Heart Over Heels

Chapter 6

I sat in front of my camera, the ring light casting a soft glow across my face. The chat window to my right was buzzing with comments, questions, and praises from readers who had tuned in for my live stream. I smiled as I looked into the camera, holding up my new novel, The Silent Echoes.

"Thank you all for being here today," i said, my voice warm and welcoming.

"I’m really excited to talk about The Silent Echoes, and answer all of your burning questions about the characters, the twists, and how this story came to life."

My phone, which was on silent, buzzed beside me. I glanced at the screen for a second—my parents were calling. A quick wave of guilt washed over me, but i pushed it aside, focusing back on the stream.

"You guys have been so supportive through this whole journey," I continued, My heart swelling with gratitude as more questions poured in. "I couldn’t have done this without you."

The phone buzzed again. I hesitated. My parents never called twice in a row unless it was important.

"Okay, give me one second," I said to my viewers, smiling apologetically. "I’ll be right back."

I quickly muted the stream and answered the call.

"Mom? Dad? Is everything okay?"

My mother's voice came through the line, soft but concerned. "Emma, sweetie, we’re fine, don’t worry. We just wanted to hear from you. It’s been a while since we talked. Are you busy?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I’m in the middle of a live stream, but I can talk for a bit. How are you two? What’s going on?"

My father chimed in, his tone teasing but affectionate. "We saw the announcement of your new book on TV today. You're becoming quite the celebrity, aren't you?"

I chuckled, shaking her head. "Celebrity? Hardly. But yeah, the book’s doing well."

My mother’s voice grew softer, more serious. "We’re proud of you, Emma. You’ve worked so hard. But don’t forget to take care of yourself, okay? You’ve been so busy with your writing, and we just want to make sure you’re happy."

My chest tightened at my mom’s words. I loved my parents dearly, but sometimes their concern felt suffocating. Still, I couldn’t deny that a part of me missed the simpler days—days where the only thing i had to worry about was making it to family dinner on time.

"I know, Mom," i replied, her voice softening. "I’m okay, really. Just...a lot happening all at once."

My father’s voice came back, lighter this time. "We just want to remind you that no matter how busy things get, we’re always here for you. Don’t let the world sweep you off your feet."

I smiled despite myself. "Thanks, Dad. I’ll call you guys properly later, okay? I’ve got to finish this stream."

"Take care, sweetie," my mom said warmly. "We love you."

"Love you too," I replied, hanging up and taking a deep breath before unmuting the stream.

"Sorry about that, everyone!" I said, plastering on a bright smile. "Family stuff. You know how it is."

The chat exploded with messages of understanding, and I dove back into the Q&A, though my mind kept drifting back to my parents' words. Was I happy? Or was I simply caught up in the momentum of my career, losing track of the things that truly mattered?

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Max's POV:

I am in my office, flipping through resumes.