The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

Michael strolled up to Emily, his face like a block of ice. She was almost done with her meal. When she noticed him, she frowned but kept quiet.

Seeing her brush him off, Michael felt his anger flared up again. "Emily, who do you think you're giving the cold shoulder to all day?" He plopped down heavily, arms crossed, looking ready for a showdown. Emily set her spoon down and glanced at him, unsure of what to say. She was tired of fighting. "Aren't you the one with the icy demeanor all day? If you can't handle it, I can leave." She stood up, ready to walk away. But Michael wasn't about to let her go that easily. He grabbed her arm, and she tried to shake him off.

"What do you want, Michael? Don't you think it's best if we just pretend the other doesn't exist? That way, we can get divorced without all this drama." Emily spoke from the heart.

Michael felt a pang in his chest but kept his cold stare. "All you ever talk about is divorce. Can't we discuss something else?"

Emily yanked her arm free and rubbed the sore spot. "What else is there to talk about? You want me to wish you and Sophia happiness? Sorry, can't do that."

Her words dripped with sarcasm, leaving Michael feeling helpless. He sighed. "Do you really care that much about Sophia? Why?"

Emily was at a loss for words and thought, 'Why? Can I even say why? Do I dare to say why?'

His words from their wedding day still haunted her, cold and commanding. And it replayed in her mind once again, 'Emily, we won't talk about love between us. Don't expect me to fall in love with you. Know your place.' For the past two years, she had known her place. She buried her love for him deep, never crossing the line, and took care of him meticulously. She thought she could earn a bit of his genuine affection, but then Sophia came back. "Answer me, why?" Michael demanded.

Emily's face hardened. "No reason, I just don't like her." She said and bolted from the dining room.

Michael stood there, unsure if he believed her or not. Emily ran back to her room. She felt that since she hadn't said it before, there was no point in saying it now, especially with Sophia in the picture.

There was no chance before, and now there was even less. She cleared her mind and prepared to get some sleep to face tomorrow.

But then, Michael knocked on her door. Since their last big fight, she had moved back to her own room, and Michael hadn't said anything about it.

"What now?" Emily really didn't want to deal with him and asked bluntly.

"Come with me to a press conference tomorrow." Michael was surprisingly calm this time.

Emily immediately knew which press conference he was talking about. She was supposed to attend, but not as his accessory.

"Alright, sure." Emily agreed so easily that it caught Michael off guard.

"What? Changed your mind? I can skip it." Emily said when she saw Michael's silence. She knew he wanted to bring Sophia, and she didn't care. "I'll have the driver pick you up at noon tomorrow," Michael said.

Emily felt a wave of relief wash over her. Tomorrow's press conference was a big deal, and she hoped everything would go smoothly.

The next day, just before noon, the driver arrived to pick her up. She didn't say much and had already arranged to meet Abigail at the venue.

The entire business world had its eyes on the collaboration between Phantom Beauty and the Smith Corporation, just waiting for Michael to slip up so they could pounce.

"Emily, are you getting soft?" Abigail asked when she saw Emily staring at the venue entrance, frozen in place.

Emily was conflicted. Given how far things had gone, she shouldn't be feeling soft-hearted. But at that moment, she realized this was between her and Sophia; it had nothing to do with Michael.

If she wanted to get back at Sophia, it would inevitably drag Michael and the entire Smith Corporation into it, which wasn't what she wanted.

She couldn't imagine the fallout if Michael and Mason found out she had orchestrated everything.

"Abigail, I... I don't know," she stammered, hesitating.

"Emily, can you be bold for once? Feeling sorry for a man is the start of your misery. Do you still want to be trampled by Sophia? Wake up." Abigail's words were like a slap in the face.

Emily felt a sudden clarity. She wasn't feeling sorry for Michael; she just didn't want to drag the Smith Corporation into it.

As they stood at the entrance, Sophia strutted over with a group of friends.

"Emily, you don't have an invitation, do you?" Sophia said smugly.

"Yeah, I bet she doesn't. Maybe she's waiting to latch onto some rich guy to take her in," one of Sophia's friends chimed in.

Emily shot them a cold look, while Abigail laughed in anger, eyeing them like they were crazy.

"Yeah, Sophia, how do you know someone like her?" Another friend sneered at Emily.

Sophia put on a show of being magnanimous. "Don't say that. She's my sister, but she's not familiar with our family. It's normal you don't know her. Once you do, take care of her when you see her," she said, looking at Emily. "So she's your dad's illegitimate daughter? She looks like a vixen, just like her mom."

Before the words even settled, Emily slapped Sophia's friend across the face.

"Sophia, control your friends. If they go around talking nonsense and get slapped, they deserve it," Emily said, staring Sophia down.

"You, you illegitimate daughter, how dare you hit me? Do you know who my dad is?" Sophia's friend covered her face, eyes blazing with anger.

Abigail jumped in, "Oh, who is your dad? Didn't your mom tell you? Are you the illegitimate one? How pathetic, not even knowing who your dad is. Go home and ask your mom." Abigail's taunt made Emily chuckle. No one could out-argue Abigail.NôvelDrama.Org is the owner.