Page 34 of Obsessing Over His Favorite

Dillon stood nearby as Emily came downstairs, walking slowly toward the table. Her expression gave nothing away. As she reached the bottom, her eyes drifted to the table.

Creamy mushroom soup. A tall glass of milk. A bowl of rice pudding sprinkled with almonds.

Emily’s face twisted in distaste.

Her stomach turned.

Not a single item on that table had ever been something she liked.

Without a word, she turned sharply and walked back toward the stairs, her nightdress swaying lightly with her steps.

“Come back and eat your food,” Lucas’s voice rang out sharply behind her.

She halted at the base of the stairs, then turned slowly to face him. Her spine was straight, her chin slightly raised. Her eyes flicked over the table once more before locking onto his.

“There’s nothing for me to eat here,” she said coldly.

Dillon, standing by the dining table, scowled as his gaze locked on her.

“Ms. Crawford, what do you mean there’s nothing for you to eat?” he asked, his voice clipped. “The table is filled with dishes.”

His head turned toward Lucas for a brief second, then flicked right back to her—his expression tightening with restrained disapproval.

“You really shouldn’t be troubling Mr. Cantrell like this every day,” Dillon continued, folding his arms tightly across his chest. “He comes home exhausted from work, and yet you continue creating problems for him all the time. The least you can do is eat and start the day peacefully.”

She turned to him fully, her posture straight, eyes cold as she stared Dillon down. Through gritted teeth, she said, “I told you. There isnothingfor me to eat at this table.”

Lucas, seated at the head, went still. His fingers curled around the spoon resting beside his bowl, the metal clinking softly against porcelain. His grip tightened until his knuckles turned white. His face hardened, eyes cutting coldly toward Dillon.

“Let her be,” he snapped coldly, not even sparing Dillon a glance. “If she doesn’t want to eat, let her die hungry.”

Emily’s fingers clenched at her sides in irritation, but she said nothing.

Lucas leaned back, exhaling slowly as he composed himself.

“Come back to work today,” he said, shifting his gaze to her. “Get dressed. You’ll leave for the office with me in an hour.”

Her eyes snapped to him instantly, attention fully drawn.

‘I still have a job?’ she blinked.

Her heart jumped in her chest, a quiet rush of relief flooding her.

‘That’s great. The sooner I get some money in my hands, the sooner I can leave him.’

She nodded quickly, urgency in her voice. “Wait here. I’ll be back before you even notice I’m gone. Just wait, okay?”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and bolted up the stairs.

An hour later, Emily walked beside Lucas through the glass doors of Cantrell Corporation, her steps brisk but tense. The polished marble floors reflected the overhead lights, but all she could feel was the tightening knot in her stomach.

They stepped into the private elevator, and soon, the doors opened to the top floor—the CEO’s office.

As they entered the spacious office, Lucas slowed his stride, then turned toward her. His gaze was calmer now, softer than it had been that morning.

“You’ll be working as my secretary now,” he said, voice gentle but firm as he stepped closer. “I can’t reinstate you as Director in the Design Department, not after everything that happened.”

‘He means the incident with Amelia. Because I accused his precious darling of stealing,’ Emily thought, barely holding back a scoff. ‘God forbidAmelia ever be questioned. He’s really going out of his way to protect that woman. Doesn’t want me anywhere near her.’