just want to raise him quietly on my own."

"But..." John was still furious, wanting to find James and give him a piece of his mind.

But seeing Emily's broken expression, he couldn't help but stop. A mix of pity and helplessness washed over him.

He turned around and sighed deeply. "Emily, have you really thought this through? Raising a child on your own is not easy."

Emily looked down at her belly, then nodded firmly. "Yes, John, no matter how hard it gets, I'll take responsibility for my choice."

She paused, seeing John's worried expression, and continued, "But even without the child, I only see you as a good friend. I don't want to deceive you or waste your time. John, I really appreciate your feelings, but maybe it's just because we've known each other for so long that you feel this way. I believe you'll find someone better, someone who truly deserves you, rather than wasting time on me."

John looked at Emily, opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He wanted to tell her he really liked her, that he didn't mind her child, that she was amazing, and she wasn't wasting his time. But the words just wouldn't come.

Emily seemed wary. She'd been through so much and didn't believe anyone could love her without a reason. Especially now, with the news of her pregnancy, John knew he couldn't push her.

John's mind was a mess. After a whirlwind of thoughts, he finally managed a gentle smile. "Emily, I was too hasty. Maybe I didn't think it through, but it's okay. Don't worry about me. I'll adjust. Let's just stay friends like we were before."

Emily felt a wave of surprise and deep gratitude. She had braced herself for John to leave in anger and never speak to her again. But she didn't expect him to make such a decision.

An overwhelming sense of relief and sadness hit her, and tears started to fall. "John, I..."

John sighed softly and gently hugged her. Emily sobbed, and he patted her back like he did when they were kids.

John said gently, "Emily, it's okay. No matter what happens, I'll be by your side. You need support now, and I know you don't want others to worry. If you're willing, we can pretend to be a couple in front of my parents so they won't worry about you facing this alone. Mr. Wilson's issue is almost resolved. We've contacted Mr. Miller, and he agreed to release Mr. Wilson after compensating for the goods. You don't need to worry about anything else. I'll explain everything to Mr. Johnson. We'll take care of this child together. You just need to focus on your pregnancy, and I'll handle the rest so you can relax a bit."

"John." Emily looked up, her body slightly retreating. Her long eyelashes were still wet with tears, filled with both gratitude and unease.

He had done so much for her that she could never repay.

"This is too unfair to you." Emily's voice trembled. She knew John genuinely cared for her, but she didn't want him to sacrifice too much for her.

John gently shook his head, looking at her seriously and firmly. "Emily, I don't care about that. I just want you to be well, to support you. That's all. I want to help you take care of this child, no matter if he's mine or not."

Emily said, "Thank you, John. But you really don't have to do this."

"Please don't reject me anymore, Emily." John's slender fingers gently pressed against her lips, stopping her from saying more. He looked at her with a pleading expression. "I just want to be by your side, no matter what role I play."

John's humility made Emily's heart ache. She couldn't bring herself to reject him anymore, so she agreed.

John's gentleness made Emily's heart ache. If only the person she liked was John; liking James was really too exhausting.