Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 211: You Must Get Some Rest

Chapter 211: You Must Get Some Rest

"Come on, wake up," Emma Hart pleaded as she dialed the phone again, but Damien Sterling had stopped answering.

It was 3 p.m. when Damien arrived punctually. Emma opened the door, and upon seeing him, she didn’t have time to argue but instead rushed Bailey into his arms. It was then that Damien noticed Emma’s eyes, swollen from crying, which tugged at his heart as he couldn’t bear to see her in tears.

Looking down at the frail Bailey, his heart skipped a beat, realizing Bailey was indeed sick.

Emma, with her eyes red and voice choked with sobs, said, "I told you Bailey was really sick. Why didn’t you believe me?" Her tone was laced with blame towards Damien.

Taking Bailey from Emma’s arms, Damien called out to his driver, "Hurry to the pet hospital."

As they hit the first red light, Damien made a call, "Clear the way to Friendship Pet Hospital with green lights only." And just as he commanded, they reached their destination without a single stop, all lights turning green as they approached.

Emma’s tears dropped onto the back of Damien’s hand. While Damien might not have fully grasped Bailey’s significance to Emma, the sight of her tearful eyes and frightened demeanor still pained him. He suddenly regretted not coming back to check on the situation himself.

Upon arriving, Emma rushed towards the pet hospital with Bailey in her arms, but perhaps due to exhaustion from crying or overwhelming anxiety, she stumbled. Damien quickly stepped forward to steady her, noticing her terrible state and reaching out to take Bailey from her arms.

Emma paused, surprised—wasn’t this man allergic to dogs? But there was no time for second guesses.

Damien took Bailey into his arms and urgently called for the vet, "Call the pet doctor, quick!"

Emma followed Damien, and upon seeing the doctor place Bailey on the examination table, the doctor’s furrowed brows after a brief check-up indicated trouble, "The situation doesn’t look good," he told Emma.

Emma, laying her eyes on Bailey, who was barely keeping them open and twitching occasionally as if struggling to stay awake, realized coughing seemed beyond its little strength. Her tears once again fell, splashing onto the surgical table.

Damien pulled Emma into his embrace, comforting her, "It’s going to be okay." He spoke softly, kissing her forehead gently.

At this moment, Damien Sterling was overwhelmed with self-reproach.

Emma Hart, tears choking her voice, sobbed uncontrollably, her body shaking with each cry. She adored Bailey so much; Bailey simply had to be alright. Yet, she felt utterly powerless to do anything about it.

"Let’s go sit outside and wait," he suggested, but then Emma shook her head, pushing away from Damien to return to Bailey’s side, believing that her presence would be felt.

Despite several treatments, Bailey showed no signs of improvement, and Emma remained steadfastly by its side.

Hours passed, and weakened by her pregnancy, Emma lay beside Bailey, too stubborn to leave.

Damien stayed by Emma’s side, watching as she grew increasingly frail. Finally, he insisted, "You must rest."

Emma glanced up at him, then stubbornly turned back to Bailey, declaring, "I won’t go anywhere until Bailey gets better."

"And what if it dies?" she shot back fiercely when Damien suggested the worst. "Why would you even wish for that? How could Bailey’s death possibly benefit you?"

Bailey was all she had, bringing immense joy and companionship into her life. Did Damien really want her to be utterly alone? It was just a dog. Why curse it so?

"I never meant that," Damien said, looking baffled by Emma’s interpretation. Women could indeed misconstrue words in times of distress, a concept Damien had only heard about but never experienced until now. No woman had dared confront him like this before, and now he truly understood.

Emma, relentless, pressed on, "Isn’t that what you’re implying?" Her eyes were filled with an icy detachment.

Damien turned away, no longer engaging in the argument. In her eyes, he was the villain, unforgivably so.

Damien Sterling stepped out of the corridor and placed a call to Mrs. Harris, instructing her to look after Emma Hart.

It wasn’t long before Mrs. Harris arrived at the hospital with meals in tow. The distance between Damien Sterling and Emma Hart was noticeable, signaling to Mrs. Harris that tension had once again surfaced between the two. Fortunately, she had brought double portions of food, hoping to ease the friction. She called out intentionally, "Mr. Sterling? Miss Emma? You both must be exhausted. Come, have something to eat."

Noticing Emma’s indifference, seemingly upset, Mrs. Harris approached, gently reminding, "Miss Emma, think of the child you’re carrying. They need nourishment as well."

This appeared to resonate with Emma, who lowered her eyes, a weariness spreading across her face. She slowly took the spoon from Mrs. Harris, murmuring, "Oh. I know, I’ll eat a bit." Her gaze reluctantly shifted from Bailey as she began to eat the meal passed by Mrs. Harris, though her appetite seemed lacking.

Mrs. Harris watched over her with tender care, her heart aching for Emma.

Looking up to call Damien Sterling, Mrs. Harris found him gesturing a dismissal, "I need to return to the office." Seeing Emma eating brought him some peace. He could dine anywhere; his concern was that Emma might find it hard to eat in his presence.

Preparing to leave the hospital, Damien instructed his driver to fetch the pet hospital’s veterinarian to the entrance. The hospital director greeted Damien with a deep bow, "Mr. Sterling, how may I assist you?"

Damien’s request was peculiar, "The dog that was brought in earlier, find me an identical one!"

The director, puzzled, replied, "A similar breed is feasible, but an exact match might be challenging to find."

"It has to be identical!" Damien’s stern gaze made the director wobble, "May I ask why you need an identical dog, Mr. Sterling?"

"If the original dog doesn’t make it, I want it replaced with another!" Damien commanded firmly.

The director, nodding frantically, bid Damien farewell, still confused about the dog’s importance as he watched the car speed away. What he didn’t grasp was that the significance lay not with the dog, but its owner.

After her meal, a pallid Emma Hart headed towards the restroom. As she emerged, she accidentally bumped into someone, hastily apologizing. Lifting her head, she was surprised to see Oliver Westmore.

"Why are you here?" Emma asked.

Oliver’s presence was always so polished, his suit neither too stiff nor too casual, perfectly blending youthfulness with neatness. His face always bore a softness and warmth, starkly absent from Damien Sterling’s more reserved expression.