The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

Emily practically burst into Abigail's house, with Michael right on her heels, worried she might trip. He kept muttering, "Abigail's tough. You know she can handle herself, right?"

True enough, ever since Emily had known Abigail, no one had ever managed to push her around. It was always Abigail doing the pushing. But this time, Emily was worried because matters of the heart were different. Relationships could hurt, and Emily believed women always got the short end of the stick.

She glanced back at Michael, who didn't argue, understanding her urgency. They reached the door, both out of breath.

"Abigail! Abigail!" They knocked and called out in unison. Soon, Abigail opened the door, tears streaming down her face, and threw herself into Emily's arms, sobbing. Michael couldn't help but joke, "That outfit's gonna be a mess." Only then did Abigail notice Michael was there too. It was rare for both of them to show up together, but she couldn't care less about gossip now. She pointed inside, "Michael, you're just in time... get that jerk out of here, right now." Jerk? The guy was still in the house? Emily admired Abigail's guts even more, while Michael, without hesitation, stormed into the room, forgetting his usual CEO composure.

The guy was tall and skinny, with deep-set eyes, long hair, and a quirky outfit. Emily instantly pegged him as an artist, probably someone Abigail met at work. After some questioning, she confirmed that her hunch was right. The guy claimed they weren't in a relationship, just a one-night stand.

Wait, a one-night stand? Emily was floored. She looked at Abigail, who was still crying her eyes out. Michael seemed lost, and Emily, frustrated, whispered to him, "Do something!"

Michael was taken aback. "How would I know what to do about a one-night stand? Don't make it sound like I'm an expert!"

Emily was even more surprised. "Aren't you?"

With Sophia, it might have been more than one night. Michael should be familiar with one-night stands.

Hearing this, Michael was even more annoyed. He had come to help Emily deal with a jerk, but now she was throwing shade at him. How ungrateful!

Michael shot back, "Emily, you need proof to talk. What one-night stand? When did I ever have one?"

Emily pouted, "Would you tell me if you did?"

Michael said, "The point is, I didn't."

Emily asked, "Who knows if you did?"

Michael replied, "I said I didn't. How do you know I did?"

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 000005s.com for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! Emily said, "It's not up to me. You know if you did."

Michael replied, "The point is, I didn't. Just because you say I did, doesn't mean I did."

"Stop!" Abigail, still sobbing, cut in, "Aren't I the one who got dumped? Why are you two arguing?"novelbin

With Abigail's pointed question, Emily and Michael immediately went quiet. They exchanged glances and then both turned to the "artist scumbag." Michael was the first to speak, "Do you have a wife?" "Michael, what kind of question is that?" Emily thought Michael was just messing with her.

"You don't get it. I'm just being thorough." But Michael didn't pick up on Emily's irritation. He didn't realize Abigail's situation was making Emily think about their own relationship.

Luckily, the guy answered quickly, "No."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. "So what's your deal? Are you leaving because you think you're not good enough for her?"

Michael's questions were sharp. Emily couldn't get a word in edgewise. Abigail, though, found some comfort in Michael's grilling. She was crying for herself, for giving everything, for acting on impulse, for not being able to keep him. The guy seemed set on breaking up with Abigail. He took Michael's thinly veiled insults without a fight, which made Michael even more suspicious. "If you want to leave, give me your home address, work address, phone number, and all your social media contacts. You can go after I verify them."

Michael's demand threw everyone off. The "artist scumbag" looked baffled. "Why?"

Michael said, "No 'why'. Just do it. She's the one who got hurt. Be glad we're not asking for more. What? You get nervous when I ask for your contact info? Were you lying from the start?"

Michael's quick comeback, combined with his natural authority, overwhelmed the guy. He reluctantly complied, giving Michael all the info he asked for. Emily felt a wave of relief. With Michael around, she always felt safe. Was this just a coincidence or something more?

After leaving his contact information and address, the guy left, looking defeated. The place finally quieted down. Michael plopped down on the sofa, watching Emily gently "interrogate" Abigail, eventually giving her a stern warning. "This is the last time. Don't be so reckless again. What if you get hurt? Emerald City is so chaotic now. This time it's emotional pain, but next time... How could you do this? Bringing a stranger home when I'm not around. What if he was dangerous? Did you think about the consequences?"

Emily's stern questioning made Abigail cry even harder. Michael couldn't help but add, "Emily, you definitely shouldn't have kids."

Hearing this, both Emily and Abigail were momentarily stunned. Abigail's tears welled up even more.

Luckily, Michael didn't notice anything off. He crossed his legs and kept teasing, "You nag her like she's your own kid! If you ever have kids, they'll be so annoyed they might run away after a few days."