Loved

Chapter 19

When Adrien went back to the mansion, he was sad because Emerson didn't cook dinner but be knew the girl could only do so much.
She went in her normal routine of working till 2 in the morning.
The only difference was that now they were civil and Adrien completed his work early and slept  at the time which he used to do before he got married.
But he would  wakeup in the middle night when Emerson finished her work.
The next 2 days went the same. Emerson with her normal routine and Adrien in his. But they would at least greet each other at the mansion.
Henry invited her for lunch everyday upstairs and Adrien too present their.
In those 2 days, everyday some flirting girls useless question would turn into Emerson answering it and also making  the question look important.
Adrien was impressed by her skills would be an understatement.
Liam was always there to walk her out much to the girls dismay because they didn't get a chance to corner her.

Now Friday was different because it was full time session from 9 am to 5 pm on making them work on a simple project in their respective fields, which was already implemented by the company before. But the candidates didn't know about them.
The company already cleared Adrien's schedule for Friday and Saturday for him to be there to observe them.
Business students were given a project from last  year where he decided to undertake a small company.
Management students were given the oldest project among them, 4 years old when Adrien just became CEO and he wanted to manage the Mexican HQs and so the candidates had to plan it as a MD.
Marketing students an 2 year old project of advertising of a small company of silk cloth production he invested in.
The candidates were to just develop a strategy model on paper and present it to him in last 2 hours.

Adrien was in the same room as them and their seats were not arranged in business, management and marketing pattern so the candidates even though adults, would have less chances of cheating.

The files were given to them and everyone started working on it at 10 am sharp

Emerson was too good in what she did, since her IQ was really high, above 130 , and so it was an easy task for her.
She planned an outer frame and then added details to her model.
She didn't know what was expected by them so she framed plans about all the six fundamentals of business.

By the time of lunch, she could feel Ms Dickson and Nick's glare very prominently. When she looked up both the people had tiny evil smirks on their faces.
Emerson could feel that something was wrong.
Adrien was sitting at the head table working on some of his files and at the same time observing behavior of candidates under pressure. When he turned is attention to Emerson, he found her frowning at her file and clutching the table.
Something is off, again.

He checked the time was 12:55 and he cleared his throat I'm the silent room making everyone snap their attention to him.
"You can have lunch arranged in cafeteria on 14th floor. "

Everyone arranged their things but Emerson just continued writing something.
He knew he couldn't speak to her in front of everyone, so he decided to wait for her.
She then closed the file in 5 minutes, opened her laptop, fumbled something on it in concentration. His phone rang, he checked to see Henry calling.
He received it just to hear he wasn't calling him but Adrian, his secretary. When he turned his attention back, Emerson was gone.
He sighed and went to his office floor for the hour.

When he was back I'm the room, he noticed everyone there working again.
And Emerson was unusually tense. But not working.
Not again.
But he also wondered what happened to her.

Even after 5 minutes she was rigid and staring outside window.
What Adrien didn't know that Emerson was crumbling underneath her rigid exterior.

When she had a feeling something would go wrong, it would happen.
When she saw the two people with smirk on their faces, her gut told her something was wrong.
And it was true. Now the papers in her file were stolen.
Why do people hate me so much when I didn't even harmed a single hair of their body?
She just wanted to go in her blankets and cry.
She knew the room had cameras and she can find her file back, but it wasn't about the file, it never was. Her IQ was high enough to remember her complete work.
It was the fact that people around her loved to see her go through torture.

15 minutes to 3 pm , Adrien stopped the work .
"The glass cabin you can see is where you will explain your work individually to me. The list on the screen shows the sequence in which you will enter. You will only have 5 minutes each.
Let's start. "

For some reason, Emerson's name was put last.

Most of the candidates were good, some better but none best.
To his surprise, the girls who threw themselves at him did a pretty average job when he thought they would be a complete failure.
Some were also good.
Boys were also good in their work.
The blondie who knew Emerson was very well in his skills.
At last when Emerson came, she was tenser.
He had a feeling her work would be best.
When she gave him the file and he gestured her to siton the chair, she looked away and stood behind the chair , clutching it in her arms.

Adrien understood something was more than wrong and it wasn't usual nerves you get on your first presentation.

He decided to open the file but not a single paper of her work was present inside.
Only a few blank pages .

He took a deep breath and looked at her to see her knuckles turning white and her breathing heavy.

"Where is your work Ms Leone? "

She remained silent.

"Ms Leone answer me. "

She looked away shaking her head . A thin layer of tears covering her eyes.

Adrien's heart clutched at the sight of her pain. He couldn't bear it. His whole face softened.

"Come on Ms Leone, you won't disappoint your idol, would you? "
He asked in a gentle tone.

Emerson shook her head again.

"So tell me what happened? "

Instead of answering him, Em took the board marker near the white board and started explaining her model. She took 10 minutes but Adrien didn't stop her.
How could he when her strategy model was too intriguing to stop in the middle.
The way she explained every detail could even make a dumb one understand management.

Other candidates waiting outside could see them through the sound proof glass room.
Most of them were irritated that she got a privilege of extra time. Only a few didn't complain.
But Nick and Dickson were fuming internally. There plan failed.
Even the two employees of Adrien wondered how he was giving her extra time when having an extra second from him seemed impossible for others.

Emerson when done, she stood behind the chair again.
Adrien was proud, he felt a sense of pride when he saw the girl in front of him, his trainee, his wife could give him tough competition if challenged.
He gave her his beautiful smile and Emerson gasped soundlessly.

The only doubt was where were her papers. But he decided to ask her again when they were at the mansion.

Adrien emerged out of the glass office and Emerson followed without any word. His smile was enough compliment for her.

Adrien took his sit and Emerson hers, and most candidates were glaring at her. She ignored it.

When Adrien was about say something a person burst in the room, making everyone freeze wide eyed.