A month later.
It had been a month since Alex encouraged Emma to follow her dreams and get back to designing.
Thanks to his constant support, Emma was slowly but surely regaining her confidence and sense of self-worth.
Although still private, her designs were as beautiful and elegant as she had claimed. Though she hadn't shared them with the public yet, Alex had been more than eager to show them off, and his praise kept Emma motivated.
She knew that without Alex's encouragement, she might still be struggling to move forward. He had been a steady force in her life, and Emma couldn't help but feel grateful.
As Emma stood in her room and admired some of the latest designs she had worked on, the thought of Alex and everything he had done to help her filled her with warmth.
She smiled as she thought, "I want to do something nice for him today."
Thinking that, she decided to prepare lunch for Alex and surprise him at his office. She knew he worked long hours, so taking lunch to him was her way of showing appreciation for all that he had done.
As she showered and got ready, she carefully selected a white jumpsuit with a gold belt, blue closed-toe heels, and a matching purse. The jewelry Alex had picked out for her on their last shopping trip added the final touch: a gold chain and teardrop earrings.
Emma headed downstairs after doing a light makeup, spraying a little perfume, and making sure the food was packed neatly in a lunchbox. Her heart was lighter than it had been in weeks. She could feel the change in herself, the confidence she'd started to regain.
Alex's driver greeted her and drove her to Ling Corp.
When they arrived at the company, Emma walked through the lobby with a smile as she carried herself with confidence, aware of the eyes following her every move.
Let them look, she thought. She wasn't here for them, and she wasn't going to let them see her weakness either.
She stopped by the receptionist's desk to ask for directions since she didn't exactly know her way around.
"I'm here to see Mr. Sterling," she said with quiet confidence. "Which way to his office?"
The receptionist, smiled at her and pointed her toward the elevators. "The fifth floor."
Emma nodded and thanked her before walking away. On the fifth floor, Emma stepped out, walking with purpose as she headed straight for the secretary's desk.
On the fifth floor, Emma
Since it was her first time in the company, she approached the secretary's desk and asked boldly, "Is Mr Sterling in?"
"Yes. Who are you? Do you have an appointment?" George asked cautiously.
"No. But you can just tell him Emma is here," Emma said, and although he didn't want to do it, George gave her a nod before picking up the telephone to inform Alex about this.
"You can go in, ma'am," George said, wondering who Emma was to Alex and why he sounded surprised and eager to see her at the same time.
Emma nodded in thanks and made her way to Alex's office. She didn't bother knocking. She didn't have to since he already knew she was there.
"So it's really you," Alex said as he watched Emma walk in with a smile.
Emma's face immediately lit up when she saw his raised brows.
"Yes, it's really me. Why do you look so surprised?" She asked, and he shrugged.
"Because I didn't know you were ready to start showing everyone that we're married," he said, and she laughed.
"What exactly are you doing here, Em? Are you okay?" he asked, and Emma raised the bag containing the food she had made.
"I decided to bring lunch for my husband," she said, her voice carrying a warmth she knew he couldn't resist.
Alex smiled, though a part of him wondered why. Why was she doing this? Why was she here, looking so effortlessly beautiful? Was it because of Jake?
"Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you," he managed to say, forcing his attention back to his laptop, pretending to be busy.
Emma noticed his distraction but didn't comment on it. Instead, she gestured toward the chair by his desk. "Can I sit?"
Alex realized he had been lost in his thoughts again. Focus, man. He motioned for her to sit.
"You really didn't have to bring lunch," he said, his tone casual, though his mind was still racing. "There's a cafeteria, you know."
"I know," Emma said with a soft laugh. "But I wanted to; it's just a gesture."
But even as he ate, savoring the delicious food she had made, he couldn't help but steal glances at her. There was something about her today... It could be her confidence; he couldn't really tell.
As he finished his meal, he looked at her, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That was delicious. Thank you, Emma."
"You're welcome," she replied, smiling.
There was a pause for a while as both of them tried to think about something else to say.
"Well, I just came around to give you lunch, and I'm glad you enjoyed it; I would love to be on my way home and leave you to continue your work," Emma said, her hand pointing towards the lunchbox so she could take it home with her.
"That's fine. Thank you so much," Alex said, handing over the lunchbox to her, and she stood up to leave.
"See you when you get back, CEO," Emma said, smiling.
Alex chuckled and said, "Alright, Emma, take care."
As Emma walked out of his office, she felt good about her visit. Her heart felt light, and the brief exchange with Alex had made her feel validated in a way she hadn't expected.
But as she stepped out of the elevator, she came face to face with someone she didn't expect to see—Jake.