Chapter 161 Looking Down on Emily
"I'm sorry, Emily!"
James spat out the words, his voice dripping with resentment.
Emily couldn't care less about James' attitude. His feelings didn't matter to her.
Not wanting to drag this out, she responded coolly, "Alright, since you're apologizing, and for Daniel's sake, I'll let it slide."
"You..."
James was taken aback by Emily's dismissive tone. He was about to snap back when Daniel shot him a look that made him think twice.
"Okay, Daniel, since you're back, come with us."
Mason, while not openly hostile to Emily, wasn't exactly warm either. His demeanor made it clear he didn't hold her in high regard.
"I'll head up first. You can chill here for a bit," Daniel said to Emily before he left.
He then leaned in and whispered, "If anyone gives you a hard time, don't hesitate to stand your ground."
Emily was no longer someone who would let herself be mistreated, especially not in Daniel's house.
She had initially planned to keep a low profile, thinking she could just observe and see who might pose a threat to Daniel. But now that Daniel had given her the green light, she felt empowered.
Feeling reassured, she smiled slightly. "You know I won't let anyone walk all over me."
Daniel nodded and went upstairs.
Today was a family gathering, and the men had retreated to the study, leaving the younger generation and the women in the living room.
"Your name is Emily, right? You're pretty. How'd you manage to snag Daniel?"
A lively girl, about Emily's age, asked with a smile. Though her eyes weren't disdainful, her words had a hint of superiority, as if she thought Emily was out of her league.
A middle-aged woman added, "Ms. Johnson, which family are you from? In a family like ours, we value status. If you caught Daniel's eye, your family must be quite something."
Emily chuckled. "But Daniel told me he likes me for who I am, not because of my family or what nosy people think."
Her words were a direct rebuke to the two women for meddling.
"Sharp-tongued, huh? Is this how your parents raised you? Don't think that just because you're Daniel's girlfriend now, you have a chance to marry into the Smith family."
An older woman, exuding elegance and authority, spoke up. Her words immediately drew agreement from others, indicating her high status and influence.
Before Emily could respond, someone else chimed in. "Auntie, you're right. With that kind of attitude, there's no way she's good enough for Daniel."
Emily turned to see who had spoken. It was a well-dressed woman with perfectly maintained hair that seemed to shine. She appeared to be in her twenties and had a pair of sharp eyes.
Noticing Emily's gaze, Veda stared back defiantly. "Ms. Johnson, do you have a problem with what I said? Let me introduce myself since Daniel hasn't bothered to. I'm Veda, Daniel's cousin. Our family has someone in mind for Daniel—the daughter of the King family, Zoey King. If you ask around, you'll find that in terms of looks, talent, and family background, she's a perfect match for Daniel."
Emily didn't respond. Instead, she stood up and walked towards Veda.
This unexpected move stunned everyone.
Someone quickly stepped in front of Veda, glaring at Emily. "What do you think you're doing? Planning to hit her? You really are uncultured."
Emily looked at the person blocking her way, then raised her hand and gently pushed them aside. They moved easily out of her way.
"You smell nice," Emily remarked, not hitting anyone, but her words seemed rude to those already biased against her.
They were taken aback by her comment.
"Of course, our family girls are well taken care of, using the best products. Veda's perfume must be the latest, so it smells good," someone nearby retorted with a sneer.
Emily's gaze remained fixed on Veda, watching her reaction.
Veda looked unbothered, even a bit proud, without a trace of panic or guilt.
Emily had approached her because she had noticed a faint scent on Veda similar to the one related to Daniel's poisoning. But now, up close, she was sure it wasn't strong enough to be the source.
Veda's reaction suggested she had accidentally come into contact with someone who had the scent.
Veda, noticing Emily's scrutiny, smirked. "If you know what's good for you, leave Daniel. I might consider giving you some nice things."
She seemed to think Emily was short-sighted and easily swayed by material goods.
Emily, having confirmed her suspicion, saw no need to be polite. She sneered, "Really? Do you think I want anything that Daniel can't give me? And let me remind you, maybe it's not that Daniel doesn't want me, but that I don't want him."
"Shameless! What could you possibly have that Daniel would need? You'd love to cling to him. Who wouldn't want to marry Daniel?"
The person who had spoken for Veda earlier chimed in.
Veda glared coldly at Emily, then suddenly stood up and raised her hand to slap her.
In the Smith Villa, as a member of the Smith family, she was always treated with respect. No woman had ever dared talk to her like this. Even Zoey, eager to marry Daniel, treated her well.
Veda, partly for Zoey and partly for her own dignity, had forgotten that Emily was brought here by Daniel himself.
Emily took a step back, ready to dodge Veda's slap and counter with one of her own. But unexpectedly, James stepped in front of her, taking the slap meant for Emily.
"James, what are you doing?" Veda frowned, displeased.
She glared at Emily behind James. "So, you seduced Daniel and now James too? No wonder James reacted so strongly earlier. You dumped him for Daniel, didn't you?"