Chapter 153.

Mrs. Hayes watched her.

"He could have walked away," Emilia continued. "He could have let everything end after the hearing. He could have decided it was easier to lose me than deal with everything else." She paused. "But he didn’t."

Her mother’s expression softened. "And neither did you."

"No."

Silence settled between them.

Mrs. Hayes reached across the table and took Emilia’s hand. "I want you happy."

Emilia squeezed her fingers. "I know, Mum."

"But I also want you safe."

"I know."

"And I don’t want you sacrificing yourself for someone simply because you love them."

"I won’t."

"You almost did." Her mother held her gaze. "Promise me."

"I promise."

Mrs. Hayes nodded. Then she looked away.

Emilia thought the conversation was over. Until her mother spoke again.

"I need to speak to him."

Emilia blinked. "What?"

"In person." Her mother’s voice was calm. "I need to speak to Adrian in person."

Emilia stared at her. "Mum..."

"I mean it." Her mother squeezed her hand once. "I need to look him in the eyes."

Emilia’s mouth opened, and closed.

Her mother continued.

"I’m not asking you to break up with him. I’m not telling you that you can’t be together. You’ve made your decision." She paused. "But if he’s going to be in your life again, I need to have a conversation with him myself."

Emilia swallowed. "About what?"

"Everything."

Her mother looked directly at her. "About what happened. About what he did. About what he intends to do now. About you."

Emilia was silent.

Mrs. Hayes leaned back slightly. "I gave him the benefit of the doubt once."

Emilia’s heart tightened.

"And he hurt you."

"Mum, he was trying to protect me."

"I know what he was doing." Her mother’s voice wasn’t harsh. It was simply firm. "But protection is not the same thing as deciding someone’s life for them."

Emilia looked down. Those words struck so close to her heart. They were the exact words she had said before.

Emilia looked up.

Her mother’s eyes softened. "And I don’t want him to forget it." She sat back. "So yes. I need to speak to him."

Emilia exhaled slowly. "Okay."

Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

"Yes."

"You’re not going to argue?"

"I thought you were going to threaten him."

"I haven’t ruled it out."

Emilia laughed. "Mum."

Her mother smiled. "I’m joking."

Emilia shook her head. "Fine. I’ll tell him."

"Good."

Her mother returned to the kitchen.

Emilia remained seated for a moment. Her phone vibrated. She looked down.

Adrian: Everything okay?

She smiled.

She typed: My mum knows we’re together again.

Three dots appeared almost immediately. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

Adrian: How did that go?

Emilia smiled.

Emilia: She wants to speak to you.

There was a long pause. Long enough that Emilia could almost imagine his expression.

Then:

Adrian: In person?

Emilia: Yes.

His response came after a few seconds.

Adrian: I’ll find a way come.

Emilia’s smile softened.

Emilia: Okay.

Adrian: Emilia?

Emilia: Yes?

Adrian: Thank you for telling her.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.

She typed: She’s my mum. She was always going to know. And you’re important to me.

The response took longer this time.

Adrian: You have no idea what that means to me.

Emilia stared at the message. She smiled, then locked her phone. She didn’t notice her mother watching her from the kitchen.

"You really love him," Mrs. Hayes said.

Emilia looked up. She smiled. "No doubt."

Her mother nodded. "Then we’ll have the conversation."

Emilia’s phone vibrated again.

She unlocked it. This time, it wasn’t Adrian. It was Ethan. She frowned slightly, then opened the message.

Ethan: Countdown until I see you again in school.

Emilia laughed.

She typed: You’re counting already?

His response arrived quickly.

Ethan: You have too much free time. School starts soon enough. I haven’t been more excited. You’re my friend, and my holiday has been boring without you.

Emilia smiled faintly. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed ordinary messages like that.

Emilia: See you soon, Ethan.

She set her phone down. Outside, the afternoon sun had begun to lower. The final day of the year was slipping away.

And somewhere in the middle of all the uncertainty, Emilia realized something. The year had taken a lot from her.

It had taken pieces of her she hadn’t known could be lost. But it had also given her something.

Emilia went upstairs.

She returned with her usual phone.

Her mother looked at her. "Your father?"

Emilia nodded. She sat on the couch. Her fingers hovered over the screen.

Every year, she wondered if she would eventually stop. Every year, she didn’t.

She opened the message thread.

There were years of messages there. Words sent into silence. Things her father would never read.

At least, not in the way she wanted him to. Still, she typed.

Emilia: Dad,

She stopped, deleted it, and started again.

Emilia: Hi, Dad.

She smiled faintly. That was how she always began. Her fingers began to move.

She went on: Another year is ending. I wish I could tell you everything in person, but I guess I’ve gotten used to telling you this way.

Her eyes burned, and she continued.

Emilia: This year was difficult. Really difficult. There were moments when I didn’t know what I was going to do. I lost people. I was hurt. I was angry. I was scared.

She swallowed.

Emilia: But I also learned that I’m stronger than I thought. Mum is okay. She’s still worrying about me too much, so I think some things never change.

A smile touched her lips.

She continued.

Emilia: Kylie is still my best friend. She saved me more times than she probably knows.

Her thumb paused. And then she continued.

Emilia: I broke up with Noah. He cheated, and got violent. I met Adrian.

Her heart tightened. She stared at the sentence. Then added.

Emilia: Adrian and I seperated briefly, but we’re together again. Mum knows. She wants to speak to him. You probably would have liked that. Or maybe you would have scared him first. I don’t know.

She laughed softly through the tears forming in her eyes.

Emilia: I miss you.

She stopped. Her throat tightened.

Emilia: I still wish you were here.

A tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away.

Emilia: Happy New Year, Dad. Wherever you are, I hope you know I still talk to you. I hope you know I still remember you.

She stared at the screen.

Emilia: I love you.

She read it once. Then again, and then pressed send. The message disappeared upward.

Emilia lowered the phone.

Her mother was watching her. Neither spoke. Mrs. Hayes reached over and pulled her into a hug.

Emilia rested her head against her mother’s shoulder.