Winning Her Heart back (Emelie and William) novel Chapter 911

Emelie wondered how she should respond to this question.

Given that she was quite far along her pregnancy, her back hurt after sitting for a long time. She shifted and tried to lean back.

"Don't move," Wesley said calmly.

Emelie glanced up at him. He had already risen, fetched a cushion from the suite, and gently placed it behind her.

She smiled all of a sudden. Despite everything that had changed over the past year and two months, their relationship hadn't deteriorated to the point where every word needed to be carefully measured or overthought.

She relaxed and leaned back.

She spoke candidly. "If we had grown up as siblings, I would've only ever seen you as a brother. The thought of anything beyond that would never cross my mind. If someone suggested marriage, I'd have called the police."

Wesley smiled faintly in response.

Emelie continued while looking at him, "And if we had been strangers, even without the blood tie, I'd still oppose an arranged marriage. I wouldn't accept it.

"But that's not our story. We've known each other for so long, and we were always more than just friends. People used to call you my unrequited love, and you were. When I found out that you were my brother, it felt absurd. Laughable, even. But I never felt disgusted."

Wesley met her gaze.

There was no physical resemblance between them that hinted at their blood relation. What they had in common were their eyes—calm and cool, like the reflection of the moon in still waters.

Wesley knew that some things should be left unsaid, but he needed closure.

He asked in a hoarse voice, "Did you really love me?"

"I did. I loved you very much." Emelie didn't avoid the truth.

Especially during their high school years, she had loved him deeply, so much that she would have followed him anywhere. When he left for abroad, she spent countless nights crying over him. And when they reconnected years later, she found herself disoriented.

William's hostility toward Wesley wasn't entirely without reason. During those years, her heart still belonged to Wesley entirely.

She had no recollection of William in high school, because her world had revolved around Wesley. Everyone else was simply background noise.

"There was only room for Wesley in Emelie's world" was not an exaggeration.

Wesley smiled. Finally, there was peace in his heart. It was enough. This was enough.

She had once truly loved him. Even after she discovered his deception, she hadn't hated him. She hadn't found him repulsive.

She had even honored her promise, traveling to Mercianna to marry him. And now, after more than a year of no contact, she had come to give him closure. That was all he needed.

He leaned back, his expression still the same, but the tension in his features seemed to melt away.

Emelie and Wesley had carried the weight of seeking vengeance for both the Pierce and Hoven families. However, there was another burden that Wesley had been carrying for a long time: feelings for her that had been inappropriate.

Now that he saw her happily married, deeply in love with her husband, and expecting their child, he could finally let go. From the beginning, all he had ever wanted was for her to be happy.

Emelie rolled the dice again, and it landed on the number four. Her game piece reached the finish line. She had won.

She said, "Wesley, I will always be grateful to you for saving me from the sea that day and for being there during my struggle with depression. For that alone, I can forgive everything."

Wesley's response was calm. "You think that it was a favor? Wasn't it all part of William's plan? I was just another pawn, even in those years I spent taking care of you."

Wesley agreed and called his secretary to escort her downstairs.

"Is he waiting for you outside?" Wesley asked.

Emelie glanced at him. His expression remained neutral.

"William? Yes, he's here," Emelie replied with a chuckle. "We'll all be having dinner in a few days. You might want to prepare yourself."

Wesley felt that there was no need for any preparation. "Take care."

Since William was waiting for her, Wesley didn't personally see her off. Otherwise, he would have sent her back to the Denning Residence himself.

As Emelie left the Filo Group building, she spotted William standing under a tree.

She had initially wanted him to return to Capebatt City alone, but once he learned she was meeting Wesley, he insisted on coming along. And so, they had come to Mercianna together.

Emelie dismissed the secretary and walked over to William, who immediately stepped forward to support her.

"All done?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "We've arranged a family dinner with my moms in a few days. You'd better be ready." Emelie was a fair person and gave both of them warnings.

William was calm as well. "Ready for what? To choose the dishes? Eastern or Achelean cuisine?"

Emelie sighed. Old rivalries would never truly fade. The best they could do was tolerate each other's presence.

Reconciliation just wasn't possible. The animosity between Wesley and William had started in high school, and after more than a decade, it was far too late to untangle that knot.