Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 341

James finally spoke up, his voice smooth and rich in the quiet room.

“Hi, Dr. Pepper, everyone. I’m Emmy’s partner—James.”

“Sorry I’m late. Got caught up with something on the way.”

He gave a polite nod, eyes glancing around the group before resting on Dominic. Humble but confident, he spoke directly.

“Emmy’s mentioned you a lot. Said you’re the teacher she looks up to most. Sorry to drop in like this—hope it’s not too much trouble.”

He hit every note just right, so thoughtful and respectful that everyone instantly warmed up to him.

“Well, everyone’s here now, so let’s eat!” Dominic said, waving them all toward the dining room as he led the way.

Nico was quick to throw an arm around James’s shoulders, grinning. “Hey, brother-in-law, you’re this handsome and you’re a firefighter? Isn’t that kind of a waste? Ever think about being a celebrity? I’ve got a friend who—”

Before Nico could finish, James gently slid his arm off.

“Nico,” James replied calmly, “being a celebrity means living for the spotlight, enjoying all that attention.”

“But being a firefighter… you run into burning buildings and give people hope when they need it most.”

“That just feels a lot more meaningful to me.”

Nico blinked, scratching his nose, suddenly realizing how shallow he’d sounded.

Dominic, sharp-eared as always, huffed from up ahead, not even turning around.

“You hear that, Nico? You should learn from him! Young people shouldn’t be chasing after empty dreams all the time. Knowing what matters and keeping your feet on the ground—that’s what counts!”

Nico shrank back, quiet now, not daring another word.

The group headed toward the dining room, laughter and chatter picking up, the vibe easy and light.

Emmy felt someone catch up beside her. It was Krystina, who slipped her arm through Emmy’s and pulled her to the back of the group.

“Emmy, got a minute? I want to tell you something,” she whispered.

Emmy glanced over and nodded.

Krystina looked a little sheepish, her usual boldness still there but softer. She kept her voice low.

“Dominic was right. I listened to rumors and judged you by how you looked. You might not blame me, but I don’t like keeping things to myself—I feel really bad about it.”

“Krystina,” she said gently, “I heard what happened to you.”

Krystina’s smile faded.

Emmy met her gaze, voice quiet and steady.

“You know… we’re not so different. My ex and I grew up together too—liked each other for years, started dating when I was eighteen.”

“If you count all the time we were friends, our relationship was just as long as yours and your husband’s.”

“So I know how much it hurts to be betrayed.”

“But once a guy cheats, no matter how hard you try, you can’t go back to how things were.”

“There’s something I always believe—if someone betrays you once, you never go back to them.”

“We’re still young. There are so many good guys out there, ones even better than the last. We’ll find them.”

As soon as Emmy finished, Krystina pulled her arm away.

“So you think I should get a divorce too?”