Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 763

Emmy’s voice was icy, stripped of any warmth.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Dean let out a soft, puzzled laugh. “James got hurt?”

Emmy didn’t let up. “And your injuries. Who did that to you?”

Dean’s tone shifted, laced with something unreadable. “Are you worried about me, or are you worried about him?”

She didn’t answer.

Dean seemed to give in, sounding a little exasperated. “Relax. I was just messing with you.”

He sighed, then admitted, “Alright, I’ll be honest. The injury on James’s shoulder was my fault. It was an accident.”

He went on, his voice suddenly defensive. “But he hit me first. I only pulled my gun to scare him, that’s all. How was I supposed to know he’d get right in my face and take the hit? If you don’t believe me, check the security cameras.”

He paused, then added with a mix of annoyance and sarcasm, “Did he run to you, acting like he’s the victim? Ridiculous.”

“He messed me up way worse. My wrist is busted, and he knocked out one of my molars. I haven’t even complained to you, but he’s already running his little show.”

Emmy ignored his complaints. “Did you cut the footage?”

Dean sounded genuinely surprised. “The footage was deleted? That wasn’t me. I don’t even have access to the system at Moonlight Bay.”

He hesitated, then said slowly, “But James does. Maybe you should ask him. Maybe he got nervous and deleted it himself.”

Emmy hung up without another word.

She picked up her phone and hesitated, thumb hovering over James’s number, but in the end she didn’t call. Instead, she found the butler. “Go ask James if he was the one who deleted the camera footage outside the courtyard. Don’t mention that I asked.”

A few minutes later, the butler hurried back after making the call. “Miss, the young master said it wasn’t him.”

Emmy frowned. Between Dean and James, she wanted to believe James was telling the truth. But Dean hadn’t sounded like he was lying either.

So who deleted the footage?

Just then, her phone chimed with a message from Abriella.

She thought for a few seconds, then said, “Tell him I’m available.”

...

The next afternoon, she arrived at Full Moon Pavilion Tea House. It was a famous private club in the Capital, invitation-only, reserved for the city’s elite. The place looked like a miniature classical garden, with pavilions, winding streams, and beautiful views at every turn.

An attendant led Emmy along the stone path and through a long, covered walkway. Danny and her bodyguard, Micah, walked at her side.

When they turned a corner by the water pavilion, Emmy stopped in her tracks.

Coming toward her from the other direction was James. He wasn’t wearing his usual casual clothes. Instead, he had on a dark gray suit that fit him perfectly, showing off his broad shoulders and slim waist. His crisp white shirt was buttoned all the way up, a tasteful tie at his collar.

His hair was neatly styled, and behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were cold and unreadable. There was nothing friendly about his gaze, just the quiet authority and pressure of someone used to being in charge.

He was surrounded by a group of sharp, professionally dressed people who looked like they’d just come from a serious meeting.

For a second, Emmy forgot to breathe.