" You need to get a grip on your jealousy ! This is ridiculous ! " Theodore looked as if his patience had finally snapped . " I'm not jealous . " She met his gaze , steady and earnest . " Theodore , from the very beginning , all I've ever said is- " " Enough ! " Theodore's sharp rebuke sliced her off mid - sentence . Jared , Cecilia's ever - loyal lackey , stood protectively at Cecilia's side as he addressed Theodore . " Theo , if your wife doesn't want us here for dinner , let's just go out and eat somewhere else ." Theodore must have felt utterly humiliated , caught between an old flame and his friends . He didn't move , but his stare bore into Emma . " Emma , apologize to Cici . Apologize to everyone . No one here is unreasonable . Just say you're sorry , and we'll let this go . " We ? Of all the words Emma hated lately , " we " topped the list . Of course . There's you , and then there's the rest of us . People with nothing in common have no business sitting down to dinner together . She shook her head . " No. " Theodore's face hardened , his expression turning stone cold . " Fine , Emma . Don't say I didn't warn you . " Without another word , he turned and swept out with his entourage - an imposing entrance , an even more dramatic exit . Emma stayed rooted to the spot , taking in the room that , once upon a time , she'd believed Theodore had crafted for them , for her . Now , it seemed every inch bore Cecilia's name , not hers . With a sudden , violent motion , she knocked over the standing lamp beside her . The crash was deafening , shards of glass spraying everywhere . " Ma'am ! " Fallon cried out , rushing to steady her , terrified she'd step on the glass . Emma shrugged Fallon off and strode to the shelves lined with porcelain dolls . She'd never been particularly fond of Venetian dolls , but she'd once been touched by 1/3 11:50 Chapter 23 Theodore's effort to decorate the house for her sake . Now , all she could see were the dolls ' painted grins , mocking her . She swept her arm again - every last doll toppled to the floor . Next it was the dinner table , the rug , the window - nothing escaped her fury . Fallon , who'd witnessed the entire ordeal , saw the wild look in Emma's eyes as she searched for her next target . Panicked , Fallon dashed over and wrapped her arms around Emma from behind . " Ma'am , please , it's not worth it . Smashing all this won't change anything . He'll just think you're being hysterical . " Emma struggled in Fallon's embrace but couldn't break free ; her strength was gone . She went limp , the pain rolling over her in relentless waves . She didn't want this . She didn't want to be sad . She didn't want to hurt anymore . But this pain wasn't just in her mind - it was physical , rooted too deep to command away . She could tell herself , Emma , don't cry . And she wouldn't . But when she told herself , Emma , don't hurt - her body refused to listen . Fallon gently rubbed her back . " Ma'am , if you're upset , just let yourself cry . Sometimes you need to let it out . " But Emma didn't . She truly had no tears left . " Sorry , Fallon ," she said quietly . " I've made a mess . Could you please clean up ? As for the dolls ... " She paused , thinking . " Call a courier and send them to Mr. Grant's office . He can display them there . " " Of course , no trouble at all ." Fallon hurried to support her as she tried to stand . Emma straightened with effort . " And then , make me some beef with broccoli , half an ear of corn . Nothing else . " Fallon didn't question her sparse request , just watched as Emma limped back to her room . Pain didn't scare Emma . She'd danced since she was a child - how many injuries , how many tears had she endured ? Wasn't there pain in all of that ? 2/3 11:50 Chapter 23 After the car accident , every step of her recovery had felt like walking barefoot over thorns . Hadn't that hurt ? Chapter 24