Chapter 20 - The Scandalous Scene

On their way to the party, Alex reached over and took Emily's hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You look lovely tonight, Emily," he said with a smile and planted a kiss on her hand. Emily felt a wave of disgust wash over her, but she tried to keep her cool. If she didn't know what was going on, if she hadn't seen how Alex had Emilia in a way, he would never touch her. She would have been blushing like an idiot at Alex's compliment. But right now, she was just angry. "Thanks, Alex," Emily said trying to keep her voice neutral. Alexander had not even noticed she stopped calling him pet names. "and I must say you look nice too." Alex smiled not noticing Emily's true feelings. "I'm glad you think so, sunshine," he said, giving her hand another squeeze. Emily pulled her hand away, trying not to show her annoyance. "Can I ask you something, Alex? Promise to be since,." she said, looking at him straight in the eye. If he had confessed, Emily was more than ready to be an understanding wife. " I promise. Of course, what is it?" Alex replied with a curious expression. Emily took a deep breath, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Is there something you want to tell me? Something that's been bothering you?" she asked with a firm voice. Alex's expression changed, and for a moment, Emily saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes. But then, his face smoothed out, and he smiled again. "No, Emily, everything's fine. I would never do anything to hurt you. Is something wrong?" he said, his voice trying to be sincere. Emily felt a surge of anger at Alex's lie, but she kept her cool. "Okay, Alex. If you're sure everything's fine, then I'm fine too," she said, her voice evident with sarcasm. Alex didn't seem to notice Emily's tone, and he just smiled again. "Great, I'm glad we're on the same page," he said, putting his arm around her shoulders. Emily felt a wave of revulsion wash over her, but she tried to keep her cool. She was determined to play it cool, she was going to pretend that everything was fine until she was ready to make her move. As they stepped out of the car, Emily was immediately blinded by the flashing cameras of the paparazzi. It was no surprise, Since Alex, being a billionaire and a well-known figure around the world, was always surrounded by media attention. Emily smiled politely as they made their way through the crowd, Alex's arm around her shoulders. If she could, she would yank his hands off her. They were greeted by Mr. Johnson, Victoria, and Emilia, who were all chatting and laughing together. "Ah, Emily, you look stunning tonight," Mr. Johnson said, beaming at her. "May I have the pleasure of a dance, your highness?" Emily smiled and nodded, and Alex handed her over to Mr. Johnson with a gallant bow. "Of course your grace." She said. As they glided across the dance floor, Mr. Johnson's expression turned serious. "Emily, I know what's going on. You don't have to lie to me anymore," he said, his voice low and gentle. "And I'm not going to take any action. I’m leaving it to you. You're a grown woman, and I trust you to handle your own relationships." Emily felt a surge of surprise and gratitude towards her father. She had been worried that he would overreact and try to intervene, but instead, he was giving her the space and trust she needed. He always had her back. "But if you need any help, or just someone to talk to, I'm here for you," Mr. Johnson continued. "You know that, don't you?" Emily nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "Yes, Dad, I know. Thank you." Mr. Johnson smiled and hugged her tightly. "I love you, kiddo. And I know you'll get through this." As the music came to an end, Mr. Johnson handed Emily back over to Alex, who was watching them with a curious expression. Emily smiled politely at him, but inside, she was seething with anger and determination. She was going to take back control of her life, and she was going to make sure that Alex paid for what he had done. As Emily rejoined her friends, Chloe, Vivian, and Selena couldn't help but admire her in the stunning black gown. "Wow, Emily, you look amazing!" Chloe exclaimed. "Awnn... thanks. You guys look stunning too." Vivian and Selena nodded in agreement, and the three of them turned to glance at Alex, who was standing nearby. They all faked a smile, except for Chloe, who hissed under her breath. The four friends made their way to a quiet corner of the room, where they huddled together to discuss their plan. "We need to send a video to the main screen," Selena said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "But we don't have a video." Vivian grinned. "Leave that to me. I've got an idea." Just then, Emilia dragged Alex to the balcony, where they were alone. Emilia's eyes locked onto Alex's, and she pulled him into a passionate kiss. “Emilia, we are outside,” Alex warned her that this was too dangerous, but Emilia wasn't listening. Meanwhile, Emily and her friends were watching from afar, their eyes fixed on the balcony. But they didn't need to set a trap for Alex - he had just fallen into one all on his own. As Alex and Emilia kissed, the guests at the party could see them through the large screen in the hall. The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on the scandalous scene unfolding before them. Important people from around the world were in attendance, and they were shocked and stunned by what they were seeing. Alex's reputation was about to take a serious hit, and Emily was going to make sure that everyone knew the truth about her cheating husband.