Chapter 9 Conspiracy

What on earth is he talking about? If Emily knew John's thoughts, she would realize she had misunderstood him. "Aunt Mary, please take care of Miss Sophia," John pushed Emily aside and turned into the study. Aunt Mary approached reluctantly, leading Emily to the guest room on the first floor. Mr. John had arranged this beforehand, and Aunt Mary was utterly unwilling to cater to Emily. Miss Emily was not as kind as the late Mrs. Jones. Nor was she as devoted to Mr. John as the late Mrs. Jones. Her eyes darted around, making her look unpleasant. It was a pity that the late Mrs. Jones had passed away so soon. Aunt Mary sighed. ... Sisters' Chat Group. " I heard you're staying at the Jones' house now." "Are you going to be Mrs. Jones soon?" "Our Emily looks like a born lady of leisure. What a lucky life she has, marrying John, the head of the Jones family." Messages in the chat group refreshed quickly. Emily smiled and felt proud inside. She replied, "It's not confirmed yet. Don't speculate." Her friends replied one after another. "Not confirmed means it's possible. Emily, you must invite us to your wedding. And bring us to any parties you have in the future. We want to see what high society is like. Is the air there sweeter than ours? By the way, maybe we can hook a rich man with ten thousand dollars." Emily smirked. These hicks. These people weren't even worthy to carry her shoes, yet they dreamed of hooking rich men every day. Do they think rich men are turtles in a fish tank, so easy to catch? She tossed her phone aside, finding it boring. Soon, she excitedly examined the room. Sophia never imagined that her man and possessions would eventually belong to Emily. Knock knock knock— "Miss Emily," It was Aunt Mary, the servant at John's house. Emily opened the door with an arrogant expression. "What's the matter?" "Mr. John asked me to make your favorite soup." Emily's heart lit up, and she poked Aunt Mary's shoulder with her finger, "Next time, knock lighter. I have a heart condition, and I'm easily frightened." Aunt Mary endured Emily's impolite behavior and stepped aside to let her pass. Emily walked like a proud peacock. But— The chicken soup on the dining table made Emily pout. She hated chicken soup. It was greasy and made her gain weight. "Did you make a mistake?" Emily turned to Aunt Mary angrily. The old woman had said that John instructed her to make Emily's favorite soup. What was this on the table? "What mistake?" John walked down the stairs. Emily immediately changed her expression, looking fragile and saying, "John, I don't like chicken soup. It's too greasy." "Don't like it?" John's voice was ice-cold, making Emily shiver. Judging by his expression, if she dared to say she didn't like it again, he would lose his temper. Emily looked ugly, forcing a smile and shaking her head, "No, I don't dislike it." "Chicken soup is good for your health," John said with a meaningful look in his eyes. Emily's previous uneasiness disappeared. John was such a straight man. He probably asked around about what was most nourishing and found out about chicken soup, so he had the servant make it for her. Frankly speaking, he still cared about her. But this chicken soup was a huge portion. Emily didn't know it was meant for three people. Aunt Mary felt uneasy inside. This chicken soup was Sophia's favorite. That night, Emily slept fuzzily and heard a noise. She got up and went out. She saw light coming from the living room. John was sitting down watching TV. Emily walked down and glanced at the screen. This glance was like a thunderbolt striking her. John was watching wedding highlights of him and Sophia. Sophia wore a white wedding dress, holding a bouquet. John wore a suit, and they both smiled sweetly. Emily bit her lip. As Sophia's best friend, she attended their wedding. John and Sophia's wedding was lavish, and no girl in this city didn't envy Sophia. Now, this exclusive love belonged to her. Emily walked over to John, hugged his arm, and leaned her head on his shoulder. John's eyes darkened, "How did you know I was going to see Sophia that day?" The details of that time were not very clear and hard to recall. All she remembered was the blinding headlights as he ran into the middle of the road. A car sped towards him. Then Emily pushed him forward, and the car hit her. Emily suffered multiple fractures and stayed in the hospital for fourteen months. He went to see Sophia on his own. How did Emily happen to be there? Emily felt uneasy, but it was easy to explain. She smiled, "I was driving by and saw someone who looked like you, so I stopped. I didn't expect you to be in danger." She looked up at John, "But John, although saving you ruined my career, I don't regret it at all. If I had the chance again, I would still choose to save you." John's expression was distant. Emily suddenly felt a strong sense of unease. Because John always kept a strong sense of distance from her. If it weren't for that night when John was almost killed, he would probably never talk to someone like her in his life. Emily felt a little panic. Without hesitation, she stood up straight and hugged John's neck, feeling the warmth of the man's body. She closed her eyes in ecstasy, leaned close to his neck, and blew gently in his ear. "John, I like you," Emily's voice was low, deliberately slowed down, a voice that was irresistible. John put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her away, his gaze fixed on the TV. Emily glared at the TV. Now it was Sophia's solo shot. Her beauty was breathtaking. Someone had once given Sophia a high rating for her appearance. The most beautiful model in New York. John's heart ached. He tugged at his collar and stared at her vivid smile on the screen. He felt suffocated and struggled to breathe. Emily instinctively looked at his expression. Suddenly, John covered his face and gritted his teeth, shouting, "Get out!" Emily trembled with fear. She wanted to say something, but when John turned his head and their eyes met, those slightly red eyes scared her. Her legs went soft, but she didn't hesitate to get up and stumble upstairs. John listened as the footsteps faded away. He closed his eyes tightly. If it weren't for Sophia's heart in her body, he wouldn't have spared her. ... Emily sat on the bed, feeling extremely upset. Why was John mean to her? Was he still thinking about Sophia? What did Sophia have that she didn't? Just good looks? The ringing of her phone suppressed Emily's dissatisfaction. She angrily glanced at the caller ID, making her mood even worse. "Hello." But she had to answer. "Emily, I heard you found a wealthy boyfriend." The caller was her stepfather, an alcoholic. Emily was scared of him. She had been striving to climb up the social ladder to escape the mud. "Dad, who told you that?" "Do you think I don't know your friends?" Emily was momentarily speechless, but she didn't want to be involved with such people for the rest of her life. "Yes, my boyfriend is amazing, so you'd better behave yourself." Emily's tone was sharp, making the person on the other end feel uneasy. "You little bitch, you're asking for it. I want 200,000 dollars tonight.If I don't see the money,I'll come for you and let your boyfriend know what kind of person you are.Don't think you can forget about your parents just because you remixing with high society." The man cursed. Emily cried, "Where am I supposed to get 200,000 dollars at this hour?" "Ask your boyfriend. Isn't he rich? I only want 200,000 dollars,not 2 million. " Emily said, "I can't give you that. Don't come for me." There was a racket on the other end, accompanied by a woman's cries. Emily bit her lip. He was beating her mother. "Stop it. Give me a few hours. Even if I get the money at night, I can't give it to you. Tomorrow morning, I'll give you cash." Matthew said, "You'd better keep your word." After hanging up, Emily stared blankly at the wall. She couldn't ask John for the money. She couldn't bring it up, nor did she have an excuse. She opened her phone and added up the balances of all her cards. There were only $50,000. She knew Matthew would go crazy if he didn't see the money tomorrow. The TV noise outside had long ceased. Emily tiptoed to the door, listened intently for a moment, and, confirming there were no sounds outside, slowly stepped out. There was only one guest room on the ground floor, and John occupied the room on the east side of the second floor. Emily crept quietly up to the second floor and gently pushed open the door to the guest room on the west side. The curtains were drawn, plunging the room into pitch darkness. Emily instinctively sensed that this must be Sophia's room. She took out her phone, turned on the flashlight, and saw the dresser. Female cosmetics were arranged on top. Emily's eyes lingered for a moment; she had guessed right—this was Sophia's room. Huh, sooner or later, she would be the mistress of this house. She would clear out everything belonging to Sophia. Beneath the dresser were several drawers. In the darkness, Emily's heart pounded as if it would leap out of her chest. The drawers did not disappoint her; they contained jewelry. Suddenly, the lights outside flickered on, and Emily crouched down in fright, holding her breath. Footsteps approached bit by bit. Emily peered through the door crack and saw someone stop at the doorway. Emily covered her mouth; if John found her in Sophia's room, she was doomed. The doorknob moved slightly, and Emily, in a panic, crawled under the bed. John entered and switched on the bedroom light. From Emily's vantage point, she could see his slippers and his bony ankles. Shivering, Emily covered her mouth, suppressing her fear and daring not make a sound.