Emma Johnson never claimed to be a saint. The best she could do was pretend nothing had happened. That was already her greatest concession and patience.
That evening, Emma called Isabella Miller. Without consulting her agent, Isabella agreed immediately. Emma figured it was because Isabella still felt indebted for the favor she'd done before, which was why she didn't even bring up payment this time.
The next morning, Isabella arrived at Emma's company. They sat in the conference room, ironing out the details for the event.
"Cousin, you decide everything. I don't have any preferences anyway," Isabella said cheerfully.
The negotiation went smoothly. After a little over an hour, Isabella wrapped things up and left with a quick goodbye.
Instead of heading back to her agency, Isabella drove straight to Amelia White's café.
"Miss White," Isabella said, stepping inside and removing her sunglasses.
It was the first time the new barista had seen Isabella in person. He hadn't expected her to be even more stunning than on screen. For a moment, he just stared, completely forgetting to wipe down the counter.
Isabella noticed, of course, and felt a flicker of disdain. But to maintain her polished image, she greeted him warmly. The barista's face lit up with pure delight.
"You're here. It's been a while," Amelia said, descending from upstairs with a smile. She acted so familiar that anyone watching would think they were close friends.
"I had some business to discuss with Pinnacle Corporation today. On my way out, I thought I'd stop by for a coffee. Yours is always the best," Isabella replied, smiling back.
Amelia ordered the staff to bring Isabella's favorite coffee, and the two women settled into a quiet corner.
"So, what's the occasion? What made you visit my brother's company?" Amelia asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"It's almost the end of the year. Pinnacle Corporation is hosting their annual gala, and they invited me. It should be quite lively," Isabella said.
The barista served the coffee promptly. Isabella picked up a sugar cube, dropped it into her cup, and stirred slowly with a delicate spoon, not drinking right away.
"Sounds like this year's event will be quite grand," Amelia remarked.
"Probably because my cousin is hosting it this year. You know she used to work at a fashion magazine, so naturally, she thought of inviting celebrities to make it more exciting."
"Even I'm curious now," Amelia said, resting her chin on her interlaced hands, her almond-shaped eyes gleaming with interest.
"Really? If Miss White came, that would be wonderful," Isabella said, taking a sip of her coffee. The two women exchanged a knowing smile.
The day of the year-end gala finally arrived. Snowflakes drifted through the sky. Liam Williams worried Emma would freeze, so before she left, he coaxed and practically forced her into a puffy down jacket. Emma found it ridiculous. She was taking a car to the venue, and once inside, the heating would be more than sufficient. Her usual autumn coat would have been fine, but Liam wouldn't hear of it. Emma felt like she was being treated like a child again.
Watching her usually cold older brother fuss over Emma, Amelia couldn't hide her displeasure. After a month of recovery, she no longer looked so frail and pitiful. But even so, she felt her brother should be taking care of her. Instead, his eyes were only for a woman like Emma.
Henry Williams noticed Amelia's expression and quietly urged her to behave. Frustrated, Amelia forced a smile and nodded at her father.
At the banquet hall, everyone had changed into their formal attire and gathered one by one. The hall quickly came alive. The host was already on stage, following the event schedule with cue cards in hand. With Liam present this year, the employees were buzzing with excitement. It showed that the president truly valued his staff.
Isabella had already arrived. She grabbed two cocktails and went over to chat with Amelia.
Tonight, Isabella wore a wine-red evening gown with matching crimson lips. She looked elegant and untouchable. Countless male employees were thrilled just to see her, but only the managers had the courage to approach and strike up a conversation.
Emma watched as several young talents from the company surrounded Isabella. She felt a sense of relief. After all, Noah Taylor was gone. Isabella couldn't live in the shadow of the past forever.
These young managers at Liam's company were all graduates of world-renowned universities. They were well-educated, high-quality men. A few of them were even handsome enough to be worthy of Isabella. If she happened to like one of them, that would be perfect.
Amelia, too, was surrounded by several outstanding men. But perhaps because her status was too intimidating, few had the confidence to truly hit on her. Although Amelia appeared sweet and approachable, Liam was still present. Who would dare to be too obvious under the president's watchful eye? Besides, Amelia had worked at the company before, and her capabilities were well-known. Her standards were clearly high, and the chances of winning her over were slim.
Emma watched Amelia, so effortlessly charming with everyone, and her eyes darkened slightly. Finally, she turned away and headed toward the stage, where the popular boy band Nova Star was performing their cool dance routine. That was far more entertaining than watching Amelia.
The dance officially began. Emma wanted to slip away and find a seat while everyone else was dancing. But Liam extended his hand to her, his handsome eyes warm as spring water.
"May I have this dance, my lady?" His voice, deep and magnetic, rang in Emma's ears.
Looking at the gentle smile in his eyes, Emma didn't know why, but her hand, which had been about to refuse, fell into his palm instead.
As if by unspoken agreement, the crowd parted for them. By the time Emma came to her senses, she and Liam were already in the center of the dance floor.
"My dancing is pretty average. What if I embarrass you? Let's just dance for a bit and then stop," Emma whispered awkwardly into Liam's ear.
Liam just smiled. "Alright, just follow my lead."