Sweet to the heart

Chapter 19

The night breeze was cool, so Emily wrapped her coat tighter and waited at the roadside for ten minutes before her driver finally arrived in her red Ferrari. The driver got out and apologized, "Sorry, ma'am, for the delay."

Emily got in and said, "It’s fine. The traffic was heavy. Let’s go to Crown Club."

Although the Crown Club wasn’t too far from where she was, it took more than half an hour to get there because of the traffic. Upon arrival, she saw Sean waiting at the entrance. Emily had only asked him for the address but hadn’t mentioned she was coming, so it seemed he had guessed correctly.

Sean, recognizing her car, walked over and greeted her, “Ma’am.”

Emily responded with a slight nod and asked, “What’s Frank doing upstairs? Can I go up?”

Sean replied, “Mr. Han is catching up with Frank. They’re all friends from way back. You might have met them at your wedding. They’re all quite happy to see you.”

At her wedding, she had met the people in the "True Love Support Team," so she recognized them. The fact that they were all happy to see her made Emily a bit apprehensive. She wasn’t sure if they would ask why she hadn’t added them as friends on social media.

The exclusive elevator to the top floor slowly ascended. With Sean standing beside her, Emily realized that it was too late to back out now. Moreover, she needed to ask Mr. Han for help, as the magazine cover model had to be decided by the meeting next Monday. Time was running out, and she had to seize this opportunity.

Taking a deep breath, Emily adjusted her smile and prepared herself. The top floor had only one private room, as this club was owned by James. The top floor was his private area and was not open to the public. Generally, people couldn’t get up there, and the door to the room wasn’t even closed.

Sean led her in, and Emily was surprised to find that the beautifully decorated private room had a mahjong table in the center. Everyone was gathered around the table playing mahjong. The scene was much more innocent than she had imagined, and there were no accompanying women or even any service staff.

As she entered, a man in a floral shirt stood up and greeted her with a smile, “Sister-in-law, you’re here. Come and sit.”

Emily recognized him as James, the owner of the club. She smiled and nodded before walking straight to Frank.

The others in the room greeted her one by one. Frank was sitting in a position directly facing the door. He was leaning back slightly, sitting lazily, holding a tile in his hand. His eyelashes were lowered, and he didn’t even glance at her as she entered, appearing to be deeply focused on his game.

Emily walked over and lightly tapped Frank’s shoulder, “Frank.”

Only then did Frank raise his gaze and look at her with an air of reluctance, “What are you doing here?”

Emily smiled and said, “I’ve been worried about you. It’s been a few days since you’ve had a proper rest, so I thought I’d come and check on you.”

James clapped and teased, “Sister-in-law is so considerate and charming. Frank, you’re really lucky.”

Emily graciously accepted the compliment, shyly leaning closer to Frank as if to hide in his arms.

Frank frowned slightly and looked at her with a bemused expression. Emily knew he must think she was being overly dramatic. However, for the sake of networking with Mr. Han and getting his support for the magazine cover, she could endure it. After all, Frank had said that in front of his friends and relatives, she needed to play the role of a loving wife. This was the perfect opportunity to show affection.

“Frank, am I interrupting your time? If you’re busy, I can head home and wait for you.”

She let go of Frank’s arm and pretended to leave.

Frank, however, remained seated, watching her calmly. He didn’t say a word to stop her.

Emily wasn’t really planning to leave, but she had pushed things this far and couldn’t back down now. Frank’s lack of response left her in an awkward position.

She turned back, leaned in, and whispered into Frank’s ear, “If I really leave now…” Under the table, she stepped on his shoe with her high heel, maintaining her smile, “Don’t stay out too late. Come home early.”

Frank looked at the foot on his shoe but didn’t get angry. He calmly said, “Since you’re here, you might as well stay.” He then pulled out a chair for her next to him.

Emily, with her back to the others, gave Frank a triumphant smile as she sat down beside him. She noticed his slightly open collar, revealing pale skin with a hint of redness.

“Have you been drinking?”

Frank nodded.

Seeing that each person at the table had a bottle of liquor and a glass in front of them, Emily guessed that they were playing for drinks rather than money. Since they were drinking in a casual setting among friends, she didn’t want to spoil the mood by asking Frank to drink less.

Instead, she reached into her bag and pulled out a box of hangover pills, offering them to Frank. Leaning close to his ear, she said softly, “I knew you’d be drinking here, and since your tolerance isn’t great, I brought some hangover pills for you. You should take one.”

Her voice was gentle and sweet, like a cotton candy. The warmth of her breath tickled his neck, making his heart soften.

Even though she was just playing the role of a doting wife to gain his support, Frank’s heart melted a little at her gesture.

He smiled slightly, “Just leave it for now. My hands are dirty.”

He had been handling mahjong tiles, so it was unhygienic to take the pill right away.

Emily couldn’t help but admire herself internally. She then offered, “I have some wet wipes in my bag. You can clean your hands.”

The others in the room were watching them with a mix of amusement and envy. One of them teased, “You guys are really showing off. It’s like you’re flaunting your affection in front of us.”

Emily smiled and watched as Frank took the hangover pill. She then opened a bottle of mineral water and offered it to him, saying, “I know you all drink a lot, and you helped Frank out at our wedding. I didn’t get a chance to thank you properly. How about a drink from me?”

She stood up to fetch a glass of wine, but Frank frowned and stopped her, “There’s no need to be so formal with them.”

James added, “Yes, sister-in-law, we’re all like family here. Helping each other is only natural. If you ever need anything, just ask. We’re all here for you.”

He looked at Mr. Han, hoping he would support his words. However, Mr. Han, feeling guilty, wished James hadn’t brought it up.

He didn’t want to admit in front of Emily that he was unwilling to help her with the magazine cover because Frank had told him not to.

He coldly said, “I’ve got some things to take care of. I’m heading abroad tomorrow.”

He then stood up, took out a cigarette and a metal lighter from his pocket, and walked towards the balcony.

Emily, noticing Mr. Han’s dejected demeanor, quickly turned to Frank, “What’s wrong with him? Is something happening?”

Mr. Han seemed to be deeply troubled.

She watched Mr. Han’s retreating figure, and Frank’s expression darkened. He said coldly, “Why do you care about him?”

“Of course.”

Emily quickly added, “I mean, he’s your friend, so you must be concerned if he’s upset.”

Frank’s face remained dark, and Emily felt that her concern was being met with coldness. Did Frank’s friendships and their marriage really seem so insincere?