Emily’s Point of View**

“Okay, honey. Take care,” Collin murmured, lowering his head to press gentle, lingering kisses against my forehead. I caught a fleeting glimpse of Logan across the hall, his gaze sharp, colored with a flicker of jealousy that sent a thrill of satisfaction through me. My eyes drifted to Vivian, her hands entwined possessively in Logan’s arm, and a sly smile tugged at my lips.

What a pretentious, infuriatingly perfect couple.

Collin brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering at the curve of my jaw. His deep blue eyes searched my face with curiosity and warmth, and I felt a shiver ripple through me. “What about Carl? Haven’t laid eyes on him today,” he asked, his voice soft, teasing.

“He’s at the babysitter’s. I’ll pick him up as soon as I’m back,” I replied, my tone calm, professional. He nodded, releasing my hands reluctantly as if the mere act of letting go pained him.

I shifted my gaze to Logan. His eyes never left mine, burning into me with a mix of disbelief, longing, and something darker I refused to name. I felt a pulse of adrenaline, part fear, part exhilaration, as if the air between us had thickened, charged with electricity.

Clutching my bag, I took a deliberate step forward and offered him a polite, teasing smile before turning to leave. The click of my heels echoed against the polished tiles, a rhythm that matched my racing heartbeat. I could feel Logan’s gaze searing my back, following every movement, and it made my pulse quicken with a dangerous thrill.

I bit my lower lip, adjusting my pace as I reached the limousine parked just beyond the street. A shadow fell across me, and before I could react, a hand grabbed my arm, spinning me around. My mind went blank, curiosity and alarm clouding my features.

Logan stood there, his expression unreadable but intense. My breath hitched, and my eyes widened at the sight of him.

“Emily!” he called softly, his voice low, almost strained, sending a jolt of anger and heat through me.

I yanked my hands free, taking a cautious step back. “Who gave you the right to touch me?!” I snapped, my voice sharp as ice, though my heart thumped in my chest like a wild drum.

Without warning, he circled his arm around my waist, drawing me closer, our faces mere inches apart. “You’re Emily. I know it. My eyes cannot deceive me,” he whispered, his sharp brown gaze piercing mine with an intensity that made my stomach clench.

I narrowed my eyes, pretending innocence, yet every fiber of me burned with controlled rage. “Excuse me, Mr. Logan. Do you have any clue who you’re speaking to?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, his voice taut with certainty, his eyes tracing every line of my face.

“You’re Emily, my ex-wife. Stop pretending for once!” he demanded. I sneered, anger rising like molten fire.

“Watch your tone, Mr. Logan. You’re here for business, correct? Solely for a partnership with the Imperial Company?” I said, raising my brows and holding him at arm’s length with the weight of my authority.

He nodded, confirming my words.

“Then learn your boundaries. And as for me, I am Emerald, CEO of the Imperial Company. Not Emily. You must have me confused with someone else,” I added, letting smug pride edge my tone.

I pivoted to leave, only for him to grip my wrist and gently push me back, forcing my back against the wall. My breath hitched as the proximity overwhelmed me. His scent, sharp and masculine with a hint of mint and musk, filled my senses. The heat of his body pressed against mine, every nerve on fire.

“Do not play games with me, Emily. I know it’s you. Where have you been all these years?” His voice was low, urgent, desperate.

I felt sweat prickling at the back of my neck, my body reacting despite my efforts to remain composed. His hands pinned mine against the wall, warmth radiating from his touch, and I silently cursed myself for remembering how it had felt years ago.

His face leaned closer, his breath brushing my skin, and a wave of memories hit me: the betrayal, the heartbreak, the years of humiliation, and the near loss of Carl. Rage bubbled up, mingling with the flash of emotions his closeness always provoked.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I shoved him away, glaring at him with eyes sharpened like daggers. “I am no longer Emily, Logan. This woman you see standing before you is…” I paused, letting the words linger as I searched his stunned expression, a lopsided, triumphant smile curling my lips.

“Emerald Gills. Not Emily Michaelson. Let that sink into your dumb skull, dimwit!” I spat, pushing him fully away from me.

“Emily—” he started, but I raised my palm, silencing him with a cold glare.

“Stick to your purpose here, Mr. Logan. Leave personal affairs out of this. Emily is dead. She died long ago, and I am not her.”

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, and I knew he had not anticipated this declaration. His features, those same features mirrored in our son, now looked stunned and unmoored. It was infuriatingly unfair that Carl was a perfect miniature of him and nothing of me.

“I demand an answer, Emily. Where have you been all these years?” His tone was sharp, insistent, as if the world owed him a response.

I rolled my eyes, closing the distance between us with a deliberate, unbending posture. I poked his broad chest with a pointed finger. “You have no right to know anything about me. If you take nothing else from today, take this: I am Emerald, CEO of the Imperial Company.”

His brows knitted, teeth gritted, as he reached for my wrist once more, scanning me head to toe. “I can’t think straight, Emily. You’ve changed so much.”

I yanked my wrist free, a smirk of defiance and pride on my face. “Yes. I have changed. A new life, a new home, a new lover. Just as you moved on, I moved on.”

His lips trembled, jaw tight, and he brushed a thumb against my lower lip. “Tell me this is a dream. I cannot control myself since I saw you, Emily.”

A smirk tugged at my lips as I met the longing and confusion in his eyes. “Why a dream? Because you never thought Emily could rise? Because you thought the naive orphan you once knew would remain weak and dependent? You underestimated me.”

“Emily—”

“Do not Emily me, Logan. I told you, I am no longer Emily.”

He gritted his teeth, pushing me toward him, our bodies colliding. My eyes widened, and a gasp escaped me, disbelief clouding my expression.

“What the hell are you doing?” I demanded internally, heart pounding.

“Hear me out—”

“I WON’T!” I shouted, swatting his hands away with force that made him stumble slightly. “I have no time for your theatrics. Remember this: I am Emerald, and I answer to no one but myself.”

I spun around and strode toward my limousine. Hilda, my father’s secretary, stood nearby, slightly stunned by the encounter. I nodded, receiving the phone call from my father.

“I’ll be there,” I said, voice steady, before stepping into the car.

As the vehicle pulled away, I felt Logan’s eyes lingering on me, burning into my back. I turned my head just enough to catch a glimpse, a smug, determined smile tugging at my lips.

“This is just the beginning, Logan,” I whispered under my breath as the limousine glided through the busy streets.