PART 8
Later that evening,
after Ethan had been tucked into bed with his favorite bedtime story,
the phone buzzed again.
This time,
it was an email,
an official offer from a global firm based in Tokyo.
They wanted Ryan to spearhead their new international expansion,
promising a salary that surpassed anything he had ever earned before.
The catch was clear,
it required him to travel three weeks out of every single month.
Ryan sat at his desk,
staring at the glowing monitor,
the numbers blinking back at him like a ghost from his past.
He remembered the thrill of the chase,
the adrenaline of closing massive deals,
and the dangerous pride that used to define him.
But then,
he looked at the framed photograph on his desk,
a picture of Emma and Ethan laughing at the park just last week.
He realized that the old thrill was nothing compared to the warmth of his home.
Emma walked into the office,
holding two cups of chamomile tea,
noticing the heavy expression on his face.
"What is it?"
she asked softly,
setting a cup down near his hand.
Ryan didn't hide the screen,
he didn't minimize the window,
and he didn't lie.
"An offer from Tokyo,
a lot of money,
but it would take me away from you both."
Emma read the screen,
her heart sinking slightly as she waited for his reaction.
She braced herself for the argument,
expecting him to explain why he needed to take it for their future.
Ryan took her hand,
his palm warm and steady against her cold fingers.
"I already wrote the refusal email,
I just haven't hit send because I wanted to show you first."
Emma looked from the screen to his eyes,
realizing he wasn't asking for permission,
he was simply showing her his loyalty.
"You're turning it down?"
she whispered,
almost unable to believe the reality.
May you like
"Without a second thought,
because my future is right here in this room."
