The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

The coffee had gone too cold to drink; she hadn't even taken a sip. If it weren't for her moral compass, she would've loved to throw it in Hayden's face. Every time this affair about that old man came up, Hayden would lose it. If only Emily had listened to him back then, none of this mess would have happened. Sophia might've already married Michael, and the company's crisis would be ancient history.

"Emily, $400,000 is the max. Don't even think about asking for more," Hayden growled, his face dark.

"Don't forget, you're the one begging me now. $400,000? Do you even know the assets of Smith Corporation? I'm giving up the position of the Smith Family's hostess for your measly offer?" Emily shot back, her eyes cold. "What do you want? What will it take for you to divorce Michael?" Hayden was practically shaking with anger.Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.

"You want me to divorce? Fine, hand over the Brown Corporation," Emily leaned back, arms crossed, glaring at him. "Impossible." Hayden hadn't expected that. Everything he did was for the Brown Corporation. Giving it to her? No way.

Emily's eyes were full of mockery. "Hayden, I think you've been Mr. Brown for so long that you've forgotten what the Brown Corporation used to be called. Need a reminder? You, a thief, stole the Taylor Corporation and renamed it the Brown Corporation. Now you really think it's called Brown? You've had it too good for too long and forgotten about the Taylor Family of Silverlight City, haven't you?" Emily's smile was chilling, more terrifying than a demon to Hayden. He had indeed enjoyed many good days, living in luxury, and had forgotten about the Taylor Family.

His face turned pale, his hands trembled, just like when he had run over and killed Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. He was a man from the countryside, with no background or education. He had accidentally saved the Taylor Family's daughter and married Isabella. The Taylor Family had given him everything he had ever dreamed of wealth and status.

But while he enjoyed the glory brought by money and status, he couldn't shake the vulnerability inside. He had cheated during the marriage, transferred assets, and orchestrated the car accident that killed Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. He also renamed the Taylor Corporation to the Brown Corporation, changed the ownership structure, and drove away all the former employees of the Taylor Corporation, pushing Isabella into depression and eventually leading Emily to commit suicide by jumping off a building.

In the end, he brought Evelyn and Sophia back and began his revenge against her. The things Sophia did to her were too numerous to recount.

Each and every one of these deeds was unforgivable. How could she not hate him? He was the main culprit. The years when he allowed Sophia and her mother to bully her had exhausted all her father-daughter affection for him. All that remained between them was irreconcilable hatred.

Hayden clearly thought of these things too. His face was pale. He saw Emily as the stain of his life. Now Emily had hit his sore spot, and he wanted to kill her.

"You better stay alive because I want to see your retribution. If you want me to step aside for Sophia, then trade the Brown Corporation for it. Let's see which is more important, the daughter of a mistress or the Taylor Corporation that you schemed so hard to steal." Emily finished speaking, averted her eyes from him and figured he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, which was exactly what she wanted. One day, she would take back everything that belonged to Isabella. After getting home, Emily locked herself in her room to work on her design drafts. She didn't know when she'd finally make it, but she wasn't about to give up. She knew Sophia had become a designer for Moonlit Treasures, so the launch event in two weeks was going to be a nightmare.

Meanwhile, Abigail brought some good news: she had received an invitation from Phantom Beauty, personally invited by Nicholas.

"Emily, just wait. I'm going to pick out a dress for you right now. I promise you'll look stunning and steal the show," Abigail said, practically bouncing with excitement. Emily changed the subject by saying seriously, "Alright, you decide. By the way, are you sure Sophia's designs will be in the new product launch?"

Abigail replied, "Don't worry, you can trust me. Sophia is about to lose all her reputation. Sophia, it's time for you to taste the bitterness of disgrace." Lately, Michael had been swamped with the Phantom Beauty launch event, coming home late and not seeing Emily for days.

Today, he made a point to come home early because he remembered Emily had said she wanted to have dinner with him.

Sure enough, when he got home, Emily was watering the flowers in the garden. He couldn't understand why she bothered with those nearly dead flowers. "They're dying," he said, parking the car and walking up behind her with a sneer.

Emily had seen him long ago and deliberately ignored him, putting down the watering can and walking inside. He didn't get mad and just followed her in. When the food was served, Emily came downstairs and was surprised to see Michael still there.

Since their return from the homestay, things had been weird between them. He hadn't mentioned divorce anymore and occasionally joined her for breakfast and dinner.

She thought he had some hidden agenda, so she treated him coldly. They had barely talked, like strangers sharing a meal, or roommates who rarely saw each other.

But today, Michael clearly had something to say. "This is Tomato Basil Soup made by Ava. It's light and good for the stomach. Try it," Michael, unusually considerate, served her a bowl of soup.

Emily immediately looked at him suspiciously. "What are you up to? Have you revised the divorce agreement? Just bring it over, and I'll sign it. No need for all this," she said, glancing at the soup he had just served her. Michael's face darkened at her words, and he wanted to dump the soup on her head, but he held back. "Drink it if you want," he said angrily and stormed off.

Emily was puzzled. She had spoken in a normal, calm tone. 'Why does he suddenly get angry?' she wondered.

"Who provoked him?" she asked, looking at Ava in confusion.

Ava put down her cloth, looking exasperated. "Mrs. Smith, didn't you see that Mr. Smith was trying to be nice to you? Why did you bring up the divorce again? No wonder he's angry." Emily was even more puzzled. "Oh."

Emily thought to herself, 'Why is he angry? Isn't he the one who wants a divorce?' It was baffling, but his anger made her feel good, so she drank two bowls of Tomato Basil Soup. Michael, back in his room, grew angrier the more he thought about it. 'Why should I be angry while she is downstairs enjoying the soup?'

Five minutes later, Emily saw Michael storming downstairs again.