Chapter 374

Emma George lifted her chin and watched Andrew Lane warily, her posture radiating the fierce protectiveness of a mother hen shielding her chicks. Emily Blair merely curved her lips in a faint, indifferent smile, offering no objection.
Instead of acknowledging Andrew, Emily kept her gaze fixed on the battered old television, where a weather forecast droned in the background. Her voice was even and cool. “If you have something to say, Mr. Lane, please get to the point. It’s late, and my mother and I need to get some rest.”
Emily didn’t turn to look at him, but from the edge of her vision she could see Andrew Lane shift, his sharp, brooding eyes searching her face as if trying to read her thoughts.
She frowned slightly.
His stare was almost tangible, scorching every spot it touched, making her skin prickle with discomfort. Still, she only furrowed her brow and said nothing.
“Delete the post.”
Andrew’s tone was blunt, almost rude, and it made Emily nearly laugh out loud.
She turned to face him, her dark eyes bold and unflinching the kind of look that made most people uneasy. Her voice was calm, but laced with unmistakable mockery.
“Since when did you become the internet police, Mr. Lane? I’m curious—what exactly about my post did you find so offensive? Go ahead, tell me. Though, I’ll warn you
She flashed a dazzling smile, her striking features suddenly even more radiant. “I’m not changing a thing.”
If Andrew noticed her sarcasm, he didn’t let it show. His voice grew even lower. “I said. Delete the post.”
Emily was already halfway out the door in her mind—she had no intention of bowing to his demands.
“That’s not going to happen,” she shot back. “If you think my post is so problematic, you can take it up with the company that runs the website. I’m not deleting it.’
Andrew’s eyes darkened further. “Emily Blair.”
She only smiled coolly. “If that’s all you came here to say, Mr. Lane, then you can leave.”
His stare became almost predatory, his words pressing down like a weight. “You wrote in your post that you’re dropping out of school?”
Emily’s expression faltered for a split second. She’d expected him to keep harping on about the post, not to shift focus so suddenly.
But there was nothing left to say to Andrew about this. Her tone was dry. “You seem to have a short memory, Mr. Lane. The Lane family kicked me out two months ago. Whatever I do from now on is none of your concern. I hope you’ll stop meddling in my life. I have no answers to give you, and frankly-there’s nothing between us anymore.”
She left no room for ambiguity. The lines between them were sharply drawn, as if every shared moment had evaporated, leaving no trace or value in memory.
Andrew’s expression darkened, turning almost vicious.
Mr. Lane?
Nothing between us?
Stay out of it?
He nearly let out a bitter laugh. His tie, which had always felt perfectly tailored, now seemed to tighten around his throat, choking him. The anger burning in his chest had nowhere to go, ricocheting inside him, demanding release.
He hadn’t felt this furious in years-if ever.
Ever since Emily had come to live with the Lane family, he’d managed every detail of her life: what she wore, where she went on holidays, which school she attended, what activities she joined. Nothing had ever slipped beyond his control.
But now, she was dropping out of school—and he’d heard nothing about it until it was already happening. It was as if she was peeling herself away from his world, bit by bit.
He’d always liked to be in control. Losing that grip infuriated him.
Andrew let out a cold laugh.
Did Emily really think things could be as tidy and simple as she said? That they could draw a line, walk their separate ways, and owe each other nothing? Keep dreaming.
She had no idea how much her cool “Mr. Lane,” her deliberate distance, and her abrupt decision to quit school had stoked the fire in him.
He scoffed, his voice rough. “You’re really determined to keep your distance, aren’t you?”
Emily nodded without flinching. “Of course. You’re a man of stature, and I’m just the driver’s daughter. It’s only right to keep things separate. It’s for your own good, really. If your business partners found out you have a sister like me—someone so unpresentable—it could only hurt your reputation. So this is best for both of us. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
Andrew nodded. “Fine.”
He almost laughed at himself-he’d never been so reckless with his words. He was nothing like the man he used to be.
He drew in a breath, his voice trembling with contained fury. His eyes, dark and piercing, never left Emily’s face as he spoke.