Chapter 5
1096 Words
Richard could not stop thinking about Emily.
Even though they had only known each other for a short time, the invisible thread between them seemed to be drawing tighter with every encounter.
Or rather—
Richard was making sure it did.
That afternoon, after finishing a lesson, Emily walked home alone.
The sky had already begun to dim, casting a gray-blue veil over the quiet streets. She carried her handbag close to her side, her steps light but unhurried. Lost in thought, she did not notice the man following several meters behind her.
He had been there for a while.
Keeping his distance.
Waiting.
Emily turned down a quieter road, one with fewer pedestrians and dimmer storefronts. The sound of her footsteps echoed faintly against the pavement.
Then, all at once, a hand seized her handbag.
Emily gasped.
Before she could react, the man yanked it from her grip and ran.
“Thief!”
Her voice broke through the empty street, sharp with panic.
“Someone help! Thief!”
She chased after him instinctively, her heart pounding in her chest. But the road was too quiet. There were almost no passersby, no one close enough to hear her clearly or intervene in time.
Her breathing grew unsteady.
Emily’s health had never been strong. She was used to gentle routines, quiet walks, controlled movements — not suddenly running after a thief down an empty street.
If she kept chasing him like this, her old illness might flare up.
She might collapse before she even caught sight of him again.
Despair began to rise in her chest.
Then a familiar voice sounded from ahead.
“Miss Lewis.”
Emily froze.
A figure stepped out from the side of the street, tall and composed beneath the shadow of a black baseball cap.
In his hand was her handbag.
“Your bag.”
For a second, Emily could only stare at him, breathless and stunned.
“Mr. Nelson…”
Richard stood before her in a simple black T-shirt and cap, far removed from the dazzling celebrity image he usually carried. He looked almost ordinary like this — except nothing about Richard Nelson could ever truly be ordinary.
Emily hurried toward him.
“Thank you, Mr. Nelson. Thank you so much.”
Her voice trembled with relief.
She did not ask why he happened to be there.
Not immediately.
The coincidence was strange, of course it was. But fear and gratitude had swallowed her suspicion before it could fully form.
Then she saw the blood.
A thin red line stained the back of his hand, slipping slowly down toward his wrist.
Emily’s face changed at once.
“Mr. Nelson, your hand is hurt.” Panic flashed in her eyes. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Richard lowered his gaze to the wound, as if he had only just noticed it.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.” Emily stepped closer, worry replacing every other thought. “You were hurt because of me. We need to get it treated.”
Richard’s lips curved faintly, but he quickly hid it.
“No hospital.”
Emily looked up at him, startled.
“Why not?”
“If reporters see me there, it won’t be good.”
Only then did Emily remember who he was.
Richard Nelson.
A public figure.
A man whose smallest movement could become a headline by morning.
If the media photographed him entering a hospital with an injured hand, who knew what kind of rumors would spread?
Emily grew even more flustered.
They were still standing on the street. He was injured. She could not take him to a hospital, yet she could not leave him alone either.
Her soft hands reached out, carefully supporting his arm.
“Then… what should we do?” she asked anxiously. “Should I take you back to the Nelson residence?”
“No.”
His answer came too quickly.
Then, as if realizing it, Richard softened his voice.
“I don’t want my mother and Mina to worry.”
Emily hesitated.
Richard looked at her, his expression calm but faintly tired.
“I have a private apartment nearby. If it isn’t too much trouble, could you take me there?”
Emily nodded immediately.
“All right. Yes… of course.”
At that moment, all she could think about was his injury.
He was famous. He had helped her. He had gotten hurt because of her.
There was no way she could abandon him.
What Emily did not notice was the faint, satisfied smile that touched Richard’s mouth when she helped him into the taxi.
From the moment they got in, Richard leaned against her shoulder.
His baseball cap was pulled low, hiding most of his face. Emily understood his concern. She also did not want him to be recognized and dragged into unnecessary rumors because of what had happened.
So she sat very still, letting him lean on her.
His body was warm.
Too close.
His breath brushed faintly against her neck, slow and steady, nothing like the breathing of someone truly in pain.
But Emily did not notice.
She only lowered her voice and asked, “Does it hurt badly?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“A little.”
The lie came easily.
So did the softness in his tone.
Emily’s guilt deepened.
“I’m sorry.”
Richard’s lashes lowered, hiding the dark satisfaction in his eyes.
“You don’t need to apologize.”
Because this was exactly what he had wanted.
When they arrived at his apartment, Richard unlocked the door and let Emily step inside first.
The space beyond was wide, modern, and tastefully designed. Everything was expensive, precise, and cool-toned. The furniture was minimalist, the lines sharp and clean, giving the apartment a sense of distance.
Beautiful, but cold.
Like its owner.
Several pieces of artwork hung along the walls, softening the atmosphere slightly. Warm light spilled from the lamps, casting a gentle glow over the room and making the place appear more welcoming than it truly was.
Emily stood near the entrance, still holding her handbag tightly.
“Mr. Nelson, where is your first-aid kit? I’ll get it for you.”
Richard glanced at her.
“Miss Lewis, sit here.”
He gestured toward the large sofa in the living room.
His tone was polite, but it carried a quiet authority that made refusal difficult.
Emily hesitated for a second before sitting down.
Richard went into the kitchen to retrieve gauze and disinfectant. Left alone in the living room, Emily could not help looking around.
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