Chapter 120 The Announcement
Emilia’s POV
By the time I got home, I’d already decided: if I was leaving, I was going out with a bang.
I spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen, preparing a feast. Roast chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, fresh salad, homemade bread, and a strawberry tart for dessert.
When Mila walked into the kitchen and saw the spread, her face lit up. "Emilia, sweetheart, this is incredible! What’s the occasion?"
"Just wanted to do something nice," I said with a smile.
At seven o’clock, everyone gathered around the dining table. I opened a bottle of red wine and poured a glass for each person.
"I’d like to make a toast," I said, raising my glass. "And then I have some good news to share."
Tiffany’s eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh my Goddess, are you pregnant?"
Mila and Titus immediately perked up, their faces glowing with hope.
I shook my head, my smile faltering. "No. I... I’ve been accepted into a study program abroad."
The room went completely silent.
The joy that had been on their faces a second ago vanished, replaced by confusion and shock.
"Where exactly?" Mila’s eyebrows drew together sharply, her displeasure radiating across the table.
"Paris. The program is two years." I kept my voice professional. "It’s an advanced certificate in corporate leadership and strategic management. When I return, I’ll be qualified for senior management positions in multinational corporations."
I didn’t need my ability to read the sudden spike of anxiety that flooded the room. It was written all over their faces.
Titus set down his fork. "If you want a better position, there’s no need to go abroad. I have connections throughout Silverlake City’s business sector. Senior management? Executive level? Just say the word."
Before I could respond, Tiffany jumped in. "Two years! Emilia, that’s forever! You and my brother will practically be strangers by then."
I took a sip of wine, buying myself a moment. "With all due respect, Dad, professional advancement isn’t just about connections. It’s about actual competence and credentials. Even if you handed me an executive position tomorrow, I wouldn’t have the expertise to do the job justice. I’d be setting myself up for failure, and worse, I’d be failing the company that trusted me."
"Then quit Hanson Group altogether," Mila said, her tone bordering on desperate. "The Luna of the Silver Moon Pack doesn’t need to work herself to exhaustion for a paycheck. Whatever you want, we can provide. Even if you asked for the moon, we’d find a way to bring it down for you."
Her words should have been comforting. Instead, they felt like a gilded cage being offered with love.
I set down my glass and met her eyes. "Mom, a career isn’t about survival. It’s about ambition. Purpose. Having something that’s mine." My voice softened but remained firm. "I hope you and Dad can support my dreams, not just my comfort."
Mila’s face crumpled slightly, and I watched her mind race with panic through my ability
[She’s going to leave him, just like all the others, we’re going to lose her—]
She turned sharply to Sebastian, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange.
"Why aren’t you saying anything? Your wife is talking about moving to another continent. Don’t you have an opinion about this?"
Sebastian slowly raised his head, his green eyes unreadable as always. "If she wants this, support her. Clipping someone’s wings isn’t love—it’s selfish possession."
The words hit like a slap.
Mila’s face went pale. "You—"
[How can he just let her go, after everything, after all those other wives**,** how did I raise such a cold-blooded son—]
Titus had been silent, but now he spoke. "When do you leave?"
"End of the month."
"Must you really go?"
I nodded. "The spots are extremely limited. If I turn this down, I won’t get another opportunity like this."
Mila let out a choked sound and covered her face with her hands. "Fine. If you’re determined to go, what can we do? We can only hope you’ll actually come back in two years."
Her shoulders shook with silent sobs.
Guilt twisted in my chest, sharp and immediate. I reached across the table and gently placed my handkerchief in her hand. "Mom, please don’t cry. This isn’t goodbye forever. I’ll be back."
[But will you?] her thoughts whispered. [Or are you just another one running away from my son?]
"I had such high hopes for you, Emilia," Mila said through her tears, her voice breaking. "I thought you might be the one to finally save him from what Abigail did. But now I see that woman destroyed him too thoroughly."
Mila was sharper than I’d given her credit for. She’d seen right through my flimsy excuse.
The room felt like it was suffocating.
Sebastian pushed back his chair abruptly and left without a word. Titus stood as well, his face drawn and aged, and disappeared into his study.
Tiffany was crying now too, trying to comfort her mother while wiping at her own tears.
I sat there for another moment, then quietly stood and went upstairs.
I found Sebastian in his room, standing by the window with a cigarette between his fingers. The smoke curled lazily in the dim light.
"Thank you," I said softly. "For backing me up down there."
He didn’t turn around. After a long pause, he said, "It doesn’t matter."
I smiled bitterly at his back and returned to my room.
An hour later, I emerged with the same suitcase I’d arrived with months ago.
Sebastian was in the hallway. His gaze dropped to the luggage, and his face hardened.
"Where do you think you’re going?"
I adjusted my grip on the handle. "If I stay here, I’ll just make everyone miserable for the next two weeks."
"Did it ever occur to you that leaving like this will only hurt my parents more?"
My eyelashes quivered slightly. "What about you? Do you feel sad that I’m leaving?"
Sebastian stared at me and asked, "Would you stay if I said yes?"