Because I Was an and He Threw Away 138

Chapter 138 Your Birthday Is Around the Corner 

Melissa’s teasing had Emily blushing up to her ears. 

“Knock it off, Melissa,” Emily said, nudging her friend’s elbow with a straight–faced look. 

Knowing Emily wasn’t the type to be so free–spirited about relationships, Melissa still couldn’t resist having a go at convincing her. “Come on, give it some thought. You can’t be stuck on one guy forever. You’ve had a thing with Ethan, so why not explore other options? Life’s no fun if you don’t. And he was the one who screwed you over first.” 

Emily pressed her lips together and managed a weak smile. “Let’s not talk about this, okay?” 

Seeing there was no point in pushing further, Melissa dropped the subject. 

The two carried on wandering around, munching on some classic Los Angeles treats. 

As the clock neared ten, Melissa let out a yawn. “I’m wiped out. I need to head back and catch some Z’s.” 

Emily drove her to the hotel. Just as Melissa was about to get duf, she suddenly slapped her forehead and started rummaging 

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corner.” 

Taking the gift, Emily felt her eyes well up. “Thanks a bunch, Melissa.” 

Since tying the knot with Ethan, Emily had drifted apart from the Carter family. Every birthday, Linda would secretly send her a birthday message and transfer a hefty sum of money. 

But apart from Linda, no one else bothered to remember. 

It had been years since Emily had celebrated her birthday properly. 

If it weren’t for Melissa’s reminder, she’d have totally forgotten that in a few days, she’d be turning twenty–seven. 

Melissa gave Emily a tight hug, understanding her pain. “Take better care of yourself from now on. Don’t let those who don’t deserve it weigh you down.” 

Emily leaned on her shoulder and whispered, “Alright“. 

Then, out of the blue, Emily brought up, “Hey, Aaron’s in town, too. Don’t you want to meet up with him?” 

The smile on Melissa’s face vanished. She shook her head firmly. “Nah, I still remember how he shot me down when I confessed. That’s something I can’t forget easily.” 2/6 

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courage to tell Aaron how she felt. 

It was a well–kept secret, and Emily was one of the few in the loop. 

Aaron had turned her down, saying he wasn’t looking for a relationship at the moment. 

After that, Melissa had cut off all contact with him. 

“Okay, then I won’t twist your arm,” Emily said. 

Melissa stepped out of the car and stood beside it. “Get back home safe. Drive slow and text me when you’re there.” 

It was eleven at night when Emily pulled up at Joy Gardens. 

Figuring Sophia was already asleep, she crept upstairs as quietly as a mouse. 

But when Emily opened the bedroom door, Sophia was nowhere to be seen. 

A wave of panic washed over her, and she dashed to Ethan’s room, but there was still no sign of her. 

Hearing the commotion upstairs, Rebecca quickly made her way up to see what was going on. 

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As Emily paced about in evident anxiety, Rebecca wasted no 

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A wave of relief washed over Emily, yet a furrow formed on her brow with a question. “Where did Lucas take Sophie?” 

Rebecca pondered for a short spell. “Since it was Mr. Wilson’s directive, I didn’t pry. But from what Mr. Harris let on, they seemed bound to meet Mr. Wilson.” 

Recognition dawned on Emily. It was clear as day that the real draw was Nancy, not Ethan. 

However, maternal worry got the better of her. “I’ll ring Ethan,” she declared. 

Inside the bedroom, Emily quickly dialed Ethan’s number. 

The call connected in no time. 

“Has Sophie arrived?” Emily cut straight to the chase. 

“Just got here,” Ethan confirmed. 

Simultaneously, Emily caught snippets of Sophia’s giggles and playful banter with Nancy. 

Not keen on eavesdropping further, she said curtly, “Alright, gotta go.” 

But Ethan wasn’t done. “Emily, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.” 

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The way he said her name felt both familiar and foreign. 

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Emily hesitated briefly before responding coolly, “Do as you please. No need to run it by me.” 

With that, she ended the call. 

Gripping her phone, Emily sank onto the sofa, lost in a sea of thoughts. 

Suddenly, the phone buzzed with an incoming call. 

Assuming it was Ethan, she was surprised to see Aaron’s name on the screen. 

“Aaron,” Emily answered, striving to keep her voice steady. 

Aaron sensed her dejection but didn’t probe. Instead, he extended an invitation. “It’s the weekend tomorrow. How about hitting the library?” 

“Sure. What time?” Emily readily agreed. 

“Ten a.m. sound good?” Aaron proposed. 

Emily gave the thumbs–up. 

Graduate school applications were looming, and time was of 

the essence. But Sophia’s recent illness had derailed her study 5/6 

plans. 

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buckle down. 

The following morning, Emily sprang out of bed early. After a quick freshen–up, she hopped in her car and drove out of Joy Gardens. 

By the time she reached the library, Aaron was already there, waiting. 

Even though they were at the library together, Aaron gave Emily plenty of room to study. He was on standby to answer her questions and clarify tricky concepts. 

Around noon, they stepped out for some pizza. 

The afternoon was more of the same, with Aaron by her side as 

she studied. 

At five o’clock, Aaron’s phone rang. It was the hospital, calling him in for an emergency surgery. 

After Aaron left, Emily buried herself in her books. When she finally looked up, her head pounding and vision blurry, she realized night had fallen. 

Emily gathered her things and made her way to the parking lot. As she settled into the driver’s seat and reached for the keys, a soft, accusatory question came from the passenger side. “Why did you return the gift I gave you?” 

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