The streetlights were on. Louise was picked up by her family, while Carlos insisted on sending Emily home.
"I had no idea you were so cute when you were young," Carlos reminisced while driving, recalling what he had heard today.
'I wish I'd known Emily when I was a kid', he thought and turned back to look at Emily.
Emily was stunned by the tenderness in his eyes. She wasn't a fool, and of course, she was aware of Carlos' feelings for her. However, she just wanted to take good care of her children, reclaim her inheritance, and find out how her father died.
There was a list of tasks she must complete, so it wasn't the time to fall in love with someone. Maybe someday in the future.
But for some reason, Derek's face emerged in Emily's mind. She shook her head and figured that it was probably because she had just seen him with Rose.
"Are you alright?" Carlos looked at her with concern.
"It's a bit stuffy in the car. I need some air."
Carlos rolled down the car window and asked, "Better now?"
Emily nodded.
"What do you think of me?" Carlos asked, trying to pretend that he was nonchalant, but his expression gave him away. He looked anxious.
Emily looked at him without saying a word.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Is that a hard question to answer? I'm an eligible bachelor, too, right? I'm handsome and loaded. Countless women fall for me."
Carlos interrupted Emily before she could say what she was about to say. He didn't want to be rejected by her. He would feel better as long as he didn't hear what she was about to say.
"Carlos, I don't have time for this right now. You know what I want to do."
There was silence in the car. Carlos tightened his grip on the steering wheel and then smiled. "Heck. How come my charm stops working when facing you?"
Emily didn't know how to make him feel better. To ease the awkwardness, she brought up the corporation project.
"The project is going well. I'm glad that Andrew is careful enough. He has caught several groups of people trying to tamper with the raw materials, and he has dealt with them all."
"Maybe Rose went to Derek tonight to ask for his help." Carlos couldn't bear to see her embarrassed, so he tagged along and changed the subject.
"If the project goes well, the subsidiary will be back in the black, and I'll win my position in the group, and the shareholders will recognize my abilities. The last thing Rose and Laura want to see is me getting my hands on their lucrative business."
Emily took a deep breath. She had been so tense since she got back, and luckily, everything was starting to pay off.
"Will Derek help her?"
"No, he won't," Emily blurted out and she seemed so certain of it.
Carlos' surprised glance made her realize what she had just said.
Emily rephrased, "Well, unlike Laura, the Scott Group has a reputation."
"But Derek is Rose's fiancé. If he took her side, the shareholders would change their minds and support Rose and Laura."
Emily puckered her lips. For some reason, she just didn't think Derek would do such a thing.
A car suddenly caught up from behind with a honk. Then, the window was down, revealing Derek's face.
"Speaking of the devil," Carlos grumbled.
"Pull over." Emily knew Derek well. He was a determined man who wouldn't give up until he got what he wanted.
Carlos stopped the car. They stepped out and walked towards Derek's car.
"I need to talk to you."
Derek didn't even look at Carlos as if he wasn't there.
Who would smile at their rival in love anyway?
The thought of seeing Derek and Rose in the restaurant made Emily not want to see his face at all.
"Mr. Scott, if there's nothing important, Carlos and I are heading back. It's late."
Derek knew Emily was mad at him since she called him "Mr. Scott".
Carlos followed her into the car.
However, Derek asked the driver to follow their car.
"What do you want?" Carlos was out of patience. He was a successful businessman now and no one dared to treat him like this anymore.
The two men gazed at each other as if they were in some kind of staring contest.
Emily rolled her eyes and didn't believe the guys would act like a man-child since they were usually reserved and mature.
"Chris and Diane are still waiting for me," Emily said and sounded helpless.
"I'll take you home."
"We'll talk in the car. And you'll be home on time."
The two men said at the same time and then glared at each other again.
Emily was not in the mood for that. "Whatever it is about, we can talk tomorrow."
"Then I'll follow your car. Don't worry. I won't go in. I just want to make sure you get home safe."
Derek looked determined. He was being frank with Emily now, and he couldn't wait to let her know his feelings for her.
Yet before he dealt with the matter of his fiancée, he felt he had no right to pursue Emily, as it might let people get the wrong idea of her. Therefore, he had made his stance clear, but he had never told her about his feelings. He was waiting for the right time.
Emily gave in. She got out of the car and stepped into Derek's car.
Carlos was seething with anger deep down, but he had to put on a gracious front when facing Emily. His words were uttered through gritted teeth.
"Amy, let me know when you get home, or else I will worry," he said, deliberately addressing her as Amy.
In the next second, as he expected, Derek's face turned gloomy, which satisfied him a lot.
After blowing Emily a kiss, Carlos drove away.
Emily remained quiet during the drive. She had no choice but to get into Derek's car, but that didn't mean she wasn't mad at him for pushing her.
"Derek, if you need to say something, you should go ahead, since I'll be home soon."
With that, he stopped the car.
Chris and Diane were leaning over the windowsill. When they saw Emily in the car, they rushed to the door and went out.
"Mommy, why are you back so late?"
The kids gave her wet kisses.
Seeing how warm it was when Emily was with her kids, Derek found it hard to say what he wanted to say. He changed the subject at the last minute. "Aaron and Ian's birthdays are coming up. I am wondering if you would like to come to their birthday party. It used to be just us celebrating it, and they will be thrilled to have you there."
Chris blocked in front of Emily and asked, "When is their birthday?"
After knowing the answer, Diane happily said, "Really? Chris and I had our birthday party five days ago!"
Emily and Derek both froze. The doubts that lingered in their minds emerged once again.
Emily frowned deeply and thought, 'So, Rose and I were pregnant around the same time?
I don't really remember what Rose looked like at that time. They put me in the slum back then and I seldom saw Rose. If she put on baggy clothes, I wouldn't be able to tell if she was pregnant since she was at an early stage.
Not to mention that Rose soon showed her true colors and stopped visiting me.
Did Rose sleep with Derek at that time already?
We were in labor so close. How come?'
Derek looked at Emily, Chris, and Diane back and forth. They shared similar features with Aaron and Ian.
Emily's familiar scent came to his nose again. His heart was racing, and there seemed to be more evidence of his suspicions.