Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1220

“Emmy…”

James froze, the words he just said echoing in his head. He knew he’d messed up, badly. His grip loosened, but he couldn’t bring himself to let go. He scrambled to explain, his voice tight. “That’s not what I meant… I just feel like you don’t trust me.”

“You believe everything John says. If he says I’m cheating, you actually believe it?” His tone grew more desperate. “You didn’t even ask for my side. The second you saw me, it was just accusations and anger. It feels like you trust anyone but me.”

His explanation only made things worse. Emmy felt none of her pain ease. He still didn’t get it. He thought this was about trust, about someone else’s words. A wave of exhaustion swept over her, stealing away her urge to fight. She just… didn’t want to talk anymore.

She dropped her gaze and quietly pried his fingers from her arm, one at a time.

“James, let go.”

“We need to calm down.”

“I’ve got a seminar this afternoon. I don’t want you ruining my mood.”

With that, she finally slipped free from him and started for the door.

“No.”

James couldn’t let her leave. The thought of her walking out felt like the end of everything. He reached for her, pulling her back into his arms, his words coming out rough and urgent.

“But you’ve already ruined mine. Emmy, you’ve turned my world upside down, and now you just want to walk away?”

“Even if I don’t recruit anyone today, I need to clear things up with you.”

His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, right by her ear. “I only see Mercedes as a sister. She was Jamie’s girl. I just feel guilty and responsible for her, nothing more.”

“I just wish you’d trust me… I’m your husband. I’ve never lied to you, I’ve never betrayed you, and I never will.”

Tears slipped down Emmy’s cheeks, silent and hot, soaking into her lips with a bitter taste. Her heart felt like it was tangled up in a thousand knots, so tight she could barely breathe.

She forced herself to take a deep breath, to stay calm.

She was Emmy. She’d already died once. She couldn’t let herself fall apart over love again, couldn’t let herself be shredded and left with nothing.

“James.”

She let out a tired sigh, her voice carrying all the weariness she felt. “Can we just be rational for a second?”

“Janus Sphere Technologies needs you right now. Don’t let me distract you from what you’re here to do.”

“I can be the bigger person. I can let you go. Even if it means divorce, I…”

“Don’t say that word.”

James’s eyes went wide, fear flashing across his face as he cut her off, like she’d just spoken a curse.

But Emmy didn’t stop. “I don’t want you to spend your life with me just because you think it’s your duty. That’s not fair to me… or to you.”

Her words hit James like ice water, drenching him in dread. He felt that chill in his bones, a panic that only grew as Emmy’s voice stayed so calm, too calm. She sounded the way she did when they first met—distant, polite, cool. Like she didn’t care anymore, like she could walk away right now and never look back.

“Don’t talk like that,” James said, his voice rough, his eyes red. He didn’t know how to break through her wall, didn’t know how to shatter this cold, careful distance.

A memory flashed in his mind—something an old teammate once said.

“When a woman’s mad, logic won’t help. Just hold her. Kiss her. Make her forget everything else, and she’ll forgive you.”

He didn’t think. Instinct took over.

James lowered his head, cupped the back of her head with his hand, and kissed her hard, pouring everything he felt into that moment.