Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 131

Emmy kept her voice low as she walked down the hallway toward the living room. She glanced sideways at James and whispered, “What did he just say to you?”

James didn’t even look at her, his voice totally flat. “He said he wants to introduce me to some rich woman. Apparently, she’s loaded—way richer than you.”

Emmy’s jaw dropped. For a second, she was so stunned she couldn’t even breathe.

She took a steadying breath and said, “Once we’re inside, just ignore everyone except my mom, okay? Don’t talk to anyone else or listen to them. I’ll fill you in later.”

They reached the living room doors, and Emmy braced herself.

The room was huge—and packed. Every seat was taken, and the air felt heavy. Emmy’s face went cold in an instant.

As soon as Teresa spotted her, she shot up and hurried over. She grabbed Emmy’s hand, her own hand trembling. She kept her voice low, urgent. “Didn’t I tell you not to come back? I can handle these people myself.”

Her eyes flicked to James, and her worry only deepened. “Why did you… bring James, too?”

Emmy knew her mom wasn’t embarrassed about James—she was scared. Scared these relatives would say something cruel, make her look bad in front of him, and turn their family into a punchline.

Emmy squeezed James’s hand tighter. “Mom, we’re married now. It’s time everyone met him properly. He should know what my family is really like.”

She saw the exhaustion in her mom’s face and felt a pang in her chest. “And I’m not letting you stand here and take all their crap alone anymore.”

“Look who’s finally home—”

Gregory called out from the couch, his legs crossed and his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I heard you moved out just to piss off your dad. Living on your own now, huh?”

Cooper suddenly exploded, slamming his hand on the coffee table as he jumped to his feet, pointing right at Emmy.

“That’s no way to talk to your uncle! If you had any decency at all, would you have rushed into some random marriage? Twenty years of school, and this is what comes out of your mouth?”

“Cooper, calm down,” Aunt Sally jumped in, acting like she wanted to help but only making things worse. “I think Emmy’s just still upset about Mr. Sparrow breaking off the engagement. She must’ve lost her head for a while.”

“But Emmy, seriously, even if you’re upset, you can’t just throw yourself away like this. Look at who you married—he’s just a firefighter, right? No money, no family, nothing. How is that good enough for you?”

Pattie chimed in, voice thick with fake concern. “Exactly! Mr. Sparrow gave you a fancy engagement ring and millions in gifts—and when I got married, my husband’s family gave us a house and a car! Even if it wasn’t as much, it was something.”

“And you? You married a guy who brought nothing to the table. Now you have to support him. Just because he’s good-looking doesn’t mean you should throw your life away!”