Daniel kicked the door open, his hands trembling as he rushed to Sophia's side and gathered her into his arms.
"Sophia, don't be scared. I'm taking you to the hospital right now."
Emily opened her mouth, trying to explain.

But Daniel strode past her, his shoulder slamming into hers as he focused only on the woman in his arms.
Emily stumbled back, losing her balance.
Daniel didn't seem to notice, his attention solely on comforting Sophia.
He didn't say a word to Emily, but she felt a bone-deep chill that was colder than any verbal accusation.
Emily didn't know how she got to the hospital.
When she found the operating room where Sophia was, Daniel was pacing outside, his anxiety palpable.

It was clear he had truly fallen for Sophia.
She said nothing, quietly taking a seat on a bench on the other side of the hallway, waiting for the results.
The corridor was silent.
The once-inseparable mates now sat on opposite sides of an unbridgeable chasm.

Only silence remained between them.
After what felt like an eternity, Daniel lifted his bloodshot eyes, his voice hoarse.
"Emily, I promised you the Luna's position would always be yours, that you were the only one I loved. Why did you have to go after Sophia?"
After seven years together, Emily knew Daniel all too well.
He was on the verge of exploding.
The last time she'd seen him this angry was when she'd gotten accidentally injured on a film set, and he'd taken his fury out on the entire crew.
Now, his anger was for his lover, and the target of that fury was her.
How ironic.
Emily lowered her gaze, swallowing the thick lump of bitterness in her throat.
"I didn't push her. She framed me."
Daniel let out a cold, cynical laugh, his disbelief obvious.
"Emily, when did you learn to play these petty games like the other she-wolves? Wasn't what I gave you enough? The Luna's position, my love—it was all yours. I was just having some fun with Sophia. Couldn't you tolerate even that?"
Just for fun. I only love you.
Hearing those words, Emily let out a small, bitter laugh that ended with her eyes turning red.
"Daniel, if you repeat a lie often enough, do you start to believe it yourself? Put your hand on your heart and ask yourself, do you really still love me?"
If he loved her, why would he constantly seek out other women?
If he loved her, why would he let another woman carry his child?
If he loved her, why did he have absolutely no trust in her?
Seeing the desolate emptiness in her eyes, Daniel flinched, and some of his anger subsided.
He reasoned that she was just acting out because she loved him too much. It was jealousy.
He had been so focused on Sophia this past month that he had indeed neglected her feelings.
Daniel stood up and pulled Emily into an embrace.
"Emily, just wait a little longer. Once I get bored of the women on the side, I'll come back to you. Then, whatever you want to do, I'll do it with you."
It was the same old empty promise, one he would never keep.
Emily pushed him away, her voice devoid of emotion.
"There's no need."
Because they had officially severed their mate bond.
She didn't need to wait anymore. From now on, she could do whatever she wanted, by herself.
Daniel thought she was still sulking.
"I'll make sure Sophia drops the matter. But you have to apologize to her when she wakes up."
Emily couldn't believe her ears.
He wanted her to apologize.
For what? She hadn't done anything wrong.
She was about to argue when the operating room doors swung open.
A nurse rushed out.
"Mr. Blackwood, the patient is hemorrhaging. We urgently need Type A blood."
Daniel immediately pulled out his phone and called his Beta, ordering him to divert all Type A blood from every blood bank in the city to the hospital.
Seeing his frantic state, Emily was suddenly reminded of the year her stunt went wrong.
Daniel had used his own body to save her, and he had been just as terrified then.
He hadn't relaxed until he saw she was safe, at which point he had fainted.
Emily rolled up her sleeve and extended her arm to the nurse.
"I'm Type A. Take my blood first."
At her words, Daniel's expression became incredibly complex.
His lips moved as if to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.
Emily ignored his reaction and followed the nurse to have her blood drawn.
They took 800cc before they stopped.
Her face was now deathly pale, her lips completely drained of color.
She pressed a cotton ball to the needle mark and walked slowly back to Daniel, a relieved smile on her face.
"Now... I don't owe you anything anymore."
The life debt from seven years ago was repaid.
Daniel, however, thought she was doing it out of guilt for pushing Sophia.
His gaze fell on her pale face, and a pang of protectiveness shot through him.
"Emily, you should go home and rest. I'll come see you after Sophia is stable."
Emily didn't answer.
She simply turned and, dragging her weakened body, walked away.
For some reason, watching her retreating back filled Daniel with a strange sense of panic.
He opened his mouth to call out to her.
But just then, the light above the operating room went out.
He had to turn to the doctor to ask about Sophia's condition first.
When he looked up again, Emily was gone.
Back home, Emily pulled her already-packed suitcase to the door.
She took the certificate of dissolution from her bag and placed it on the shoe cabinet.
Then, she tore a piece of paper from a notepad and wrote one final message to Daniel.
[Daniel, the movie about us has officially wrapped. From now on, let's never see each other again.]
She placed the note under the certificate and took one last look at the home she had lived in for seven years.
All the love and hate of those seven years ended today.
She, Emily Vance, was going off to write a new script for her own life.