The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

Hayden slumped onto the couch, looking utterly defeated.

Emily's face showed a flicker of emotion before she placed the contract on the table with a blank expression.

"Here's the contract for the branch office. I brought it for you."

Emily hadn't even called him "Dad" since she walked in. She might not have noticed, but Hayden did. He took a deep breath and spoke to Emily in a harsh tone.

"Did you come here just to give me this? Emily, no matter what, I'm still your father. Yes, I divorced your mom and married Evelyn. I have a new family now, and I can't always be there for you. But have I ever let you go hungry or without clothes?

"Don't I have the right to pursue my own happiness? Do I have to revolve around you? Don't you feel sorry seeing me alone in this house?

"You're still young, you don't understand. You want to do things your way, fine. But Emily, you should understand me! There's no right or wrong in matters of the heart. You shouldn't be attacking me along with your mother!" Fueled by alcohol, Hayden started lecturing her again.

Every time Emily heard these familiar words, she found them laughable.

Father, family these words felt both foreign and piercing to her.

She took another deep breath, her face still expressionless. Emily had planned to leave because she knew you could never wake someone pretending to be asleep.

Even if Hayden realized he was wrong one day, he probably wouldn't admit it. But as she turned to leave, Emily felt a surge of anger she couldn't swallow.

She turned back, her gaze shifting from the cold contract on the table to Hayden's face, filled with disdain. She spoke, "I've never resented you for favoring Sophia over me, nor was I upset about your remarriage. I understand everyone has the right to pursue their own happiness. I don't blame you."

She paused for a second, a faint smile appearing on her face. "But you probably don't even know why I distanced myself from you.

"You said it yourself, I'm still your child. You never let me go without food or clothes. But did you see how Evelyn and her daughter treated me all these years?

"Even if you saw, you pretended not to. Dad, do you remember what I said before? You play both ends against the middle; you're opportunistic, always looking for your own benefit.

"You believed Evelyn and her daughter, thinking I wasn't close to you, that Michael wasn't really your son-in-law. But as long as Sophia and Michael were together, Michael would be your son-in-law. You were the one who stopped treating me as your daughter first.

"You let them hurt me over and over, until one day Evelyn even dared to threaten me with a knife. Isn't that right?"

The more Emily spoke, the more she felt a painful void in her heart.

But at that moment, she realized she didn't even feel like crying.

She had been hurt too deeply.

When she finished speaking, the living room fell into a tense silence.

Seeing Hayden sitting there, speechless, Emily didn't expect a response. She blinked, turned around, and slammed the door on her way out.

The door slammed shut, jolting Hayden back to reality. He shook his head, tears suddenly streaming down his face uncontrollably.

As Emily left the Brown Villa, her phone rang. It was Andrew. She frowned, feeling the weight of an already busy day, and answered the call.

"Mrs. Smith."

"What is it?"

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"I need to meet with you." Andrew's tone was unusually serious.

Emily knew that if Andrew was reaching out, it had to be at Michael's request. She swallowed nervously but agreed.

Emily had plans to meet Mason later, and she figured Andrew would also be heading to the hospital to see Michael. So she arranged to meet at a nearby café.

Andrew arrived shortly after Emily did. He didn't waste time on small talk. He handed Emily a document, and she was momentarily stunned.

"What's this?"

"It's a property transfer document from Mr. Smith."

A property transfer document... So Michael had agreed to expedite the divorce proceedings.

This should have been good news, but for some reason, Emily felt a pang of sadness. She opened the document with a worried expression and saw the bold, black letters.

In addition to the house at Emerald Lake Manor, Michael was giving her half of his assets.noveldrama

Emily thought she must be seeing things.

But upon closer inspection, she realized it was true. Michael was giving her half of his personal assets.

This even included a 40% share of Smith Corporation.

So, Michael had been fighting with Scarlett and holding shareholder meetings to oust Roger, all to secure that 40% share for her?

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"I don't want this much." Emily's first reaction was to refuse.

She only wanted the house at Emerald Lake Manor.

"I just want..."

Before Emily could finish, Andrew interrupted as if he had anticipated her response.

"Mrs. Smith, I understand how you feel, but I'm just following orders. This is Mr. Smith's decision."

Emily immediately retorted, "Then tell Mr. Smith I don't need it. I don't need this much.

"40% of Smith Corporation? How dare he? That includes shares belonging to Veda, Aunt Faye, and Uncle Peter. If Michael gives me 40% of the shares, has he thought about how the Smith family will see me?

"Is he trying to make me lose all respect in the Smith family?" Emily's anxiety grew, and her tone became more forceful.

Seeing Andrew sitting silently across from her, she realized something and softened

her tone. "Sorry, I didn't mean to take it out on you. I know he..."

She knew he was thinking of her, but how could she accept so much?

"Anyway, I can't take it." With that, Emily resolutely handed the share transfer

document back to Andrew and left without looking back.

Andrew knew he couldn't change Emily's mind. Chasing after her would be futile, so he reluctantly prepared to report back to Michael.

Emily returned to the hospital as scheduled.

With a major confrontation looming and the unexpected windfall still on her mind, Emily felt a deep sense of unease as she made her way to Mason's room.