“You and Joel… Are you together?” Vincent narrowed his eyes.
“Psht! Yeah, we live together.” Emily gulped her shot and poured herself another.
“So, you are his, ehm…” Vincent cleared his throat uneasily.
“You are his girlfriend?” He stuttered.
“Ahhh, Ani.” Emily shook her head and gulped down another shot.
Vincent stared into space for a while. She wasn’t Joel’s girlfriend, he smiled.
Emily lurched side to side, the alcohol was beginning to affect her.
“CEO Joel.” She smiled cutely as she stared at Vincent.
“Deo!” She pointed her wavering hand at him.
“Saranghae,” she chuckled.
(A/N: saranghae means I love you)
“Saranghae” she smiled cutely as she hiccuped.
“She lurched forward unsteadily and planted a kiss on Vincent’s lips.
Vincent’s eyes widened, he was going to pull away but then he caught a glimpse of Joel at the doorway, so he deepened the kiss.
Joel stood dumbstruck; he felt his heart crush as he watched the unpleasant sight before him.
He had told Noah to branch by a supermarket and had bought a flower he was going to give to Emily but when they had almost reached the industry, they had seen Emily’s car parked right in front of another car.
The other looked very familiar to Joel, it was the car he was always seeing Emily in with a guy. Joel had made up his mind to see the owner of the car that day and had crossed the road with Noah to the bar opposite the industry. He was sure Emily had gone there with that person.
As soon as he got to the entrance of the bar, he had seen Emily crouch over the table to kiss Vincent. So, Vincent was the guy and he had been played all along… He had been deceived; Vincent had sent that girl to him on purpose just to break his heart.
Noah swallowed uneasily and looked up at his boss who had gone static beside him.
Joel gritted his teeth and turned around. He crossed the road and sat in the car.
Without being told, Noah knew he was to drive his boss to the villa. He started the car and drove straight to the villa. As soon as Joel stepped out of the car, he walked to the wall-ish door that led to the duplex and placed his left hand on it. The door slid open and he walked right through it before it closed behind him.
Noah watched his boss with a heavy heart. He knew he wasn’t going to be seeing his boss anytime soon. He knew his boss was going to lock himself up in one of the rooms for months.
Vincent sighed sadly as he placed Emily on the bed… It was Joel she loved and she had mistaken him for Joel which was why she had kissed him.
He stared at Emily for a while and walked out of the guest room. He was losing to Joel again.
★ ★. ★
Early the next morning, Emily woke up with the usual banging headache she always had whenever she drank alcohol.
“Aww… Emily, how did you get drunk this time?” She groaned as she stood on her feet.
Emily looked around, that wasn’t her room but it looked familiar. She walked out of the room, hitting her head with her palm to remember what had happened the previous night.
“Unnie!” Emily was brought out of her thoughts by a cute voice.
She looked up as she climbed down the stairs.
“Huh, deo…” Emily stuttered, trying to remember where she had seen the girl.
“Annyeon” Becky smiled sweetly from the foot of the staircase.
“Oppa has gone to work and your car is here already.. so you’ll be staying with me.” Becky clasped her hands together happily.
“Ahh,” only then did Emily realize it was Vincent’s sister.
She climbed down the remaining steps and stood beside Becky at the foot of the stairs.
“Come, I prepared chicken soup for you.” Becky smiled, gently pulling Emily towards the dining table.
Emily suddenly remembered the CEO… and Little Pumpkin too …. and Oppa too!!!…
They didn’t know where she was and she was sure they’d be looking for her by now.
“I have to go.” She slipped her hand out of Becky’s grip.
“Wae”?” Becky pouted.
“I’m sorry, I’ll see you some other time.” Emily rushed out of the mansion.
She caught sight of her car and quickly entered it. She turned on the engine and drove out of the mansion.
?️?️?️
“Joel!” Michael sighed as he stood in front of the room Joel has locked himself in.
As soon as he got home the previous night, he had heard the bombshell from Noah.
So his suspicions were through, his brother had fallen for Emily. Michael had rolled his eyes wearily.
He and Noah had been knocking on the door since the night right until the next morning but his stubborn kid brother just wouldn’t open the door.
Michael had been dialing Emily’s number too but it had been turned off.
Heavy smoke was emanating from the room and the smell of alcohol was also very easy to perceive. Noah stared at the door silently.
?️?️?️
Emily drove into the villa and walked into the lounge. She knew Little Pumpkin would have gone to school but she was sure she would meet the CEO at home.
But after knocking on his door for a while without getting any response, she wasn’t so sure anymore.
“Where is everyone?” Emily asked the maids that had been gossiping before they saw Emily walk into the kitchen.
The maids exchanged quick knowing looks before looking at Emily.
“They are in the duplex ma’am.” One of them replied.
“Why?” Emily furrowed her brows.
The headache was getting severe but she wasn’t paying any attention to it.
“… I don’t know ma’am.” the maid shrugged.
Emily stared at the maids suspiciously as they gave themselves funny looks.
“Okay.” She nodded her head and walked out of the kitchen.
She walked out of the lounge and approached the door to the duplex when she saw Michael and Noah walk out through it.
“Oppa.” She called and smiled.
Michael and Noah looked up.
“Emily… where have you been?” Michael exhaled softly.
“I’m sorry… I erm… I went to see my mom.” Emily stuttered.
Noah swallowed the lump in his throat… he never knew Miss Emily was a pathetic liar.
Michael coughed uneasily and let out a small smile.
“What about the CEO?” Emily asked keenly.
“He… i-is on a trip… Yeah, he went on a trip.” Michael smiled.
Noah almost snapped his neck as he turned to stare at the CEO’s brother-why was he lying to her? He ought to have told her the truth since she was the one that put his boss in that condition in the first place. He balled up his fists beside him.
“Huh? Ahhh…” Emily nodded her head slowly.
“Kaja” Michael smiled and hastily ked Emily into the lounge.
Emily looked back at the door to the duplex… she knew Michael was hiding something from her but she didn’t know what.
?️?️?️
“We can’t just leave him in there sir …” Noah frowned his face.
As soon as Emily left the villa for work, the duo decided to talk.
“I know, but what do you want us to do? We can’t tell Emily…” Michael shrugged his shoulders.
“Wae? She was the one that made boss that way so she should find a solution.” Noah was almost irritated by what Michael just said.
“Why are you saying she put him in that condition?.. does she know about Joel’s feelings for her?” Michael couldn’t contain his anger.
“…” Noah couldn’t talk.
It was true his boss didn’t tell her about his feelings but…..
He was still bent on the fact that Emily was at fault.
“And saying Emily worked for Vincent, seriously? How can you think that…? Have you run a background check on her? Have you investigated the matter?” Michael scowled, his voice rising higher each time he spoke.
“…” Noah sighed.
Well, they haven’t…
Michael sighed and looked away, trying to suppress his anger.
“But she lied. She said she went to see her mum but she was with boss’ enemy.” Noah pointed out.
Michael sighed. That was true, why did Emily lie?… He sighed again.
“We just have to call Danielle.” He stated calmly after a while.
“We both know she’s the only one that can bring Joel out of that place,” Michael added.
Noah groaned inwardly; Danielle?! That lady? He rolled his eyes.
?️?️?️
Emily couldn’t pay attention to her manager throughout the day. She kept thinking about what it was that Michael was keeping from her.
“Unnie, please can you give me a day off?” She spoke up.
“Mbo?…” Maria raised her brows.
“Jebal.” Emily clasped her hands as she pleaded.
Maria skimmed through her schedule, she had things to do, but they were just minor works.
“Okay.” She shrugged.
“Kamsahamnida.” Emily carried her bag and walked out of the office.
Min Ah and Maria twitched their lips, what was wrong with her? They shrugged their shoulders.
Emily got in her car and drove straight to EWEI. She drove into the corporation and parked her car. She stepped out of the car and walked on, to the ground floor.
“Annyeonghaseyo, please I’m here to see Mr. Noah.” Emily fondled with her hands as she stood by the desk
“Mwo? Do you have a scheduled meeting with him?” the receptionist asked.
“Animnida.” Emily shook her head sadly.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t see him.” The receptionist looked away.
Emily’s face fell. She turned around and walked towards the exit when she saw Noah walk into the ground floor with some men right behind him.
“Mr. Noah!” Emily’s face lit up instantly.
Noah turned around and squinted his eyes as searched for the person that had called him. As soon as his eyes landed on Emily, he frowned.
Emily who was waving her hand furrowed her brows and dropped her hand.-what was wrong?
Noah stared at her for a while and walked away.