Chapter 12
Adrian finally put two and two together.
His irritation disappeared.
His mood instantly improved.
He switched hands and kept fiddling with the blinds.
Completely unaware that, from the other side of the glass, he looked less like a CEO and more like a man who had been caught spying on someone.
When he heard Trace tell Emma to get lost, Emma lowered her head.
"Okay. I understand."
Adrian's brows immediately pulled together.
What the hell?
Why is she being so useless?
She was actually going to leave just because Trace told her to?
And even her voice sounded different from last night.
Trace, meanwhile, was in an excellent mood.
Emma hadn't even dared to look at her properly.
Of course she was intimidated.
Trace had grown up with money, status, and people falling over themselves to accommodate her.
People like Emma were supposed to know their place.
Trace crossed her arms.
"Then what are you waiting for? Pack your things and leave."
See?
She'd been right.
There were this many people gathered around, and Adrian obviously knew what was happening.
He must have hated this little sycophant but simply hadn't known how to get rid of her.
Now Trace had solved the problem for him.
Before they were even married.
Surely he'd appreciate that.
Maybe he'd finally realize how much he needed her.
Mia stood nearby, looking absolutely heartbroken.
She immediately opened the private group chat.
Only a handful of employees had come over to watch.
Most were still sitting at their desks, pretending to work while secretly following the drama through their phones.
Mia typed:
Someone immediately replied:
Mia:
The chat exploded.
"Leave now?"
Emma repeated quietly, still staring at the floor.
"That won't work."
She had to follow the proper resignation procedure.
Otherwise, she'd lose this month's salary.
And her perfect attendance bonus.
Absolutely not.
From behind the blinds, the corners of Adrian's mouth slowly lifted.
I knew it.
She still can't let me go.
Emma was actually a very principled person.
She wouldn't even cross the street on a red light—
unless someone else crossed first.
And now she was apparently willing to become the other woman for him?
Tsk.
She really does love me.
She'll even throw away her principles for me.
Adrian was feeling pretty good about himself.
"Won't work?"
Trace's voice sharpened.
"Do you have no shame?"
Emma finally looked up, about to explain.
Then another voice cut through the room.
"Who are you calling shameless?"
Everyone turned.
A man with bright blue hair stepped out of the general manager's office.
The entire office went silent.
Holy crap.
Mr. Mercer is here!
One was his alleged fiancée.
The other was the woman who had been chasing him for over a year.
Surely he'd side with his fiancée, right?
Except—
What exactly had he meant by that?
Emma didn't understand either.
But she didn't dare look up.
Her gaze remained firmly fixed on the tips of her shoes.
Adrian looked at her lowered head and immediately felt irritated.
Seriously?
He walked straight over and reached out, grabbing the back of her neck.
"Look up."
Trace's brows immediately drew together.
"Adrian..."
Her voice was full of disbelief.
"What are you doing?"
Why was he grabbing this little secretary by the neck?
And that gesture—
It looked way too intimate.
Mia saw it too.
Her eyes practically popped out of her head.
She immediately pulled out her phone and snapped a picture.
Then she posted it in the group chat.
A reply appeared almost instantly.
Emma felt Adrian's fingers around the back of her neck.
She immediately tried to pull away.
She couldn't.
That only made her more annoyed.
So she stomped hard on his foot.
"Let go!"
Adrian clearly hadn't expected that.
The woman who was normally so easygoing had actually stepped on him.
His grip loosened immediately.
And then he noticed something.
The way Emma looked when she was annoyed was...
Kind of cute.
Like an angry little rabbit.
His lips curved into an amused smile.
"You actually stepped on me?"
Emma didn't even look up.
"Sorry."
Her tone was completely flat.
There wasn't a trace of regret in it.
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"That's it? Just 'sorry'?"
He leaned closer.
"You're not even going to apologize properly?"
Trace stood nearby, completely stunned.
What exactly are these two doing?
Did I accidentally walk into the middle of something?
"Adrian!"
Trace finally snapped.
Only then did Adrian glance at her.
His expression immediately turned impatient.
"Why did you come to my company?"
His voice was cold.
"I already told you. I don't agree to this marriage."
The office erupted.
It was like someone had dropped a grenade into the middle of the room.
"So she's his arranged-marriage partner?"
"If Mr. Mercer doesn't agree, does that even make her his fiancée?"
"They aren't even engaged!"
"Then Emma isn't doing anything wrong!"
"Mr. Mercer is still single!"
Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted,
"mma! You got this!"
Emma:
"......"
Adrian slowly turned his head toward the voice.
The employee immediately covered his face.
Then turned around and ran.
Adrian:
"......"
Trace's face went pale.
Then red.
Then pale again.
She stood frozen, looking as if someone had just unplugged her brain.
She wanted to yell.
She wanted to throw something.
She wanted to ask everyone in the room exactly what they thought they were doing.
Instead, she forced herself to smile.
"Adrian, stop joking around. Our marriage was arranged by our families."
Adrian lazily lifted his eyes toward her.
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
Trace's shoulders trembled with anger.
"Adrian! You didn't have the nerve to get rid of this annoying little sycophant, so I did it for you. How can you not appreciate what I just did for you?"
Adrian's brows immediately furrowed.
The words came out before he even had time to think.
"Who said I hate her?"