Chapter 518 Date
The phone line went silent for what felt like forever, and Emma could almost hear George's heavy breathing.
Just when she thought he was going to hang up, a cold laugh broke the silence, dripping with irony and self-mockery. "I can handle it myself."
"Where are you?" Emma pressed, her grip tightening around her phone. "I'll come find you right now."
"No need," George's voice suddenly sounded distant. "I have an appointment."
And with that, the call ended abruptly, leaving only the busy signal echoing in Emma's ear.
Emma quickly opened the tracking app on her phone, which she had secretly installed on George's phone last time.
The blinking dot on the screen showed he was at a downtown coffee shop.
Her heart clenched; that coffee shop was her favorite place to go with Mia after school.
When Emma rushed to the coffee shop, she could see George sitting by the window with a long-haired woman through the floor-to-ceiling glass.
The woman had her back to Emma, only a vague profile and a head of smooth long hair were visible.
Emma's heart sank; wasn't this the woman she had seen from a distance at the hospital before?
At that moment, George's smart glasses vibrated slightly, alerting him that Emma was nearby.
His mouth twitched imperceptibly, and then he did something that broke Emma's heart.
He reached out and gently held the woman's hand, the gesture tender and intimate.
"Wanda," he deliberately raised his voice, his tone uncharacteristically gentle, starkly different from the coldness on the phone earlier.
"Thank you for always being with me. If it weren't for you, I don't know how I would have gotten through this."
His fingers lightly caressed the back of her hand, his gaze empty yet showing rare tenderness.
Wanda was momentarily stunned but quickly caught on and responded, "George, it's what I should do. You have to believe your eyes will get better. I'll stay with you until the day you recover."
Outside, Emma felt like she had been struck by lightning, her hands unconsciously clenching, nails digging into her palms without her noticing.
She was about to turn and leave but suddenly stopped. No, George couldn't see, so why put on this act? If they were truly over, why the charade?
Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the coffee shop door and walked straight to their table.
The sound of her high heels on the floor was particularly clear in the quiet coffee shop, each step feeling like it was stomping on her heart.
"George," she demanded, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. "Why aren't you at the hospital? The doctor said you refused all treatment, yet you have time to be here..."
Her gaze swept over their clasped hands, her throat feeling blocked.
George clearly hadn't expected her to come in, his body stiffened, his fingers instinctively tightening, causing Wanda to frown slightly.
Wanda turned her head, and Emma finally saw her face clearly.
It was a face that bore a striking resemblance to hers! The same eyes, similar nose, even the curve of the mouth was identical!
"You are..." Emma stared at Wanda in shock, momentarily speechless.
Wanda stood up calmly, extending her hand politely. "Hello, I'm Wanda Salazar, George's girlfriend. You must be George's ex-wife?"
Her eyes flashed with a complex emotion, a mix of sympathy and some indescribable sentiment.
George had found a girlfriend who looked so much like her!
Turning to George, her voice choked, "You'd rather find someone who looks like me to spite me than see me?"
George removed his smart glasses, his empty eyes staring straight ahead. "Emma, we're over. Please leave."
He had once sworn never to make Emma sad again, but this time, he would break that promise.
Let Emma believe Wanda was his girlfriend.
Let the misunderstanding continue, and Emma would leave him on her own.
Letting go was the best thing he could do for Emma now.
Wanda sighed softly. "George, I think you need to explain things to your ex-wife. I'll wait for you outside."
She stood up, giving Emma a meaningful look before leaving a light kiss on George's cheek. "George, don't keep me waiting too long."
George's brow furrowed slightly, but he made no response.
Emma's heart skipped a beat.
George was a germaphobe; he didn't like strangers touching him, yet he tolerated Wanda's kiss.
Could Wanda really be George's new girlfriend?
No!
She didn't believe it!
George must be acting!
With only the two of them left in the coffee shop, Emma slowly sat down, tears welling up in her eyes. "George, how long are you going to deceive yourself?"
George's hand clenched into a fist under the table, nails digging into his palm.
He wished he could see her face one more time, even if just for a second. But he coldly said, "I told you, my affairs are none of your business."
"What about Lucas?" Emma countered. "Can you bear to let him lose his father?"
This sentence was like a sword, piercing the softest part of George's heart. His facade finally cracked, his voice trembling. "I'll find a way."
"The way is to accept treatment!" Emma grabbed his hand. "Let's face it together, okay?"
George felt the warmth of her palm, almost drowning in the long-lost warmth.
But the next second, he abruptly pulled his hand back, his voice returning to its icy tone. "No need. My life doesn't need your interference."
With that, he stood up, fumbling his way out.
Emma watched his stubborn back, tears finally streaming down. But she knew she wouldn't give up, for Lucas, and for the George who once loved her deeply.
Emma watched George's stumbling departure, ultimately not chasing after him. Her legs felt like they were filled with lead, and she collapsed into the coffee shop chair.
A waiter cautiously approached, asking if she needed help, but she mechanically shook her head.
The coffee shop played soft piano music, sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the wooden floor.
Emma's gaze wandered aimlessly around, suddenly drawn to a corner where a wall of love notes caught her eye.
The wall was covered with colorful sticky notes, recording countless couples' sweet promises.
Her eyes stopped on a yellowed note, the familiar handwriting making her heart skip a beat.
The handwriting was faded but still legible: [Emma, I love you.]
She trembled as she gently peeled off the note, the edges slightly curled, clearly having been there for a long time.
"Miss, that note..." The coffee shop owner approached, seeing the note in Emma's hand, a look of understanding dawning on his face.
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