Chapter 26 The Mistress Comes to Provoke
Emily's face showed no emotion, her cool voice revealing nothing. "What are you doing here."
Grace smiled gently, but the smugness in her eyes was impossible to hide.
She lightly placed one hand on her belly, lifting her eyes to look at Emily with a mocking gaze.
But when she saw Emily's bare face still looking beautiful and delicate, jealousy nearly consumed her.
It was just a simple dress, yet on Emily it looked like haute couture.
Her thick, light-colored hair was casually pinned up, with a few strands falling by her face, making her look even more strikingly beautiful.
Grace's eyes swept around the apartment. "Miss Johnson, I'm here to pick up Alex's jacket for him, and also... my lipstick. Sorry, did I disturb your rest?"
Acting like she owned the place, her tone inexplicably superior.
Emily's face remained expressionless. "Come in."
She walked straight to the sofa, picked up the neatly folded suit jacket, "Here."
This actually made things easier - saved her from having to deal with Alex herself.
Grace smiled lightly, then slowly pulled out the lipstick from her pocket, playing with it in her hand. "Miss Johnson, Alex never lets anyone else wear his clothes. You're quite special. But then again, you're getting divorced anyway, so keeping some memories is normal."
"But I still want to give you some advice - since you've already agreed to the divorce, stop playing hard to get. It's exhausting to watch. Alex only has me and the baby in his heart now. There's no point in dragging this out."
By the end, her tone had become quite aggressive.
Emily raised an eyebrow, leaning against the sofa armrest, her cool eyes showing no emotion. "Right now, I'm not the one who doesn't want the divorce. As for your ambitions to move up, instead of coming here looking for validation, you should go convince Alex."
"After all, the one who decides whether you can enter the Baker family is him, not me."
So all this scheming with her was completely pointless.
Emily just treated it as a joke.
Grace's smile froze - she hadn't expected Emily to be so direct.
She bit her lip, her tone turning sharp. "If you weren't clinging to Alex, why would the divorce be dragging on so long? You'd better know your place. Otherwise, when things get ugly, it's the Johnson family who'll lose face!"
"Is that so?" Emily looked up at her, a hint of mockery in her eyes. "You can leave now. I won't see you out."
With that, she turned back to her desk to continue working on her design.
The dismissal was crystal clear.
Grace trembled with anger.
Emily's composure crushed her, and she clutched the jacket and lipstick tightly before leaving.
In the elevator, Grace's face was frighteningly dark, her jealous heart unable to ignore it.
Why was Emily so calm?
Wasn't it just because she still had the title of Mrs. Baker!
"Driver, to Baker Corporation tower!"
Grace hailed a taxi and headed straight to Alex's company.
Half an hour later.
"Alex, are you busy?"
"Why are you here."
When she entered the office, Alex was reviewing documents, his brow furrowed.
Grace walked to his side, her tone aggrieved. "Miss Johnson told me to give you the clothes. She also said... said she's worn them enough and you should do what you want with them. So... what now? Should we throw them away?"
A flash of satisfaction crossed her eyes.
No one understood Alex better than her - he never liked anyone else wearing his clothes!
Alex looked up.
Emily returned them on her own?
His tone was flat. "No need, just leave it."
With that, he casually draped the jacket over the back of his chair, still clearly remembering how Emily looked wearing it.
Her petite figure wrapped in the oversized clothes was strangely... pleasing to the eye.
Grace's hopes were instantly crushed.
Alex, who was so particular about cleanliness, actually kept the clothes that woman wore?
He didn't mind?
No, Emily must have done something these past few days.
Grace knew she couldn't let this continue. She forced down her jealousy and said softly. "Alex, it's almost time to get off work. Miss Johnson seems to be nearby too. Should we give her a ride? She didn't look well."
Every word dripping with magnanimous consideration.
Even if Alex agreed, she would go along.
Emily, just wait to back off!
Alex's pen paused while reviewing documents, then he nodded. "Alright."
After finishing his work, he took out his phone and called Emily.
"Hello."
Emily had just finished her final draft.
She was packing up to leave when she saw the caller ID.
Alex pressed his thin lips together, his fingertips tapping the desk unhurriedly. "Done with work? I'm heading your way, I'll pick you up."
His magnetic voice carried a hint of huskiness through the phone.
She was silent for a moment.
Alex wasn't in a hurry, just waiting.
The next second, the woman's calm voice came through. "No need, someone's picking me up."
Without waiting for a response, she hung up decisively.
From start to finish, not a single unnecessary word.
The office fell silent.
Grace was shocked too. Was Emily crazy?
To refuse when Alex himself offered to pick her up?
Definitely playing hard to get!
Alex gripped his phone, his knuckles turning slightly white, his sharp features darkening.
Ha, someone's picking her up.
She meant Matthew?
That so-called childhood friend.
Alex stared at the documents, but couldn't focus on the words, didn't even want to deal with the multi-million dollar project at hand, feeling inexplicably irritated.
Alex loosened his tie and threw his pen on the desk, turning to light an imported cigarette.
Grace saw it all, secretly pleased.
Looks like Alex hated Emily even more now.
Perfect for her!
Grace slowly approached. "Alex, since Miss Johnson has a ride, should we go? I found a restaurant with really fresh ingredients, all flown in the same day."
Alex said nothing, just stood up and draped his suit jacket over his arm.
Down in the parking garage, Alex's mind was full of Emily's tone when she hung up - flat, without a ripple.
Was she that eager to be with Matthew?
In the car.
Grace looked at his dark expression and said carefully. "Alex, don't be angry. Miss Johnson probably just didn't want to trouble you."
Alex didn't respond, his face only growing darker.
He knew Emily wasn't trying to avoid troubling him - she simply didn't want to see him.
But why?
When exactly did Emily start to change?
First calmly accepting the divorce, then showing no jealousy about Grace's existence.
Preferring to have Matthew pick her up rather than choosing him.
Various thoughts flashed through his mind, the rising frustration clearly written all over his handsome face.