Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1101

Emmy rushed over to open the door and found Andrew standing outside in the hallway. He wore a dark gray cashmere coat over a turtleneck sweater, gold-rimmed glasses perched perfectly on his nose. He looked every bit elegant and refined, with an effortless scholarly charm. Honestly, there was something irresistible about a man who spent his days buried in research. But what really caught her eye was how both his hands were full. In one hand he carried two oversized gift bags, in the other a heavy box of fruit and a couple of shopping bags from some luxury brand.

“Mr. Aldridge, why did you bring so much stuff?” Emmy stepped aside to let him in, reaching out to help.

“Don’t, it’s heavy.” Andrew dodged her hands and walked straight past her, setting everything down by the coffee table in the living room. Only after he was done did he turn back to explain, “I didn’t buy these. Your mom did, for you. She left them at the hotel yesterday and forgot, so I just brought them over since it was on my way.”

Emmy raised her eyebrows, glancing down at the pile on the floor—the latest eye massager, walnut powder for brain health, and a ridiculously expensive scarf from a niche designer. None of it looked anything like her mom’s taste.

She shot her mother a playful look, then glanced at Andrew, who was trying too hard to look cool. A slow smile spread across her face. “Ohhh. So Mom bought all this?” She let the words hang, feigning sudden realization. “Thanks, Mom. And thank you, Mr. Aldridge, for being our delivery guy.”

Teresa’s cheeks turned pink. Behind Emmy’s back, she shot Andrew a glare that said, Really? That’s the best excuse you could come up with? Andrew just turned away and gave an awkward little laugh.

Once everyone was ready, they tidied up and headed out. Emmy took her role as tour guide seriously, leading them around campus. At first she walked between the two of them, but after a while, she started to notice something strange.

Even though they were side by side, the energy between Andrew and her mom was so strong it felt like she was being pushed away. Andrew, though he stayed on the outside, kept angling himself closer to Teresa. Whenever a bike zipped past or the sidewalk got bumpy, his hand would hover protectively at the small of her mom’s back. And her mom, whenever she spoke to Andrew, her voice would soften in a way Emmy had never heard before. The way they looked at each other—just one glance and it was obvious.

At one point, Emmy paused to grab her water bottle. She caught a glimpse of Andrew’s finger gently hooking Teresa’s pinky. The two of them jerked apart like they’d been zapped, quickly pretending to admire the scenery instead. They looked more nervous than teenagers sneaking around behind their parents’ backs.

Emmy couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She wasn’t a tour guide—she was a giant, glowing third wheel.

After they finished exploring campus, they headed for the Freedom Trail, following the red brick path all the way to the Old North Church. Emmy walked ahead, listening to the soft conversation and occasional laughter behind her. She found it kind of funny, but her heart ached a little too. They were so clearly into each other—so why were they tiptoeing around it? Was it because of her?

“We realized we weren’t right for each other, and it was better to separate than keep wasting time.”

Emmy nodded thoughtfully, but she wasn’t about to let it go. “So you’ve been single all this time? Never thought about finding someone else?”

Andrew gave a small, self-deprecating smile and shook his head. “No. After the divorce, I stayed single.”

“And about getting married again…” He paused and glanced at Teresa. “If you can’t marry someone you truly love, marriage just feels pointless. It’s more like a punishment than anything else.”

Emmy pretended to be shocked, covering her mouth. “So what you’re saying is, Mr. Aldridge, you already have someone in your heart?”