Slowly, she stood up on her and walked over to Stephanie. Without giving it a thought, she landed a hot slap on her cheek.
***
Stephanie stared into Emily’s eyes in anger and frustration. She would have hit Emily back but on a second thought, she also knew she deserved the slap.
She stood up on her feet and scurried out of the hall in shame and disgust.
Emily wiped her tears with the back of her hand and helped herself out of the hall without looking back at anybody.
“Should we go after her?” Min Ah asked Maria as they watched Emily walk out dejectedly.
“Ani. She needs time alone.” Maria replied, sighing.
Emily sobbed silently as she walked to her office. She had been such a fool to believe Stephanie had really changed her attitude towards her.
She sniffed, turning the doorknob to her her office. She stepped in and froze at the sight of who was sitting on her chair.
“Why are you crying?” Joel asked, looking into her eyes.
Emily pouted her lips sulky, blinking her eyes rapidly as she returned her husband’s gaze.
“Lock the door behind you and come here.” He stated.
Emily did as she was told and walked over to her husband.
Joel pulled her closer and made her sit on his lap. He pulled a tissue from the box of tissues on the desk. Focusing his whole attention on her, he dabbed on Emily’s face as gently as he could with the tissue.
“Always make sure I’m around you when you cry…” He spoke softly.
He threw the tissue into the bin and looked into Emily’s eyes. “The one you’re crying for is not even worth it.”
“You need to be careful with your dealings with people. Not everyone who laughs with you truly loves you. You should learn to differentiate between a genuine person and a fake. You shouldn’t trust anyone easily.” Joel lectured.
“Now, you know that Stephanie is fake and not genuine.” He added huskily.
Emily sniffled.
“Do you understand?”
She nodded her head, staring at nowhere but the floor.
“Look at me.” Joel ordered huskily.
She sniffed again for the umpteenth time and raised her head.
Joel let out a small smile and kissed the back of her hand.
That morning when he ended the call with Noah, as the chauffeur drove out of the industry, he thought about how his wife was going to feel when she finds out about Stephanie.
He knew she would be so heartbroken. He had told his chauffeur to turn the car around back to the industry.
***
‘ Knock Knock Knock’
Joel looked up at Emily and smiled. “Those ones knocking are the genuine ones.”
He carried her in bridal style as he stood, and placed her on the chair. “I’ll get the door.”
Emily nodded her head and watched her husband walk to the door.
Joel turned the keys and opened the door.
Immediately they were done with the meeting, Maria and Min Ah trotted out of the hall to Emily’s office to check up on her.
As they rapped softly on the door, they never expected it was the CEO of Empire World that would open it.
Min Ah opened her mouth ajar as she stared at the CEO. She swallowed the lump in her throat and pinched the space between her eyes to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming. She blinked her eyes rapidly as she watched the CEO in awe.
He was clad in deep blue tuxedo and black shoes. He had a gold wristwatch wrapped on his left wrist and his well combed hair was as shinny as ever. His pointed nose and cute pink lips were a kill for. Everything about the man was perfect.
Maria gulped at the sight of the CEO. She was not as surprised as Min Ah since that was not the first she was seeing him from a very close angle but she was shocked he had opened the door to Emily’s office.
She looked up at the door and read the name on the brass plate to be sure that they were at the right place and it read; EMILY MANCHESTER.
They were indeed at the right place. But what exactly was between Emily and the CEO, she wondered.
“Are you both going to continue staring or you are going to come in?” Joel mused, moving away from the doorway.
“Ah… Kaja” Maria dragged Min Ah who was still staring dreamily at Joel into the office while Joel locked the door behind them.
“Emily, are you okay?” Maria asked, settling into one of the visitors’ chairs.
Emily smiled and nodded her head. “Nde.”
Emily gave Maria a grateful look, “thank you so much for always being there for me, unnie.”
“And you too, Min Ah.” She added, looking over at Min Ah whose eyes never left Joel.
Hesitantly, the girl took her eyes off Joel for a second and looked over at Emily, “Huh?”
“Ah… it’s okay.” She replied.
Almost immediately, she returned her gaze back to Joel.
Joel walked over to Emily and stood beside her chair.
“Maria thank you for always looking after my wife, and you too dear.” he spoke, stroking Emily’s hair as he switched his gaze from Maria to Min Ah.
Maria almost couldn’t believe her ears.
Like did the CEO say wife? As in, wife? Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets. So, there was more than a thing going on between Emily and CEO.
Min Ah choked on her spittle as soon as she had digested what the CEO said.
“Wife?” She was forced to asked.
Joel nodded his head. “Yes. I’m specially inviting the both of you to our wedding, it’s in two days time.”
Min Ah gasped. Her boss was getting married to the CEO. She was the personal assistant to the CEO’s wife, how lucky!
Min Ah clapped her hands giddily.
Emily grinned at Min Ah and looked up at her husband.
Joel blew her a kiss and she chuckled, blushing.
“Anyways, I have to leave now.” Joel stated.
“Please, make sure she is not sad.” He added, staring at Maria and Min Ah.
He looked down at Emily and smooched her forehead, “I’ll come pick you up later.”
And with that, the big boss walked out of his wife’s office.
Min Ah and Maria were so surprised at how the CEO displayed his affection for Emily before them.
They only knew the CEO to be a cold man, they didn’t know him to be so caring.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys about Joel and I. It was a secret.” Emily stated, with a look of guilt plastered on her face.
“Ah… Ani. It’s okay. I’m happy for you.” Maria replied, smiling.
“Nde. Congratulations, unnie.” Min Ah added with a grin on her face.
Emily smiled gratefully, “Kumawoyo.”
“It’s almost time for my broadcast, we should get going.” She stated.
Maria nodded her head, “Hmn. Nde.”
“Kaja.” She added, taking a quick glimpse at her wristwatch.
The trio stood up and headed out of the office to the dressing room.
***
Rachel watched from a distance as Stephanie packed her things into a box.
When Emily slapped Stephanie in the presence of everyone in the conference room, she had been extremely shocked. She never expected her naive sister would raise her hand to hit someone.
Then and there did she decide in her mind that she had to do something to get rid of Emily.
Since Stephanie would no longer be in the industry, she would have to continue dealing with Emily from where Stephanie stopped. But she knew she had to do it discreetly.
She smirked and walked down the corridor.