Chapter 16: Meet Adalea

"Hi."
Emma heard the voice. She knew the voice very well. But she was too terrified to look. She can smell the perfume, heard the jangling of her bangles and the pretty nails, and can bet that it's an expensive manicure.

"Excuse me, is Adam in?" the sultry voice asked.

Emma hated it all. She cannot understand how can someone be so popular and so pretty and have a sexy voice as well? How can someone be so goddamn perfect?

She let out a quiet sigh and raise her head, meeting her eyes. 

"He's on the phone with a client. Do you mind to wait for a while?" she asked. Adalea smiled.
"Oh sure. I don't mind." she said cheerfully and sits down on the couch near Emma's place.

Emma continued typing.

"So how are you?" Adalea speaks again.
Emma stopped typing.

"I'm good. You?" she tried to fake a smile.

"Oh great. Yeah." she answered enthusiastically. Emma nodded.

She continued typing.

"So, how's life after... you know, DiAnn's...?"
Emma stopped.

"I'm okay. Still grieving, she's like a mother, you know. But okay. I don't know about Adam though." she answered.
Adalea nodded.
"Yeah, he was devastated. She means the world to him, you know." said Adalea.
"I know." said Emma with a smile.

She continued typing.

And to top all the beauty and grace and sexy voice is the fact that Adalea IS nice. That Emma liked her as a person. She's not some cheap husband-huntress who looked more like a prostitute rather than a real lady. She's a genuine person. If not for the fact that she was the reason Adam failed to see Emma for what's her worth, Emma would have liked Adalea for a bestfriend.   

Apart from all the envy and personal loathe, Emma really likes her.

From the corner of her eyes she was able to observe Adalea. The 5"7' GAP model is the epitome of elegance and poise. Being born in an already wealthy family of aristocrats, Adalea doesn't need to work hard to get what she wants. Come to think about it, she didn't even need to work hard to get the life she wanted. All she have to do is give her most addictive smile and men will throw away their life at her feet. Some just able to have it all without doing anything much, and Adalea is the perfect example. But she chose to work for it all.

And maybe that's why Adam was so attracted to her.

A ring on her phone startled Emma. She picked it up.
"Yes?" 
"Emma, if Sir Bennington called, tell him I'm not in." directs Adam.
"May I ask why?"
"Err... it's a secret?" Adam joked.
"Okay then, might as well tell the big guy you're avoiding him." Emma retorts.
Adam laughs.
"Okay, okay. I just don't feel like talking to him today. He tends to lament about his knighthood it drives me crazy."
"You're just jealous."
"Oh do I? How about you take my place at the dinner with him tomorrow and see how you handle his boastful ass."

Emma laughs.

"I don't do expensive dinner." she said.
"Oh? This is news to me. What if I teach you how tonight?" he answered.
Emma smiled.

"I have a dinner date at the hawker's stall tonight... And Adalea is here." Emma told him.

Quiet.

"Oh yeah, send her in." he said finally.
"Okay." she quickily puts the phone down.

"Adalea," she called.
"Just call me Ada, Emma..." 
"Ada, Adam's free now. You can come in." Emma gave her sweetest smile.

"Oh, okay.Thanks." she smiled back, and arise from her seat, just as Adam opens his door and went to her giving her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Will you have dinner with me tonight, love?" he asked her sweetly.
"I'll be glad to." she answered him, whilst toying with his tie.

Sickening sweetness... Emma tried not to puke.

"Emma, I won't be coming back so just cancel all my appointments, okay?" he gave her a glance.
"Sure. Have a nice day." she replied nonchalantly.
He pursed his lips, and take Adalea by the hand, leading her towards the exit.

Emma hoped he would not realize she doesn't have any hawker stall-date tonight...

To be continued...