Chapter 6: Hunter Autos

“Ouch!” Scott pulled back, touching his lip. “Did you just bite me?”

Emily crossed her arms. “I said no contact, Mr. Hunter.”

“You kissed—”

“I think it’s best we don’t get carried away,” she said, cutting him off.

She had to take control, and it worked. The confusion on his face pleased her. She wouldn’t be used by another Hunter. This was her turn to be in charge.

She watched as Scott retreated to his desk.

Emily sat across from him, forcing confidence she didn’t feel. “We should discuss the wedding. When and where?”

“Two days from now. Small ceremony, immediate family only. We’ll announce it to the press afterward.”

“Two days?” Emily’s stomach dropped. She’d barely processed signing the contract.

“I’ll need your address. My driver will pick you up.”

Emily scribbled her number and Rosa’s address on a sticky note. She wasn’t ready to tell her parents how the arrangement meant to save them had only buried them deeper in debt.

Her throat tightened. She had to get to Rosa’s before her head split open from trying to process everything.

“Thank you, Mr. Hunter.” Emily stood.

“Scott,” he corrected, smiling. “Welcome back to the family.”

He didn’t need to say that. The chaos that would erupt when the Hunters found out what she’d done flashed through her mind. Then again, they’d always taken Ian’s side.

She was the one out of place—the gambler’s daughter. The charity case.

“Congratulations to you too.” Emily turned and left.

Outside his office, she exhaled shakily. She’d held back so much—she hoped Scott hadn’t noticed.

The kiss flashed in her mind. She touched her lips, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. That’ll be the last time he tries that.

She hailed a cab to Rosa’s and texted her saying she’ll be there soon. A text came back instantly: [Door’s open]

When Emily arrived, the scent of herbs and spices welcomed her. Savory wine, roasted beef—oxtail. Rosa’s famous Rabo de Toro. Emily’s stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten properly in over twenty-four hours.

She hugged Rosa from behind.

Rosa turned, pulling her close. “My poor baby.” Her voice was soft, her grip tight.

“Come.” Rosa led her to the couch and took Emily’s hands. “Start from the beginning.”

Emily’s voice shook. “Grandma Hilda died.”

Rosa’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, Em—”

“There was a will reading. Ian was there. And Scott Hunter—Ian’s half-brother.”

“Ian has a half-brother?”

“Apparently. And they’re competing for a seventy-billion-dollar inheritance.”

Rosa’s eyes widened. “Seventy—”

“Scott needs a wife to claim it. So I…” Emily’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I proposed a contract marriage.”

Silence.

“You WHAT?”

“I know how it sounds—”

“Em, you just got divorced!”

“I’m six months behind on rent. Ian threatened to sue me for half a million. I had no choice.”

Then she filled Rosa in on all the details.

Rosa pulled her into a hug. Emily collapsed against her shoulder, tears finally spilling over.

“That manipulative bastard.” Rosa’s voice was fierce. “After everything you did for him.”

Emily sobbed harder, her body shaking.

“Okay.” Rosa pulled back, gripping her shoulders. “We’ll figure this out. But are you sure about Scott?”

Emily thought about the bar. The kiss. The way he’d looked at her.

“No,” she admitted. “But it’s already done.”

She never had to say too much with Rosa. She always understood. They’d known each other since college and had been inseparable ever since.

That night, Emily devoured the oxtail and fell asleep on Rosa’s couch, exhausted.

The next morning, her phone’s insistent ringing woke her. Her dad.

“Hey, Dad. Is everything okay? How’s mom?”

“Your mom’s out of medication. You haven’t sent this month’s allowance.” Flat. Emotionless.

“Things have been slow—”

“If she has another episode, it’s on you.” He hung up.

Emily’s chest tightened.

A few years ago, her mom was diagnosed with Status Migrainosus—a rare form of chronic migraines. Without her preventive medication and rescue treatment, she ends up in the ER.

How was she going to afford that.

Her mind raced. Then it hit her—she still had work with Hunter Autos. She could ask for an advance.

Emily got up and saw a note on the center table. [Work. Back by the weekend. Leftovers in the fridge. You know where to leave the keys.]

Emily showered and pulled on one of Rosa’s dresses—burgundy, sleeveless, fitted. The neckline dipped lower than Emily preferred, exposing her cleavage, but she had no choice.

She hailed a cab. “Hunter Autos.”

When she arrived, she headed straight to Finance.

She had a good relationship with Rachel, the head of finance. Rachel was a Hunter—Ian’s cousin. They’d met at family events. She was the only one who hadn’t treated Emily like an outcast.

Because of that, Emily’s payments from Hunter Autos had always been swift.

Hope flickered as she reached Rachel’s office.

Emily knocked and entered. “Good morning, Rachel.”

Rachel looked up. Her expression shifted—pity, guilt. She seemed shocked.

“Emily, didn’t expect to see you here, everything alright?”

Emily’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Yeah, I’m—good” The look on Rachel’s face made her uncomfortable, but she continued.

“I came to discuss next steps for the current branding project.” She tried to sound professional, then dropped the pretense.

“Honestly, Rach, things have been slow. I was hoping for an advance. I have urgent bills—”

“Emily…” Rachel cut her off. “House of Ever has been dropped as our strategist.”

She handed Emily a mug. On it was the Hunter Autos logo. On the back, another logo: OnBrand Experts.

She’d been replaced.

Ian.

Emily’s vision blurred. She gripped the mug, her pulse hammering. Heat flooded her body.

Everything else faded as her eyes fixated on the other company’s logo, as if expecting it to morph into hers.

This can’t be real.

She heard Rachel on the phone in the background. “Paul, did you forget to email House of Ever about the termination—”

Emily stood and walked out.

She pushed through the lobby doors, vision blurring. She just needed to get outside. Get air. Get away—

She collided with someone.

“Watch where you’re—” The woman’s voice cut off abruptly.

Emily looked up.

Jane.

Of course.

“Well, well. What the hell are you doing here?” Jane’s smile was venomous.

Heads turned. Whispers erupted.

Emily’s face burned. She tried to step around her. Jane blocked the way.

“I asked you a question.”

“Jane.” Ian’s voice. He appeared, his hand sliding possessively around Jane’s waist. “What’s going on?”

His eyes found Emily. Surprise flickered, then cold satisfaction.

“Look what crawled in. I bet you thought you still worked here huh?”

He wasn’t even trying to hide that he got her fired.

Emily’s blood boiled. She looked up at him, disgusted by how they flaunted their infidelity.

“You ruined our marriage because of a mistress?” She spat, anger blazing in her eyes.

Jane raised her left hand. The diamond was massive, blinding.

“Wife,” she purred.

Emily’s world shattered. Tears welled in her eyes as her heart crushed under unspeakable pain.

Already? He married her?

Days. It had only been days.

Emily was too crushed to speak.

“Security!” Ian yelled. “Get this woman out of my building.”

A guard approached and grabbed Emily’s arm. She was too shocked to move.

The security guard’s grip tightened. “Time to go, ma’am—”

“Get your hands off my wife.”

The voice sliced through the lobby, reverberating like thunder.

Everyone froze.

Emily’s breath caught.

Scott.