Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 250: Just Wanting a Hug

Chapter 250: Just Wanting a Hug

"This...," Emma Hart faltered, her voice choked with emotion. The incident from her past had indeed had a negative impact on her, but it wasn’t as it was being portrayed.

"What about it? Speak up!" her female colleague pressed her, her tone accusatory as if Emma truly had done something reprehensible.

"This has nothing to do with me!" Emma covered her head with her hands, overwhelmed by the resurfacing trauma that had once deeply affected her.

"Then whose issue is it?" The colleague scoffed, her mocking laughter piercing Emma like a sword.

Emma buried her head even deeper.

In the midst of the crowd, Emma found herself shielded by someone.

"What are you all babbling about?"

Emma looked up to see Amelia Davidson’s angry face berating the people before her.

Before her colleague could respond, Amelia snatched up a file from the table and hurled it at the offender, "Say another word, I dare you!"

Seeing Amelia’s fierce demeanor, everyone else backed off, not daring to speak further.

"Is this lesbian? I told you Amelia wasn’t normal!" muttered the female colleague.

Amelia wrapped her arms protectively around Emma, comforting her as she seated her. Amelia had come to discuss the design drafts but had walked into a den of gossipers instead.

"These people are so idle. It’d be a miracle if they ever achieved anything. Let them speak one more word, and I’ll tear them apart!" Amelia’s anger hadn’t subsided.

By now, Emma’s face was streaked with tears. If the slander from her colleagues hadn’t broken her, Amelia’s defense had.

"Why are you crying?"

"Do you really trust me that much?" Emma looked into Amelia’s eyes, not just with gratitude but with wonder at how Amelia could trust her so completely when those words seemed to have no effect on her.

"Who else should I trust if not you?" Amelia said naturally, her voice a comforting balm like that of an older sister.

"But I..." Emma’s gaze fell sadly to her stomach, contemplating the undeniable "proof" she carried.

Amelia placed her hand on Emma’s, offering warmth and reassurance. "We’ll deal with this later. Sister believes in you."

Just those words, "I believe in you," were enough to comfort Emma’s troubled heart.

In the design department, Sophia Greenwood was blissfully unaware of the office gossip, comfortably detached since she had others to handle such matters for her. Her cellphone rang, it was a call from Damian Sterling.

Sophia answered eagerly, "Damian, what’s up?"

"Come to my office," he said simply.

In Damian Sterling’s office, his assistant lingered nearby. "Mr. Sterling, should I inform Miss Emma that you’re back?"

Damian waved his hand dismissively, already well-versed in the office dramas.

Before entering Damian’s office, Sophia carefully touched up her lipstick, unbothered by the secretary’s gaze. With her head held high, she pushed open Damian’s door just as his assistant was leaving. "Did Mr. Sterling just get back?" she asked nonchalantly.

The assistant nodded, and Sophia felt a surge of satisfaction knowing Damian had sought her out immediately upon his return, a testament to her standing in his regard.

"Dear Damian, calling for me as soon as you return, what’s the matter?" Sophia sat down, her tone sultry as she looked at Damian.

Damian was hunched over his desk, slowly raising his eyes that held a sinister chill. Sophia wondered if it was the air conditioning in the CEO’s office that made her shiver.

"Damian, dear, what’s wrong?" she asked as his gaze fixed intently on her.

"Did you do it?" he asked abruptly.

"What are you talking about?" Sophia’s eyes darted away, her voice tinged with discontent. "Whatever it is about Emma Hart, it has nothing to do with me."

Damian stared at her intently, assessing. Her tone didn’t seem deceptive, unlike her usual quick excuses.

Seeing his skepticism, Sophia turned, placing her hands on the desk and looked up at him confidently, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of anger. She forced a smile, "Dear Damian, I know where to draw the line. Whatever it is would affect the company, and I wouldn’t do anything to harm our interests."

Damian’s piercing gaze seemed to try to see right through her, yet Sophia remained composed.

Finally, Damian looked away and said coldly, "I see."

Mansion.

Damian Sterling stood imposingly at the entrance of the villa, nearly as tall as the doorway itself. He had someone bring Emma Hart to him. Emma stepped out of the car, her spirits low, and walked towards Damian, seemingly unable to muster much energy even at the sight of him.

As Emma approached Damian, in that moment, she desperately wanted to embrace the man before her. She had, perhaps unknowingly, become accustomed to living under his protection, though she never spoke of it. Inside had slowly grown dependent on him.

She stood there momentarily stunned, the man did not reach out to pull her into his arms, and naturally, Emma would not step forward herself.

Instead, she asked indifferently, "Where have you been?" There was a hint of reproach in her voice, blaming him for not being there when she needed him the most.

Recalling the day’s cruel words about her unborn child lacking a father, Emma felt her tears threatening to spill. At that moment, she desperately wanted to refute those people; her child did have a father—the very man standing before her. She certainly didn’t want her child to be deemed fatherless!

Damian walked past her, his eyes briefly catching the tears at the corners of Emma’s eyes, causing a tremor in his heart. Yet, he turned his head away, avoiding her tearful gaze. Nothing pained him more than seeing this woman cry.

"It’s cold outside," Damian said abruptly as he turned and stepped into the villa, leaving Emma with these words hanging between them.

A chill breeze brushed past, making Emma shiver slightly as she watched him walk away. Hesitating for a moment, she followed him inside, a trace of disappointment in her eyes.

All she really wanted was a hug.

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