LOGINEmily "Don't touch me.""Emily...""I said, don't touch me!" Tears were streaming down my face now. "I trusted you, Alex. After everything, I trusted you. And you broke that trust.""I didn't! I swear on my mother's grave, I did not betray you. Someone is trying to destroy us. Someone drugged me, set up that scene, made sure you would walk in at the right moment to see it...""Or maybe you're just making excuses. Maybe you wanted her all along, and you finally gave in to it.""No." He grabbed my shoulders, holding me firmly but gently. "No, Emily. I love you. Only you. I have only ever loved you.""Let me go.""Not until you hear me. Not until you...""Alex, let me..."He suddenly sealed my lips with his kiss, cutting me off. His lips crashed against mine. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me against him, and he kissed me like his life depended on it.For a moment, one traitorous moment, I kissed him back. Because my body remembered him, remembered us, remembered how right it felt
Emily The next morning, I woke up with swollen eyes and a pounding headache. The funeral was at eleven o'clock.I had to go. For the children, if nothing else. Lucas, Lily, and Phil needed me to be there. This was their grandmother's funeral.I couldn't let my anger at Alex prevent me from supporting the children.I got dressed in a simple black dress, applied makeup to hide the evidence of my crying, and drove to the Thompson estate, where the funeral was being held.The grounds were already filled with people when I arrived—family, friends, business associates, all dressed in black and speaking in hushed tones.I saw Alex immediately. He was standing near the entrance, greeting guests, looking absolutely terrible. His face was pale and drawn, his eyes were red and hollow, and he moved like every step caused him pain.When he saw me, his whole face lit up with desperate hope.I looked away and walked past him toward where the children were standing with Nathaniel."Mummy!" Lily ran
EmilyI drove home with tears streaming down my face, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white.God, I can't believe that I am a fool again. Such a complete and utter fool.I trusted him. After everything that happened six years ago, after all the pain and betrayal and lies, I opened my heart to him again. I believed him when he said nothing would come between us. I believed him when he said he would never hurt me again.And what did I find?His secretary was sitting in his lap, kissing him, while he did absolutely nothing to stop her."He said he was trying to push her away," I said out loud to myself, my voice bitter. "But I saw them. I saw the way they were looking at each other. I saw the way his hands were on her waist. If he was really trying to stop her, why didn't he push harder? Why didn't he stand up immediately? Why didn't he..."A sob broke through my words.Because deep down, I knew why.Because Alex was a man who took what he wanted.
Alex "Abigail, get up..." I started.But she leaned in and pressed her lips against mine.I was so shocked that for a split second I froze. Then I grabbed her shoulders, trying to push her away."Stop," I said against her mouth. "Abigail, stop..."But she wasn't stopping. She wrapped her arms around my neck, deepening the kiss, holding on tight.My head was spinning now, the room tilting dangerously. I couldn't think straight. I couldn't push her off with the strength I should have had.What was wrong with me?Just then, I heard a sharp, deliberate throat being cleared."Ahem."Abigail jerked back, and we both turned to see who had interrupted.My blood turned to ice.Emily stood there, about ten feet away, her face pale with shock and hurt. She was wearing a beautiful black dress, her hair styled elegantly. She must have come to surprise me, to support me before the funeral tomorrow.And instead, she had walked in to find another woman kissing me while sitting in my lap."Emily," I
Alex The next morning, I arrived at my office early, my mind still spinning from yesterday's revelations. Someone was actively trying to destroy my relationship with Emily, and I am determined to find out who. Emily and I had agreed to be cautious, to act normally while my security team investigated. We couldn't let whoever was behind this know that we were onto them. I had barely sat down at my desk when Abigail knocked and entered, carrying her tablet and a cup of coffee. "Good morning, Mr. Thompson," she said with a professional smile. "I thought you might need this." She set the coffee on my desk. "How are you holding up? I know the funeral is tomorrow." "I'm managing. Thank you." I took a sip of the coffee, grateful for the caffeine. "What's on my schedule today?" Abigail pulled up her tablet. "You have a conference call with the Tokyo investors at ten, lunch with the marketing team at noon, and a meeting with legal at three to finalize the merger documents." She pause
Emily I looked at Alex questionably. "I can explain this," he said immediately."Please do." I kept my voice calm, though my heart was racing.Alex sat back on his heels, still holding my hands. "Yes, I had dinner with Abigail. Multiple times. But Emily, it wasn't romantic. It wasn't dates. This was during the worst part of my battle with the board members. Remember when they were trying to force me out of my own company?"I nodded. I remembered. It had been a few months ago, before we had reconnected."Abigail was one of the only people I could trust at the company during that time. The board members were turning everyone against me, spreading lies, trying to find ways to remove me as CEO." Alex's voice was earnest. "I couldn't have business meetings at the office because I didn't know who was loyal and who was working against me. So Abigail and I would meet at restaurants to discuss strategy, to go over documents, to plan our defense.""At romantic restaurants?" I asked quietly."I







