Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 46

She dropped her gaze, stirring her soup with her spoon, too shy to look up at him.

He couldn’t help but notice how red her ears had gotten, her hair all soft and messy at the top. His eyes darkened a little.

Unable to resist, he reached out and gently ruffled her hair.

“I’ll get you some water. Take your medicine in a bit, okay?”

He stood up, his tall figure leaving the room, and with him, the tense atmosphere seemed to melt away.

Emmy finally let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

After she took the medicine, she instinctively reached for her thesis. She’d barely started reading when someone snatched the papers right out of her hands.

James frowned at her. “You’re still sick and you want to study? Sleep first. The work can wait.”

“But I—”

She tried to argue, but one look into James’s deep, dark eyes and every word caught in her throat.

Left with no choice, she just pressed her lips together and curled up under the covers.

She’d thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but her eyelids grew heavy, and before she knew it, she was out.

She had no idea how much time had passed when voices—low and impatient—woke her up.

“I told you to leave. Didn’t you hear me?”

Emmy opened her eyes to see James’s broad back blocking the door.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Mr. Nelson, who’s out there?”

Before she finished speaking, a head popped in under James’s arm.

This guy had ash-blond hair, mischievous eyes, and a huge, easy grin. His tone was completely casual, like they’d known each other forever.

“Sis, you’re awake! Heard you were sick, so I came to check on you! I’m Steve, by the way!”

With that, Steve squeezed past James and plopped a giant fruit basket onto her bedside table.

“Thank you,” Emmy said politely, glancing at James, whose face had gone even darker. “Mr. Nelson, maybe get Steve a glass of water?”

“Seriously, James—what’s going on? You just up and married her? What, just because she’s gorgeous? Didn’t even bother with a background check?”

James didn’t answer, just fixed him with a cold stare that made the air between them feel even heavier.

Steve looked a little uneasy, but kept going.

“Do you even know what people are saying? In Dean’s crowd, your new wife is famous for being head-over-heels in love.”

“She was crazy about Dean. Chased after him since they were kids. They were the ‘it couple’ for years, always showing off and making everyone else roll their eyes.”

“But then, out of nowhere, Dean dumped her. Everyone who had to put up with their lovey-dovey act was waiting for her to lose it, make a scene, maybe do something dramatic.”

“But what no one expected was for Emmy to just vanish. She didn’t say a word. It was like she disappeared off the face of the earth.”

Steve leaned in, lowering his voice. “James, do you get what that means?”

James’s eyes were as dark as ink, impossible to read.

“Say it.”