As Brian and Emily walked through the rooftop sculpture garden, they were admiring the beautiful artwork on display. The cool evening air was filled with the sound of soft jazz music and the hum of conversation from the other guests.
Just as they were about to move on to the next exhibit, Sophia appeared out of nowhere, a bright smile plastered on her face. "Brian, darling! I see you're still stuck in the art world," she said, her voice dripping with condescension.
Brian's eyes narrowed slightly, but before he could respond, Sophia's gaze landed on Emily. "And who's this? Your new...assistant?" Sophia asked, her tone implying that Emily was something more.
Brian's eyes flashed with annoyance, but before Sophia could say another word, Emily smiled sweetly and slipped her hand into Brian's. "Actually, I'm Brian's girlfriend," she said, her voice confident and assured.
Brian's eyes widened in surprise, but then a slow smile spread across his face. He looked pleased, even relieved.
Sophia's eyes narrowed, her face falling. "Oh, really?" she spat, her voice venomous.
But before Sophia could say anything else, her boyfriend spoke up. "Wait a minute, isn't she...?" He trailed off, a sneer on his face. "Isn't she your secretary?"
Brian's eyes flashed with annoyance, and he could tell they both wanted to mock him, He slipped his arm around Emily's tiny waist, pulling her close. "Yes, she is," he said, his voice low and smooth. "As my mother would say, it's a classic case of office romance."
Sophia's face turned bright red with anger and jealousy. "Well, isn't that just...perfect," she spat, before turning on her heel and storming off.
Brian watched her go as her boyfriend ran after her, a satisfied smile on his face. "Well, that was fun," he said, turning to Emily.
Emily laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I think you enjoyed that a bit too much," she teased.
Brian chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Maybe just a little," he admitted.
As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Brian realized that he was having more fun than he'd had in years. And it was all thanks to Emily.
As the night continued, Brian and Emily mingled with the other guest they eventually got together again chatting and laughing and getting to know each other better.
As the evening wore on, Brian's mother, Mrs. Derby, took the stage to give a speech about the art gallery. She praised her daughter Anne for her hard work and dedication to the gallery, and the crowd applauded politely.
But then, Mrs. Derby's expression turned sly, and she raised her glass. "And now, I'd like to make a toast to my son, Brian, and his lovely girlfriend, Emily," she said, her voice dripping with excitement.
The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Brian and Emily. Cameras flashed as the paparazzi scrambled to get a shot of the elusive Mr. Brian and his new girlfriend.
Brian's face turned bright red with surprise, but Emily just smiled and waved, looking like a pro. Anne, on the other hand, wore a smiling face.
Sophia, who was standing across the room, looked like she was about to spit venom. Her eyes narrowed, and her face twisted with bitterness.
Mrs. Derby beamed with pride, clearly thrilled to have finally found a woman who could tame her son's wandering heart. But as Sophia looked around the room, she couldn't help but notice the shocked expressions on everyone's faces.
How could no one have known about Brian's relationship with Emily? Sophia wondered. Was Brian really serious about this young woman, or was he just pretending to be in a relationship to get his mother off his back?
As the crowd began to murmur and speculate, Sophia's eyes locked onto Brian's, searching for answers. But Brian just smiled and raised his glass, looking like the cat who had just swallowed the canary.
Sophia couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness. She had been Brian's girlfriend for years, and he had never publicly acknowledged their relationship like this. It seemed like he was trying to make a point, to show her that he had moved on.
But Sophia wasn't convinced. She knew Brian too well, knew that he was a master manipulator. She wondered if he was just using Emily to get back at her, to make her jealous.
As the evening wore on, Sophia couldn't help but keep a close eye on Brian and Emily. She watched as they laughed and chatted, as they posed for photos together. But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.
Meanwhile, Brian and Emily were having the time of their lives. They were laughing and joking, enjoying each other's company. Brian was surprised by how natural it felt to have Emily by his side, how easy it was to pretend that they were really in a relationship.
As the evening drew to a close, Brian walked Emily to the car, his arm still wrapped around her waist. "Thanks for tonight," he said, smiling down at her. "I had a great time."
Emily smiled back up at him, her eyes sparkling. "I had a great time too," she said. "Although I have to say, I'm a little surprised by how things turned out."
Brian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? How's that?"
Emily's smile grew wider. "Well, I didn't expect to be pretending to be your girlfriend, for one thing."
Brian chuckled, feeling a little sheepish. "I'm sorry about that," he said. "I guess I just didn't want Sophia to think she could get under my skin."
Emily's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Well, I think it's safe to say that you definitely got under her skin instead."
Brian grinned, feeling a sense of satisfaction. "Yeah, I guess I did all thanks to you."
As they reached the car, Brian opened the door for Emily and helped her in. As she settled into the seat, he leaned in and smiled at her. "Thanks again for tonight," he said. "I owe you one."
Emily smiled back up at him, her eyes sparkling. "You don't owe me anything," she said. "But I do have one question for you."
Brian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's that?"
Emily's smile grew wider. "Are you going to keep pretending that I'm your girlfriend? i mean your mom just made a public announcement."
Brian's heart skipped a beat as he looked at her. He hadn't thought about it, but now that she mentioned it, he realized that he didn't want to stop pretending. He wanted to keep spending time with Emily, to keep getting to know her better.
He smiled down at her, feeling a sense of excitement. "I think I'd like that," he said. "Would you be okay with that?" he asked.
Emily's eyes sparkled with amusement, and she nodded. "I think I'd like that too," she said.
As Brian closed the car door and walked around to the other side, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. He had no idea what the future held, but he knew that he wanted to spend more time with Emily. And as he got into the car and started the engine, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen next.