Emma's POV

I took way too long getting ready. I showered, and while I did, I cried, like I always did. I didn't understand why my mother insisted on insulting me every chance she got. I hated being fat. Between all the crying, I lost track of time, and by the time I finished getting dressed, it was already pretty late. I was going to arrive at the dinner at least ten minutes after the time my parents had given me. They were going to kill me.

When I arrived at the Keller mansion… Keller—that was the same last name as the man who had rented me the space for my bakery. Could it be the same person? Who knew.

I pulled up and parked at the entrance while I waited for someone to come out and let me in. While I was waiting, a beautiful woman appeared. She was wearing a loose black dress that reached the floor, and the deep V-neckline left very little to the imagination. Wow. I wasn't a jealous person, and I knew how to recognize beauty when I saw it.

But the admiration I felt for her vanished the moment she opened her mouth.

"Hey. Fat girl. Why don't you move? This isn't a stable. Pigs don't belong here, so move it."

"Excuse me, miss…"

That was all I said. Just an excuse me, miss. I didn't want to complicate things and give my parents a reason to scold me. She looked like the kind of woman who caused scenes when things didn't go her way. For a moment, I had admired her beauty. Then she spoke, and I lost all respect and admiration for her.

After a brief wait, I had to move my car so she could enter. I went in right behind her. Once inside, I waited to be guided to the exact spot where the dinner was taking place, and I was stunned by the garden. It was truly beautiful and incredibly romantic.

The butler announced me when I reached the table where my parents were already waiting for me with serious, accusing looks. Even though my father loved me far more than my mother did, he hated lateness. So seeing him upset was expected.

"Mr. and Mrs. Keller, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Miss Emma Smith has arrived."

"Thank you, Joseph," someone replied.

Of course. The first thing I saw when I walked in was that rude woman staring me up and down.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Keller. Dad. Mom. Sir and miss."

I didn't want to seem rude, so I greeted everyone, even though I didn't know who the younger people were or what their names were. I assumed they were both the Kellers' children. The girl looked exactly like a spoiled daddy's princess. And the man… he was devastatingly handsome. Sexy and arrogant.

He had blue eyes and a perfectly trained body wrapped in a tailored suit. God, what an exquisite man. Too bad men like that never looked twice at women like me. His girlfriend had to be flawless.

After discreetly looking them over, I was about to sit down when Mrs. Keller pointed out my seat with a warm, kind smile. She seemed refined and well-mannered. She didn't even comment on my appearance or my lateness.

"Don't worry, dear. Helena, my son Adam's girlfriend, arrived late as well. It seems to be a natural trait in young people these days."

Great. So that woman was the girlfriend of the Adonis sitting right in front of me. I couldn't believe it. And at the same time, I absolutely could. Men like him only looked at the outside. They didn't care about brains. They only cared about where they wanted to put their… well.

That woman, Helena, wouldn't stop staring at me with a stupid smile, like she was mocking me.

Once I sat down, Mrs. Keller introduced her family to me, one by one—at least the ones present. As far as I knew, she had two other children, but they weren't there that night. I wondered what they were like.

"Since we're all here," Mrs. Keller said, "allow me to officially introduce my son, Adam, owner and CEO of Keller Enterprises, and his girlfriend, Miss Helena."

My parents didn't waste any time either and introduced me.

Helena—or better said, hyena—wouldn't take her eyes off me. And Adam didn't even look at me. He was focused on his mother and my parents. His father, on the other hand, looked completely uninterested.

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Adam Keller and Miss Helena," my father said. "This is our only daughter and heir, Emma Smith."

"A pleasure, Miss Emma Smith," Adam replied.

"I… the pleasure is mine, Mr. Keller," I said softly.