Michael, a pleased smile on his face, announced, “Emily Carter, you’re now full-time. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be the new designer in our department.”
“Thank you, Mr. Thompson!” Emily beamed.
“Meeting adjourned,” Michael said, then added, “Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Based on Sophia and Emily Carter’s performances, the company has decided Emily Carter will serve as leader of design team two, overseeing new product development. Former design director Sophia is demoted to team three leader. Let’s give them a round of applause!”
Sophia stood, stunned. “She actually won!”
“What’s there to be proud of?” Sophia scoffed, regaining her composure. “She just slept her way up! First with manager Anderson, got beaten by his wife when caught! Emily Carter, you used your body to reach my level! How dare you act superior? You’re nothing special!”
Emily, calmly, pulled out her phone. “I recorded everything you said. Mr. Thompson hates gossipers. If he sees this, you’ll all be fired.” She looked at Sophia. “Sophia, look at her. Apologize now and I’ll let this slide.” She started a countdown. “Three, two…”
Sophia, seeing the panic in the faces of her gossiping colleagues, swallowed hard. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“You too,” Emily said, looking at the others.
“Sorry,” they muttered.
“What? Speak louder!” Emily demanded.
“I’m sorry!” they all chorused.
“That’s better,” Emily said, putting her phone away.
Michael, observing the scene, then announced, “I’m going to Seattle on business tomorrow. Emily Carter, prepare to accompany me.”
Sophia’s eyes widened. “Mr. Thompson always took Sophia on business trips before! Why take Emily Carter now?!” She stopped Emily in the hallway. “What did you do to make him choose you? Why you instead of me?!”
“Because I’m better than you,” Emily replied, a confident smirk on her face.
“Lies! You slept with Mr. Thompson!” Sophia accused.
“How did you know?” Emily shot back, a dangerous glint in her eyes. “You gave me Mr. Thompson’s location that day! You spiked Mr. Thompson’s drink!”
Sophia’s face went pale. “What nonsense are you talking?! I have acquaintance there! She witnessed it firsthand!”
“What acquaintance?” Emily pressed. “The waiter who locked me in the room?!”
“What waiter?!” Sophia stammered, clearly flustered. “I have no idea what you’re saying! Stop framing me!”
Michael, walking by, overheard the commotion. Emily quickly changed the subject. “Mr. Thompson, the documents for going to Seattle are all prepared.”
“Hmm,” Michael replied, then turned to Alex. “Did you find who drugged you last time?”
“We identified one suspect, but there’s likely… someone behind him,” Alex reported.
Could it be Sophia? Emily thought. She sent me the hotel location. Moreover, she seems aware of what happened.
“Mr. Thompson, your coffee is ready,” Sophia said, appearing with a cup.
Michael took the coffee. “I’ll investigate this matter. Go pack your things first, Emily Carter.”
“Understood,” Emily replied, walking away.
Later, as Emily was leaving the office, a man leered at her. “Hey, gorgeous. Let me show you something special.”
“Pervert!” Emily exclaimed, pushing him away. She quickly called Michael. “There’s a pervert near you! Be careful!”
“I’m coming now!” Michael said, his voice urgent.
The man grabbed Emily. “Sweetheart! Stop her! Don’t let her escape!”
Michael arrived, furious. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
The pervert, seeing Michael’s intimidating presence, immediately backed down. “Do you like her? If you like her, she’s yours to keep. Do whatever you want with her.”
“Stop! Don’t hurt him!” Emily cried, seeing Michael about to lash out.
“Watch out!” Michael pushed her out of the way as the pervert’s accomplice tried to attack.
“Let’s go!” Michael said, grabbing Emily and pulling her away.
The pervert and his accomplice looked at each other. “You just let them escape? We agreed to make money together!”
A new voice, cold and menacing, cut through the air. “I warned you not to touch Michael Thompson. Next time, I’ll end you.”
Back in Michael’s car, he was tending to Emily’s scraped arm. “Does it hurt? Let me blow on it for you.” He gently blew on her arm. “One last time.”
Emily felt a strange flutter in her chest. “I feel much better now. Okay, that’s enough. Uh, thanks for yesterday.”
“You’re my employee,” Michael said, avoiding her gaze. “It’s my duty to protect you.”
“Just an employee?” Emily mumbled, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
Suddenly, Sophia burst into the car. “Mr. Thompson! Emily Carter told me you were attacked! Are you okay?!”
Michael sighed. “If something had happened to me, could I still be standing in front of you?”
“I said you needed bodyguards! You refused!” Sophia huffed. “So eager for alone time with Emily Carter? Having your private moment?”
“Alone time? What nonsense!” Michael snapped.
“Don’t you have feelings for Emily Carter?” Sophia pressed. “You like me!”
Emily, exasperated, interjected, “What do you mean I like you? You were the one who liked me first!”
“When did I ever like you?!” Michael retorted.
“Then why did you tell your grandma that I’m your husband? You even wrote down all my preferences in your little notebook!” Emily countered, pulling out her small notebook. “If this isn’t love, what is?!”
“My grandma misunderstood!” Michael insisted, his face reddening. “Besides, that notebook contains work-related notes only! I note down details for you, Director Anderson, Taylor, and Lee too!”
“Moreover, aren’t you into men?” Emily teased, remembering his earlier declaration.
“That was just an excuse to reject you!” Michael exclaimed.
“Who needs your rejection? Narcissist!” Emily scoffed. “Dare to say you don’t like me?”
“Think whatever you want,” Michael grumbled. “You clearly like me but won’t admit it.”
Alex Johnson, arriving on the scene, shook his head. “Director Thompson, do you like her?”
Michael, caught off guard, stammered, “I… Of course not! I prefer gentle and caring types, not someone who’s loud and chatty all day!”
Alex smirked. “Director Thompson, the reason she likes you is you fell for her first. Therefore, you’re obviously the one crushing on Emily Carter.”
Michael’s eyes widened. “Are you saying… I’m… secretly pining for Emily Carter?! If you dare spill this, you’re dead!”
Just then, Grandma arrived, carrying a basket. “I brought food for both of you! Have some first.” She looked at Emily’s wrist. “Isn’t this the gift Director Thompson asked me to prepare for his wife that day?”
Sophia, seeing the bracelet, snickered. “Is there a problem? My husband gave me this.”
Grandma looked at Sophia’s bracelet with disdain. “Seems your husband isn’t that great. This bracelet looks cheap.”
Emily, seeing Michael’s uncomfortable expression, quickly interjected, “Mr. Thompson, this bracelet is expensive! When you asked me to choose a gift from Adam, this bracelet was an option. Mr. Thompson, you don’t even remember what you gave your wife?”
Michael groaned. “Mm-mm. All men are the same.”
Alex, ever the loyal assistant, tried to steer the conversation. “Hey, what’s wrong with Mr. Thompson?”
“You know exactly why!” Sophia hissed at him. “You know I like Emily Carter, yet you mention gifts from Adam! You’re more trouble than help!”
“But your marriage is a sham, and you’re divorcing soon,” Alex whispered to Sophia.
“But she doesn’t know that!” Sophia retorted. “Should I explain it to her?”
“Stay out of it,” Michael commanded. “I’ll talk to her myself. By the way, her birthday is in two days. Prepare a decent birthday gift. Something better than that trashy bracelet her ex gave.”
“Understood,” Alex replied, then paused.
“Wait,” Michael said, looking at Alex’s choice of glasses. “Never mind. With those ugly glasses, your taste is clearly terrible. I’ll choose it myself.”
The next day at the office, Emily found a beautifully wrapped gift on her desk. “What’s going on here?” she wondered.
Sophia, seeing the gift, approached. “Cut the act! Don’t play dumb! This birthday gift is from Mr. Thompson! She’s just showing off! Some people stole Sophia’s position through shady means, even schemed, to get such expensive gifts from Mr. Thompson! Mr. Thompson’s divorcing his wife must be her doing too!”
Emily, exasperated, grabbed the gift. “Michael Thompson, you’re setting me up! You’re so good at gossip, why not spread it to Mr. Thompson? Let me state again, these are Mr. Thompson’s gifts for his wife, nothing to do with me!”
A colleague scoffed. “Mr. Thompson’s divorcing his wife! Why would he buy her all these gifts?!”
“Exactly!” another agreed. “She’s making excuses out of guilt! Mr. Thompson’s divorcing his wife for her! Soon she’ll be the future Mrs. Thompson of Thompson Enterprises!”
Another colleague, looking at the gift, had a sudden realization. “I have a wild theory! Could it be that Emily Carter is Mr. Thompson’s secret wife?!”
“Impossible! Are you serious? Emily Carter? She’s unworthy!”
Sophia’s mind raced. She remembered Emily’s phone call. This is my husband’s phone. Why do you have it? Because your husband’s in my bed. The voice on the phone sounds just like Emily Carter’s. I sent Mrs. Thompson to catch Emily Carter, but she never showed. If Emily Carter is Mrs. Thompson, everything makes sense. Fine. I’ll test this again. Let me see if you’re really Mrs. Thompson.
Michael approached Emily’s desk. “Mr. Thompson, was the gift on my desk from you?” Emily asked.
“Well, isn’t it better than that tacky bracelet your husband gave you?” Michael teased. “Listen, these gifts were carefully chosen just for you.”
“I don’t want them,” Emily said, pushing them back towards him. “Take them back.”
“Why not? Don’t you like them?” Michael pressed. “If you don’t, I’ll get you new ones.”
“What are you trying to do?” Emily asked, a blush creeping up her face.
Michael leaned in close. “I said I like you. Don’t you feel anything for me? You smell amazing.”
“Stop it!” Emily pulled away. Do I like him? Maybe. But I won’t be the other woman breaking up a family.“You’re married, Mr. Thompson. And I have a husband. We’re not single and available. Let’s keep our distance. As for the gifts… Give them to your wife.”
Later, Michael called his «wife.» “She rejected your gifts? Yeah. Told me to pass them to you.”
His wife, a cold voice on the other end, said, “She’s obviously jealous. Did you tell her we’re fake married?”
“I don’t know how,” Michael admitted. “By the way, if you want those gifts, come to Thompson Enterprises.”
“No need,” his wife replied. “You’ve given me enough already. I can’t accept more. Besides, these are for her.”
Wait. Thompson Enterprises? Emily, who was actually his «wife,» thought, a strange suspicion forming in her mind. What a coincidence. She then received a call from Michael. “What are you sneaking around here for?” he asked, seeing her through his office window.
“Nothing much,” Emily replied, playing it cool.
“What are you up to?” Michael pressed.
“Hi! Just doing what you wanted. Chatting warmly with my wife.” He winked at her through the phone.
“What broken door? Cheapskate!” Emily muttered under her breath.
Suddenly, her phone went dead. “What’s wrong? What happened? Why did you hang up suddenly?” Michael asked from his office.
