Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1264

Emmy stared out the window at the blur of coconut trees slipping by. Her face was calm, almost unreadable. “No matter what, he’s still James’s brother. Blood is blood.”

She glanced at Keaton. “Whatever happened between them before, this is our turf and today is supposed to be a celebration. We need to keep things classy.”

“As long as he doesn’t stir up trouble, we play the gracious hosts. The last thing we need is anybody saying we’re small-minded.”

Keaton nodded. “Got it. I’ll take care of everything.”

The car pulled up at the marina. Even from afar, Emmy could see the sleek luxury yacht gliding into the dock. A crowd of reporters was already there, snapping photos and waving microphones as if today was the hottest news in town.

Emmy stepped out, smoothed out her suit, and forced a practiced, professional smile. But as she walked closer and really saw who was coming off the yacht, her smile faltered for just a split second.

It wasn’t just Tyler and Isabel. There was another man with them, tall and dressed in casual black.

Abis.

Emmy’s brow tightened, but she got control of her expression right away. Tyler came down the ramp, moving slowly. On the surface, his legs looked fine, but there was an awkward hesitation in his steps, like he was still getting used to walking. Isabel clung to his arm, perfect in her designer dress and flawless makeup.

A few steps behind, Abis hung back, sunglasses hiding his expression. Still, Emmy could feel his gaze reaching her through the tinted lenses.

Since landing on this island, Tyler had been blown away. The fully automated docks, the AI service bots everywhere, the jaw-dropping architecture. Every little detail was like a reminder of what he hadn’t accomplished, and it stung.

He’d sacrificed so much clawing for Nelson Corporation—fighting for every single share, tearing his family apart. And James? He left, started over, and created something just as huge, maybe even bigger. No wonder Tyler’s resentment and jealousy just got worse and worse.

While Tyler’s eyes flickered with all those darker thoughts, Abis decided to finally speak. He took off his sunglasses and looked straight at Emmy, lips curled into a knowing smile.

“Mr. Lincoln, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not with them. We just bumped into each other on the yacht.”

He was quick to explain himself, almost like he was worried she’d see them as some kind of united front. From Emmy’s point of view, though, it sounded more like he was trying too hard. Coincidence? Please. She knew the world didn’t work like that. Most “happy accidents” had someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.