Chapter 4
628 Words
I stepped aside and let them in.
David demanded, "Why haven't you answered my messages? Were you trying to make us feel guilty?"
I returned to my desk and opened my acceptance email.
David walked over. "Did you finish your model?"
"Of course. You two looked like you were having such a great vacation, so I didn't want to bother you."
The tension drained from David's face the moment he heard that the model was finished.
"I heard AIT is already accepting research submissions from incoming students. Send me yours, and I'll submit it for you."
I turned the computer toward him and showed him my acceptance letter.
"Why would I submit my research to AIT?"
David froze. He snatched my laptop and stared at the screen.
"CIT? Why would you apply to CIT?"
Sophia hurried over at the sound of his voice, and the color drained from her face.
"Emma... We agreed that we'd go to AIT together. Why did you apply somewhere else?"
I took back my computer. "Because I no longer want to attend the same school as either of you."
David seized my wrist, his fingers digging in until pain shot through the bone.
"Apply for a gap year right now. Even if you have to apply again next year, you're going to AIT!"
When he saw the pain on my face, he realized he had lost control. He drew a breath and softened his tone.
"I'm sorry, honey. I'm only thinking about your future. AIT is the only school equipped to support research in your field."
Over the past few days, I had searched official websites and social media until I understood exactly what they were planning.
David's uncle was a professor at AIT's School of Computing.
David had insisted that I apply there so his uncle could interfere with the review process and replace my name on the submission with Sophia's.
"David, I get to choose which school I attend, don't I?"
Sophia gently tugged on his sleeve.
"Let it go. As long as Emma is happy."
Then she sighed. "It's just a shame about her model. AIT would have been the perfect place for it."
She deliberately stressed the name AIT.
David's eyes sharpened. He grabbed Sophia's hand and left without even saying goodbye.
At 2:16 a.m., my computer security system issued another alert.
Someone was launching a brute-force attack on my remote-access port.
The number of blocked attempts surged from 28 to 43, then 157, and finally 258.
At 3:49 a.m., the attack finally stopped.
At the same time, an iMessage from David appeared.
David: I think I left my AirPods at your place. I'll come by tomorrow to look for them.
'He can't get in remotely, so now he's coming here to steal it in person.'
I leaned against the headboard and replied.
Emma: Okay.
Even by David's standards, the excuse was pathetic.
'I can't turn him away. That would be rude, wouldn't it?'
David appeared on my doorstep early the next morning.
Dark circles bruised the skin beneath David's eyes. He looked as though he hadn't slept at all.
"You can look for them yourself. I'm going to make breakfast. Do you want anything?"
His eyes lit up when he realized I was going to leave him alone to search.
"Go ahead. Don't make anything for me."
I went into the kitchen, brewed coffee, made buttered toast, and ate breakfast slowly at the island.
Rather than wait for them to panic and try something else, I might as well hand them the bait myself.
David came downstairs 30 minutes later.
"Found them. I'm leaving."
He hurried out. I finished the last piece of toast and wiped my hands with a napkin.
I knew he had taken the bait.
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