Chapter 114: Where to Start Next
Emily was speechless. She felt like debts were stacking up in this new chapter of her life. First Knox, now Daniel.
But if she had to repay these debts, she might as well meet the needs of those she owed.
Right now, Daniel's biggest need was to get healthy.
Emily clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Daniel. "Until you're back on your feet, I'll handle your health check-ups and whip up some nutritious meals for you, free of charge. How does that sound?"
For someone who loved money as much as she did, this was a big deal.
What could Daniel say? At least he mattered enough to her that he almost ranked alongside money. That was progress, right?
"Emily, I really appreciate that!" Daniel nodded with a smile.
Emily's face lit up with joy, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
To show her appreciation, Emily cooked dinner herself that evening and invited Daniel to join her.
When Atticus came back and saw Daniel, he was so surprised his mouth almost dropped open.
The whole table fell silent, except for Emily and Daniel, who were unfazed. The others barely dared to breathe.
Emily, perhaps out of habit or because she had lived another life and feared nothing, was completely at ease.
Daniel also noticed the tension among the others and left soon after dinner.
Emily finally had a chance to wash up and go to bed. Before sleeping, she thought about how to strike back at Bianca. She remembered she hadn't checked the design drafts she had asked L for last time.
She quickly opened her email and found L's message, which had arrived two days ago.
Since Emily hadn't responded to the first email, L had sent a follow-up, thinking she was dissatisfied with the initial solution. The tone of the second email was almost pleading.
Emily felt a rare pang of guilt. L had been so enthusiastic, and she had not taken it seriously enough.
She quickly replied:
Emily: [Great job, thank you. If I need anything else, I'll let you know.]
L had published her work, invited an international supermodel to showcase it, and had the most influential media cover the event.
L had also enlisted well-known designers in the industry to promote the work.
With Bianca being so busy, she probably wouldn't notice. But even if she did, Emily doubted Bianca would realize that the work she was using had already been published.
The timing was perfect.
That afternoon, Emily received a reminder from Willow that the deadline for design submissions was only two days away.
Emily had already sent her new design to the organizers and was just waiting for the final judgment.
The next day, Sophia, whom she hadn't heard from in days, showed up at her door, carrying a toy for Lam. Sophia had played a significant role in Lam's successful adoption and felt a deep connection to him.
Since Sophia was there, Emily decided to take her along.
"Weren't you going to be part of an art exhibition? Well, today I'll introduce you to someone," Emily said with a smile.
Sophia was thrilled. She knew that anyone Emily introduced her to would be important.
"Awesome! Emily, I'll follow you anywhere. You say east, I won't go west," Sophia declared enthusiastically.
Emily liked Sophia's straightforward nature. She was open but not foolish, making her both reliable and easy to work with.
"Good. Let's go."
Before leaving, Emily contacted Allan Jennings.
Allan was a refined-looking man with a small ponytail, giving him an artistic vibe.
"Emily, it's so hard to get a hold of you. Any new works?" Allan greeted her warmly.
He had once been arrogant, but after seeing Emily's work, he realized there was always someone better. He was now a devoted admirer.
Emily shrugged. "Sorry, I've been busy. But I want to introduce you to someone talented. You're hosting the art exhibition, right? Her work should be there. Keep an eye on it."
Allan had the connections to invite art lovers, wealthy patrons, and influential people to the exhibition. A recommendation from him could help Sophia build her network.
Allan remembered that John had recently taken on a new student who was also participating in the exhibition. It must be Sophia.
John was a bit old-fashioned and believed in letting talent speak for itself, so he hadn't asked Allan for any special favors.
"Hi, Allan, I'm Sophia!" Sophia introduced herself brightly, her eyes sparkling with life, much like her artwork.
"Nice to meet you!" Allan shook her hand warmly.
He assured Emily, "Don't worry, I'll make sure she's taken care of."
Emily nodded. "Great."
She then turned to Sophia. "I have some errands to run. You can either stay here with Allan or come with me."
Sophia, sensing that following Emily might lead to some interesting gossip, chose to go with her. She exchanged WhatsApp information with Allan and hurried after Emily.
Allan watched Sophia's energetic departure with a fond smile. Her genuine nature was endearing.
As they were leaving, they ran into Bianca and Finn.
Finn had connections with Allan's brother through racing, which had secured Bianca a spot in the exhibition.
Bianca had just learned that Sophia was also participating and was not happy about it. She had convinced Finn to come and try to get Sophia's spot moved.
"Emily, what are you doing here?" Bianca exclaimed, still bitter from their last encounter.
Finn looked at her in surprise.
Realizing she had overreacted, Bianca quickly added, "Finn, I'm sorry. I just didn't expect to see Emily here, especially since we came to see Allan."
She was implying that Emily had come to interfere.
Emily, uninterested in engaging, checked the time and started to leave with Sophia.
"Emily, are you deaf? Didn't you hear Bianca? Did you come here just to badmouth her to Allan?" Finn accused, pointing at Emily.