Chapter 96 Sowing Discord
Simon's filial devotion was selective.
When Lauren bullied his wife and daughter, he could turn a blind eye; after all, it didn't harm his own interests. But what would happen if Lauren ever threatened Simon's personal interests?
Would he still be so "dutiful"?
However, Emily had no energy to spare for Simon's thoughts right now.
Emily had one principle—stay as far away from them as possible!
"I work here because of my own abilities, unlike certain people who only know how to throw tantrums based on their elder status," Emily replied without giving her a pleasant look.
Lauren was momentarily speechless, then became aggressive again, "Stop spouting this nonsense! Since you work here, perfect—take Marshall to see Mr. Windsor. Tell him we have urgent business!"
Emily found it utterly ridiculous, "Mr. Windsor is the CEO of the Windsor Group, not someone you can meet on demand. Besides, why should I help you?"
Lauren raised her cane to strike Emily, "You dare refuse to help?"
Marshall chimed in from the side, "Emily, don't be ungrateful! Hurry up and take us to see Mr. Windsor, or don't blame us for getting physical!"
Emily stepped back, dodging Lauren's cane, her gaze cold as she looked at them both. "This is the Windsor Group, not a place for you to cause scenes. Security, please escort these two out."
Soon, security arrived and dragged the still-shouting Lauren and Marshall toward the exit.
Lauren struggled while cursing, "Emily, you ungrateful wretch! I won't let this slide!"
Emily watched their disheveled retreat with indifferent eyes.
She pulled out her phone and sent Charles a message: [Your girlfriend's grandmother and her cousin caused a scene at the front desk. I've had them thrown out.]
Within seconds of sending the message, Charles's chat window popped up with a laughing emoji: [I've never had a girlfriend. Are you jealous?]
Emily stared at the text on her screen, her cheeks slightly flushing. Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard before typing back: [Don't flatter yourself. I'm just stating facts.]
Charles seemed to seize on this like he'd caught her in something, replying instantly: [Alright, alright, I'm flattering myself. But to thank you for helping me solve this problem, how about dinner together tonight?]
Emily's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
She remained resistant to Charles's advances, her fingers flying across the screen: [No need, I have plans tonight.]
Charles seemed to have anticipated her refusal and didn't press, instead switching to a gentler tone: [Then I'll have the kitchen prepare your favorite dishes and wait for you at home. If you're working late, remember to text me. I'll come pick you up.]
Emily stared at this message, a complex emotion stirring in her heart.
Charles's kindness was too direct and too persistent, leaving her feeling somewhat overwhelmed. She took a deep breath, closed the chat window, and didn't reply.
Just then, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind—since Lauren and Marshall had dared to cause trouble at the Windsor Group, they definitely wouldn't give up easily. They'd probably go looking for Clara next.
She might as well take this opportunity to add fuel to the fire and make the Johnson family's internal conflicts explode completely.
With this thought, Emily's eyes lit up, and she immediately turned to head outside the building.
Meanwhile, in the top-floor office of the Windsor Group, Charles stared at the chat window that remained message-free, repeatedly refreshing the page. The smile on his face gradually faded.
He picked up his phone, hesitating whether to send another message, but worried about disturbing Emily. Finally, he put the phone down, yet couldn't concentrate on his work.
Nathan, watching Charles's absent-minded state, couldn't bear to watch anymore.
Ever since Charles had begun pursuing Emily, he'd been constantly anxious. Previously, no matter how big a project, Charles remained composed and unflappable. But now, just waiting for a single message left him restless, constantly checking his phone like some young man waiting for his girlfriend to text back.
"Mr. Windsor, you have an international conference call at 2 PM. We should prepare," Nathan reminded him reluctantly.
Charles acknowledged with a grunt, but his gaze remained fixed on his phone screen as he asked casually, "What time is it now?"
"It's 1:30, Mr. Windsor," Nathan replied.
Charles nodded, glanced at his phone again—still no new messages.
He sighed softly, stood up to adjust his suit, but his mind was still wondering: Could Emily be angry? Or was she too busy to check her phone? Should he have Nathan investigate what she was doing right now?
Nathan watched Charles in this state and helplessly shook his head.
The former decisive, cool-headed Charles, who brooked no nonsense, had completely lost his usual commanding presence in front of Emily, leaving only a heart full of eagerness to please and worry.
He thought to himself, 'If Ms. Johnson knows Mr. Windsor is this distracted over her, I wonder what her reaction will be.'
Emily naturally had no energy to spare for Charles's psychological state.
She left the Windsor Tower and booked a private room at a discreet nearby café, then sent Lauren a message claiming she had urgent matters to discuss and asking to meet.
Before long, Lauren arrived with Marshall in tow. Marshall immediately threw his jacket over the back of a chair and sat down with his legs crossed, his eyes scanning Emily with a roguish gaze and a somewhat flirtatious tone. "Emily, you asked us here. Don't tell me you've come around and want to help me meet Charles?"
Lauren also snorted dismissively.
Emily quickly stood up, her face showing just the right amount of grievance as she poured water for both of them. From the corner of her eye, she caught Marshall's gaze glued to her, the greed in his eyes completely undisguised.
She felt a wave of disgust, but made her expression even more compliant. "Grandma, Marshall, please hear me out. At the Windsor Group earlier, I had no choice. I'm just an ordinary employee there. If I hadn't followed protocol and asked you to leave, I might have lost my job."
She deliberately lowered her head, her voice soft and gentle, "Actually, I've always sided with our own family. How could I just stand by and watch Marshall be wronged?"
Hearing her say this, Marshall's eyes brightened even more. He leaned forward, almost pressing close to Emily. "Now that's more like it, unlike that Clara who always acts so high and mighty. But speaking of which, you've gotten even more beautiful during these years in Emerald City, much prettier than those girls back home."
As he spoke, his fingers nearly touched Emily's hand. Emily imperceptibly moved back, raising her water glass to mask her discomfort.
Lauren watched this exchange, her brow furrowing as she thought to herself, 'This Emily with her seductive looks and soft-spoken manner probably has ulterior motives. She might end up just like Clara, with no respect for me.'
But since she still needed Emily to get close to Charles, she didn't voice these thoughts. Instead, she got straight to the point, "Let me ask you straight—can you actually get Marshall a meeting with Mr. Windsor or not?"