Chapter 6: Emily's POV

Two months had passed in the blink of an eye.

I stood once again on the soil of Rosenberg City.

I had joined an overseas firm anonymously, returning as an assistant to participate in the International Racing Association's bidding conference.

I appeared at the venue with full confidence, knowing that as the leader in the automotive industry, the Cain family would certainly attend the bidding.

But I wasn't afraid!

After escaping from the island, I went to Aunt Chloe's house. During those days, I saw on the news that Evan was searching for me all over the world. I knew he was unwilling to let go.

Losing me as a chess piece wouldn't just affect Evan—it would impact the entire Cain family.

But none of that had anything to do with me anymore.

I abandoned all distracting thoughts, and with my aunt's full support, in just two short months, I transformed from a nearly two-hundred-pound fat woman into a curvaceous beauty.

So how could Evan, a man who had never cared about me, possibly recognize me?

The bidding venue buzzed with voices. As I pushed through the door in my eight-centimeter heels, I saw many pairs of eyes staring at me.

There were azure-blue eyes of Europeans, amber eyes of Middle Easterners, and even deep brown eyes of Southeast Asians.

But when I met each man's gaze, not one dared to hold eye contact with me.

I smiled faintly and prepared to find a corner seat.

Dad used to say that gold shines wherever it is, and before leaving, Aunt Chloe had specifically instructed me to restrain my radiance, or else the streets of Rosenberg would have traffic accidents again.

"Ah!"

But as I turned and stepped into the venue, I collided head-on with a petite woman.

The lighting in the venue was somewhat dim, and having just come from the bright hallway, my eyes hadn't yet adjusted.

"My God! Are you blind? You bumped into me and you're not even apologizing—are you both blind and mute?"

Before me stood a woman in formal attire with golden blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She was pressing one hand against her shoulder, her brows tightly furrowed.

I recognized the person before me at a glance.

It was Isabella!

The heiress who had been arranged to marry Evan since childhood. It seemed she had not only returned from studying abroad but had already entered the Cain family business.

I chuckled softly.

"Are you insane? You bump into someone and then laugh?"

Isabella, just like when she was young, displayed the same arrogant demeanor.

She looked down at me as if viewing a freak.

I was grateful she hadn't recognized me.

"Sorry!"

I had no intention of entangling myself with Isabella. This was an accident, and my concession didn't mean I was backing down—I simply didn't want to create trouble for myself right after returning.

"Can't you speak?"

"Just 'sorry'? I don't think you know who I am."

Isabella smiled contemptuously and muttered.

"These bidding conferences are really losing their standards these days—they let any lowlife in. How degrading!"

Isabella clearly had no intention of letting this go.

But I was no longer the Emily Lane that anyone could step on!

"Miss! Just now you were the one who suddenly rushed out, not me failing to watch where I was going. I ask you to speak more cleanly, or else..."

I was about to explain to Isabella when I noticed tears glistening in her eyes under the lights.

I crossed my arms over my chest, surprised that she would resort to such manipulative tactics.

"Why did you bump into me!"

Isabella pointed at me, her voice turning soft and coquettish.

Only then did I realize Isabella's gaze was fixed on something behind me.

Confused, I turned to look.

I saw a familiar figure.

Although the lighting was dim and I couldn't see the man's face clearly, I was certain that person was none other than Evan!

He was walking toward us.

His footsteps drew closer, one by one. Even though I had built up my psychological defenses and prepared myself mentally, for some reason, seeing Evan made my heart pound like a drum.

"Apologize to me. I just want an apology from you! Is that so difficult?"

Isabella's performance was in full swing.

But I had no time to play along with her. At that moment, I was like an ant on a hot griddle.

I yanked my hand free from Isabella's grasp and shoved a business card into her hand.

"If there's any issue, contact my lawyer!"

Then I fled in a panic.

"Why so slow? What happened?"

I saw Isabella block Evan's path as he tried to move forward.

His gaze remained fixed on the back door, and I stood just behind it, hands clenched tightly, so nervous that my palms were sweating.

Though my heart was racing, I still noticed his gentle tone—something the old me had rarely heard.

"Evan! That person just now bumped into my shoulder. It hurts so much—it feels swollen."

Isabella threw herself into Evan's embrace, her head gently resting on his shoulder. She even unbuttoned the collar of her shirt, exposing her shoulder as she whined to Evan.

In my eyes, Isabella looked like a delicate bird, pitiable and endearing.

Evan glanced briefly.

"I'll have a doctor check on you later! Who was that person just now? And what's this?"

From Evan's tone, I was certain he had seen my silhouette.

The paper in Evan's hand was the bidding list I had copied out of boredom in the car. During the scuffle with Isabella, it had inadvertently fallen to the ground, and he had picked it up.

Seeing Evan's hand gripping the paper made my heart uneasy.

My mood was like that of a thief who had been caught red-handed.

At that moment, seeing Evan stare intently at the paper with an indescribable expression in his eyes, Isabella carefully snatched the paper from him.

Then she cooed sweetly.

"Evan! This is just a piece of scrap paper. That woman just now, judging by her clothes, is probably just a janitor at the bidding conference! Forget it! She's not having an easy time either. I should have some compassion! Let's go take care of our business! Don't waste time on unimportant people!"

I watched as Isabella crumpled that paper in her palm, bit by bit, as if destroying evidence.

Eventually, it became a ball of trash discarded in the garbage bin.

Based on a woman's sixth sense, I could clearly feel Isabella's hostility toward me, even though she hadn't recognized me.

After hearing Isabella's words, Evan said nothing more. Isabella linked her arm through his, and soon the two of them disappeared from my sight.

I collected my emotions and left through the back door as well, though my mind was still racing.

Evan had seen my silhouette and found it familiar—that alone didn't mean much.

But if he had recognized the handwriting on that paper I'd written, especially those words "Cain Group," would he discover that I was the fat woman from before—Emily?