Chapter 4 - The Test of Fate

Emily sat quietly in the corner of the coffee shop, clutching the now-cold coffee cup tightly in her hand as if it were her only support. Her gaze passed through the window and landed blankly on the bustling street outside. Watching the people coming and going, her heart was filled with endless confusion. Jack's words were like lingering ghosts, constantly echoing in her mind, and each word felt like a heavy stone weighing on her heart. She tried hard to sort out her thoughts, only to find that she seemed to be trapped in an inescapable maze. His explanation sounded reasonable on the surface, yet behind it lay even more puzzling doubts. She couldn't help but wonder whether all of this was a trick played by fate or a carefully planned conspiracy. She needed time to digest everything and sort out her chaotic thoughts, but what she needed more was evidence, the truth that could lift this mysterious fog. Only in this way could she truly understand the situation she was in. As night fell like a huge black curtain slowly descending over the city, Emily dragged her exhausted body back to her apartment. Sophia had been waiting anxiously in the living room for her. When she saw Emily return, Sophia's face was immediately filled with worry. "You're finally back, Emily. How was your talk with Jack?" Sophia asked eagerly, her voice full of concern. Emily let out a deep sigh, as if trying to expel all the tiredness and helplessness in her heart. She slumped wearily onto the sofa, raised her hand and rubbed her temples tiredly, trying to relieve the throbbing headache. "He told me that our wedding wasn't accidental. The Harrison family has a tradition that the eldest son of each generation must get married within a specific time to ensure the purity of the family bloodline," she said in a low and hoarse voice, full of confusion and bewilderment. Sophia's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. "That sounds like an ancient noble tradition. But why you, Emily? You have no connection with them at all," she said, her tone full of doubt, as if she was trying hard to find a reasonable explanation. Emily shook her head helplessly, her eyes full of confusion and helplessness. "I don't know. Jack said that he thought I was strong enough to bear all this," she said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. She couldn't understand why she had been involved in this inexplicable marriage. Sophia frowned, a deep worry showing in her eyes. "That sounds like an excuse. Emily, you need to be careful. This family might be far more complicated than you think," her words were like an alarm bell ringing in Emily's heart, making her more aware of the dangerous situation she was in. Emily nodded. She knew that Sophia was right. She needed more information and to understand how many secrets this mysterious Harrison family was hiding. She slowly stood up and walked heavily towards the study, then turned on the computer. With a focused and determined look in her eyes, she began to search through the vast ocean of the Internet for the history of the Harrison family, hoping to find any clues related to her current situation. Several hours passed. Emily's eyes kept scanning the screen. She read one article after another and browsed one website after another. She found that there were indeed some unusual aspects in the history of the Harrison family, such as some mysterious business transactions and close connections with political figures. However, these pieces of information were like scattered jigsaw puzzle pieces. Although they gave her a deeper understanding of the Harrison family, they didn't provide her with any direct clues. Just when Emily was about to give up, an accidental discovery made her heart race instantly. She saw an old news report that mentioned a scandal in the Harrison family. The report said that Jack's father had been investigated for a commercial fraud case but was finally released due to insufficient evidence. Emily's heart skipped a beat. She had a sharp intuition that this might be a crucial clue. She couldn't wait to dig deeper and found that this case was related to a lawyer named Daniel Morrison. Daniel was Jack's father's personal lawyer and a loyal servant of the Harrison family. Emily's intuition told her that this Daniel might know some secrets about the Harrison family. The next day, Emily resolutely decided to meet Daniel. She came to his law firm and firmly demanded to meet him. Daniel was a middle-aged man, and there was a hint of cunning in his eyes that made him hard to figure out. "Miss Emily, I heard that you got married. Congratulations," Daniel said, with a touch of sarcasm in his voice that made Emily uncomfortable. Emily ignored his sarcasm and got straight to the point. "Mr. Daniel, I need to know some information about the Harrison family. I know you've worked for them for many years, and you might know something that I don't," she said, her eyes full of expectation and determination. Daniel's face instantly changed and became a bit gloomy. "Miss Emily, I can't disclose my clients' information. It's professional ethics," he said firmly, as if there were no room for negotiation. Emily looked at him firmly and didn't flinch at all. "Mr. Daniel, this concerns my future and might even be my life. I need to know the truth," she said, a hint of desperation and determination in her voice. Daniel was silent for a while, as if engaged in a fierce internal struggle. Then he sighed and said helplessly, "Miss Emily, I can tell you some basic things, but you must promise not to disclose them to anyone." His eyes were full of warning. Emily nodded and said solemnly, "I promise." Daniel began to tell the history of the Harrison family. His voice was low and slow, as if telling an ancient and mysterious story. He told how they had developed from merchants in a small town into the powerful family in City A. He mentioned some key events, including some commercial fraud cases and political scandals. But when he talked about Jack's father, his voice became even lower, full of awe and fear. "Jack's father is a very ambitious man. He would do whatever it takes for the family's benefit," Daniel said, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. Emily's heart skipped a beat, and a bold guess came to her mind. "Including sacrificing his own son?" Her voice trembled slightly. Daniel sighed, his eyes full of sympathy. "Jack's father has always hoped that Jack would inherit the family business, but the relationship between them has always been tense," he said, his words full of helplessness. Emily frowned tightly, her heart full of doubts. "Why?" she asked eagerly. Daniel hesitated for a moment and then said slowly, "Because of Jack's mother. She was an outsider and didn't fit into the world of the Harrison family at all. Jack's father always thought she was a mistake," he said, his voice full of sadness. Emily felt a chill run down her spine, as if she had been drenched with a basin of cold water. "So, Jack's father would sacrifice Jack's happiness for the family's benefit?" she said, her voice full of anger and despair. Daniel nodded without saying a word, but there was a hint of sympathy in his eyes. Emily stood up, her heart full of anger and a sense of betrayal. She felt that she had been used by Jack and had become a tool for him to fight against his father. "Jack used me. He used me to fight against his father," she said, her voice full of accusations. Daniel didn't say anything and just looked at her silently. There were complex emotions in his eyes that were hard to fathom. Emily left Daniel's office, her heart full of doubts and anger. She needed to find Jack and confront him face to face. She dialed Jack's phone number, a hint of determination in her voice. "Jack, can we meet? I have some things I want to ask you," she said, her tone full of resolve. There was a hint of surprise in Jack's voice, but he quickly regained his calm. "Of course, Emily. I also have something to say to you," his words seemed to hide some indescribable emotions as well. They agreed to meet in Jack's office. Emily stood downstairs of the Harrison Building, looking up at this building that symbolized power and wealth. Her heart was full of nervousness and uneasiness. The building towered into the sky, magnificent and spectacular, as if showing the majesty and glory of the Harrison family to the world. However, at this moment, Emily felt that this building was like a huge cage, trapping her tightly. She took a deep breath and summoned up her courage to walk into the building. Passing through the splendid hall, the gorgeous decoration and noble atmosphere made her feel a bit suffocated. She arrived at Jack's office, where Jack stood, a hint of expectation in his eyes. "Emily, you're here," his voice was calm, but Emily could feel the nervousness behind his words. Emily took a deep breath and tried hard to stay calm. She knew that she needed to face the problem directly and couldn't avoid it anymore. "Jack, I know the reason why you chose me. I know that you used me to fight against your father," she said, looking firmly at Jack, waiting for his answer. Jack's face changed, and a flash of pain showed in his eyes. "Emily, I... I just don't want to be like my father," he said, his voice full of helplessness and struggle. Emily felt dizzy, feeling that her world was falling apart. "Jack, I don't know if I can believe you," she said, her voice full of doubt and fear. Jack reached out his hand, trying to comfort Emily. "Emily, I have feelings for you. I didn't choose you just because of your strength," he said, his eyes full of sincerity and longing. Emily took a step back, feeling that her world was falling apart. "Jack, I don't know if I can believe you," she said, her voice full of doubt and fear. Jack's eyes were full of despair. "Emily, I hope you can give me a chance. Give me a chance to prove myself," he said, a hint of pleading in his voice, which made Emily's heart stir slightly. Emily turned around and left, her heart full of doubts and fears. She needed time to think, time to decide her future. This sudden marriage, this mysterious family, made her feel at a loss. She didn't know where to go or whether she could bear all this. Doubts: - What was the real reason why Jack chose Emily as his bride? Were there other motives hidden in his words? Emily couldn't help but suspect whether Jack really chose her just to fight against his father or if there were deeper purposes. Were his feelings for her real or just a means? - What was the connection between the Harrison family's tradition and Jack's wedding? Were there deeper secrets behind this tradition? Why was this ancient tradition so important? Was it related to the family's power inheritance or wealth accumulation? Or were there other unknown purposes hidden? - What was the relationship between Jack's father and Jack really like? Would their tense relationship affect Emily? How would this tense relationship impact her future? Would she become a victim of the conflict between them? - Where did Emily's diamond ring come from? Was this ring related to the history of the Harrison family? Was the ring a family heirloom? Did it have special significance and value? - Would Emily's sudden appearance threaten the power structure of the Harrison family? How would the other members of the family view this marriage? Would they accept Emily? Or would they take some measures to stop this marriage? What challenges would Emily face in this family?