Liam Williams looked at Emma Johnson with a smile, but she didn't see it as a gift from heaven.
She only felt trapped. Although a company was an incredibly tempting condition for the bet, she knew Liam wouldn't make it easy for her to last half a year.
As his personal assistant, he could do whatever he wanted. She was afraid she'd end up a hundred times worse off than her good friend Olivia Davis had been back then.
"Fine, just one week. I'll find a job myself."
Emma decided to let it go. She refused to believe she couldn't even land a job.
"Then it's settled."
Liam's clear, crisp voice slowly confirmed the agreement, sealing it with finality.
The next day, Emma didn't struggle anymore. She obediently followed Liam back to her apartment.
That same day, she started preparing her resume and printing copies. After sending them out online, she went straight to the familiar fashion magazines to apply.
For the first two days, Emma's progress was pretty good. After all, she had a small reputation in the industry, so several companies she visited were willing to take her application. But after three days, the companies called her one after another, making all kinds of excuses. Their words carried only one meaning—rejection.
"Miss Johnson, although all your qualifications meet our magazine's requirements, unfortunately, we've already found a more suitable candidate. So, I'm truly sorry."
When the last rejection call ended, Emma gripped her phone and wanted to throw it across the room.
She guessed Liam must have had a hand in this, but she never imagined his reach could stretch this far.
If she kept looking, she'd only end up as an editor at some third-rate magazine, back to running around in the wind and rain, busy and exhausted.
Liam was despicable.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. With only the last day left, she finally couldn't take it anymore and drove straight to Liam's company.
This time, the secretaries stopped her.
"Madam, the president isn't in the company right now. Please wait here for a moment."
The people in the secretarial department tried to invite her to sit aside and rest. It was obvious they were acting on Liam's orders. Even Emma couldn't enter his office freely anymore.
Emma saw this and let out a cold laugh.
It seemed after the last incident, he'd been on guard against her like this. Did he really think she'd sneak into his office to steal confidential business documents and sell them to his rival company at a high price?
Ridiculous.
Still, she didn't make things difficult for the female secretary in front of her. The woman was just following orders. Emma could still tell what mattered.
Just as Emma was waiting outside Liam's office, Amelia White came back.
"Why are you here again? And when my brother isn't even around."
The question in Amelia's words was obvious. Emma gave her a cold look.
"You think I'm like you? Wishing I could track his every move 24/7? I'm not that sick yet."
"Emma Johnson, what did you say?"
Amelia was irritated by Emma's obvious sarcasm. She didn't realize she'd walked right into the line of fire. Emma was in a bad mood, and seeing Amelia, she wasn't going to be as patient as before.
"You heard me."
"What do I know? In my opinion, you're a shameless woman who not only bosses my brother around every day but also always causes him trouble. I really don't understand what kind of flattery you used to get him to marry you."
Without Liam around, Amelia regained her arrogant demeanor and wasn't polite to Emma at all.
Emma looked at the haughty Amelia and thought she was being completely unreasonable.
"What, nothing to say back? Seems like deep down, you know it's true. Emma Johnson, don't think you can really hold onto the position of president's wife of Pinnacle Corporation. Because you don't deserve it."
Amelia stared at Emma coldly and arrogantly, her eyes like she was looking at an insignificant ant.
Emma suddenly smiled. She stood up, her voice ringing in Amelia's ear.
"Whether or not I can hold onto the position of Mrs. Liam Williams, one thing is for sure—you can never sit in this seat. Because you're destined to be his sister."
Amelia was completely enraged by her words. She raised her hand to slap Emma.
"Who do you think you are? How dare you say that to me?"
Amelia's voice was fierce, her expression vicious. She grabbed Emma's hair, making her scalp ache.
"Let go, you brat!"
Emma was furious too. She grabbed Amelia's carefully styled curly hair without hesitation. Soon, she pulled out a chunk of it.
On the side, the people in the secretarial department were at a loss, not knowing how to break up the fight. They stood frozen, anxious, pleading and praying for the president to come back soon. Otherwise, they didn't know what state his wife and sister would end up in.
It was terrible.
The two women pulled each other's hair, unconsciously moving toward the entrance of the hallway.
Emma was pushed into the corridor by Amelia. She hadn't expected Amelia to be so strong today. She'd been on the defensive the whole time.
Seeing the stairs behind her, but Amelia showing no sign of letting go, Emma realized this wasn't just a fight. Amelia was pushing her hard, and it felt like she wanted to kill her.
How could this woman's heart be so cruel?
The sound of an elevator bell seemed to come from outside the passage door. Amelia had forced her to the edge of the stairs, and she was about to fall.
Suddenly feeling Amelia's strength weaken, Emma quickly turned around and finally got away from the stairway.
"Ah!"
A piercing scream. Amelia, in her Chanel pink suit, rolled down the stairs without warning.
When Liam opened the corridor door, he saw Emma sitting on the stairs, staring at her hands, and Amelia, already unconscious at the bottom of the stairs.
Watching Liam rush down the stairs to pick up Amelia, Emma felt her legs go weak. She couldn't stand up at all.
Did she push Amelia down just now? She didn't remember using her hand to push Amelia. She just wanted to escape from here, to avoid falling herself. But what happened? Instead, Amelia fell?