"Just one more. The very last one."
Emma Johnson's tear-filled eyes looked up at Liam Williams, clear and innocent like a kitten's. A flash of heat flickered in Liam's gaze.
"Alright. Just one more."
Emma thought it had taken her three or four tries just to get a single strawberry from him. She finally popped the fruit into her mouth and took a bite. Liam watched her, then asked slowly.
"Is it good?"
She nodded.
"Really? Then let me try."
Emma thought, if you want one, just take one from the plate. Why are you asking me? The next moment, she froze.
Liam didn't reach for the strawberries in the fruit bowl. Instead, he pressed his lips to hers, slipped his tongue inside, and soon tangled it with hers. He stole the half-eaten strawberry right from her mouth.
The sweet and sour juice of the berry mixed between them. Emma's eyes flew wide open, unblinking. Her mind went completely blank.
When Liam finally pulled back, Emma stared at his lips—they were stained a deep red. His dark eyes were like a deep pool, impossible to see through, yet she felt herself sinking deeper into them.
"Delicious. Very delicious."
Liam's voice was like aged wine, intoxicating Emma completely. She felt like something was wrong with her. Her resistance seemed to be getting weaker and weaker. It was becoming harder to resist him. That was a dangerous sign.
Emma sensed the threat but had no idea how to deal with it.
Facing a man like this every day, while trying not to fall under his spell—Emma thought this was a huge problem in her life. She would rather Liam treat her coldly like before. At least then she felt more at ease.
Emma stood up abruptly, her cheeks slightly flushed. She didn't know how to face him, so she quickly retreated into the bedroom to rest.
Liam watched her go with a smile. He picked up a strawberry from the fruit plate and put it into his mouth. After swallowing, he decided it wasn't as good as the one he'd just tasted.
The smile at the corner of his lips deepened. A strange light flickered in his eyes.
Three days later, the winter fashion conference finally arrived. Emma had been busy at the Metropolitan Convention Center since early morning. She personally checked every detail, allowing no room for error.
Isabella Miller had arrived early and spent over an hour in the dressing room preparing her makeup. The Aurora Band had flown into the city the day before. Emma had personally picked them up at the airport and booked them into a top five-star hotel. VIP treatment all the way. She wanted them to perform at their best during today's show.
It could be said that more than half of the country's top stars had been invited to this conference. Many celebrities and high-society dignitaries were also in attendance. This made Emma nervous from the very start of the morning, terrified that something might go wrong.
But some things just don't go the way you want. The more Emma wanted everything to be perfect, the more something slipped through the cracks when she wasn't paying attention.
Thirty million dollars worth of jewelry had disappeared from a locked room. Security guards had been posted outside the door. How could it have been stolen?
Emma stared at the empty jewelry rack. Thinking about the thirty million dollars' worth of jewelry that had vanished into thin air, she felt a wave of panic. She questioned the relevant staff carefully, but still couldn't find it.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Emma's anxious face, Liam couldn't help but ask.
"Liam, I wasn't paying attention. The thirty million dollars' worth of borrowed jewelry is gone."
Emma looked at him. She didn't want to admit it to him, but she had no choice. This was no small matter. She couldn't hide it even if she wanted to. Besides, in just over an hour, Isabella was supposed to walk the runway wearing that very set.
"Don't worry. I'll have my people search again."
"But if we can't find it, Isabella won't be able to walk the show with the jewelry."
Emma was truly panicked. She felt like she wanted to bang her head against the wall. If she had known the jewelry would be lost today, she would have kept it under her nose. She would never have let it out of her sight.
"I'll have another set brought in. Use that for now."
Compared to Emma, Liam's reaction was much calmer and more composed. In fact, today's press conference had gone much better than he had expected. Losing the jewelry was just an accident. He didn't think it was Emma's fault.
"But I have to find it. It's worth thirty million dollars."
Emma solved one problem, but then started worrying about how to return the set to Celestial Gems. After all, she didn't have that much money to pay back. Even if she sold herself, she wouldn't be worth thirty million.
"Don't worry about that. Go do your work."
Liam's words soothed Emma's anxious heart for a moment. She thought, no matter what, she had to make the conference a success first.
Except for the jewelry incident, everything else went very smoothly. It showed Emma's capability. Those who had secretly criticized Emma before began to think that she was a woman with some real ability.
After all, there were plenty of beautiful women vying for Liam's attention. Since he had chosen Emma, it must mean she was more than just a pretty face.
"Sister Wei, you were amazing just now. The reporters didn't even interview the big stars. They all came to interview you instead. Why didn't you let them ask you more questions? You only said a few words and left too early."
Emilia Clark was wearing a pink one-shoulder dress and a pair of peach blossom makeup, making her look delicate and lively. She had completely recovered from her sickly appearance just a few minutes earlier.
Emma, on the other hand, was wearing a light purple strapless floor-length gown, which made her look elegant and mysterious. There was a certain charm in her every move.
"Don't forget, today's protagonists are the big stars. They're the ones who can really promote Milan Fashion House. Besides, I don't like being surrounded by so many journalists."
Maybe the scandals from before had made her resent the media's conflicting attitudes. So this time, even though the reporters were rarely friendly, she still couldn't adapt.
However, she had answered some questions politely and simply. At least she couldn't let others think that Mrs. Williams was arrogant. A kind and agreeable attitude was essential for a wealthy wife.
It was also a weight for the Pinnacle Corporation. During the one-year contract period, after several months of working with Liam, Emma had finally begun to gradually integrate into the role of his wife.