Chapter 54
Emily wasn’t allowed to eat snacks anymore. Most of her choices had always been shaped by Justin’s preferences, whether it was food or clothing.
She tried not to think about it, but for some reason, her emotions felt more fragile now. It was probably because of the pregnancy. Without realizing it, Emily’s hand gently rested on her stomach.
Noticing that Emily had slowed her pace and seemed lost in thought, Sean walked back to her, his tone playful as he tried to lighten the mood.
“Come on, Emily, don’t drag your feet like that! People might think I upset my girlfriend and didn’t bother to make up for it.”
“Sean!” Emily’s somber mood dissolved instantly at his teasing.
The two picked up a few more items, including pizza and cream puffs, before heading to the checkout and leaving the store. By the time they got on the road, it was already dark.
As the car cruised down the highway, Sean glanced over. “If you’re feeling sleepy, take a nap. I’ll wake you when we get there.”
“If I sleep, won’t that make you even sleepier while driving? I’ll just scroll through my phone for a bit.”
Emily busied herself downloading her usual apps and browsing online. With her new phone plan loaded with data, she figured it could easily last through an entire binge of “Peach Warrior vs. Flower Monster.”
A notification popped up on her screen with a gossip headline.
“RC Corporation CEO Justin Yates spotted leaving the airport with a mystery woman!”
“Exclusive: Billionaire bachelor suspected to be in a relationship! Seen entering a private residence and not leaving until after dark!”
Without meaning to, Emily accidentally clicked on the article as she moved to tap a different app.
The photos showed Justin holding hands with a woman in a hat as they entered a car, followed by him carrying her luggage and guiding her into an elevator. The analysis below speculated about their relationship, calling their interactions intimate.
Emily barely glanced at it before closing the article, resuming her downloads. Her face remained calm. There was no heartbreak or tears, just a faint sense of suffocation. The car suddenly felt stuffy, as though the air was too thin.
She rolled down the window for some fresh air, her other hand unconsciously resting on her stomach.
Sean, catching her subtle movements out of the corner of his eye, hesitated for a moment. He had already seen the news about Justin and the mystery woman earlier but had decided not to mention it, worried it would upset her.
“Don’t worry, Emily,” Sean said with a confident grin. “If ever show up in a gossip column, you’d definitely be the leading lady.
“And if you want to make the headlines now, I can arrange for photographers to snap us tomorrow. They’ll snap some pictures, add a little editing, maybe even throw in some beauty filters!”
Emily shot him a glare. “Stop joking around and focus on driving.”
The next day, Justin arrived at his office, immediately assigning Sam a new task.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 54
Sam had just finished briefing him on the day’s schedule. “The director in charge of Miss Xander’s interview has already been briefed. Per your instructions, she’ll start in the marketing department.”
Marketing was the quickest department to produce results and offer promotions. With Justin’s connections and resources, Emma wouldn’t have a hard time achieving success.
Justin nodded in approval. “Now, I need you to handle something else. Track down Emily’s movements after she checked out of WX Hotel. Find out if she’s returned to Lincourt City yet.”
Justin didn’t mention Sean, though seeing Emily with him had made jealousy flare within him.
Still, he didn’t take Sean seriously. He was just a college kid, barely out of his teens. How could someone like that possibly pose a threat to him?
“Yes, sir,” Sam replied, leaving to carry out the assignment
Halfway out the door, Sam hesitated, remembering the gossip headlines circulating online. After some internal debate, he turned back to Justin.
