Chapter 108
“Justin, I carried you to your room last night. Don’t tell me you got up and went looking for Emma again? Did you two actually…?” Zac didn’t press for details, but the implication was clear.
Justin rubbed his aching temples. He hadn’t slept well, plagued by nightmares of Emily discovering his night with Emma and vanishing from his life forever.
“How do you know?” His voice was heavy with fatigue.
“Dude, you two got photographed leaving the hotel together. The headlines are all about your scandal. Everyone knows you and Emma spent the night at the hotel!”
Justin’s eyes immediately sharpened, all traces of exhaustion gone. He hung up and searched for the entertainment news. Sure enough, his name dominated the top headlines. The more he scrolled, the darker his expression grew.
He glanced at the time. Hopefully, Emily was still asleep and hadn’t seen it yet.
“Sam, come to my office,” he said in a low voice.
Sam arrived quickly. “Yes, Mr. Yates. What can I do for you?
Justin handed him the phone. “Pay whatever it takes to take the news down. Any site that dares to repost it, send
them a cease–and–desist immediately.”
Sam glanced at the screen, noting the headline about Justin and Emma. Seeing how furious Justin looked, he quickly nodded. “Understood.”
Sam, who had worked closely with Justin for years, had learned to read his moods. It seemed Emma had fallen out, of favor.
On the other end of the line, Zac muttered, “Aren’t you worried Emily might see–hello? Hey!” The call had already ended.
“Man, Justin, you’re seriously rude,” Zac grumbled, hanging up in frustration.
If Justin had asked a few more questions, he might have uncovered the truth about the previous night. And maybe, just maybe, avoided a lonely future.
*
The whole company was on edge after the finance director had been scolded the day before. Everyone knew the CEO was in a foul mood. The sales director, not wanting to risk upsetting him further, decided to pass the task of delivering documents to Emma.
“Emma, could you take these documents to the CEO’s office if you’re not too busy?” the sales director asked with a smile.
“Of course, I’m not busy,” Emma replied, taking the files.
As she left, the sales team began to whisper among themselves.
It wasn’t just the sales department that had seen the news, even the busy secretarial team had caught wind of it.
Sam tapped his desk to get their attention. “Be careful. If the CEO hears you gossiping, you’re in for a scolding. Don’t blame me for not warning you.”
“Oh, come on, Sam, our work is already boring enough. Can’t we at least gossip a little?” Zoe Taylor, one of the
Chapter 108
secretaries, muttered. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep my voice down so the CEO doesn’t hear.”
She even made a playful gesture to signal lowering her voice.
Just then, someone spotted Emma approaching. “Hi, Miss Kander!” they called out loudly.
The entire secretarial team turned their attention to her.
“Good afternoon,” Emma greeted with a warm smile.
The secretaries all nodded politely, some with hints of flattery in their expressions. By now, everyone in the company knew Emma as the CEO’s girlfriend, and their attitudes reflected this knowledge. Some even went out of their way to flatter her.
“Sam, I’m here to deliver a document to the CEO. Is he in? Emma asked, still smiling.
“He’s in,” Sam replied professionally.
Emma knocked on the door and entered the CEO’s office.
As soon as the door closed behind her, the secretaries couldn’t hold back their chatter.
“Wow, that’s the CEO’s girlfriend? She’s really pretty.”
“Of course! Do you think someone average could date the CEO?”
Sam coughed pointedly, cutting off their conversation. “Get back to work. Enough gossiping.”
Zoe grabbed Sam’s sleeve. “Sam, you spend the most time around the CEO. Come on, tell us something–like when did they get together? We’re dying to know!”
