Sleeping With The CEO-Chapter 311: Explanation

There had to be a higher power out there that was seriously invested in Emily and Derek constantly meeting up in places where they were not supposed to run into one another. When Emily had quit Haven Group the first time, she had expected to never see Derek again.

But out of nowhere he had shown up at B’s diner where she had been working. That one she could overlook as just a simple coincidence. But this encounter, Emily had to admit something was up.

How on earth had he managed to be in the same small town, same motel as her, and also outside in the middle of a blackout. Some things were just too much for the mind to take. And speaking of things that were too much for the mind to take. Emily was currently staring at Derek and she was livid.

In fact she was more angry at herself than she was at him.

For as far as Emily was concerned. If there was a competition to try, and find the biggest idiot on earth. Then she would win first, second and third prize.

Had she seriously been pining over this man?

Crying over an opportunity that they would never get to have. Had she really believed that if he came to her in person and apologized, that things would be different for them? That he would be able to explain away the situation. Clearly, whatever it was that she had been smoking while thinking that, had been something top grade.

After all of the things that she had been through, all that he had to say for himself was, ’I did not cheat on you,’

Like that was not the go-to phrase of cheaters everywhere. ’I am innocent,’ and ’I didn’t do it,’ were the most overused lines ever. Did he really think that she was just going to buy into that?

Arms crossed over her chest, Emily blew out a breath. Puffing her cheeks in an effort to stop from screaming in frustration. She looked up at him, trying to give him her meanest glare. But for some reason, his eyes were soft as he looked down at her. Did he not realize how angry she was?

How mad he had made her with that statement.

"Did you really just hit me with an, I am not engaged and expect me to just believe it?" She huffed a few more breaths, shaking in place.

"Did you really think you could just say. . . Emily, I’m not engaged. And expect me to just nod along and say, oh Derek! You’re not engaged, I’m so glad and that’s it. No explanations, no nothing. At least try to come up with some sort of explanation,"

"Like maybe tell me that while we were together. You really were not seeing another woman behind my back,"

"That it’s that rich people thing where you wake up one morning, and your parents just hand you a picture, and tell you that’s your fiancee," Rather than saying anything Derek just continued to look at her, an almost smile on his face.

Was he being serious?! Emily’s temper, grew, and grew.

"Say something Derek! Do not just look at me. Or is this entertaining for you?"

"Is it funny? Did I mean so little? What was I? Something to pass the time until little Miss perfect plastic Penelope was ready. Was that what that evening where the two of us went out together was for you and her? Having some fun at my expense?"

Emily had meant for the rant to be something loud. Something that showed how angry she was. But instead her voice remained low, shaking and breaking in places, and she was disgusted to find that she was crying.

But rather than giving in to weakness, and beginning to wipe the tears in front of Derek, she let them fall.

Let him see her cry. Let him see how much pain he had caused her, and know that she would never ever forgive him. Done being stared at while her heart felt as though it were splitting in two all over again.

Emily pushed past Derek and made to walk towards the motel. She would have continued walking, if he’d not suddenly reached out and snagged her hand.

"Emily, please believe me, I did not cheat on you," He said and then, still holding her hand, he stooped down and grabbed his phone from where it had fallen earlier. After turning it on, he held it out to her.

"Here, search Haven Heir Engaged," He told her.

Instead of wrenching her hand out of his and walking away, Emily, like the idiot that she was, stood in place, looking back at him.

"I have already seen the article, Derek. In fact, I saw the very first print of it. Your mother made sure, that I saw it,"

Shaking his head, he gave her a pleading look. "Please, just search for it. You will see what I’m talking about," There was nothing quite like having feelings for a man who was more than willing to stomp all over your heart multiple times, because instead of leaving him where he was.

Emily reached for the phone and did as he asked, fully knowing that the first article she came across would be one that was congratulating the new couple. But Derek looked so earnest in asking her to do it, that despite knowing better...she still did it.

She typed in the words and waited for her heart to shut again. But instead of the expected news articles. Where reporters were giving a rose-colored backstory on the couple’s love life.

All of the articles relating to the Haven engagement were apologies.

What?

There was even one in particular that caught her attention. It was from the very newspaper that Cassandra Haven had shown Emily. An apology written by the editor of the newspaper.

Stating that they had published the story based on rumors. Rumors that had turned out to be false. Her world tilting on its axis, Emily staggered a bit, and Derek was instantly there, holding her up.

"See, I told you I’m not engaged," He repeated, and looking from him to the phone. Emily felt the deep tears in her heart that she had thought would be there for many years to come begin to close.

"Can you tell me how events leading to our break up happened from your side. Because for me, we were fine one moment, and then in the next, we were not," Derwk asked. Emily, her earlier rage replaced by hope, took a breath, and began talking.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel