Chapter 86 Returning to the Old Residence Again
Emily's daughter never gave her any trouble. She gave her a quick kiss, then headed out to drive to the partner company.
For this project collaboration, headquarters had given her full authority to handle everything.
There were still a lot of details to work out.
On top of that, the project was a co-design between headquarters and the well-known domestic firm, Apex Property Group.
If it went well, she'd not only get a promotion and a raise, but it would also give the Johnson family's new project a solid boost.
Before long, her car pulled up slowly outside the Apex Group building.
Emily walked into the Apex Group lobby with a calm expression. "Hi, I have an appointment."
The receptionist glanced at her work credentials. "Ah, Miss Johnson — Mr. Morrison is already upstairs waiting for you."
"Great, thank you."
Emily headed straight up to the top-floor conference room, where several people were already seated.
The man at the head of the table was dressed in a suit, with a playful air about him.
When Emily walked in, a subtle look of scrutiny flickered in his eyes.
Emily recognized the familiar face and couldn't help but find it a little amusing. "Mr. Morrison, what a coincidence."
He was the current president of Apex Property Group and one of Alex's oldest family friends.
She and Ryan were somewhat acquainted too, but only through meeting him after she married Alex.
Their connection was nowhere near as deep as his friendship with Alex.
Ryan stood up and shook her hand. "I had no idea the executive director from the Paris office would be you. Small world — come on, have a seat."
Emily gave a slight nod and sat down, turning to the others in the room. "I'm heading up this co-design project. Here's my design proposal."
She got straight to the point, no small talk whatsoever.
Ryan's gaze drifted briefly to her hand.
Strange — she'd had a child with Matthew, so why wasn't she wearing a wedding ring?
The meeting got underway.
Emily pulled up her design on the screen. "The proposal blends Western aesthetics, bringing together jewelry design and real estate landscaping in a seamless way."
"It has that French romantic feel while still keeping an Eastern touch."
"All the creative details your company asked for have been worked in — it's thoughtful and inventive, and it fits perfectly with Apex Property Group's brand identity."
……
Ryan might come across as laid-back in everyday life, but when it came to actual work, he was sharp as anyone.
His expression gradually turned serious.
When Emily finished her presentation, the room went quiet for a moment, then broke into a wave of admiring comments.
"Miss Johnson's design is stunning — it completely exceeded our expectations."
"This concept is fantastic. Once it's built, it'll definitely become a city landmark!"
"The details are so well thought out too. No wonder she's the executive director back from Paris, haha…"
Ryan smiled. "Congratulations, Emily. This collaboration is a done deal. Looking forward to working well together going forward."
He had to admit — Emily's abilities were genuinely impressive.
No wonder Alex had never been able to get her out of his head these past two years.
A woman this talented was truly worth holding on to.
"Thank you, Mr. Morrison. Looking forward to working together." Emily smiled softly, feeling the weight finally lift from her chest.
With the deal wrapped up, Emily had no reason to linger.
Ryan had been about to say something, but he noticed Emily's expression — calm, even a little distant.
He let it go in the end. "Sigh. Those two really are something else…"
Outside the building.
Emily was waiting for her driver to bring the car around when her gaze drifted idly toward the street.
Suddenly, her eyes stilled. That was…
A familiar black Maybach came into view.
The window was half down, but the custom glass made it impossible to see inside.
Still, Emily knew. It was him.
Her face stayed completely still, her eyes calm — as if she were looking at a total stranger.
"Miss, your car is ready."
"Mm." Emily slowly looked away and got in, driving off without a moment's pause.
Whether it was him or not, it had nothing to do with her.
The car sped away and disappeared at the end of the street.
Inside the Maybach.
Alex sat in the back seat, his deep eyes narrowing slightly.
So she really was back.
"Mr. Baker, should I drive?" Michael asked carefully from the driver's seat.
Mr. Baker had brought him here early that morning and parked outside the Johnson residence without going up — just waiting in the car the whole time.
So he'd been waiting for Miss Johnson all along?
Alex's expression was cold and unreadable. After a long pause, he said, "Drive."
Michael glanced in the rearview mirror at Alex's tense profile and quietly sighed to himself.
Why does he put himself through this?
Half an hour later.
Emily had stopped to pick up some custom desserts on her way back.
But the moment she stepped into the Johnson residence, she heard laughter coming from the living room.
Andrew was on the floor with Eleanor, playing with building blocks on the carpet.
The little one sat there, carefully stacking blocks into a tiny house, looking absolutely adorable.
Andrew sat beside her, patiently keeping her company, his eyes full of warmth.
Emily smiled, the cool composure in her expression melting away in an instant. "Eleanor, sweetheart."
"Mommy!" Eleanor's face lit up.
The moment she saw Emily walk in, she dropped her blocks and came toddling over on her little legs.
Emily crouched down and opened her arms, catching her daughter securely. "Were you good for Grandpa today?"
She pressed a kiss to Eleanor's soft little cheek, her voice full of tenderness.
Eleanor lifted her chin proudly, looking both cute and pleased with herself. "Eleanor was very good! I even helped Grandpa tidy up the toys!"
Just then, Andrew walked over with a smile. "How did the project meeting go? Everything go smoothly?"
"Very smoothly — the deal is confirmed." Emily let out a breath and handed the desserts to the housekeeper. "The Morrison side was very happy with the proposal. We can start moving things forward from here. It'll also open the door for some sub-project collaboration with our own company."
"Good." Andrew nodded repeatedly, his face full of pride. "That's my daughter — never misses a beat when it comes to business!"
Emily didn't know whether to laugh or roll her eyes.
She was just about to take off her shoes when the housekeeper came over. "Miss, what would you like for dinner tonight? We have some ingredients that Mr. Moore just had flown in…"
Buzz buzz —
Emily was about to answer when her phone suddenly rang.
She looked at the screen and froze.
"Grandma?"
Andrew's brow furrowed. "Margaret calling you at this hour — must be something. Go ahead and answer. She's getting on in years."
Even if the two families' arrangement had fallen apart and Emily and Alex had divorced, that much courtesy was still owed.
Emily picked up, her voice gentle. "Grandma? Is everything okay?"
"Emmie, sweetheart, are you done with work?" Margaret's voice came through the phone. "Grandma's all alone at home and feeling so lonely… Susan's cooking just isn't the same, and that awful Alex won't come keep me company. Can you come visit your grandma?"
Emily felt a quiet tug at her heart.
Margaret had always been so good to her.
Before Emily left the country, Margaret had even taken her in as a goddaughter, showering her with love and care. Over the past two years in Paris, she had quietly kept an eye on Emily — and Emily had never forgotten that kindness.
But still… she and Alex were divorced now. Going back to the Baker family home just didn't feel right anymore.