CHAPTER 138: CHAPTER 138

At that moment, upon hearing what Cora just said, James’ entire body stiffened. His jaw clenched so tightly that a small muscle twitched in his cheek. He stood there, frozen in place,his hands fisted at his sides, breathing heavier with each second. But no words came out.

There was nothing left to say.

He had been defeated, completely, painfully, and publicly.

Every plan he laid out, every strategy he thought would bring him victory, had collapsed right in front of him. Now, everything every bit of control, pride, and power, lay in Cora’s hands. And the worst part? He hadn’t even seen it coming.

’Who is Mr. B?’ The question screamed inside his head.

’Could it be William? Did William actually betray me?’

His thoughts spiraled with confusion and rising panic, but before he could even find his voice, something else happened.

Emily, without saying a word, she turned on her heels and stormed out of the boardroom. Her heels clicked loudly against the floor, the sound echoing behind her like an accusation.

Seeing what just just happened James blinked, snapped out of his frozen daze. His eyes darted after her.

"Emily—" he finally rasped, turning to Cora one last time. His face twisted in hatred and desperation. "This isn’t over. You’re going to pay for this." He pointed at her, his voice dark. "Mark my words, Cora. Just wait and see I’m coming back for you."

And with that, he spun around and rushed out after Emily.

As he exited the room, pushing through the hallway, he caught sight of her nearing the elevator. "Emily! Emily, wait!" he called, his voice catching up before his feet could. "Why are you walking away like this? What’s going on?"

However Emily didn’t slow down. She hit the elevator button hard, breathing through her nose, refusing to look back.

"Emily, talk to me!" James said, finally catching up, reaching for her arm.

She turned, her face sharp with disgust and disappointment. "Isn’t it obvious?" she snapped. "Everything is over, James! Over!"

James blinked at her, lost.

"Just look at you," she continued, voice rising. "You couldn’t even destroy your ex-wife. You the almighty James couldn’t even bring down Cora."

She scoffed and shook her head. "You killed James. The James I first knew? The powerful one? The dangerous one?" She jabbed her finger into his chest. "He’s dead."

At that moment, James couldn’t even lift his head. Emily’s words pierced deeper than a knife. Her voice, sharp and cold, echoed in his ears like a harsh judgment he couldn’t escape. And the worst part? She was right.

He was ashamed, ashamed in a way he had never known before.

This wasn’t just failure, this was defeat. A slow, painful, humiliating defeat.

And not at the hands of some powerful rival or hidden enemy. No. It was Cora, the very woman he once swore he would crush like an insect under his shoe. The woman he used to mock. The woman he dismissed, belittled, and discarded like she was nothing.

Yet here he was, cornered, helpless.

Broken.

Every move he made, every plan he plotted she was always one step ahead. no five steps ahead. She wasn’t just reacting to his tactics; she was outplaying him before he even started. And now, he wasn’t just losing his company. He was losing the respect of the only woman left who still stood by his side.

Immediately James swallowed hard, his throat dry like paper. His hands trembled slightly, and his eyes burned, not with tears, but with the weight of reality finally hitting him like a crashing wave.

Then he turned to Emily, his voice low, cracked. "I’m sorry," he said, barely able to look her in the eye. "I truly am. I didn’t expect it to go this way. I swear to you, Emily, I’ll get it all back. I’ll make sure ZXZ belongs to me again. Just... please. Be patient. Just hold on—"

"you know I love you?" Emily cut him off, scoffing with a cold chuckle. "James... you love me? You think that’s what I want to hear right now?"

He blinked, confused, trying to understand the shift in her tone.

She stepped back slightly, folding her arms, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Is that how I’m supposed to celebrate my birthday? Huh?" she asked, her voice rising. "Did you forget already? It’s in two weeks, James. Two weeks!"

Then her eyes narrowed, her disappointment written all over her face. "Is this the life you promised me? Is this the future I left everything for? To stand beside a man who can’t even beat his ex-wife? You promised me luxury. You promised me power. You promised me I would never have to watch another woman walk all over you."

Her tone grew sharper, each word like a slap. "So tell me, James. How are you going to fix this now?"

"How are you going to do it?"

At that moment, upon hearing what Emily just said, James felt something twist deep inside him not anger, not quite pain either, but a quiet, bitter disappointment that left a hollow feeling in his chest. He stared at her, trying to find the words, trying to process what she had just said.

’Was she serious?’ he couldn’t be Emily would be saying this, he had just been publicly humiliated, defeated, and stripped of everything he once controlled. The company that carried his name, the legacy he fought for, was now in the hands of his ex-wife. The board had turned their backs on him, and Mr. B a man he didn’t even know, had taken over 30% of the company like it was some game of Monopoly.

And in the middle of all this chaos, Emily his girlfriend, the woman he left Cora for was more concerned about her birthday party?

At that moment a cold silence stretched between them.

James tried to keep his face calm, but inside, he was crumbling. He couldn’t believe it. He had chosen Emily. He had stood by her, promised her everything, wealth, power, the life she always dreamed of. He had fought for her, even against his own conscience. He had destroyed his marriage, walked away from Cora, and now, when he was at his lowest, this was the best Emily could offer him? a complaint about a birthday?

Then he clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, but he didn’t speak the anger rising in his chest. Not now. Not here. The shame was already too much. The humiliation too fresh. And deep down, he knew, he had no right to lash out.

Because no matter how unfair Emily’s words felt... he did make that promise. He did tell her that her birthday this year would be one for the history books.

So even though it hurt, even though it was the last thing on his mind, James forced himself to nod. His jaw was tight, but his voice came out calm too calm.

"Emily... don’t worry," he said quietly, his eyes not quite meeting hers. "The birthday I planned for you... everything I promised... it’s still going to happen."