Chapter 9: Power Plays and Persuasions

Jason glanced at the red LED indicator outside his boss's office and then at the "Do Not Disturb" light on the CEO's direct line. He felt utterly uneasy.

Throughout the day, both the Marketing Director and the PR Manager had stopped by, but Jason had to tell them that Chairman Harrison was currently unavailable.

"Does he have a visitor?" the manager asked, pointing to the closed office door.

Jason hesitated. "Does the Mrs. count as a visitor?"

After all, Chairman Harrison had been "entertaining" his guest from afternoon until well into the evening.

As he sent the manager on their way, Jason had a strange thought—he felt like one of those eunuchs in palace dramas who stand guard outside while the emperor spends time with a favored concubine...

The thought startled Jason so much that he shook his head to banish it.

Suddenly, the phone on his desk rang, and Ethan's voice came through, low and rough: "You can go home now."

Jason practically bolted out of the office.

---

Inside, the office was a mess—papers and clothing scattered across the sofa and coffee table.

Emily was draped over Ethan's shoulder, utterly drained, her body slowly sliding downward.

Ethan reached out to catch her, and the mere touch made Emily shiver as if still reeling from the aftermath.

It took her a while to recover. When she finally fluttered her long lashes open, her eyes landed on Ethan's meticulously toned body, marked with evidence of her mixed emotions—some out of revenge, others out of sheer helplessness.

Looking down at herself, she saw Ethan's handiwork—he had been even more intense this time.

Ethan had been relentless, stronger and more determined than before. At first, Emily found some satisfaction, but it wasn't long before she was in tears, overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. She recalled a conversation she once had with Jessica about whether certain things could cause "physiological tears."

Emily had just confirmed that, yes, they could.

Crying and trembling like a helpless kitten, she had shaken her head at Ethan, her voice laced with a plea, "I can't take it anymore…"

Ethan, his deep-set eyes rimmed with red, leaned close to her ear, his voice hoarse, "Didn't you once ask me to beg you? Hmm?"

"Well, I'm asking you now."

Remembering that moment made Emily blush with embarrassment and frustration. She didn't want to cling to Ethan like a koala anymore. With a weak push of her slender arms, she tried to get up.

But the moment her feet touched the ground, her legs gave out, leaving her unable to stand.

Ethan's strong arms were there in an instant, wrapping around her and pulling her back onto his lap. He looked down at her flushed, radiant face for a moment before chuckling softly.

His laugh, full of smugness, made it clear how proud he was of his prowess.

Emily blushed even more, her face and ears burning. Like a petulant girl, she balled her fist and playfully punched Ethan's broad shoulder before struggling to get off him.

Ethan didn't stop her, relaxing his arms and letting her go. He leaned back against the sofa, his long neck stretched out, the prominent Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed lazily, his expression a mix of contentment and indolence that was oddly captivating.

Ethan's eyes followed Emily as she turned away to pick up her clothes from the coffee table. Her hair was a mess, her dress rumpled and creased, yet even so, as she slipped on each piece of clothing, her movements retained a graceful allure.

Her slender, pale back, with its delicate, sensual spine, was accentuated by the act of dressing, creating a subtly enticing image.

Ethan's eyes blinked slowly, his dark gaze deepening.

When Emily turned back around, she caught Ethan staring at her with that intense look. She awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tilting her chin slightly upward, "Don't be late for the cover shoot on Friday!"

Her tone was haughty, her command clear, as if daring him to flake on the agreement.

Chairman Harrison was unaccustomed to being ordered around, but he couldn't help a slight upward twitch of his lips.

So, it was really just about the cover shoot.

Instead of answering directly, he asked, "Are you the photographer?"

Emily gave a light "Mm," and then, as if uncertain, asked again, "You are coming, right?"

Ethan was buttoning his shirt, giving nothing away, when he suddenly handed her his tie.

Emily paused, looking between the tie and the man holding it. "What are you doing? I don't know how to tie a tie."

"Yes, you do," Ethan said, his eyes locking onto hers. "You tie them very well."

After they got married, whenever Ethan stayed overnight at home, Emily would eagerly tie his tie for him the next morning. She wasn't good at it at first, making a mess of it, but after some practice, she became quite skilled, tying the knot quickly and neatly.

Since she moved out, Ethan found tying his own tie in the mornings oddly uncomfortable.

Now, with her right there, he instinctively handed it to her.

Emily took the tie without much thought. Ethan then gently guided her hands, pulling the tie around his neck.

As her fingers moved, muscle memory kicked in, and she effortlessly tied a perfect knot.

Even Emily was a bit surprised by her own actions.

When she looked up and met Ethan's deep gaze, it felt like she had touched something hot. She quickly let go, her face heating up once more.

"Are you coming on Friday or not?" Emily asked, a bit too abruptly, trying to change the subject.

Ethan shifted his gaze away, his tone casual, "We'll see."

Emily: "???"

Emily's eyes narrowed, sensing something off, "What do you mean 'we'll see'?"

Ethan slipped his hands into his pockets, a slight smirk playing on his lips, "Exactly what it sounds like."

Emily: "…"

Her small chin clenched, and her temples visibly throbbed.

She closed her eyes for a moment before snapping them open, clearly fed up. She grabbed his tie and yanked it tight, "I'll strangle you!"

Ethan!

---

"He really won't give you a break, huh? This is a disaster…" Jessica lamented after hearing about Emily's failed attempt to pull some strings. She alternated between cursing all men as dogs and shaking her head at the ruthless nature of capitalists.

Emily slumped, her mouth set in a downturned line.

She didn't tell Jessica what had happened when she went to see Ethan that day.

Honestly, it was too humiliating.

She had spent so much time trying to psych herself up, telling herself that, legally speaking, Ethan was still her husband, so she should just think of it as marital relations—no big deal. Ethan had the looks, the body, and the skills; at worst, she could pretend she'd hired a very expensive escort!

But no matter how she tried to spin it, Emily couldn't shake the feeling that she'd been duped and used.

And worse, during their time together, she had ended up saying some embarrassing things in the heat of the moment—she might have even begged him…

Just thinking about it made Emily want to curl up and die.

As she mentally vowed revenge, Jessica's assistant suddenly burst into the room.

"He's here! Ms. Qin, he's here, he's here!"

Jessica was confused, "Who's here?"

"Chairman Harrison of Creston Media—the richest man in the country!"

Emily and Jessica froze, exchanging stunned looks before they spotted a group of people coming down the hallway through the glass.

Dressed in tailored suits, they were a stark contrast to the studio's stylish atmosphere.

Ethan led the group, his height and presence making him stand out the most. Ignoring the curious stares from those around him, he marched straight towards the editor's office, passing Emily without so much as a glance, as if she were invisible.

"Why is he here?" Jessica asked Emily, "Didn't you say he wasn't coming?"

Emily watched his sharp profile as he walked by and let out a slow, drawn-out sigh.

"I convinced him," she said.

"Huh?" Jessica didn't get it. "How did you convince him?"

Emily's expression was hard to read.

"I convinced him… with my body."