Emma Johnson figured there was no reason for Liam Williams to keep something like that from her.
Before she could even respond, Olivia Davis's fiery temper had already gotten the best of her.
"Emma, I swear that Scarlett Martinez is eyeing your husband. Let's go check it out."
Olivia didn't wait for Emma to reply. She grabbed Emma's arm and started dragging her toward where Scarlett and Liam were standing. But when they were still about a dozen steps away, Emma pulled Olivia back, stopping her from going any further.
"What's the big deal? They're probably just exchanging pleasantries. You're making such a fuss—what exactly do you expect me to do?"
Emma's words made Olivia pause. She had a point. Maybe Scarlett was just saying hello. Or maybe she had other intentions.
Olivia had seen plenty of gossip magazines featuring stories about entrepreneurs, trust-fund heirs, or sons of powerful families dating female celebrities. More often than not, those stars met their wealthy connections at events just like this charity gala. Landing a rich boss meant instant career advancement and a huge boost in status.
Since becoming Ethan Davis's assistant, Olivia had witnessed countless female artists calling him up on their own initiative.
So calling Emma's husband a prime target wasn't an exaggeration. Even a top star like Scarlett Martinez wanted a piece of him.
"Senior, I never thought I'd get to see you in person again."
The moment Scarlett called him "senior," whispers rippled through the crowd. People wondered if they were old acquaintances. Some gossipy types even speculated about whether the two had shared some romantic memories back in school.
But Liam's reaction surprised everyone. He looked at Scarlett with confusion, then spoke politely but distantly.
"Have we met before, Miss Martinez?"
Scarlett didn't seem shocked by his response, though she couldn't hide her disappointment. She quickly recovered and smiled again.
"Back in high school, I was two years below you. I don't know if you remember, but when your basketball team played against other schools, I was one of the cheerleaders. You once told me I worked hard."
Scarlett remembered that part of her life vividly. That brief contact with Liam had changed everything for her.
Before that, she was just an ordinary girl who loved dancing. But after meeting him, she wanted to get closer to him.
The gap between them was too wide, so she chose to become an actress. She hoped that one day she'd meet him again. Maybe fate would give her a chance to be his girlfriend.
She hadn't expected to hear about his marriage a while back. Scarlett thought maybe she and Liam were never meant to be. But today, running into him again made her feel like fate might still be on her side. So what if he was married? If Liam was truly interested in her...
"Is that so? Unfortunately, I don't remember."
Liam said it casually, then his gaze drifted to Emma, who was standing not far away. Seeing his wife watching them with a gossipy look in her eyes, Liam felt helpless.
He thought to himself, Does this woman even realize I'm her husband? Any other wife would be jealous by now.
So he called Emma over and formally introduced her to Scarlett, making it clear that Emma was his wife.
"So this is your wife, Senior. She's truly beautiful. Mrs. Johnson, I really envy you for marrying someone as outstanding as my senior."
Scarlett's smile was warm and pleasant. Emma shook her hand and caught the faint trace of jealousy in Scarlett's words. She realized this was yet another woman obsessed with Liam—and had been for a long time.
Emma couldn't help thinking that it wasn't just women who caused trouble. If a man was too perfect, he attracted plenty of attention too.
But now wasn't the time to investigate whether Scarlett had feelings for Liam. Focused on the theme for the new issue of the magazine, Emma completely ignored the sourness in Scarlett's tone.
With a bright smile, Emma praised Scarlett from head to toe. Her compliments were varied and never felt forced, making them seem genuine. Even though she had never watched any of Scarlett's TV dramas, Emma had enough material to keep talking for a while. She made it sound like she had followed Scarlett's career from start to finish.
Only Liam knew that Emma preferred watching news and fashion programs over TV dramas. She'd rather read a science book than waste time on a series. In her words, TV dramas took too long and wasted her limited time on earth.
Liam found her reasoning sound, but he also knew there weren't many women like her. Still, he wouldn't expose her in front of others.
This also showed him another side of Emma—one completely different from her usual self.
"So, Miss Martinez, I hope you'll consider being the cover model for our new issue of New York Fashion Magazine. Your temperament perfectly matches our warm autumn theme."
After finishing her compliments, Emma smoothly steered the conversation toward her goal.
"Senior, do you think I'd be a good fit?"
Scarlett didn't answer Emma directly. Instead, she turned to Liam.
Ethan Davis was thoroughly enjoying the drama. He watched the three of them with amusement, his gaze finally landing on Liam, curious about what he would say.
"I wouldn't know. I don't think anyone is more qualified to judge your suitability than my wife."
Liam completely dodged Scarlett's question. Emma rolled her eyes internally. She wanted to invite Scarlett, but this woman was already getting on her nerves.
Asking Liam in front of her—was that a provocation? Did Scarlett think Emma didn't matter?
Just as Emma was about to give up on using Scarlett, the actress agreed.
Either way, the matter was settled.
But Emma had already made up her mind—this would be the only issue featuring Scarlett Martinez.