Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Unexpected Encounter

The sight of him instantly soured her mood, and she couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing there.

Although she knew he worked for Long Corp, the last she knew, it was at the second branch. So, since when was he transferred there, and why didn’t Alex tell her? she thought as she simply pretended like she didn’t see him and continued on her way out.

Jake, who had been headed to the company’s cafeteria and had just stopped to interact with one of the staff, turned just in time to see her walking out of the elevator.

His expression twisted in disbelief as a wave of disgust washed over him.

Jake quickly excused himself from the conversation he was having and stormed toward Emma, his voice cutting through the air.

“Emma?” He called after her, but Emma just kept walking.

She wasn’t in the mood to stand and talk to someone as disgusting as Jake, and she wasn’t going to spoil her mood any more than it had been spoilt already.

“Emma! I’m talking to you,” Jake called again when she didn’t reply, and when she still didn’t stop, he fastened his strides to get to her.

“So, it’s really you, and you pretended like you didn’t hear me. What the hell are you doing here? Have you come here to beg me?” He asked the moment he caught up to her just outside the company premises.

Emma merely shook her head, deciding not to say anything to Jake. So, without uttering a word, she walked past him and headed to the parking lot as though he wasn’t there.

But Jake was determined to get a response, so he grabbed her arm to stop her. “What do you think you’re going? Im not done talking to you!”

Emma stopped, turning her head slowly to meet his gaze. Her patience, already thin, snapped.

“Quit being delusional, Jake,” she said, her voice sharp. “You know, thinking about everything now, I really don’t know what I ever saw in you or how I managed to fall for you in the first place,” she spat, eyeing him disdainfully.

Jake was taken aback by her words. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Emma continued. “In fact,” she added, her voice colder than ever, “I don’t even know what kept me around for so long. You were never worth it. Not my time or my love!”

Her words stung, but Jake’s fury only intensified. Never in his life had he expected that Emma would ever talk to him in that manner or even in that tone.

“What did you just say to me?” Jake asked, wanting to see if she would repeat what she just said.

Emma scoffed, eyeing him. “Just a little bit of the dose you give out, and you’re unable to swallow,” she said with a shake of her head. “It’ll be in your best interest if you stay away from me going forward. I don’t want disgusting people like you around me!” she added.

Hearing this, Jake’s anger rose to its peak, and without thinking, he raised his hand, ready to slap her.

But Emma stood her ground, her chin lifted defiantly. “Go ahead,” she challenged him, “slap me. Go on, show everyone who you really are. Let them see the animal you’ve always been,” she said, eyeing him.

Jake’s face twisted in rage as he looked around, realizing he couldn’t do anything to her despite the disrespect she was showing him.

Emma smirked when she saw he was feeling quite ashamed and well aware of his environment.

He wanted to do something, anything, to wipe the smile off her face. But as the eyes of the people around them turned toward him, he realized he couldn’t. Not here, not now.

With a scowl, Jake dropped his hand and stormed off. “You’re not worth it,” he spat before turning on his heel and heading back inside.

The argument Jake and Emma were having had caused everyone who had heard them to stop what they were doing and stare.

Those who didn’t understand asked questions, and those who recognized them whispered. “Is that not Jake’s ex-wife? What is she doing here?” they said to themselves.

As Jake stepped into the lobby angrily, the scattered whispers that had filled the room halted abruptly.

The shift in atmosphere was palpable. He knew they had been observing and talking, but he didn’t care. Let them talk.

Let them spread their gossip. His fury had numbed him to the opinions of others. Walking with stiff, purposeful steps, he made his way to the elevator, ignoring the curious glances thrown his way.

The ride to his office felt longer than usual. His hands clenched into fists by his sides as he replayed the argument with Emma in his head, each word cutting deeper into his already wounded pride.

He had wanted to go to the cafeteria before all this but there was no way he could eat now; how could he when the idea of food seemed absurd to him now?

His stomach churned with a mixture of anger and frustration, and he knew it would reject any attempt to calm him.

The moment he reached his office, he slammed the door behind him, the loud echo a temporary release of the tension coiling tightly within him.

He began pacing, his thoughts racing, trying to make sense of it all. His chest heaved with anger, his thoughts spinning. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. Emma had completely thrown him off balance, and he couldn’t get her words out of his head.

He got his phone from his pocket and decided to call Mark.

“I want you to stop keeping an eye on my uncle. I want your eyes to be on Emma. I want to know the reason she came to Ling Corp,” Jake said as soon as Mark answered.

“Okay, I will Jake,” Mark said and ended the call abruptly.

Jake grabbed a drink from the small fridge in his office and gulped it down, hoping it would wash away the bitter taste of the confrontation. But it didn’t. His thoughts were still centered on Emma.