Chapter 6

By late afternoon, Emerald arrived at the Corrigan mansion, having had to finish her tasks for the day. A handsome and courteous butler greeted her at the door.

As soon as she saw the house, she was awestruck. It was her first time stepping into a mansion-like home. The lights were on, and the villa before her was majestic. The architecture resembled a castle straight out of a fairy tale!

It was hard to believe that a man who always dressed so casually when they met lived in such a grand place.

As Emerald reached for the shoe covers in her bag, one of the housekeepers stopped her and handed her a pair of fresh slippers. They looked brand new.

"This is ready for you, Ms. Greene," the housekeeper said politely, and Emerald accepted the slippers.

"Thank you," she replied curtly, quickly removing her high heels and slipping into the slippers that fit her perfectly.

Once inside, Emerald took in the expansive living room. There was no one under the impressive crystal chandelier hanging several meters above.

"Where is James?" she asked the elderly housekeeper who had come over.

"Oh, he's practicing boxing. Please, come this way, Ms. Greene."

The old housekeeper led her to the elevator, which took them to the second floor. Emerald felt a bit disoriented. Could their living room be in the basement? What would they need a basement for?

Before she could ponder further, the elevator doors opened to reveal a boxing ring. Inside the ring, she saw two figures: a large man and a smaller one. The little guy was wearing gloves and had sweat-soaked hair.

Alaric was dressed in black casual pants, his upper body bare. The dim lighting cast shadows over his face, and although Emerald couldn't see his expression clearly, she could feel an intense, almost palpable sense of aggression radiating from him.

Sweat trickled down Alaric's chin, and his Adam's apple bobbed with each movement. The Alaric before her was cold and imposing, a stark contrast to the way he had pressed himself against her in the locker room.

Emerald's gaze briefly left Alaric when the sound of a bell interrupted the moment. She watched as beads of sweat trickled down Alaric's gleaming, muscular chest, slowly soaking into a scar.

Her attention shifted to James as he collapsed onto the floor. Alaric's commanding presence was reminiscent of her strict military instructor, cold and unyielding.

"Stand up and carry on. Knock me down!" Alaric ordered his son with a firm voice.

James, clearly exhausted, struggled to rise. His right leg gave out, and he fell to his knees, gasping for air. Alaric, however, wasn't satisfied. He lifted James effortlessly with one hand, the muscles in his arm bulging.

Emerald's anger flared up, mingling with her sympathy for her student. Ignoring the alluring sight of Alaric's powerful arms, she marched straight into the boxing ring. She grabbed Alaric's sweaty arm and positioned herself between him and James.

"Enough, Mr. Corrigan," she said firmly, startling him with her sudden intervention.

Emerald's slender, pale hands starkly contrasted with Alaric's bronze, muscular arms. Despite her physical weakness compared to his strength, she didn't let fear stop her from confronting him.

"Get out of the way." Alaric's eyes were cold and filled with a menacing intensity that made Emerald feel uneasy.

Emerald recalled the bruises on James's body, always thinking they were due to the child's clumsiness and frequent falls. Now she understood the reason. It made sense why James had struck his classmate so forcefully that the other child couldn't fight back.

"Mr. Corrigan, James is only six years old, and he is your son. Isn't this training a bit excessive for his age?" Emerald argued firmly, her expression unwavering.

Alaric's gaze shifted to her clean, pale face. "What position does Ms. Greene hold in this house to say such things to me, huh?"

Emerald felt the threat in his voice but stood her ground, hardening her expression further. "I am his teacher, Mr. Corrigan, and I have the right to look after him as he is my student. For the sake of the child's physical and mental well-being, I must remind you that pushing him too hard or forcing success upon him is not beneficial."

The elderly housekeeper was stunned, having never seen anyone, especially a woman, confront her employer so fearlessly. She realized that a confrontation was imminent and quickly intervened.

"Sir Alaric, Ms. Greene is right. Besides, the young master is exhausted. I'll take him to his room to change and rest."

The housekeeper swiftly lifted James and left the room. As they departed, Emerald felt her knees trembling, realizing just how close Alaric was to her. She could smell his natural scent, even though he was drenched in sweat.

Alaric's eyes held a hint of something unbearable, but Emerald remained resolute. "He's just a child. How can he endure such intense training?" she pressed.

Alaric grinned, his eyes locked on hers as if he were undressing her mentally or imagining something inappropriate.

"What's wrong? Are you mad?" Alaric's imposing presence forced Emerald to step back until her back hit the ropes. There was no escape.

Alaric's smirk widened as he saw Emerald's discomfort. He leaned in, gripping the rope with one hand, effectively enclosing her within his space.

Emerald's eyes darted around. "Move, Mr. Corrigan."