Chapter 13
“I want you, Aria. Your skin’s so soft. That night…” Elijah murmured. The coffee he’d given Emma was laced with a stimulant, creating a haze and amplifying his already dark thoughts. Emma, using a remote, streamed Elijah’s every move online.
Aria, monitoring the stream, expecting to see Emma humiliated, was shocked. “What’s going on? Why is Elijah drugged?”
Viewers flooded the stream as Elijah, completely disinhibited, babbled, “Let’s get a room, Aria… It feels so good… Please don’t abort our baby…”
“Ahh!” Aria screamed. Fury consumed her. “Shut the hell up, asshole!” she yelled at the screen, to no avail.
Aria had been using Elijah to help her murder Emma. However, she despised both Elijah and the Taylor family, keeping their affair secret and forbidding him from telling anyone. She planned to discard him after using him, then marry a wealthy man. Now, Elijah's online confession had exposed everything. “Their relationship… a bastard! Ahh!” she cried, furiously smashing her keyboard.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Liam burst into Emma’s ward. “Emma!” he exclaimed.
Emma was startled by his unexpected arrival. Liam regarded Elijah with disgust, the man sprawled on the floor, clearly out of his mind.
“How dare this loser lay his hands on you!” Liam growled.
He started to move towards Elijah, but Emma stopped him. “Mr. Hall, let me handle this.”
Liam admired her composure. “I like your confidence. But I’ll intervene if things get out of control.”
Understanding his concern, Emma smiled, taking his hand. “Don’t worry, Mr. Hall. I’m a badass, and I’ll surprise you with my intelligence and abilities.”
Liam, intrigued, pulled her close, his lips brushing her ear. “Okay, I’m waiting,” he whispered hoarsely, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
Elijah’s video went viral. Emma’s perfectly angled footage captured everything, from Elijah licking the coffee to his subsequent unraveling. The sight of a six-foot-tall man behaving erratically was shocking to viewers. Aria’s name, repeatedly mentioned, became a trending hashtag. Online comments included:
“[I mean, how horny can you be?]” “[Hey, Aria. You alright?]” “[Aria, girl, you’ve got terrible taste in men. Look how gross he is!]” “[Who shot the video? Am I the only one who cares?]”
The Taylor family issued a statement:
“[Elijah is in a relationship with Aria. They didn’t announce their engagement to avoid wasting public resources. We announce their engagement party will proceed as scheduled. Furthermore, Emma Wilson, Aria’s sister, drugged my son and recorded the video. This is not over, Emma.]”
The statement ignited a firestorm of online debate. Unaware of the truth, public opinion swung in Elijah’s favor, blaming Emma for drugging and secretly recording him.
Emma smiled charmingly. ‘Can’t wait for the engagement party. It’ll be a lot of fun!’
Days later, Aria and Elijah’s engagement party commenced. Emma, breathtaking in a dark purple fishtail gown adorned with shimmering diamonds, captivated everyone. The backless design showcased her flawless skin.
Aria, seething with anger, thought, ‘Damn it! Why does this country bumpkin look better than me? She’s stealing all the attention!’
Madeline Taylor, Elijah’s mother, was the first to confront Emma. “Emma, let’s settle this. You disgraced my son. I’m calling the police.” She reached for her phone.
Emma smirked. “Can’t wait.”
As the words left her lips, police officers entered. Madeline, still dialing, was confused. ‘I haven’t even dialed yet. Why are they here so fast?’
The lead officer identified himself, addressing Aria and Elijah. “Aria Wilson, Elijah Taylor, you are suspected of illegally diverting banned substances and attempted rape. We need you to come with us.”
Madeline panicked. “Wait! What’s going on? It was my son who was drugged!”
A voice whispered, “It must be Emma. She called the police.”