The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

Hearing Michael call her "Honey" again, Emily felt a strange, stirring sensation in her heart, like someone was gently nudging her forward.

She slowly stopped what she was doing and turned around, meeting his deep, soulful eyes.

Emily was stunned.

She had never seen Michael like this before.

His expression wasn't exactly affectionate, but he looked unusually vulnerable, like he was pleading for help or begging for something.

Was he asking her... not to avoid him anymore?

Emily tried to understand Michael, but before she knew it, the distance between them had closed in the quiet, intimate atmosphere.

The car's headlights flickered, casting their reflections on the car's body.

Emily sat up straight in the passenger seat, unmoving, while Michael, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other bracing the driver's seat, slowly leaned closer to her.

The way he moved closer was almost magical, irresistible.

Emily felt as if time had slowed down, each second stretching into what felt like a year.

As Michael's face drew nearer, Emily could see the eyes that haunted her dreams, the sensation like a tickle on her heart, reminiscent of a dream.

This was different from before, different from when they were forced together by circumstances.

This time, they were both fully aware, yet they couldn't help but be drawn to each other, wanting to kiss, feeling a rush of impulsive desire, their eyes meeting with a hint of shyness.

Emily couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. It was like sparks flying, carrying a kind of reckless tenderness.

She wanted to accept this kiss, to follow her heart.

But just then, Michael's phone rang, the caller ID showing "Mom."

Emily didn't want to see that glaring word, but she also felt a sudden relief that the call had come at the right time.

At least she hadn't lost herself in the moment.

Maybe it was for the best; aside from Sophia, the biggest issue between her and Michael was his mother.

The phone kept ringing.

Michael wanted to ignore it, but just as he was about to, Emily spoke up unexpectedly. "Answer your phone. I'm heading back."

With that, Emily got out of the car without looking back, closing the door behind her. The car fell silent again.

Michael felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him, his mood plummeting.

Frustrated, he answered the call, not bothering to hide his irritation. "What do you want?"

Scarlett could hear the tone in Michael's voice.

She thought, 'You're never nice to me, and now that you're with Emily, it's even worse.' "Where are you?" Scarlett's voice was sharp, giving Michael a headache. "At Emerald Lake Manor."

If you're loving the book, nel5s.com is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience—all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Scarlett continued her questioning. "Who are you with? Is it Emily?"

Michael frowned deeply.

He stared at the road ahead, feeling a bit dazed. "So what if I'm with her? Do you have something important to say?"

Scarlett knew Michael's tone well and didn't bother arguing with him.noveldrama

She never cared about the illusion of a harmonious mother-son relationship; it wasn't worth anything.

What mattered was money-Smith Corporation's money, the Smith family's money, and her money!

"There's already talk online. I heard you publicly announced that all of Sophia's work at Smith Corporation was plagiarized? Michael, next time you make such a decision, could you at least hold a shareholders' meeting and discuss it with everyone? "You protected that woman, but did you think about the fact that Sophia's work was sold to partners? If they pursue it, how much will Smith Corporation have to pay? Do you expect the Brown family to cover it? In the end, it's the Smith family that will suffer. You're really trying to drive me crazy!"

Michael knew that with Sophia's plagiarism exposed, Smith Corporation was bound to face a compensation crisis.

And his dear mother, at this moment, cared more about the money than his relationship with Emily.

Michael realized that perhaps he should never have clung to the illusion of maternal love and family affection from the start.

"I'm hanging up." Michael, feeling overwhelmed, didn't want to give Scarlett any explanation.

He hung up, drove back to Emerald Lake Manor, and without even taking a shower, collapsed into bed, sleeping until the next afternoon.

Michael was done caring.

But now it was Emily's turn to be troubled.

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The next morning, she prepared to go back to work at JM Jewelry. After all, her long vacation had been long enough, Mason was stable, and Veda and Benjamin were taking good care of him.

Isabella was busy dealing with the police and setting up her new company.

Emily was left with nothing to do at home, and when she had time to think about her and Michael, it was overwhelming. Love was too complicated to figure out. Compared to love, work was much easier.

So, Emily decided to return to JM Jewelry, catch up on her work, and meet with Penelope to hand over recent tasks.

After all, if she was back, Penelope could take a break.

But just as Emily was about to leave for work, she was shocked to run into Scarlett. Somehow, Scarlett had found out where Isabella and Emily lived and showed up at their door.

"Mom."

Emily was momentarily surprised but maintained a respectful demeanor.

However, her stance was firm, clearly defensive.

Of course, Scarlett wasn't here with good intentions. She wore her usual impeccable makeup, with bright red lipstick, her eyes gleaming with a hidden menace as she stared at Emily.

"Afraid to let me in? Didn't Michael find this place for you? Can't I come in and sit for a while?"

Emily couldn't find a suitable reason to refuse Scarlett.

But thinking about how Scarlett had tried to harm Mason and frame Isabella, Emily felt

a surge of anger.

Just as she was about to respond, Scarlett continued. "Fine, I won't come in. It's not like

it's anything special. After all, you're destined to live under my son's thumb for the rest of your life. I understand your small-mindedness."