The Billionaire's Perfect Match

Chapter 5:

Emily sighed helplessly. If she had known Ricard would quickly become the new CEO of William Group, would she have married him so easily? She couldn’t answer that question now and didn’t want to dwell on it.

Back in the office, Emily received a notice from the branch manager, instructing her and some colleagues to prepare the tender documents for Aliba Company. They would discuss the project with the director that afternoon.

Aliba is a game development company and a subsidiary of the renowned Watts Group in the country. The Watts Group is one of the top enterprises domestically, and many companies would readily compete for a chance to collaborate with them. Therefore, winning against over ten competing companies is no easy feat.

The bid for Aliba is the most important project of the year for William Group. Ricard had just taken on the role of CEO, so it was natural for him to pay close attention to the project’s progress. However, Emily still felt a bit uneasy. Having been flustered by Ricard at lunch, she was worried that working with him in the afternoon might affect her performance.

Emily and her team arrived early to prepare, ensuring all the documents were ready, but she couldn’t shake off her anxiety.

“Emily...” Lucia whispered to her, “Everyone knows your work capabilities, so don’t worry too much.” Emily just smiled saying nothing.

Lucia was also a member of the project team. Though sweet-talking, she wasn’t very meticulous, so Emily handled most of the tasks, with Lucia assisting her.

Another male colleague, Norman, approached Emily, “Emily, with you leading us, we’re sure nothing will go wrong.”

Emily replied, “It’s better to be cautious, regardless.” As the team leader, she bore the greatest responsibility and naturally felt more pressure. This was the first project she led since Ricard became CEO, so beyond wanting to perform well, she also wanted to leave a good impression on her husband, ensuring he wouldn’t look down on her in their personal life.

“CEO William...” someone called out, drawing everyone’s attention to the meeting room door. Emily looked up to see Ricard, accompanied by two assistants, elegantly walking in.

At lunch, Ricard had worn casual clothes, but now he was in a custom-tailored gray suit, with a basic white shirt and a white-and-blue striped tie, exuding an even colder aura.

“Good morning, CEO William!” Everyone stood up to greet Ricard.

“Good morning, please sit,” Ricard said calmly, taking his seat at the head of the table and signaling Jayce to start the meeting. Seeing Ricard barely glance at her, Emily felt a wave of relief, her anxiety easing. Ricard’s behavior made it clear he maintained a strict separation between work and personal matters.

As the team leader, Emily began the detailed introduction of the project. Given her diligent work and personal review of many details, she confidently presented the specific analysis to the management team, including the CEO. Not only was she not nervous, but she also performed exceptionally well.

At the end of her presentation, Emily received a round of applause. As she bowed to thank them, she felt a scrutinizing gaze on her and looked up to see Ricard’s deep, unreadable eyes.

Seeing Emily look at him, Ricard gave her a polite, professional smile, devoid of any personal emotion. Emily returned the smile in kind, ready to match his professionalism.

Ricard’s presence, combined with his slightly aloof demeanor, created a distant atmosphere, making everyone feel a bit tense. However, with thorough preparation and Ricard’s acknowledgment of their efforts, the meeting was deemed a success.

After the meeting, the project team members were in high spirits, momentarily forgetting about their superiors as they chatted. Norman casually draped an arm around Emily’s shoulder, “Emily, if we win this bid for Aliba, it will be an unparalleled honor.”

Emily was also pleased, not minding the close contact with Norman at the moment. She nodded and smiled. “As long as we all work hard together, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.”

“Emily!”

Ricard’s clear, impersonal voice from behind made Emily stiffen. She turned and politely asked, “CEO William, are you looking for me?”

“Emily, as the lead on the Aliba project, there are a few detailed questions the CEO would like to go over with you,” said Amile, speaking on Ricard’s behalf. As Ricard’s long-time assistant, Amile knew his thoughts well.

Recognizing the CEO’s request to discuss work, the other team members quickly found excuses to leave, leaving Emily alone with Ricard.

Ricard approached her, “Emily...”

Emily instinctively took two steps back, increasing the distance between herself and Ricard. “CEO William, what do you need to discuss?”

Ricard stepped closer to her. “Right now, I’m just Ricard, your husband.”

Emily retreated, scanning the room. “CEO William, this is work hours.” Hearing her words, Ricard’s brows furrowed, and his eyes narrowed behind his gold-rimmed glasses, revealing a hint of anger. However, his good upbringing and discipline prevented him from easily expressing his anger.

After a moment, he seriously said, “Emily, I know you and that man have nothing going on, but as your husband, seeing him with his arm around you makes me jealous.”

Ricard surprised Emily with unexpected words. Her cheeks turned hot, and she finally smiled. “Don’t worry, CEO William. It won’t happen again.”

“CEO William?” Ricard’s eyes narrowed further, this time in genuine anger.

“You’re busy, CEO William. I’ll take my leave now,” Emily said, unaware of Ricard’s anger. She turned and walked away immediately. Ricard watched her enter the elevator, his eyes growing colder.

“CEO William, there are a few documents that need your review,” Amile reminded him at that moment.

Ricard turned and walked back to his office, coldly throwing out a question, “Are all women this competitive?”

Amile was taken aback at first, but then quickly responded, “Emily has endured much betrayal and hurt. The past three years, she’s had no one to depend on. If she wasn’t strong, she wouldn’t have survived.”

Ricard paused, turned to look at her deeply, prompting her to add quickly, “But from now on, she has you to care for her.”

...

Meeting room: 23rd floor. Business Department: 19th. When the elevator stopped on the 22nd floor, Ella from Public Relations stepped in. Emily didn’t like Ella and adjusted to the side, avoiding greeting her.

Ella glanced at Emily and turned her face towards the elevator door, tilting her head high. "Moving cities can make people believe their past misdeeds will be forgotten.”

Emily heard her but didn’t want to waste energy on someone like Ella, who loved to stir up trouble.

Emily’s complete indifference infuriated Ella. She turned and glared viciously at Emily. “Emily, you know that our CEO is married, right?”

Emily smiled faintly. Who else would know Ricard is married if she didn’t?

Ella, hoping to seduce Ricard herself, had seen the internal email that morning announcing his marital status, which had crushed her hopes. She wanted Emily to feel the same despair, but Emily’s calm demeanor only made her angrier.

Fuming, Ella stomped her foot. Though she couldn’t do anything to Emily now, she vowed to bring her down.

...

Learning from yesterday’s experience, Emily rushed home immediately after work, hoping to cook dinner before Ricard got home to avoid letting him go hungry again.

While shopping for groceries, Emily called Ricard. He was in a meeting with managers when her call came through. Raising his hand to signal for silence, he answered, “What is it?”

Emily asked, “I’m at the supermarket. Is there anything you like to eat?”

Ricard calmly replied, “I’m not picky. Make whatever you want.” As Ricard spoke, Amile and Jayce exchanged glances. No one in the world was picky if their boss wasn’t.

When Ricard got home, Emily was busy cooking in the kitchen. She wore an apron, her hair casually tied up, revealing her fair neck as she expertly stirred the food in the pot.

Seeing her like this, Ricard could easily imagine her being just as competent at work. He briefly observed before entering the kitchen. “Emily, I’m home.”

Emily turned and smiled lightly. “Go change your clothes. Dinner will be ready soon.”

Ricard didn’t move. “Emily...”

She continued cooking without stopping, glancing back at him. “What is it?”

“I’ll go change now.” Ricard had intended to tell her she didn’t need to cook after a long day, as the housekeeper could do it. But he realized he enjoyed the idea of eating meals prepared by his wife. To him, ‘home’ meant coming back from work to a hot meal made by his wife, not the housekeeper’s cooking.

Emily prepared four dishes and a soup: shredded chicken, stir-fried pork with carrots, stir-fried lotus root, and mushroom meatball soup. Seeing Ricard eating mild dishes at lunch, she guessed he preferred lighter food and prepared accordingly.

After changing, Ricard noticed the food set on the table. Noticing the carrots, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, but then quickly returned to normal. Emily didn’t notice the change.

Emily served the soup first, giving Ricard a bowl. “You’ve had a busy day. Have some soup first.”