Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1034

Emmy had just settled in at her desk, barely flipping through the first couple of pages in her file, when someone knocked on her office door.

“Come in.”

The door opened. Emmy glanced up, and for a split second, she froze. There, standing in the doorway, was the First Lady, the same woman she’d seen in so many news stories but never expected to meet in person.

Cadence looked every bit the part, dressed in a smoky gray silk blouse with a high collar and a matching flowing skirt. She had a deep-colored cashmere coat draped over her shoulders, unbuttoned, the fabric fluttering lightly as she moved. Her hair was pulled back in a low bun, held in place by a single, elegant jade hairpin. No flashy jewelry, just her poised, sophisticated face, the kind that seemed to carry its own quiet power.

It was the kind of calm that came from years of being in charge. Emmy prided herself on staying cool under pressure, but even she felt her heart race. Why was the president’s wife here to see her?

She got herself together fast, pushing down her surprise and rising to her feet.

“First Lady?” Emmy stepped out from behind her desk, her voice calm and respectful, but not overly deferential. “Are you here for me?”

Cadence nodded, her eyes lingering on Emmy’s face for a moment, as if searching for something. “I’d like to speak with Mr. Lincoln privately.”

She glanced over at Joshua and Penny, who were standing nearby. Joshua instantly snapped to attention, gathering up his files.

“Mr. Lincoln, I’ll wait outside,” he said, and hurried out.

Penny, on the other hand, didn’t budge. Her brow was furrowed in concern. For Penny, only Emmy and James really mattered, and she never cared much about anyone else's authority. But this was the First Lady.

Emmy caught Penny’s hesitation. In her mind, she tried to sort out the relationships. If Cadence was Jared’s wife, that made her James’s mother… which would make her Emmy’s mother-in-law? Surely, a mother-in-law wouldn’t put her in danger, especially now.

She gave Penny a reassuring nod. “Penny, could you wait outside, please?”

Penny pressed her lips together, clearly reluctant, but finally nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” she said, and quietly left the room.

Cadence shook her head slightly and explained, “Jared and I are partners, but I’m not James’s biological mother. His mother was Shelly, the eldest daughter of the Sullivan family. My name is Cadence. I was Mrs. Nelson’s student. James always called me Cadence, and so did you.”

As Cadence explained, Emmy felt heat rushing up her neck. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment—these wealthy family connections were a maze. She wanted to disappear.

“I’m so sorry, Cadence,” she said, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “I misunderstood.”

Cadence just smiled kindly. “It’s not your fault. You don’t remember me, and you saw me with your father-in-law, so it’s only natural. I’m glad we’ve cleared it up.”

Emmy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Maybe the First Lady wasn’t so intimidating after all. She actually seemed kind, easy to talk to. Emmy started to feel a little more at ease.

But then, Cadence’s voice turned serious.

“So, if you really don’t remember anything, does that mean you’ve also forgotten what the matriarch asked you to do?”