My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 124

Chapter 127

Fresh tears streamed down Eagma’s face. ” doesn’t feci brave. If feels stupid.”

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“The bravest things usually do, in the moment.” He reached out slowly giving her every opportunity to pull away–and gently took her hand. “Emma, you trusted Dr. Chen. She betrayed that trust. But you know what? You’re still here. Still standing. Still crying, yes. Still hurting, absolutely. But still alive. Still fighting Still willing to trust-because you agreed to work with her as a double agent despite everything she did.”

“I agreed because it was tactical-

“You agreed because you chose to believe people can redeem themselves. Because you believed in second chances.” His grip on her hand tightened slightly. “You gave Jeremy a second chance. You’re giving Dr. Chen a chance to fix her mistakes. That’s not weakness, Emma. ‘That’s extraordinary strength.”

Emma was crying freely now, but something in her posture had shifted. The rigid tension leaving her shoulders, replaced by something more like grief. Allowing herself to actually feel what she’d been pushing down all day.

“How do I protect Grace from this?” The question came out small, lost. “From people who might betray her trust? From a world that seems determined to hurt her?”

“You can’t. Not completely.” Lord Castellan squeezed her hand. “No parent can shield their child from every betrayal, every disappointment, every person who fails them. What you can do is teach her to be resilient. To trust wisery. To recognize the difference between people who deserve her faith and those who don’t.”

“And how do I teach her that when I can’t even tell the difference myself?”

“You’re learning. Right now, in this moment, you’re learning.” He met her eyes. “You trusted Dr. Chen. She failed you. Now you’re making a choice about how to respond-not from anger or fear, but from strategy and wisdom. That’s the lesson you’ll pass to Grace.”

Emma stared at him for a long moment. “Why do you care so much? About my feelings? About Grace’s future?”

He was quiet. Quiet long enough that I wasn’t sure he’d answer.

“Because I had a daughter once,” he said finally. Very softly. “A long time ago. In a world very different from this one. And I failed to protect her.” His expression usually so controlled-flickered with something ancient and painful. “I learned too late what it means to truly cherish someone. To put their safety above everything else.” 1

Emma’s hand tightened on his. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Learn from my mistake.” He released her hand, stepping back. “Protect Grace. Love her fiercely. Trust wisely. And don’t let one person’s betrayal teach you to stop trusting completely. The world needs people like you, Emma. People who dare to believe in others despite the risk.”

The kitchen fell silent except for the still-running water. Emma turned it off with a shaky hand, then leaned against the counter, wiping her face with both hands.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For-I don’t even know what. For being honest, I guess.”

“Honesty is the least I owe you.” He moved toward the doorway, pausing beside me. His eyes dropped to Grace sleeping in my arms. “Take care of them,” he said quietly. “Both of them. They’re worth more than you know.”

Then he was gone, disappearing down the hallway with that silent vampire grace.

I waited a moment before entering the kitchen. Emma looked up when she heard my footsteps, her eyes red-rimmed but calmer somehow.

“I heard some of that,” I admitted. “Not all of it.”

“How much?”

“Enough.” I shifted Grace to one arm and operied the other. “Come here.”

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She crossed the kitchen and let me hold her race between us, both of us leaning into each other for support. “He had a daughter,” Emma murmured against my shoulder. “Lord Castellan. He lost her. Centuries ago “I heard that part.”

“It changes things somehow. Knowing he’s not just this cold, calculating vampire lord. Knowing he actually-feels things. “Makes him more dangerous, probably,” I said honestly. “But also more unpredictable. In a good way, maybe.”

“In a human way.” She pulled back slightly to look at Grace. “Jeremy, she needs to grow up in a better world than this. A world where therapists don’t betray their patients and hunters don’t target babies.”

“Then we make that world. Starting now.” I kissed Emma’s forehead. “We turn Dr. Chen. We destroy the hunters. We build an alliance that actually works. And we give Grace the childhood she deserves,”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Emma, I’ve broken promises before-” Pain flashed across both our faces. “But this one I’ll keep. On my life. On

Grace’s future. I will build her a safe world.”

“We will,” Emma corrected. “Together.”

“Together,” I confirmed. “Always together.”

Grace stirred between us, making a small sound. Emma smiled-a real smile, fragile but genuine-and touched our daughter’s

cheek.

“One day at a time,” she said quietly.

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