The Forbidden Throb Chapter 46

Emma's POV:

"Abandoning you?" I repeated, shaking my head quickly. "Liv, no—that's not—"

"Then what is it?" She gestured at the chaos around us—half-packed boxes, clothes spilling from my suitcase, my desk stripped bare.

"You're literally packing up your entire life without saying a word to me."

I could see the hurt in her eyes, beneath the anger. The accusation.

"I'm not abandoning you," I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. "I just... things have changed."

"Changed how?" Olivia crossed her arms.

"Emma, we've been roommates for three years. Best friends. And you're just—*leaving*? Moving out in the middle of the semester without even telling me?"

The weight of her words pressed down on me. She was right. I should have told her sooner. Prepared her.

"It's complicated," I managed.

"Then *uncomplicate* it." Olivia's voice softened slightly, concern replacing some of the anger. "Talk to me. What's going on?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

I took a breath, choosing my words carefully. "I... can't live in the dorms anymore. There's a university policy—married students aren't allowed to stay in campus housing."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Olivia stared at me, her expression frozen somewhere between confusion and disbelief.

"Married," she repeated slowly, as if testing the word. "Did you just say *married*?"

I nodded, unable to meet her eyes.

"Emma." Her voice rose an octave. "*What?*"

"I know it sounds—"

"You got *married*?" She took a step closer, her eyes wide. "When? How? *Why didn't you tell me?*"

"It was over the weekend," I said quietly. "In Portland. With my grandmother."

"Over the *weekend*?" Olivia's voice hit a pitch I'd never heard before. "Emma, you went home for *three days* and came back *married*? Are you serious right now?"

I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes.

Something about her disbelief made me feel inexplicably guilty, as if I'd committed some terrible betrayal. My fingers found the edge of my unpacked suitcase, tracing the zipper pull with unnecessary focus.

"Who?" Olivia demanded suddenly. "Who did you marry?"

My throat tightened.

*Here it comes.*

"Emma." Her voice turned serious, almost worried. "Please tell me you didn't—you didn't get back together with Nicholas, did you?"

I looked up sharply. "What? No! God, no."

Relief flooded her face, but only for a moment before suspicion crept back in.

"Then who?" she repeated.

I hesitated, my fingers twisting together.

*She's going to find out eventually. Everyone will.*

"Daniel," I said finally. "Daniel Prescott."

Olivia's mouth fell open.

For a long moment, she just stared at me, processing.

"Daniel," she said slowly. "As in... Nicholas's brother Daniel? "

I nodded.

"*Holy shit*."

She sank down onto her bed, still staring at me like I'd grown a second head.

"Emma, look—" Olivia ran a hand through her hair, her expression conflicted. "I'll be honest. Daniel is... he's obviously attractive. Successful. Impressive, even. And I remember that night he brought you back to the dorm—I said you two seemed to fit well together. I meant it."

She paused, her voice turning serious. "But Emma, you can't throw your entire future away just to get back at Nicholas. You can't sacrifice your own marriage, your own happiness, just for revenge. That's not—it's not worth it."

I blinked, stunned by her assumption.

"Liv, no—that's not what this is," I said quickly.

"I'm not trying to get revenge on Nicholas," I said, forcing myself to hold her gaze this time. "

I rubbed my face. "Liv, I... I thought I was over him. I really did. After everything that happened, after finding out about Megan, I thought I'd moved on."

"Then *why*?"

Before I could answer, my phone buzzed.

I glanced down at the screen.

**Daniel:** *Finished with my last surgery for the day. I can pick you up whenever you're ready.*

My heart did an odd little flip.

Olivia noticed. "Is that him?"

I nodded.

"What does he want?"

"He's offering to pick me up," I said. "To help me move my stuff."

"To his place?"

"Yes."

Olivia was quiet for a moment, watching me carefully.

"Emma, are you sure about this? Moving in with him? You barely know him."

*She's right. I don't know him. Not really.*

But what choice did I have now? I was already married. The decision was made.

"I know," I said softly, meeting her eyes. "But it's done, Liv."

Olivia's expression shifted from concern to something softer—resignation mixed with worry. She let out a long sigh, her shoulders dropping slightly.

"Okay," she said finally. "Okay. But Emma—" She stepped closer, her voice earnest. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself out there. And if anything feels wrong, if you need anything at all, you call me. Immediately. I don't care what time it is."

My throat tightened unexpectedly.

"I will," I whispered. "I promise."

Before Olivia could respond, my phone rang. Daniel's name flashed on the screen.

I answered, acutely aware of Olivia watching me. "Hello?"

"Emma." His voice came through warm and measured. "Have you had lunch yet?"

I glanced at Olivia, who had tilted her head with obvious curiosity.

"Not yet," I said. "I was actually just planning to grab something with Olivia. She just found out about—" I hesitated. "About me moving out."

There was a brief pause.

"I see," Daniel said, and I could hear the understanding in his tone. "Then I should take you both to lunch. It's only right—she's been looking after you all this time."

"Oh, that's really not—" I started to protest, but Olivia had moved closer, clearly trying to eavesdrop.

Before I could finish my polite refusal, Olivia reached out and spoke loudly enough for Daniel to hear through the phone.

"We'd love to!" she announced. "That's very thoughtful of you, Dr. Prescott."

I heard a soft chuckle from Daniel's end. "Please, call me Daniel. Does noon work for you both? I can pick you up from the dorm."

I looked helplessly at Olivia, who was nodding vigorously and giving me an encouraging thumbs up.

"Noon is fine," I said, resigned.

"Perfect. I'll see you both then."

After I hung up, Olivia's expression transformed into something between satisfaction and determination.

"Good," she said firmly, crossing her arms. "This gives me the perfect opportunity to properly interrogate him."

"Liv—"

"Emma, I'm your best friend. It's my job to make sure he's not some kind of—I don't know—charming psychopath or something."

She was already heading to her closet. "I'm going to ask him every uncomfortable question I can think of. And you—" she pointed at me, "—are going to let me."

*Poor Daniel has no idea what he's in for.*