Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 188: Who Are You to Control Me?

Chapter 188: Who Are You to Control Me?

Upon hearing Oliver Westmore’s words, the crowd’s murmurs grew louder, and their attention shifted from Emma Hart to the stage.

From a distance, Damien Sterling approached the door, catching Oliver’s voice. A cold smirk formed on his lips, a shadow of intrigue crossing his face. It was clear this man had gone to great lengths for this woman.

Seizing the moment, Emma hurriedly made her way outside the cruise ship, where Damien was standing.

The captain emerged from the cabin and greeted Damien with the utmost respect, "Mr. Sterling, how may I assist you?"

"Return," Damien commanded coldly, his stern face silencing everyone around, daring not to speak up.

The captain found himself in a difficult position upon hearing Damien’s order. With the cruise hosting significant figures from various sectors, he couldn’t easily decide. Yet, facing Damien’s prestigious status, he dared not utter another word, not wanting to offend anyone.

Noticing the captain’s silence, Damien continued, "I’ll cover all the expenses."

The captain, sensing Damien’s irritation and fearing to provoke this imperious man further, hurried back to the cabin, ordering everyone, "Quickly, return!"

The yacht docked.

Damien’s driver had already parked the sleek black Bugatti by the shore, its presence as striking as lightning in the night. The car window rolled down, revealing half of a man’s face under the moonlight. His handsome features were sharply defined, his profile sculpted, yet no emotion could be discerned on Damien Sterling’s icy visage, which emitted a powerful aura of fear.

Below on the dock, the black car awaited. Above, Emma Hart clutched her dress, frozen in place.

Where should she go? Although escape seemed futile, getting into the car now would be like walking into a trap.

Emma turned and hurried down the steps, walking along the roadside. The car behind her started and followed closely. Emma quickened her pace, and the car sped up accordingly. Suddenly, she stopped, and the experienced driver smoothly adjusted the speed, allowing the car to cruise gently.

After a few attempts, the car surged ahead of Emma, blocking her path at a corner. Damien Sterling was now directly in front of her. Emma stood still as Damien turned his face towards her, his brow slightly furrowed, a sign of his growing impatience.

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he looked down at Emma, who was shivering. From deep within his throat, he uttered a dull command, "Get in the car."

Emma Hart stood her ground, as if making her last stand, convinced that Damien Sterling, given his petty nature, must have already imagined her in the worst possible light after witnessing that scene. She could tell he was suppressing his anger. Showing weakness now would only prove her guilt, wouldn’t it?

"I won’t go up!" Emma Hart declared, head held high as if Damien Sterling was the one at fault.

Her defiance completely infuriated Damien Sterling. "Emma Hart, are you looking for trouble?" he snapped.

Emma met Damien’s gaze, undaunted by the fury in his eyes, recognizing another threat. "And what right do you have to order me around?" she countered, letting her dress fall back into place as she stared him down.

What was he to her, anyway? Why should he always be yelling at her? Life was hard enough by his side, constantly misunderstood and described with insulting language – as if she were the one seducing men!

"Because you are my..." Damien started, but then stopped, unable to finish his sentence. His eyes scanned Emma’s face, this woman who seemed increasingly ungrateful. Never before had he been so angry with a woman, and repeatedly at that. Damien himself was starting to reject this side of him; women weren’t supposed to be this important to him, nor did he want to expend so much energy on one.

But what he really wanted to say was... Because you are the one I love!

Damien’s smile was cold, his lips curling in a disdainful smirk. "Because you are the mother of my child."

The mother of his child? Emma had been watching Damien’s lips, hoping for something, until she heard him say those words so indifferently. To him, she was merely the mother of his child, nothing but a surrogate.

She was nothing. To her, it could be her or someone else. What was she hoping for? Why did her heart suddenly feel as if it were being pricked by needles?

Emma didn’t want to feel this way, especially not over a man who had hurt her. What a waste of emotion!

With a proud smile, Emma pretended as if nothing was amiss. "You’d better not worry about me! I promise to deliver your child and complete the surrogacy agreement. After that, Mr. CEO, please don’t bother me anymore. Your child probably doesn’t need a mother like me!"

The indifference on Emma Hart’s face was not lost on Damian Sterling. Clearly, she had been wanting to distance herself from him from the very beginning. Observing Emma’s aloof demeanor, Damian noted how her dress had been significantly torn in the scuffle, fluttering in the occasional breeze, causing her to shiver slightly.

Damian’s hand moved to his jacket, intending to take it off, but recalling Emma’s haughty attitude just moments ago, he decided against it. Pressing the power window button, his gaze shifted forward as he coldly commanded, "Drive!"

The driver, catching a glimpse of Emma standing alone in such weather, clad in so little, felt a pang of sympathy. With a daughter about Emma’s age, the driver couldn’t help but feel for her. Looking at Damian through the rearview mirror, his expression icy, the driver dared not say a word. He adjusted the steering wheel slightly and pressed down on the accelerator, driving away.

"Sir, this..."

Damian remained silent, his stern look telling the driver that no more words were needed.

As the car slowly moved forward, Damian closed his eyes, but he couldn’t shake the image of Emma, shivering from the cold. Shouldn’t he be focusing on how infuriatingly arrogant she had been, attempting to provoke him to death?

Let her suffer the cold then. If he doesn’t teach her a lesson now, she might just think she can get away with anything.