The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

Chapter 268 Savoring the Pasta Hearing that, Isabella was even more convinced that Michael had a special thing for Emily. She knew her daughter well enough to see what was going on in her mind. So, she figured it'd be good for them to hang out more, maybe something interesting would happen.

Michael's suggestion made Emily feel all warm inside. She nodded.

Even though it wasn't Ava's cooking, it was still pasta, and eating something would help her sleep. She didn't want to go to bed hungry and have the baby start kicking again.

"Sure, I'm a bit hungry too. Letdo it," Emily said.

Honestly, Emily had never seen Michael cook. In the past three years, he'd cooked so few times she could count them on one hand. She always thought he couldn't cook.

But Michael surprised her by volunteering to cook and looking pretty confident. "I got this. It's just pasta, no big deal." With that, Michael headed to the open kitchen and started prepping the ingredients like a pro. Emily sat in the dining room, watching him in shock.

"Want an egg with it?" Michael asked with a smile, his eyes full of warmth.

Emily almost thought she was dreaming but nodded awkwardly. She felt a new sense of security wash over her.

In that moment, she realized that no matter what the future held, there was a special connection between her and Michael. Maybe it was because they'd been together for so long, or maybe that's just how couples were supposed to be. They'd grown numb, appearing united but actually divided, with old wounds that never healed. Eventually, they'd have to part ways.

"By the way, how's Smith Corporation doing lately?" Emily asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Not bad. Projects are going smoothly, clients are happy, and the shareholders have calmed down," Michael said while scooping pasta into a bowl.

"That's good. And what about Roger..." Emily didn't really want to bring him up, but she had nothing else to talk about. She regretted it immediately and was about to change the subject when she saw Michael looking at her.

"I mean, he hasn't caused any more trouble, right? I've been busy at the hospital and don't know much about what's going on. I haven't seen Alice much either," Emily said with concern.

Even though she was always at the hospital, she'd heard from Andrew that Michael often worked late. "Don't worry, I can handle him," Michael said briefly.

Roger was a tough nut to crack, and it wasn't something that could be fixed with a few words. The worst-case scenacould mean endless trouble. Michael wasn't sure how to deal with it yet.

He handed Emily a bowl of pasta with an egg and veggies. His own bowl was plain. "Aren't you having these?" Emily asked.

Michael just smiled, shook his head, and started eating his pasta without explaining.

Emily felt the vibe between them getting weirder, especially with sof Michael's actions making things even more awkward. She had no choice but to focus on enjoying the pasta.

To her surprise, the pasta was really good. She didn't expect Michael to be such a decent cook.

They ate quietly, savoring the moment. On a night like this, it felt like they forgot about the outside world and just enjoyed each other's company.

Emily slept in the master bedroom, while Michael crashed in the guest room. Even though they slept separately and didn't have the srelationship as before, they still saw each other a lot at home. Plus, Ava was always calling them "Mr. Smith" and "Mrs. Smith," which made it feel like they were living a normal married life.

One day, Michael was getting ready for work. Since Emily had cback, she'd been staying at Emerald Lake Manor and didn't know much about what was going on at the Smith Mansion. She figured she should go check it out, especially with New Year's coming up.

They hadn't divorced yet, and she felt it was her duty to visit.

But Michael wasn't thrilled about the idea. "Are you sure you want to go? I can have Andrew send sstuff over. There are plenty of people at the Smith Mansion who can handle things." Scarlett was at the Smith Mansion, and Michael was always worried Emily would get treated badly. Emily said, "I should go see Grandpa, right? Don't worry, I'll be fine. I can't avoid your mom forever."

She knew what Michael was worried about and also knew he wasn't close to his mom. It was was normal forhim to be protective. But with New Year's coming up, she wanted the family to be harmonious. She didn't want Michael to go back to a cold, unfeeling hafter they divorced. Hearing Emily say this, Michael couldn't argue. He just gave her more instructions. He knew the Smith family was full of schemes.

"Be careful," Michael said.

"I will, don't worry," Emily nodded.

She understood Michael's concerns but also knew sthings couldn't be avoided. Scarlett was like Sophia in sways, always causing trouble. But blood relationships were important, especially in a family like the Smiths.

After saying goodbye to Michael and watching him leave, Emily took a deep breath and went upstairs. She changed into a dignified yet elegant outfit and checked herself in the mirror to make sure she looked presentable.

"Ava, I'm heading out," she said. Ava responded with a bow and a smile, "Mrs. Smith, be careful on the road."

Emily nodded and walked out the door. Michael had already arranged a driver for her, so she got into the gar She got into heading to the Smith Mansion, feeling both nervous and expectant. She was about to face the family that had once made her feel suffocated. But no matter what, she had to face it, for herself and for Michael.

On the way, Emily thought about a lot of things, including Mason, Veda, and Scarlett. When the car finally pulled into the Smith Mansion, her eyelids trembled. Seeing Benjamin greeting her outside the car, she smiled and opened the door. Emily knew that every step she took from now on would be an important part of her life.