The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

"Hey Veda, got any time to hang out with us lately? Or are you swamped with work? Need an assistant or something? I could totally help out. Think about it, okay?"

"Come on, Veda, we're tight, right? Finding me a job should be a breeze for you."

"Veda, you're loaded and managing all those employees. Lending me fifty grand shouldn't be a big deal, right?"

"Veda, seriously? Wasn't that project supposed to be a collaboration with my dad? What happened?"

Veda walked down the street, rolling her eyes as she listened to the barrage of voice messages on her phone. By the time she got to the last one, she couldn't hold back any longer and snapped at her phone.

"Your dad's project had major issues. I told you that before, didn't I? Stop trying to cut corners," she retorted.

Then she switched to another chat window. "Sure, we're friends, but Smith Corporation doesn't just hire anyone. If you're really qualified, go through the proper channels. Using connections will only get people talking."

She continued to shut down her freeloading so-called friends one by one until they had nothing left to say, unable to guilt-trip her anymore.

Feeling a bit better, Veda still had one thing weighing on her mind: her relationship with the Smith family.

She was grateful to Michael for letting her study for an MBA and manage Smith Corporation. But ever since Scarlett was kicked out of the family, Mason had been lukewarm towards her, while he doted on Emily.

And Michael? He always treated her like a company superior, even though it was his own heartbreak that had everyone on edge.

Veda couldn't understand how she went from being the pampered rich girl of the Smith family to someone nobody cared about.

What went wrong?

The more she thought about it, the less she wanted to go back to the Smith Mansion, work at Smith Corporation, or deal with the endless family drama. She just wanted to be alone and have a few peaceful days.

As she looked at the bustling street, she sighed deeply. Just as she was about to hail a cab, she spotted Emily with another man.noveldrama

She had no idea that Emily and Michael had divorced. To avoid media frenzy and ensure Emily and the child's safety, Mason had used his influence to keep the news under wraps in Emerald City.

So, seeing Emily with another man, Veda quickly jumped to conclusions, thinking Emily was up to her old tricks again.

The two were chatting and laughing over coffee, with Archibald occasionally helping Emily. They looked polite and happy together, which only confused Veda more.

"Who's that guy? First it was Michael, then Daniel, and now this man... He looks wealthy too. Why is Emily always like this?" she murmured to herself.

Despite her frustrations with Michael, Veda was still loyal to him as family. She clenched her fists, her brows furrowing.

She wanted to confront Emily right then and there, but Archibald had already escorted Emily into a car, and they drove off before Veda could catch up. Frustrated, she swallowed her anger, planning to deal with it another day.

A few more peaceful days passed.

The Smith family was still in turmoil, but Mason had his ways of managing Michael. He first silenced everyone in the family, forbidding any mention of Emily, and then cleared out all traces of her from the house.

Life had to go on, and business needed to be handled as usual.

Mason believed that keeping Michael busy would help him forget about Emily over time.

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Sure enough, Michael gradually returned to his old routine, though he was busier than ever, barely having time to rest.

Since then, he hadn't been back to Emerald Lake Manor and was rarely seen at the Smith Mansion. He practically lived at the office, with Mason having Andrew bring him meals.

"Mr. Smith, the chef made your favorite Maple Glazed Pork Belly today," Andrew said, knocking on Michael's office door with a smile.

Since parting ways with Emily, Michael's nausea had lessened. The smell of Maple Glazed Pork Belly no longer bothered him.

In fact, Michael now believed it was his child's way of sending him a loving warning.

Unfortunately, he hadn't realized it in time, causing irreparable harm to Emily and the

child.

"Just leave it there. I'll eat it later," Michael said.

Andrew paused, knowing Michael was using work to numb himself. He didn't push further and continued, "Mr. Smith, Ms. Blair from JM Jewelry sent an invitation. There's

a jewelry exhibition tomorrow night, and she wants you to attend. The invite is in your email."

JM Jewelry.

The name was a sore spot for Michael. He knew Emily still worked there, so attending the event meant he would likely see her.

But so what? He was going for work. Michael convinced himself.

Avoiding it would make him look weak.

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"Alright, I'll go."

On the night of the jewelry exhibition, Michael wore a simple yet elegant black suit,

with a bow tie instead of his usual tie. His sharp features and strong build made him stand out, even without a date.

Many women at the event were captivated by him.

Bryan, observing from the lounge area, couldn't help but smile wryly.

Soon, Alice handed him a glass of juice.

"What are you looking at?"

Bryan and Alice hadn't seen each other in a while, as Alice had been busy with family

matters. Despite this, their relationship remained strong.

"Michael," Bryan said bluntly. Alice followed his gaze.

She had matured a lot, now able to read situations better.

"He still looks the same, so popular and admired."

Bryan nodded, a hint of something unspoken in his eyes. "Yes, but unfortunately, none

of this is what he truly wants. He might be the most miserable person here."

Bryan wasn't mocking Michael; Alice could tell.

She turned to Bryan, pondering for a moment before voicing her concern. "Since JM Jewelry is hosting this event, your mom must have invited Emily, right?"