Emma stepped into the company’s executive lounge, her laughter ringing softly in the air as she spoke to Mark. His easy charm and quick wit made for a refreshing change in her otherwise tense days at Montgomery Corporation. They had been poring over a project proposal, but their conversation had veered into lighthearted banter, drawing amused smiles from passing employees.James walked in just in time to see Emma rest her hand briefly on Mark’s shoulder as they shared a laugh. His brows furrowed, a sharp pang of jealousy striking him unexpectedly. He hadn’t anticipated this reaction, but the sight of Emma smiling so freely with another man churned an uncomfortable knot in his chest.Clearing his throat loudly, James stepped further into the lounge. “Emma, a word,” he said curtly, his tone leaving no room for argument.Emma turned, her expression shifting from amusement to mild annoyance. “James, can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?”Mark, sensing the shift in energy, stood. “
James slumped into the leather chair in Sarah’s dimly lit apartment, the scent of her lavender candles mingling with the faint aroma of her perfume. He loosened his tie, his face a mix of frustration and exhaustion.Sarah appeared in the doorway, wearing a silk robe that barely reached her knees. She held a glass of red wine in one hand, her expression amused. “Well, well, look who decided to show up,” she teased, setting the wine glass down on the coffee table.“Don’t start,” James muttered, rubbing his temples.Sarah tilted her head, her dark curls cascading over her shoulder. “Someone’s in a mood. What’s wrong? Did wifey give you the cold shoulder again?”James shot her a glare. “This isn’t a joke, Sarah. My life is falling apart.”She raised an eyebrow and settled onto the couch beside him, tucking her legs under her. “Alright, Mr. Doom and Gloom, spill it. What’s got you so worked up?”He sighed deeply, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Emma’s pushing for a divorce. S
The phone on James’s desk buzzed with a ferocity that matched his frayed nerves. He glanced at the screen, knowing full well who it was. Senator Donald.He let it ring twice before picking up. “Dad,” he said, his voice a mix of frustration and resignation.“Don’t you ‘Dad’ me,” Senator Donald’s voice boomed through the speaker. “What the hell is going on over there? Do you have any idea the position you’re putting this family in?”James pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m handling it.”“Handling it?” Donald’s tone dripped with disbelief. “Handling it? From where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re letting everything spiral out of control. A divorce, James? Do you understand what that word even means for people like us?”James sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not letting anything happen. Emma’s the one who’s making this impossible. She—”Donald cut him off. “I don’t care what Emma’s doing. Your job is to keep her in line. That’s why we agreed to this arrangement in the first place
Emma sat in her sleek office, her pen tapping rhythmically against the surface of her desk. The glow of her laptop illuminated her face as she reviewed the latest financial reports. A knock on the door interrupted her focus."Come in," she said without looking up, her tone clipped.James stormed in, his face a mixture of frustration and urgency. He didn’t wait for an invitation to sit down. Instead, he slammed the door shut and stood in front of her desk."Emma," he began, his voice sharp, "I just got off the phone with Senator Donald’s campaign team. They’re saying the funds promised to them have been rescinded. Care to explain?"Emma looked up, her expression calm, almost indifferent. "I withdrew the funds."James blinked, stunned. "You what?""I withdrew the funds," she repeated, leaning back in her chair. Her voice was steady, but there was a glint of defiance in her eyes. "That agreement was my father’s, not mine. I see no r
Emma sat in the plush armchair by the window, a glass of wine cradled in her hand as she stared out at the city skyline. The Montgomery estate was eerily quiet, save for the faint hum of traffic in the distance. She had spent the day drowning herself in paperwork, trying to ignore the growing tension between her and James. Tonight, she resolved, she would give herself peace.A soft knock on the door disrupted her thoughts. She didn’t bother turning. “Come in,” she said, her tone devoid of warmth.James entered hesitantly, his usual confidence replaced with a vulnerability she hadn’t seen before. He closed the door behind him and took a deep breath.“Emma,” he began softly, his voice almost pleading.She didn’t respond immediately, swirling the wine in her glass. “If this is another attempt to lecture me, James, I suggest you save your breath.”He moved closer, his hands shoved into his pockets as if tryin
James sat in his home office, the soft glow of his desk lamp illuminating the scattered papers before him. His mind was a whirlwind, consumed by Emma’s growing defiance and the precarious state of his plans. His phone vibrated for the fifth time in the last hour, the screen lighting up with Sarah’s name. He clenched his jaw, refusing to answer.A few moments later, another message popped up: "James, you can’t ignore me forever. Call me now, or I’ll handle this my way."He cursed under his breath, tossing his pen onto the desk. “Damn it, Sarah,” he muttered. The last thing he needed was for her to create more chaos in his already fragile situation. With a resigned sigh, he picked up the phone and dialed her number.The call connected almost instantly. “Finally!” Sarah’s voice was sharp, laced with frustration. “What the hell, James? You’ve been ignoring my calls and texts for days.”“I&r
Sarah leaned back against her couch, a glass of wine in her hand, the room dimly lit by the glow of her TV. Her mind was swirling with frustration and indignation over her earlier conversation with James. His dismissive attitude and hollow promises were beginning to wear on her, but she wasn’t about to let him win. She was determined to remind him that she wasn’t a woman to be ignored.A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She glanced at her phone, her brow furrowing. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and James certainly wouldn’t show up unannounced. Setting her glass down, she rose to her feet and walked to the door, peeking through the peephole.“Tyler?” she muttered under her breath, a mix of surprise and annoyance flashing across her face. What was he doing here?She opened the door, leaning against the frame with a raised brow. “What do you want?”Tyler stood there, his hands shoved into the pocket
James stood in the kitchen, the faint aroma of rosemary and garlic filling the air. He wiped his hands on a towel, glancing nervously at the clock. Emma would be home soon. He had spent the entire day preparing her favorite meal—grilled salmon with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It wasn’t just about the food; it was about the message he hoped to send.He wanted her to know he was trying. That he was sorry. That he couldn’t lose her.When the front door opened, James quickly straightened his shirt, running a hand through his hair. He plastered a smile on his face as Emma stepped into the living room, her heels clicking against the wooden floor.“Emma,” he greeted warmly. “You’re home.”She paused, her sharp gaze cutting through him. “I can see that, James. What is it this time?”He gestured toward the dining table, which was set with candles and her favorite white-and-gold china. &ldqu
Emma laughed softly as she adjusted the collar of Mark’s suit, her fingers brushing against his chest. They stood in the office conference room, the sunlight streaming through the glass walls, casting a golden hue over them. Mark grinned at her, his eyes filled with warmth, as if they shared an inside joke no one else could understand. “Honestly, Mark,” Emma teased, stepping back to admire her handiwork, “if I didn’t step in to save you, you’d walk into this meeting looking like a wrinkled mess.” Mark chuckled, his voice low and smooth. “That’s why I keep you around, Emma. You’re not just the brains of this operation—you’re also the style police.” Their laughter echoed through the room, a stark contrast to the tension radiating from James, who stood just outside the conference room, watching them through the glass. His jaw clenched as he saw Emma place a hand on Mark’s arm, her touch lingering just a second too long. When the meeting concluded, Emma and Mark
James stood at the doorway of Emma’s office, the weight of his desperation etched into his features. He hesitated for a moment, watching her from afar. Emma sat at her desk, flipping through documents with practiced precision, her demeanor calm and collected.He cleared his throat, stepping inside. “Emma,” he began, his voice softer than usual, almost hesitant.She didn’t look up, keeping her eyes on the document in front of her. “If you’re here about work, leave it on the desk. If it’s personal, I’m not interested.”James sighed, stepping closer. “Emma, please. We need to talk.”At this, she glanced up, her eyes cold and unreadable. “About what, James? More excuses? More promises you won’t keep?”“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “I’m not here to make excuses. I just... I just want us to fix this.”Emma leaned back in her chair, cros
James stood in the kitchen, the faint aroma of rosemary and garlic filling the air. He wiped his hands on a towel, glancing nervously at the clock. Emma would be home soon. He had spent the entire day preparing her favorite meal—grilled salmon with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It wasn’t just about the food; it was about the message he hoped to send.He wanted her to know he was trying. That he was sorry. That he couldn’t lose her.When the front door opened, James quickly straightened his shirt, running a hand through his hair. He plastered a smile on his face as Emma stepped into the living room, her heels clicking against the wooden floor.“Emma,” he greeted warmly. “You’re home.”She paused, her sharp gaze cutting through him. “I can see that, James. What is it this time?”He gestured toward the dining table, which was set with candles and her favorite white-and-gold china. &ldqu
Sarah leaned back against her couch, a glass of wine in her hand, the room dimly lit by the glow of her TV. Her mind was swirling with frustration and indignation over her earlier conversation with James. His dismissive attitude and hollow promises were beginning to wear on her, but she wasn’t about to let him win. She was determined to remind him that she wasn’t a woman to be ignored.A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She glanced at her phone, her brow furrowing. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and James certainly wouldn’t show up unannounced. Setting her glass down, she rose to her feet and walked to the door, peeking through the peephole.“Tyler?” she muttered under her breath, a mix of surprise and annoyance flashing across her face. What was he doing here?She opened the door, leaning against the frame with a raised brow. “What do you want?”Tyler stood there, his hands shoved into the pocket
James sat in his home office, the soft glow of his desk lamp illuminating the scattered papers before him. His mind was a whirlwind, consumed by Emma’s growing defiance and the precarious state of his plans. His phone vibrated for the fifth time in the last hour, the screen lighting up with Sarah’s name. He clenched his jaw, refusing to answer.A few moments later, another message popped up: "James, you can’t ignore me forever. Call me now, or I’ll handle this my way."He cursed under his breath, tossing his pen onto the desk. “Damn it, Sarah,” he muttered. The last thing he needed was for her to create more chaos in his already fragile situation. With a resigned sigh, he picked up the phone and dialed her number.The call connected almost instantly. “Finally!” Sarah’s voice was sharp, laced with frustration. “What the hell, James? You’ve been ignoring my calls and texts for days.”“I&r
Emma sat in the plush armchair by the window, a glass of wine cradled in her hand as she stared out at the city skyline. The Montgomery estate was eerily quiet, save for the faint hum of traffic in the distance. She had spent the day drowning herself in paperwork, trying to ignore the growing tension between her and James. Tonight, she resolved, she would give herself peace.A soft knock on the door disrupted her thoughts. She didn’t bother turning. “Come in,” she said, her tone devoid of warmth.James entered hesitantly, his usual confidence replaced with a vulnerability she hadn’t seen before. He closed the door behind him and took a deep breath.“Emma,” he began softly, his voice almost pleading.She didn’t respond immediately, swirling the wine in her glass. “If this is another attempt to lecture me, James, I suggest you save your breath.”He moved closer, his hands shoved into his pockets as if tryin
Emma sat in her sleek office, her pen tapping rhythmically against the surface of her desk. The glow of her laptop illuminated her face as she reviewed the latest financial reports. A knock on the door interrupted her focus."Come in," she said without looking up, her tone clipped.James stormed in, his face a mixture of frustration and urgency. He didn’t wait for an invitation to sit down. Instead, he slammed the door shut and stood in front of her desk."Emma," he began, his voice sharp, "I just got off the phone with Senator Donald’s campaign team. They’re saying the funds promised to them have been rescinded. Care to explain?"Emma looked up, her expression calm, almost indifferent. "I withdrew the funds."James blinked, stunned. "You what?""I withdrew the funds," she repeated, leaning back in her chair. Her voice was steady, but there was a glint of defiance in her eyes. "That agreement was my father’s, not mine. I see no r
The phone on James’s desk buzzed with a ferocity that matched his frayed nerves. He glanced at the screen, knowing full well who it was. Senator Donald.He let it ring twice before picking up. “Dad,” he said, his voice a mix of frustration and resignation.“Don’t you ‘Dad’ me,” Senator Donald’s voice boomed through the speaker. “What the hell is going on over there? Do you have any idea the position you’re putting this family in?”James pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m handling it.”“Handling it?” Donald’s tone dripped with disbelief. “Handling it? From where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re letting everything spiral out of control. A divorce, James? Do you understand what that word even means for people like us?”James sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not letting anything happen. Emma’s the one who’s making this impossible. She—”Donald cut him off. “I don’t care what Emma’s doing. Your job is to keep her in line. That’s why we agreed to this arrangement in the first place
James slumped into the leather chair in Sarah’s dimly lit apartment, the scent of her lavender candles mingling with the faint aroma of her perfume. He loosened his tie, his face a mix of frustration and exhaustion.Sarah appeared in the doorway, wearing a silk robe that barely reached her knees. She held a glass of red wine in one hand, her expression amused. “Well, well, look who decided to show up,” she teased, setting the wine glass down on the coffee table.“Don’t start,” James muttered, rubbing his temples.Sarah tilted her head, her dark curls cascading over her shoulder. “Someone’s in a mood. What’s wrong? Did wifey give you the cold shoulder again?”James shot her a glare. “This isn’t a joke, Sarah. My life is falling apart.”She raised an eyebrow and settled onto the couch beside him, tucking her legs under her. “Alright, Mr. Doom and Gloom, spill it. What’s got you so worked up?”He sighed deeply, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Emma’s pushing for a divorce. S