Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1449

"Everyone calm down and stop pushing! Let Emmy speak first!" The two young women and dozens of security guards exhausted themselves holding the frantic crowd behind the safety barricades. As the venue gradually quieted down, a spotlight hit the center of the stage. Emmy stepped into the light, walking forward with unhurried grace. At that moment, all the lights focused on her. Her features were composed and cool, yet the faint dimples at the corners of her mouth held a fatal allure. The effortless, innocent sensuality she radiated made it impossible to look away. As she spoke confidently to the audience, she seemed to glow.

James sat tall and imposing at the VIP table below the stage. His deep gaze locked onto the dazzling woman under the lights, and his harsh jawline unconsciously relaxed. The eyes that had been brimming with a murderous aura just moments ago were now overflowing with a thick, undeniable tenderness.

Meanwhile, just as the fan gathering downstairs reached its climax, the atmosphere in the penthouse presidential suite was incredibly oppressive. Martha had not spoken a single word since they left the banquet hall, but the Ivory Fan in her hand fluttered furiously, giving away her boiling rage. A deeply cautious woman who always feared eavesdroppers, she forced herself to hold it in until they were securely inside the suite private lounge. The moment the door clicked shut, Martha spun around and pointed her Ivory Fan right at Shelly's nose.

"You absolute fool! That brother of yours should have locked you in the estate for the rest of your life!"

Shelly was already humiliated by the public embarrassment downstairs. Being scolded so ruthlessly now sent her over the edge. Her chest heaved violently as she glared at the older woman. "What gives you the right to yell at me? You promised you would stand by my side! You are just using me! You wanted to use me as a weapon so you could play the peacemaker and suck up to Emmy. But let me tell you, Emmy will never buy your act!"

Martha let out a harsh bark of laughter, acting as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. "I am using you? Oh, Shelly. I was graciously giving you an opportunity!" She closed the distance in her high heels, her eyes filled with supreme contempt. "Did you not claim that Emmy owed all her success to James? Then why did you not show a little maternal authority and make her supporters believe you? And what happened? You were completely useless! A little brat shut you down with a few words, and you could not even squeak out a response!"

Martha took a deep breath, pressing her advantage as she vented her anger. "If you had managed to stir up even a little bit of emotion in those fans today... If they had felt even a sliver of doubt toward Emmy, I would have had the perfect justification to call a board meeting and seize her shares for our own use! Who would have thought you could be so incredibly incompetent!" She suppressed the frustration in her eyes. Her entire plan had completely backfired. If she had not quickly played the good guy to leave herself an out, Emmy would have definitely held a grudge against her.

Clutching her hands tightly, Shelly fired back. "I do not care what you were scheming. I am going to tell James the truth right now! If I tell him you deliberately brought me out here to set up this trap, he will never let you off the hook!"

Martha walked over to the leather sofa and sat down with elegant poise. She looked at Shelly as if she were a pathetic clown and scoffed again. "Fine, go right ahead and try. Let us see if James believes your little story or what he saw with his own eyes downstairs." She picked up her teacup, slowly blowing on the surface. "Shelly, you lost your credibility with James a long time ago. It is a pity you are such a clueless, useless fool." Raising her eyes, she looked at the younger woman with a mix of pity and mockery. "I really do not know if James protected you too well all these years, or if my ruthless oldest brother shielded you too much. It is truly rare to see a wealthy socialite manage to live such a brainless existence in this city."