just as Emma was about to speak, Gabriel cut in with a cold rejection. “She’s not going to play. Oscar, go and play with Samantha.”
Hearing that, Samantha’s expression turned grim instantly. She shot Emma a sharp glare as if she wished she could tear her apart on the spot.
Emma had no choice but to suppress her emotions. Then, Gabriel’s voice came from beside her. He asked with concern, “Do you want something to drink? You’re not good with alcohol, so you should skip it tonight.”
It almost felt like he had said that on purpose. Emma’s face flushed in an instant as a few inappropriate images flashed through her mind.
Samantha had been staring at her the whole time, unable to hide the resentment burning in her eyes. As she gritted her teeth, her eyes blazed with jealous fury. She raised her voice, her tone sharp with mockery.
“Some women will do anything to sink their claws into a rich, good–looking guy. Gabriel, don’t let yourself get played.”
The moment she said that, the temperature around Gabriel seemed to drop. His expression turned cold, making Samantha instinctively hold back. But since she had already said it, there was no taking it back now.
Biting her lip, Samantha continued, “If you’re that bad at poker, maybe don’t embarrass yourself by playing. You really think Gabriel won’t see through such a pathetic trick?”
Despite Samantha’s obvious hostility, Emma showed no reaction. After all, her marriage to Gabriel was fake, and they were just business partners. When it came to Gabriel’s admirers, all she had to do was stay calm and indifferent.
Looking at Samantha now, Emma couldn’t help but be reminded of how Frank’s friends had once mocked her without hesitation. Back then, she was like Frank’s little pet. Wherever he went, she was right behind him.
One time, when Emma returned from the restroom and reached for the door, she overheard Frank’s friends mocking her in hushed voices in the room.
“Emma just can’t get enough of being a simp. Even on a guys‘ night, she shamelessly tags along. Frank, don’t you get tired of it?”
Frank chuckled and responded, “What can I do? She’s impossible to shake off.”
With just that one sentence, Emma’s face went pale, and a sharp pain twisted in her chest.
Later, she gathered the courage to ask Frank about it, but he brushed it off with a casual excuse. He said his friends were just joking, and he didn’t understand why she was taking it so seriously.
Now, listening to Samantha, Emma was already bracing herself for more ridicule and mockery from the others.
At that moment, the atmosphere in the room turned ice–cold.
Gabriel’s eyes turned frosty, and his entire presence exuded an unmistakable chill. “If you don’t want to play, you can leave. No one’s forcing you.” Samantha’s face went pale as she stared at Gabriel in disbelief.
His eyes remained cold as he looked straight at her. “I don’t want to hear anyone speak ill of her again. Otherwise, you’ll be going against me.”
Emma’s expression shifted in an instant. She hadn’t expected Gabriel to stand up for her. She pursed her lips, trying to maintain a calm facade. Humiliated and unable to handle Gabriel’s rebuke, Samantha bolted from her seat and rushed out. However, no one dared to stop her. Everyone carefully watched Gabriel’s expression, not daring to crack a joke or lighten the mood until he did.
He cast a glance at Emma and asked, “Want to get some fresh air?”
She hadn’t expected him to suggest exactly what she had in mind. Without hesitation, she nodded.
With that, Gabriel took her hand without a second thought and led her out of the room.
The bar was packed with people, but Gabriel shielded Emma as he led her to the far end of the hallway, away from the crowd.
Leaning against the wall, she glanced up and was immediately caught in the depths of his dark eyes.
She could feel his presence all around her, and the air between them buzzed with tension. Instinctively, she clenched the fabric of her dress and looked away.
She scoffed inwardly and thought to herself, “Those deep, soulful eyes of his? He probably gives everyone the same look.”
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