“Just a week. Remember to be in Bay City by the 21st for the handover with the local government.”Emily received the contact information for the Bay City government liaison shortly after.“Got it.”A week later, she boarded the plane to Bay City, carrying her finalized artwork submission.As soon as she settled into her seat in first class, a familiar voice sounded beside her.“Emily!” Sean’s cheerful voice rang out again.“Sean? What are you doing on this flight?” Emily asked, surprised and confused.“Why, going on vacation, of course!” Sean replied, taking the seat next to hers.“So? Same flight?”“Yep!”Emily’s face clearly showed her disbelief.Sean chuckled and explained, “Helen told me you’d be working in Bay City. She gave me the flight number and seat assignment, too.”“Since we’re heading the same way, why not travel together!”As Sean explained, he took out his phone, adjusted the beauty filter and his posture, and snapped a quick selfie with Emily. He added a ca
Emma always acted as if she were superior and set apart from others, hinting at a special relationship with Mr. Yates. Yet how could she not know he took private jets for business trips? Emily, by contrast, was far more modest and polite.The gossip about Mr. Yates, Emily, and Emma had spread all around the secretary team. Being on the same floor as the CEO’s office, they had access to all the juicy details.“Alright, I’ll give him a call and ask,” Emma replied, trying to look casual.The secretary left the lounge.It was only today that Emma learned Justin would be traveling to Bay City for business. She had rushed over at noon in hopes of joining him, only to find out he had already left.Emma dialed Justin's number. After just two rings, he picked up.“Justin, why didn’t you take me along on your business trip?” she pouted, a hint of complaint in her voice. “I wanted to be with you. I don’t feel safe without you nearby.”On the other end, Justin rubbed his forehead, soundin
“But you are Justin’s mother, and I’m his girlfriend. You’re going to be my future mother-in-law, so I’m just getting used to it!” Emma replied with a playful laugh. “I’m just being respectful. Right now, I call you my future mother-in-law, but once Justin and I get married, I’ll be calling you Mom!”Heidi’s anger was written all over her face as she glared at Emma. “Emma, stay away from my son! Marry him? Keep dreaming! As long as I’m in this family, you’ll never set foot in our home!”“Oh, you didn’t know?” Emma covered her mouth in mock surprise. “Yesterday, Justin took me to visit Mr. Yates Sr. at the care facility, and he proposed to me right in front of him!”She smiled blissfully, then looked at Heidi with a provocative glint in her eyes.Heidi’s chest rose and fell with fury. Her voice turned harsh. “Impossible! Justin would never propose to you!”“If you don’t believe me, why not call Justin and ask? You’ll find out soon enough,” Emma replied with a shrug, her tone indiff
Emily was speechless. “Where does a kid like him come up with lines like that?” she wondered.Seeing that she couldn’t get her suitcase back, she decided to let him have his way. They walked out of the airport together.“Where are you staying?” she asked.“The WX Hotel.”Emily froze. The WX Hotel was the same one booked for her by the Bay City government contact. She had planned to use the opportunity to part ways with Sean, but it seemed they would still be stuck traveling together.The two ended up sharing a cab to the hotel.Once in her room, Emily unpacked her things and started organizing her belongings.*Ding dong.* The doorbell rang repeatedly.She walked to the door and opened it. “Who is it?”“Emily, is your phone dead or something?” Sean leaned casually against the doorframe, looking exasperated.“My phone?” Emily grabbed it from her bag. “Oh, I forgot to turn off airplane mode. Why? What’s the matter?”Sean pointed to his watch. “It’s dinnertime. Work is important
At the hot pot restaurant, while waiting for the food to arrive, Emily received an unexpected call from Mrs. Zimmer. Surprised, she still picked up. “Hello, Mrs. Zimmer?” “Miss Yates, do you have a moment? I’d like to ask you something,” Mrs. Zimmer said politely and warmly on the other end. “Of course, go ahead.” Emily respected Mrs. Zimmer, who had treated her kindly over the past three years. “Well, Miss Yates, you used to help organize Mr. Yates’ travel clothes. Now that you’ve left so suddenly, I’ve had to take over, and I’m not used to it," Mrs. Zimmer said carefully, her tone cautious.“Earlier today, I took far too long packing his suitcase, and I’m worried it might affect his work in the future,” she added, clearly nervous. “Could you put together a list for me? It would make coordinating his outfits much easier.”Emily froze for a moment. “Is Justin on another business trip? Did he make things difficult for Mrs. Zimmer while she was packing?” she thought.Even
Emily froze for a moment, then nodded reluctantly in agreement. Sean noticed her hesitation and reached out to ruffle her soft hair, deliberately messing it up. “Sean!” Emily snapped, glaring at him. “Goodnight, Emily!” Sean called out cheerfully before darting off, leaving Emily standing there, fuming. *The next afternoon, Sean drove Emily to the Bay City government building. “Wait in the car. I’ll be quick,” Emily instructed. Sean obediently nodded. Her meeting with the government contact went smoothly, and the artwork was finalized on the spot. However, as she was leaving, she spotted Justin. He was walking at the center of a group, surrounded by high-ranking government officials as they headed straight toward her. Emily quickly stepped into a side corridor to avoid them. She waited until they passed before leaving the building. “What’s Justin doing in Bay City?” she wondered. “And at the government building?“Could it have something to do with th
“Weren’t we supposed to text first?” Emily opened the door, only to freeze in shock. Justin? What was he doing here? “Text? Who were you planning to text?” Justin asked casually.Emily stood frozen for a few seconds, her mind struggling to catch up. When she realized what was happening, she immediately tried to slam the door shut. But how could her strength compare to that of a grown man? With minimal effort, Justin pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Justin, it’s late. Don’t you think barging into my room is inappropriate?” Emily snapped, frowning with anger in her eyes. Justin ignored her completely, wandering around the room as if it were his own. He checked behind the curtains, under the sofa, and every other corner, as if inspecting for someone. Sean wasn’t here? They weren’t sharing a room? Justin had spotted Sean in the parking lot earlier that afternoon with Emily. Standing by the door, Emily glared at him with clear displeasure, silently wi
“The changes are done, Mr. Yates. Please take a look,” Emily said in a businesslike tone. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Sean. Emily set her laptop down and walked to the side, deliberately turning her back to Justin before answering. “Yes, yes, I got it. Stop nagging and go to sleep. Goodnight.” Justin’s gaze followed her the entire time as she took the call, waiting for her to return. “Sean?” he asked knowingly. Emily silently cursed. “If you already know, why ask?”“So, you’re with Sean? What, he can’t afford to take care of you? You still have to work?” Justin’s tone was sharp with sarcasm. “Emily, is this how low you think of yourself? Throwing money at him to stick around? The Smith family isn’t exactly poor. Seems they’re not very generous with you, though.” He ignored the design and instead seemed more interested in prying into her personal life. “Mr. Yates, my personal life is none of your business,” Emily said firmly, her face cold. “We’re done,
Sean tightened his grip on his utensils, his knuckles turning white, barely suppressing the anger from being called out so directly. “I’ll grow. I’ll fix all of this in time,” he said through gritted teeth, his voice firm but strained. “You might grow, but Emily doesn’t need to waste her time waiting for you,” Wilfred replied calmly. Sean’s suspicion only deepened. Wilfred was clearly interested in Emily. “If I can’t give her happiness, what makes you think you can?” *Meanwhile, Zac left Heidi’s room once he was sure she was fully recovered. Walking from the hallway to the main hall, he scanned the crowd but didn’t see Emily anywhere. Had the Yates family driven her off? If Emily had gone to vent to Helen, Zac was sure Helen wouldn’t let this slide. The mere thought of Helen causing trouble for him sent a chill down Zac’s spine.Spotting Justin in the crowd, Zac waited until he wasn’t surrounded by others before approaching. “Where’s Emily? Did she leave? Aft
“Miss Yates?” Wilfred turned to Emily after Sean declined the invitation, his tone polite yet insistent. Emily hesitated, caught in a dilemma. She wanted to hear more about Haley’s artistic inspirations, but turning down Sean’s dinner offer only to accept Wilfred’s would feel wrong. Sensing her discomfort, Wilfred added with a calm smile, “Please, don’t feel obligated. I simply dislike owing favors.” That made sense. Though Emily didn’t know much about Wilfred’s background, his presence at Heidi’s exclusive birthday celebration hinted at significant influence. People of his stature likely avoided debts that could lead to unreasonable demands. But if anyone owed a favor here, it was Emily. Wilfred had helped her earlier by speaking up in her defense. With that thought, she spoke up. “Actually, it should be me treating you to dinner, Mr. Wilfred. After all, you helped me back in the room.” “Well then,” Wilfred said with a light chuckle, “as we say back in Haven State, i
“Mr. Wilfred,” Emily nodded politely. “What’s going on?”“Oh, we’re out of gas,” Wilfred replied with a small chuckle. “Trying to figure out how to get down the mountain.”The Mandale Hotel was nestled halfway up a coastal hill.“My apologies, Mr. Wilfred,” his assistant interjected, clearly embarrassed. “I completely forgot to refuel.”Emily hesitated, feeling awkward. She wanted to offer them a ride since Wilfred had just helped clear her name. But then she remembered that she hadn’t driven here. She had come with Sean.“You can ride with us,” Sean offered smoothly, breaking the tension.“That’s very kind of you. Thank you,” Wilfred said with a warm smile.The four of them climbed into the car. Sean took the driver’s seat, and Wilfred’s assistant quickly claimed the front passenger seat, leaving Emily and Wilfred in the back.Sean couldn’t help but feel a twinge of annoyance. He had wanted Emily in the front with him, not chatting away with Wilfred in the back.“So, Miss Yat
Emma hadn’t been intimate with Justin yet, and this was the one subject she absolutely couldn’t stand being brought up, especially not by Emily.Emily and Justin’s first time had been awkward. He was inexperienced, almost like a fumbling teenager, and his skills were lacking. But with time, he had grown more experienced and skilled.Snapping out of her thoughts, Emily’s eyes turned cold as she faced Emma. “If you’re so fond of used men, Miss Xander, you can have him.”With that, the elevator doors slid open. Emily stepped inside without sparing Emma another glance.As the doors closed, Emma’s face twisted in barely concealed fury.Inside the elevator, Emily cast her gaze downward, pressing the button for her floor with disinterest. Emma wasn’t worth her attention.When the elevator reached the ground floor, the doors opened to reveal Sean waiting outside. “Why are you here?” Emily asked, surprised. Sean looked mildly aggrieved. “I knew you’d try to sneak out without telling
“I heard about the incident and simply shared what I witnessed. I hope it helps with your investigation,” Wilfred said politely. Standing at 6'3", Wilfred easily looked past Justin’s shoulder to meet Emily’s gaze. He offered her a gentle smile and a nod of acknowledgment. Though Emily didn’t know Wilfred personally, she appreciated his willingness to testify on her behalf. Returning his nod, she smiled back in gratitude. “I’ve said all I know. I’ll take my leave now and let you handle your affairs,” Wilfred concluded, preparing to exit the venue. “Sam…” Justin began, intending to have his assistant escort their guest. “Justin, allow me to see Mr. Wilfred out,” Steven interjected, stepping forward eagerly. "Mr. Wilfred, let me accompany you," Steven offered with a tone of respect laced with flattery. "Thank you," Wilfred replied graciously. As they departed, Wilfred turned back briefly, giving Emily one final nod.Watching this, Emma tilted her head with feigned
“The surveillance footage caught it all!” Heidi exclaimed, tossing the tablet onto the floor near Emily.The thick carpet softened the impact, but the tablet landed screen-up, playing back the recorded footage. On the screen was a scene of Emily sitting on the sofa.“What do you have to say for yourself now?” Heidi demanded furiously.Zac, growing increasingly anxious, jumped in to defend Emily. “This doesn’t prove she poisoned anyone. It just shows she sat on the sofa. There’s no footage of her actually tampering with anything.“Besides,” he continued, “there were multiple glasses of wine. How would Emily even know which one Heidi would take?”Emily glanced at Zac with a look of gratitude.Heidi, however, was unmoved. “Zac, whose side are you on?” she asked, her frustration boiling over.“I’m on your side, of course,” Zac replied, his tone firm and righteous. “We can’t let the real culprit go unpunished. But maybe the poisoning wasn’t caught on camera, or the method used was so
Emily left the restroom, thinking about Justin’s promise to arrange a car for her to leave. She didn’t want to stay at the party any longer and decided to wait quietly in a corner while texting Sean to let him know she was heading out. As she waited, she noticed a group of people hurriedly carrying someone away from the area where she had been sitting earlier. The distance made it hard to see who it was, but she didn’t give it much thought.Bored, Emily continued waiting. Before Sam contacted her about the car, Sean appeared instead.“Why are you leaving so early, Emily? Are you still mad at me for tricking you into coming? I didn’t mean to upset you. I just didn’t want you clinging to Justin!” Sean’s voice was full of concern.Emily had been angry earlier, but her frustration had subsided. In truth, it was the hope of escaping Justin’s grasp that had lured her here. She now realized that leaving would be something she had to figure out on her own.“I don’t enjoy events like this
Zac placed some of the food residue in a bag for testing and instructed the hotel staff to clean up the mess on the floor. “How’s my mom?” Justin asked, his worry evident. “She’s out of danger for now but we’ll need to put her on an IV drip shortly.,” Zac replied, his tone reassuring. Hearing this, Justin finally exhaled in relief. “It appears to be poisoning, but we’ll need to test the food residue at the hospital to confirm,” Zac said, his expression grave. “From her symptoms, it seems like organophosphate poisoning.” “Organophosphate? You mean… pesticide?” “Yes. Fortunately, the dose she ingested was small enough to allow for rescue.” “Who could be so malicious as to try and kill Heidi?” Stella blurted out. “Can’t you keep quiet?” Justin’s uncle, Steven Yates, shot her a warning glare. Stella scoffed and rolled her eyes at her husband but didn’t press further. At that moment, the ambulance arrived at the hotel. The sirens were turned off to avoid drawin
“I was taking a dump,” Emily replied bluntly.Emma was momentarily stunned, her expression freezing. How could Emily be so uncouth, speaking so crudely?Without waiting for a response, Emily stepped past her and walked away.Emma glanced at the restroom entrance, her teeth gritting in frustration as her hand clenched tightly into a fist.*On a sofa by the side of the banquet hall, a group of well-dressed socialites sipped wine and nibbled on desserts while chatting. As soon as Emma left the room, their restrained conversation turned into gossip."Heidi, I must say, your son, Justin, is incredibly devoted. Three years, and he still can’t let go of Emma, even managing to bring her back into his life," one of the women remarked.The high-society circle wasn’t that large and any tidbit of gossip quickly spread.Heidi set her wine glass down, her expression sour. “Honestly, I wish he weren’t so single-minded. I don’t care if he finds someone of similar status or if it’s a business