Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 269: Who Peeled Your Apple?

Chapter 269: Who Peeled Your Apple?

The ringtone of Emma Hart’s phone filled the room—it was Oliver Westmore calling. Hesitant, she picked up just as a man’s silhouette appeared at the doorway of her hospital room.

"Figured as much," Oliver said as he entered, carrying a bouquet. He promptly replaced the vase’s existing flowers with the ones he brought. Turning to Emma with a natural smile, he glanced at his handiwork and shrugged, "Am I being too overbearing?"

"Not at all, the flowers you brought are definitely prettier than the hospital’s," Emma replied, pausing for a moment. It had been a while since she last saw Oliver. He had been busy, and Emma, feeling a bit awkward about suggesting outings, hadn’t pressed him for details.

"How did you know I was hospitalized?" Emma asked curiously as she slipped on her slippers, maintaining decorum since Oliver, despite their acquaintance, wasn’t someone she was intimately familiar with.

"I...," Oliver started, his eyebrows knitting together quickly before he continued, "I happened to visit your family, and your mother told me."

"Our house? My mother?" Emma repeated, reflecting that no one else but her mother and grandmother knew about her hospitalization. Why had Oliver visited their home?

Just as Emma was about to inquire further, Oliver deftly changed the subject, "You need to take care of yourself, or else the baby might blame its careless mother."

Emma smiled, her gaze filled with love as she gently touched her belly. She wanted to ask about the money—was it Oliver who had provided it? He had just mentioned visiting her family. Was he keeping tabs on her family’s issues? It seemed likely that Oliver could be the benefactor.

Biting her lip slightly, her eyes twinkling with curiosity, Emma ventured, "There’s something I want to ask you."

"What is it? Go ahead," Oliver responded as he finished peeling an apple, slicing a piece and spearing it with a toothpick before bringing it close to Emma.

Reaching out to take the apple slice, Emma’s hand was gently waved away by Oliver, "No need to get your hands involved."

He brought the apple slice to Emma’s lips, and with a slight awkwardness, she accepted and ate it.

As Emma Hart chewed on the apple slice, her eyes nervously scanned the room. The thought that a camera might have captured that intimate moment filled her with dread—such footage could be used to blackmail her!

She couldn’t let Damian Sterling see this; it would be disastrous.

Oliver Westmore sliced another piece of apple, but Emma quickly declined, "No more, thank you," as she hastily scooted backward.

"What did you want to ask?" Oliver inquired.

Emma hesitated before asking cautiously, "Did you... have you sent any money to my brother?" Her long eyelashes fluttered anxiously, her forehead creased slightly as she watched for any sign of deceit in Oliver’s expression.

Oliver paused, then shook his head, "No, I haven’t."

As he continued peeling the apple, Oliver casually asked, "Could it be him?"

"Who?" Emma replied naively, immediately regretting her response. It was obvious he meant Damian Sterling.

Emma’s expression darkened, her impatience showing as she glanced away, as if trying to hide something. "I don’t know, probably not."

Oliver’s gaze lingered on Emma’s face, noticing the flicker of disdain when Damian’s name was mentioned. "Emma, are you facing some trouble? If you are, you can talk to me," he said, understanding that she was not one to accept help easily. "Think of it as a loan from me, you don’t have to return it."

Emma looked at Oliver gratefully, "Thank you."

After a while, Oliver left, and Emma, feeling bored, decided to stroll down the hallway. Although her room was nearly as large as a suite, it couldn’t alleviate her boredom.

Returning to her room, Emma was surprised to find someone sitting at her bed. The man had just left; why was he back already?

"Why are you here again?" Emma asked, hand on her slightly bulging belly, recalling the women in the hallway who acted as if they were carrying the weight of the world. Fortunately, her belly wasn’t too large.

"Why can’t I be here?" the man replied, sitting across from her, his gaze intense as if trying to discern every step she took.

"Who peeled that apple for you?"

Emma Hart glanced at the apple peels in the trash can, her eyes rolling anxiously. Oliver Westmore had peeled them, but admitting that would be disastrous. "I peeled it myself," she stated firmly.

"Oh? Peel one for me," Damian Sterling challenged, handing her a knife and an apple. He watched her intently as she sat cross-legged on the bed, beginning to peel the fruit. It was peculiar how Damian seemed fixated on her hands as she worked. What was so interesting about her peeling an apple?

Once finished, Emma handed the peeled apple to Damian. His deep eyes lingered on the apple in her hand, his gaze thoughtful as he took it from her. He held it up, examining it as if it were a piece of fine art.

Bored, Emma fiddled with her hair, puzzled by his intense scrutiny of a simple apple.

"This apple is peeled exceptionally well," Damian commented, raising his eyebrows at her with a sly grin. "It seems you have many skills."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about!" Emma retorted.

Damian’s insinuations were clear, but without explicit accusations, Emma wasn’t about to offer any explanations.

Changing the subject, Emma, sitting higher on the bed than Damian on his chair, raised her head proudly, exposing her swan-like neck. She confronted him with an imperious tone, "Who told you to give money to my brother?"

Damian took a bite of the apple, then casually offered it to Emma’s lips. Without thinking, she bit into it, immediately regretting her impulsiveness. That bite seemed to extinguish her fiery demeanor entirely. How could she have accepted food from the enemy?

Emma Hart spat out the apple with disdain and pressed Damian Sterling further, "You haven’t answered my question yet!"