Chapter 6 You Are My Fiancée
Emily took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She walked up to James, whose handsome but stern face was like a mask, making it hard to read his expression.
"James," Emily's voice wavered a bit. "Why did you agree to this marriage?"
James stayed silent. His deep eyes were like the dark depths of a forest, impossible to read. He just stared at Emily, his gaze intense.
"You..." Emily felt a chill under his stare. She bit her lip and gathered the courage to go on, "You clearly don't like me, so why marry me? Is it for family interests, or for..."
"What answer do you want to hear?" James finally spoke, his voice low and magnetic, with a hint of coldness.
Emily was taken aback, at a loss for words. What answer did she want to hear? She didn't even know herself.
"I just..." Emily took another deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I just want to know your true thoughts."
"My true thoughts?" James suddenly grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her into his arms.
Emily lost her balance and ended up sitting on James's lap.
The next second, James leaned down, his warm breath brushing against Emily's ear, making her shiver involuntarily.
"Are you scared now?" James sneered, clearly enjoying teasing her, "Too bad! From today on, you're my fiancée, got it?"
Hearing this, Emily lowered her eyes slightly. She knew she shouldn't expect too much. This marriage was a transaction, and she was just a pawn in this deal to save the Johnson Group.
"I get it, but I just..." Emily's voice was tinged with helplessness. "I just don't want us to lack even the most basic respect for each other."
"Respect?" James stared at Emily, then suddenly laughed. He thought, 'So that's all she wants?'
At that moment, his breath brushed against Emily's face, carrying a faint scent of tobacco, making her feel dizzy.
"Why are you laughing?" Emily pouted, but when she met his deep eyes, all her words got stuck in her throat.
James looked at her, a strange light flashing in his eyes. He lowered his head, his lips close to her ear, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Don't worry, I'll treat you well."
His warm breath brushed against Emily's sensitive earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine. She almost instinctively wanted to escape, but his strong arms held her tightly, making it impossible to move.
"What are you doing?" Emily was both embarrassed and angry, struggling hard, but it was like a butterfly caught in a spider's web—the more she struggled, the more powerless she felt.
James didn't let her go; instead, he held her even tighter. The distance between them was so close. Emily could even feel the strong heartbeat from his chest, making her panicked.
"Are you afraid of me?" James's voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of playful amusement, as if he had seen through her thoughts.
Emily turned her face away, avoiding his burning gaze, biting her lip without saying a word.
James chuckled, a hint of self-mockery in his tone, "Yeah, besides this marriage, there seems to be nothing else between us."
He let go of Emily, his body pulling back a bit, creating some space between them. Emily quickly stood up from his lap, putting a safe distance between them.
"This marriage isn't something you can refuse," James said, his eyes as deep as the night sky, making it hard to read his thoughts. "I'll make you want to marry me."
Emily's heart sank, a wave of unease washing over her.
She couldn't understand why James would say such things.
He clearly had no feelings for her, so why was he forcing his way into her life?
In the days that followed, James seemed like a different person, showing up in Emily's life every day like clockwork.
He'd pick her up from school, prepare fancy lunches for her, and even give her little gifts.
At first, Emily resisted his kindness.
She didn't get what James was up to. His sudden sweetness felt like honey-coated poison, making her a bit scared.
Even during her classes, he'd have someone deliver a cup of coffee, drawing envious glances from countless girls.
Not only that, James found various ways to shower Emily with gifts. From limited edition bags to expensive jewelry, to romantic flowers, she received James's carefully prepared surprises almost every day.
But instead of feeling happy, Emily felt even more confused.
She couldn't understand why James, who clearly didn't like her, would waste time and effort on her.
"Emily, what's your problem?" Emily's friend, Evelyn Thomas, looked at the table full of luxury items and rolled her eyes. "Guys as considerate as James are hard to find. Why wouldn't you want to marry him?"
Emily sighed, putting the diamond necklace back in its box. "You don't get it. I always feel like he has some hidden agenda."
"What agenda could he have? He just wants to win you over!" Evelyn looked exasperated. "Emily, can't you just give him a chance?"
"But..." Emily started to say.
Evelyn cut her off impatiently, "No buts. Just enjoy it! You have no idea how much everyone envies you."
Though Evelyn's words were blunt, they made sense. Emily looked at the room full of gifts and fell into deep thought.
Maybe she really should try to understand James instead of constantly avoiding him.
Just then, Emily's phone buzzed. It was a text from James.
James: [Are you free tonight? Let's have dinner.]
Emily looked at the text, hesitated for a moment, and finally replied with one word: [Okay.]
That evening, James took Emily to a restaurant with an elegant ambiance.
Under the soft lighting, James's handsome face looked even more charming.
He looked at Emily, a barely noticeable tenderness in his eyes. "These roses were flown in from abroad today. Do you like them?"
James handed her a large bouquet of fresh red roses, a slight smile on his lips.
"James, what exactly are you trying to do?" Emily finally couldn't hold back her question.
James was pouring her a drink. Hearing her question, he looked up, his deep eyes meeting hers. "I just want to pursue you; isn't that allowed?"