Chapter 67: She Misunderstood Him

Under James's intense gaze, Emily's heart was in turmoil. She quickly blurted out, "I came to Silverlight City for the tech expo and just bumped into Samuel, so..."

"So you thought it'd be cool to have dinner with him, chat about old times, and stroll down memory lane?" James cut her off, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"James, you..." Emily's face turned red, feeling completely humiliated by his words.

Seeing this, Samuel tried to step in, "Mr. Smith, you've got it wrong. Emily and I are just..."

"Shut up!" James slammed the table, making Samuel go pale and swallow his words. James shot a cold glare at Emily, "Come with me!"

They left the restaurant and got into the car; the silence was suffocating.

Emily stole glances at James, noticing his clenched jaw and icy demeanor. She knew he was fuming.

She wanted to explain, but his cold stare kept her quiet.

Finally, at a red light, she gathered the courage to ask, "James, are you mad?"

"What do you think?" James snapped, then commanded the driver to start the car.

"I'm sorry..." Emily's voice was barely a whisper. "I was just scared you might..."

"Scared I'd go after Samuel, wreck his project and his future?" James cut her off, his voice laced with bitterness.

Emily was taken aback; she hadn't expected that.

"Do you really think I'm that kind of guy?" James turned to her, his eyes boring into hers. "That I'd hurt someone just because of you?"

"I came to Silverlight City to discuss a deal with a tech company," James took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "And guess who's in charge? Samuel."

Emily's jaw dropped, "What?"

"So, do you still think I'd mess with him?" James looked at her, his eyes a mix of emotions.

Emily was floored. She had thought James was here to mess with Samuel, but he was actually here for business.

She felt like an idiot, thinking she was smart but totally misjudging him.

"James, I..." Emily started but didn't know what to say, so she just kept apologizing, "I'm sorry, I was wrong."

James didn't say anything, just looked at her quietly, his gaze intense. Emily's heart raced, feeling like he could see right through her.

The silence in the car was heavy.

Emily glanced at James, her emotions all over the place. She realized she might never have really understood him.

He seemed cold and distant, but maybe he had a softer side hidden deep down.

The car stopped in front of the hotel, but James didn't move. He turned to Emily, his eyes filled with emotions she couldn't decipher.

The air between them was thick with tension.

"We're here," James finally said, his voice flat.

Emily snapped out of her thoughts, unbuckled her seatbelt, but hesitated before opening the door.

"What's wrong?" James raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in his voice. "Can't bear to leave me?"

"No, of course not!" Emily's cheeks flushed. She quickly opened the door and rushed into the hotel.

Watching her retreat, James's lips curled into a small, amused smile.

Back in her room, Emily's heart was still racing. She patted her cheeks, trying to calm down.

Today had been a whirlwind of confusion.

She had thought James would harm Samuel and had tried to stop him, only to realize she was the one who had misunderstood everything.

Emily ruffled her hair in frustration. What had she been thinking?

Her phone buzzed with a message from Samuel.

Samuel: [Emily, did you get to the hotel safely?]

Emily quickly replied: [Yeah, I just got here.]

Samuel seemed relieved: [That's good. Did you explain everything to James?]

Emily replied, feeling a bit guilty: [Yeah, I did.]

Samuel: [That's a relief. Mr. Smith didn't give you a hard time, did he?]

Emily sighed and explained the whole thing.

Samuel: [So that's what happened.]

He sent a laughing emoji and added: [Mr. Smith isn't the petty type. He's known for being fair and straightforward!]

Emily paused, feeling something was off.

Samuel's tone seemed like he was defending James.

Samuel changed the subject: [By the way, Emily, how long are you staying in Silverlight City?]

Emily was about to reply but remembered James's look before he left. She hesitated.

Emily responded casually: [I'll probably stay a few days, tour the city, and relax a bit.]

Samuel seemed pleased: [Great. How about I show you around? Since you're here, I should be your guide.]

Emily replied noncommittally: [Thanks, Samuel. You're too kind.] Her mind was still on James, and she couldn't focus on anything else.

Samuel: [Alright then, get some rest. Call me if you need anything.]

Emily: [Okay, you too.]

After ending the chat with Samuel, Emily felt even more conflicted.

She lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

James's words kept replaying in her mind, making her restless. She wondered, 'Why did he say those things? What did he mean? Could he have feelings for me?'

Emily shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought. 'No way, how could James have feelings for me?'

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

She sat up abruptly, her heart pounding.

Who could it be at this hour?