Chapter 6

Emma was up early the next morning, packing her things. She didn't want to take a single piece of clothing Tyler had bought for her, so she decided to buy a few new outfits before leaving. At the mall, she stood before a fitting room mirror. The blue dress made her look ethereal, and the gathered waist made her look even more delicate. A sales associate watched from nearby, visibly in awe. "This dress looks great on you. Would you like me to pack this for you?" Emma was about to say something when a sweet, delicate voice came from behind her. "Look at this dress, Tyler. I love it." She froze for a moment as she caught sight of Janice in the mirror, clinging to Tyler's arm as they walked over. He glanced at the dress Emma was wearing and turned to the sales associate. "Get me the same one." The sales associate lowered her head. "Sorry, sir. This is a limited edition. It's the last one we have in stock." Tyler furrowed his brows and turned to Janice. "Let's look at something else. I'll get you something better." Janice pouted and clung to his arm, whining playfully, "No. I want this one." A heavy silence fell in the store. Tyler paused, then looked at Emma. "Take it off, Emma." His reply was short and stripped of all warmth. Emma met his eyes and calmly asked, "Are you sure you want to use your 100th favor on something this trivial, Mr. Manning?" Tyler knitted his brows together. "What 100th favor?" Emma didn't bother to explain but pressed further. "Are you sure you want me to take it off?" Tyler's voice was cold. "Absolutely." She spun around and stepped into the fitting room. But when she was about to change back into her own clothes, she found that they were gone. She figured out who was behind it right away. Taking a breath, she walked out in just a strappy top. Tyler's expression hardened the moment his gaze landed on Emma's bare shoulders. "How could you?" He yanked off his tailored suit jacket and rushed over, wrapping her tightly in it. The expensive suit jacket carried his signature cedar scent, but nothing could mask the fury in his voice. "I told you to take the dress off, not walk out half-naked." He snapped over his shoulder, "Face the other way. Do you want me to rip your eyes out?" The bodyguards quickly turned their backs, holding their breath. Emma saw the anger in Tyler's eyes, and her mind drifted back to that night three years ago. Back then, she had worn a backless dress to a formal dinner with Tyler. The moment another man had stared a little too long, Tyler's expression had soured, and he had hauled her straight back to his penthouse suite. Emma had spent nearly the whole week in bed, and he had even fed her in his lap. Was he seriously still jealous after everything? She calmly replied, "Ms. Garner had my clothes taken away. I didn't have anything else to wear, so I had no choice but to come out like this." Janice's eyes turned misty. "That's nonsense. I've been with Tyler the entire time. How could I have done something like that?" Looking hurt, she bit her lower lip. "If you didn't want to take it off, then you shouldn't have. Why twist the story and make me look like the bad guy?" Tyler's gaze sharpened as he clamped down on Emma's wrist. His grip was so strong that it left red marks on her skin. "Did I not make myself clear, Emma? The only reason I treated you well was because you look like Janice. But now that she's back, you're just a bodyguard. So start acting like one." His grip could have crushed her bones, but she didn't even blink. He fixed his eyes on her, his fingers gradually tightening around her wrist. "Apologize to Janice right now, or you can forget about keeping the jacket." Tension hung heavy in the air. Emma slowly lifted her gaze, her eyes disturbingly calm. "I did nothing wrong." Her graceful fingers rested on the buttons on Tyler's jacket, undoing them one by one. As the jacket slipped off, Tyler's pupils shrank in an instant. Did she really just do that? He called out, "Emma!" But she had already spun on her heels and walked away. Her slender frame was unyielding, and every step she took was filled with quiet resolve, as if nothing in the world could make her turn back.