The Enemy I Hate To Love

CHAPTER 5! Confronting The Chaos

Emma's POV

As I walked down the street, my thoughts ran wild. What was I supposed to say to Michelle? "Hi, could you please stop ruining my life on Instagram, and oh, by the way, give me back my phone?"
Yeah, that would go over well.
My footsteps quickened as anxiety bubbled inside me. I wasn't one for confrontation, but this situation had gone from mildly embarrassing to a full-blown public disaster. And Michelle? He was at the center of it all. Arrogant, manipulative, and probably laughing at my expense right now.
When I finally reached the sleek office building where MR Designs was headquartered, I hesitated. The cold glass exterior seemed as impenetrable as Michelle himself. I took a deep breath, straightened my jacket, and walked in, trying to channel some of Sophia's confidence.
The receptionist looked up, clearly not expecting someone like me to waltz in without an appointment. "Can I help you?" she asked, her tone dripping with politeness that barely masked her suspicion.
"I'm here to see Michelle Cole Roller," I said firmly, even though my heart was racing.
The receptionist gave me a once-over. "Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but-" I paused, trying to think of something to say. "Tell him it's about his phone."
The receptionist raised an eyebrow, her perfectly manicured fingers tapping on the desk as she picked up the phone. "Hold on a moment."
I tried to stay calm, but as I stood there in the lobby, I could feel my nerves bubbling over. Why did he have to be so infuriating? What kind of person just posts on someone else's social media like that, anyway?
After a brief conversation, she hung up the phone and gave me a nod. "He'll see you."
Great. This was it. No turning back now.
As I walked toward the elevator, I couldn't help but replay Sophia's words in my head: What if you're falling for him? That was ridiculous. Absolutely insane. There was no way I had any feelings for a guy like Michelle Cole Roller. No matter how good he looked in those custom-tailored suits or how sharp his jawline was when he smirked-Focus, Emma!
The elevator dinged, and I stepped out onto the top floor, where Michelle's office was located. The glass doors opened to reveal a minimalist, ultra-modern office with sleek furniture and a floor-to-ceiling view of the city.
And there he was, standing by the window, his back to me, as if he hadn't just caused a social media uproar.
Michelle turned slowly, his blue eyes locking onto mine with that same cold, calculating gaze he always seemed to have. "Well, well, look who finally showed up."
I clenched my fists, determined not to let him rattle me. "Give me my phone back, Michelle."
He raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Oh, your phone? I didn't realize it was such an emergency."
"Emergency?!" I nearly shouted, stepping closer. "You posted on my Instagram without my permission. You started a whole rumor about us dating! Do you have any idea what's happening online right now?"
A slow, infuriating smirk spread across his face. "I'm well aware. You're quite the popular topic of discussion, aren't you?"
I groaned in frustration. "This isn't funny, Michelle. You've humiliated me."
He crossed his arms, clearly enjoying every second of this. "Humiliated? Or maybe I just gave you a little taste of the spotlight. You're welcome, by the way."
I took a deep breath, trying to control my temper. "I don't want the spotlight. I want my life back. I want you to delete that post and give me my phone."
Michelle's smirk faltered for a moment, but his expression remained guarded. "And what makes you think I'll just hand it over?"
"Because," I said, standing tall, "this isn't a game. You've crossed a line."
There was a brief silence, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something in his eyes-guilt, maybe? Or was that just wishful thinking?
Finally, he let out a sigh, pulling my phone from his pocket. "Fine. Here's your precious phone."
I reached for it, but before I could grab it, he pulled it back, his eyes narrowing. "But on one condition."
I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "What now?"
"You stay out of my business," he said, his voice low and serious. "No more crashing my events, no more interfering in anything to do with MR Designs. Got it?"
I blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in his tone. "I never wanted to crash your event in the first place! It was an accident."
Michelle's gaze hardened. "You expect me to believe that?"
"Yes!" I said, exasperated. "I was looking for the food court, for crying out loud!"
There was a tense pause before he handed me the phone, his expression unreadable. "Fine. But don't expect any more favors."
I snatched the phone from his hand, my frustration boiling over. "Trust me, I wouldn't ask you for a favor if you were the last person on earth."
I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, Michelle called after me. "Oh, and Emma?"
I stopped, glancing over my shoulder. "What now?"
"Check your DMs. You might find some interesting messages in there."
My stomach dropped. What did he mean by that? Ignoring the sudden pit of dread, I stormed out of his office, slamming the glass door behind me.
As I rode the elevator back down, I unlocked my phone, dreading what I might find. Sure enough, there it was-hundreds of DMs, comments, and notifications from people I didn't know. Some were supportive, others... not so much.
But the worst part?
There was on a message from Ryan, asking why I had posted that photo of Michelle and if we were really dating.
I groaned in horror. How on earth was I going to explain this?