The Forbidden Throb (Emma and Daniel) novel Chapter 189

But I barely heard her.

My eyes were fixed on Daniel, unblinking, my heart climbing into my throat,

Dating in college… that’s such a private question for him.

I knew how carefully he guarded the line between his professional and personal life. He’d never given interviews about anything beyond his research. His social media presence was virtually nonexistent. Even his contact list was ruthlessly curated.

But then something shifted in his expression.

His gaze softened, sweeping across the auditorium before settling somewhere in the middle distance-or perhaps, I realized with a jolt, settling

on me.

The corner of his mouth curved upward, barely perceptible. His left hand-the one wearing his wedding ring-rose slightly to adjust the

microphone.

When he spoke, his voice was quiet, almost intimate, yet it carried perfectly through the hushed auditorium.

“No,” he said simply. “I never dated anyone during my undergraduate years.”

A pause. The silence stretched, expectant.

“But I has been secretly in love with someone.”

The words echoed through the speakers, and for a heartbeat, the entire auditorium seemed to freeze.

Then the screaming started.

High-pitched, excited shrieks erupted from every corner of the room, building into a wave of sound that no amount of shushing from the Dean could suppress. Students were on their feet, some clutching their friends, others filming on their phones.

Beside me, Olivia grabbed my arm and shook it so hard my entire limb went numb. “Oh my GOD-Emma, did you hear that?”

But I couldn’t respond. Couldn’t move.

I sat frozen, staring at the man standing behind the podium, bathed in spotlight.

Daniel’s hand rested lightly on the podium’s edge, his posture relaxed despite the chaos he’d just unleashed. When he spoke again, his voice. cut through the residual noise with quiet authority.

“Given that our experiences are similar,” he said, his gaze steady, “my advice ready for them.”

straightforward: don’t confuse wanting someone with being

The auditorium had gone silent again, everyone hanging on his words.

9:07 am p p pp.

Chapter 189

“Love isn’t just about how you feel. It’s about what you can provide-stability, security, a future worth stepping into.” His voice took on a sharper edge. ‘If all you have to offer is passion and problems, you’re not inviting her into a relationship. You’re asking her to fix you.”

My breath caught,

He was preparing. All that time, he was preparing for me.

Under the spotlight, Daniel’s dark eyes seemed to catch the light, making them shimmer with an almost tender intensity.

*So my suggestion?” he continued, his tone softening. “Build something first. Build yourself into someone who can stand beside her as an equal, not someone who needs her to complete him. Make yourself into the kind of person whose life would genuinely be an addition to hers,

not a complication.”

He paused, and something flickered across his face-a shadow of old determination.

“And if you find you can’t do that-if the gap between where you are and where you need to be feels insurmountable-then the most loving thing you can do is step back. Let her find someone who’s already built that foundation. Don’t make your growth her burden to carry.”

The final words fell into absolute silence.

Blake had asked about his own feelings, his own struggle.

But Daniel’s answer had been entirely about her. About responsibility. About worthiness. About love as action rather than sentiment.

In the silence, Blake seemed to suddenly remember he was still holding the microphone. His voice, when it came, was quieter, almost hesitant.

“And the girl you loved during college… what happened with her?”

The question hung in the air.

Comments

MermicornQueen

1 Comments >

Tbh Emma hasn’t been fair to Blake, she should have simply told him she’s married weeks ago when he first started showing interest

7 days ago

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The Forbidden Throb