When pride meets

"Sarah, no, no—don't go!" Ethan's voice broke, his anguish ringing through the quiet night.

Emily jolted awake, startled by his shout. She nearly fell out of bed, her irritation mounting. She turned to yell at him, but the sight of his tear-streaked face stopped her.

For the first time, she saw vulnerability in Ethan—his usually composed demeanor shattered. "Eth…" she began softly, her voice hesitant.

But Ethan abruptly rose from the bed, brushing past her. His movements were tense, his jaw clenched. "I'm going to sleep in my room," he said curtly, avoiding her gaze. "Don't expect me in the morning. I'll be gone, and the trip is canceled."

With that, Ethan stormed out, leaving Emily stunned and hurt. She sat there in silence, trying to process his sudden change. What's going on with him? she wondered. But the answer eluded her.

A bitter thought crept into her mind. He's a billionaire with countless women vying for his attention. Meanwhile, I'm just… me. The disparity between their worlds had never felt so stark.

Determined not to dwell on it, Emily sat up straight, shaking off the sadness threatening to consume her. "Enough," she muttered. "I need to focus on myself."

Her thoughts shifted to her bookstore. It was her sanctuary, her dream, and she vowed to make it shine. "Maybe I can save up and give it a posh upgrade," she mused.

A smile tugged at her lips as another idea took root. I'll create a publishing house. That way, I can bring my love for books to life on a grander scale.

Her face lit up with excitement as she remembered her recent success. "Oh, and I almost forgot—I'm now an actress!" she exclaimed to herself. "Once the serial wraps up, I'll be awarded 10 million!"

The thought of financial freedom made her giddy. "Raining money!" she giggled, envisioning her bookstore transformed into an elegant literary haven.

She flopped back onto the bed, her earlier despair forgotten. "Who needs that bastard anyway?" she scoffed, her confidence returning.

Her mind wandered to the future. With hard work and determination, I'll build my empire. And who knows? Maybe I'll even meet someone better than Ethan.

Satisfied with her plan, Emily closed her eyes, her dreams filled with images of success, independence, and a brighter future.