Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 21

Emmy found herself back at her old office, needing to grab a few important things she’d left behind.

But as soon as she pushed open the door, her heart sank. The place was almost unrecognizable. Everything that was hers had been cleared out. Even her desk and chair were gone, swapped for some new brand she didn’t recognize. The plants she’d spent years taking care of—her green vines, her little succulents, that tiny jasmine—had all vanished.

Instead, there was a shiny coffee machine, a yoga mat, and a stepper. The air was thick with some kind of sickly sweet scent, nothing like the subtle, woody smell she always liked. It felt like someone had gone out of their way to erase any sign she’d ever worked there.

She swallowed the tight, uncomfortable feeling in her chest and tried to keep her cool. She was just about to go find someone to ask about her things when she turned around and saw Evelina and Dean heading her way, Evelina wrapped around Dean’s arm like she belonged there.

When they noticed Emmy, they both sped up, almost eager to get to her.

“Emmy, you’re still here! That’s perfect. Do you want to grab lunch with us? My treat. You know, as a thank you for helping out earlier,” Evelina chirped, way too cheerful.

“No thanks,” Emmy shot back, her voice cold. “Where are my things? What did you do with them?”

Evelina peeked into the office, looking confused. “Honestly, I have no idea. But how about we eat first, then I’ll help you find them after?”

Emmy fixed her with a look. “I said, where are my things? Are you really not getting what I’m saying?”

“Emmy!” Dean stepped in front of Evelina, his face dark and hard. “Just because you got fired doesn’t mean you can take it out on Eve. You’ve barely been present at work for months. Your performance has been a disaster. Getting fired was only a matter of time. How do you still have the nerve to show up and question anyone?”

Emmy just stared at him, stunned.

Did he really not understand? These past months, who had she been burning herself out for? Who had she given everything to? And now he stood there, blaming her for not caring?

Back then, she really thought she was special to him. Dean had always been so cold to everyone else. She used to believe she was the only one who ever got to see his softer side.

Turns out, it wasn’t that he couldn’t be sweet or thoughtful. He just chose who to give it to. Evelina was the one he really cared about. And her? She was just a stand-in, someone he picked before he realized what he truly wanted.

Once she understood that, the hurt in her chest faded a bit.

“Mr. Sparrow, you should just stay with Ms. White. She just started, right? Being alone might make her nervous,” Emmy said, her voice edged with sarcasm. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle my own stuff.”

She didn’t bother to look at them again. Emmy turned and walked straight for the elevators, not once glancing back.

Dean watched her go, his brow furrowed, something unreadable in his eyes.