Page 108 of Ramsey & Emerson

“Be that as it may, you still sent flowers to a woman whose husband has already made it clear that he’s suspicious of your motives,” I recapped. “What did you think was going to happen?”

Adrian came to stand in front of me. “So, you’re excusing his behavior?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all,” I replied honestly. “I’m simply distributing the fault evenly.”

Ignoring his complicity, he said, “Emerson, you deserve better.”

“How do you know?”

His head jerked back a bit, a scowl appearing. “What?”

“How do you know?” I repeated. “You don’t know me outside of work, Adrian. You have no idea what kind of person I am when I’m not at my professional best. For all you know, I could have cheated on Ramsey before, and so that’s why he acts this way.”

His eyes blinked wide. “Have you?”

“No,” I bit out, him deliberately missing the point. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Well, you said-”

“I know what I said,” I snapped, cutting him off. “However, I only said that to make a point. You don’t know me, Adrian. You have no idea what I do or don’t deserve. Add to that, you don’t know my husband, either. You’re clearly underestimating the both of us, only I have no idea why.”

“Cards on the table?”

“That’s the only way I prefer things,” I assured him.

“You’re the most beautiful woman that I’ve ever seen, and when I look at you, I don’t see someone that works for me,” he finally admitted. “When I see you, I see someone that would see the truth if she just gave me a chance.”

“And what truth is that?”

“That I’m a better man for you than your husband,” he stated confidently, and it was hard not to laugh at him. He really was on a different planet.

“How do you figure?” I challenged.

“I just am.”

“Let me ask you this,” I said evenly. “What’s attractive about a man that has no respect for the sanctity of marriage?” I didn’t let him answer because we both already knew the answer. “See, while most women would feel flattered by the attention, I actually feel insulted.”

“Insulted?” he echoed incredulously.

“Yes, insulted,” I repeated. “By hitting on me, you’re painting me as the type of woman that would cheat on her husband, and I’m not a cheater. I’m also not the type of woman that would leave my husband for another man. I’m not that weak.”

He arched a brow. “Weak?”

“Yes, weak,” I reiterated. “See, I’m not afraid of my husband. I’m not afraid to talk to him, express my displeasure, or fight with him. If my husband and I aren’t communicating, it’s because we suck at it, not because we’re afraid to. So, by not being afraid to talk to my husband, he’s always given the chance to make things right between us. No other man will ever have the opportunity to mend my poor, sad, neglected, unappreciated heart because I’m not the type of woman to ever let things get that far. If I’m unhappy, Ramsey is the first to know about it.”

“I still think that you deserve better than someone who solves his problems with his fists,” he repeated, dismissing everything that I’d just said.

“While what I deserve is debatable, I’ll tell you what Iwant,”I replied, keeping my voice sounding as serious as possible. “I want a man that respects what the rings on my finger represent. I want a man that doesn’t believe that cheating is acceptable under certain conditions. I want a man that understands the commitment of marriage, because if he can excuse a woman cheating on her husband, then he can certainly excuse his own infidelity if he thinks his excuse is reason enough to break his vows.” I straightened to my full height, though it wasn’t very intimidating. “Ramsey is that man, Adrian. My husband will never cheat on me, never leave me, or ever let me leave him, and that’s the kind of love and commitment thatIwant.”

His jaw ticked in anger before he said, “I can always sue him for assaulting me. Unless, of course, you’re willing to make things right.”

I laughed, and I kept laughing as I turned from him, then walked out of his office. He just sealed his fate, and he didn’t even know it yet.

Chapter 23

Ramsey~

“These are just projected figures,” Adaline stated. “We ran them based on last year’s-”

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