You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 471

Emerson’s chest tightened.

Memories from years ago flashed through his mind—scenes from when he was young and reckless. Back then, right after college, when it was time to say goodbye, that girl had clung to him in her white dress, arms looped around his neck, choking back tears as she begged him to go abroad with her. But he refused. He let her go, and just like that, they became strangers living in different worlds, separated by more than just distance.

Now, those old regrets crawled up from the corners of his heart like ants gnawing away at him, making it hard to breathe. He couldn’t shake the feeling, not even now.

After a while, he reached out and placed his hand gently on Amber’s lower back, pulling her closer until she was pressed right up against him. He wanted to hold her so tight she’d become a part of him, filling the emptiness he’d carried since he was young. It was messy, impossible to untangle—a mixture of guilt, fear, and a thrill that made him feel alive for the first time in years. This affair was dangerous, and he knew it, but he couldn’t help it. The excitement was like new blood pumping through his tired veins, reminding him of who he used to be.

He wished he could fix what he broke back then, but that girl was gone for good. All he could do now was try to make things right in some other way—living out old fantasies through Amber, even if it was wrong. The fantasy scared him and comforted him at the same time, made his heart race and his hands shake. He was like a vampire, testing just how much sunlight he could stand before he burned.

At two in the morning, the bedroom door closed softly.

Amber, lying in bed, opened her eyes and rolled over, searching for a comfortable spot. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and checked the screen.

“Five million credited to your account.”

It was a transfer from an overseas bank—not even in Emerson’s name. She knew that even if Tina came knocking, there was no way she’d ever get that money back.

Downstairs, the front door clicked shut. Amber sat up and took a screenshot of the transfer, sending it off right away.

The night was so quiet, she could hear the hum of the central air. Cloud Peak was huge, tucked away in the woods, and at night, when you were alone, every sound felt louder, like the silence was pressing in.

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