The young couple sat opposite each other—the cozy ambiance in the McLean's balcony doing little to settle the hushed argument they've been having for the past couple of minutes.

In all honesty, Emery did not want to end things this way with Nicholas McLean. She was in love with the guy after all. And not even the fact that she sold her freedom to the devil could make her love him less.

Regardless of their current mess up situation, Emery had expected some form of affection from her boyfriend upon his return—just to make up for all the lost time. But he did not even spare her a kiss when he opened the door for her earlier.

Surely there was something different about him, and it wasn't his brooding features because her guts told her the change in behavior had little to do with her misdeed.

Emery regarded him warily as he combed his fingers harshly through his messy dark hair. An argument was brewing again.

“What did I ever do to deserve this, Em?”

An uncomfortable shiver ran down Emery's spine when he fixed his searing gaze on her again. And just like before, she looked away, hiding behind a curtain of her loosened hair.

After all the things she had confessed to him, she could not bring herself to look him straight in the eye. And now more than ever, she berates herself for not talking this over the phone instead of having him fly all the way to Manhattan.

“You knew this guy before this didn't you?”

Emery spun towards his direction when he threw that accusatory question at her. “What are you insinuating-”

“Don't you dare lie to me, Em!”

Emery saw his curled fists and wondered if the only reason why he hadn't taken another swing at the poor vases by the table was because of the presence of his grandparents who were having dinner on their balcony —just a stone's throw from where they sat.

“I'm not going to ask again…”

Emery sat upright when he leaned over the table, not giving a damn that his hasty movement almost caused their mugs of coffee to topple over her dress.

“Nick, I swear there's nothing going on between us… I only did this for Christopher and nothing else.” Emery blinked the tears away again as she tried to focus on the fuming man before her.

“Nick, you need to believe me…I had no choice.” Emery went for his hand but he swatted her hand away.

“Two years Emery and you want to fucking flash everything we had down the toilet because of Chris?”

Emery blanched at his words and it took everything in her not to lash out at him. How selfish could he be?

“He's my brother, Nick. What would you've done if you were in my place?”

For some reason, her rhetorical question seemed to annoy Nicholas the more. And since they had already attracted the attention of his grandparents who were now watching them, he seemed not to mind adding the cherry on top of the cake.

“I wouldn't have used my brother for my own selfish gain nor throw our two years relationship in the trash can for a few bucks Em.”

His fist finally met the coffee table, startling Emery. He sprang to his feet and walked out on her. The door to the balcony rattled behind him from the force of his exit.

Hastily, Emery stood up and made to go after him but Nicholas's grandfather's voice held her back.

“Is everything alright, dear?” Emery gave the old man a hesitant nod.

“If he's angry I suggest you let him sleep it off, child. That kid can be quite a pain in the behind when he's upset.” Nicholas's grandmother, the verbose of the two added.

“We're fine, Mrs. McLean.” Sending the couple a smile that didn't even move her lips, Emery went after her angry boyfriend.

She rushed inside when she heard the smash of something in the living room only to see the white ceramic flower vase that once decorated the coffee table shattered on the waxed wood floor.

The warning bells started going off somewhere in her mind. He did it. He smashed a vase. Yes, he was upset but smashing things? A definite red flag.

“Nick?” Emery called to him gently but he kept up with his pacing and not once did he even glance her way. “Look… I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but know that I would never hurt you intentionally.”

The ringing of Emery's phone interrupted them but before she could reach for it, Nicolas had already snatched it from the couch.

“Nick, what are you doing?” He pushed her hands away when Emery went to take her phone back. “We're not doing that. Give it back,” she demanded.

Nicholas only scoffed, his lips stretching into a sinister smile as he stared at the caller's name. “Miles? Is that the bastard's name?”

Emery stiffened when Nicholas gave the caller's ID. Of all the days to call, he chose today? Talk of worst timing. Emery groaned inward.

“Nick, please give me the phone.” Emery reached for her phone again but this time, her boyfriend grabbed her by the wrist and pinned her against his chest. “Nick seriously, stop-”

Nicholas picked up the call and put it on loud speaker.

‘Miss independent?’

Emery felt Nicholas's chest rumble when he heard the greeting from the other side. He glared down at her when she tried to wiggle out of his hold again.

‘Who's this?’

Nicholas glanced down at Emery, his lips pursed as if to tell her that her newly purchased boyfriend was discerning. Emery cursed him under her breath and that seemed to have gotten a reaction from him because he let go of her.

Emery snatched the phone from him swiftly and moved out of his reach all the while keeping an eye on him. ‘Hello…”

The man on the other end of the line might have sensed something was amiss from her tone because his next question threw Emery off guard.

‘Are you alright?’

“Yeah,” she blurted. “What do you want, Mr. Dekker?” She was still maintaining eye contact with her boyfriend who was also watching her intently.

‘Are you home?’

Emery blurted the first thing that came to mind. “Yes.” She cleared her throat and tried that again with a little confidence this time. “I'm home.”

Even that lie earned a chuckle from Nicholas. Emery rolled her eyes at him. She stiffened when he rose to his feet and took predatory steps towards her.

“Stop it,” Emery mouthed.

‘I need to discuss something with you…are you less busy?’

“Yeah…”

Emery gave her boyfriend a cold stare when he brushed her hair back with a finger.. Her non verbal warning was ignored again as Nicholas went ahead to leave trails of kisses down her neck.

Emery's monotonous replies might have tipped off the other man on the phone hence his next question.

‘Are you sure you're home?’

But before she could reply, her boyfriend kissed her on the lips. Damn him. Emery shoved Nicholas this time, so hard that the latter almost toppled over the couch if not for his quick reflex to hold onto her.

‘I'm on my way to your place. See you.’

The line went dead before Emery could respond.

“Get off me!” She pushed at Nicholas's chest. “Damn it Nick, what has gotten into you?”

He only laughed. But there was no humor in it.

“Trying to see if your body still knows its owner.” Nicholas slumped into the couch, wearing that smug look she was beginning to loathe. “Don't think I'll sit and watch some spoiled arrogant brat touch what is mine, Em.”

“You're such an ass.” Emery snatched her purse from beside him and stormed out of the McLean's home before Nicholas could respond or even react.

Though her house was only two streets from theirs, Emery prayed she got there before Dekker did.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

Miles kept on nodding at what Natalia's little niece was gibbering to him but his attention was far from what the girl was saying.

He was a block away from the Delado's home when he called Emery. He was more than surprised when the door was opened by her friend with no sign of her even after she had told him that she was home.

She was with her college boyfriend. He had reasoned.

Upon hearing the hum of a car, Miles sat straight on the couch. He offered Natalia a half-smile as the latter regarded him with a look amidst serves you right for making my friend do this and I've got my eyes on you.

They both turned towards the entrance door when it was opened. Emery scurried into the house only to come to a standstill when she saw the man seated in her living home

Shit.

“Hi,” Miles greeted. Too casually.