The Forbidden Throb (Emma and Daniel) novel Chapter 115

Chapter 115

“Emma Johnson!” Olivia sighed dramatically. “You literally extracted the most powerful parts of my entire speech and threw them away. The compliments you kept are like… like telling a Michelin-star chef this tastes good.””

I covered my face with one hand, deflating. “Maybe I should just stop trying to compliment him altogether. I’m terrible at this. I can’t do it.”

Maybe it was the age gap? Seven years wasn’t huge, but sometimes it felt like we existed in different universes.

Because he was gentle, he was kind to me.

Because he was a gentleman, that kindness had boundaries-measured, appropriate. He asked about my day, made sure I was comfortable, but there was always this invisible line between us that I couldn’t seem to cross.

He looked close, felt close. But when I tried to walk toward him, I never seemed to get any nearer.

Maybe… maybe he had married me to avoid something. Or wait for someone.

After hanging up, I sat on my bed, phone clutched in my hand, and stared at nothing.

The untouchable one.

The more I thought about it, the more sense it made.

The next morning, I woke to find Daniel already gone.

There was a note on the kitchen counter in his precise handwriting:

Emergency surgery. Back by evening.

And next to it, a box of my favorite pastries from the French bakery downtown.

I touched the note, tracing the letters with my fingertip. He had remembered. Even in the middle of an emergency, he had thought to leave me

breakfast.

Something clicked into place in my chest.

Last night, I had convinced myself he was waiting for someone else. That I was just convenient, temporary, replaceable.

But now,

I had changed. If Daniel Prescott had walls, then I would find a way through them.

By four o’clock that afternoon, I was a nervous wreck.

I had changed outfits three times, settling finally on a pair of camel-colored cashmere pants Daniel had bought me weeks ago and an ivory cashmere cardigan with delicate pearl buttons. Underneath, a silk camisole V-neck but not too revealing.

8:44 am

Chapter 115

The outfit felt sophisticated, grown-up. Like someone who belonged in Daniel’s world.

I was standing in front of the full-length mirror in his-our-bedroom, adjusting my hair for the hundredth time, when my phone alarm went

off.

6:15 PM. Fifteen minutes until Daniel usually got home.

My stomach did a nervous flip.

In the living room, I arranged myself on the couch with a copy of The New Yorker. My hair was half-up, showing the line of my neck. The pearl

earrings Daniel had given me weeks ago caught the evening light.

Casual but elegant, I reminded myself. Natural but put-together.

The minutes ticked by. 6:20. 6:25.

I was so focused on appearing relaxed that I almost missed the sound of a key in the lock.

My heart leaped into my throat. He was early.

I scrambled up from the couch, nearly dropping my magazine, and hurried toward the entryway. I needed to look like I had just happened to be passing by, not like I had been waiting-

The door opened.

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