After the support group, Emily is so mad at Nikolas that it fires her up and she starts to feel alive again. She goes to "confront" Nikolas about his manipulation of her and thanks him for giving her everything she needed to fight. While thanking him, she kisses him on the cheek and then they begin to kiss passionately. Immediately afterward, Lydia tells Emily she is hurting Nikolas by marrying him because it will cause him to go bankrupt and Lydia is the one who needs to marry Nikolas to save their fortunes. Emily decides to tell Zander the truth in part because she now believes he won't have to watch her die and in part to set Nikolas free to save his family fortune. When she goes to tell Nikolas she is going to tell Zander the truth, he does not fight it though he clearly is upset at the turn of events. Emily and Zander reunite and Nikolas and Lydia become engaged. Emily begins an aggressive chemotherapy treatment. After these events, Emily overhears Nikolas tell Lydia he may be marrying her, but Emily has his heart and always will. Stunned, Emily runs home and Nikolas follows. They confess their love for one another and kiss, but Emily refuses to treat Zander so badly and tells Nikolas they can't be together. Although they part as "just friends" it is clear they both want to be with each other. Believing Emily is beyond his reach, Nikolas marries Lydia to Stefan's delight and Nikolas' misery.