You have no one
Julie
Just as I say “Ten,” I see Ryan take a reluctant step back. Soon enough, I notice it’s not entirely by his choice. Emily's fingers are wrapped tightly around his arm, pulling him away from me. Her face is set in a hard line, eyes blazing with an expression I can’t name.
Ryan tries to shrug her off, but Emily holds him firm, blocking his path.
“Emily,” he says, “What the hell are you doing? I’ve told you so many times not to involve yourself in these fights. Let me handle Julie.”
Emily doesn’t budge, doesn’t look away. Her voice is cold, quiet, but beneath it, there’s a fire bubbling up, one I’ve never seen from her before. "That woman," she says, eyes fixed on him, "just survived a near-death experience. Do you really think she won’t go through with her threat? That she won’t burn this entire house down if she wants to? I have properties worth a lot scattered all over this place, Ryan. You’re not going to make her light them up. Do yourself some good and calm the fuck down."
Ryan’s face slackens, his shoulders dropping. He stares at her, stunned. She might as well have slapped him. For the first time in a long while, he’s silent. It’s Emily, of course, his precious Emily. What else would he do?
As they stand there, their backs half-turned to me, I feel something strange rise in my chest. They’ve both been eating away at my life, piece by piece, turning it into something I barely recognize, and now when I look at them, I feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. I’ve been so stupid. So, so stupid.