The Billionaire's Surprise Bride

003

Chapter Three

~ Emma’s POV ~

Returning to the office after that dinner was weird, Just two days ago, I’d had my life figured out… or at least, I thought I did. Mark and I were supposed to be my forever and my career was supposed to take off this year.

Everything had been organized… but now here I was, heading back to work engaged to a man I barely knew yet who somehow seemed to know exactly how to disrupt every expectation I had.

Liam Chen… the elusive and absent CEO who had only been a distant name before.

The man who now wore my engagement ring.

Stepping out of the elevator and into the office floor felt like stepping into a spotlight.

Whispers followed me down the corridor… I caught more than a few lingering glances, a couple of side-eyes, and even some envious stares.

Apparently, word had traveled fast… news of my “engagement” to the CEO had reached every corner of the office by now.

It didn’t help that his unexpected appearance with me at the dinner had fueled enough gossip to keep the rumor mill churning for weeks.

I made way for my desk hoping to avoid any further crazy stares. But before I could even sit down, Sophie from HR sauntered over, practically vibrating with curiosity.

“Emma!” she said in a sing- song tone, her eyes sparkling with barely restrained glee. “I heard the news. Congratulations, by the way! But tell me, how did this even happen?”

“Thanks, Sophie. It’s… a bit of a long story.” I could feel my face heat up

Her smile widened. “I love long stories.”

I opened my mouth to deflect, to come up with some plausible excuse that would keep the truth under wraps, but Liam’s voice interrupted.

“She’ll tell you all about it… eventually.” He was standing there, casually leaning against the doorway with his hands in his pockets, looking entirely unbothered by the sudden scrutiny we were under. There was a slight smile on his face, as if he was enjoying this a little too much.

“Oh, Mr. Chen,” Sophie said, looking at him with something close to awe, her cheeks flushing. “I didn’t realize…”

He cut her off smoothly. “Emma’s had a long morning. Let’s give her some space, shall we?”

Sophie nodded, murmuring some apology before practically sprinting back to her desk. I glanced up at Liam, raising an eyebrow.

He gave me a half-smile, one eyebrow arched. “You’re welcome,” he said, his tone light.

“Did you just swoop in here to save me from Sophie?” I asked, a bit thrown off by how casually he was handling all of this.

“Partially. But mostly to check on you.” He hesitated, then leaned in slightly. “How are you holding up?”

I was surprised by the softness in his voice. This was the first time since our… engagement that he seemed genuinely concerned. His gaze softened, and for a moment, I almost forgot where we were. But then the weight of everything that had happened and what it meant came crashing back down.

“I’m fine,” I said, even though we both knew it was a lie.

The truth was, I was far from fine. I was lost, confused, and way out of my depth. But admitting that to him felt too vulnerable, too close to exposing just how unsure I was about this entire arrangement.

His eyes flickered, and he gave me a short nod. “Good. If you need anything, my office is just upstairs.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, feeling the weight of everyone’s stares once again. I took a deep breath, gathered my composure, and settled in at my desk, hoping that work would distract me from the chaos that was now my life.

But as the hours ticked by, it was impossible to focus. Every email, every spreadsheet blurred together as my mind kept circling back to the night before, the lingering glances from his mother, the pointed way she’d asked about the wedding, as if daring me to have an answer. I hadn’t been able to sleep afterward, and even now, exhaustion tugged at me. But I knew it wasn’t just a lack of sleep that was keeping me off balance.

It was him.

Liam had inserted himself into my life with such ease that I was beginning to wonder if any of this had ever been a coincidence. How could it be, when his every glance felt so loaded with meaning, when his every word seemed to draw me in further?

By midday, the strain of pretending everything was normal had become unbearable. I excused myself and went down to the lobby, needing fresh air and a moment to clear my head. But as I stepped outside, I spotted a familiar figure leaning against the wall, arms crossed and a dark look on his face.

Mark.

My stomach twisted, but I couldn’t avoid him… not this time. He strode over, blocking my path.

“Emma, we need to talk,” he said, his tone a mixture of anger and desperation.

I crossed my arms, refusing to let him see how much his presence affected me. “I don’t think there’s anything left to say, Mark.”

“Are you serious?” His eyes were wide, his face twisted with disbelief. “You’re engaged to ‘him’ now?”

I straightened my shoulders, meeting his gaze with a calm I didn’t quite feel. “Yes. I am.”

Mark let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair. “Do you even know who he is, Emma? What he’s capable of?”

I frowned, thrown by the unexpected anger in his tone. “What are you talking about?”

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, almost menacing whisper. “People like Liam Chen don’t care about love, Emma. They don’t care about anything but power. He’s just using you to get what he wants.”

My heart pounded as his words sank in, the implication heavy. But before I could respond, he continued.

“Look,” he said, his voice softening, a strange look in his eyes. “I know we’ve had our issues. But I still care about you. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

I took a step back, needing distance from his sudden change in tone. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it,” I said, my voice cold.

He flinched, but recovered quickly. “Just… think about it, okay? Liam isn’t who you think he is.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, more confused than ever. I took a shaky breath, trying to process everything he’d said.

Could Mark be right?

Was Liam really using me for some ulterior motive?

The thought made my stomach turn.

But as I walked back into the building, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something Mark wasn’t telling me… something he was holding back.

I didn’t see Liam for the rest of the day, which was probably for the best. By the time I got home, my mind was reeling with questions, doubts, and half-formed suspicions.

I poured myself a glass of wine, trying to calm down, but every sip only seemed to make my thoughts spiral further.

Then, just as I was beginning to settle, my phone buzzed with a text.

It was from Liam.

“Dinner tomorrow night. Dress up. There’s something we need to discuss.”

A shiver ran down my spine as I stared at the message.

Dinner?

What could he possibly have to discuss with me?

And why did the idea of it send a strange mixture of excitement and dread coursing through me?

I typed out a quick reply, agreeing to meet him, but as I hit send, I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever he wanted to discuss would change everything.