Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 32

“We’re just married on paper, nothing more. The only thing we have in common is living one floor apart. That’s it.”

Abriella’s smile vanished, replaced by a look that screamed, “Why are you like this?” She poked Emmy right on the forehead.

“Emmy, seriously? You’re impossible!”

So that night, Emmy crashed at Abriella’s place and didn’t head back to her own apartment until the next afternoon to grab some clean clothes and her notes.

She’d barely opened her suitcase when a knock sounded at the door.

She pulled it open, and there was James.

He was backlit by the hallway light, tall and broad-shouldered, his shadow stretching right over her.

He looked down, eyes dark and unreadable. “Returning your lunchbox.”

He handed it over, then added, “The food was good, but next time add more salt.”

It was so blunt Emmy almost laughed. Was this guy ever polite?

“Want to come in and sit for a bit?” she asked automatically, not expecting him to say yes.

To her surprise, he nodded. “Sure.”

He stepped inside, and even though he smelled faintly of soap, his presence alone made her small living room feel even smaller.

Emmy had no words.

James glanced around and spotted her open suitcase.

He frowned. “You moving out?”

“No,” Emmy said, dropping the lunchbox in the kitchen sink. “I have my thesis defense tomorrow, so I need to go back to campus.”

James picked up her thesis from the table, flipped through a couple of pages, and glanced at the cover.

He said, calm as ever, “This school doesn’t deserve a thesis like this.”

Emmy blushed, embarrassed. “I was clueless when I picked my college. I just chose randomly.”

His grip on the wheel paused for a second. “You got something against firefighters?”

“No way!” Emmy shook her head, serious. “Firefighters are amazing! Saving people, running into danger—I always admire that when I see it on the news.”

She grinned, then added, “And you look really good in uniform, by the way.”

James’s lips twitched into a small smile. “Maybe spend less time crushing on those boy-band types and more time looking up to real heroes. It’s good for you.”

“Got it!” Emmy laughed, not even pretending she wasn’t both a sucker for good looks and a hero-worshipper.

They pulled into the airport parking lot. James hopped out, set her suitcase on the ground.

Just then, a black Mercedes rolled up and parked right next to them.

Emmy recognized Dean’s car instantly.

Without thinking, she leaned into James’s arms, giving her best clingy-girlfriend performance. She whispered close to his ear,

“Sorry—just play along.”