Chapter 14

"You—" Emma had just lifted her hand, trying to push the man in front of her away, but before she could move, he grabbed her wrist and pinned it against the wall behind her. With one arm wrapped firmly around her slim waist, Ethan lowered his eyes and deepened the kiss. At that point, it was over—Emma had completely lost the strength to fight back. Her body gave in as his took over, leaving her powerless. Outside the sheer curtains by the window, stars shimmered in the cool night sky. Inside the brightly-lit villa, the temperature kept rising steadily. The night was far from over. ... Next morning. 8:00 AM. Upstairs bedroom, second floor of the villa. "Mmm..." With a soft groan, Emma rolled over and slowly woke from sleep. As she opened her eyes, she was met with a very familiar face—far too close for comfort. The man was still asleep, lying right in front of her. Oddly enough, the first thing that popped into her head wasn't memories of last night, but a rather strange thought—how could a guy have eyelashes this long? "You're awake?" Sensing the woman shifting in his arms and letting out a sleepy sound, Ethan opened his eyes and looked straight at her, his deep gaze locking onto hers. His voice was husky, like aged red wine—rich and alluring. Just waking up added a lazy edge to it, making it dangerously tempting. "Yeah," Emma mumbled, dropping her eyes to avoid his gaze. There was something dangerously soft about this man in the morning, a kind of charm you really had to brace yourself against. "I should get up. I'm gonna be late for work." Taking a breath to steady herself, Emma turned away and reached down to grab one of Ethan's white shirts from the floor. She pulled it on and headed barefoot into the bathroom. Ethan propped himself up on one elbow, watching as she walked away from the bed. The light coming through the thin curtains outlined the curves of her figure, making her look even more captivating. He kept his eyes on her until she disappeared into the bathroom, then finally got up himself, pulling on a robe and planning to head to the study. Just then, Emma's phone buzzed lightly on the nightstand. Without thinking, Ethan picked it up—and his face darkened the moment he saw the message on the screen: "Dinner was great last night, Ms. Grace. Thanks again. No pressure at all, but if you ever feel like grabbing coffee, let me know. —David" That easy, relaxed feeling from earlier evaporated instantly. Last night? Dinner with another guy? Was she seeing someone behind his back? Expression hardening, Ethan grabbed his own phone and quickly dialed a number. "Andy, I want a full report on Emma's recent whereabouts, and dig up everything you can on a guy named David. I want the details within thirty minutes." Still half-asleep, Andy fumbled to answer his phone. But the second he heard Ethan's stormy tone, he bolted upright in bed, instantly wide-awake. "Yes, sir—I'm on it now!"Andy didn't even bother with his shoes. The moment the call ended, he grabbed his laptop and got to work. Not long after, Ethan's phone chimed. An email had come in—Emma's complete itinerary for the past two weeks, plus everything there was to know about David. Skimming through the info, Ethan noticed her routine barely changed: work, villa, repeat. Except for last night. "So, she really went on a date behind my back, huh?" He glanced at David's profile, his brows slowly drawing together. That thought took root and wouldn't budge. Honestly, with Emma, that wasn't entirely out of the question. They'd had their fair share of shouting matches, and she'd mentioned wanting to leave more than once. Back then, he just brushed it off. Emma was different from her father—she actually cared. Otherwise, why would she stay in love with someone who never gave anything back? That belief let him hurt her over and over again without second thoughts. But now? Seeing that message... Ethan wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe she really was ready to walk away. And the weird thing—he always thought he wouldn't care if she did. But now, why was there this nagging voice inside, screaming not to let her go? Emma came out after freshening up, only to find Ethan standing dead center in the bedroom, frozen, eyes glued to his phone. When he heard her steps, he finally looked up, gaze locking onto her. Those deep brown eyes didn't move an inch. Being stared at like that sent a shiver down her spine. Her footsteps slowed instinctively. "What's going on?" Emma asked, her voice cautious. Ethan blinked like he was snapping out of something, then curved his mouth into a mocking smile. "Emma... You really had me fooled. So, you went on a blind date? Was he your type?" Emma stared at him, wide-eyed. Did he seriously think she was that kind of person? "Aha, touched a nerve?" Ethan said coldly, reading her look as a confession. "You can think whatever you like. I'm going to work," she said tiredly. She didn't have the energy to fight anymore. Why was she even holding onto hope, after everything? She was just a big fat fool. Emma opened the bedroom door and walked out without a single glance back. For some reason, Ethan felt a sudden, sharp sting in his chest. Not a big one, but enough to notice. Lately, he'd been acting differently whenever it came to her—harsh, petty, over the top. He didn't want to admit it. Hell, he didn't even want to face what that meant.