Chapter 20: An Unwelcome Guest
Chapter 20: An Unwelcome Guest
The car window rattled twice, and just from the sound, Ethan could sense the fury of the person knocking.
He remained calm, glancing at the door before unlocking it.
Emily yanked the car door open and slammed it shut behind her.
"Is this amusing to you?" she cut straight to the point, her tone sharp, "Creating a scene at someone's birthday party—what's the point?"
Her anger was evident; her almond eyes were wide, her brows furrowed, and her lips pressed into a tight line. Her expressions of rage and displeasure were vivid, her beautiful face stunningly expressive.
Even when a beautiful woman is angry, it's captivating, so Ethan wasn't too bothered by her temper. Previously, when she was furious and hit or bit him, Ethan simply endured, even bracing his shoulders to act as a human cushion.
But—
When she adopted a protective stance, fiercely defending another man while berating him, Ethan started feeling uneasy.
Jealousy flared, reducing his patience and tolerance. His voice was cold and indifferent as he responded, "Creston Media just acquired TrueArt Media. As the owner, I was invited to my company's artist's birthday party. Is there a problem with that?"
Emily, seeing the man's unapologetic demeanor, let out a scornful laugh.
Ethan was not just thick-skinned; he was shameless.
Ethan's gaze dropped to his attire, evaluating Emily's appearance. Her taste was usually impeccable, preferring high-end brands, but today was different. Her dress was significantly shorter than usual, revealing her long, white legs. The T-shirt she wore was cheap and poorly made, fitting too snugly, with Ryan's name printed on it.
It hardly seemed like something a married woman would wear.
Ethan even found himself unpleasantly imagining: if she had worn that outfit on stage, she might have looked more in sync with that popular young star...
His lips tightened, and he muttered, "And you, in that outfit, do you think it's appropriate for a live broadcast with millions of viewers?"
Emily looked down instinctively but saw nothing wrong. It was just a fan support outfit for the birthday party, something everyone there was wearing.
She was vibrant and beautiful in her support, the most striking fairy among the guests, and the cameras followed her closely.
How dare Ethan criticize her?
Emily sneered, "Sorry, Chairman Harrison, but I was also invited to the birthday party. As a guest, I'm here to support, not steal the spotlight. What's the problem?"
"Oh?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, "You seem to be very good at being a guest and a fan."
Without warning, he leaned in closer to her, his nose almost touching her eyelashes. His deep, handsome features seemed magnified as he drew near. The car was filled with the scent of fir trees, and his proximity brought with it a faint hint of tobacco, creating a disorienting effect.
Emily's spine tingled a bit. She stared at him, instinctively holding her breath.
The atmosphere in the car was strange and intimate.
"I don't know," Emily replied slowly.
She blinked her long lashes, her previously angry expression replaced with innocence, her voice softening considerably.
She looked at him, her lips curving into a smile, "Chairman Harrison, didn't you say I was disobedient?"
Ethan was momentarily stunned.
He stared at her, his eyes darkening, his throat bobbing several times.
Emily's smile grew sweeter, her eyes mischievous.
She lifted a delicate hand, gently resting it on his jaw.
Ethan tensed, his throat moving more vigorously.
He looked down at her hand on his jaw, the touch making him freeze.
He felt a mix of irritation and an odd sense of longing.
Emily moved her hand closer, drawing their faces even nearer, her smile tender and sweet.
"I'm actually very obedient!"
Before Ethan could react, she forcefully pushed his jaw away.
His face was turned to the side, and it took him a while to turn back.
"Ethan, get it straight!" The sweet, innocent demeanor vanished, replaced by fierce anger. "We're getting divorced. I'm no longer your wife, so you have no right to boss me around!"
Ethan's face remained turned, his jaw clenched. His eyes were closed momentarily, then he turned to face her.
"I've said it before, I'm not getting a divorce," he said calmly, though his dark eyes concealed his emotions.
"Whether or not we get divorced is not up to you alone," Emily shot back, "I've made it clear; I won't accept a loveless marriage."
Ethan smirked, one corner of his mouth lifting, "You used to say the same thing."
He paused, his eyes darkening, "Do you think I still believe that?"
Emily: "?"
Seeing her bewildered expression, Ethan's smile grew more sardonic. "Don't remember? It's okay."
"All you need to know," he said, lifting a slender finger to her chest, "Ma Cherie, you and I are the same—heartless."
He once thought she was an exception.
He once believed they would be an exception.
But it turned out, people from families like theirs never truly had a heart…
Emily stared at Ethan's dark eyes. She couldn't recall, but his expression felt strangely familiar. The sense of oppression and sadness rising within her was familiar too.
Emily pushed his hand away. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. It's a waste of breath."
Ethan chuckled lightly, "You have nothing to say."
"I'm too lazy to bother with you! You're acting like a petty school kid, and I'm not going to play your word games!" Emily grabbed the door handle and had a thought.
She tapped a few times on the touchscreen panel in front of her.
"Thanks for choosing a song for me earlier, Chairman Harrison. As a return gesture, I've chosen a song for you," Emily said, patting Ethan's shoulder with a fake smile. "Enjoy the song and have a good night. Goodnight!"
The car door opened and was slammed shut behind her.
Emily walked away briskly, and Ethan watched the empty seat beside him, blinking slowly. He then reached out, gently touching his chin as if savoring the moment.
Meanwhile, the surround sound system in the car played:
"...What kind of man are you
What kind of man are you
Watching her walk away without a word
How naive, just stop pretending..."
Ethan: "..."
"What kind of man are you
What kind of man are you
Still loving her but too scared to ask her to wait
It doesn't matter, you keep pretending
She'll meet a better man..."
Ethan frowned, "What's the name of this song?"
Jason was speechless, "Uh…"
Ethan's voice grew stern, "Speak."
Jason: "It's 'What Kind of Man'…"
Ethan: "...Turn it off!"
"Understood, Chairman Harrison!"
The music abruptly stopped, and the car fell silent.
The driver and assistant in the front seat felt the low pressure in the back and didn't dare make a sound.
After a long silence—
Ethan: "What does 'elementary school kid' mean?"
**
Emily returned to the birthday party.
The stage segment had ended. Ryan was still on stage chatting with fans, taking photos, and cutting the cake. Since he had specifically invited her, Emily thought it would be rude to leave without greeting him, so she decided to wait until Ryan came down.
She went backstage where, besides the staff, a few industry guests were present. It seemed that everyone had the same idea.
The guests had changed out of the birthday support outfits. Emily looked at her own clothes and recalled Ethan's disdainful comments about her attire. Pouting, she headed toward the dressing room.
"...Ah, she's back again? Didn't she just leave?"
Emily paused her knocking. Her innate curiosity and experience with gossip told her there was something juicy inside, and it was about her.
"I saw her come back," another girl said with a scoff, "She's taking the chance to get close to our senior."
Emily rolled her eyes.
Getting close to Ryan? Wasn't that what those new trainees, who were constantly with him, were doing?
It was a shame they were so inept.
"Everyone who came today is from partner companies and investors, so why is she here? She's just a photographer, yet she's sitting in the front row and standing out!"
"She's standing out because she wants to. Our senior's birthday party always attracts attention, and she's a marketing genius, so how could she miss the chance to ride the wave of popularity?"
"Ha, I've never seen anything like this. Our senior is unlucky to work with her; she sticks around after just one cover shoot. Look at how many times she's been in the news. Online hype makes her out to be a star photographer. If she wants to be famous, she should just become a celebrity instead of pretending to be a photographer!"