Chapter 11

Lea feigned surprise. "Does Frank know about this? He has been quite busy recently and wants me to move in with him as soon as possible. Should I help you talk to him?" Emma felt as if all of her blood had frozen, and the chilly sensation pierced straight to her core. She forced herself to remain calm. "I'll talk to him myself." A disdainful smile curled at Lea's lips as she found Emma naive. She had only returned to the country, and already, Emma couldn't resist the pressure. Now, she was trying to provoke Frank by threatening to leave the country. Lea could see right through her. Too bad her tricks were far too amateur. When Emma returned to her workstation, the PR department was immediately assigned an urgent task. Rosie, the assistant, rushed over with a laptop. "Ms. Dyer, someone secretly took a photo of Mr. Castro and Ms. Davila leaving the cocktail party last night. The rumors are spreading fast. The plan we had last time won't be enough to explain things to the fans anymore. "They're in an uproar now as they think Ms. Davila is being irresponsible for having another scandal during the promotional season for her drama. Even the director and investors are upset." Emma raised her gaze, her gaze quickly becoming ice-cold. If they knew the paparazzi would be lurking, why didn't they take any safety measures? How could Frank be just as careless as Lea? Suddenly, the phone rang, and everyone tensed up. Emma glanced at the screen before answering. "Emma, have I been too easy on you? It's fine that you didn't apologize for Lea's incident. But now, you're deliberately inciting public opinion to derail her career?" Frank's words made her throat tighten. What did he mean by saying that she was framing Lea? Emma fought to remain calm, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Mr. Castro, I was harassed last night. Do you think I would've had the time to start rumors?" "So, you're still blaming it all on Lea. She wasn't feeling well last night, so I left with her first." Upon hearing this, her eyes turned red, but she didn't want to argue further. "You've got three days to settle this. Make sure it doesn't prevent Lea from starting her new drama," he ordered coldly. "Mr. Castro, if you're so concerned about Ms. Davila's career, why expose your relationship in the first place? Couldn't you have waited until you were home?" "Emma!" Frank's voice became chilly, a clear threat. A mocking smirk appeared on Emma's face. After she hung up, Courtney, who had been standing outside, finally spoke up. "Ms. Dyer, your resignation has reached the signing stage." "Ms. Dyer, are you quitting?" Rosie and the others immediately turned to her in shock. "Ms. Dyer, you don't have to handle this mess at all." Courtney couldn't publicly oppose Frank, but even she found his favoritism toward Lea too much to bear. Emma dropped her gaze. Her voice sounded somewhat raspy as she replied, "It's fine. I'll finish this up before I leave." This would be the last time she compensated Frank for raising her. After that, they would owe each other nothing. But as she began dealing with the crisis, she discovered that a sudden influx of paid trolls and haters had appeared, all targeting Lea. Because of this, the situation became even more difficult to control. Staring at the screen, her expression turned icy. She wondered if Lea had hired these trolls herself. If Lea truly cared about her career, she wouldn't be messing around with Frank. However, rather than keeping a low profile, she purposefully exposed herself to the public. Emma chuckled bitterly at the thought that Lea considered her a love rival. The realization stabbed at her heart. Emma was still coordinating with online media outlets, drafting clarification for Lea and Castro Group. It was already midnight. As she scrolled through the paparazzi's photos, she lifted a hand and lightly slapped her face. "Emma, stay awake!" she told herself. But the next second, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Her stomach was acting up again. She curled up on her desk as the pain was unbearable. It was so painful that she didn't even have the strength to stand. The office was shrouded in darkness, with only her dim desk lamp still lit. With trembling fingers, she picked up her phone and dialed Frank's number. But the person who answered was Lea. "What's the matter, Emma? Frank is showering now, but I can pass on a message for you." In that instant, Emma's heart dropped. She was handling PR for him while he was tangled up with Lea again. After a moment of silence, she found her voice and muttered, "It's fine, Ms. Davila." "Alright. Let me know if you need anything." Lea sounded gentle. After hanging up, Lea casually entered the passcode for Frank's phone, and it unlocked instantly. She grinned. As predicted, his passcode was still her birthday. She went through his settings, turned Emma's number to "do not disturb" mode, and flung it onto the bed. Meanwhile, Emma was slumped over her desk, her face pallid. It wasn't until a security guard discovered her that she was sent to hospital. It was a case of acute appendicitis. After the surgery, she rested for a few hours. She eventually made up her mind to leave the country as soon as possible to escape Frank. Once she completed the discharge paperwork, she returned home. In her bedroom, she began packing. This room contained a lot of her memories. The things he had given her were all meticulously stored. But now, those presents were like a thorn in her heart. She gathered them and stuffed them into a bag, ready to throw them out. Since she had just undergone surgery, her body was still weak. When she carried her bag downstairs, her gaze met Frank's as he returned home. He was confused. "What are you holding?" "Nothing. Just getting rid of some useless items," she replied casually. "Why are you throwing things out in the middle of the night?" He pursued with a frown on his face. For some reason, an unsettling feeling crept over him. It felt like something was slipping beyond his control. Emma looked up at him, her expression calm. Even her voice was steady as she uttered, "I don't want them anymore. So, I'm throwing them away." "Emma, can you not make a fuss in the middle of the night?" He irritably loosened his tie. "I'm not making a fuss. Your relationship with Ms. Davila is going well. From now on, my affairs have nothing to do with you. By the way, I've sent my resignation letter to your email. Please sign it." It was better to rip the bandage off quickly. She wasn't a masochist to continue staying there and bleeding out slowly. Frank narrowed his eyes in displeasure. "What about Lea's PR—" "I'll handle it before I leave," she cut him off before he could finish his sentence.