Emerson stared at the car with pursued lips. Sure it was beautiful with the white colour but it was too much, a sudden attention grabbing thing.

Adrien frowned at the lack of her reaction.

She turned towards him.

"Thanks, but it's too much. I can't keep it." She told him with an apologetic face.

Adrien's frown deepened.

"Why? You don't like it? We can exchange cars. I have a black jaguar." He told her.

Emerson mentally face palmed herself at his suggestion.

You want me to trade Mercedes for jaguar when I don't want attention.

She shook her head.

"No, the car is too fancy, attention grabbing." She told him.

Adrien refrained himself from scowling.

She was never satisfied with what I gave her, always pointing some faults in it.

His egoistic mind thought bitterly and his mood soured.

Emerson sighed.

"Let it be, I was already thinking of buying a car, I already decided which one to buy, so it won't be much problem. I will call a cab for now. Bye." She smiled and left without waiting for his reply.

His whole mood turned sour. He was doing things to please her and she was acting like a spoilt brat.

But how could she when she was never asking for materialistic things.

Emerson was in her house, looking through car models to decide one.

She lied when she said she already chose, because she didn't want Adrien to do more. She had decided a thing. No matter how good he behaves, her guard will be always up . She had remembered how she had been badly hurt before, and she wasn't going to go through her nth heartbreak .

She booked a Hyundai Elantra for 20 K dollars, a good deal with a good car.

The dinner which was cooking on the stove also was done, she turned off the gas and took plates out.

She had already messaged Adrien to come by 7 , and it was 7:30 but still no message from him.

She was about to call him when his message came he won't be able to make it .

Emerson clenched her jaw , tears of frustration stinging in her eyes.

He was the one telling to cook for him and then he had the nerve to tell he won't make it.

She could feel letting him be there and not getting space instead was a bad idea. She was even regretting accepting his job offer.

She took a deep breath and started eating, even if her appetite was gone because of him, she wouldn't let herself starve because of him. She ate her part and kept his for her to eat tomorrow.

She wasn't a fan of throwing food in trash bins.

She startes doing other work, passing the day, well night.

Next day, Emerson was waiting for Shan to complete his lecture, her ending a few minutes early.

The class ended and students rushed out of the class.

Shan too came out and smiled at her.

"Hi, professor was extra excited to share his knowledge today." He said with a chuckle.

She smiled in response.

Walking through the corridor, Shan was scrolling through his phone when he abruptly stopped, making Emerson halt too.

"What happened? " She asked confused.

He looked at her with furrowed eyebrows and showed his phone screen to her.

"Isn't he the same man who ate with us yesterday , Adrien Stone. I didn't know he is a celebrity." He said.

Emerson's frown deepened and she pursued her lips.

It was a pic of Adrien and a beautiful model outside a restaurant.

Emerson didn't read the rest.

So that why he bailed on her.

She thought bitterly.

She felt she was right to have her guard up with him, he was same like others.

She nodded at Shan.

"Yeah, he is the same one." She told him.

Shan gave her a surprised look.

"I didn't know you knew a celebrity. I don't know much about the ones here in Europe and America, but I was wondering how you know him? "

Emerson averted eye contact.

"Don't judge, and don't tell anyone, but he is my husband." She said quietly.

Shan's eyes widened comically.

"What? " He yelled making heads turns towards him.

He gave them a sheepish look.

"What? But he was with other woman, and they say he is Batchelor! " He whisper yelled.

Emerson shook her head and sighed.

"We were arranged in the marriage, and he apparently acts bipolar. Media and many people don't know he is married except for close ones .I don't care if he is with other woman, it doesn't matter to me." The last part was lie.

Shan furrowed his eyebrows.

"In South and East Asia, arranged marriages happen , but the partners respect each other in most cases. They don't go on dates with various women." He said in an annoyed tone.

Emerson shrugged.

"It's America, or let's say Europe we are talking about. Arranged marriages are considered 16th century drama. In business world it happens for deals. So most people don't respect it." She said nonchalantly.

Shan looked confused and glanced at her ring finger ger where a band rested.

"But you wear your ring indicating you are married, you don't disrespect it. Why? "

Emerson smiled.

"I respect my vows, it's my conscience. And the ring keeps not required people away." She said chuckling.

They already reached outside the building.

"Bye then. I have a job to do now." Emerson told him.

Shan smiled at her.

"Congratulations, and bye then."

Saying that they parted ways.

Emerson walked to her cabin.

She ate some fruits instead of lunch, booked a cab and packed last night's food for Adrien.

It was his part and she wasn't going to cook him food if he doesn't respect it.

She was going to tell him she wasn't going to bring him lunch anymore.

When her cab came, she left for the office.

~~~~~~~

Adrien was shouting at his PR department to fix the mess of tabloids.

Yesterday he was angry by Emerson's lack of interest in what he does for her, and so when an old client who always resides in one of his hotels where he goes called him for dinner at a restaurant, be jumped on the opportunity, bailing Emerson.

But coming out of the restaurant, a model saw him and approached him, and the paps took the opportunity to click the pics.

He felt guilty for what he did yesterday with Emerson, and hoped she didn't see the tabloids.

He knew it won't be a problem, Emerson didn't know who he was untill then and so there were less than one percent chance of her reading the tabloids.

He looked at the time, it was 2 and he knew Emerson will be here soon.

~~~~~~~~~

Emerson entered his office building, and the receptionist gave her a bright smile, brighter than the sun.

Em couldn't help but return it, it was contagious.

She was wearing a more professional outfit than yesterday's. Black jeans and blue blouse. But her hair were in usual braid and feet in sneakers.

She entered the 12th floor and went to Adrian's office.

His secretary Mr Carl, who was a little surprised to see her again, informed Adrien of her arrival.

Emerson knocked on his door and entered when she heard a 'come in'.

Adrien was sitting on his chair behind the desk.

Emerson gave him a polite smile.

"Good afternoon. Here, its lunch. And please tell someone to give me files on the info so I can start the work." She said politely but formally.

Adrien blinked twice, a little taken aback by her tone.

"Aren't you going to eat? " He asked her.

She shook her head.

"I already did as I had half an hour to spare. Sorry but it's yesterday's dinner, I just heated it and brought here. So, where can I get the files? " She asked.

Adrien refrained himself from dropping his jaw. She was a good soul but she knew how to place someone in line .

He was surprised when she directly told him she didn't cook for him again and brought him yesterday's dinner, but he probably deserved it.

"I will tell Mr Carl to give you the files and show you to your office." He told her.

She smiled in response.

He called Carl through the intercom and ordered him the work he needed to be done.

Carl came to his office and asked Emerson to follow him.

He took her to a small glass cabin which wasn't far from his office.

"How long have you worked for Mr Stone? " She asked him.

"For about 3 years. Working with him is more than hard, but the pay is good." He said.

Emerson shook her head with a smile on her face. He was grumpy bear.

"How come you landed here in this place? " He asked her curiously, wondering why was she there after last incident where she refused the internship .

"I am studying at Oxford for an exchange program. Mr Stone asked for help - I mean offered me a part time job due to what happened with the MD. I agreed. I just had to do the MD's work till he returns." She told him .

He nodded but frowned.

"You weren't intrested in the intership last time, and the consequences weren't good , how come he contacted you again. No offence to our boss but his ego his bigger than Mt Everest."

Emerson pursued her lips, wondering how to answer. She chose to tell him half truth.

"He contacted me when the incident with MD happened. I had some time and I enjoy management, so I agreed to work. Mr Stone needed the position of MD to be filled , so probably he had no other option than ask me." She told.

Carl nodded.

"How come you agreed to came here, I mean, what about your family if you don't mind me asking Mr Carl" She asked curiously.

"Call me Reed insted and I don't mind you asking. My family is in Canada, I already had shifted yo NYC for job, so coming here wasn't a problem when the company was ready to provide with housing facility." He told her.

She nodded.

"I should leave now, the files are given. If you have any problem come and ask." He said and she smiled in reply thanking him.

She sat at her seat, looking around the small office which was simple but well lighted, and then started her work.