Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 158

Emmy was shaking so hard she could barely stand.

Just as her knees felt ready to give out, a warm, steady hand settled on her shoulder, grounding her.

James was suddenly by her side, silent but comforting. The heat of his touch and the calm strength in his grip radiated through the thin fabric of her shirt, steadying her when nothing else could.

Cooper’s face twisted with anger as he watched his daughter being protected by another man.

“Daughters really are ungrateful, aren’t they? As soon as they get married, their own fathers become the enemy. It’s pathetic.”

Claudia’s voice cut through the tension, cool and sharp. “Not every daughter turns out that way. Maybe the problem is how she was raised.”

Cooper jumped at the chance to shift the blame, his frustration boiling over. “It’s her mother’s fault for spoiling her. Now she acts like I don’t even exist!”

Emmy clenched her jaw, her whole body buzzing with anger. She trusted Marian—the woman who had cared for her mother for half her life would never lie. Only Marian had dared to tell the truth, and now these people had the nerve to blame everything on her?

She almost lost control, ready to lash out, when the hand on her shoulder slid down, covering her shaking fingers. That single touch pulled her back from the edge.

Emmy looked up and met James’s deep, steady gaze.

His voice was low, meant for her alone. “Don’t worry. Find Steve. He’ll figure out what really happened.”

She nodded, the fury in her eyes fading, replaced by resolve.

Then a hostile stare cut through the room.

Dean stormed over, reaching out as if to pry her hand away from James.

James’s eyes turned cold. He tightened his hold, pulling Emmy firmly into his arms, making it clear he wasn’t letting go.

“Hey, firefighter, did you get plastic surgery to look like Mr. Nelson?”

James didn’t even blink, refusing to rise to the bait.

Dean kept going, smirking. “Do you even know who Mr. Nelson is? Jamie Nelson—second son of Nelson Corporation. But I guess a guy who runs into fires for a living wouldn’t mingle with people like that.”

He gave James a slow once-over, sneering. “So, how much did that face cost you? Before you landed Emmy, I bet you chased your share of rich women.”

Emmy shot Dean a furious glare, her eyes blazing. “Dean! He’s my husband. Say one more thing and you’ll regret it.”

Dean let out a cold laugh, but jealousy flickered in his eyes. “What, you’re going to fight me for him, Emmy? Don’t forget who you’ve loved all these years.”

Emmy turned to Evelina. “And you’re just going to stand there while your fiancé tries to chase me? Maybe he doesn’t love you as much as you think.”