"Yes," the housekeeper answered politely. Less than a minute later, Emma's plate was filled to the brim.

The dishes looked amazing and smelled even better, but Emma's appetite had completely vanished. Her mind was a mess, and the food tasted like cardboard. She frowned without even realizing it.

Seeing her like that, Ethan lost interest in eating too. He set down his fork and stared straight at her from across the table.

Sensing the tension, Jacob gave a discreet glance and quietly ushered the other staff out of the dining room.

"Emma, why do you always look so gloomy at home? I mean, didn't you look all smiles last night when you were out?"

Ethan picked up the napkin and casually wiped his fingers, his tone sharp.

"Last night?" Emma blinked, confused at first. Then she noticed the irritation on Ethan's face and finally pieced it together-it was about Michael dropping her off yesterday.

Huh. Was this guy seriously jealous?

She looked up, only to meet his deep, dark eyes.

"It was really late, and I couldn't get a ride near the office. Michael happened to drive by, so he gave me a lift," she said, lowering her head to avoid his gaze, trying to keep her voice steady.

"You had to catch a ride? What about the driver?"

Ethan wasn't buying the whole "coincidentally driving by" story. Guys know how guys think-Michael wouldn't just "drop by" out of nowhere to give her a ride.

"I'm not used to having a driver, okay? And the cars in your garage are all super flashy. I wouldn't be able to pull out without scraping something."

That part Ethan couldn't argue with. He knew she wasn't lying. Back at the Grace family, she almost always went out on her own or hailed a cab.

Time to get her a proper car, he thought.

"Anything else? If not, I'm heading out," Emma said.

"Go ahead," Ethan replied, tossing the napkin onto the table, getting up and trailing behind her toward the door.

Women usually take longer to get dressed, and this time was no exception. By the time Emma slipped on her coat, Ethan had already grabbed his keys and walked out without saying a word.

The sound of the door closing echoed and Emma let out a quiet, bitter laugh to herself.

See? It's not like he actually cares.

No need to kid yourself.

But then, as she reached the front gates, she saw a sleek black-and-gold sports car she recognized all too well.

"Get in."

The window rolled down, revealing Ethan's handsome face.

"Get in?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"I'll give you a ride to work," he said, his voice smooth and calm like always.

Emma didn't argue. She opened the car door and hopped in. After all, a free ride meant she didn't have to hike down the hill to grab a cab. Who'd say no to that?

Once she was in and buckled up, Ethan finally started the car and drove down the hill.

One focused on the road, the other lost in the passing scenery. The whole drive? Dead silent.

When Emma got out of the car at the company entrance, she casually waved to the man inside. She didn't expect a coworker arriving just then to catch the whole thing.

"Emma, you're here!"

As soon as she stepped into the office, an exaggerated greeting hit her ears. She looked up and was immediately surrounded by a few unfamiliar faces.

"What's going on with you guys?"

Their eager looks made her nervous. She clutched her bag a bit tighter and asked.

"Emma, how did you get to work today?"

"I heard from Aria that she saw you stepping out of this black-gold limited edition sports car! In this city, only Ethan from Hunt Group drives something like that!"

"No kidding, Emma! Is Ethan your boyfriend or what? Why didn't you ever mention it?"

...

With all the chatter and wide-eyed curiosity around her, Emma felt her temples throb. She hurriedly raised her hands to stop them from bombarding her with more questions.

"He's just a relative, okay? He was on his way to work too and offered to give me a lift. Don't overthink it. Get back to work."

Her words instantly killed the excitement in the room.

"Aww man, I totally thought he was your boyfriend!"

"Yeah, but even as a relative, still cool! I mean, it's Hunt Group!"

As her coworkers scattered like pigeons, Emma gave a small helpless laugh and made her way to her desk.

Barely had she sat down when her office phone rang. It was Amy calling her to come to the office.

As soon as she stepped inside, Amy told her straight up. "Emma, set aside your other tasks for now. There's a client who specifically asked to work with you."

"Got it."

Since she'd already talked to Michael about this project, Emma didn't ask further. She picked up the basic outline and went back to her desk.

...

Two weeks later. At Daisy Design Company.

Ring-

Right in the middle of sketching a design, Emma answered her phone without thinking.

"Emma? Come to 801."

The call ended right there.

Holding the receiver, Emma blinked in confusion.

801? What's that? She'd never heard of such a place.

She asked a nearby coworker and finally found out that while she was on leave, the company brought in a new supervisor named Helen Flores. She was now handling all major orders.

Not sure what the new boss wanted from her, Emma set aside what she was doing and headed over.

"Ms. Flores, you called for me?"

She knocked on the door lightly before stepping in.

Helen looked up from her screen and glanced over Emma from head to toe. "You're Emma?"

"Yes." Emma nodded, feeling a bit uneasy under the stare.

"This here is your assignment. Finish it in three days." Helen slapped a folder onto the desk in front of her.

"I'm currently working on another design..." Emma tried to stay calm and explained.

"I don't care. This one takes priority. You've got a week. Miss the deadline, and you deal with the consequences."

Without sparing her another glance, Helen went back to her computer.

Hearing Helen's response, Emma could only sigh inwardly and accept the assignment. She picked up the folder and walked out.

Once she returned to her desk and flipped open the folder, her brows slightly furrowed. The order came from Hunt Corporation-it was a design job for their president, Ethan, who would be attending a charity gala next month.

So that's what this was. Helen probably heard some rumors about her supposed connection with Ethan and figured she'd be the perfect person for the job. What a way to take advantage of office gossip.

Design something for Ethan? Emma thought of that man's insufferable attitude and-slightly annoyed-grabbed her pencil and jabbed it twice at his name on the paper.

At the same moment, Ethan, who was listening to a report from his team, unexpectedly sneezed twice. Rubbing his nose in confusion, he muttered, "Weird... Am I getting a cold?"

...

Two hours later.

"Ugh, it's boiling out here..."

It was around lunch rush, crazy traffic, so Emma decided not to hail a cab. Instead, she walked in the blazing 28-degree sun for over an hour, trekking from the west side of the city to the towering Hunt Corporation building downtown.

The second she stepped inside the lobby, a wave of cool air hit her, finally easing the heat that had stuck to her skin like glue.

"Hi, I'm Emma, a designer with Daisy Design Studio. I'm here about the outfit for Mr. Hunt for the charity event next month."

At the front desk, Emma kept her tone polite, but the immaculately dressed receptionist just snorted and gave her a dismissive once-over.

"Daisy Design? Our president usually works with Swiss indie designers. When did we start letting just anyone handle his wardrobe?"

Surrounded daily by employees decked in the latest high-end pieces, the receptionist couldn't help but sneer at Emma's simple T-shirt and jeans. After tossing out her comment, she didn't say another word to Emma.

Emma wasn't in the mood to argue with snobs. Without a word, she slung her bag over her shoulder and headed straight for the elevators.

If she remembered right, Ethan's office was on the top floor. No surprise there-he always did love that "king of the mountain" view.

"Ding-" The elevator doors opened. Emma stepped out, passed an empty desk, and without thinking twice, pushed open the frosted glass doors to the inner office.

What she didn't expect was to walk in on a scene straight out of a soap opera.

Right in front of her was a woman in a tight red dress, half perched on a chair by Ethan's massive desk. Her body was practically draped over his thigh, arms snaking behind his waist, her fingers gently tracing him. Her dress had ridden up, baring a pale, smooth thigh.

Things were clearly about to heat up... until Emma barged in.

At the sound of the door creaking open, the woman looked up, irritation flickering on her heavily made-up face.

"Who the hell are you? Ever heard of knocking?"

She finally managed to sneak into the CEO's office today, thinking she'd get a moment alone with him. Nope. Didn't even get started before someone barged in. Just her luck.

That thought had the woman glaring even harder at Emma.

"Sorry to kill the mood, Ethan," Emma said, tone flat but slightly amused as she took in the scene-Ethan sitting there like nothing happened, and the woman next to him clearly pissed off.

"You seriously think you can talk to him like that? Know you're interrupting? Then get lost!" The woman's attitude exploded when Emma kept ignoring her, throwing daggers with her eyes.

Right then, Ethan finally looked up and dropped a cold, single word: "Leave."

The woman perked up instantly, thinking he had her back. She straightened up, smug all over her face.

"Did you hear that? Mr. Hunt told you to leave!"

Emma let out a dry chuckle, half-laughing at herself as she adjusted her bag and turned to go. But then came his voice again-this time sharper, colder.

"I meant you."

Emma froze mid-step. The woman stared at him, shocked, lips parting like she wanted to say something. But when she met his emotionless gaze, she instantly shrank back.

"S-sorry, Mr. Hunt. I'm leaving now."

She snatched her purse and scurried out like a dog with its tail between its legs.

Once the door shut, Emma shifted her eyes back to him. "I'm the designer assigned to handle your clothing order."

"I know."

Ethan looked at her calmly and stood up, brushing off his suit jacket as he moved closer.

"Why didn't you let me know you were coming? I could've sent someone to pick you up."

Emma placed her bag down and gave a short laugh. "Pick me up? If I'd said I was coming, guess I would've missed quite the show."

Regardless of how close they were or weren't, she was still legally his wife. What he'd done today? It crossed a line.

Unaware of her thoughts, Ethan leaned back against his desk, arms folded over his chest, a faint smirk on his face, speaking lightly. "She sat on my lap. I didn't touch her."

"What does that have to do with me?" Emma replied coolly, though the edge in her expression had softened a bit. She dug into her bag, pulling out sketches, tape, and a notepad, laying everything on the desk.

"Alright, Mr. Hunt. Stand over there, arms out. I need your measurements."

"Sure, no problem." He chuckled faintly at the serious look on her face, then moved to where she pointed.

As he got into position, Emma walked over, business-like and focused. "Arms out. Feet together."

At her request, Ethan spread his arms and stood still, his gaze fixed on Emma with a subtle, teasing smile. She was a whole head shorter than him, looking dead serious about the task.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Emma muttered, a little lost on what the smile meant. She circled around to his back with the measuring tape, jotting down his shoulder width, chest, waist, and leg length. Her fingers inevitably brushed against his body a few times, but she didn't let it bother her - work was work, after all, and she always kept it professional.

"Alright, you're good to put your arms down."

As she scribbled the final numbers in her notebook and turned to leave, Ethan suddenly pulled her into a hug.

"Really? Just gonna throw me aside after using me?"

His low, husky voice brushed against her ear, warm breath grazing her skin and sending a strange shiver through her. Her ears were practically tingling.

"Haven't you already got women around you? Why are you suddenly acting all horny with me?" Emma snapped back, trying to ignore her own fluttering heartbeat.

Ethan's smirk widened as he looked at her sharp tongue. "Yeah, but none of them compare to you. You got real talent."

"You-"

Hearing that, Emma's eyes welled up without warning.

"Ethan, don't you think you're a bit too much..."

She shoved at his chest, trying to escape his arms, but her efforts went nowhere. The strength difference was just too obvious; no matter how hard she tried, he didn't budge.

Seeing her cheeks flush with anger and frustration, something twisted inside Ethan's chest. The words were already out; it was too late to take them back. His gaze landed on her face, soft and pink with emotion, and, almost without thinking, he cupped the back of her head and kissed her deep and hard.

Emma was still fuming, running through ways to ditch him and leave, when suddenly his hand was on her neck, and his lips, warm and familiar, were on hers.

She hated his arrogance, hated the things he said... but as that familiar scent wrapped around her, her body betrayed her. Her resistance melted in a heartbeat.

Outside, the breeze was gentle. Sunlight poured in, warm and still.

...

Two hours later - Ethan's office at Hunt Group, in the private lounge.

Emma quietly got dressed, not saying a word. Her pale neck was scattered with red marks, and her reflection in the mirror showed cheeks a little too rosy. She frowned at herself.

"Don't go back to work this afternoon. I'll drive you home."

Ethan was sprawled half-naked on the bed, looking every bit like a beast who had just eaten well and was now lazily licking his paws.

Emma lifted her head at his words. Her face was calm, expression unreadable.

Ethan stared at her silent reaction, unease creeping in. He thought of Michael giving her a ride home not long ago, and his brows furrowed again.

"You said you didn't like the cars at home, right? I ordered you a new one. From now on, just drive yourself."

While talking, Ethan threw off the blanket and got out of bed. His tanned skin stretched over firm muscles that moved with every step.

"From now on, I don't want to hear about anyone 'happening' to give you a ride home. If they try it again, just tell them to buzz off."

He pulled a fresh shirt from the closet and began buttoning it up with practiced ease, his tone casual, but there was no mistaking the warning in his words.

"...Got it."

Emma sighed quietly. Sure, that double standard was annoying-he could flirt around all he wanted, but the second some guy was nice to her, it was a problem. Still, she'd learned by now there was no point arguing with someone as arrogant as him, so she just gave in.

"Alright, let's go."

Fully dressed, Ethan glanced at his watch-it was already 6:00 PM.

...

After they left the office and got in the car, Emma suddenly remembered she'd left her notebook with the measurements back in the office.

"I need to run back up and grab it."

"No problem. I'll wait here," Ethan replied easily, waving his hand. In a surprisingly good mood, he told the driver to wait while he followed behind her.

"Hey, you again? I told you before, not everyone gets to meet Mr. Hunt! I can't believe you snuck up earlier, and now you're back?"

Because Emma had gone down to the garage with Ethan directly, the receptionist hadn't seen her earlier and was now giving her attitude again. Dressed plainly, she didn't exactly look like someone important in the sleek building.

"I..."

Before Emma could say anything, Ethan, who had followed closely behind, already guessed what had just happened.

"She's my wife. And you-you're fired."

With one arm around Emma's waist, Ethan shot the words at the receptionist without even looking at her again.

"Mr... Mr. Hunt?"

The receptionist, all smug just seconds ago, instantly switched faces when she saw Ethan. And when his words sunk in, her expression turned ghostly.

"Y-Your wife? I-I didn't know she was..."

She stammered out an apology, face flushing as she mentally cursed Emma to hell. Dressed like that, who'd ever think she was the president's wife?

"Save it. Tell your manager to find someone who actually knows how to treat people. This kind of attitude? Totally not what Hunt Corporation needs."

Without glancing back to see her reaction-or the nosy stares around the lobby-Ethan kept an arm lightly around Emma as they walked away.

"Was that a little over the top...?" Emma asked hesitantly once they stepped into the elevator.

"What's over the top about holding people accountable? If everyone at our company had her mindset, Hunt Corporation wouldn't even exist today."

Still holding her close, Ethan's fingers lazily brushed the fabric at her waist, his voice calm and steady.

"Alright then."

Emma didn't continue arguing. She knew she had no say in running a company compared to Ethan. Business wasn't her field at all.

But even so, watching him step in and speak up like that... she couldn't help but feel a little vindicated.